Drink This Juice for Comfier Joints

Your joints may reap some sweet rewards if you treat your taste buds to this every morning: a tall glass of orange juice.

Authors of a recent study concluded that beta-cryptoxanthin intake could be quite helpful in reducing the risk of polyarthritis -- a joint condition most often triggered by the autoimmune system. And fresh-squeezed OJ happens to have plenty of the compound.

Juiced-Up Joints
When researchers gave a diet survey to a large group of middle-aged and older European adults, people with the highest amounts of beta-cryptoxanthin in their diets were less likely to develop polyarthritis than the people with the lowest intakes. Researchers speculate that adding just one glass of fresh-squeezed OJ a day could provide enough beta-cryptoxanthin to protect against the inflammatory joint condition.

The Awesome Stuff in Oranges
Oranges and orange juice are also great sources of vitamin C -- another important nutrient for joint health. And although the researchers suspect that beta-cryptoxanthin may do the best job of protecting against oxidative damage to joint linings, other carotenoids -- like zeaxanthin -- may help, too.

A Little Habit That Makes Exercise Easier

You're more likely to finish your workout by saying "Boy, that was a breeze!" if you do this first: rest your mind.

Why? Because research suggests that a tired mind means a tired body. Exercisers in a study had a harder time with their workouts when their brains were fatigued.

Brain Strain
The men and women in the study were given two different preworkout activities on different days. Before one workout, they were asked to complete a tedious and time-intensive computer task that demanded close attention and quick responses. On another day, their preworkout activity consisted of relaxing in front of documentary films on relatively uncomplicated topics. Ultimately, the study participants reported much more fatigue during the workout following the computer task. They also reached their point of exhaustion more quickly.

Mind over Matter
It isn't clear exactly how this mind/body fatigue connection worked, but researchers suspect that mental exhaustion messes with the workings of dopamine, an important brain chemical that affects your sense of motivation and your perception of effort. So plan your workout accordingly. A first-thing-in-the-morning walk may mean a better workout than waiting until the end of the work day.

The Best Reason to Look Younger

If you don't look a day older than the age on your driver's license, that could mean a longer life for you.

A study of elderly adult twins showed a connection between looks and longevity. The younger looking of each pair was more likely to outlive his or her doppelganger.

Pictures of Health
Yep, seems like a healthy lifestyle just might show up on your face -- and help you live longer, too. In the study, volunteers looked at photos of twins and tried to guess their ages. Seven years later, the twins who were guessed to be older had the higher mortality rate.

What's DNA Got to Do with It?
The fresh-faced twins had something else going for them: longer telomeres -- those protective little coverings on the ends of DNA that dictate how soon cells will die. As we get older, our telomeres get shorter, making them a pretty good marker of cellular aging. The good news is that there's plenty you can do to keep your telomeres long and boost your odds of a long life.

The Antiager That Won a Nobel Prize

The real secret to keeping your body young may be the tips of your shoelaces. Or, really, tiny parts of your body that act like them. Just as those plastic nibs keep your shoelaces from fraying, tiny cellular tips called telomeres protect your DNA from fraying when cells divide. When they're tattered, they're much harder to use. That's what causes cells to stop dividing and growing and replenishing your body -- which means more aging for you.

Telomeres made headlines this fall when three American scientists won the Nobel Prize for discovering them and exploring their role in health and aging. It's prizeworthy stuff: Shortened telomeres contribute to heart disease, diabetes, reduced immunity, and possibly even brittle bones. In people over age 60, those with the shortest DNA tips have been shown to be three times more likely to die from heart disease and eight times more likely to die from an infectious disease than those with longer, "younger" telomeres. Shorter-than-usual telomeres have also been found in many cancers, including those of the pancreas, bone, prostate, bladder, lung, kidney, and head and neck.

One of the most exciting things about telomeres is that your everyday choices can make a big difference in how young they stay. Unhealthy choices can age you by an extra 5, 7, or even 10 years. But YOU have the power to determine whether your telomeres take early retirement or not. In one University of California, San Francisco, study, for example, men who changed their diets, got regular exercise, and calmed their stress with meditation actually increased levels of an enzyme that lengthens telomeres in immune cells. Just what should you tell your telomeres to keep yourself young and healthy?

