Virtual Health Info

September 2008 Healthwatch

2008-09-05T18:56:47Z

Stay up-to-date on the latest health and nutrition information with Virtual Health Info's monthly HealthWatch bulletin, America's premier source for health information. The September issue of HealthWatch features the following articles:The Importance Of Strong Immunity and National Cancer Institute Encourages Eating Blue And Purple Fruits And Vegetables
Click here for more information.

The Importance Of Strong Immunity

2008-09-05T18:47:46Z

When the seasons change from summer to fall and children go back to school, the chances of getting a cold are increased. That's why it's important to do all we can to stay healthy and fit by bolstering the body's defenses.

The body's defenses are influenced by the strength of our immunity. The strength of our immune system determines our ability to resist infection and suppress the growth of abnormal cells. It's the key to fighting every kind of insult to the body; from those little scratches kids get on the playground to the massive amount of viruses that constantly try to invade us. Even the aging process may be related to deteriorating immunity.

Several factors reduce the strength of our immune system such as poor nutrition, stress, environmental pollutants, and overexposure to the intake of drugs and chemicals from processed foods. Click here for more information.

National Cancer Institute Encourages Eating Blue And Purple Fruits And Vegetables

2008-09-05T18:29:25Z

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the national health authority that encourages all Americans to eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day to promote health and reduce risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, is strongly urging all Americans to eat blue and purple fruits and vegetables. This is because fruits such as blueberries, acai, and pomegranate containdisease-fighting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics. NCI states that anthocyanins and phenolics are powerful antioxidants that help reduce the risk of such diseases as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. They may even help to slow the aging process. NCI also encourages eating a wide variety of other colorful foods in order to take advantage of other types of healthful phytonutrients they contain. For more information go to www.5aday.gov.

August 2008 Healthwatch

2008-08-14T02:33:34Z

Stay up-to-date on the latest health and nutrition information with Virtual Health Info's monthly HealthWatch bulletin, America's premier source for health information. The August issue of HealthWatch features the following articles:Keeping Kids Healthy, Eating Right, Get Moving, Fruit Intake During Childhood May Help Curb Cancer Later In Life, Bone Health Impacted by Fruits at any Age. Click here for more information.

Keeping Kids Healthy

2008-08-14T02:18:41Z

Less than 25% of kids eat the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables and few get regular physical activity. While moms and caregivers are aware of the importance of healthy eating and physical activity habits, they struggle with the best way to incorporate them into daily family life. With obesity rates rising among children and adults, it's important for parents to find useful information and realistic tips for making and sustaining healthy choices for kids. This month's issue of HealthWatch is devoted to helping parents and kids in their pursuit of balanced nutrition and physical activity for the mind and body.

Eating Right

2008-08-14T01:41:26Z

Plain and simple, fast food can affect your game plan. Youngsters have been consuming more fast food since the 1970's and, coincidently, there's been a rise in teenage obesity and diabetes. Not fun! Fast foods are high in unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats), sugar, high fructose corn syrup, chemical flavor enhancers and fake color. Also in highly processed foods, the vitamins and minerals typically get destroyed. Check your local fast food restaurant for fresh, healthy options such as healthy chicken and fish dishes, salads, vegetable soups, fruit plates and low-sugar drinks. When eating at home, it's best to favor low-fat meats, healthy dairy products, whole grains, vegetable dishes, fruit and nuts. If it's hard to eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day, a good quality multivitamin can help - it provides "insurance" when it comes to getting a wide spectrum of nutrients each day. Check out Healthcorps.org for additional information.

Get Moving

2008-08-14T01:34:32Z

Exercise has many benefits. It builds strong muscles and bones while increasing strength, endurance and flexibility. It also controls body fat, reduces obesity and decreases the risk diabetes. In addition to the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle the physical and emotional challenges that a typical day presents - be that running to catch a bus, bending down to tie a shoe, or studying for a test. One of the best ways to get youngsters moving is to limit the amount of time spent in sedentary activities, especially watching TV and playing video games. Help your child participate in activities that are appropriate for their age.

Fruit Intake During Childhood May Help Curb Cancer Later In Life

2008-08-14T01:23:28Z

According to a long term study involving almost 4,000 people in the United Kingdom, it appears that a childhood diet rich in fruit may protect against the development of certain cancers. The findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, are based on a 60 year follow-up with a group of individuals who completed a food inventory checklist sometime in the 1930's. The researchers successfully traced almost all of the men and women who had been children in the 1930's and were able to assess their death and cancer records to arrive at their conclusions. Further prospective studies, with individual measures of diet are required to fully explain the researchers' conclusions. For more information go to the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Volume 57, 2003.

