PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  FLAVANOLS PROTECT THE VASCULATURE SYSTEM DURING STRESSFUL PERIODS New research has found that a flavanol-rich cocoa drink can protect the body's vasculature against stress even after eating high-fat food. Food choices made during periods of stress can influence the effect of stress on cardiovascular health. For example, recent research from the University of Birmingham found that high-fat foods can negatively affect vascular function and oxygen delivery to the brain. Meanwhile, abundant compounds in cocoa and green tea can protect vascular function during stress. Now, in a new study, the same research team has found that drinking cocoa high in flavanols in combination with a fatty meal can counteract some of the impacts of impact foods and protect the vascular system from stress. The research was published today in the  journa l . Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, and author of the study, knows that whe

  FRAILTY INCREASES RISK OF DEMENTIA         An international study led by a University of Queensland researcher has found frailty increases a person's risk of dementia, but early intervention may be the key to prevention. Dr David Ward from the Centre for Health Services Research tracked the data of nearly 30,000 participants of 4 longitudinal studies in the United Kingdom and the United States, enabling researchers to detect changes in people's health and function 20 years before they were diagnosed with dementia. "The accumulation of age-related conditions is indicative of increasing frailty, which we found accelerates up to 9 years prior to a dementia diagnosis," Dr Ward said. "Our findings show with every 4-5 additional health problems, there is, on average, a 40% higher risk of developing dementia, while for fitter people, the risk is lower. "This suggests frailty is not merely a consequence of undetected dementia but contributes to its onset." Fr

  PHYSICIANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS LEARN TO DO NO HARM WHEN COMMUNICATING These 'never words' can cause harm if said by clinicians to patients and families dealing with serious illness. Seriously ill patients and family members face intense emotional suffering, and researchers, including a Texas A&M University professor, say clinicians must engage in "compassionate communication" as part of the treatment process. They have identified so-called "never words" that should not be said under any circumstances, offer methods for clinicians to determine their own never words, and provide more helpful language to use instead. In a recent paper published in  Mayo Clinic Proceedings , Texas A&M University Distinguished Professor of Marketing at Mays Business School Dr. Leonard Berry and co-authors from Henry Ford Health in Detroit assert that despite rapid progress in the treatment of serious illnesses such as cancer, advanced heart failure, and end-stage pulmona

  EXERCISING FOR AS LITTLE AS FIVE MINUTES A DAY MAY HELP LOWER  BLOOD PRESSURE Findings show the importance of activities that raise heart rate for blood pressure control. New research suggests that adding a small amount of physical activity—such as uphill walking or stair-climbing—to your day may help lower blood pressure. The study, published in  Circulation , was carried out by experts from the ProPASS (Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep) Consortium, an international academic collaboration led by the University of Sydney and University College London (UCL). Just five minutes of activity a day was estimated to potentially reduce blood pressure, while replacing sedentary behaviors with 20-27 minutes of exercise per day, including uphill walking, stair-climbing, running, and cycling was also estimated to lead to a clinically meaningful reduction in blood pressure. Joint senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the ProPASS Consortium from the Charles Perki

  BETA-BLOCKER HEART MEDICATIONS MAY CAUSE DEPRESSION IN SOME PATIENTS :         All patients who have had a heart attack are typically treated using beta blockers. According to a Swedish study conducted earlier this year, this drug is unlikely to be needed for those heart patients with a normal pumping ability. Now, a sub-study at Uppsala University shows that there is also a risk that these patients will become depressed by the treatment. "We found that beta blockers led to slightly higher levels of depression symptoms in patients who had had a heart attack but were not suffering from heart failure. At the same time, beta-blockers have no life-sustaining function for this group of patients," says Philip Leissner, a doctoral student in cardiac psychology and the study's first author. Beta-blockers are drugs that block the effects of adrenaline on the heart and have been used for decades as a basic treatment for all heart attack patients. In recent years, their importance

  SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS HARMFUL EVEN FOR YOUNG AND HEALTHY PEOPLE MODERATE EXERCISE MAY NOT BUFFER AGAINST THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS         Between long commutes, video conference-packed workdays, and evenings of streaming and scrolling, millennials now spend more than 60 hours per week sitting, potentially boosting their heart disease risk and accelerating other signs of aging, according to new research from CU Boulder and the University of California Riverside. The study of more than 1,000 former or current Colorado residents, including 730 twins, is among the first to explore how prolonged sitting impacts health measures such as cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) in young adults. It found that more than meeting the minimum recommended physical activity guidelines—about 20 minutes per day of moderate exercise—is needed to counter the hazards of spending most waking hours in a seat. "Our research suggests that sitting less throughout the day, getting