* Take it down a notch. Your stress, that is. The most stressed-out women have enough telomere shortening to make themselves 10 years older (including wrinkling!); moms of disabled children also tend to have shortened telomeres. So do pessimists! Researchers have shown that meditation coupled with walking and a change in diet -- toward healthy choices only -- lengthens your telomeres. Others are now studying whether mindfulness meditation alone can preserve telomere length. We already know that the technique can help you with the next factor that keeps telomeres young.

* Get an attitude. Worrying about pounds, food choices, and calories is associated with shorter telomeres, according to a University of California, San Francisco, study of constant dieters. Step off the diet roller coaster and achieve a consistent lower weight (and longer telomeres) with exercise and a meal plan packed with mindful eating plus healthful vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean protein, and good fats from foods including fish, nuts, and avocados.

* Activate yourself. Inactive people have shorter telomeres than active people. The difference is enough to age the sitting-around crowd by an extra decade. Take a walk for at least 30 minutes a day. Physical activity can also help reduce belly fat, another telomere foe.

* Say goodbye to tobacco. Smoking two packs a day for 20 years aged participants in one telomere study by an additional 7.4 years. Your telomeres aren't the only reason you need to nix tobacco. Smoking messes with everything from your lungs (of course) to your heart, and even your wrinkles and your sex life -- and everything in between.

* Go Mediterranean. That's the meal plan we mentioned above, in the second point -- eat a diet rich in delectable vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and healthy fats. Telomeres, in one study, were longest in those eating the most vitamin C-rich foods, including citrus fruit, strawberries, and red bell peppers; and vitamin E-rich foods, such as whole grains. Add salmon and trout, olive oil, and a cup of tea -- or two or three. Researchers in Hong Kong found the longest telomeres in men who drank three cups of green, or sometimes black, tea a day.

So there's no need to invest in one of the pricey telomere-pampering supplements showing up on the Internet these days -- at least not until more data demonstrate that they do more than transfer money from your wallet. But stay tuned. You may be able to increase the effect of great habits with things that make telomeres grow (such as telomerase). But for now, stress less, exercise more, and go Mediterranean.

Have Your Blueberries This Way -- It's Better

Get more nutrition from your blueberries by tossing them into a steamy bowl of oatmeal instead of cold cereal and milk.

Why? Because a recent study revealed that combining blueberries and milk in the same meal could block your body's absorption of the antioxidant goodness in the berries.

The ABCs of Antioxidant Absorption
Blueberries are packed with powerful phenolic antioxidants that help keep you young by combating oxidative stress. Problem is, these superchemicals don't always make it from your mouth to your bloodstream; you probably absorb less than 5 percent of the phenolics you get from foods. And certain food combos don't help. When researchers had volunteers eat blueberries with a chaser of water or milk, the blueberry-and-milk combo resulted in significantly fewer phenolics being absorbed compared with the berries-and-water combo.

When Milk Doesn't Do You Good
Researchers believe that the proteins in milk somehow interfere with antioxidant absorption. And other milk research has already shown similar results with tea and chocolate phenolics. So what to do? Skim milk in your cereal may be an option. Although skim milk still interfered with phenolic absorption in the blueberry study, it interfered less than whole milk. You could also wait a couple of hours between eating blueberries and having milk.

What 4 Fewer Pounds Can Do for You

Haven't reached your ideal size yet? Hang in there. In fact, make a pact that you'll at least shave off 4 pounds.

Why? Because a new study showed that dropping a mere 4 pounds could cut hypertension risk by 8 percent in middle-aged people and by 11 percent in the 50-plus set.

More Is More
Of course, bigger weight loss had even better blood pressure benefits in the 8-year study. For example, losing 15 pounds reduced high blood pressure risk by 21 percent in the middle-aged folks. Better yet, people 50 to 65 who were 15 pounds thinner enjoyed an even more impressive 29 percent risk reduction. And isn't it great to know that a realistic mini goal of 4 pounds will still bring big health benefits on the road to 15? So start slimming down now.

