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By HealthWatch, May 26, 2009

In a recently released study, Scientists from the University of Kiel, Germany have found a genetic link between dental disease and coronary heart disease (CHD).

Dr Arne Schaefer, of the Institute for Clinical Molecular Biology at the University of Kiel, and colleagues were responsible for this revolutionary breakthrough. Schaefer presented their findings to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Vienna on Monday 25 May.

“We found that the genetic risk variant is located in a genetic region that codes for an antisense DNA called ANRIL”, said Dr. Schaefer, “and that it is identical for both diseases.”

“We studied a genetic locus on chromosome 9p21.3 that had previously been identified to be associated with myocardial infarction, in a group of 151 patients suffering from the most aggressive, early-onset forms of periodontitis, and a group of 1097 CHD patients who had already had a heart attack,” he said.

Doctors have known for a long time that periodontitis and coronary heart disease frequently go together, however this is the first time someone has presented evidence supporting the idea that they both come from the same causes.

Gum disease – or periodontitis – can be a path into the bloodstream for approximately 700 cases of bacteria found in the mouth, leading to the more serious problem of coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is the world leading cause of death, and periodontitis, which leads to the connective tissue and the bone support of teeth, is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults over the age of 40. The tooth disease affects 90 percent of people over 60 years old.

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By HealthWatch, May 22, 2009

Antioxidants are substances found naturally in some foods which can prevent or even slow the oxidative damage that our bodies are put through every single day. When our body cells use oxygen they naturally produce free radicals as a by-product. These free radicals damage our body over time, resulting in part of the aging process. Antioxidants act as free radical bouncers and prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer etc are all contributed by oxidative damage. Here is a list of the top 15 antioxidant-rich foods, each healthy ad you’ll look healthy.

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By HealthWatch, May 19, 2009

Weight Loss Linked With Sleep

A new study by the American Thoracic Society was presented at their International Conference in San Diego that found a direct link between sleep and weight. Study participants who were deemed “short sleepers” (meaning they got less than six hours per night) were discovered to have a higher average body mass index, or BMI, than the average for “long sleepers” (those who sleep more than 6 hours per night).

Their data was comprised from a study that was conducted with 14 nurses at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Nurses received counseling on nutrition, exercise, stress management, and sleep improvement throughout the program. Each nurse received identical advice and support.

To measure total activity, body temperature, body position, and other indicators of rest and activity the nurses were required to wear armbands which were capable of storing and reporting the data.

The Data Behind The Study
The average BMI for short sleepers was 28.3. That compares to an average BMI of 24.5 for long sleepers. The BMI range for normal weight is considered to be 18.5-24.9 and for overweight 25.0-29.9. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height and is an indicator of body fat. You can find out what your own BMI is using our free online BMI calculator.

Surprisingly, the overweight participants were significantly more active than their “normal-weight” peers. The overweight participants took an average of 13,896 steps per day, compared to 11,292 for normal-weight participants. The overweight participants also burned nearly 1,000 more calories per day on average than their normal-weight peers.

“We found so many interesting links in our data,” lead researcher Arn Eliasson, MD, says in a written statement. “Primarily, we want to know what is driving the weight differences, and why sleep and weight appear to be connected.”

There are several possible reasons for these findings, Eliasson says. Lack of sleep may disrupt natural hormonal balances, triggering overeating. Stress could also be a factor which could result in less sleep and an increase in appetite for the participants.

He says that “higher perceived stress may erode sleep. Stress and being less rested may cause these individuals to be less organized than normal-weight individuals, meaning they would have to make more trips and take more steps to accomplish the same tasks. This might add to their stress and encourage other unhealthy behaviors, like stress eating.”

The organization has stated that they are in the middle of planning and conducting further in-depth tests to try and gauge a better understanding of the role that sleep plays in body weight.

The best advice though is to make sure to get at least six to eight hours of sleep each night along with maintaining a proper diet and exercise regiment.