Monday, August 8, 2022

Latest Health Research - Diet


Diet

Research links red meat intake, gut microbiome, and cardiovascular disease in older adults
Does eating more meat—especially red meat and processed meat—raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and if so, why? Despite intense study, the impact of animal source foods on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is vigorously debated, and the mechanisms underlying potential effects of animal proteins remain unclear. Understanding the impacts of meat consumption is particularly important in older adults, because they are the most vulnerable to heart disease yet may benefit from intake of protein to offset age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Over the year... read more

Diets higher in calcium and potassium may help prevent recurrent symptomatic kidney stones
Kidney stones can cause not only excruciating pain but also are associated with chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. If you've experienced a kidney stone once, you have a 30% chance of having another kidney stone within five years. Changes in diet are often prescribed to prevent recurrent symptomatic kidney stones. However, little research is available regarding dietary changes for those who have one incident of kidney stone formation versus those who have recurrent incidents. Mayo Clinic researchers designed a prospective study to investigate the imp... read more

Vegans who lift weights may have stronger bones than other people on a plant-based diet

People on a plant-based diet who do strength training as opposed to other forms of exercise such as biking or swimming may have stronger bones than other people on a vegan diet, according to new research published in the Endocrine Society’s *Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.* About 6 percent of people in the United States are vegans. Recent research shows a plant-based diet can be associated with lower bone mineral density and increased fracture risk. “Veganism is a global trend with strongly increasing numbers of people worldwide adhering to a purely plant-based ... read more

It doesn’t matter much which fiber you choose – just get more fiber!
-- That huge array of dietary fiber supplements in the drugstore or grocery aisle can be overwhelming to a consumer. They make all sorts of health claims too, not being subject to FDA review and approval. So how do you know which supplement works and would be best for you? A rigorous examination of the gut microbes of study participants who were fed three different kinds of supplements in different sequences concludes that people who had been eating the least amount of fiber before the study showed the greatest benefit from supplements, regardless of which ones they consumed. “The ... read more

Daily prune consumption preserves hip BMD in postmenopausal women
A study recently published in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* revealed that daily prune consumption preserved bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip and protected against increased fracture risk in postmenopausal women. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University conducted a 12-month randomized controlled trial to test the effects of daily consumption of 50 grams (5-6 prunes) and 100 grams (10-12 prunes) of prunes on BMD in over 200 postmenopausal women. Results indicated that women who consumed 50 grams of prunes a day for one year maintained hip BMD while those in ... read more

Diets high in N-3 polyunsaturated fats may help decrease risk of breast cancer
Diet has long been reported to potentially affect breast cancer risk. Growing evidence suggests that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may play a role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. A new study documents an inverse association between breast cancer risk and n-3 PUFA consumption, especially in premenopausal women who are obese. Study results are published online today in *Menopause*, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Breast cancer is by far the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide, so it’s little wonder that so many studies focus on w... read more

Eating more ultra-processed foods associated with increased risk of dementia
People who eat the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips and cookies may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who eat the lowest amounts, according to a new study published in the July 27, 2022, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers also found that replacing ultra-processed foods in a person’s diet with unprocessed or minimally processed foods was associated with a lower risk. The study does not prove that ultra-processed foods cause dementia. It only shows an association. Ult... read more


Study on time restricted eating reveals limiting food intake to daytime shows promising beneficial metabolic effects in adults with type 2 diabetes
A new study published in *Diabetologia* (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) finds that following a time-restricted eating (TRE) protocol which limits food intake to a max 10-hour time window shows promising beneficial metabolic effects in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The research was conducted by Prof Patrick Schrauwen, Charlotte Andriessen and colleagues at NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center, the Netherlands. Our modern 24-hour society is characterised by endless

First trial to prove a diet supplement can prevent hereditary cancer
A trial in people with high hereditary risk of a wide range of cancers has shown a major preventive effect from resistant starch, found in a wide range of foods such as oats, breakfast cereal, cooked and cooled pasta or rice, peas and beans and slightly green bananas. An international trial - known as CAPP2 – involved almost 1000 patients with Lynch syndrome from around the world and revealed that a regular dose of resistant starch, also known as fermentable fibre, taken for an average of two years, did not affect cancers in the bowel but did reduce cancers in other parts of th... read more

Green tea extract promotes gut health, lowers blood sugar
New research in people with a cluster of heart disease risk factors has shown that consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health by lowering inflammation and decreasing “leaky gut.” Researchers said this is the first study assessing whether the health risks linked to the condition known as metabolic syndrome, which affects about one-third of Americans, may be diminished by green tea’s anti-inflammatory benefits in the gut. “There is much evidence that greater consumption of green tea is associated with good levels of cholesterol,... read more

Cocoa shown to reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness in first real-life study
Cocoa only reduces blood pressure and arterial stiffness when elevated, a new study from the University of Surrey finds. Cocoa flavanols have previously been found to lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness as much as some blood pressure medication. However, how effective flavanols are in everyday life in reducing blood pressure has remained unknown, as previous studies in this area have been performed in tightly controlled experimental settings. Surrey’s new research reduces concerns that cocoa as a treatment for raised blood pressure could pose health risks by decreasing blo... read more


