A study done at the University of Michigan could benefit the 29% of Americans with high blood pressure. For 18 weeks one group of rats were fed a salty diet. Another group was fed the same salty diet plus a powder form of red, green and purple table grapes. The rats that ate the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation throughout their bodies, fewer signs of heart muscle damage and better heart function. For humans to achieve the same benefits they'd have to consume 135 grapes a day - and the grapes have to be eaten – not drunk from a wine glass.
Unfortunately, researchers expect the down economy to cause Americans to make cheaper, less healthy food choices. This expectation is strengthened by a Seattle survey which showed obesity rates are 5 times higher in poor parts of the city. Then there's the annual survey done by Hormel Foods Corp, which showed that 60% of Americans have cutback on the quality and/or quantity of food they buy. Finally, McDonald's credited its Dollar Menu for boosting its 2008 third quarter U.S. sales by 4.7%. What all this means is a slumping economy can simultaneously cause financial belt tightening and bigger waistlines.
Swedish researchers have discovered something else bad for our health. After studying 20 years of records they discovered heart attacks increase 6% the Monday after clocks are turned ahead for Daylight Saving Time and decrease 5% at the end of DST when clocks are turned back. Because sleep affects cardiovascular health, scientists are wondering if minor changes in amounts of sleep affect whether we have heart attacks. Because more than 1.5 billion people live in countries with DST, this is information that shouldn't be slept on.
French scientists are using information from space age technology to develop a fully functioning, artificial heart. The tiny sensors that measure air pressure and altitude in airplanes and satellites are being used to detect the heart's pumping speed and the pressure on its walls. By monitoring blood flow response, the device can immediately respond to a patient's need for more or less blood. Unlike other artificial hearts, the French unit has 2 lifelike pumps and is made of the same materials used for heart valves with no clotting or rejection problems. Until now this heart has been tested only in sheep, but human testing is expected within 2 years – a heartwarming prospect.
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