(LiveScience) Just like humans, happier orangutans live longer, scientists find…

Past research suggested that happy people live longer. To see if this also held true in our ape relatives, scientists asked zookeepers starting seven years ago to rate the happiness of 172 captive orangutans…

The scientists found that orangutans who scored happier were significantly more likely to be alive up to seven years later. This effect remained even when factors such as sex, age, species and number of times they were transferred to new facilities were taken into account.

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(HealthDay News) Being satisfied with your life can be good for your heart…

Satisfaction in four main areas -- job, family, sex and self -- was … associated with a 13 percent reduced risk of heart disease.

The reduced risk, however, was not associated with love relationships, leisure activities or standard of living, the researchers found…

The findings suggest that people at high risk for heart disease may benefit from programs to boost a positive state of mind, study author Dr. Julia Boehm, of Harvard School of Public Health, noted in the news release.

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(The West Australian) Don't worry, be happy, live longer. Happiness protects the heart.

[A] study compared people who tend to express positive emotions - or "positive affect" - with people who tend to express negative emotions. It concluded that happier people were far less likely to develop heart disease, and that this protection extended to generally positive people who might feel depressed at times.

Lead researcher Karina Davidson of Columbia University Medical Centre in New York said the results might be due to factors such as happier people tended to get more sleep; were less inclined to smoke; and exercised more often - all of which leads to lower heart rates.

They also might have less stress in their lives and spent less time reliving the stress that they did confront, she said.

Ms Davidson suggests that even a 15- to 20-minute dose of daily happiness might improve people's health.

That doesn't mean you have to pretend you're on a paid holiday. It's the little things that make us truly happy, including reading, walking, working in the garden, scrapbooking or anything else that brings you joy.

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(New York Times) [The] feeling of accomplishment contributes to what the ancient Greeks called eudaimonia, which roughly translates to “well-being” or “flourishing,” a concept that Dr. [Martin] Seligman has borrowed for the title of his new book, “Flourish.” He has also created his own acronym, Perma, for what he defines as the five crucial elements of well-being, each pursued for its own sake: positive emotion, engagement (the feeling of being lost in a task), relationships, meaning and accomplishment.

“Well-being cannot exist just in your own head,” he writes. “Well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as actually having meaning, good relationships and accomplishment.”…

The best gauge so far of flourishing, Dr. Seligman says, comes from a study of 23 European countries by Felicia Huppert and Timothy So of the University of Cambridge. Besides asking respondents about their moods, the researchers asked about their relationships with others and their sense that they were accomplishing something worthwhile.

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(UPI) Confronted with high-intensity negative emotions, some choose to be distracted, but with lower-intensity emotions, they think it over, U.S. researchers say…

In an experiment, the researchers had participants chose how to regulate negative emotions induced by pictures that produce a low-intensity emotions, a snake in the grass, and high-intensity emotions, a picture of a snake attacking with an open mouth.

In another experiment, participants chose how to regulate emotions while anticipating unpredictable electric shocks, but they were told before each shock whether it would be of low intensity or more painful shock.

The study … found in both experiments, when the negative emotion was low-intensity, participants preferred to reappraise -- think through it, telling themselves why it wasn't so bad. However, when high-intensity emotions arose, they preferred to distract themselves, the study said.

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(Cooking Light) Fat is the most feared nutrient in the American diet. Thirty years ago, most health and nutrition experts encouraged us to eat as little as possible—certainly no more than 30% of calories from fat. This was the mantra, and it informed Cooking Light’s approach to a healthy diet, as well. Now we know that total fat is no longer really the issue. Some fats are more healthy, some less. And while it’s important to keep an eye on your daily intake—fats are packed with calories—a naturally balanced diet should embrace the good-for-you fats.

What you need to know: Our bodies need fat to function properly—fat is an essential nutrient. But saturated fats—those found in foods such as butter and other high-fat dairy products, meat, and coconut milk—tend, when eaten too often, to raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and promote plaque buildup in your arteries. This is also true of the trans fats, which are often the product of the process that turns liquid fats solid for use in processed foods. Saturated fat intake should be kept to a reasonable level; trans fats should be avoided.

By contrast, healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help our bodies absorb vitamins and minerals from foods, lower LDL and total cholesterol, and keep us feeling full and satisfied. Replace unhealthy fats with good ones, which you’ll find in vegetable oils, fish, nuts and nut butters, seeds, and avocados.

Source

Community: This article is July’s entry for Cooking Light's 12 Healthy Habits.

