Ten Resolution foor 2008

All of us can do something to improve our change of living a long and healthy life. Take time now to choose one of these resolutions and make it happen. You will feel better now and years from now.

1. Drink Tea

Tea, especially green tea, is loaded with antioxidants that help prevent damage to your body. Tea has also been shown to reduce stress. Drink several cups of tea daily to help extend your life and make your day more relaxing.

2. Slow Down When You Eat

Eating too fast results in mindlessly eating 100s of extra calories every day. Learn to slow down and pay attention to what you are eating.

3. Relax

Relaxation brings with it numerous benefits such as lower blood pressure, better cardiovascular health, and better sleep. Take at least 5 minutes daily to just let go of your stress. Once you get in the habit of doing this, the benefits will pile up.

4. Eat Chocolate

Dark chocolate (which contains over 70% cocoa) is a complex food that has numerous antioxidants which help prevent damage in your body. Eat a few tablespoons a day for better heart health (but remember to count those chocolate calories!)

5. Get Tested

Early diagnosis of diseases can give you a chance to take action before severe damage is done. Get screened for common conditions in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.

6. Organize Your Medical Information

Unfortunately, in our current medical system you must be your own advocate. Keep your medical information current and organized. If you have a problem, knowing your medical and family history and current conditions can speed up diagnosis and treatment.

7. Be Safe

Accidents are a leading cause of death in the US. Make a point not to take risks while driving. Slow down, let the other car go. It isn't worth saving a few minutes to put yourself at risk.

8. Exercise

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body. Increase your activity level and you will feel your energy and mood improve. Make a decision now to exercise at least 3 times a week.

9. Take Fish Oils

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils are a great protector of your brain and eyesight. Eat fish with low mercury levels weekly, eat fresh ground flax seed or take an omega-3 supplement to provide long-term brain protection.

10. Quit Your Bad Habits

Everyone has a vice and it is time for you to stop yours. Whether you smoke, don't exercise, or eat too many cookies -- you know what you need to do. Make a clear decision to phase out your bad habit. Reduce it by half each month and before you know it, you will not be craving it anymore.

Healthy Menu for the Day

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 10 to 30 minutes per meal.

Here's How:

1. Breakfast: one cup strawberries, one-half cup low fat cottage cheese with one tablespoon of sunflower seeds. One slice of whole grain toast.
2. Midmorning: one small apple, eight walnuts, two ounces lean sliced chicken breast.
3. Lunch: three cups salad consisting of dark green lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes with two teaspoons of walnut oil, two ounce organic beef patty served on a whole grain roll.
4. Mid afternoon: six ounces of tofu, one and one-half cups carrot sticks, one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.
   
   
5. Dinner: one-half cup whole wheat spaghetti with one-forth cup organic marinara sauce and two ounces ground turkey. Two cups cooked green vegetables such as asparagus, spinach or broccoli drizzled with two teaspoons flax oil.
6. Evening Snack: six whole grain crackers with one ounce sliced cheese and one small apple.

Tips:

1. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day.
2. Choose whole grain breads and cereals.

A Sigh of Relief for Heartburn Sufferers

Over the last decade, a tide of powerful heartburn medications, many once available only by prescription, has washed over store shelves, helping to introduce gastroesophageal reflux disease -- or GERD, the medical name for persistent heartburn -- into the vocabulary of consumers everywhere. But along with relief has come worry. Many patients fear they are afflicted with an incurable chronic condition that, if left untreated, eventually leads to more serious problems like inflammation or even cancer of the esophagus.

The truth is a little more complicated. And a lot more reassuring.
Heartburn occurs when the valve between the esophagus and the stomach relaxes at the wrong time, allowing stomach acid to spill upwards and cause a burning sensation in the chest or throat. “Almost everyone experiences heartburn now and then,” said Dr. Joel E. Richter, a heartburn expert.

