Health aNd Fitness Guide

Cold weather may cause dangerous changes in blood pressure, say Veterans Affairs researchers in the US. Their study of 443,632 former armed forces personnel with high blood pressure found that we’re more likely to have high readings during colder months, probably because of winter weight gain & inactivity. Study author Dr Ross Fletcher, advises, “People → Continue reading »

Fruit juices have better effect against atherosclerosis (clogged arteries, which can cause heart attack or stroke), than the fruits themselves. To study the effect of juicing on beneficial phenolic compounds (antioxidants) in fruits, researchers in France fed rodents grapes, apples and their juices, or water, along with a high cholesterol diet. → Continue reading »

Practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM) daily can control high blood pressure. Researchers at the University of Kentucky studied nine randomized trials that used TM as the principal source of BP reduction, and compared them with a control group. → Continue reading »

Satisfying friendships are a greater predictor of longevity than even close family ties, and they can protect against obesity, depression and heart disease, according to a 10-year study of senior citizens in Adelaide, Australia. Here are six friends to keep on speed dial. → Continue reading »

Artificial sweeteners may not help lose weight. Consuming food sweetened with no-calorie saccharin can lead to more weight gain and adiposity than consuming the same food sweetened with higher calorie sugar, according to researchers at the University of Purdue, USA. A study on rats fed on artificially sweetened food showed that they ate more food → Continue reading »