Jon's Health Tips - Latest Health Research

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I try not to let reports like this discourage me: (And I keep taking statins and Vitamin D):

Why Almost Everything You Hear About Medicine Is Wrong

In just the last two months, two pillars of preventive medicine fell. A major study concluded there’s no good evidence that statins (drugs like Lipitor and Crestor) help people with no history of heart disease. The study was based on an evaluation of 14 individual trials with 34,272 patients. Cost of statins: more than $20 billion per year, of which half may be unnecessary. In November a panel of the Institute of Medicine concluded that having a blood test for vitamin D is pointless: almost everyone has enough D for bone health (20 nanograms per milliliter) without taking supplements or calcium pills. Cost of vitamin D: $425 million per year...

Statins should be prescribed with caution in those at low risk of cardiovascular disease

But there is reason to go on:

Vitamin E may increase the life expectancy of older men

Sun exposure, vitamin D may lower risk of multiple sclerosis

Inaccurate Negative Statin News Reports

But this is lousy reporting - the actual research conclusion is: "All cause mortality. coronary heart disease and stroke events were reduced with the use of statins....Taking statins did not increase the risk of adverse effects such as cancer." No mention of undesirable side-effects. The researchers mainly criticized the quality of the research, and advised exercising caution.

I can’t wait to resume regular aspirin use.

I try to avoid loneliness: Loneliness is bad for your health

I am eating small amounts of dark chocolate every day:

Dark chocolate and cocoa have a greater antioxidant capacity and a greater total flavanol, and polyphenol, content than the fruit juices

New explanation for heart-healthy benefits of chocolate

I do go to sleep earlier than I used to, and often get a good night’s sleep:

Late nights can lead to higher risk of strokes and heart attacks

Lack of sleep found to be a new risk factor for colon cancer

I certainly prefer to get my exercise outdoors (although not in this weather) but I’m not sure an artificial turf field would qualify:

There are benefits to mental and physical well-being from taking exercise in the natural environment.

Where once I hoped to qualify for stain treatment, now I may want to be treated for osteoporosis :

Australian clinical researchers have noted an extraordinary and unexpected benefit of osteoporosis treatment – that people taking bisphosphonates are not only surviving well, better than people without osteoporosis, they appear to be gaining an extra five years of life.


I’m going to take a break before I continue working on this:

Plenty of breaks, even if they are as little as one minute, seem to be good for people's hearts and their waistlines

I’m eating more vegetables these days (a restaurant with a salad bar near my new office is a big factor) which has many benefits:

Nitrate (found in leafy green vegetables) reduces the blood pressure of healthy individuals and that in laboratory animals it counteracts components of the metabolic syndrome, a pre-stage of diabetes. Other scientists have demonstrated protective effects of nitrate and nitrite in animal models against heart attack and stroke.

Eating More Fruit and Vegetables Is Linked to a Lower Risk of Dying from Ischemic Heart Disease

I am happy that I continue to eat fish, and olive oil, avoid trans-fats, and take Omega-3 oil pills:

A deficiency of dietary omega-3 may explain depressive behaviors

Trans-Fats Increase Risk of Depression, While Olive Oil Helps Avoid Risk

I'm positive that Positive Emotions ARE Good for Your Health.

Olive Oil's Healthy Pain


I continue to drink red wine, which should help me fight aging.

Maybe it’s a good thing the Giants were not in the Super Bowl:

Super Bowl losses can increase cardiac death

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