Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

If you have trouble getting the recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise, take heart: a recent Taiwanese study suggests that even 15 minutes of light exercise daily can reduce your risk of death by 14%.

The study was conducted by researchers from the National Health Research Institutes of Taiwan and was published in The Lancet on August 16, 2011.

Participants included 416,175 individuals who underwent an initial medical screening and were then observed for 8 years. The participants completed a questionnaire that included medical history, lifestyle information and how much time they spent exercising on a weekly basis during the previous month.

They were also asked to classify their level of exercise as light (walking), moderate (brisk walking), vigorous (jogging), or high vigorous (running) and to describe their physical activity at work.

In addition to the 14% death reduction mentioned above, the researchers found that each additional 15 minutes per day of exercise decreased the risk of death from any cause by 4%. They noted that people exercising for 15 minutes daily increased their life expectancy by 3 years, while those who exercised the full recommended 30 minutes daily increased their life expectancy by 4 years.

Most surprisingly, people who exercised even at the lower level of 15 minutes daily had lower death rates than inactive people regardless of age, gender, health status, tobacco use, alcohol consumption or cardiovascular disease risk.

Keeping your body fit is essential to overall good health but people often find that they just don’t have the time. Try working exercise into your daily routine; take the stairs instead of the elevator or make a point to walk around your office at different intervals during the day.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) recently released a study attempting to address a question that years of previous research has had difficulty answering: what effect do antioxidant vitamin supplements have on cancer mortality and mortality risk in general?

The study included 23,943 people who were cancer and heart disease free at the beginning of the study. After 11 years, the scientists had recorded 1,101 deaths; 513 of which were the result of cancer and 264 of which were related to cardiovascular conditions.

The results—which were published in the European Journal of Nutrition on July 21, 2011—were varied but seemed to indicate that antioxidant supplements help reduce the risk of cancer mortality and all-cause mortality.

Specifically, the scientists found a 48% reduced risk of cancer mortality and a 42% reduced risk of all-cause mortality over 11 years in people who were taking antioxidant vitamin supplements at the start of the study.

However, they also found an increased risk of death for people who started taking antioxidant vitamin supplements after the start of the study. The scientists posit that this is because people tend to start taking vitamins and paying better attention to their health in general after they become sick, a phenomenon known as the “sick user effect.”

Ultimately the researchers concluded that more research needs to be conducted; particularly more carefully controlled clinical trials. Until that point, they said no definitive statements can be made about the effect of antioxidant multivitamins on mortality.

Antioxidants have also been linked to improved cardiovascular health, eye health, brain health, lower cholesterol, and prostate health.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

As we age our bones become less dense, increasing the risk of hip fractures. A recent study from University of Bergen in Bergen, Norway, suggests that increasing your intake of vitamin K1 may help reduce the risk of hip fracture.

The study was published in the August, 2011 edition of the journal Bone.

The researchers examined 1569 men and 1238 women between the ages of 71 and 75 who participated in the Hordaland Health Study. Information about K1 and K2 levels was taken when people were hospitalized in Western Norway and hip fractures were reported by the hospitals.

They found that those in the lowest quartile of vitamin K1 intake had a 57% higher chance of suffering from a hip fracture than those in the highest quartile of vitamin K1 intake. They also found that K2 levels were not associated with hip fractures.

Low levels of vitamin K1 have previously been linked to a high risk of osteoporotic fracture, vascular calcification and cardiovascular disease. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine suggests that an adult 19 years of age or older should receive 120 mcg of vitamin k per day.

Vitamin K1 can be found in leafy green vegetables and some oils but it has a very short half-life, meaning it loses half of its potency in 1-2 hours. As a result, increasing your K1 intake through diet alone can be very difficult. If you are concerned about bone density, consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin K.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

As we age, our bodies become more susceptible to losing bone mineral density, which may lead to increased fractures and osteoporosis. A recent study from Florida State University suggests that eating dried plums daily can keep your bones strong and prevent osteoporosis.

The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition on May 31, 2011.