Bone Health Impacted by Fruits at any Age

2008-08-14T01:05:47Z

It's no surprise or secret that regular intake of fresh fruits and vegetables can have a healthy impact on the bones of older people. But researchers in Cambridge, United Kingdom, recently studied the impact of fruits and vegetables on young people's bones as well. Fruits seemed to play a bigger role in bone health than vegetables, with "significant positive associations" between fruit intake and bone health in adolescent boys, girls, and older women. The study concluded, "Higher fruit and vegetable intakes may have positive effects on bone mineral status in both younger and older age groups." For more information go to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 83, 2006.

July 2008 Healthwatch

2008-07-08T01:08:39Z

Stay up-to-date on the latest health and nutrition information with Virtual Health Info's monthly HealthWatch bulletin, America's premier source for health information. The July issue of HealthWatch features the following articles:Nature's Pharmacy Anthocyanins, National Cancer Institute Encourages Eating Blue and Purple Fruits and Vegetables, Study Concludes Fruit/ Blueberry Consumption May Prevent Cardiovascular Disease. Click here for more information.

Nature's Pharmacy ANTHOCYANINS

2008-07-07T23:09:19Z

Mother Nature provides a full spectrum of beautifully colored fruits and vegetables. Walking into a farmer's market is like walking into an artist's studio where color pallets display bursting bright reds, greens, oranges, yellows, blues, and even purples. It's a feast for the eyes. Scientists are now gathering evidence that the rainbow of color pigments in fruits and vegetables may do more than simply attract attention or please the eye; they in fact possess a wide array of health-promoting properties. Studies to date suggest that certain of these phytochemicals, or plant chemical pigments, appear to defend and enhance health. They do so by boosting our bodies' support mechanisms - helping reduce inflammation, pulling toxins out of the system, and fighting free radicals before they have a chance to wreak havoc on our cells. Click here for more information.

National Cancer Institute Encourages Eating Blue and Purple Fruits and Vegetables

2008-07-07T22:35:43Z

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the national health authority that encourages all Americans to eat 5 to 9 servings of vegetables and fruit a day to promote health and reduce risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, is strongly urging all Americans to eat blue and purple fruits and vegetables. This is because fruits such as blueberries, acai, and pomegranate contain disease-fighting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics. NCI states that anthocyanins and phenolics are powerful antioxidants that help reduce the risk of such diseases as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. They may even help to slow the aging process. NCI also encourages eating a wide variety of other colorful foods in order to take advantage of other types of healthful phytonutrients they contain. Click here for more information

Study Concludes Fruit/ Blueberry Consumption May Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

2008-07-07T22:26:04Z

A November 2005 study released by Appalachian State University Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science found that daily fruit consumption significantly reduces oxidative stress in chronic smokers. The results were obtained by observing twenty chronic smokers over a three week period. The subjects were divided into three groups: the first group consumed 250g of blueberries daily, the second group consumed 250g of blueberries right before the final blood testing and the third was a control group and did nothing. The subjects' blood was drawn at the beginning and end of the study. The study concluded that acute ingestion of fruit had no affect on oxidative stress levels in the blood while daily fruit consumption significantly reduced this oxidation. The study states that fruit consumption plays a role in preventing cardiovascular disease. For more information, go to Free Radical Research, November 2005. Source: Taylor & Francis, Volume 39, Number 11, November 2005.

June 2008 HealthWatch

2008-06-04T00:33:03Z

Stay up-to-date on the latest health and nutrition information with Virtual Health Info's monthly HealthWatch bulletin, America's premier source for health information. The June issue of HealthWatch features the following articles: Mens Health, National Men's Health Week, Action Plan For Lowering Blood Pressure, Antioxidant Rich Green Tea May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk. Click here for more information.

Mens Health

2008-06-04T00:23:16Z

While the life-expectancy gap between men and women has narrowed in recent years, it's no secret that men still need to pay more attention to their health. There are several reasons for this. Men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behavior than women are, and are less likely than women to adopt preventative healthcare measures. Also, some men define themselves by their work, which can add to high stress levels; stress is one of the factors that weakens optimal health. Click here for more information.