Vitamins, minerals & supplements Archive

When it comes to snacking, is what you eat more important than how often you snack? A study published in the July 2015 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics tracked the snacking habits and foods of more than 200 people (average age 42). After two-and-a-half years, researchers observed that people who snacked on fruits and vegetables had, on average, a lower body mass index (BMI) than people who snacked on desserts and sweets. BMI is a measure of body fat based on a person's height and weight. Calories, frequency of snacking, and the time of day snacks were eaten didn't seem to affect BMI.

The study didn't show that the quality of snacks people ate was responsible for the lower BMI. However, researchers say the findings support the idea that wise snack choices can contribute to a healthy diet, and that snacking isn't necessarily unhealthy unless you choose empty calories such as chips, desserts, and sugar-sweetened drinks. Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, underscores the importance of that approach: "Timing or frequency is not as important, as long as healthy snacks are selected." She recommends nuts such as almonds, peanuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts; hummus with baby carrots; peanut butter with celery or an apple; part-skim string cheese with a small bunch of grapes; or plain nonfat Greek yogurt with blueberries.

The FDA is giving companies until 2018 to either stop using partially hydrogenated oils in foods or file for an FDA okay to keep using them.

A novel class of drugs has the potential to pick up the slack where other cholesterol medications leave off.

The types of fat and other nutrients found in plant- and animal-based protein foods should guide your choices.

A diet rich in polyunsaturated fats—found mainly in vegetable oils and fish—seems to protect people against cardio-vascular disease. A new study that measured blood levels of these fats in older adults now lends further support to this observation.

The report, in the June 17, 2015, Circulation, included more than 4,200 Swedish men and women without heart disease who were 60 years old when they joined the study. Researchers then tracked the participants' deaths over the following decade and a half. People with the highest blood levels of these beneficial fats were less likely to die from heart disease or any other cause than those with the lowest levels. Measuring the blood levels of these fats may be more reliable than asking people to recall what they ate, the researchers note.

Extra-virgin olive oil and nuts seem to contribute to the benefits.

Q . Can you explain exactly what "ejection fraction" means? And is there any way to increase it?

A. Ejection fraction refers to the volume of blood that's pumped out of the heart's left ventricle each time it contracts. Contrary to what many people believe, a normal ejection fraction is not 100%. Even a healthy heart pumps out only about half to two-thirds of the volume of blood in the chamber in one heartbeat. So a normal ejection fraction lies somewhere in the range of 55% to 65%.

Q. My cardiologist told me to take clopidogrel for a year after I received a stent. Now the year is up. I haven't had any bleeding problems. Should I keep taking it?

A. In addition to aspirin, doctors routinely prescribe clopidogrel (Plavix) for people who receive stents, the tiny metal mesh tubes placed in clogged blood vessels to improve blood flow. This medication stops blood components called platelets from clumping together and forming clots. The current guidelines generally recommend that people take the drug for a year. This advice assumes they don't have any side effects such as unusual bleeding, which can show up as severe nosebleeds or blood in the urine or stools. However, these guidelines are still evolving. Experts are currently reviewing new findings from large studies on the benefits and risks of taking clopidogrel and similar drugs for extended periods of time.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) not only saves lives, it may also help survivors of cardiac arrest recover well enough to return to work, according to a study in the May 12, 2015, issue of Circulation.

Researchers studied more than 4,300 people in Denmark who were employed before they suffered a cardiac arrest. In cardiac arrest, the heart suddenly stops working. More than 75% of survivors who had a cardiac arrest outside a hospital were able to return to work in a median time of four months. Those who received CPR from a bystander were nearly 40% more likely go back to work compared with those who didn't get CPR. The chest compressions given during CPR keep blood circulating to the brain, minimizing brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen.

A heart-healthy lifestyle is strongly associated with better memory and lower risk of Alzheimer's disease.

The health press is full of claims that "superfoods"—like fresh berries and leafy greens—can keep your memory sharp and hold the threat of Alzheimer's disease at bay. But for now, the evidence is preliminary at best. Your safest bet is to lead an overall heart-healthy lifestyle—including eating a plant-based diet and getting regular exercise—rather than drawing up a shopping list of alleged brain-boosting superfoods.