For years it was thought that chronic heartburn inevitably erodes the delicate lining of the esophagus -- damage that can be visually detected through insertion of a flexible tube, or endoscope, down the throat. Over time, the assumption went, that damage leads to esophagitis, or inflammation of the esophagus, and in some cases to a precancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus.
But new findings show the picture isn’t quite that simple. “People with horrible symptoms of heartburn often don’t turn out to have esophagitis,” said Dr. C. Daniel Smith of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. “People with no symptoms at all can turn out to have severe damage.”
“Only about 10 to 15 percent of cases are bad GERD, with signs of esophageal damage,” said Dr. Richter. Complications can include breaks in the lining of the esophagus and scar tissue that forms strictures, but these are uncommon. “Eighty-five percent of the time there’s no damage to the esophagus.” Even when there is damage, studies show, it usually doesn’t progress over time.
Of course even uncomplicated heartburn is no picnic. Regurgitating stomach acid is unpleasant. Flare-ups, which frequently occur at night after a big meal, can disrupt sleep. Luckily, with dozens of treatments available, relief is at hand. For occasional heartburn, garden-variety antacids like Tums, Rolaids or Maalox are usually effective. Drugs called H2 blockers, which suppress stomach acid production, are recommended for mild episodic heartburn. They can also help prevent trouble if taken before a heartburn-inducing meal. For more severe cases, doctors typically recommend drugs called proton pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.’s, which are even more effective at blocking acid formation.
People with documented esophageal damage or very severe and frequent reflux may need to take medication daily. But the majority of heartburn sufferers don’t need to stay on the drugs for extended periods -- though many do, experts say, perhaps partly out of the fears fanned by direct-to-consumer ads.
“Only 7 percent of people with GERD experience symptoms of heartburn on a daily basis,” said Dr. Lauren B. Gerson, an associate professor of medicine at Stanford University. “They may need to stay on medication. But 30 to 40 percent have flare-ups only about once a month.” In that case, they can get by taking antacids or anti-reflux drugs only occasionally, when the symptoms begin or before indulging in the kind of meal that typically ignites heartburn.
Judicious use of heartburn drugs not only saves money but lowers the risk of untoward side effects. Although heartburn drugs are considered very safe, a 2006 study at the University of Pennsylvania found a 2.6-fold increase in the risk of hip fractures associated with long-term use of proton pump inhibitors. Other studies point to a higher risk of gastrointestinal infections. “These are risks worth taking if you have bad reflux, but not if you don’t really need to take the drugs,” said Dr. Richter.
The best medicine, of course, is prevention. Almost everyone seems to have a pet theory about what causes their heartburn -- spicy foods, coffee, chocolate or alcohol among them. Doctors often tell patients to eliminate certain foods. After years of hearing her colleagues dole out such advice, often to little effect, Dr. Gerson decided to look at the evidence. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t much,” she said. “There’s almost no evidence that cutting out certain foods, giving up alcohol or even quitting smoking had any effect on heartburn.”
One common piece of advice, raising the head of the bed, does seem to reduce episodes of reflux at night slightly. Losing weight if you’re overweight may also help, since excess body fat may put more pressure on the valve between the stomach and esophagus. Hormonal changes associated with excess fat may also make the valve relax when it shouldn’t. Similar hormone fluctuations are the reason many women experience heartburn during pregnancy.
Preventing heartburn provides one more reason to lose weight, though most people probably won’t. Given the nation’s expanding waistline, more and more of us are likely to find ourselves reaching for a heartburn remedy. At least it’s reassuring to know that a little bit of discomfort is all most of us have to worry about.

Healthy Lifestyle

Better lifestyle habits can help you reduce your risk for heart attack. Learn what you can do to help prevent heart disease and stroke.

		You Are What You Eat Better food habits can help you reduce your risk for heart attack. A healthful eating plan means choosing the right foods to eat and preparing foods in a healthy way. more

It's Not Just a Man's Disease Heart disease is far and away the leading cause of death of American women, but you can do a lot to help protect yourself and women from it. Read this section for some important advice. more

		Exercise & Fitness Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, dancing, walking and dozens of other activities can help your heart. Whether it is included in a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart. more

Managing Your Weight We can help you manage your lifestyle to better manage your weight and reduce your risk for heart attack. more

		Cholesterol Low Down To urge Americans to reduce their risk for heart disease, the American Heart Association introduces "Taking It Personally," as part of the Cholesterol Low Down national education campaign. more

Top Diet, Nutrition and Fitness Websites

Get the latest news and in-depth information on diet and exercise from these top diet and exercise websites.

• American Heart Association Get information on keeping your heart healthy and your cholesterol down.

