Vitamins, minerals & supplements Archive

The discovery of 44 gene sites associated with high blood pressure may provide leads for developing new drugs to treat this common condition. 

Herbal supplements are sometimes advertised to improve a man’s sex life by increasing blood flow to the penis, but many are not proven effective for treating ED and may cause serious side effects.

DASH diet effective but not the only way to reduce sodium

Your body needs a little bit of salt every day for the sodium it contains. But too much sodium can boost blood pressure and stress the heart and blood vessels. The low-sodium Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; moderately high in nuts and low-fat dairy products; and low in red and processed meats. Following it can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The DASH diet is a good way to eat healthy. But there's no need to follow that specific diet to get measurable results. If you want to tackle cutting back on sodium, try these six tips:

Keep unhealthy foods to minimum, balanced with nutritious choices

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What exactly is a healthy diet? The basics are pretty simple. Everyone needs a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, plus enough vitamins and minerals for optimal health. But science is revealing that some of the food choices within these categories are better than others.

Go slow on unhealthy foods

Are there foods you never should eat? Not really. If you crave an ice cream sundae occasionally, have a small one. But don't make it a daily event. Offset the chips you ate at your neighbor's barbeque with healthier snacks at home. Healthy eating doesn't mean eliminating certain foods altogether. However, there are some things that are best eaten only rarely.

Nuts are a good source of plant fats and protein, but they are high in calories. It’s a good idea to limit nut consumption to 1 ounce per day.

Here's how to keep your daily salt intake in check.

Image: Mark Poprocki/Thinkstock

Most men probably consume too much sodium, and new federal guidelines are aimed at helping them curb their habit.

The FDA advises no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily—the amount in about 1 teaspoon of salt. (People with prehypertension and hypertension should limit their intake to 1,500 mg, roughly the amount in 3/4 tea-spoon of salt.)

A new study found that high levels of omega-6 fatty acids in the subcutaneous adipose tissue—the layer of fat just beneath the skin—correlated with lower death rates among older men. Omega-6s mostly come in the form of linoleic acid, found in plant oils (such as corn, soybean, and sunflower oils) as well as nuts and seeds. Linoleic acid is known to shrink levels of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood, which can contribute to lower incidence of heart disease.