Daily Health Tips: Trusted Medical Information, Health Tips and Advices

That bowl of cereal you have for breakfast each morning? It just might be giving you an all-day edge when it comes to feeling happy. Compared with cereal abstainers, people who regularly ate cereal had more energy, thought more clearly, and felt less stressed and depressed in a recent study. Flaky Fan Be it flakes, clusters, or toasted O's, cereal may have something more than fiber going for it. When researchers compared people who got equal amounts of fiber from cereal or from fruits and veggies, only the cereal eaters experienced improved well-being. And even though increased fiber intake was proved to benefit bowels, the results didn't account for the feel-good effects.    A Better Breakfast The feel-good feelings may have something to do with energy levels. The cereal eaters in the study reported about a 10 percent bump. And that energy surge comes from the breakdown of cereal in the gut. Cereal is broken down into short-chain fatty acids, which supply abo

Worried about losing muscle mass as you shed weight? The solution may be to add more protein to your diet. Women naturally lose muscle and strength as they age, more so than men. For older women who are on a diet, consuming more protein may help preserve muscle mass and foster a better muscle-to-fat body composition. Protein Pick-Me-Up In a recent study, 31 postmenopausal women were divided into two groups, with each group on a 1,400-calorie diet. One group consumed a powdered whey protein supplement twice a day, while the other group received a placebo containing carbohydrates. Everyone in the study was encouraged to do light exercise, such as walking and stretching.    Researchers assessed the women’s strength, balance, and ability to do physical tasks, such as getting up from a chair and lifting a book above shoulder height, before and after the study. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to gauge the muscle volume of each woman’s right thigh and to m

Every year you lose something -- and we're not talking about your mind, or even your hair. We're talking about your lean body mass. It's what pretty much everything in your body (except fat) is made of, meaning your skin, bones, and parts of your organs and muscles. Once you hit the not-so-ripe-old-age of 40, your lean mass starts to shrink by 8% each decade. Fast forward to your 70s, and the shrinkage nearly doubles to 15% per decade. The result: less muscle, more flab, and a metabolism that becomes slower than a tortoise swimming through sludge. Unless you do something about it. Time to do something about it! And you can, because this loss, like memory loss, is not inevitable. You lose lean body mass (known in med-speak as sarcopenia ) for two reasons: First, your body starts making less protein, the stuff lean mass is made of. Second, it starts breaking down the protein you do have. So the first step to staying lean and mean is feeding yourself enough prot

  The world is full of numbers, and full of sex for that matter. When it comes to intimacy, it’s generally all about the facts of life, not facts and figures (apart from the naked kind!). So you may be surprised to find out the following sex statistics as often these matters don’t make it out of the bedroom. We’ve peeled the sheets on 10 of the most surprising sex figures. What’s your number? According to a Durex survey, men across the globe have had an average of 13 sexual partners throughout their lifetime, while women have had seven. Guys and girls often shy away from honesty when it comes to discussing their number; too low and they fear embarrassment, too high and they face being judged. But there’s never going to be a happy medium, as a Cosmopolitan survey found. According to the survey just 66 per cent of people are content with their ‘number’, while 22 per cent wish they’d slept with less people and 12 per cent would have liked to have slept with more. Pop you

CSI  fans (and NASCAR nuts), take note: Prolonged sagging and slumping on the sofa while you watch your favorite show may be almost as bad for your back muscles as an injury. When muscles aren't used (they're not holding you up; the sofa is), they can actually waste away, setting you up for low back pain. Yes, you: Eight out of ten people will have back pain at some point in their lives. But plopping your butt on an exercise ball engages those muscles almost constantly, since even the littlest moves require small shifts and rebalances. Bonus: You won't snooze through the part where they figure out whose DNA really was at the crime scene. While you're on the ball, you might as well work on your abs during commercials (it beats grabbing a snack, for so many reasons). Use the ball to do these crunches. They'll give you even stronger muscles than if you did them on the floor. 1.  Sit on the exercise ball, feet flat on the floor, knees hip-width apart and bent at a 90-d

Finding it hard to squeeze in your workout or your walk this time of year? Don't sweat it. Sometimes, less still cuts the mustard. As long as you pick up the pace, that is. In a study, people who cut back on their walks but turned up the burn when they did get out there still boosted their cardiovascular endurance. Keeping the Pace Sure, frequent exercise is still better for you -- for a bunch of reasons, ranging from better cholesterol levels to better weight control. But the new research shows that you can cut back a little on frequency and still keep yourself in pretty good shape if you make some adjustments. And it's a good idea to do so, because then your body will be ready, willing, and able to do more when you get more time. No Time? No Excuse Why should you care about your cardiovascular endurance, anyway? Because a 5-year study showed that a mere 10 percent improvement lowered people's risk of mortality by 15 percent, compared with no cardioresp

