Healthy Heart

With the US drought predicted to cause food-price increases of up to 5% next year, it might be time to take a harder look at whats in your grocery cart-especially those items that arent really groceries, such as pricey dietary supplements. Nutrition experts agree that its best for generally healthy people to obtain the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you need from food, not pills.

Unhealthy behaviors such as inactivity, poor diet and smoking have long been associated with a wide range of chronic diseases and risk of death. But a new study reveals that such lifestyle factors can also affect older adults' risk of disability and loss of independence.

You can hardly pick up a newspaper these days without reading about the debate over labeling genetically modified (GMO) ingredients in foods. This summer, following the narrow defeat of a GMO-labeling initiative in California, Connecticut and Maine passed labeling legislation that would go into effect if other states follow. On Nov. 5, Washington State voters will decide on a ballot initiative, I-522, The Peoples Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act. The Chipotle food franchise recently started identifying menu items with GMO ingredients on its website, and the Whole Foods grocery chain announced it would require GMO labeling in its stores by 2018.

Over and over again, youve read in the pages of this newsletter and elsewhere that eating fish like salmon high in omega-3 fatty acids is good for you. Youve seen countless ads touting the similar benefits of fish-oil pills containing those same omega-3s (EPA and DHA). Now suddenly comes a flurry of headlines suggesting a scary downside to these health-promoting omega-3s, at least for men: High Levels of Fish Oil May Boost Risk for Prostate Cancer, Omega-3 Supplement Taken By Millions Linked To Aggressive Prostate Cancer.

After testing more than 1,300 types of rice and rice products, the US Food and Drug Administration has concluded that arsenic levels in rice pose no immediate health risk to consumers.

The more immersed you are in a TV program or video game, the more youre likely to snack, according to a new study. University of North Carolina researchers tested the snacking behavior of 120 men and women, ages 18-35, while watching different TV programs or playing video games.

Can you get the same health benefits from walking as from running? As long as you walk for a longer time, to expend a comparable amount of energy, a new study says the answer is yes. And those health benefits are significant, whichever form of physical activity you choose, including reduced risks of high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Even if youre only a little low in vitamin B12, you might be at greater risk for cognitive decline than previously thought. While prior research has linked serious B12 deficiency to higher likelihood of cognitive problems, a recent Tufts study found that moderately low levels of B12 also put older people at significantly increased risk.

Its truly never too late to switch to a heart-healthy diet: A new study reports that the same healthy dietary changes that can help you prevent a heart attack in the first place can also increase longevity after a heart attack. Patients who improved their diets the most after surviving a heart attack were 40% less likely to die from cardiovascular causes during the studys followup period, and 29% less likely to die of any cause.

As the mercury drops, cold and flu outbreaks soar. Its tempting to believe the marketing claims that this pill or that herbal remedy can protect you, but the science says theres simply no magic bullet to boost your immune system. Eating a healthy diet, however, is even more important during cold and flu season. Experts may not fully understand how specific nutrients aid the immune system, and tests of individual vitamins and minerals against colds…