That's Fit

The results of a recent study show that an aspirin taken at bedtime lowered the blood pressure of pre-hypertensive patients, whereas an aspirin taken in the morning didn't have the same effect. While the exact reasons are unknown, researchers suggest that nighttime aspirin usage could slow the production of clot-producing hormones and other substances that are typically generated at night.

The three-month study followed 244 adults with blood pressure that hovered just below the 140/90 mark. (Consistent readings greater than 140/90 are considered high blood pressure (HBP). Readings that are just below that threshold are considered pre-hypertension -- a warning that the patient is at risk of HBP. The group was divided into thirds: one group followed a blood pressure reducing diet, the second took a 100 mg aspirin at bedtime, the third took an aspirin in the morning.

The group that took the aspirin before bedtime saw the best results -- an average drop of 5.4 points in systolic pressure and 3.4 points in diastolic pressure.

It's important for everyone to have an active, healthy lifestyle. For those who have beat cancer, it's possibly even more important. More than 10 million Americans have survived the disease -- but the impact it had on their health puts them at higher risk for conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and a reduced quality of life... not to mention the risk of cancer recurrence.

Exercise, eating healthfully, and not smoking can help counteract that increased risk. But, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), too few cancer survivors adopt a healthier lifestyle. Though approximately 75% of cancer survivors do stop smoking, the ACS isn't seeing as good of an improvement with healthy eating and physical activity.

The ACS recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day (at least five days a week) and a diet that includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Less than 48% of survivors are meeting the exercise requirements and less than 20% are eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables.

I distinctly remember speaking with an unknown elderly couple many years ago while seated next to them at a restaurant. I don't recall what started the conversation, but I do know that it had something to do with food. At any rate, the elderly couple -- who both looked rather healthy, despite the fact that they were both in their late 80s -- proudly stated that the key to their longevity was not eating. "Huh," I muttered through a mouthfull of pasta primavera, only to be told once again by these fine people -- who dined only small bowls of soup -- that they attributed their long lives to eating very, very little food.

Fast forward several years and millions of calories later, and I found myself thumbing through a copy of Men's Health magazine at Border's while I chomped on a protein bar. Amazingly, I came across a small article on how many people in Okinawa, Japan consume 700 calories less per day than the average Westerner. Apparently, this low-calorie diet is based on the eating principle known as hara hachi bu -- only eating until eight-tenths full. Researchers posit that this may be part of the reason why Okinawans have among the lowest rate of heart disease, osteoporosis, and hormone-dependent cancers.

And then, just when I thought I couldn't possibly find any more information to support the claims made years prior by the elderly couple I met, I came across a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Said study validated their assertion, showing that eating fewer calories extended the average lifespan.

The lesser known sister of coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral arterial disease (PAD) involves clogging of the arteries around the body -- often in the legs. The two conditions often go hand in hand, but researchers have recently reported that, of the two, patients with PAD often fare worse.

Researchers based their findings on comparisons of CAD patients who underwent coronary angioplasty and PAD patients who underwent a variety of surgical interventions such as abdominal aortic surgery and lower limb reconstruction. The annual mortality rate for PAD patients was 5.7% -- 2.7% higher that than for CAD patients.

Researchers state that PAD patients are less likely to receive medication for their condition. The undertreatment could be the cause of the higher mortality rate.

Bad news for women in the Washington Post yesterday. A study, also published yesterday, reveals evidence that life expectancy is falling for a significant number of American females.

According to the Post, the study cites that in nearly 1,000 counties that together are home to about 12 percent of the nation's women, life expectancy is now shorter than it was in the early 1980s. This marks the first decline in life expectancy for a significant number of women since the Spanish influenza of 1918, the Post reports.

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Flax is an ancient crop (it was used as a food source in 3000 BC!) but there's nothing outdated about it's benefits. Perhaps you've heard of the many, many benefits of flax? If not, well, I'll tell you right now: It's really good for you.

How good? Here's just a short list of ailments it can help ward off: Cholesterol, cancer, constipation, diabetes, heart disease, menopause, inflammation and depression. And it's no surprise -- Flax contains all-important omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a special thing called lignans. Lignans act like antioxidants and have anti-tumor properties. And that's not all: Flax has fiber, which, in addition to helping you lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease, helps keep you ... well, regular.

Singer and actor Barbra Streisand has donated five million dollars to an LA hospital for a a women's heart center. Her donation creates permanent funding for the Barbra Streisand Women's Cardiovascular Research and Education center at Cedars-Sinai. The hospital plans to expand its research efforts.

In a written statement Streisand said: "Women need to be educated about female cardiovascular disease and the medical community must be propelled toward change." She continued: "Just like with breast cancer the impetus must come from women themselves striving to become empowered to reduce their risks for heart disease."