Need another reason to make olive oil a staple in your diet? If its antioxidant-giving, inflammation-busting, and cell-defending powers aren't enough, maybe its potential to fight Alzheimer's disease will win you over. Researchers have discovered a compound in extra-virgin olive oil that may protect the brain from the most common form of dementia. Protection from Brain Snarls Alzheimer's disease is associated with a change of tau protein in nerve cells. It clumps together to form snarled, spaghetti-like structures, which choke the life out of neurons, damage synapses, and kill off brain function in areas associated with memory retention one tiny piece at a time. Think of it like a cell phone carrier with spotty coverage. Your synapses help pass info from one nerve cell to the next so when they're damaged, they can't properly relay messages, which can lead to memory loss, depression, personality changes, and declining cognitive function. It's th

Good news for people who feel a hint of anxiety every time they forget where they put their keys. More than 50 percent of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable. In fact, research suggests that there are seven key lifestyle changes people could make to help protect themselves from the memory-stealing disease. The Super 7 More research is needed to confirm whether there is a causal link between these seven key risk factors and Alzheimer's. But there are plenty of other good health reasons to make the following changes: Get moving. Inactivity is linked to greater Alzheimer's risk, so go for a walk every day. Walking every day can keep your brain from shrinking, too. Don't smoke. Or quit if you do. Smoking may up the likelihood of Alzheimer's. Eat more watermelon. Why? A compound in this juicy summer fruit can help lower your blood pressure by as much as nine points! And low blood pressure at middle age may help protect against Alzheimer's.

Heart-helping, brain- and immune-system boosting vitamin B6  can now add another job to its already impressive resume: breast cancer fighter. New research suggests that simply getting your share of this nutrient could cut your risk of breast cancer, a lot. Double-Duty Cancer Fighting A study of Taiwanese women found that B vitamins in general and vitamin B6 in particular can reduce breast cancer risk. Higher vitamin B6 intakes were specifically associated with a much lower risk of developing ER-negative breast tumors. How does B6 do it? Researchers say it plays a pivotal role in preventing DNA damage and guarding against genetic mutations -- processes that up the risk of cancer. It also blocks the blood supply to tumor cells so they fail to grow and spread. Now that's a b-eautiful thing.  ( Related: Do you drink wine? Pair these three B6-rich foods with your favorite vintage .) Go Bananas for B! Bananas have close to half a milligram of B6 each (you need less than 4 milligrams)

Sex stamina advice for men Sex isn’t just about self-satisfaction. In fact, if you really want to score high in the sack, it’s essential you build up your sexual stamina to last the distance and keep your other-half happy. Thankfully, a number of simple tips could help you on your way to a more fulfilling sex life. By following certain routines and adopting a few easy exercises, you’ll soon have the ladies queuing up around the block ... and improve your fitness in the process! Staying fit and healthy for better sex Sex may appear simple enough to master (unless you’re an inexperienced teenager or 40-year-old virgin fumbling around in the dark, that is). However, if you really want to boost the potency of your passion, it might be time you tried some of the following techniques ... * Working out groin muscles — If you often find yourself hobbling around with muscle pain the morning after a steamy night of passion, it might be useful to regularly stretch your gro

Got diabetes? Here's something easy and delicious you can do to avoid complications: Eat a handful of strawberries. A recent lab study found that there's a whole lot of something called fisetin in the red, juicy berries that reduces the kidney and brain complications associated with type 1 diabetes. Fabulous Fisetin In the lab, scientists rounded up two groups of diabetic subjects and fed one group a fisetin-rich diet. While the plant compound had no effect on blood sugar levels -- the subjects remained diabetic -- common, scary complications of diabetes like kidney disease and nerve damage fell significantly. How does it work? The scientists believe that fisetin increases the production of an enzyme that helps remove a toxin known as AGE from the blood. There's a strong correlation between high levels of AGE in the blood and diabetic complications. Less AGE, less complications. Bingo. A Strawberry a Day? In order to consume the fisetin levels equal

   

As anyone who's ever failed to make it past the first month's attendance on an annual gym membership knows, actually fitting a regular workout into your daily routine is easier said than done. But there is one form of exercise that, done right, you're guaranteed to want to make time for. That's right, ladies, sex isn't only about pleasure; with a little energy and imagination it can provide a great workout too. The naked truth A good session in the sack burns approximately 150 calories for every 30 minutes you indulge – better than a yoga class (at approximately 115 calories) and the equivalent to a brisk half-hour walk. And it's not just the nitty-gritty of sex itself – snogging alone burns between 60-90 calories in the same timeframe (depending on just how 'French' your kissing gets), while a vigorous half hour of oral sex can add another 120 calories to your sexercise total. Indeed, according to the Kinsey Institute the average human lo

Wine lovers, rejoice! On those days when you're pressed for time and just can't squeeze in your 30-minute walk (you do take one, yes?), pop open a bottle of vino. A surprising new study has found that resveratrol -- the heart-protecting ingredient found in red wine -- may also help fight the muscle loss associated with too much sitting around. Use It or Lose It? Maybe Not Looking for ways to prevent some of the toll spaceflight takes on astronauts -- muscle wasting, bone thinning, insulin resistance -- scientists subjected two groups to weightless conditions for 15 days, and gave one group resveratrol supplements. The supplements group emerged with their muscles, bones, and insulin systems humming along. The group that did without resveratrol wasn't so lucky. The effects of space flight and a sedentary lifestyle are similar, say scientists, and while resveratrol is no substitute for skipping exercise altogether, it could be a way to slow muscle deteriorat