The Pair That Prevents Prostate Cancer

Each of these veggies can help fight prostate cancer. But eating them together provides better protection. We're talking about tomatoes and broccoli.

In animal studies, the combined dietary impact of 'maters and broccoli delivered an even more serious cancer-fighting punch than either produce item delivered alone.

A Dynamic Duo
What makes this pair so powerful? Not only are tomatoes our top source of the antioxidant lycopene, but also they deliver anticancer nutrients like vitamin C, folate, quercetin, kaempferol, and naringenin. Then there's broccoli, the king of the cruciferous family. In addition to cancer-busting carotenoids and polyphenols, broccoli is rich in sulforaphane, a compound credited with clearing carcinogens from the body.

So Happy Together!
Both a tomato-rich and cruciferous-heavy diet have been shown to reduce prostate cancer risk. And researchers suspect that the cancer-fighting compounds in these two items have complementary two-pronged effects, promoting cancer cell death and also keeping cancer cells from multiplying and growing out of control.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Early prostate cancer causes no symptoms that are specific to cancer. If the tumor is located near the urethra or bladder, urinary symptoms similar to BPH may occur. These include:

* need to urinate frequently, especially at night
* difficulty starting to urinate or trouble holding it back
* inability to urinate
* weak or interrupted flow

Other symptoms could indicate more serious disease, such as an infection, more advanced BPH, or cancer. These include:

* painful or burning urination
* painful ejaculation
* blood in the urine or semen
* frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs

Any man who has symptoms in this latter group should see his doctor to find out what is causing them. Don't wait for it to become painful to get it checked out; early prostate cancer does not cause pain.

Make Blood Healthier Instantly with This Oil

How many olive-oil-rich meals does it take before your heart starts to benefit? It's possible your body will start reaping rewards after a single meal.

In a study of people with high cholesterol, their blood samples showed less clotting potential just 2 hours after eating a breakfast containing phenolic-rich olive oil.

The Path to Heart Trouble
Ah, your endothelium. You may not think much about this thin layer of cells that lines your blood vessels, but that layer does critical things for your body. It controls how your blood vessels dilate and constrict, allowing oxygen and nutrients to flow to every part of your body. Endothelial cells also help regulate blood clotting -- important because too much clotting can lead to blocked arteries.

Eat for Better Blood Vessels
More and more research is showing how diets affect endothelium. Eating just one high-fat meal can inhibit artery function, but eating healthful antioxidant-rich fats like olive oil is a love pat for your endothelial cells. Researchers credit the phenolics in the oil for helping endothelium do its job in making blood less "sticky" (translation: less likely to clot). Give your circulation a boost with olive oil.

Extend Your Life with This Mantra

If you want to live longer, remember this mantra: Better late than never.

Even if you've never exercised before, giving up your couch potato ways in midlife can help you reach a whole bunch more birthdays. In fact, it could slash your mortality rate in half. (That's a benefit equivalent to quitting smoking!)

How Exercise Adds Up
How many years you add through everyday activity depends on what you do. A recent study suggested that an average 50-year-old man could expect to earn two more birthday candles by becoming moderately active and doing things like walking or riding a bike for fun. He can reach another two candles by becoming highly active, doing things like heavy gardening, high-intensity recreational sports, or strenuous physical training at the gym for at least 3 hours per week.

Going the Distance
After several years -- 10 to be exact -- researchers believe that the benefits of living a highly active lifestyle are maximized in people who were previously inactive. They enjoy the same reduced mortality rates as people who were already highly active in midlife and continued to be so.

Skip This Drink to Help Your Pressure

Which is more likely to lead to high blood pressure -- chugging colas or gulping down coffee?

Point your finger at the soda. In a new study of women, a cola-a-day habit was associated with about 15 percent higher risk of hypertension, while a pattern of coffee drinking appeared to have little impact.