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Cooking Light:

13 No-Cook Meals
Our best fast and fresh healthy no-cook entrées for the hottest days in summer.

Make Fresh Tomato Sauce
This Italian staple tastes rich and delicious but only takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

22 Common Nutrition Mistakes
These common nutrition mistakes can lead anyone astray. Learn how to avoid them for better health.

Brown eggs vs. white eggs
Soy milk secret
Trying to lose weight? Don't stop snacking
You boil veggies.

MyRecipes.com:

Beef Lettuce Wraps
Fill crisp lettuce leaves with sliced flank steak topped with a zesty sauce made from lime juice, brown sugar, and minced pepper. Soba noodle salad complements the meaty wraps and brings another texture to the plate.

EatingWell:

Korean Steak & Mushroom Tacos with Kimchi
The spicy, pickled flavor and crunchy texture of kimchi, the Korean cousin to sauerkraut, is just right on these Korean steak-and-mushroom tacos. Serve with steamed brown rice and sautéed bok choy with chile-garlic sauce.

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(Reuters Health) Drinking green tea seems to cut "bad" cholesterol, according to a fresh look at the medical evidence.

The finding may help explain why green tea has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, the leading killer worldwide, Xin-Xin Zheng and colleagues from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing report.

Because few people in the U.S. drink green tea, encouraging Americans to down more of the brew could have significant health benefits, the researchers write in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Still, one U.S. expert cautioned the drink shouldn't be used as medicine for high cholesterol, as the effect found in the Chinese study was small.

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(Reuters) In an analysis that set off a fierce debate over the health effects of salt, researchers said on Wednesday they had found no evidence that small cuts to salt intake reduce the risk of developing heart disease or dying prematurely.

In a systematic review published by The Cochrane Library, British scientists found that while cutting salt consumption did appear to lead to slight reductions in blood pressure, that was not translated into lower death or heart disease risk.

The researchers said they suspected the trials conducted so far were not big enough to show any benefits to heart health, and called for large-scale studies to be carried out soon.

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(Science Daily) Using geriatric mice, a Johns Hopkins research team has shown that losartan, a commonly used blood pressure drug, not only improves regeneration of injured muscle but also protects against its wasting away from inactivity.

A report on the old drug's new role, which is prompting preparations for a clinical trial of losartan in older adults…

"The goal of the investigation was to find a way to prevent a bad situation from getting worse in the case of old muscle that's injured or not used," says Ronald Cohn, M.D… "As pleased as we were to see that losartan therapy in mice had a positive effect on muscle regeneration, we were most surprised and excited by its striking prevention of disuse atrophy."

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(Science Daily) Celecoxib may emerge as a potent chemopreventive agent for lung cancer, according to a recent study…

Researchers tested celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, among patients who were former smokers and found a significant benefit in bronchial health … as well as a number of other biomarkers.

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(HealthDay News) The heart failure drug Natrecor (nesiritide) is ineffective and linked to increased rates of potentially dangerous low blood pressure, a new study finds.

The intravenous drug was approved in 2001 to help heart failure patients breathe more easily when they were struggling with severe shortness of breath. But the drug had no significant effect on breathing difficulties or other disease-related problems and may also result in low blood pressure, according to the researchers…

"It shouldn't take this long to find out the truth about a drug," [Dr. Eric J. Topol] said. "There should be a drive to get as much information about a drug as early as possible and not have a lost decade, as we saw here."

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(Science Daily) Researchers … have successfully created a tissue-engineered small intestine in mice that replicates the intestinal structures of natural intestine -- a necessary first step toward someday applying this regenerative medicine technique to humans…

"We demonstrated that we are providing all of the important cells -- the muscle, nerve, epithelium, and some of the blood vessels," noted Frédéric Sala, PhD, lead author. "All of these are critical to proper functioning of the tissue, and now we know their origins."

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(Reuters) More than five years after South Korea's scientific reputation was shattered by a cloning research scandal, the country has approved stem cell medication in the form of a treatment for heart attack victims for the world's first clinical use.

South Korea all but put stem cell research into the deep freeze after a pre-eminent scientist, Hwang Woo-suk, was found guilty of fraud for his work in the field in 2005.

The state Korea Food and Drug Administration's (KFDA) approval for the sale of the Hearticellgram-AMI treatment, developed by FCB-Pharmicell, from July 1 signals an ambitious new push to put research in the field back on the frontline.

