Red Meat Takes Another Hit in Health Study

Staff / Truthdig Mar 13, 2012 Does even the occasional hamburger spell doom for meat enthusiasts? The connection may not be quite that clear, but a new wide-ranging study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine makes the case that carnivores might want to seriously scale back their intake of red meat or sub in poultry or fish for the sake of their life span. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sugar: It Could Be Worse Than You Think

Staff / Truthdig Apr 14, 2011 According to The New York Times' Gary Taubes, who isn't a scientist but is a journalist obsessed with the topic, the recent uptick in anti-sugar sentiment in nutritional (and lay) circles isn't without basis. In fact, he goes so far as to essentially answer his headline question "Is Sugar Toxic?" in the affirmative. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Study: Women Can Double Up on the Drinks

Staff / Truthdig Nov 17, 2010 There has been some good news regarding women and booze of late Back in August, a study out of Norway explored the potentially fortuitous link between drinking and intelligence, and now there's another that (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Salt Kills, FDA Stalls

Staff / Truthdig Apr 21, 2010 It’s bad enough that Americans eat about twice as much salt as they need -- and much more than is healthful -- but most don’t even realize it. Reducing sodium in processed foods like cereal and soup and in restaurant meals could save more than 100,000 lives a year, and medical groups are urging the government to take action. (continued) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Chocolate: Good for the Heart?

Staff / Truthdig Mar 30, 2010 The good news for chocolate aficionados is that a new study out of Germany, featuring a generous sample size of more than 19,000 people, suggests that there may be a link between chocolate consumption and lower blood pressure (continued) . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Couch Potatoes Beware: Too Much Sitting Could Be Deadly

Staff / Truthdig Jan 13, 2010 An excessively sedentary lifestyle could spell heart disease or even cause premature death, according to a new study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, which gauged health (or issues therewith) according to the amount of time subjects spent sitting and watching television. However, TV isn't the decisive factor in the mix -- sitting for long stretches of time at work can also be hazardous to your health, the study found. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Obesity Costs Fatten Health Care Spending

Staff / Truthdig Jul 27, 2009 New research indicates that nearly 10 percent of all U.S. medical spending goes toward treating obesity and diseases more common in the overweight, such as diabetes and heart disease. Many health economists believe it is one of the leading causes of rising health care spending. About one-third of adult Americans are obese. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Breastfeeding: Good for Moms, Too

Staff / Truthdig Apr 22, 2009 There have already been various studies about the beneficial effects of breastfeeding vis-à-vis infants, and now there's evidence that this essential maternal activity can help protect mothers from heart attack, heart disease or stroke. Salud! Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Genes Under Pressure

Staff / Truthdig Dec 30, 2008 While heart disease remains the No. 1 killer of people in the U.S., researchers have found that we can help explain a large part of these cases through one's genetic makeup. In fact, one in five white people are believed to have the "blood pressure gene," where the genetic variance that controls salt in the kidneys changes to affect individuals' blood pressure. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Life Expectancy Hits All-Time High

Staff / Truthdig Sep 13, 2007 Here's the good news: Significant drops in heart disease and strokes, two leading causes of death among Americans, have contributed to the highest life expectancy in the country's history, which rose to 77.9 years in the latest report released by the National Center for Health Statistics. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Go Ahead, Eat That Foie Gras!

Staff / Truthdig Feb 8, 2006 A landmark study has concluded that a low-fat diet does not reduce the risk of getting cancer or heart disease | story or read the reportsDon't start mainlining lard just yet The next study is surely just around the corner . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )