The November, 2011 edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings published the results of a cross-sectional study conducted by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the Cooper Institute which uncovered a protective effect for high serum vitamin D levels against depression. The study, which included 12,594 men and women, is the largest of its kind to date.

University of Texas professor of psychiatry E. Sherwood Brown and his associates analyzed data from participants in the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, which enrolled patients from the Cooper Clinic from November, 2006, to October, 2010. Subjects were categorized as depressed in accordance with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores, and serum samples were analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.

Dr Brown’s team found a significant association between higher vitamin D levels and a decreased risk of depressive symptoms, especially among those with a history of the condition. For those without a history of depression, having a higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was associated with a 5 percent lower risk of the condition compared to having a low level, while among those with a history of depression, the risk for those with a high level was 10 percent lower.

Vitamin D’s impact on neurotransmitters, markers of inflammation and other factors could be behind its ability to reduce depression according to Dr Brown, who is the head of UT Southwestern’s psychoneuroendocrine research program. “Our findings suggest that screening for vitamin D levels in depressed patients – and perhaps screening for depression in people with low vitamin D levels – might be useful,” he concluded.

The January, 2012 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of an analysis of a randomized, controlled trial conducted by Australian researchers which found that supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12 improved immediate and delayed memory in older men and women.

The current study analyzed data from a trial of 900 participants with elevated psychological distress between the ages 60 to 74 who received 400 micrograms folic acid plus 100 micrograms vitamin B12, or a placebo for two years. The original trial was designed to analyze the effect of the supplements and other factors on depressive symptoms. (Late life depression is a risk factor for cognitive impairment.) Cognitive function was assessed at the beginning of the study and at 12 and 24 months.

While orientation, attention, verbal memory and processing speed remained unchanged, greater improvements from baseline in immediate and delayed recall scores were observed among those who received vitamin B12 and folic acid compared with the placebo group. Plasma homocysteine, an amino acid that, when elevated, is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular events, increased by an average of 8.33 percent among those who received the B vitamins, and by 22.45 percent among those who received the placebo. Having a high homocysteine level at the beginning of the study was associated with reduced cognitive performance at 24 months, as were higher depression scores.

“The significant effect of folic acid plus vitamin B12 supplementation occurred in the later stage of the intervention, i.e., at 24 months,” Janine G. Walker and colleagues write. “It is possible that the effects of folic acid plus vitamin B12 supplementation are long term and operate by reducing vascular and other metabolic risk factors for cognitive impairment.”

“The prospect of using dietary supplements of folic acid and vitamin B12 to prevent cognitive decline appears promising,” they conclude. “More studies are needed to determine whether the benefits of folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation found in this trial could be replicated in other populations of older adults with increased risk of developing significant cognitive impairment.”

A report published this month in the American Association for Cancer Research journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention revealed a connection between coffee drinking and protection against the development of endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus). Preliminary research findings involving coffee suggest that the beverage may be protective against obesity-associated cancers, as well as those that have been associated with insulin and the major female hormone estrogen.

“Coffee has already been shown to be protective against diabetes due to its effect on insulin,” remarked senior researcher Edward Giovannucci, MD, ScD, who is a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. “So we hypothesized that we’d see a reduction in some cancers as well.”

The Harvard team analyzed data from 67,470 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study who were aged 34 to 59 in 1980. Dietary questionnaires completed at seven time points between 1980 and 2002 provided information on the type and frequency of coffee consumption. Biennial questionnaires ascertained endometrial cancer diagnoses during the preceding two years.

Six hundred seventy-two endometrial cancer cases were documented over the 26 year follow-up period. A declining risk of the disease was observed in association with increasing consumption of coffee. Following adjusted analysis of the data, a 25 percent lower risk of endometrial cancer remained in association with the intake of four or more cups of coffee per day in comparison with women who consumed less than one cup. The association was stronger when women who were diagnosed during the first two years of follow-up were excluded from the analysis.

When coffee intake was examined by type, consuming two or more cups per day of decaffeinated coffee was associated with a 22 percent lower risk of endometrial cancer compared to one cup, and consuming 4 or more cups of regular coffee was associated with a 30 percent lower risk.