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(Science Daily) Researchers are developing new technologies that combine a laser and electric fields to manipulate fluids and tiny particles such as bacteria, viruses and DNA…

The method, called "hybrid optoelectric manipulation in microfluidics," is a potential new tool for applications including medical diagnostics, testing food and water, crime-scene forensics, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

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(Science Daily) Researchers at King's College London have found a molecule in the body which controls sensitivity to pain from UVB irradiation, identifying it as a new target for medicines to treat pain caused by other common inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

The molecule, called CXCL5, is part of a family of proteins called chemokines, which recruit inflammatory immune cells to the injured tissue, triggering pain and tenderness. This is the first study to reveal this molecule's role in mediating pain.

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(HealthDay News) For the millions of Americans with chronic low back pain, a silver bullet to alleviate the condition has yet to be identified, a new study suggests.

Reviewing 26 studies comparing spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) to other treatments such as medication, exercise or physical therapy, researchers from the Netherlands found that SMT appears to be no better or worse than other options at relieving back pain long-term.

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(HealthDay News) Airline pilots who have long commutes to work may suffer from debilitating fatigue that could hamper their flying performance, a new report suggests.

To combat this problem, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration should find ways to reduce the likelihood that commuting poses a safety risk, according to the report from the U.S. National Research Council.

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Community: Why don’t we have the same concern about medical residents’ debilitating fatigue?

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(HealthDay News) Healthy living significantly reduces a woman's risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study says…

Four low-risk lifestyle factors were significantly and independently associated with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death: not smoking; having a body mass index lower than 25; exercising at least 30 minutes per day; and consuming a Mediterranean-style diet that included plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish, with moderate alcohol intake.

Women who adhered to all four low-risk lifestyle factors had a 92 percent lower risk of SCD than those who didn't have any of the low-risk factors, said Stephanie Chiuve … and colleagues.

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(RealAge.com) Do nothing and burn more calories? Seems too good to be true. But here's the way to make it so: Go to bed.

A recent study revealed that people had significantly slower metabolisms the morning after a sleepless night…

We know from other research that subpar sleep comes with a greater risk of weight gain. But this study offers insight into some possible reasons why, highlighting the way that sleep affects our metabolic rate -- the rate at which our bodies burn calories -- as well as a whole bunch of body systems linked to energy levels and hormones that can influence our eating habits.

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(UPI) The body's natural marijuana-like chemicals may be the reason why people find it hard to eat only one potato chip or one french fry, U.S. researchers say.

[They] found the fat in these foods trigger a biological mechanism that likely drives gluttonous behavior. The research team discovered that when rats tasted something fatty, cells in their upper gut started producing endocannabinoids -- natural marijuana-like chemicals in the body -- but sugars and proteins did not have the effect.

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Community: We’ve talked before about the addictive nature of food. My food drug of choice, though, is sugar.

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(RealAge.com) Too much monosodium glutamate (MSG) -- an additive used in restaurant and processed foods to boost flavor -- may be a fast track to weight gain, a new study shows…

The study researchers suspect MSG might somehow interfere with the signaling powers of appetite-regulating hormones. But while a growing body of research suggests MSG may have negative impacts on weight and appetite hormones, more research still needs to be done to confirm the findings and understand MSG's exact influence.

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(UPI) Most food contributes to daily sodium consumption, but 77 percent of salt consumpiton comes from processed and restaurant foods while only about 10 percent comes from the salt shaker, [Phil Lempert, creator of the Web site supermarketguru.com ,] says.

The CDC says five foods may contribute the most sodium to the U.S. diet:

-- Yeast breads contribute to a large amount of our sodium intake.

-- Chicken and mixed chicken dinners. Restaurants and prepackaged chicken meals contain salt as well thanks to the sauces, seasonings and the side dishes.

-- Pizza dough, which in essence a yeast bread, gets that super savory taste from salt.

-- Pasta dishes, for the same reasons as chicken dinners and pizza, consumers get a big dose of sodium.

-- Deli meats contribute significantly to our daily sodium intake.

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MyRecipes.com:

Greek-Style Scampi
Toss bell peppers and shrimp in a garlicky tomato sauce for a hearty pasta dinner ready in 20 minutes.

Shrimp Scampi

Sesame Shrimp Scampi

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi

EatingWell:

Chicken Waldorf Salad
Leftover cooked chicken makes this chicken Waldorf salad, loaded with apples, grapes, celery and walnuts, a snap to assemble. If you use rotisserie chicken, keep in mind that it’s salty and omit the salt in the dressing. Serve over watercress, with a chunk of whole-grain baguette.

