Artichokes and beans may not be at the top of your list of favourite foods, but when it comes to antioxidants, these veggies earn a coveted place. They are among a growing variety of foods found to contain surprisingly high levels of these disease-fighting compounds,...
heart disease
Go Nuts! Almonds help lower cholesterol, studies show
Almonds are high in fiber, protein, folic acid, vitamin E, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and phytochemicals. They’re also high in monounsaturated fats, which protect against heart disease by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or the "bad" cholesterol...
Vitamins Cut Health Care Costs: Billions could be saved if more took them
If governments covered the cost of a daily multivitamin for the older population, it could save health care costs in the long run, according to an economic impact study by a US health care consulting company, The Lewin Group. They determined that increased daily...
Eastern Wisdom? Women can reduce menopause symptoms by learning from the Japanese
Women can dramatically reduce menopausal symptoms and risk factors for heart disease by living more like their Japanese counterparts, say Australian researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Investigators Dr Debra Anderson and Vicki Kain have been...
Eat Away Cholesterol: Diet as effective as drugs, say researchers
Researchers at the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital have shown that a vegetarian diet composed of specific plant foods can lower cholesterol as effectively as a drug treatment. The study compared a diet of known cholesterol-lowering, vegetarian foods...
Antioxidants for Arteries: Vitamins C and E slow heart disease progression
Three years ago, a team of Finnish researchers reported that combined supplements of natural vitamin E and time-release vitamin C, taken over a three-year period, slowed the progression of atherosclerosis in men. Using ultrasound to document blood-vessel changes, the...
Plant Power: Omega-6 oils increase heart benefit from fish oils
Combined fish (omega 3) and plant (omega 6) derived fatty acids are more effective for combating heart disease in women than fish oils alone, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (77, 1:37-42,2003). The study was carried out...
Vitamin E may protect kidney dialysis patients
Patients with kidney failure or undergoing long-term dialysis commonly have elevated levels of free radicals. These free radicals may contribute to an increased risk of heart disease, a leading cause of death among dialysis patients. Researchers asked 14 male and...
Soy isoflavones reduce breast cancer risk
In a public health study in Japan, researchers found that regular consumption of soy isoflavones could reduce the likelihood of breast cancer. The researchers at the National Cancer Center Research Institute in Tokyo followed a group of 21,852 Japanese women, aged 40...
Mixed E best for heart health
Two recent studies confirm that mixed tocopherol vitamin E products may be superior to the more common alpha-tocopherol products — especially in the area of cardiovascular health. Mixed tocopherols are vitamin E supplements that contain alpha-, beta- delta- and...