A type of antioxidant found in pomegranates may contribute to prostate health, according to a study by researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles. Antioxidants known as ellagitannins and their metabolites accumulated in the prostates of mice in this laboratory study. The researchers then grafted prostate cancer cells onto mice whose immune systems had been deliberately hampered. One group of mice was then treated with ellagatannins and their metabolites. The treated mice were found to have significantly less tumor growth than mice in the control group. (Read more about Pomegranates Reduce Prostate Cancer)

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Energy drinks in the U.S. have been on the rise for more than 10 years, promising consumers a boost to their day. It's estimated that the energy drink market will be $10 billion by 2010. This is good news for beverage companies, but it could have oral health implications for consumers who rely on these drinks, sometimes daily, for that boost. Previous research findings have warned consumers that the pH levels in beverages such as soda could lead to tooth erosion. The studies revealed that, whether diet or regular, iced tea or root beer, the acidity level in popular beverages that consumers drink every day contributes to the erosion of tooth enamel. (Read more about Energy Drink Consumption Can Lead to Tooth Erosion)

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Exercise, drinking alcohol moderately, eating enough fruits and vegetables, and not smoking can add as many as 14 years to your lifespan, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Cambridge on 20,000 people between the ages of 45 and 79 years over the course of a decade. All participants were socially mixed though overwhelmingly white, and none had any known cancer or heart problems. (Read more about A Healthy Lifestyle Can Add 14 Years to Your Life)

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A study from the National Institute of Mental Health has found that women who suffer from depression are more likely to enter menopause with an increased risk of bone fractures. Researchers report that 17% of women with depression had decreased bone mass in the femoral neck, compared to 2% of women who did not have depression. Additionally, low bone mass in the lumbar spine was found in 20% of depressed women, compared to 9% who were not depressed. The researchers theorized that women with depression have overactive immune systems that produce a chemical known as IL-6. This chemical is associated with bone loss as well as promoting inflammation. During adolescence, bone mass reaches its peak and begins to decline through the rest of life, thinning at a faster rate after a woman undergoes menopause. (Read more about Women With Depression At Risk For Osteoporosis)

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently held its first public hearing on regulating the amount of salt found in processed food. According to the American Medical Association, halving the amount of salt added to the American diet could reduce deaths in the U.S. by 150,000 a year. The AMA and other advocates of public health are urging the FDA to take action to reduce the high levels of salt in food. These groups claim that Americans don't consume large amounts of salts because they choose to, but rather do so unknowingly because manufacturers and restaurants add it to food. The AMA estimates that most Americans consume two to three times the amount of sodium that is considered healthy, with an estimated 75 to 80 percent of it coming from restaurant and processed foods. (Read more about FDA Considers Limiting Salt in Processed Food)

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A recent report by health provider BUPA has found that people's worries are damaging their health by causing sleepless nights, loss of sex drive, and erratic eating habits. The 2007 Worry Report demonstrates that almost one in five people constantly worry about numerous things, and more than half feel they worry more now than five years ago. Half of the people surveyed this year, which is 6% more than in 2006, claimed they were more worried about their health and their family's health than about other concerning issues such as climate change or terrorist attacks. The survey finds that almost three quarters of people worry, but around 19% admit to worrying all the time or about a number of things. (Read more about Worried Sick? There Might Be Some Truth There)

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Research conducted by The General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition finds that women who eat yogurt frequently are less likely to be overweight and more likely to meet the recommended daily intake of important nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D. The fourteen day study followed the diets of approximately 3,000 women ages 19 and older. Thirteen percent of these women ate three or more servings of yogurt over a two week period. In this group, the women on average had a 15% lower body mass index compared with women who consumed no yogurt. (Read more about Yogurt Consumption Linked to Healthier Body Weights for Women)

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A recent study from Penn State has found that American children are drinking insufficient amounts of milk and the dairy they are choosing to consume are very high in fat. The study examined a children's daily dairy intake and compared it with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid dairy recommendations. The findings revealed that only 2 to 3 year olds met the MyPyramid dairy recommendations. It was also observed that most children choose to eat more of the highest fat varieties of cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and dairy based toppings. (Read more about American Children Are Not Consuming Enough Milk)

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Scientists have been aware that that animals with a reduced calorie intake had lengthened lifespans, but they were never able to understand the reasons why. A recent study by scientists from Harvard Medical School suggests that restricting calories to lose weight may also be the secret to extending life expectancy. Restriction of high calorie foods is believed to produce a molecular response that triggers a reaction within the energy core of cells, known as the mitochondria. Responsible for keeping cells alive and healthy, mitochondria can weaken and lead to cell deterioration and increased susceptibility to DNA stress, which eventually causes the cell to die. (Read more about Reducing Calories May Increase Life Longevity)

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A Review in The Lancet reveals the importance of healthy lifestyle choices to reduce stressors related to cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers from John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore examined records between 1990 to 2006. They observed how stress affects the sympathetic nervous system, impacts physiology, and the effect it has on the cardiovascular system. Lead author, Daniel Brotman, claims "Acute physical stressors such as sugery, trauma, and intense physical exertion are well known triggers of cardiovascular events. Emotional stressors are increasingly recognized as precipitants of such events." (Read more about Reducing Stress Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Problems)

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