Can the Cola
In fact, the more cola the women drank daily, the higher their hypertension risk appeared to be, even if they drank diet cola. And because the same effect was not seen with coffee drinkers, the researchers speculate that it's not the caffeine that makes cola bad for blood pressure, but something else entirely -- possibly the corn syrup used to sweeten it, or the coloring used to give it that caramel look.

Caveats on Caffeine
Caffeine can temporarily increase blood pressure in people who are sensitive to the stuff, so it's best to cut back on caffeine if you have high blood pressure, are at risk for it, or are generally sensitive to caffeine's effects. For most others, though, consuming up to 250 milligrams of caffeine per day may be safe.

Choose This Fat-Burning Condiment

It's perfect on potatoes, very good on veggies, and divine in salad dressings. And the best news yet? It may help with fat burning. The magic condiment in question: vinegar.

Obese people who took in 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily in a study melted significantly more body fat and belly fat than a group taking a placebo -- despite being on the same diet and exercise plan.

A Sour Path to Skinny
Vinegar may offer a weight loss boost thanks to acetic acid. Seems this sour stuff does double-duty fat-blasting, inhibiting the body's ability to store fat while boosting its ability to burn it. And even though apple cider vinegar was the type used in the recent study, researchers suspect most varieties of the liquid seasoning could have the same get-skinny effects.

Other Tart Benefits
Vinegar also seemed to help lower bad-for-the-heart triglyceride levels and systolic blood pressure at the end of the 12-week study. That's a load of health benefits for one little flavor maker.

Good Reasons to Get Sweet on Sour Cherries

Life is just a bowl of cherries. Or perhaps more aptly put, a longer life is just a bowl of cherries away.

Research shows that potent compounds found in tart cherries have superpowers that may help nix cell aging and cancer-causing oxidative damage.

Berry, Berry Protective
If your goal is to see enough birthday candles to rival a five-alarm fire, you might also consider adding sweet cherries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries to your bowl. All of these goodies are rich in anthocyanins and other phytochemicals that pack an antiaging, anticancer wallop, according to research. The compounds stopped certain cancer cells from growing and even helped kill some off in lab and animal studies. (Cherries help keep your brain healthy, too.)

Chomping on Cherries: A Real Mind-Bender

When your mind is in need of honing, head straight for the produce aisle. And give your brain a bowl of cherries.

This yummy summer fruit is chock-full of anthocyanins, potent compounds that may guard against brain-cell death, so you'll stay tack sharp.

Neuron Armor
Cherry phenolics, particularly anthocyanins, appear to protect brain cells from neurodamaging oxidative stress -- the kind seen in Alzheimer's disease. Sour cherries may be particularly protective; it's thought that they may have higher anthocyanin amounts than the sweet kind. But concentrations vary widely among different varieties.

Cheers for Cherries

Health-promoting compounds in cherries could one day help downplay diabetes.

Early research indicates that anthocyanins -- compounds that give cherries their bright red hue -- may help boost secretion of insulin, a hormone important for blood sugar control. Additional sources of anthocyanins include blueberries, raspberries, and other produce with red, blue, or purple hues.

More research is needed to confirm the link between anthocyanins in cherries and insulin secretion. In addition to potential implications for blood sugar control, anthocyanins also may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have diabetes or insulin resistance, keeping your blood sugar under control is a top health concern. Proven methods of controlling blood sugar include eating low-glycemic index foods and exercising regularly. Some people also need to take insulin regularly. Follow your healthcare provider's advice.

Feel Less Achy with This Vitamin

Body feeling a little achy breaky these days? Maybe some extra D in your diet would help put your joints at ease.

Studies suggest that if you happen to be deficient in vitamin D (and many of us are), you may be at greater risk of chronic widespread pain. But getting your blood levels back up could help set things right.

D Deficiency Hurts
More than 50 percent of the world's population suffers from vitamin D deficiency, research shows. And people with chronic pain are significantly more likely to be D deficient. But fortunately, it seems that chronic pain might be resolved if they get their levels back up to normal. So if you've been suffering from unexplained muscle or bone pain, consider getting your D levels checked.