100 postmenopausal women were recruited for the study. Over a 12 month period, one group of 55 women was given 100 g of dried plums (about 10 prunes) a day. The second group of 45 women was given a placebo of 100 g of dried apples. Both groups also consumed 500 mg calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D daily.

At the end of the 12 months, the dried plum group showed noticeably higher bone mineral density in the ulna and spine when compared to the placebo group. The researchers said this is due to the ability of the dried plums to reduce the rate of the breakdown of bone, which tends to exceed the rate of new bone growth as we age.

Dried plums also contain high amounts of fiber, vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and some protein. They have been linked to relief from constipation, improved blood circulation and slowing the aging of the brain and body.

Dried plums can be eaten on their own or added to baked goods, salads, or taken in juice form. If you are interested in the bone health benefits of prunes, the researchers recommend eating two or three a day and gradually increasing your intake until your body is acclimated enough to consume ten daily.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Fish oil has long been linked to maintaining cognitive function as you age. Now a recent study has identified differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements.

The research was conducted by scientists at Rhode Island Hospital’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center. The findings were presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer ’s Disease in Paris, France, on July 20, 2011.

Participants in the study included 819 men and women, of whom 177 self-reported using a fish oil supplement before the start of the study and throughout the study. Researchers compared cognitive functioning and brain atrophy between users and non-users.

Use of fish oil was associated with better cognitive functioning for participants with normal baseline cognitive function, which is consistent with previous studies.

Of greater interest, the researchers found a clear association between fish oil supplements and brain volume. Use of fish oil supplements was associated with less brain shrinkage in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, the two parts of the brain which are most important for memory and thinking.

Fish oil has also been linked to numerous other health benefits, including combating diabetes, lowering cholesterol, improving vision,reducing the risk of dementia and relieving depression.

If you’re looking to increase your fish oil intake, try adding darker fish, such as salmon or tuna, to your diet. If you don’t like the taste of fish or are just finding it hard to work it into your meal plans, consider taking a high quality supplement. Make sure your supplement is tested for purity and potency.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Previous studies have suggested that folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. However, a study that examined the effects of folic acid fortification in the U.S. suggests that folic acid may actually reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer.

The study was a joint effort by researchers from Yale, the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville; the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and AARP.

The findings were published on August 3, 2011 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The researchers analyzed data collected as part of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, which looked at 525,488 people between the ages of 50 and 71. Over the course of nine years, 7,212 people developed colorectal cancer, of which 6,484 occurred after folic acid fortification was introduced.

People who consumed the most folate/folic acid (a minimum of 900 mg daily) had a 30% less likely chance of developing colorectal cancer than people taking less than 200 mg daily.

Folate is a B vitamin that plays a very important role in many essential functions in the human body including nervous system function, red blood cell formation, and hormone function. It is also linked to reducing the risk of depression, hearing loss and birth defects.

Folate can be found in liver, eggs, beans, sunflower seeds, asparagus, leafy green vegetables, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupes, and other melons. Folic acid—the man-made form of folate—can be found in supplement form and as an additive in foods such as bread, cereal and grains.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers with the University of California, San Francisco have released a study that suggests a link between sleep-disordered breathing and the development of dementia. According to their findings, improved sleep patterns could prevent or delay the onset of dementia as people mature.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on August 17, 2011.

298 women with a mean age of 82.3 years who were not suffering from dementia participated in the study. For two years, the scientists measured overnight polysomnography, which is an overnight recording of the participant’s sleep. If more than 15 sleep disturbances occurred per hour, the women were considered to have sleep-disordered breathing.

After controlling for genetic and lifestyle factors, the scientists found that the 105 women with sleep-disordered breathing were almost 14% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia than the 193 women without sleep-disordered breathing.

Getting a good night’s sleep may not be the only natural way to possibly prevent the onset of cognitive decline. An animal study recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that regular exercise may increase the brain’s ability to protect itself during aging

Lifestyle factors play an important role in the risk of dementia . Here are some small lifestyle changes that may make a big difference:

• Eating a brain-healthy diet that includes foods high in omega-3 fatty acids.

• Keeping your mind active by attending social events or solving puzzles.