Learn more about heart disease at AOL Body.

Colds, flues, and even stomach bugs have been known to cause absenteeism at work, but a study in The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports that obesity-related health problems also play a part.

The findings of this study are highlighted in this month's edition of Women's Health magazine, showing that as BMI (body mass index) rises, so did survey respondents'' number of sick days. Conditions associated with obesity (BMI of 30 or greater), such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea appear to have a direct effect on calling in sick to work.

According to study, per its summary in Women's Health, people with a BMI of 30 - 34.9 missed two more days per year; 35 - 39.9 missed three or more days; and 40 or more missed five or more days.

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Are you getting your share of psyllium? Ok, let's start from the beginning -- do you know what psyllium is? Many don't. And those of you who have heard of it may not know much about it. Perhaps you've heard about psyllium from none other than Regis Philbin? He's been touting the benefits of psyllium fiber in All Bran Cereal on TV commercials that have appeared all over the airwaves. And it really is a part of a nutritious diet.

Here's a bit of history: Psyllium comes from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant, which can be found in parts of Asia, Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. Typically, only the husks of the plant are used, and these days, they're cultivated around the globe. Traditionally, psyllium has been known as a great source of fiber -- it contains roughly 70% soluble fiber and 30% insoluble fiber.

The reported cancer-fighting properties of red wine were recently studied by French researchers, who reported in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) that high doses of polyphenols -- the active antioxidants in red wine -- can shut down and prevent cancerous tumors.

So, how much wine does one have to drink to obtain the health benefits of polyphenols? An entire bottle per day!! But, since drinking an entire bottle of wine every day isn't really healthy in most other ways, a better approach to get this large amount of polyphenols is to follow a diet rich in fresh produce.

This, of course, doesn't mean I'm suggesting that you cork your bottle of red wine for good. Oh contraire. Drinking one glass of wine per day can still provide some degree of protection against certain types of cancer, as well as ailments of the heart and circulatory system.

University of Michigan researchers have found that tiny little tart cherries can have a big impact on heart health and on diabetes. During the study researchers fed some rats a diet that included tart cherries; a control group of rats ate a diet that was equivalent in carbohydrates and calories but contained no cherries. At the end of the study, the rats who ate cherries had improvements in weight, fat percentage, cholesterol, and inflammation. A reduction in these risk factors is good news for heart health and diabetes.

Cherries are a nutritious addition to your diet. They're delicious, easy to snack on, and make a great addition to a lot of recipes. In fact, we've written about the perks of cherries before -- Chris wrote about the anti-inflammatory properties of cherries and they even offer some protection against UV rays. So grab a handful of tart cherries and snack away!

Looking for a fun way to support your favorite cause? FiveHumans makes fashionable t-shirts with hip designs, all based on common diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, and even autism.

Their goal is to raise awareness about these conditions and to also raise a little cash for research. For instance, if you buy one of their asthma tees, 10% of the purchase price is donated to the American Lung Association.

The company hopes to expand their designs to include Alzheimer's, and then branch out into other causes such as hunger, global warming, and homelessness. Read more about FiveHumans and the humans behind the scenes here.

A medication frequently prescribed for high cholesterol came under fire a few months ago when a trial showed the medication -- a combination of simvastin and ezetimibe -- worked no better than simvastin alone. Simvastin is a statin designed to lower LDL cholesterol; ezetimibe is another medication that should lower LDL in another way.

The results of the trials regarding the efficacy of Vytorin are being discussed at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting this week. At this point, researchers aren't entirely sure if the results of the trial are indicative of how Vytorin would affect those with mildly high cholesterol or those who are newly diagnosed; all the participants in the study had very high cholesterol and had been under treatment for years.

Recent research shows that the anniversary of a parent's death can trigger sudden death, particularly for men. Researchers think the mental stress from the anniversary of the event may induce sudden death in people that are prone to heart failure. People at risk will likely have a family history of heart attack, sudden death, and/or coronary disease. Other risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, or a sedentary lifestyle.

Researchers evaluated 102 sudden deaths of people between 37 and 79 years old. 70% of those people died from coronary artery disease. 12% of the people died on the anniversary of a parent's death. 80% of those who died on an anniversary date were male.

Roughly a year ago my cousin had a stroke. It shocked and scared everyone in the family because nobody saw it coming. Prior to her stroke she worked at a school, but has yet to return to work. She's made great progress physically, though she still has weakness in one arm. But her bubbly, effusive, and gregarious personality has never quite been the same since the stroke.

According to an Australian study, depression can disable stroke patients almost as much as physical issues. The study followed 210 stroke patients. Of those who eventually went back to work, 33% were diagnosed with post-stroke depression. 45% of those who didn't return to work were diagnosed with depression.