Delightful D
Much more research is needed to confirm the link between vitamin D deficiency and chronic pain. Still, we already know that getting too little of this essential nutrient may be tied to a host of other health problems, including heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain kinds of cancer. So give your health a safety net by getting your D. Here's how:

* Bask a little. The sun is one of the best sources of vitamin D because it helps your body synthesize the nutrient.
* Savor some salmon. This lean and healthful source of protein is high in D -- as are fortified fruit juices, milk, cereals, and soy products.
* Swallow a supplement. Getting all of the D you need from food alone can be a challenge.

Could MSG Affect Your Waistline?

Heard about the unpleasant reactions some people may have to monosodium glutamate (MSG)? Well, here's another potential drawback: weight gain.

In a Chinese study, people who used the most MSG in their home-prepared meals were much more likely to be overweight or obese compared to the people who didn't use the seasoning at all.

Demystifying MSG
MSG is a salt made from glutamic acid. It's used to heighten the taste of sweet and salty things, and restaurants add it to everything from salad dressings to stir-fries. MSG is also found in lunch meats and other prepackaged and canned foods. Still, if you're thinking that MSG eaters simply weigh more because they eat more, here's the scoop. In the study, weight differences between MSG abusers and nonusers held true regardless of each group's overall calorie intake and exercise habits.

Why the Weight?
This was one of the first human studies to investigate whether MSG might affect weight, so more research is needed to confirm the results. But researchers theorize that MSG might mess with the workings of an important appetite hormone called leptin; it's the hormone that delivers the "I'm full" message.

How to Remember That New Friend's Name

Hate that feeling when you meet a new friend and blank on her name 10 seconds later? Maybe you'll have better luck if you eat some blackberries.

New research suggests that these black beauties may have short-term memory benefits, thanks to their turn-back-the-clock polyphenols.

Fruity Brain Food
In an animal study, blackberries appeared to spur improvements not only in short-term memory but also in motor skills like balance and coordination -- all things that tend to decline with age. Researchers believe the polyphenols in blackberries may benefit aging neurons by quieting inflammation and oxidation and improving communication between brain cells.

Blackberry Magic
More research is needed before we can apply these blackberry benefits directly to humans. Still, plenty of other research has suggested that berry antioxidants may help improve brain function. And we already know that berry polyphenols are truly potent age fighters in general.

Balance Colon Bacteria with This Fruit

Like good against evil, there's a constant mini battle going on in your gut -- between good bacteria and bad bacteria. And this fruit can help determine the winner: apples.

Apple skins have a type of fiber called pectin, and research shows that this fiber helps turn your colon into an environment where healthful, beneficial bacteria can thrive.

A Good Support System
Good bacteria: Your GI system needs the stuff in order to function properly. Studies also suggest that good bacteria -- called probiotics -- may boost immunity and other helpful body processes. Now, research shows that what you eat could help create an environment conducive to the growth of these good bacteria.

Probiotic vs. Prebiotic
Enter pectin. Your body can't digest apple pectin; instead, the pectin ferments and changes the environment inside your colon, tipping the balance in favor of the good guys. Compounds like pectin that set the stage for probiotics are called prebiotics. Other good sources of prebiotics include asparagus, chicory root, garlic, onions, and oats.

Bacteria in Your Food: Sometimes It's Good

After the peanuts-and-salmonella problem (and tomatoes before that, and spinach before that), you’d think food manufacturers would be taking extraordinary measures to keep bacteria out of food. But a growing number of companies are intentionally, and legally, putting them in. And what they’re doing is good for you.

See, certain bacteria are beneficial, especially for your immune and digestive systems, and probably your heart, too (although not the bacteria that enter food from questionable processing conditions).

Probiotics, the good bacteria in foods like some yogurts and cheeses, kefir, and probiotic supplements, may even help reverse certain ills of aging. The idea is hardly new: Back in the 19th century, immunologist Elie Metchnikoff believed that good bacteria were what helped Bulgarian peasants, who drank loads of lactobacillus-rich fermented milk, live so long.