Southwestern Salad With Black Beans

Miso-Garlic-Roasted Tofu Caesar Salad

Southwestern Salad With Black Beans

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(Science Daily) Ten weeks of preventive supplementation with a natural form of vitamin E called tocotrienol in dogs that later had strokes reduced overall brain tissue damage, prevented loss of neural connections and helped sustain blood flow in the animals' brains, a new study shows.

Researchers say the findings suggest that preventive, or prophylactic, use of this natural form of vitamin E could be particularly helpful to people considered at highest risk for a major stroke: those who have previously suffered a ministroke, or a temporary stoppage of blood flow in the brain.

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(Science Daily) Intake of high levels of folate may reduce colorectal cancer risk, according to a new study… Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food.

"We found that all forms and sources of folate were associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer," said Victoria Stevens, PhD, of the American Cancer Society and lead author of this study. "The strongest association was with total folate, which suggests that total folate intake is the best measure to define exposure to this nutrient because it encompasses all forms and sources." Total folate includes naturally occurring food folate and folic acid from fortified foods and dietary supplements.

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Community: The NIH lists dietary sources of folate.

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(HealthDay News) The death rates from colon cancer continue to drop in the United States, but they could fall even further if more people were screened, government health officials reported Tuesday.

Although two-thirds of Americans were screened for colon cancer by 2010, 22 million more hadn't been, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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(Science Daily) A new study by University of Alberta researcher Scot Simpson has shed light on the use of Aspirin as a preventative measure for cardiovascular disease and reoccurrence in patients with diabetes.

The study collected data from clinical trials that looked at whether taking Aspirin as a course of treatment would prevent a first or recurrent heart attack or stroke.

Using information from diabetic patients in these studies, Simpson discovered that patients with previous cardiac episodes who were taking a low dose of Aspirin daily had very little benefit in terms of prevention of a second heart attack or a decreased risk of mortality. However, in patients taking higher doses of Aspirin, the risk of a repeat heart attack and/or death was significantly lower.

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(HealthDay News) A new study finds that painkillers widely used to treat inflammation are associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder connected with a raised risk of stroke, heart failure and death…

The link was strongest among new users of the drugs, with a 70 percent increased risk for cox-2 inhibitors and a 40 percent increase in risk for non-selective NSAIDs.

The increased risk is equal to about seven extra cases of atrial fibrillation per 1,000 new users of cox-2 inhibitors and about four extra cases per 1,000 new users of non-selective NSAIDs, according to the researchers.

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(University of Mississippi Medical Center) Treating chronic migraines with behavioral approaches - such as relaxation training, hypnosis and biofeedback - can make financial sense compared to prescription-drug treatment, especially after a year or more, a new study found…

The researchers found that after six months, the cost of minimal-contact behavioral treatment was competitive with pharmacologic treatments using drugs costing 50 cents or less a day. Minimal-contact treatment is when a patient sees a therapist a few times but largely practices the behavioral techniques at home, aided by literature or audio recordings.

After one year, the minimal-contact method was nearly $500 cheaper than pharmacologic treatment.

"We have a whole armamentarium of behavioral treatments and their efficacy has been proven. But headache sufferers are only getting a tip of these options," said Dr. Timothy Houle…, the study's principal investigator.

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(Science Daily) Long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to physical changes in the brain, as well as learning and memory problems and even depression, new research in mice suggests.

While other studies have shown the damaging effects of polluted air on the heart and lungs, this is one of the first long-term studies to show the negative impact on the brain, said Laura Fonken, lead author of the study.

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(HealthDay News) New research shows that most urgent angioplasty procedures performed in the United States are warranted, but the same can't be said for those done on a non-emergency basis.

Reviewing data on more than a half million angioplasty procedures, researchers deemed the artery-opening procedure appropriate when performed for "acute indications," such as heart attacks or unstable angina (crushing chest pain) with certain high-risk features such as progressive pain with no known cause. By contrast, stable angina occurs only with activity such as a stress test and is not considered an appropriate indication for angioplasty.

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(Science Daily) Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have uncovered a pathway in mice that allows white fat -- a contributor to obesity and type 2 diabetes -- to burn calories in a way that's normally found in brown fat and muscle. ..

