The most common recommendations for improving heart health include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption. Now a study has found that the bacteria living in our gut may have an effect on weight, fat, and good cholesterol levels, all of which influence cardiovascular health.

Participants the in the study included 893 people in the Netherlands. The researchers used state-of-the-art deep sequencing technology to uncover the association between gut microbes and blood lipid levels. They found 34 different bacteria that contribute to differences in body fat and blood lipids such as triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Most of these were new associations.

Additionally, they found that bacteria in the gut was directly linked to a 4.6% difference in body fat, a 6% difference in triglycerides and 4% difference in HDL cholesterol levels. However, gut bacteria did not appear to have a strong association with LDL cholesterol or total cholesterol levels.

The researchers believe that this initial research could potentially open the door to therapies that alter gut bacteria in order to improve body weight, fat, and cholesterol levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers from University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on September 10, 2015, in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research.

Only 30% of the human gut bacteria has been mapped but previous studies have found that having a varied composition of bacteria in your digestive system is essential for good gut health and for good health overall. If you’re looking to improve gut bacteria diversity, consider taking a prebiotic or probiotic supplement. A recent study also found that exercise may help boost gut bacteria diversity.

There is no cure yet for Alzheimer’s disease, which attacks some people’s brains as they age. A new study, however, has found that high grade resveratrol given over a long term time period may stabilize a biomarker that goes into decline when Alzheimer’s disease progresses.

Participants in the study included 119 people with mild to moderate dementia as a result of Alzheimer’s disease. They were given either pure, synthetic, pharmaceutical-grade resveratrol that was developed specifically for the study or a placebo.

At the beginning of the study, the participants receiving the high grade resveratrol supplement were given 500 mg once per day. The dosage escalated by 500 mg every 13 weeks until it reached 1,000 mg per day by the end of the study period. The final amount was equivalent to the amount of resveratrol found in 1,000 bottles of red wine.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers noted that the placebo group had a higher decline of CSF A?40 and plasma A?40 levels than the supplement group. A decline in these biomarkers is associated with the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers cautioned that this is an initial, small study and that more research is needed to determine the effects of high grade resveratrol on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on September 11, 2015, in the journal Neurology.

Previous studies have shown resveratrol to be a powerful antioxidant with health benefits that include increasing energy levels, improving brain health, reducing the appearance of aging, improving metabolism, and improving liver function.

While it’s not yet possible to buy resveratrol at the potency used in this study, you can find it in lower levels in a variety of foods including red wine, grapes, grape seed extract, and peanuts. A glass of red wine a day can provide a good amount of resveratrol, but excess drinking may counter balance the positive health benefits. Another good way to get resveratrol is through a high quality supplement.

Diagnoses of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are on the rise and are often treated with prescription medications. A recent study suggests that taking a daily supplement of DHA and EPA omega-3s may improve attention both in kids with ADHD and in those without.

Participants in the study included 77 boys between the ages of 8 and 14. Half of the boys had diagnoses of ADHD and half did not. The participants were given either 10 grams of margarine containing 650 mg of DHA and EPA or 10 grams of margarine without the supplemental omega-3s daily for sixteen weeks.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that all of the boys who took the omega-3 supplement had improvements in parent-rated attention, as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). However, they did not note any changes in cognitive control or fMRI measures of brain activity in the boys. Finally, they noted higher DHA blood levels in the boys who took the supplemental margarine.

Researchers from the University Medical Center Utrecht conducted the study. It was published online on April 22, 2015, in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Omega-3s have been linked to a number of health benefits, including alleviating arthritis pain, better moods, improved joint mobility, helping with age related macular degeneration, and aiding your immune system.

Because omega-3 fatty-acids are not found naturally in the human body, it is especially important to make sure that they are a part of your daily diet. Oily, dark fish such as tuna and salmon are high in DHA and EPA omega-3s. T 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.

When people with diabetes don’t control their blood sugar levels, the effects on almost every organ in their bodies can be devastating. A recent study suggests that taking chromium picolinate may help people with poorly controlled type-2 diabetes better manage their blood sugar levels.

Participants in the study included 71 people with type-2 diabetes who were given 600 micrograms of chromium picolinate or a placebo daily for four months. At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that fasting glucose in the chromium picolinate group was reduced by 31.0 mg/dL, whereas the placebo group had reductions of only 14 mg/dL.