Now, you don’t have to be a Bulgarian peasant or drink fermented milk to reap these health-enhancing benefits, since many products now contain various probiotics. And each different type boasts a unique way to boost your health. So while Lactobacillus bulgaricus can make it easier to digest lactose, you may need L. johnsonii to ward off an ulcer.

Here’s what they can (and can’t) do to help you feel and be younger:

* Promote a healthy digestive system. Your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is one giant immune organ, serving as a defense against viruses, fungi, some bacteria, and foreign invaders (including things kids swallow accidentally, like ear pods). And it’s crammed with bacteria, both good and bad. Not to gross you out, but more than 500 species of bugs (10 trillion in toto -- yes, 10 trillion) live in your digestive system right now. Your mission: Make sure the good guys outnumber the bad. Downing bugs such as L. casei, L. bulgaricus, and L. acidophilus helps beef up your immune system by reducing inflammation and stomping out invaders.
* Ease lactose intolerance. Does drinking milk translate to a major case of gas? Try snacking on yogurt with live cultures, such as L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus. They can help break down lactose, the sugar in milk that’s at the root of your discomfort. Just check the label to see that your yogurt contains these.
* Speed up food processing inside you. Some yogurt contains the live bacterium B. animalis DN-173 010. It reduces transit time (how long it takes food to pass through your system) by 21%. Other probiotics, like the spore-forming Bacillus coagulans (found in products such as Digestive Advantage and Sustenex) may do substantially better.

Consider them for:

* Preventing an ulcer. Probiotics in yogurt with live cultures may keep H. pylori, the bacteria behind many ulcers, from sticking to your intestinal walls. People who eat yogurt or take spore probiotics just once a week reduce their chances of having H. pylori in their stomachs by 43%.
* Avoiding a urinary tract infection (UTI). Women with chronic UTIs often harbor lower-than-normal amounts of lactobacillus. That weakens their ability to fight off the bacteria that cause painful urinary tract infections. A handful of studies hint that probiotics may even provide relief.
* Ease antibiotic side effects. Antibiotics can wipe out both the good and the bad bacteria in your gut. Result? Gas, stomach pain, and a nasty case of the runs for nearly 25% of people who take antibiotics. A recent analysis looked at more than 25 studies to see if probiotics could lessen the toll. More than half the studies supported countering antibiotics with probiotics. Again, we like spore-forming Digestive Advantage and Sustenex; their good bacteria survive better than yogurt’s in the stomach’s harsh acidic environment, so the probiotics are still alive and kicking by the time they get to your intestines.
* Improving IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms. Got IBS? If you do, you’re likely uncomfortable and either running to the bathroom or chronically constipated. Live bifidobacterium, or spore-formers, or even magnesium may help.

Skip probiotics if your immune system is weakened, you are about to have surgery, or you are recovering from surgery. After all, we’re still talking bacteria here. If you’re sick, you may not want to introduce more bugs into your system.

Bottom line: While much of the research on these beneficial bugs is still emerging, there’s no downside to gulping them down if you’re basically healthy. But they don’t live inside you for long. To get maximum benefits, down them daily. Just check that the strain you need is actually in your yogurt, fermented milk drink, cereal, or supplement.

3 Sweet Ways to Eat Less Sugar

Any idea how much sugar you eat in the course of a day? The amount might startle you -- even if you don't have a soda habit or a sweet tooth, per se.

Most people take in about 430 calories of added sugar every day. That's a lot of waist-widening, nutrition-void sweetness! Here are three ways to add sweet without dipping into the sugar bowl.

1. In your coffee pot: Brew your morning coffee with a cinnamon stick or vanilla bean and ditch the flavored creamers. Just 1 tablespoon of flavored creamer can add 6 grams of sugar.

2. On your breakfast: Maple syrup adds about 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar per tablespoon. For a little sweet, add fresh fruit or pure fruit purees to pancakes and waffles. Or even oatmeal.