• Eat 5 to 9 a Day The government recommends that people should eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day, check out this handy site for ideas on how to reach this goal.

• MyPyramid.gov Get information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on improving your health with interactive tools to create a better diet.

• FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Get information from the source of food and drug nutrition.

• American Obesity Association Check out one of the Internet's most comprehensive sites on obesity.

• Obesity Online Check out this multi-disciplinary forum for research and treatment of massive obesity, including plastics, psychiatry, endocrinology, nutrition, nursing, dietetics and allied health.

• Wikipedia Entry on Obesity Read an open source encylopedia entry on obesity.

• American Council on Exercise Visit this handy site for information from the country's authority on exercise.

• Heavy Sports Check this directory of sites for all strength building exercises.

• IntenseWorkout.com Get information on all forms of exercise and weight training.

• Just Move Check out this fitness center sponsored by the American Heart Association.

• National Cancer Institute Access the number one resource for any type of cancer.

• President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Learn about the government program to get the country moving!

• SmallStep.gov Access this website on fitness from the Department of Health and Human Services.

• Center for Science in the Public Interest Access the center's information on health, nutrition and diet.

• Medline Plus: Exercise and Physical Fitness Get information on exercise from the U.S. National Institute of Health.

• Stretch Break Access this site that teaches computer users to stretch and relieve stress.

• Weight Watchers International Log in to an international network of weight watchers.

• YMCA Learn about the number one community fitness center in the country.

Top Health Risks

Poor nutrition is a particular problem in Africa

Concerted international action to tackle the major health risks in each region of the world could increase average life expectancy across the planet by up to 10 years, say experts.

A report by the World Health Organization has identified the top 10 preventable risks to health world-wide.

Top 10 preventable threats to health

-Low weight children and mothers -Unsafe sex -High blood pressure -Tobacco -Alcohol -Unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene -High cholesterol -Indoor smoke from solid fuels -Iron deficiency -Obesity

Together, they account for about 40% of the 56m deaths that occur world-wide each year.

The report also quantifies their impact in each region, and provides examples of cost-effective way to reduce the risk.

Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO director general, said: "This report provides a road map for how societies can tackle a wide range of preventable conditions that are killing millions of people prematurely and robbing tens of millions of healthy life.

"WHO will take this report and focus on the interventions that would work best in each region and on getting the information out to member countries."

Shocking differences

WHO calls the contrast between rich and poor people "shocking."

Obesity is a global problem

It says the burden from many of the risks is borne almost exclusively by the developing world.

For instance, 170m children in poor countries are underweight, mainly from lack of food. Poor nutrition is estimated to have caused 3.4m deaths in 2000, of which 1.8m were in Africa alone.

Under-nutrition was a contributing factor in more than half of all child deaths in developing countries.

In contrast, obesity is becoming a global problem - estimated to affect more than one billion adults world-wide.

Approximately 500,000 people in North America and Western Europe die from obesity-related diseases every year.

Tobacco already kills 5m people a year, and the WHO predicts that unless action is taken this will soar to 9m a year by 2020.

Life expectancy

World-wide deaths (Year 2000)

High blood pressure - 7.1m Tobacco - 4.9m High cholesterol - 4.4m Poor nutrition - 3.4m Unsafe sex - 2.9m

The WHO says that action to tackle preventable health risks could help to increase life expectancy by as much as 16 years in parts of Africa. The current life expectancy in Malawi is just 37.

Even in the richer countries, such as Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, healthy life spans would increase by about five years.

Dr Christopher Murray, who took lead responsibility for the report, said: "Globally, we need to achieve a much better balance between preventing disease and merely treating its consequences.

"This can only come about with concerted action to identify and reduce major risks to health."

The WHO makes specific suggestions on how to combat each threat.

For instance, for blood pressure and cholesterol problems, countries should promote practices such as reducing salt in processed foods, cutting dietary fat, encouraging exercise, reducing smoking and eating more fruit and vegetables.

Activity in Your Daily Life

At Home
It's convenient, comfortable and safe to work out at home. It allows your children to see you being active, which sets a good example for them. You can combine exercise with other activities, such as watching TV. If you buy exercise equipment, it's a one-time expense and other family members can use it. It's easy to have short bouts of activity several times a day. Try these tips:

• Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.
• Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn't count! Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.
• Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both! Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.
• Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving.
• When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk. Choose a hilly route. When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Better yet, spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV. Throw away your video remote control. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.
• Stand up while talking on the telephone.
• Walk the dog.
• Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance. Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.
• Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at floor level.
• Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it!