Someday you might have trouble reading this sentence if your diet doesn't have enough vitamin C in it. Researchers were surprised to discover recently that vitamin C seems to improve the function of cells in the retina. The Eyes Have It The retina is actually part of the central nervous system, so this recent discovery reinforces the theory that vitamin C provides a number of neurological health benefits. And vitamin C may be particularly good for eyes because our retinas appear to possess the same type of receptors are found in the brain -- receptors that help control rapid communication between neurons. The bad news is that these receptors stop functioning properly if vitamin C is not present in sufficient amounts. The good news is that vitamin C is readily available in a host of delicious fruits and vegetables.  C More Benefits So vitamin C is some pretty powerful stuff. More research is needed to fully understand its potential in helping preserve eyesight.

Snapping and popping gum remain image busters -- just ask Britney Spears watchers. But here's a good excuse for discreet chewing: less blood at the dentist's office. If your gums bleed a lot during cleaning -- a sign of subpar dental health -- your dentist may urge you to floss more. But chew gum more? It could help. In a recent study, gum chewers experienced less gingivitis-like bleeding than nonchewers, but only if their gum of choice was enriched with vitamin C. Better yet, they didn't have to chew for a long time to get the benefit. Dentists have been concerned that too much direct contact between tooth enamel and vitamin C leads to a breakdown in tooth structure, but there was no problem with erosion in this study. And gum chewers didn't need to chew long -- only for about 15 minutes -- to release nearly all of the vitamin C in their sample gum. But they did chew daily -- about five times each day, in fact -- to achieve the benefits. Sound like a lot

Lose a pound recently? Great! Then keep it off with this mighty nutrient: vitamin C. Research shows that your body needs sufficient vitamin C to burn fat -- and burning fat is key to keeping excess pounds away. So pop your C supplement, or snack on some C-rich orange sections before your next power walk. A Critical Compound People in a study who had low blood concentrations of vitamin C and walked on a treadmill for an hour burned 25 percent less fat than people with adequate C. But a dose of C brought fat-burning levels back up to par. Why? Seems C is essential for creating carnitine, a substance that turns fat into fuel. How Much Is Enough To keep the pounds you dropped from coming right back, you could start your day with some grapefruit, have an orange after lunch, or fill your dinner plate with C-rich veggies like red bell peppers, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Here are a few more reasons to C up!

Whether it’s a one-off occurrence before a big event or a nightly struggle, most of us suffer from insomnia at one time or another. Fortunately, there are many foods that can help you sleep a little easier. To help you relax and catch some Zs, check out our top 5 foods to help you sleep. Dairy products If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, foods containing tryptophan should be a first port of call. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, helps to raise serotonin and melatonin levels in the body, both of which can help induce sleep. While turkey is a famously good source of tryptophan, other (perhaps more bedtime-friendly) sources include dairy products such as yoghurt and milk. On top of their tryptophan levels, dairy snacks are also a great source of calcium, which helps the brain to use tryptophan to create melatonin. Research has also suggested that a deficiency of calcium in the diet can cause disturbed sleep patterns and a lack of deep (REM) sleep. O

1. Kale Cooked kale, spinach, collards, and turnip greens (along with broccoli and eggs) are crammed full of lutein and zeaxanthin -- two powerful antioxidants that may help protect against retinal damage and the onset of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.   2. Oranges Vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies -- like oranges, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, and red bell peppers -- help support blood vessels in the eye and may reduce the risk of cataracts. 3. Peanuts Peanuts are a good source of vitamin E, a nutrient known for protecting eyes from free-radical damage. Vitamin E may also hinder the progression of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Almonds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts are other good sources of vitamin E. 4. Kidney Beans Your eyes do love a cup of red kidney beans straight out of the can. Why? Because they are a good source of zinc, a mineral that is vital to eye health. It helps get vitamin A from the liver to th

Why zinc is good for you, how much you need, and where to get it Benefits of Zinc Zinc is an essential mineral that helps wounds heal and keeps your immune system strong. But does zinc help prevent colds? Recommended Amount: How Much You Need To prevent zinc deficiency, the current government guidelines recommend 11 milligrams (mg) of zinc per day for men and 8 mg for women. For optimal health and disease prevention, RealAge recommends adults get 12 mg of zinc per day, preferably through food. Too much zinc can interfere with your body's ability to absorb other vitamins and minerals, so if you take a daily zinc supplement or multivitamin, opt for one with no more than 15 mg of zinc. Good Sources of Zinc Oysters, raw (3 medium) 16–25 mg Lamb chop (3 ounces) 6 mg Ground beef, 85% lean (3 ounces) 5.3 mg Ricotta cheese, part-skim milk (1 cup) 3.3 mg Turkey, no skin (3 ounces) 2.6 mg Kidney beans, canned (1/2 cup) 2 mg Yogurt, plain, low fat (8 o