3. In cookie recipes: You can generally get away with cutting the sugar by up to a third in recipes for cookies, cakes, or other baked goods. Try experimenting with a little less of the sweet stuff on your next batch of macaroons.

The Unsweet Truth
Extra calories in sugar often turn into extra pounds, but that's not the worst of it. Studies suggest high sugar consumption could also increase the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer -- particularly pancreatic cancer.

Wait to Exhale . . . You'll Feel Better

Your very next breath might bring relief from what ails you.

Just take that breath more slowly. Seems the deep, slow breathing used in Zen meditation and other mindfulness pursuits may help diminish aches and pains -- and lift your spirits to boot!

Mind Your Billows
When healthy women in a recent study were exposed to a heat source that was mildly to moderately painful, they reported feeling way less discomfort when they took slow breaths (about half their usual breathing rate) compared with when they breathed normally. They felt not only less discomfort but less stress, too. Researchers think the slow breathing somehow triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to induce calm and counter the painful feelings produced by the sympathetic nervous system.

A Dual Approach
A second group of women in the study with fibromyalgia did not appear to benefit from the slower breathing technique -- possibly due to feelings of depression that characterize the condition along with chronic pain. But the researchers think deep breathing might help that group as well if it's combined with counseling and treatment for depression.

An Active Way to Curb Your Appetite

If you exercise more, you're going to eat more, right? Not so fast.

According to a new study, adding more exercise to your life will indeed rev up your premeal appetite. But here's the cool news: You may find yourself getting full faster, so you end up eating less.

Flex Your Appetite
When overweight men and women burned an extra 500 calories a day through exercise as part of a small study, some interesting things happened to their appetites. After 12 weeks of working out, participants said their before-breakfast hunger was greater than it had been prior to the study. But they agreed that the same breakfast felt more filling than it did before they had started exercising. And the group continued to feel quite satiated for several hours after eating. Sounds like a little extra exercise may be a great way to avoid snack attacks!

Exercise Effects
Researchers aren't sure why working out seemed to have opposing effects on appetite, but it's encouraging to think it might help us do a better job of telling ourselves when we're full. Of course, whether you run marathons or walk around the block, you still need to listen to your body and judge your hunger realistically. No matter how many calories you've burned, force yourself to eat slowly and stop shoveling when you feel about 80 percent full. That will give the last bit of food time to really hit your stomach.

Just 1 Less Teaspoon Slashes Heart Risks

Getting just a smidge less of this in your diet could really help your heart. We're talking about salt.

In a recent study, eating roughly 1 less teaspoon of salt a day was associated with a significantly lower risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease.

The Heart/Salt Connection
Sure, you know being loosey-goosey with the salt shaker can lead to blood pressure troubles. But how much impact does a little pinch have? Quite a bit, it turns out. In a scientific analysis of 13 different studies involving data from nearly 200,000 people, researchers found that the reduction in stroke risk from consuming 5 less grams of salt a day -- a little less than a teaspoon's worth -- was about 23 percent. And the reduction in heart disease risk was 17 percent. So a little less salt could mean a lot more life.

Live Well on Less
Salt isn't all bad. Our bodies need a certain amount of it to help control blood pressure, send nerve signals, absorb nutrients, and maintain proper fluid balances. But our bodies don't need much to do business -- only about 1/4 teaspoon a day. The problem is that salt is added to just about everything that is prepackaged -- even foods that don't taste salty, like breakfast cereals. So hide your salt shaker, read labels carefully, and choose whole, fresh foods whenever you can.

Get This Grain for Better Blood Pressure

Cream of Wheat, or oatmeal for breakfast? If you want to drop your blood pressure, go for the oats.

In a study of folks with high blood pressure, eating soluble-fiber-rich whole-grain oats every day caused a significant dip in BP readings. In fact, some people's pressure dropped so low that they needed less blood pressure medication.

Frosting on the Oats
First things first. Never change or stop your prescription medications without express instructions from your doctor. But a bowl of oatmeal in the morning may be a wonderful thing to add to your blood pressure management plan. In the study, a diet supplemented with oats was not only more effective than wheat fiber at slashing blood pressure readings but also helped control cholesterol and blood sugar. That's quite a powerful package of heart-protective benefits for one little grain.

