Eating nuts improve blood cholesterol levels

Eating nuts associated with improvements in cholesterol levels – Consuming more nuts appears to be associated with improvements in blood cholesterol levels, according to a pooled analysis of data from 25 trials reported in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Nuts, fish, poultry and fruits reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk

Study identifies food combination associated with reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk – Individuals whose diet includes more salad dressing, nuts, fish, poultry and certain fruits and vegetables and fewer high-fat dairy products, red meats, organ meats and butter appear less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Walnuts may help fight prostate cancer

Real-world health nuts: First evidence that walnuts may help fight prostate cancer — Walnuts slow prostate tumors in mice. – Scientists in California are reporting for the first time that walnuts – already renowned as a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that fight heart disease – reduce the size and growth rate of prostate cancer in test animals.

Curcumin in turmeric may delay liver damage, cirrhosis

Indian spice may delay liver damage and cirrhosis — Curcumin improves sclerosing cholangitis in Mdr2 -/- mice by inhibition of cholangiocyte inflammatory response and portal myofibroblast proliferation – Curcumin, one of the principal components of the Indian spice turmeric, seems to delay the liver damage that eventually causes cirrhosis, suggests preliminary experimental research in the journal Gut.

Green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases

New evidence that green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases — Green tea contains healthful substances that can penetrate eye tissues, raising the possibility that the tea may protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases. – Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea – renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties – do penetrate into tissues of the eye.

Chocolate may lower stroke risk

Chocolate lovers could be lowering their risk of stroke: Study — Preliminary data show possible health benefits of eating chocolate. – Giving chocolates to your Valentine on February 14th may help lower their risk of stroke based on a preliminary study from researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital.

Blueberry juice improves memory in older adults

First evidence that blueberry juice improves memory in older adults – Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries – one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals – improve memory.

Green tea may reduce lung cancer risk in smokers

Green tea could modify the effect of cigarette smoking on lung cancer risk – Drinking green tea could modulate the effect of smoking on lung cancer. Results of this hospital-based, randomized study conducted in Taiwan were presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer, held here from Jan_11-14, 2010.

Pomegranates may prevent breast cancer growth

Natural compounds in pomegranates may prevent growth of hormone-dependent breast cancer – Eating fruit, such as pomegranates, that contain anti aromatase phytochemicals reduces the incidence of hormone-dependent breast cancer, according to results of a study published in the January issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Smoking increases AMD risk even after age 80

It’s never too late to quit smoking and save your vision — UCLA study focuses on AMD in women over 80 — Need a little extra incentive to kick the habit? – Smoking, even after age 80, continues to increase one’s risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 65.