In their discussion of the findings, Youjin Je and colleagues note that the chlorogenic acid contained in coffee has strong antioxidant properties that help prevent oxidative DNA damage and improve insulin resistance. Additionally, the caffeine contained in coffee upregulates the liver’s expression of an enzyme that oxidizes estradiol to 2-methoxyestradiol which may have antitumor properties. In previous research conducted by the team, a reduction C-peptide and an increase in serum hormone binding globulin levels was found to be associated with a higher intake of caffeinated coffee by postmenopausal women, suggesting that coffee could reduce the risk of endometrial cancer via an ability to lower insulin and free estradiol, in addition to other mechanisms.

“To our knowledge, this is the largest prospective cohort study that has evaluated coffee and tea consumption using repeated dietary questionnaires, and the first cohort study to examine the long-term intake of decaffeinated coffee on risk of endometrial cancer,” the authors write. “Drinking of coffee, given its widespread consumption, might be an additional strategy to reduce endometrial cancer risk. However, addition of substantial sugar and cream to coffee could offset any potential benefits.”

“Coffee has long been linked with smoking, and if you drink coffee and smoke, the positive effects of coffee are going to be more than outweighed by the negative effects of smoking,” Dr Giovannucci added. “However, laboratory testing has found that coffee has much more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits.”

The November 14, 2011 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine reports the outcome of a study which concluded that the greater number of healthy lifestyle factors one has, the more protection one gains against stroke. Stroke is a major cause of death worldwide, and its impact on survivors can be devastating.

Gang Hu, MD, PhD of Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and colleagues analyzed data from 17,287 men and 19,399 women without a history of heart disease or stroke who participated in surveys conducted in Finland in 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2002. Questionnaire responses provided information on medical history, physical activity levels, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, diet and other factors. Participants were followed through 2007, during which 1,167 ischemic strokes and 311 hemorrhagic strokes occurred.

The five healthy lifestyle factors evaluated in the study included being a lifelong nonsmoker, having a body mass index of less than 25, engaging in moderate to high levels of physical activity, consuming vegetables at least three times per week and having light to moderate weekly intake of alcohol. Compared to the risk of stroke experienced by those having one or no healthy factors, having two, three, four and five factors was associated with a 34, 43, 49 and 67 percent adjusted reduction. When stroke was analyzed according to type, having two, three, four and five factors was associated with a 33, 40, 50 and 70 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke and a 37, 51, 51 and 60 percent decreased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. These inverse associations were present in both younger and older participations and among those with and without high blood pressure or a history of diabetes.

“Our study demonstrates a graded inverse association between the number of healthy lifestyle factors and the risks of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke in both men and women,” the authors conclude. “Our findings suggest the important role of promoting a healthy lifestyle in the primary prevention of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.”

Seems like simple advice; so why do so many people suffer the health consequences of excessive sodium consumption? These days, a major culprit isn’t what we sprinkle on our foods – it’s the food itself.

The fast- and processed-food industries offer a staggering variety of sodium-laden foods, many of which make a huge dent in your recommended daily allowance for sodium in a single serving. Example: Look closely at canned soup labels; many soups contain 2,000 mg or more of sodium per can – more than 80 percent of your RDA (currently 2,400 mg for adults under age 51 and 1,500 for those over age 51 or suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease.)

Sodium Gone Wild

Sodium plays an important role in the body in the proper amounts – it helps maintain fluid balance, transmit nerve impulses, and influence muscle contraction and relaxation – but too much can be a big problem. Sodium attracts and retains water; too much sodium will accumulate in the blood, increasing blood volume. The heart has to work harder to pump that blood, increasing arterial pressure. Chronic fluid retention and increased blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure.

Within reason, your kidneys can handle too little or too much sodium; if the body isn’t getting enough (which is rare), the kidneys hold on to sodium; if it’s getting too much, the kidneys excrete the excess through the urine. The problem is that the average American consumes so much sodium on a daily basis (3,400 mg on average, or 1,000 mg more than the RDA) that the kidneys can’t always eliminate enough.

The Potassium Connection

Potassium and sodium work together in the body to maintain cellular fluid balance. Cells actually have a sodium-potassium “pump”that helps facilitate this balance; by pumping sodium ions out of the cell in exchange for potassium ions, sodium is removed from the cell. As mentioned, sodium attracts water; if sodium stayed within the cell, it would effectively explode from the inward diffusion of water.

