Healthy Highlights
Celebrate the Big 4-0
with More Fitness
Even if you weren’t very active when
you were younger, starting an exercise
program later in life still can help
your heart. Doctors in one study
asked more than 700 people ages
40 to 68 about their activity
levels since they were 20. More
than 300 of them had existing
heart disease. People who
were “couch potatoes”
during their 20s and 30s
but started exercising in
their 40s, or even later,
cut their risk for heart
disease in half. These
exercisers had lower heart risks than
people who were active before 40 but then
stopped exercising. So, what you do today
can protect your heart tomorrow.
Go Green
to Lower
Lymphoma Risk
The next time you hit
the market, steer your
cart toward the produce
section. Vegetables may
protect against non-
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
(NHL), a type of cancer.
In a study of more than
800 adults ages 20 to
74, those who ate the
most vegetables—more
than 20 servings a week—had a 42% lower risk for NHL.
This was compared with people who ate eight or fewer
servings a week. NHL risk also was lower for those who ate
at least six weekly servings of spinach or other green leafy
vegetables, or at least three weekly helpings of broccoli
or other cruciferous veggies. Two nutrients, lutein and
zeaxanthin, could be the potential cancer-fighters.
Did You Know?
Some deodorizing products, including air
fresheners, contain an ingredient called 1,4-dichlorobenzene
that can aggravate ast hma or other lung conditions.
Wash Up After “Treat”-ing Your Pet
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises
pet owners to thoroughly wash their hands with soap and
water each time after they give their pet an animal-derived
treat. That’s because there have been some reports of
humans becoming infected from Salmonella-contaminated
treats. The bacteria can cause severe diarrhea, fever, and
vomiting in people. In addition, people should wash their
hands after contact with pets. Infected animals can shed
Salmonella in their stool. Be aware that infected pets may
not show signs of having Salmonella.
Parents’ “Food Rules” Do Matter to Teens
You may not think your adolescent hears you all the time, but feedback from more than
800 teens shows that what you say about food does hit home. Specifically, setting
household food rules can help your teen make better eating decisions. Mulberry
Pediatrics suggests these healthy rules:
- Limiting sweets and sodas
- Having healthy snacks at home
- Having fruit with breakfast
- Serving vegetables with dinner
