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• 5/08 - Salt may be harming more than your blood pressure. Research indicates that not only did a high salt diet increase systolic blood pressure (the high number) but also stiffness in artery linings and in the left ventricle of the heart. Test results were based on a study of young men with normal blood pressure eating a high salt diet (about 5,200mg) for 5 days. Hypertension
• 4/08 - Eating more food less often can damage your health, according to researchers at the the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and US Agricultural Research Service (ARS), putting individuals at higher risk of high cholesterol and blood pressure.

• 10/07 - DHA and EPA, the long-chain omega-3s found in fish oil may lower your risk of heart disease. The short-chain omega-3, ALA, is less beneficial and may raise the risk for prostate cancer. When reading labels, be sure either DHA and/or EPA is listed including the amount. If not listed, read the ingredients for fish or fish oil (DHA and EPA) or algal oil (DHA). If the ingredients show flaxseed or flax oil or soybean or canola oil, the omega-3 is probably ALA. Nutrition Action Healthletter

• 10/07 - Postmenopausal women who ate at least half a grapefruit every other day (which researchers believe may raise estrogen levels) have a 30% higher risk of breast cancer than those who don't eat grapefruit British Journal of Cancer
  

• 7/04 - The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which goes into effect in 2006, will require plain English labeling of products containing wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, or eggs. These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies.
  
• 7/04 - The federal government may be replacing the Food Guide Pyramid with something that will motivate people to eat healthier. New dietary guidelines are currently being reviewed and a revised verision is due out in early 2005.
• 3/04 - The FDA is urging food packagers to change product labels to reflect serving sizes actually consumed. For example, nutritional information on a 20-oz soda should reflect 1 serving instead of 2.5 sevings, since most people drink the whole bottle at one time.
  
• 2/04 - Institute of Medicine advises healthy 19-50 year-old adults to keep their sodium intake to 1,500mg. Older individuals, African Americans, and people with chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease, should consume less.
• 1/04 - New product by Astaris, Nutrifos® 100 Sodium-Free, enables poultry, meat and seafood processors to improve quality and taste of low-sodium brands, particularly chicken- and turkey-based breakfast meats.
• 10/03 - Health experts testifying before Congress, suggesting that heavy reliance on carbohydrates and avoidance of fats are causing overweight Americans. Want government to overhaul food pyramid, citing pyramid does not account for differences in unsaturated fats and high-fiber carbohydrates.

• 4/08 - Women who get 5 hours or less sleep are twice as likely to develop high blood pressure and increases your risk of obesity, depression and diabetes (other factors that increase your odds of developing heart disease). Hypertension
• 4/08 - Even though you may sleep through a night of noises, such as snoring, sirens, or screeching care, your body is aware of the noise and raises your blood pressure. Anything exceeding 35 decibels (dB), such as the hum of a refrigerator (40 dB), raised the blood pressure of study volunteers and the louder the noise, the higher the blood pressure. European Heart Journal

• 1/07 - Moderate alcohol consumption may benefit people with hypertension from having a heart attack. Studies show that men who had 1 or 2 drinks a day had fewer deaths from heart attacks than nondrinkers. Annals of Internal Medicine

• 10/06 - Blood pressure medications, in particular, Thiazide diuretics, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, may help protect bones from breaking.Journal of Internal Medicine

• 3/05 - Changes to the retina may not only indicate hypertension, but also help gauge the risk of a future stroke or heart attack. Several studies show that people who show changes in their retinal blood vessels are 2-4 times more likely to have a stroke than those without changes. Harvard Health Letter
  
• 7/04 - According to a Taiwanese study, consumption of 4 fl oz (120 mL) per day or more of green or oolong tea in moderate strength for one year significantly reduces the risk of developing hypertension. Archives of Internal Medicine
• 3/04 - "Modest" increases in physical activity in previously sedentary hypertensive individuals significantly decreases blood pressure. While exercising just 30-60 minutes per week reduces both systolic and diastolic, 61-90 minutes per week reduced diastolic even more. However, increasing exercise activity and frequency did not show additional reductions in blood pressure. American Journal of Hypertension
  