Because sodium and potassium have this vital balancing function on a cellular level, getting the right amounts of both in your diet is equally vital. That means limiting your sodium intake while ensuring you don’t ignore potassium. The RDA for potassium is currently 4,700 mg; ideal food sources include bananas, citrus juices, avocados, cantaloupes, tomatoes, potatoes and lima beans. (A medium banana provides in the neighborhood of 450 mg of potassium.)

Many foods contain potassium (particularly plant-based foods), but in today’s culture, you can see why people are struggling to meet their RDA for potassium and far exceeding it when it comes to sodium. The solution: Be a smart shopper. Evaluate the sodium content in your favorite foods and make wise decisions that ensure you come in at or under your daily requirement for sodium, not way above it. Talk to your doctor to learn more.

As public schools across America trim their budgets, one of the first casualties is gym class. Sadly, eliminating gym classes not only cuts into children’s physical fitness, it diminishes their intellectual performance as well. Research from the California Department of Education reveals that children who are more fit perform twice as well on academic tests as their unfit peers. And a panel of researchers who conducted a massive review of over 850 studies on the effects of physical activity on school-age children corroborates those findings. The researchers found that 30 to 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise 3 to 5 days a week enhanced memory, concentration, mood, classroom behavior, self-concept, and academic performance in the kids. The panel recommended at least one hour a day of moderate to vigorous exercise to optimize children’s cognitive development, as well as physical health.

Clearly there’s a mind-body connection here. And hard science backs that up. In the last decade, neuroscientists have discovered the biological mechanisms underlying the relationship between exercise and intellectual performance. Aerobic exercise increases the body’s production of nerve growth factors that stimulate the brain to create more connections between brain cells. And that enhanced connectivity among brain cells enables new learning to take place more rapidly, and durably. Add that to a recent study reported on Rodale.com, which showed that kids who are active in school also tend to get more exercise during non-school hours, and the value of physical education becomes a no-brainer.

WHAT IT MEANS: With the brain-boosting and health-enhancing benefits of exercise well established, how can schools help children get the exercise they need to keep their minds sharp and their bodies healthy? Parents need to get involved by observing gym classes or talking with their kids and their gym teachers to find out how the classes are currently conducted. After that, they can start a dialog with teachers, coaches, and administrators. Here are some changes to ask for; chances are your school won’t be able totally revamp its physical education program all at once, but these are worthy goals that can help shape the conversation:

• More motion. Too many gym classes are filled with inactivity, with students just waiting around for volleyball equipment to be set up, waiting their turn to bat, or just standing around schmoozing. With gym classes already being shortened or cut, not making the best use of the time makes a bad situation worse.

• Higher heart rates. Gym classes should be structured to keep kids moving in activities that keep their heart rates elevated for at least 30 minutes—that’s how fitness levels improve. Jogging, swimming, skipping rope, 4-on-4 soccer, and 3-on-3 basketball are the types of activities that can provide continuous, vigorous movement.

• Phys ed that educates. Besides getting fitter, kids should gain knowledge and skills from gym class that will help them take charge of their fitness for the rest of their lives. They should learn things like how to warm up and cool down, the proper form for calisthenics, the differences between aerobic exercise and strength training, and how to create a well-rounded exercise program for themselves.

• Meaningful goals. At the beginning of each semester, each student should have a fitness evaluation and learn how to engage in exercise to increase his or her fitness level. At the end of the semester, grades should be based on progress achieved toward fitness goals that are achievable but challenging.

• An active home life. All learning starts at home, so if you want your kids to be fit and healthy, you need to set a good example by turning off the TV and spending time being active with your children. Go for family walks or bike rides, spend an afternoon at a park or playground, toss a ball or frisbee around in the backyard. A recent study reported on Rodale.com shows that kids tend to be more active when spending time with peers; you can encourage this by having your kids invite friends over or planning active outings for the group.

Your body is similar to your car. You put fuel in your car so that it will take you to your destination. Your body does the same, but it uses a few different types of fuel. It can burn sugar (carbs), it can burn fat, and if it doesn’t have any excess sugar or fat, it can actually burn muscle tissue (which we want to minimize as much as possible). How much you burn of either type of fuel depends on your exercise methods and habits such as what you eat before you head to the gym. For now, let’s focus mainly on different exercises that will help you burn fat. But know that your eating habits have a direct effect on fat burning or lack of.

