12/18/03

Consume more Vitamin E. Doctors are now suggesting that we take a Vitamin E supplement containing 400 IU (international units) in order to meet the recommended daily amount. According to Dr. Kevin J. Soden and Dr. Christine Dumas, who appear regularly on NBC News' "Today" program, people don't take in a sufficient amount of Vitamin E from their diets alone. By slowing down the oxidation process (when the cells in your arteries absorb harmful cholesterol) Vitamin E can drastically reduce the risk of heart attack. If you would prefer whole food sources of Vitamin E, try including more almonds, whole-wheat products, green leafy vegetables, and egg yolks into your dietary plan.

12/11/03

 Within the scientific community, it’s no secret: lab animals have been shown to live longer when put on a low-calorie diet. A history of research suggests that diet restriction increases the lifespan of organisms across the board; everything from yeast to mammals slows age-related damage through sensible, low-calorie eating. The good news is, you haven’t missed the bus: a recent study indicates that longevity might be enhanced no matter when the low-calorie diet begins. In other words, delaying a low-calorie diet until middle age can still improve overall health and extend life. 

The study, conducted by British researchers and published in the journal Science, focused on the diet and life of fruit flies. A group of calorie-restricted fruit flies lived to be about 90 days old – twice as long as those fed on a normal diet. Of greater interest was the group of flies that were switched to low-calorie diets at middle age. Though they were heavily-fed for the first half of their lives, the flies converted from a shorter lifespan to the longer lifespan, as if they had been on a restricted diet their entire lives. What’s true for fruit flies is also true for many mammals, according to research. The take home message? It’s never too late to make the switch and take-up healthy eating habits. 

12/04/03

A Japanese research team declared that a substance discovered more than twenty years ago could be classified as a vitamin. The substance, pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), has a positive impact on fertility in mice and may have a similar effect on humans. During the studies, the mice that were deprived of PQQ experienced reduced fertility. According to Takafumi Kato, the research leader, vitamins that have displayed a profound effect on mice often affect humans in the same manner.

The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Tokyo confirmed that PQQ is the first new vitamin to be discovered since 1948. The definition of a vitamin is a substance that is needed in small quantities for health and growth. Since the body cannot generate vitamins, they need to be obtained through food. Good dietary sources of PQQ include, parsley, green tea, green peppers, kiwi, and papaya.