January 2006
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Research Roundup
Subscribers Only The ratio of your waist to hip measurements offers the best predictor of your heart attack risk, say researchers with the Interheart study. Ginkgo biloba may help protect against ovarian cancer, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital concluded. People who exercised at least twice a week in middle age were 60% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease when they got older according to a study from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Ginger: Pungent, yet Soothing to the Stomach
Subscribers Only Ancient civilizations valued ginger for its tangy taste and medicinal properties. Research now suggests that the antioxidant polyphenol gingerol, the active ingredient in ginger, may indeed have medicinal effects, easing indigestion and acting as a potent anti-inflammatory for those with arthritis, for instance.
Help for the Aches and Pain of Fibromyalgia
Subscribers Only Q . I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Can diet ease my pain? A . No specific diet has been found to significantly relieve fibromyalgia pain. Still, certain dietary and lifestyle changes might ease some of your symptoms.
Not All Omega-3-Fortified Foods Are Created Equal: ALA vs DHA and EPA
Subscribers Only Q . Does it make a difference if I get my omega-3s from fish or from foods fortified with omega-3s? A . It could, depending on where the omega-3s come from. DHA and EPA are the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and fish oil supplements. They are linked to a lower risk of heart disease, as well as to the functioning of immune and neurological systems.
EN Helps You Dress Your Salad More Healthfully
Subscribers Only In the world of bottled salad dressings, traditional favorites like ranch, Italian and blue cheese still dominate shelves. But a dizzying array of alternatives is making inroads. Which is best? You're the judge when it comes to taste, but EN can steer you to the dressings that will do the least nutritional damage.
Can a Familiar Laxative Also Boost Bone and Heart Health?
Subscribers Only On its website, Metamucil Plus Calcium lists these uses: “For Regularity,” “For Bone Health,” “For Gastrointestinal function,” “For Cholesterol Lowering and Heart Health.” Can this product really cover all those bases?
Genetically Modified Foods: The Uninvited Guests at Your Dinner Table
Subscribers Only There’s a documentary entitled The Future of Food being shown in theaters around the country. It details how genetically modified (GM) foods are creeping into the food supply. Should you be alarmed about your health and the environment, as the movie suggests? Here’s what you need to know.
Bolster Winter Menus With More Fruits and Vegetables
Subscribers Only What do hearty root vegetables like rutabagas, beets and turnips and tangy fruits like cranberries, pomegranates and persimmons have in common? Choosing these cold-loving varieties means you can still eat fresh produce in the dead of winter.
Targeting Trans Fats:
What You Need to Know About the New Labeling
Subscribers Only As of January 1, all packaged foods must list grams of trans fatty acids on the Nutrition Facts panel. As a result, manufacturers have been scrambling to eliminate or lower the amount of trans fats in their products—sometimes just enough so they can be called “trans-free,” even if they aren’t really free of trans fats.
Boosting Metabolism to Lose Weight:
What Works, What Doesn’t
Subscribers Only Dieters often lament that a slow metabolism keeps them from losing weight. Marketers of weight-loss products capitalize on this belief by offering ways to boost metabolism and “melt away” unwanted pounds. Is a faster metabolism really the key to weight loss? And can you really speed up your metabolism?
Cola, but not Coffee, Raises Blood Pressure
Subscribers Only Boston researchers have found no connection between long-term coffee consumption (caffeinated or decaf) and the development of high blood pressure among almost 30,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study.