Reduce Bone Fracture Risk With a Diet High in Vegetables

Older people who have a diet which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains could be less susceptible to bone fractures than those who are not on such a diet .

These are the findings of recent research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition .

This research does not prove that such foods themselves directly mean a reduced fracture risk. However, they emphasize yet another potential health reason for us to eat an apple as opposed to some crisps.

Several other studies have discovered that those whose diets contain lots of nutrients, especially calcium and vitamin D, have greater bone mass and, therefore, have a lower risk of of fractures in later life.

However, we eat foods, not isolated nutrients. Hence, a diet to lower risk of bone fracture needs to food based.

Herein the researchers have discovered that a diet high in nutrient density features lots of fruits, vegetables, beans, fiber-rich whole grains and fish .

The research findings show that for every 40 percent increase in calories from fruits, vegetables and other nutrient-high foods, the chances of suffering from a fracture over ten years fell by 14 per cent.

The Many Health Benefits of Red Wine

For many years now, doctors have been prescribing the consumption of red wine for its various health benefits. Red wine can change your life and make you live longer because of some of the ingredients that are present. These ingredients are red wine polyphenols, anthocyanins, and an antioxidant resveratrol. Each of these has its own positive effect on health.
 

We all know that antioxidants promote health. Numerous studies have been performed on the role of antioxidants in preventing (or reducing the risk of) heart diseases, cancer, hypertension, etc. One of the most significant antioxidants in red wine is resveratrol, a compound found in the seeds and skin of grapes. Red wine contains unusually large amounts of resveratrol. The health benefits of antioxidants, including resveratrol, are many, but some of the most remarkable ones include alteration of blood lipid levels, prevention of blood clots that cause heart attacks, and combating against cancer.

Resveratrol is important because of its cholesterol metabolism abilities. This helps lower the risk of hypertension and heart disease. So, if your regular diet is not providing you with sufficient antioxidants, red wine is a good option.
 

Polyphenols, the second most significant ingredient in red wine, is another remarkable substance that happens to be an antioxidant. This antioxidant helps maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and therefore lowers the chance of heart attack and reduces the risk of heart diseases. Polyphenols have anti-aging properties that prevent the body from undergoing undue internal damage at a cellular level. In fact, the concentration of polyphenols found in red wine is higher than that in actual grape juice. This makes polyphenols one of the most characteristic substances of red wine.

Anthocyanins, a third important ingredient of red wine, may help prevent coronary heart disease.
 

Red wine has various other health benefits including:

1. It aids in digestion by neutralizing damaging compounds present in fast food.
2. Red wine is a gentle tranquilizer and can help an individual cope with stress.
3. It may help treat Alzheimer’s disease.
4. May prevent cavities.

Study Says Work Stress Raises Women's Heart Risk

Women who are stressed at work are more likely than other working women to have a heart attack or other forms of heart disease, a new study suggests.The findings, presented Monday at an American Heart Association meeting in Chicago, were based on data from 17,415 otherwise healthy middle-aged women who took part in the Women’s Health Study, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

The researchers found that women who reported high job strain faced a 40 percent increase in cardiovascular disease over all, and an 88 percent increase in risk for heart attacks alone. (“Strain” was defined as demanding work with little decision-making authority or ability to use one’s creativity and skills.)

Women who were worried about losing a job did not experience an increase in heart ailments, but they were more likely than women with high job security to be overweight or to have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease.

Earlier studies on chronic job stress and heart disease in women have had mixed results, though studies of mostly male subjects have found a clear association between the two, said the study’s senior author, Dr. Michelle A. Albert, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

“You can’t get rid of stress, but you can manage it,” Dr. Albert said, adding that she recommends getting more exercise and maintaining contacts with friends and family. In addition, she said, “try to keep work at work.”
“If you have to work when you’re home, since we are all living in an electronic age,” she went on, “limit your time on e-mail. Otherwise you never leave work.”

3 Ways to Keep the Flu Out of Your Office

Winter is right around the corner, and the last thing you need is a big chunk of your staff falling victim to the flu.
Here are some things you can do to make this year’s flu season as painless as possible:

1. Encourage colleagues and employees to get vaccinated … again. This year’s flu vaccine includes protection against three types of influenza – H1N1 (swine flu), H3N2 and a B strain. Many people falsely believe that if they received the H1N1 vaccine last year, they don’t have to get a shot this year. Let them know it’s still important to their health for them to protect themselves against other strains of flu.


2. Make it easy. If your company offers flu shots on-site, it’s important to bombard workers with constant reminders so they don’t accidentally miss out or forget to get a shot. One way: Frequent e-mails with bold subject lines proclaiming: FRIENDLY REMINDER – FLU SHOT THIS WED.

For employers that offer free or discounted shots off-site, finding a location should be as painless as possible for employees. Best bet: Use a variety of tactics (e-mail, intranet, company bulletin board, etc.) to help people find a convenient spot to go. In addition, there are plenty of websites that will help employees find a location by simply typing in an address or zip code.

3. Give heroes incentives to stay home. The majority of employees know better than to come into the office when they’re not feeling well. But one flu-stricken worker who decides to tough it out can end up wreaking havoc on the entire office.

One way to prevent this: updating your attendance policy to allow for more sick time during flu season. IF possible, letting employees work from home until all symptoms subside helps ensure they don’t come back too soon – and get their co-workers sick.