Natural Health

At one time the only measure of blood fats a doctor would look at was total cholesterol. This expanded to include different forms of cholesterol including another type of fat called triglycerides.

Now, it looks like yet another blood fat marker will be added to the list and may possibly replace some of the others. Not only is this marker believed to be a far more accurate predictor of heart disease, but a new study shows elevated levels will lead to an early grave.

This marker is called apolipoprotein B.

Since cholesterol is […]

We know exercise, which includes taking part in sporting activities, is important for health. But existing research focuses on the current health of active participants, not on how long they live, a type of study that requires a much longer historical record to draw scientifically valid conclusions.

So, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that no such analysis has ever been conducted – that is until now. British scientists undertook a review of 160 years of medical research in male athletes and made some surprising discoveries.

For those who like to play two sports in particular, the findings provide some welcome encouragement.

Playing […]

Researchers are on constant search for therapies that can extend human life and help us remain healthy, active and indepedent as we age.

One important new study reveals that an extra 70 years of healthy life may be attainable and not just pie-in-the-sky thinking.

The research suggests that we could potentially live up to the age of 150 if we can figure out how to maximize one important human trait. Let’s take a closer look…

Anti-aging researchers look to biological age as a strong indicator of a person’s health status – and hence how long […]

If you’re a regular reader of this site, you have read plenty regarding the health and longevity benefits of exercise. With that said, researchers are still searching for the best type of exercise to promote longevity.

Do you really need to jog for miles or can simple walking and household activities suffice? How long do you need to exercise? Two new studies attempt to uncover some answers. Let’s see what researchers are saying…

One study takes a look at the longevity benefits of walking. And researchers made an encouraging discovery: adding more steps to your day, whether all at once or in […]

Aging is not just about genes as so many people imagine. Lifestyle choices matter, too. In fact, for many people poor lifestyle choices such as smoking and remaining sedentary can be the tipping point into aging and illness.

While for others, healthy lifestyle choices such as exercise and nutritious diet can slow down the aging process and dramatically improve health.

This realization has led to the search for molecular markers that can tell whether we’re aging well or badly. Now scientists in England say they’ve found one powerful marker that can be tested at home.

The marker is called a glycan.

Glycans are molecules […]

Ever spend time with an inquisitive child? The questions are non-stop, ranging from “why is the sky blue?” to “how does a car move?” In fact, one study estimated that curious children ask a staggering 73 questions a day!¹ For those of us with children, grandchildren or young nieces and nephews this is hardly surprising.

But sadly, as we age, that wellspring of curiosity begins to run dry.

The latest research shows we should do our best not to let that happen. That’s because the science suggests that remaining curious can help us live longer, healthier lives.

It’s true, curiosity is good for […]

When searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s, most scientists look at existing brain degeneration and try to figure out how to fix it. What might we find out if we looked instead at the brains of people with superior brain health? That’s what a group of researchers at the University of Chicago asked themselves.

They chose elderly people with exceptional memories to see why their brains perform so well. Their findings may lead to new strategies to save cognition and uncover new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

The term SuperAgers refers to people over the age of 80 whose memories are as good […]

Everyone knows a sprightly 80-something who can dance the night away and remember the punch line of every joke. But sadly, there are also plenty of 50-somethings who move and act considerably older than their years.

It’s a conundrum that scientists never tire of studying.

Now, new research further explores how different folks seem to age at significantly different rates. And it turns out, the fast-agers and the slow-agers are already on radically different roads from the time they’re young.

“Aging isn’t something that happens suddenly when people reach their 60s, it’s a lifelong process,” said Maxwell Elliott, a doctoral student at Duke […]

While research has long suggested a link between interrupted sleep and an increased risk of death, the latest research confirms, without a doubt, that it’s true.

Perhaps most surprising is the definition of “interrupted sleep” used by researchers in this study. According to them, interrupted sleep doesn’t have to involve consciously waking up a number of times during the night as you might expect. What they define as a sleep interruption can happen without the victim even being aware of it. In fact, if you wake up tired and exhausted in the morning, this may well apply to you.

Duration of sleep, […]

Scientists at Stanford were focused on regenerating the thymus gland—the gland that’s critical to immune health.

They succeeded in their efforts, but the best was yet to come.

Their remarkable experiment resulted in not only a healthy, renewed thymus gland, but people in the study actually grew biologically younger. Here’s the amazing story.

Described by scientists as “the master gland of the immune system,” the thymus – located in the chest between the lungs and the breast bones – converts white blood cells to T cells. These cells play an important role in the immune response. The thymus also produces a variety of […]