Yoghurt consumption curbs heart disease

Moderate daily consumption of yoghurt prevents thickening of the carotid artery and keeps heart disease at bay.Dietician Kerry Ivey from Sir Charles Gardener Hospital said lack of research into the effect of dairy products on cartoid thickening agent CCA-IMT necessitated the study."In general, dairy products get a bit of a bad rap in regard to cardiovascular disease, but there has been a demonstrated cardiovascular benefit in probiotic and yoghurt consumption," adds Ivey, according to the journal American Society for Nutrition. UGG Classic Cardy The trial used a cohort of 1,080 Perth women over the age of 70, who had been randomly selected for a `Calcium Intake and Fracture Outcome Study`, according to a Sir Charles Gardner statement.Participants answered questionnaires with the aid of a research assistant who used food models, cups, spoons and charts to ensure identical measurements representing consumption were used.Three different measurements of the left and right carotid arteries at two different angles were averaged out to find the participants mean (average) IMT (intima-media thickness), both initially and after three years.Those with a high to moderate yoghurt consumption of 100 grams per day or above had significantly lower CCA-IMT than those with yoghurt consumption of 100 grams per day or less.Research also highlighted that high milk and cheese consumption equalled higher CCA-IMT compared with high yogurt consumption.

Benefits of physical activity last long

Physical activity in early adulthood ensures the maintenance of physical performance as we age, according to a new study.
"Maintaining physical performance and muscle strength with age is important given that lower levels in older populations are associated with increased risk of subsequent health problems, loss of independence, and shorter survival times," commented lead investigator Rachel Cooper, PhD, Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing. "As the global population ages, there is a growing need to identify modifiable factors across life that influence physical performance and strength in later life. We found that there are cumulative benefits of physical activity across adulthood on physical performance in mid-life," she added. Ugg Boots Sale The study used data from about 2400 men and women from the UK Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development. They analysed self-reported leisure time physical activity (LTPA) levels at 36, 43 and 53 years of age. During the 53-year investigation, grip strength, standing balance, and chair rise times were measured as indicators of strength and physical performance. Researchers found that participants who were more active at all three ages showed better performance on the chair-rise test. Persons more active at ages 43 and 53 had better performance on the standing balance test, even after adjusting for covariates. However, physical activity and grip strength were not associated in women and, in men, only physical activity at age 53 was associated with grip strength. The study has been published in the American journal of Preventive Medicine.