Additionally, the supplement group had significantly lower postprandial glucose levels when compared with the placebo. Finally, both groups had lower levels of HbA1c, which is a marker of excess glucose in the blood over the long term. However, the supplement group had significantly lower levels than the placebo group.

Researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil conducted the study. It was published in the October 2015 issue of Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology.

Chromium picolinate is a combination of chromium, an essential mineral, and picolinic acid. It has been used to treat chromium deficiency, lower high cholesterol, and boost cardiovascular health. It can be found in supplement form.

Whether you’re working out in order to build stronger muscles or just generally want to improve your strength, you may want to add vitamin D3 to your routine. That’s because a recent study has linked supplementation with vitamin D3 to increased upper and lower limb strength.

For this study, researchers examined data from seven trials that included a total of 310 adults, with an average age of 21.5 to 31.5 years. Sixty-seven percent of the participants were women. The trials periods ranged from four weeks to six months and the dosage levels ranged from 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily to 60,000 IU weekly.

The researchers found that vitamin D3 supplementation improved upper and lower limb muscle strength in the participants. The two studies that reported the most significant results used dosages between 14,000 and 60,000 IU per week for four to six months.

The researchers recommend that more research be undertaken to determine the effect of vitamin D on muscle power, endurance, and maximal strength.

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London conducted the study. It was published in the September 2015 issue of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

Previous studies have associated vitamin D with reducing the risk of skin damage, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, combating diabetes, and improving age related macular degeneration.

Vitamin D can be found in milk, fortified cereals, fish, and eggs. Your body also processes vitamin D from the sun but it becomes harder for our bodies to process it as we age. A high quality vitamin D supplement is always a good option if you feel that you’re not getting enough through diet and sun.

Hypertension is characterized by abnormally high blood pressure. A recent study has found that onion skin-derived food supplements of the flavanol quercetin may help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension.

Participants in the study included 68 overweight or obese people with pre-hypertension or stage 1 hypertension. They were given either a quercetin-rich onion skin extract supplement or a placebo three times a day for six weeks. The supplements contained a total of 162 mg of quercetin, broken into three 54 mg capsules.

People with high quercetin intake in their normal diets were excluded from the study.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that the participants who did not have high blood pressure at the onset of the study did not show significant changes in blood pressure. However, those with high blood pressure had an average drop of 3.6 mmHg in systolic blood pressure.

Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on September 2, 2015, in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Quercetin is a flavanol that has also been linked to helping with asthma, allergies, and hives as well as improving cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease, and even reducing the risk of cancer. The quercetin in this study came from onion skins, but this essential nutrient can also be found in capers, dark red fruits such as cranberries, raw green chili peppers, red leaf lettuce, raw kale, and asparagus.

Vascular endothelial function declines with advancing age, due in part to increased oxidative stress and inflammation. A recent study suggests that a supplement containing the amino acids HMB (a metabolite of leucine), glutamine, and arginine may help improve vascular function and blood flow in mature adults.

Participants in the study included 31 community-dwelling men and women between the ages of 65 and 87. Over the course of six months, half of the group was given a supplement containing 3 g HMB, 14 g glutamine, and 14 g arginine daily. The other half was given a placebo.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was increased in the supplement group but not the placebo group. FMD is a measure of endothelial function, which is a measure of how well the layer of cells that line the blood vessels function. They also noted a trend toward increased CRP (a marker of inflammation) but it was not enough to be significant.

Researchers from the University of Alabama conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on August 26, 2015, in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Leucine is an essential amino acid that stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis, which begins the muscle building process. In addition to building muscle, leucine also helps regulate blood sugar levels. Foods rich in leucine include soybeans, lentils, beef, peanuts, salmon, eggs and milk.

Previous studies suggest that glutamine may help relieve some of the side effects of medical treatments, including diarrhea, swelling in the mouth, nerve pain, and muscle and joint pain. It has also been found to help boost the immune and digestive systems.

Glutamine can be found in animal proteins such as fish, pork, beef, and chicken. For vegetarians, it can be found in beans, milk, yogurt, ricotta cheese, and cottage cheese.

Arginine is an amino acid that is a part of most proteins. In the body, it changes into nitric acid. It has been shown in previous studies to help with cardiovascular health and lower blood pressure. It can be found in gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut, oats, whole wheat flour, soybeans, and wheatgerm.