• 2/04 - Studies indicate reduced salt intake and increased potassium intake can lower blood pressure, however people with kidney problems impairing potassium excretion and those on certain types of drugs, like ACE inhibitors, should consult with a healthcare provider before consuming more potassium. Foods rich in potassium include potatoes, halibut, squash, spinach, beans, salmon, yogurt, mushrooms, bananas, orange juice, brussels sprouts, tuna, broccoli and tomatoes.
• 1/04 - Melatonin may lower nocturnal blood pressure. In a study of 16 men with untreated hypertension, a significant reduction in nocturnal blood pressure and improved sleep occurred after three weeks of melatonin therapy (daily dose of 2.5mg one hour before bedtime). A single dose had no effect on blood pressure. Hypertension
  
• 10/03 – Study indicates Type A personalities (impatience, hostility and competitiveness) and depressed individuals with constant anxiety run a higher risk of developing hypertension than more placid individuals. JAMA
• 10/03 - Low birthweight and lower socioeconomic class associated with increased blood pressure in adulthood. The Lancet
• 10/3 - Hypertension on the rise in U.S., nearly one third of all adults -- 58 million -- have high blood pressure according to researchers at University of South Carolina in Columbia and Medical College of Wisconsin. After years of decline, hypertension has increased 3.7 % (approximately 7 million people) during the past decade. JAMA
• 9/03 - Several studies indicate 50% of hypertensive patients are insulin resistant. Insulin resistant individuals with normal blood pressure could eventually develop hypertension and coronary heart disease. Journal of Clinical Hypertension

• 4/08 - Several studies have found a link between gum disease and heart disease. Periodontal deep-cleaning promoted healthier blood flow to the heart. The New England Journal of Medicine
• 4/08 - A number of studies show moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer can be good for your heart health. Alcohol, in moderation, raises HDL (good cholesterol) and has a favorable effect on blood vessels, making a clot less likely.
  
• 3/04 - Recent studies find increased exercise reduces the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. More active or physically fit individuals are less likely to experience coronary heart disease (CHD) -- or acquire CHD at a later age -- and have lower mortality rates than their sedentary counterparts. In fact, the most sedentary individuals generally demonstrate twice the rate of coronary artery disease as the most physically active individuals.
  
• 3/04 - The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet not only benefits hypertension but also improves insulin sensitivity. Diabetes Care
• 10/03 - World Health Organization warns women to take better care of themselves. Heart attacks and stroke kill more women each year than breast cancer.
• 8/03 - Studies indicate that roughly 90% of people with severe heart disease have one or more classic risk factors -- smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obestity and diabetes. A healthier lifestyle -- quitting smoking, losing weight, exercising, lowering blood pressure and controlling diabetes -- could prevent or delay a majority of the 650,000 new heart attacks each year.

• 4/08 - Moderate exercise - walking briskly half an hour a day - can lower your risk of a stroke. University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center
• 7/04 - According to a recent study, the risk of developing dementia is high after a stroke. Alzheimer-like symptoms appear during the first years after a stroke and then later shifts to vascular dementia in subsequent years. Neurology
• 10/03 - A Danish study found that hypertensive women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were at twice the risk of having a stroke as nonusers. Conversely, HRT use in women with normal blood pressure did not raise the risk. Archives of Neurology
• 9/03 - Daily consumption of green or yellow vegetables and fruit reduces stroke risk 26% compared to once or less per week according to 16-year Japanese study. Stroke

• 6/04 - New study indicates diabetics are 65% more likely to develop Alzheimer's than non-diabetics. Reuters Health
• 3/04 - The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet not only benefits hypertension but also improves insulin sensitivity, according to the results of a study at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Diabetes Care
• 9/03 - Blood pressure control as important to Type 2 diabetics as blood glucose control. The British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease

• 7/04 - A report from the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago indicates high intake of niacin, particularly from food sources, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline. Although more research is needed to confirm these findings. Niacin (also known as vitamin B3) is found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts, and eggs. Legumes and enriched breads and cereals also supply some niacin. However, due to its potential for severe side effects, talk to your medical provider before changing your diet. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
• 2/04 - According to Marilyn Albert, an Alzheimer's researcher at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, managing blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels and body weight reduces the risk for Alzheimer's.