At the Office
Most of us have sedentary jobs. Work takes up a significant part of the day. What can you do to increase your physical activity during the work day? Why not...:

• Brainstorm project ideas with a co-worker while taking a walk.
• Stand while talking on the telephone.
• Walk down the hall to speak with someone rather than using the telephone.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or get off a few floors early and take the stairs the rest of the way.
• Walk while waiting for the plane at the airport.
• Stay at hotels with fitness centers or swimming pools and use them while on business trips.
• Take along a jump rope in your suitcase when you travel. Jump and do calisthenics in your hotel room.
• Participate in or start a recreation league at your company.
• Form a sports team to raise money for charity events.
• Join a fitness center or Y near your job. Work out before or after work to avoid rush-hour traffic, or drop by for a noon workout.
• Schedule exercise time on your business calendar and treat it as any other important appointment.
• Get off the bus a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way to work or home.
• Walk around your building for a break during the work day or during lunch.

At Play
Play and recreation are important for good health. Look for opportunities such as these to be active and have fun at the same time:

• Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity (hiking, backpacking, swimming, etc.)
• See the sights in new cities by walking, jogging or bicycling.
• Make a date with a friend to enjoy your favorite physical activities. Do them regularly.
• Play your favorite music while exercising, something that motivates you.
• Dance with someone or by yourself. Take dancing lessons. Hit the dance floor on fast numbers instead of slow ones.
• Join a recreational club that emphasizes physical activity.
• At the beach, sit and watch the waves instead of lying flat. Better yet, get up and walk, run or fly a kite.
• When golfing, walk instead of using a cart.
• Play singles tennis or racquetball instead of doubles.
• At a picnic, join in on badminton instead of croquet.
• At the lake, rent a rowboat instead of a canoe.

Salad? Try this one

spinach salad with oranges and almonds

Ingredients
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 green onions, minced
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 oranges

1 1/2 6-ounce packages baby spinach
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Whisk first 7 ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. (Dressing and oranges can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Rewhisk dressing before using.)

Combine spinach, half of almonds, and all orange segments in large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Divide among 6 plates. Sprinkle with almonds.

How to Lose Belly Fat?

Causes Of Belly Fat

It is a fact that the belly fat is the most difficult to get rid of because it is the main place to store fat in the body. Many people will attest to this fact. Many lose fat everywhere else before they lose belly fat. It is also a fact that it is much easier to develop belly fat. Deficiency in lifestyle is the major cause. Eating unhealthy food, lack of exercise, stress, alcoholism are some examples leading to developing unhealthy, unwanted, stubborn belly fat.

Exercise to Lose Belly Fat

Exercise is one of the best ways to lose belly fat. But you need to understand that targeting the belly area alone with crunches doesn’t lead to losing belly fat. It is important to exercise the whole body if you are going to lose stubborn belly fat. Exercise that strengthen the major muscles and build muscle mass in your body will help you have that smooth and toned abs you always have dreamed of. Again if you want to lose those belly fat your exercises must be right exercises. So, you need to exercise smart.

Taking Pills to Lose Belly Fat

Most people who are busy and don’t have enough time for diets always turn to the easiest and quickest way to lose belly fat. That is with taking pills. There are countless pills available to lose belly fat. But at the end, most people find out that taking pills does so little in losing those unwanted belly fat. Some diet pills that claims and promises actually results to nothing at all, while some have been found to be harmful to your health.

Surgery to Lose Belly Fat

Out of desperation and frustration at times, people turn to surgery to lose stubborn belly fat. Most of the time, surgery is for people more than 100 pounds overweight. There are a 3 different surgery choices available to those who choose this method for losing belly fat. First is banding of the stomach. This is where part of the stomach is banded off making the stomach smaller and can only hold small amount of food. Another surgical procedure is the gastric bypass where food is made to go directly into the intestines bypassing the stomach. The third is called liposuction, a cosmetic surgery, or body sculpting. Liposuction is one of the most popular procedures today. It is the sucking out of fat not exceeding 10 pounds. These surgical procedures are very difficult, risky and can have negative side effects.