All of these nutrients can be obtained through eating a balanced diet, and they also can be found in supplement form if you feel you’re not getting enough from diet alone.

High blood pressure can cause serious damage to arteries, the heart, and other organs, however blood pressure-lowering medications often have adverse side effects. A recent study suggests that the flavanols found in cocoa may help lower blood pressure in healthy adults without side effects.

Participants in the study included 100 healthy adults between the ages of 35 and 60 who were given either a drink containing 450 mg of cocoa-derived flavanols or a flavanol-free control drink twice a day over the course of a month. All of the participants had BMIs in the normal range and no signs of cardiovascular disease. The researchers measured their blood pressure, cholesterol, and vital signs at the onset, one-month mark, and conclusion of the study.

At the one-month point, the flavanol group had a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 4.4 mmHg and a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of 3.9 mmHg. The researchers said this drop was similar to those seen in other studies examining the effects of cocoa flavanols, and is close to the effects seen with common blood pressure medications.

Additionally, the researchers noted improved Framingham Risk Scores, which examine the 10-year cardiovascular risk of a person. However, they did note that the short study period meant that more research would need to be conducted to confirm the results.

Researchers from the University of Dusseldorf, University of Reading, and Mars conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on September 9, 2015, in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Flavonols are the naturally occurring antioxidants found in cocoa which have previously been shown to decrease inflammation, protect DNA from damage and improve heart and brain health by increasing blood flow. The researchers in this study noted that chocolate will not provide the same health effects, as many of the nutrients of cocoa are destroyed in the roasting and refining process.

Illnesses associated with obesity accountg for more death and disease than physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol combined. A recent editorial in the online journal Open Heart suggests that it’s time to shift our focus from calorie counting to nutritional content of foods in order to fight back against the growing obesity epidemic and reduce the number of cardiovascular deaths. In particular, the editorial’s authors recommended following the Mediterranean diet.

The authors suggest that rather than focusing on calorie levels, doctors and other health professionals should be recommending dietary changes. For example, omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil, and nuts are all high-calorie foods that might be excluded from a low calorie diet, but all of them have been linked in various studies with a reduction in death from cardiovascular disease and all causes. One study even suggested that increasing the US populations’ intake of nuts by two servings per week could reduce the number of deaths by cardiovascular disease per year by 90,000.

On the other hand, drinking a sugary drink that contains only 150 calories every day could significantly boost a person’s risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

They also noted that a study conducted by the Action for Health in Diabetes found that combining a low calorie diet with increased physical activity in people with type-2 diabetes was not associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular death, even though the participants lost a significant amount of weight during the 13.5 year study period.

They concluded by recommending the high fat Mediterranean diet as the best diet for people to follow. The key components of the Mediterranean diet are eating primarily plant-based foods, replacing butter with olive oil, using herbs and spices instead of salt, eating red meat no more than a few times a month, eating fish and poultry at least twice a week.

Previous research has shown that the Mediterranean diet may improve heart health, lower the risk of diabetes, asthma, lower rates of obesity and even decrease the overall risk of mortality.

Previous studies have found that physically fit people tend to have larger brain volumes and more intact white matter than those who are less physically fit. Now a recent study has found that mature adults who engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity regularly have more variable brain activity than their less physically active peers, which is associated with better cognitive performance.

Participants in the study included 100 people between the ages of 60 and 80 who were given accelerometers to measure their physical activity over the course of one week. The researchers used functional MRI to see how blood oxygen levels changed the brain over time. They also evaluated the microscopic integrity of each participant’s white-matter fibers. White-matter fibers carry nerve impulses and interconnect the brain.

The researchers found that the more physically active participants had more moment-to-moment fluctuation in their brains as well better white-matter structure when compared with the less active participants. They suggested this means that more physically active people have better cognitive functioning than less active people.

Researchers from the University of Illinois conducted the study. It was published on August 5, 2015, in PLOS ONE.

Staying active is important for more than just cognitive function. Previous clinical studies suggest that even moderate exercise can help with blood sugar control, reduce body weight, improve heart health, improve respiratory health, and reduce the risk of dying prematurely.

If you’re having trouble staying active, start small. Add a ten-minute walk to your day and increase it a little bit over the course of the week. Or consult a fitness professional who can help you work out a plan specific to your needs.