Healthnotes Newswire (December 6, 2007)—A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine bears a hopeful message: “Most heart attacks in women may be preventable by consuming a healthy diet and moderate amounts of alcohol, being physically active, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight.”
Healthnotes Newswire (August 9, 2007)—One of the most effective ways to manage type 2 diabetes might be physical exercise, according to a meta-analysis published in the journal Diabetologia.
Healthnotes Newswire (May 17, 2007)—Instead of giving smoke breaks, employers could better serve their employees—and increase productivity—by helping smokers quit. New research shows that smoking cigarettes leads to people taking more sick time than their nonsmoking colleagues.
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for health, but many people don’t realize that smoking has other costs to society. Not only do the high costs of healthcare for smokers constitute an estimated 8% of all healthcare costs in the United States, it turns out that lost productivity poses an even greater economic burden. But this effect is hard to measure.
Healthnotes Newswire (May 10, 2007)—A type of omega-3 fatty acid, found primarily in cold-water fish, helps to build strong bones, reports the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Most people associate osteoporosis with women, but the disease can also occur in men. Osteoporosis causes the bones to become weak and brittle, making them more prone to fractures. Whites and Asians are more likely to suffer from the disease. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, one in four men over age 50 will develop an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in their lives.
Healthnotes Newswire (April 26, 2007)—Everyone knows that cigarette smoking causes cardiovascular disease, but now there is evidence that, over time, damage to the arteries may repair itself in people who quit.
Cigarette smoking is one of the most important avoidable causes of cardiovascular disease. A smoker’s heart attack risk is markedly higher than a nonsmoker’s, and the likelihood goes up with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the number of years of smoking.
Motivate yourself to reach your goal by creating a wish list of all the benefits you will reap from giving up tobacco. Carry it with you and read it when you feel the urge to smoke. Motivators might include: Linda Knittel, MA, is a nutritional counselor and health writer specializing in alternative medicine, nutrition, and yoga. She is proud of her parents, who have both stopped smoking.
Healthnotes - Stressed out is a common phrase these days. While some stress is healthy, unwanted stress can be harmful. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may help reduce destructive stress: 1. Get some extra C: Help normalize stress-hormone levels by taking 1 to 3 grams of vitamin C every day
2. Relax with rhodiola: Taking 170 mg a day of a standardized herbal extract during stressful phases may improve your feelings of well-being and support mental function
3. Work in a workout: Improve your resistance to stress by enjoying routine aerobic exercise
4. Participate in a program: Find a stress-reduction program that includes group counseling, instruction in coping skills, relaxation training, and other helpful techniques
5. Say no to smoking: Kick the habit to keep stress in check and to avoid other health hazards
6. Check out tyrosine: Occasionally taking this amino acid before a stressful activity can help maintain your mental capacity; calculate 150 mg for every 2.2 lbs of body weight and split into two doses (take the second dose 40 to 90 minutes after the first)