White fat is used to store calories. However, too much white fat (obesity) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and other diseases. Brown fat generates heat to maintain body temperature and, like muscle, has lots of iron-containing, calorie-burning mitochondria in its cells. Changing white fat into brown fat or muscle is a potential new approach to treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, although the research is a long way from being applicable to people…

"Efforts to reduce obesity by dieting are mostly unsuccessful in the long term, so finding ways to prevent excess fat storage is an urgent medical need," [Sushil Rane, Ph.D.] said. "Our discovery that white fat can be reduced by partially transforming it to brown fat and muscle opens up new avenues to combat the obesity epidemic."

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(Science Daily) Excess nutrients, such as fat and sugar, don't just pack on the pounds but can push some cells in the body over the brink. Unable to tolerate this "toxic" environment, these cells commit suicide.

Now, scientists … have discovered three unexpected players that help a cell overloaded with fat initiate its own demise. They have shown that these molecules leading a cell to self-destruct are not proteins as might be expected, but small strands of RNA, a close chemical cousin to DNA. Since these small nucleolar RNAs play well-known roles in building proteins, the researchers were surprised to implicate them in killing cells…

Encouraging patients to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in the diet might be a primary strategy for treatment, but when that becomes ineffective, it would be helpful to have other ways to reduce cellular damage from excess fats in the muscles, heart, pancreas, liver and other organs. In that instance, manipulating amounts of these small RNA molecules presents one avenue to pursue in the search for possible treatments.

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(Science Daily) When researchers at the Buck Institute dialed back activity of a specific mRNA translation factor in adult nematode worms they saw an unexpected genome-wide response that effectively increased activity in specific stress response genes that could help explain why the worms lived 40 percent longer under this condition. The study … highlights the importance of mRNA translation in the aging process…

"Our primary interest is to understand the biological basis of aging," said [principle investigator Pankaj Kapahi, PhD]. "This will help identify molecular targets that can be used to develop therapeutics that would slow age-related diseases and extend the healthy years of life."

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(Science Daily) A University of Georgia researcher has invented a new technology that can inexpensively render medical linens and clothing, face masks, paper towels -- and yes, even diapers, intimate apparel and athletic wear, including smelly socks -- permanently germ-free.

The simple and inexpensive anti-microbial technology works on natural and synthetic materials. The technology can be applied during the manufacturing process or at home, and it doesn't come out in the wash. Unlike other anti-microbial technologies, repeated applications are unnecessary to maintain effectiveness…

The anti-microbial treatment invented by Locklin, which is available for licensing from the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc., effectively kills a wide spectrum of bacteria, yeasts and molds that can cause disease, break down fabrics, create stains and produce odors.

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(Reuters) If Aubrey de Grey's predictions are right, the first person who will live to see their 150th birthday has already been born. And the first person to live for 1,000 years could be less than 20 years younger.

A biomedical gerontologist and chief scientist of a foundation dedicated to longevity research, de Grey reckons that within his own lifetime doctors could have all the tools they need to "cure" aging -- banishing diseases that come with it and extending life indefinitely…

To date, the world's longest-living person on record lived to 122 and in Japan alone there were more than 44,000 centenarians in 2010.

Some researchers say, however, that the trend toward longer lifespan may falter due to an epidemic of obesity now spilling over from rich nations into the developing world.

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(UPI) The Radio Advertising Bureau in Britain determined radio listeners have higher levels of happiness and energy than consumers of other media, researchers say…

Those taking in any media -- TV, radio or the Internet -- were happier and had more energy than those consuming no media at all, and radio helped raise happiness and perceived energy, Radio Today reported.

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Community: Do you think there might have been some bias in this study, considering who paid for it? But if the study findings are correct, there must not be as much hate radio in Britain as there is here.

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(MyHealthNewsDaily) Oxytocin, the compound known as the love hormone and the cuddle chemical, deserves a new nickname, a new study suggests: the fear fighter.

When someone is suddenly frightened, two things happen: his heart rate increases and he tends to freeze momentarily. Until recently, it wasn’t known whether those two reactions occurred independently of each other or were governed by a single circuit in the brain.

The new study, involving rats, shows that when oxytocin levels are high, fear can raise the heart rate without provoking freezing behavior…

"It’s like the animals still kind of feel the fear but have the possibility to respond," [said study researcher Ron Stoop.]

Read more.

Community: Oxytocin is the social hormone, the trust hormone, the love hormone, and the happiness hormone. And we don’t need injections to raise our oxytocin levels.

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(Reuters) Despite a recent move to classify mobile phones as possibly carcinogenic, the scientific evidence increasingly points away from a link between their use and brain tumors, according to a new study on Saturday.

A major review of previously published research by a committee of experts from Britain, the United States and Sweden concluded there was no convincing evidence of any cancer connection.