• Sleeping regularly and restfully

• Learning to relax

• Doing moderate intensity exercises like walking, biking or yoga 3 times a week

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Vitamin D3 may offer hope for pre-diabetics. A team of researchers from Tufts and Harvard have linked vitamin D supplementation with better functioning of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

The findings were published in the August 2011 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The 92 participants in the study had an average age of 57 and an average BMI of 32 kg/m2. They were split into three groups and given either 2000 IU of vitamin D3 with or without calcium or 800 mg of calcium carbonate daily over the course of 16 weeks.

At the study’s conclusion, beta-cell function (as measured by insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity) showed a 26% improvement in the vitamin D group. In comparison, the group taking only calcium carbonate showed a 14% decline in beta-cell function. Within the vitamin D group, there appeared to be no differences between those taking calcium and those taking solely vitamin D.

Low levels of beta cell function in the pancreas predict the risk of diabetes. The findings of this study suggest that vitamin D3 may play a role in delaying the progression from pre-diabetes to type-2 diabetes.

Vitamin D is well known for its many health benefits, most notably in regard to bone health. Vitamin D has also been shown to support the immune system, normal muscle function, healthy teeth and gums, cardiovascular health, improved eye health, skin cancer prevention, and reduction in age-related mental decline.

It is important to remember that getting your daily dose of vitamin D is difficult through sunshine alone, especially as we age and our skin becomes less efficient at synthesizing the vitamin. For this reason it may be beneficial to add more vitamin D fortified foods to your diet such as dairy and cereals.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Good news if you’re looking for ways to manage high blood pressure. A study from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in Louisiana suggests that substituting soy protein or milk protein for carbohydrates may lower systolic blood pressure (top number in a blood pressure reading).

The findings were published on July 18, 2011 in the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation.

High blood pressure affects approximately 1 in 3 American adults and 25% of American adults have prehypertension—higher blood pressure that isn’t quite in the high blood pressure range. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.

For the study, the researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind study involving 352 adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension. The participants took 40g of soy protein, milk protein, or carbohydrate supplement for 8 weeks each, in a random order. In between each supplement phase, the participants had a three week “washout period” during which they took no supplements.

The soy protein supplementation phase was associated with a 2.0 mm Hg improvement in systolic blood pressure when compared to the carbohydrate phase. The milk protein consumption phase also showed a 2.3 mm Hg improvement in systolic pressure when compared to the carbohydrate phase. Diastolic blood pressure showed only minor changes.

Previous studies have found that soy may reduce menopause symptoms, reduce bone loss and decrease the risk of prostate cancer. Soy protein can be found in tofu and soy milk.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

An often unconsidered side effect of weight loss is muscle loss, which can affect strength and balance. A recent study suggests that adding protein to your daily diet not only can aid weight loss but also limit the loss of muscle mass as you shed the weight.

The research was conducted at the University of Illinois and was published online ahead of print in The Journals of Gerontology on July 27, 2011.

The researchers conducted a six month, double-blind study that included 31 obese postmenopausal women. The women were divided into two groups, with one group consuming a powdered whey supplement once in the morning and once in the afternoon and the other group consuming a carbohydrate placebo. Both groups maintained a 1,400 calorie weight-loss diet, and were encouraged to engage in light exercise consisting of stretching and walking.

At the onset of the study, all of the participants were tested in strength, balance, and their ability to walk 50 feet, stand up from a chair five times, and lift a book 12 inches above their shoulders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was also used to measure muscle volume of the right thigh, the amount of fat around the thigh, and the amount of fat within the thigh muscle. The scientists repeated the same tests at the conclusion of the study.

While both groups of women lost muscle mass over the course of the study, the protein group lost 3.9% more weight and gained 5.8% more thigh muscle when compared to the placebo group. The researchers believe that more vigorous exercise than the recommended light stretching and walking would result in greater gains in muscle mass.

Protein is easy to work into your daily diet. Try adding a low fat, low calorie protein shake in the morning, eating a high protein snack like unroasted nuts, or adding some protein powder to a smoothie.