healthbriefs
reducing
innate Fountain
stress
of youth
affects allergies

A
clean, active life that includes regular exercise
O
hio State University Medical Cen-
ter researchers have discovered
and a diet of the right foods may, indeed, hold
that stress and anxiety can linger and
the key to a virtual fountain of youth, reports Profes-
have a major impact on a person’s aller-
sor Dean Ornish and his team from the Preventive
gies, making allergic reactions worse
Medicine Research Institute in California. The key to
the next day. It’s an important find-
“young living,” they say, appears to be an enzyme
ing, because medications containing
called telomerase, which is produced in a healthy
allergy-blocking antihistamines don’t
body and believed to help repair and protect DNA.
deal with such “delayed” symptoms
The small study recruited 30 men, asking them to take participate in a three-
caused by weakened immunity. More,
month trial of comprehensive lifestyle changes. Program requirements included
the study revealed that stressed patients
a diet high in fruit and vegetables, vitamin supplements, an exercise regimen and
often are unresponsive to treatments
classes in stress management, relaxation techniques and breathing exercises.
such as antihistamines.
Men who had sufficient data for analysis showed an increase of 29 percent
Allergic reactions are the fifth most
of telomerase in their blood and a decrease of LDL (bad) cholesterol; they also
common chronic disease in America;
reported fewer intrusive thoughts causing stress. More studies are needed.
medical costs to treat them can reach
$3.4 billion a year. Researchers hope
Source: BBC News, 2008.
that the results of the new study will
alert practitioners and patients to the
Sleep & ReSt Fight CanCeR
adverse effects of stress, which may
seemingly resolve within minutes or
A study presented at the latest American Association for hours after an attack, only to unexpect-
Cancer Research’s International Conference on Frontiers in
edly reappear the next day. Learning
to manage psychological stress should
Cancer Prevention suggests that regular physical activity can
have a positive effect on the immune
lower a woman’s overall risk of cancer—but only if she gets a
system and help keep allergies under
good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep,
control.
the research reported, undermines
the cancer prevention benefit Sleep & ReSt
of exercise.
Fight CanCeR
A study presented at the
Grapes Protect the Heart
latest American Associa-
tion for Cancer Research’s
C
ould eating grapes fight high blood pressure and possibly reduce other factors
linked to heart disease? A new University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center
International Conference on
study suggests just that, revealing tantalizing clues to the heart-healthy power of Frontiers in Cancer Preven-
grapes.
tion suggests that regular
The study fed laboratory rats a powder of regular table grapes (a blend of
green, red and black grapes, containing the skin, flesh and
physical activity can lower
seeds), mixed into a diet that was either low or high in
a woman’s overall risk of
salt. The control group received no grapes. After 18
weeks, the rats receiving the grape-enriched meals
cancer—but only if she gets
had lower blood pressure, better heart function,
a good night’s sleep. Lack of
reduced inflammation throughout their bodies and
sleep, the research reported,
fewer signs of heart muscle damage. The grapes’
heart-protective effects are thought to be due to
undermines the cancer pre-
their high level of phytochemicals, naturally occur-
vention benefit of exercise.
ring antioxidants contained in whole grapes.
12 New Haven/Middlesex Counties
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