How Accurate Is Healthy-Menu Info?

It's great when restaurants offer some "healthy" options on their regular menus. But how accurate are those calorie counts?

Sometimes, not very. A recent study revealed that low-cal restaurant meals may contain up to 18 percent more calories than what's stated in the nutrition information. So consider those numbers a ballpark figure.

The Truth About Food Labels
In the same study, store-bought prepackaged meals often erred on their calorie counts, too, going as much as 8 percent over the listed figure. It's not that the food labels are intending to mislead you. It's just that food service and packaging is not always an exact science. In fact, U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations allow packaged foods to contain up to 20 percent more calories than what's stated on nutrition labels.

Calorie Overload
So what's a few more calories? Well, considering that, for an average person, just 5 percent more calories than you need every day can lead to 10 pounds of weight gain within a year, plenty. Bottom line: Don't let your "healthy" menu choice become an excuse for adding on dessert. The truth is, you may have already had it.

Postwalk Snacks Your Blood Sugar Loves

Do you feel hungry after exercise? Choose your nosh carefully. Postworkout snacks can have a big impact on how your body uses insulin.

Your best bet? Refuel with a handful of nuts. A little lean protein or some healthy fats can help make your body more insulin sensitive. Translation: Your body absorbs and uses blood sugar more effectively.

Muscle In
Insulin sensitivity is important because the more insulin sensitive you are, the less likely you are to develop diabetes. In a recent study, carbohydrate-rich postworkout meals (think pasta, bread, chips, and sweets) seemed to have a negative effect on exercisers. Their muscle cells refilled quickly with a sugar-based fuel called glycogen, which seemed to reduce insulin sensitivity. All of which led researchers to conclude that postworkout meals should include fats and protein (ideally, healthy versions of each).

A Nutty Idea
Physical activity is tops for preventing blood sugar problems, cutting risk for diabetes by as much as 30 percent in some studies. But consider a couple of off-the-beaten path ways to help keep your diabetes risk low:

* Choose tart and juicy citrus.
* Sip a cup of java.

Try This Seasoning to Help You Slim Down

Wouldn't it be great if you could just sprinkle something on your food to help you lose weight? Research suggests these fiery flakes might fit the bill: crushed red pepper.

A small batch of studies has shown that a key ingredient in hot peppers -- capsaicin -- may help curb appetite and hinder the storage of fat.

Slim and Spicy
If you're serious about losing weight, red pepper flakes alone aren't going to move the dial much. But they could be a useful addition to a legitimate weight loss plan. Researchers in one study concluded that capsaicin may boost sympathetic nervous system activity in a way that dampens hunger and calorie intake later in the day. And related research found that capsiate -- a capsaicin-like compound from sweet peppers -- hindered fat storage and boosted weight loss.

Fiery-Hot Weight Loss
Besides possibly helping you lose more weight, adding heat to low-calorie meals will boost flavor and interest as well -- whether you choose capsaicin-rich cayenne pepper, diced jalapenos, or any variety of hot chili peppers.

Cook This Way for Better Insulin Response

When it comes to dodging diabetes, the pot you choose from the kitchen cupboard may be just as important as the food you put into it. So pick up that steamer.

Turns out that lightly steaming at least some of your favorite edibles may be one of the best ways to keep your insulin working well.

How Do I Cook Thee?
In a study, steaming seemed to beat frying, grilling, and roasting when it came to maintaining insulin responsiveness. The study participants who ate foods cooked at high heat had poorer insulin sensitivity compared with the folks who often ate lightly steamed foods. The high-heat cookers also experienced a drop in their blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins C and E. All bad news if you're hoping to dodge diabetes or heart disease.

Skip This By-Product
Bottom line: A Maillard reaction occurs during the browning stage of high-heat cooking, producing potentially harmful by-products. And these by-products may be the reason for the recent study results.