Most Effective Way

With all these methods available for you to lose your belly fat, it is still your choice to opt for the best method that will be most effective and healthy for you. Surgery and taking pills may be the quickest ways to lose stomach fat, but exercise and eating the proper food are still the most effective ways to lose unwanted, stubborn belly fat.

Fish for brain health supported by trio of studies

14/11/2007 - Omega-3-rich fish consumption may improve brain function across a broad demographic spectrum, suggest three new studies from around the world.

The studies pull together data from New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Norway, and all suggest significant benefits of fish consumption, specifically the omega-3 fatty acid content, and cognitive health.

The majority of science for the health benefits of fish and omega-3 consumption has focused on cardiovascular health, but the science for cognitive benefits is growing and almost as compelling as the heart health data.

Moreover, the number of studies reporting potential risk reduction of certain cancers, improved development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood, are also growing.

Published in the November 2007 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the studies have been commended by an independent expert.

"These recent reports are novel in that they address the association of n-3 fatty acid intake and cognitive function in non-demented individuals and, thus, present a shift in the attention to earlier stages of cognitive decline with the hope of preventing progression to states of dementia and disability before they become irreversible," wrote Irwin Rosenberg from Tufts University.

For the first study, Dutch researchers, led by Carla Dullemeijer from Wageningen University, used data from the FACIT trial, involving 807 men and women (average age 60 at baseline) assigned to receive folic acid or placebo capsules for three years. A cross-sectional analysis studied all 807 participants, while a longitudinal analysis only focused on the 404 participants in the placebo group.

The researchers report that increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the plasma were associated with a 69 per cent lower decline in sensorimotor speed and a 60 per cent lower decline in complex speed over three years.

No effects were observed on memory, the speed at which the participants processed information, or their word fluency.

"In this population, plasma n_3 PUFA proportions were associated with less decline in the speed-related cognitive domains over 3 y. These results need to be confirmed in randomized controlled trials," concluded Dullemeijer and co-workers.

Researchers in New Zealand investigated if a relationship existed between the fatty acid composition of serum lipids and the mental and physical well-being of 2416 people participating in the 1997 National Nutrition Survey.

Using data from a short-form 36 health questionnaire and blood samples, lead author Francesca Crowe from the University of Otago reports that the proportion of EPA in the blood, and the ratio of EPA to arachidonic acid (AA) was positively associated with physical well-being, and the EPA to AA ratio for mental well-being.

"The association between [EPA levels], the ratio of EPA to AA, and better self-reported physical well-being is biologically plausible," state the researchers.

"The synthesis of the inflammatory series-2 prostaglandins and series-4 leukotrienes from AA would be reduced in favour of the less inflammatory series-3 prostaglandins and series-5 leukotrienes synthesized from EPA."

"The association has strong biological plausibility and warrants further investigation," they concluded.

The final study, led by Eha Nurk from the University of Oxford, examined the relation between consumption of seafood products and cognitive performance in 2031 elderly Norwegians.

The researchers report that consumption of at least 10 grams of fish a day performed significantly better in tests for cognitive performance than people who ate less than 10 grams of fish and fish products.

Moreover, the effect was dose dependent, with the best test scores occurring in individuals consuming about 75 grams per day.

Interestingly, there was no significant difference between the consumption of lean of fatty fish, suggesting that the effects were due to something other than omega-3 fatty acids.

"Because this and earlier studies have shown that fish intake is associated with better cognition, the next question is what component of fish makes it good for the brain?" asked Nurk and co-workers.

"Studies of n 3 fatty acids, niacin, and any other factor known to be enriched in fish are needed to answer this question," they concluded.

In the accompanying editorial, Rosenberg commended the research groups for addressing the association of fish and n-3 fatty acid intake with cognitive function in individuals not yet showing signs of impaired cognitive function.

