REPORTING POINT 02/10
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

HIGH INTAKE OF VITAMIN D REDUCES RISK OF DISABILITY FOR SENIORS – a Dutch study found that among people over 65, those with low blood levels of vitamin D were three times more likely to end up in a nursing home than those with high levels.  Not only does this vitamin help keep bones strong, it also helps prevent falls in older people by maintaining muscle strength, especially in the lower legs, and has been linked to other health benefits.  The government …

REPORTING POINT 01/10
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline
EXERCISE TO SAVE YOUR EYES – people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.  The key seems to be vigorous exercise.  Two studies followed thousands of runners over several years and found that people who ran about 2.5 miles a day or more reduced their risk for both conditions the most – for AMD, risk dropped by more than 50 percent.  Experts think strenuous exercise may …

REPORTING POINT 12/09
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

KEEPING THE POUNDS OFF – if you have been successful at losing weight and want to keep the results permanently, exercise for about an hour most days of the week.  This advice was recently confirmed by a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which involved sedentary overweight or obese test subjects who went on a calorie-restricted diet and followed various exercise regimens.  Those who burned about 1,800 calories a week in physical activity were most likely to maintain a 10 percent …

REPORTING POINT 11/09
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

KEEPING THE POUNDS OFF – if you have been successful at losing weight and want to keep the results permanently, exercise for about an hour most days of the week.  This advice was recently confirmed by a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which involved sedentary overweight or obese test subjects who went on a calorie-restricted diet and followed various exercise regimens.  Those who burned about 1,800 calories a week in physical activity were most likely to maintain a 10 percent …

REPORTING POINT 09/09
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

REALLY BAD ALLERGIES? – nasal irrigation may be the best way to clear congestion, outperforming  saline spray by 34 percent.  Another advantage is that using nasal irrigation may enable allergy sufferers to eliminate or greatly reduce medications that may have undesirable side effects and rebound congestion.  Some recommended nasal “flushes” used successfully in University of Michigan studies are “Sinus Rinse” and “Neto.” Men’s Health 3/08.
MITOCHONDRIA AND AGING – mitochondria are the furnaces within cells that help convert fat, protein (amino acids), …

TUAW.com has an excellent article on cycling apps for the iPhone. Make sure you read the comments section. Other readers have added additional suggestions. Most are pay but a few are free including one from REI. One reader mentions rubiTrack which is an app for the iPhone and Mac to track all kinds of fitness activitiy. It looks really interesting.
You can find the TUAW article here.
Others mentioned by readers:
Trails
If you are looking for a site to upload and download tracks for Trails and other Smart Phone apps check out EveryTrail.com. …

REPORTING POINT 08/09
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

TOASTING IS HEALTHIER – toasting bread may make it healthier, according to a U.K. study.  When participants ate bread that had been frozen, thawed, and toasted, their blood sugar rose 39 percent less than it did when they consumed fresh slices.  Both freezing and toasting worked on their own, too, reducing glycemic response by at least 26 percent each.  It could be that these processes chemically alter starch and prevent it from breaking down into sugar.
The scientists recommend storing the loaves in …

REPORTING POINT 07/09
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

BEWARE OF “ENERGY DRINKS” – energy drinks such as Red Bull or Monster usually have lots of sugar and caffeine (and/or other stimulants) which may cause tooth erosion and can lead to cavities.  These drinks are very acidic, like many sodas, but a recent study in General Dentistry found that Red Bull is much more corrosive than soda, Gatorade, or a coffee drink.  If you do drink such beverages, be sure to rinse with water afterwards.
The same advice applies to those who …

Runkeeper: An Innovative Fitness App
By Patrick Guess – Pilot ExpressJet Airlines

Overview: RunKeeper allows you to track your outdoor exercises using the built in GPS on the iPhone.
Cost: Free version and pro version. Pro Version is $9.99
Where to Get it: iTunes App Store – Free Version -  Pro Version
More Info: http://www.runkeeper.com
Alternative Application(s): iTreadmill (pedometer app works indoors and out), Motion-X GPS
If you’re anything like me you’ve been bombarded by news articles on TV, in print, and electronic media stating with such urgency that we live increasingly docile lifestyles, eschewing Nature for …

REPORTING POINT 06/09
HEALTH NEWS
“Live healthy…Live well”
by Larry Kline

Past issues of “Health News” are available at http://health.theballfamily.org. It includes a search engine; just enter a key word to find past articles. LK

BLACK TEA MAY HELP PREVENT PARKINSON’S DISEASE – according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology that followed more than 63,000 middle-aged and older people for seven years, those who drank the most black tea (averaging 23 cups a month, which works out to about 6 ounces a day) had a dramatically reduced risk of Parkinson’s …