Women urged to eat potassium-rich foods to improve their heart health
Women who eat bananas, avocados and salmon could reduce the negative effects of salt in the diet, according to a study published today in *European Heart Journal,* a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 The study found that potassium-rich diets were associated with lower blood pressure, particularly in women with high salt intake. “It is well known that high salt consumption is associated with elevated blood pressure and a raised risk of heart attacks and strokes,” said study author Professor Liffert Vogt of Amsterdam University Medical Centers, the Netherlands. ... read more

Depression linked to consuming an inflammatory diet, increasing risk of frailty
A new study published in *The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences* found a link between depression, diet, and the development of frailty. Frailty, defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, affects 10-15% older adults and often co-occurs with other health conditions, like depression.Frailty, defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, affects 10-15% older adults and often co-occurs with other ... read more

Women already live longer. They can live better with an improved diet
Women tend to live longer than men but typically have higher rates of illness. Now, new research from University of Georgia suggests these higher rates of illness can be improved by a better diet, one that is high in pigmented carotenoids such as yams, kale, spinach, watermelon, bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges and carrots. These bright-colored fruits and vegetables are particularly important in preventing visual and cognitive loss. “The idea is that men get a lot of the diseases that tend to kill you, but women get those diseases less often or later so they perseverate but with ... read more

Frequent fruit eaters had greater positive mental wellbeing, less depression
People who frequently eat fruit are more likely to report greater positive mental wellbeing and are less likely to report symptoms of depression than those who do not, according to new research from the College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University. The researchers’ findings suggest that how often we eat fruit is more important to our psychological health than the total amount we consume during a typical week. The team also found that people who eat savoury snacks such as crisps, which are low in nutrients, are more likely to report greater levels of anxiety. Publis... read more

Moderate drinking linked to brain changes and cognitive decline
Consumption of seven or more units of alcohol per week is associated with higher iron levels in the brain, according to a study of almost 21,000 people publishing July 14th in the open access journal *PLOS Medicine*. Iron accumulation in the brain has been linked with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and is a potential mechanism for alcohol-related cognitive decline. There is growing evidence that even moderate alcohol consumption can adversely impact brain health. Anya Topiwala of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues explored relationships between alcohol ... read more

Consumption of extra virgin olive oil during pregnancy increases the level of antioxidants in breast milk and in offspring
The consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) —a product with widely known benefits for our health— increases the level of phenolic compounds in breast milk and can cross the placental barrier, reaching the descendant. This has been stated in a study carried out by a team of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona (UB), the Institute for Research on Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA-UB) and the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition Networking Biomedical Research Centre (CIBEROBN). The results of the article, conducted on rats as study models, ... read more

People who practice intermittent fasting experience less severe complications from COVID-19
Intermittent fasting has previously shown to have a host of health benefits, including lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Now, researchers from Intermountain Healthcare have found that people who regularly fast are less like to experience severe complications from COVID-19. In a new study published this week in *BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health,* Intermountain researchers found that COVID-19 patients who practiced regular water-only intermittent fasting had lower risk of hospitalization or dying due to the virus than patients who did not. "Intermittent fasting ha... read more

Long term high-fat diet expands waistline and shrinks brain
New research shows that fatty foods may not only be adding to your waistline but also playing havoc with your brain. An international study led by UniSA neuroscientists Professor Xin-Fu Zhou and Associate Professor Larisa Bobrovskaya has established a clear link between mice fed a high-fat diet for 30 weeks, resulting in diabetes, and a subsequent deterioration in their cognitive abilities, including developing anxiety, depression and worsening Alzheimer's disease. Mice with impaired cognitive function were also more likely to gain excessive weight due to poor metabolism caused by... read more


Daily avocados improve diet quality, help lower cholesterol levels
* Eating one avocado a day for six months was found to have no effect on belly fat, liver fat or waist circumference in people with overweight or obesity, according to a new study. However, it did lead to a slight decrease in unhealthy cholesterol levels.* In the randomized trial, the team -- including Penn State researchers -- also found that participants who ate avocados had better quality diets during the study period. While prior, smaller studies have found a link between eating avocados and lower body weight, BMI, and waist circumferences, this was the largest, most exten... read more

For a smell disorder- Eat chili, menthol and rapeseed oil
New shows that there are social and physical consequences for people who suffer from smell disorders, for example after Covid-19. Luckily, the study also identifies solutions. Smell plays a key role in our ability to enjoy food. However, many people suffer from a lost, impaired or distorted sense of smell, and this can affect both their health and quality of life, says a new study from Aarhus University. Losing your sense of smell or having it distorted affects more than your cooking and eating habits, says Alexander Wieck Fjældstad, associate professor, MD. He was part of estab... read more

Higher protein intake while dieting leads to healthier eating
Eating a larger proportion of protein while dieting leads to better food choices and helps avoid the loss of lean body mass, according to a Rutgers study. An analysis of pooled data from multiple weight-loss trials conducted at Rutgers shows that increasing the amount of protein even slightly, from 18 percent of a person’s food intake to 20 percent, has a substantial impact on the quality of the food choices made by the person. The study was published in the medical journal *Obesity*. “It’s somewhat remarkable that a self-selected, slightly higher protein intake during dieting... read more

Mediterranean diet may reduce chance of frailty
A new study published in *The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* found that consuming a Mediterranean-style diet may prevent frailty. Defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from a decline in function across multiple physiological systems, frailty affects 10-15% older adults, and leads to other health issues. Although the general benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet are well known, its role in the reduction of frailty in older Americans who do not normally consume such a diet was unclear. The study titled, “Adherence to the Mediterranean-styl... read more

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