It also found a lack of established biological mechanisms by which radio signals from mobile phones might trigger tumors.

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(RealAge.com) A large-scale study found that people who eat the most vegetables have lower mortality rates -- especially from heart troubles. But the strongest protective benefits were tied to intake of cruciferous vegetables, like bok choy…

People who consumed the most cruciferous vegetables were the best protected…

Bok choy is just one example from the cruciferous vegetable group. But you can also toss broccoli, turnip greens, kale, cauliflower, and napa cabbage into your wok. They're full of antioxidants, vitamins, and other protective phytochemicals, which are probably responsible for the life-extending effects observed in the study.

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MyRecipes.com:

Chicken Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa
Your family will thank you when these tacos hit the table. We left the seeds in the jalapeño for a spicy kick; omit them if you prefer a mild salsa.

Pulled-Pork Tacos

Cola Shredded Beef Tacos

Soft Shrimp Tacos with Tropical Salsa

EatingWell:

Thyme, Pork Chop & Pineapple Skillet Supper
Thyme adds bright, woodsy flavor to pork and pineapple in this simple one-skillet supper. Serve with whole-grain rice pilaf and a baby spinach salad.

French Onion Beef Tenderloin

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

Tofu & Broccoli Stir-Fry

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(Andrew Weil, M.D.) Corn on the cob is a traditional summertime treat that can add some positive nutritional value to typically less-than-healthful BBQ fare. Corn has been cultivated for hundreds of years and was (and still is) a staple in many parts of the world. A good source of vitamins B1, B5 and C, whole corn also provides many other valuable nutrients, including:

1.    Fiber for gastrointestinal function and weight control.

2.    Folate, which can help reduce the risk of birth defects and promote heart health.

3.    Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vital to healthy adrenal function.

4.    Lutein for healthy vision.

Try corn on the cob grilled, boiled or steamed, either on its own or brushed with a little olive oil for a healthy summertime side.

Source

Community: I cook my corn on the cob in the microwave.

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(SouthBeachDiet.com) Iced tea may be the quintessential summer drink, but a glass is more than just a delicious refreshment on a hot day.

The Surprising Benefits of Tea
All black, green, white, and oolong teas, iced or hot, contain antioxidants called polyphenols. Research suggests that polyphenols can help to combat free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that can damage cells and tissues and increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, and numerous other diseases. The polyphenols in white, green, oolong, and black tea have been found to help lower LDL cholesterol. In addition, a recent study showed that regularly drinking green tea, which is rich in a type of polyphenol called catechins, may help promote exercise-induced abdominal fat loss. Catechins have also been shown to improve triglyceride levels and help protect against Alzheimer’s and certain forms of cancer.

How to Prepare Iced Tea
To get the most from a glass of iced tea, brew it from loose leaves or a tea bag using boiling water. You can add sliced lemon to perk up the flavor or, even better, fiber-rich crushed raspberries … for fruitiness. If you like your iced tea sweet, add a sugar substitute. Decaffeinated tea is another option, as is unsweetened herbal iced tea (herbal teas don't provide the same health benefits from polyphenols as regular teas, however).

Source

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(UPI) Summer is the perfect time to exercise outdoors, but it can also lead to dehydration, sweating, exhaustion and even a cardiac event, a U.S. doctor says…

For those looking to resume or begin a workout routine this summer, … physicians suggest:

-- Consulting your physician before beginning or changing a exercise regimen.

-- Taking your workout indoors, but when it is too hot or humid outside, exercise in a cool, air-conditioned space. Take advantage of the coolest times of the day, early morning or evening hours.

-- Taking time to work on stretching, breathing and posture.

-- Drinking plenty of fluids, before feeling thirsty. For endurance athletes or those age 75 and older replenish electrolytes as well.

-- Do not take an extremely hot or cold shower or a sauna after a workout because it can increase the workload on the heart.

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(HealthDay News) Staying hydrated is critical if you're physically active in hot weather.

But individuals have different hydration needs, so you need to assess your personal sweat rate, according to Brendon McDermott at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

"Sweat rate is very simple to calculate: weigh yourself before exercise, with as little clothing as possible; exercise for half an hour and don't drink or use the bathroom for that half hour; weigh yourself again, wearing the same amount of clothing to see how much you've lost," he explained in a university news release.

If you've lost a pound, for example, that translates to about 16 ounces of fluid that you'll need to replace. Sports organizations suggest dividing your total by four to see how much water you need to drink every fifteen minutes while exercising to replace your lost fluids.

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