Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Heart Disease
But further trials are needed to prove this conclusively, researchers say
(HealthDay News) — If your levels of vitamin D are too low, you may be at significantly increased risk for stroke, heart disease and death, a new study suggests.
Researchers followed 27,686 people, aged 50 and older, with no history of cardiovascular disease. The participants were divided into three groups based on their vitamin D levels: normal (more than 30 nanograms per milliliter), low (15 to 30 nanograms per milliliter), or very low (less …

Fast-Food Nutrition Better Than What We Serve Our Children? How Sad!

In the past three years, the government has provided the nation’s schools with millions of pounds of beef and chicken that wouldn’t meet the quality or safety standards of many fast-food restaurants, from Jack in the Box and other burger places to chicken chains such as KFC, a USA TODAY investigation found.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the meat it buys for the National School Lunch Program “meets or exceeds standards in commercial products.”
That isn’t always the case. McDonald’s, Burger …

Biotech Soybeans Good Source of Omega-3
Oil from engineered beans might help reduce heart attacks, researchers say
(HealthDay News) — Oil from genetically modified soybeans boosts levels of an important omega-3 fatty acid in the body, which may reduce the risk of heart attacks, U.S. researchers say.
They created soybeans that produce oils rich in stearidonic acid (SDA), which is converted by the body into an omega-3 fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
“We know that giving pure EPA to people reduces their risk for heart disease. Presumably, if you gave this special soybean …

CDC county-by-county analysis finds some areas with 1 in 10 adults already diabetic
(HealthDay News) — While rates of obesity are climbing across America, they are especially high in sections of Appalachia and the Southeast, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports in its first county-by-county survey.
Obesity and diabetes “are basically the two conditions of greatest concern for U.S. adults right now,” said study lead author Edward Gregg, chief of epidemiology and statistics in the CDC’s division of diabetes translation.
“They have been increasing for the last 10 to 15 …

ALHAMBRA, Calif. (AP) — The fight against fat is going high-tech. To get an inside look at eating and exercise habits, scientists are developing wearable wireless sensors to monitor overweight and obese people as they go about their daily lives.
The experimental devices are designed to keep track of how many minutes they work out, how much food they consume and even whether they are at a fast-food joint when they should be in the park. The goal is to cut down on self-reported answers that often cover up what’s really …

The usual January diet drill has an unusual proponent in 2010: the fast-food industry. Many of the nation’s largest fast-food chains — better-known for their often fatty, high-calorie foods — are loudly touting diet and low-calorie offerings.
Familiar brands from Taco Bell (YUM) to Starbucks (SBUX) to Dunkin’ Donuts are rolling out new products and ad campaigns in an attempt to lure calorie-conscious consumers during the month when the $170 billion fast-food industry typically sees sales slide.
Consumers feel fat in January. Some 61% would like to lose 20 pounds, …

By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY
Dieters who exercise lose 3 to 5 pounds more over several months than those who only diet. To help you lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks with the USA TODAY Weight-Loss Challenge, reporter Nanci Hellmich worked with fitness expert Mark Fenton to adapt a quiz and program from his book, The Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness. He says walking “should be at the core of everyone’s active lifestyle.”
Take the quiz
To begin a walking program that’s right for you, take the …

Suggestions to help you sleep
(HealthDay News) — Insomnia is a broad term that may include difficulty sleeping through the night, or problems falling asleep in the first place.
The National Women’s Health Information Center offers this list of possible treatment options for insomnia:

Practicing relaxation therapy to help manage stress.
Working with a doctor, initially restricting the amount of sleep (rising earlier or going to sleep later), then gradually increasing sleep to encourage a …

Improved screening, awareness may help delay progression and reduce expenses, researchers say
(HealthDay News) — Medical care for osteoarthritis patients in the United States costs $185.5 billion a year, according to a new study.
Of that amount, insurers pay $149.4 billion while patients pay $36.1 billion in out-of-pocket costs. Annual insurer costs are $4,833 per female patient and $4,036 per male patient. Women also have higher out-of-pocket expenses than men — $1,379 versus $694. The total cost for female patients is $118 billion, compared with $67.5 billion for male patients. All figures …

Findings could someday help scientists engineer tooth enamel
(HealthDay News) — Scientists have identified the way a simple amino acid makes human teeth strong and resilient.
Proline is repeated in the center of proteins found in tooth enamel. When the repeats are long, such as in humans, they contract groups of molecules that help enamel crystals grow. When the repeats are short, such as in frogs, teeth don’t have the enamel prisms that provide strength, the researchers explained.
The research offers clues on how to engineer tooth enamel.
“We hope that one day, these …