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nutrition

Adequate iron during infancy critical

American researchers report that children with low levels of iron as infants may grow up with brain deficiencies, even if they get early treatment. Their study of 185 teens from Costa Rica indicates that babies with severe iron deficiency never fully recovered on...

Nutrition Notes: The price of junk food

A new report on our eating habits reveals that almost a quarter of the calories we consume comes from nutrient-poor selections — better known as “junk food.” According to survey responses, soft drinks are the number one source of calories. They accounted for 7.1% of...

Nutrition Notes: Low vitamin D costly

A lack of vitamin D — thought to be a problem of a bygone era — is showing up in growing numbers of women, children and the elderly, increasing the risk of bone disease and possibly other health problems. Exposing only the face, hands and forearms to sunlight for 10...

Birth defect risk: beyond folic acid

Women are frequently reminded that folic acid helps decrease the risk of birth defects. While this is proven true in many studies, researchers at the University Medical Center in the Netherlands did two studies that showed other nutrients may also play a role in...

Curb Cancer Risk: Nine guidelines to help older women avoid disease

Post-menopausal women who follow recommended dietary and lifestyle guidelines may reduce their risk of developing and dying from cancer, say researchers. Conversely, those women who followed one or none of nine recommended guidelines for diet and lifestyle had a 35%...

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...

Prostate Protection: Good diet, exercise can kill cancer cells

UCLA scientists report that 11 days of daily exercise and a low-fat, high-fibre diet cause prostate cancer cells to die. The research is the first to show that diet and exercise can kill prostate cancer cells. "You can make changes in a short period of time that have...

Vegetarian Nutrition Notes

Recent statistics reveal that about 4% of all Canadians eat a vegetarian diet. According to Dietitians of Canada, a well-planned vegetarian diet can be a healthy alternative to standard meat-based eating styles for all age groups. While the traditional “food pyramid”...

Aging and Immunity

Research suggests that some of the decline in immune function seen as people age may be preventable with good nutrition. The Penn State study, published in the British journal Mechanisms for Aging and Development, found that women aged 60 to 80 who were well nourished...