Some seriously useful medical findings flew under the radar in 2009. Here, new ways to make your waist smaller, your heart stronger and your mind sharper
EXERCISE CUTS HOT FLASHES
Have you ever wondered why your hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms seem to have been going on forever, even though the conventional wisdom says they should have disappeared after two years? Turns out the conventional wisdom is wrong, according to the first studies to follow a group of women for as long as their symptoms lasted. The researchers found that, on average, menopause-related annoyances persist over five years—and some women endure them for a decade or more. The good news is that you may have some control over the duration: “In our research, women who exercised four to six times a week had menopause symptoms for less time,” says Nananda Col, MD, director of the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, at Maine Medical Center Research Institute, in Portland.Use the news
You’ll need to work out four or more times a week to attain the symptom-reducing benefits found in this study. The researchers didn’t look into exercise intensity, but as a general health guideline the American Heart Association recommends moving at a speed that allows you to talk but not sing.
Read Yoga: The New Hot Flash Fix.
FEND OFF ALLERGIES BY EATING LEAFY GREENS
Because most cereals and breads are fortified with folic acid (vitamin B9), few Americans are deficient in the vitamin. But a study of 8,000 people suggests that having higher blood levels of this micronutrient may decrease your risk of wheezing and allergies. What’s the connection? “Folic acid plays a role in silencing, or turning off, some genes, including those of the immune system,” explains study author Elizabeth Matsui, MD, of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, in Baltimore.Use the news
Boost your level of folic acid by eating lots of leafy green vegetables, dried beans and fortified cereals and breads.Find out Six Small Diet Changes for Your Health