A great way to burn fat and lots of calories is through interval (circuit) training. Interval training breaks up the work with periods of rest. Not only does interval training allow you to improve your fitness quickly; it is also more effective than continuous exercise for burning lots of calories during exercise and increasing your after workout metabolic rate. Studies have shown that “after burn” and interval training (circuit) can last up to 36 hours after. (This basically means you are still burning calories at a higher rate when you are finished than normal).

Here are some fantastic interval training exercises that will help you burn calories and lose weight:

Circuit/ Interval Training

Perform the exercises in these circuit routines consecutively (pick a routine) with as little rest as possible between exercises; then repeat the entire circuit 3-4 times with 30-45 seconds of rest in between if needed. You can also time yourself and try to improve your time each round.

Circuit #1

• 20 Push ups
• 20 Squats
• 20 Mountain climbers
• 20 Jumping Jack

Circuit 2

• 20 (10 per leg) Lunges
• 20 Siff Squat
• 20 Dips on chair or bench
• 30 Second run in place/high knees (repeat)

Circuit #3 Summer Fun Outdoor Workout
(Repeat 3-4 times) You can also time yourself and try and better your time each round

• 30 Bench Step ups – alternate legs
• 30 Push ups on bench
• 30 Dips on bench
• 30 Seconds skip/jog or sprint to a tree (or swings) and back. Repeat four times.

Circuit #4 Obstacle Course
(Repeat 3-4 times)

• Set out 2 cones ( or some sort of markers) about 15 yards apart
• Run from cone to cone for 30 seconds
• Take a 5-second break
• Skip from cone to cone for 30 seconds
• Take a 5-minute break
• Shuffle side ways from cone to cone for 30 seconds
• End with plank hold for 30 seconds

Be creative if you have a soccer ball you can kick the ball, or basketball do lay ups for 30 seconds make it fun and challenging.

I didn’t spend too much time on the wrong way because I want to teach you the right way to burn fat and lose weight. There is a science to this, but for fat and weight loss, what matters most is the difference between the number of calories you expend and the number of calories consumed. It matters little whether the calories burned during exercise come from fat or carbohydrates. But you want to stay away from burning muscle because that helps with your metabolism. So try the workouts below and let’s get fit now! Action is the difference between reaching our goals and just thinking about them.

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In an article published online on July 18, 2011 in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, Jiang He, MD, PhD and associates report the outcome of a crossover trial which found that milk and soy protein supplements lower systolic blood pressure among those in the early stages of hypertension. The trial is the first to document a blood pressure-lowering benefit for milk protein among those with prehypertension or stage-1 high blood pressure.

A team led by Dr He, who is an epidemiologist at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, divided 352 adults with prehypertension or stage 1 high blood pressure to receive 40 grams of soy or milk protein, or a refined carbohydrate supplement daily for eight weeks followed by a three week wash-out period in which no supplements were given. The subjects then participated in two additional treatment phases in which they received supplements that had not previously been administered. Blood pressure was measured during two visits prior to each treatment phase and twice following treatment.

The trial revealed a reduction in systolic blood pressure associated with protein, but not carbohydrate, supplementation. Participants who received soy protein experienced a 2.0 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure, while those who received milk protein had a 2.3 mmHg reduction. Prior research has associated a 2 mmHg reduction in blood pressure with a 6 percent decrease in deaths due to stroke. “The systolic blood pressure differences we found are small for the individual, but they are important at the population level,” Dr He remarked.

“Some previous observational research on eating carbohydrates inconsistently suggested that a high carbohydrate diet might help reduce blood pressure,” Dr He noted. “In contrast, our clinical trial directly compares soy protein with milk protein on blood pressure, and shows they both lower blood pressure better than carbohydrates.”

“The results from this randomized, controlled trial indicate that both soy and milk protein intake reduce systolic blood pressure compared with a high-glycemic-index refined carbohydrate among patients with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension,” the authors conclude. “Furthermore, these findings suggest that partially replacing carbohydrate with soy or milk protein might be an important component of nutrition intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of hypertension.”