Dr. Brad’s Weekly Health Update: Dark Chocolate and Olive Oil Good for the Heart (plus other health tips!)

Dark Chocolate and Olive Oil Good for the Heart.

Polyphenols are micronutrients with antioxidant properties found abundantly in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, red wine, and cocoa. According to a new study, participants who consumed a small daily portion of dark chocolate with added natural polyphenols from extra virgin olive oil experienced both an increase in their high-density lipoprotein (“good”) cholesterol levels and a decrease in their blood pressure. European Society of Cardiology Congress, August 2017

Reduce Your Sitting Time to Become Healthier.

Study participants who received counseling on how to reduce sedentary activity managed to minimize the time they spent sitting down by 21 minutes each day while also engaging in more light-intensity physical activity. These participants also achieved improvements in their fasting blood sugar, reducing their risk for a number of serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease. PLOS One, August 2017

Sleep-Disordered Breathing May Be a Risk Factor for Cognitive Decline.

A review of data concerning 19,940 older adults indicates that seniors with sleep-disordered breathing are 2.44 times more likely to develop mild cognitive decline than those without sleeping problems. Sleep & Breathing, September 2017

Are Carbs Bad for You?

It may not be the fat in your diet that is increasing your risk of premature death, but rather consuming too many refined and processed carbohydrates. Researchers monitored the diet and health of more than 135,000 people, aged 35 to 70, from 18 countries around the world and found that compared to those on low-carb diets, individuals whose diet averaged 77% carbohydrates had a 28% increased risk for an early death. The Lancet, August 2017

Exercising Outdoors in the Morning May Improve Sleep Duration

A study that monitored the activity patterns of 360 middle-aged women found that those who engaged in moderate-to-vigorous exercise while outdoors during the morning slept more each night than women who spent time outdoors in the afternoons, regardless of whether or not they exercised during this time. PLOS ONE, September 2017

Yours in health,

Dr. Brad Butler, DC