Green Tea Shows Small Effect on Cholesterol

Green tea, in a cup or a capsule, may shave off a few points of your "bad" cholesterol, a new research review suggests. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Green tea, in a cup or a capsule, may shave off a few points of your "bad" cholesterol, a new research review suggests. Looking at 20 past clinical trials, researchers found that green tea trimmed 5 to 6 points more from people's total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels than dummy capsules or other inactive treatments. The trials tested either green tea itself or capsules containing green-tea compounds called catechins, which are thought to decrease cholesterol absorption in the gut. In general, green tea in a cup was more consistently effective than capsules. But the...

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Women Suffering from Sleep Problems Face Triple the Risk of Fibromyalgia

Women with sleep disorders have a three times greater likelihood of developing fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome, than those who enjoy restful sleep. Women with sleep disorders have a three times greater likelihood of developing fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome, than those who enjoy restful sleep. These are the findings of a new Norwegian study appearing in the journal Arthritis and Rhuematism, published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The results indicate that the more frequently a woman experiences sleep disturbances and insomnia, the greater the likelihood she will develop fibromyalgia within a decade. While the findings have revealed a link between sleep problems and the...

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More "Healthy" Patients Die After a Heart Attack

A new analysis of half a million heart attack patients found that people with the warning signs of heart disease, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, are more likely to survive their hospital stay than those with a cleaner bill of health. NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new analysis of half a million heart attack patients found that people with the warning signs of heart disease—such as high blood pressure and cholesterol—are more likely to survive their hospital stay than those with a cleaner bill of health. Even when taking into account influences such as age and weight, the more heart-related risk factors patients had, the lower their chances of dying. While it may seem counterintuitive, researchers said one possible...

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Pilates Upper Back Strengtheners for Posture

Gravity takes a toll on our bodies and building a strong core can help posture, keep our spine in a natural curved position, and prevent back pain. What It Is: We are constantly reminded of the toll gravity takes on our bodies and how much strength it takes to fight against it. This is easily demonstrated when we see that sweet elderly woman crossing the street with a hunched back craning her neck so her eyes can find the horizon. To begin fighting against the enormous force of gravity as well as all of our other duties and stresses that life heaps on us, we must first address posture. Finding the proper posture is a balancing act between the strength and flexibility of our muscles, and the mobility of our joints. We want...

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