Broccoli may undo diabetes damage

Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests. A University of Warwick team believes the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane. It encourages the production of enzymes which
protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage. Brassica vegetables such as broccoli
have previously been linked to a lower risk of
heart attacks and strokes. People with diabetes are
up to five times more likely to develop
cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes; both are linked to damaged blood vessels.

Cocoa butter lotion won't prevent stretch marks

Applying cocoa butter lotion during pregnancy does not help prevent the stretch marks that many women develop, according to a new study. Stretch marks, or striae gravidarum as doctors refer to them, typically occur on the abdomen and breasts, but can also appear on the hips, thighs, and buttocks. The cause of the problem is unknown, but many women believe that rubbing cocoa butter on the skin can help prevent the marks. Although scientific evidence supporting the use of cocoa butter is lacking, many physicians and midwives continue to recommend it.

All of U.S. could be overweight by 2048

If the trends of the past three decades continue, it's possible that every American adult could be overweight 40 years from now, a government-funded study projects. The figure might sound alarming, or impossible, but researchers say that even if the actual rate never reaches the 100-percent mark, any upward movement is worrying; two-thirds of the population is already overweight. "Genetically and physiologically, it should be impossible" for all U.S. adults to become overweight, said Dr. Lan Liang of the federal government's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, one of the researchers on the study.

FDA: Some cholesterol and heart drugs don't mix

Patients taking some common medications for high cholesterol and irregular heart-beats can suffer severe muscle damage because of a problem in the way the drugs interact, the government warned recently. The Food and Drug Administration said doctors should use extra care when prescribing Zocor, generic Zocor, or Vytorin to patients who are also taking amiodarone, a heart rhythm drug marketed as Cordarone or Pacerone. The danger is higher for patients taking more than 20 milligrams a day of the cholesterol drugs, the agency said.

Want to Live Longer? Start Running

People who want to live a long and healthy life might want to take up running. A study published on Monday shows middle-aged members of a runner's club were half as likely to die over a 20-year period as people who did not run. Running reduced the risk not only of heart disease, but of cancer and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, researchers at Stanford University in California found. "At 19 years, 15 percent of runners had died compared with 34 percent of controls," Dr. Eliza Chakravarty and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Any type of vigorous exercise will likely do the trick, said Stanford's Dr. James Fries, who worked on the study. "Both common sense and background science support the idea that there is nothing magical about running per se," Fries said in a telephone interview. "It is the regular physical vigorous activity that is important."

Herbs and Spices Prevent Tissue Damage

There's more to herbs and spices than their flavor. A new study shows that popular seasonings can stop tissue damage caused by high blood sugar. University of Georgia researchers tested 24 common herbs and spices and found that not only were the extracts rich in antioxidants, but there was also a direct correlation between the levels of antioxidant compounds and the ability of the food to block tissue damage.

Low Vitamin D Linked to Early Death

Low levels of vitamin D may raise a person's risk of premature death, a study by Johns Hopkins researchers shows. The research follows other recent studies showing low levels of vitamin D are linked to certain cancers, diabetes, and bone and immune system problems, but this is the first research to connect vitamin D deficiency to a higher risk of death, says study author Erin Michos, assistant professor of cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.