Staying Healthy Archive

We often write in these pages that the Mediterranean diet is good for your heart and brain. Now it appears that the Mediterranean diet may also help protect your telomeres, according to a Harvard study published in the Dec. 2, 2014, BMJ. Telomeres sit at the ends of your chromosomes and help protect the ends from fraying. Telomere length is considered to be a biomarker of aging: shorter telomeres are associated with a lower life expectancy and higher rates of developing chronic diseases. After analyzing the detailed food questionnaires and telomere measurements of more than 4,600 women, Harvard researchers concluded that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with longer telomeres, and that even small changes in diet made a difference. The Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish; minimizes red meats and processed meats; and includes a moderate amount of cheese and wine.

New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say that there’s no evidence vitamin D screenings help seemingly healthy people.

Confused about fats? Learn the latest on which fats offer the best health benefits.

There used to be one simple rule—all fat is bad. More recently, we've been told that fat is absolutely essential to our health, especially polyunsaturated fats in plant-derived oils. But, as research piles up, the picture of fats and health has sometimes become blurred.

Try some low-impact activities to ease into an exercise routine.

You know that regular exercise is good for your heart. But only about half of American adults manage the 2.5 hours per week of moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) recommended by the federal physical activity guidelines. Being too busy is a common excuse, but there are bona fide reasons for not exercising. If you're recovering from a heart attack, are overweight, or are simply out of shape, 30 minutes of exercise a day may feel out of reach.

Q. What is better for my heart—a fast run on the treadmill for 10 minutes or 30 minutes of light cycling on a machine?

A. The benefit of exercise on heart health depends on the dose; in other words, the more the better. So, my answer to your question is "Why not do both?" Exercise of virtually any kind prevents heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Don't rush into it, but don't wait longer than you need to.

More than 700,000 Americans will have one or both knee joints replaced this year, usually because of damage from wear-and-tear arthritis. Age itself is no barrier, and about half of total knee replacements go to people 65 and older. Replacing a joint damaged by osteoarthritis helps men stay active and independent.

Whole grains, including brown rice, are part of a healthy diet. However, health advocates have raised concerns about the tiny amount of arsenic that rice plants absorb from the soil. Also, a handful of studies have linked rice consumption to cardiovascular disease, although the evidence is preliminary and inconsistent. But now rice eaters can rest a little easier, thanks to a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.