"These studies of nutritional associations with brain function during the elongated prodromal period of age-related neurodegeneration and decline offer an opportunity for early intervention to maintain brain function and slow progression to dementia, which is costly economically and in terms of quality of life," concluded Rosenberg.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 86, Pages 1278-1285
"Serum phospholipid n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and physical and mental health in a population-based survey of New Zealand adolescents and adults"
Authors: F.L. Crowe, C.M. Skeaff, T.J. Green, A.R. Gray

Volume 86, Pages 1479-1485
"N-3 Fatty acid proportions in plasma and cognitive performance in older adults"
Authors: Carla Dullemeijer, J. Durga, I.A. Brouwer, O. van de Rest, F.J. Kok, R.-J. M Brummer, M.P.J. van Boxtel, and P. Verhoef

Volume 86, Pages 1470-1478
"Cognitive performance among the elderly and dietary fish intake: the Hordaland Health Study"
Authors: E. Nurk, C.A. Drevon, H. Refsum, K. Solvoll, S.E. Vollset, O. Nygard, H.A. Nygaard, K. Engedal, G.S. Tell, and A.D. Smith

Editorial: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 86, Pages 1259-1260
"Rethinking brain food"
Author: I.H. Rosenberg

Omega-3 shows benefits for fat loss in diabetics

13/12/2007 - Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids could reduce fat mass in diabetics, as well as improving blood lipid levels associated with the formation of arterial plaque, suggests a new study from France.

Twenty-seven women with type-2 diabetes took part in the study, published in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which also reported no changes to overall energy intake after two months of omega-3 supplementation.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood.

The researchers, led by Morvarid Kabir from France's INSERM, randomly assigned the volunteers to receive either daily supplements of fish oil (three grams, providing 1.8 grams of omega-3) or placebo (paraffin oil) for two months. The subjects did not show signs of high triglyceride levels.

At the end of the study, Kabir and co-workers report significant reductions in total fat mass and the diameter of fat cells beneath the surface of the skin (subcutaneous adipocytes) in the omega-3, but not the placebo, group.

Moreover, risk factors for plaque formation in the arteries (atherogenic markers), such as triacylglycerol levels and the ration of triacylglycerol to HDL ('good') cholesterol, were significantly lower as a result of omega-3 supplementation, indicating considerable cardiovascular benefits for the women.

"A subset of inflammation-related genes was reduced in subcutaneous adipose tissue after the fish oil, but not the placebo," added the researchers.

No significant changes occurred in insulin sensitivity measures, they noted.

"A moderate dose of omega-3 PUFAs for two months reduced adiposity and atherogenic markers without deterioration of insulin sensitivity in subjects with type-2 diabetes," concluded the researchers.

"Some adipose tissue inflammation-related genes were also reduced. These beneficial effects could be linked to morphologic and inflammatory changes in adipose tissue."

Only recently, researchers from the University of Colorado at Denver reported that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids from marine sources may protect children at high risk of type-1 diabetes from developing the disease (JAMA, Vol. 298, pp. 1420-1428).

An estimated 19 million people are affected by type-2 diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030.

In the US, there are over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
December 2007, Volume 86, 1670-1679
"Treatment for 2 mo with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces adiposity and some atherogenic factors but does not improve insulin sensitivity in women with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled study"
Authors: Morvarid Kabir, G. Skurnik, N. Naour, V. Pechtner, E. Meugnier, S. Rome, A. Quignard-Boulange, H. Vidal, G. Slama, K. Clement, M. Guerre-Millo and S.W. Rizkalla

Taking it day by day...

I cannot consider myself as a health buff until my life was threatened with dengue fever ( early stage). I lost a lot of weight, look so thin and unhealthy. I look so ill that my friends and relatives were so concerned with how I look. It took me almost 6 months to regain my health back. Since then, I realized I should do something to keep myself healthy.

From then on, I was more concerned with what I ate and scared to be bitten again by mosquitoes (hehehe). Eventually, I learned to be more aware in taking good care of my body. I become "health conscious" taking each day with more discipline and attitude to keep myself fit.

Keeping ourselves healthy take a lot of discipline and consistency to observe a healthy lifestyle. It's a process but we can take it day by day to stay fit, healthy and full of vigor everyday!!!

Welcome!

Nowadays, people get busier than ever. working late at night, go in different gigs, party all over, do food intake a lot. This things do put our health on risk.We may not notice it at first but as we go along we do feel its effect or even worse DEATH. This blog aims to do help people discuss things that could help us maintain our healthy lifestyle even at our most busy moments.

Watch out for incoming post! Thanx