Physical Activity and Weight Control May Help Improve Decision Making Ability

A new study has found that high levels of a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) slows down the brain's decision making time. The ability to plan and to make the appropriate behavior selections may also be affected. CRP is a marker for inflamation in the blood.

Aspirin, statins, physical activity and weight control help to lower the levels of CRP in your body.

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Junk Food Addiction

In a study conducted by the researches at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida, findings suggest that junk food addiction may be real.

Rats given an unlimited access to high-fat, high-calorie foods needed to consume more and more to maintain the same level of pleasure. Apparently, reward circuits in the brain became less responsive to stimulation, which is similar to what happens when one becomes addicted to cocaine or heroin. The rats even endured a mild electric shock in order to obtain the food. They just continued to overeat and become obese.

When the high-fat foods were taken away in exchange of a more healthy diet, the rats refused to eat, even though they were starving. High-fat, high-calorie diets can lead one to become compulsive overeaters.

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Diet and Exercise Can Improve Thinking

From a report by Duke University, exercise and diet may improve the range of cognitive function.

According to the report, "Physical activity does seem to have a direct effect on brain cells. There are neurochemical changes that happen with exercise. There is increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which stimulates connection with other brain cells, but also there is some evidence that it helps grow new brain cells."

"And the combination of good eating and exercise also produced the expected physical advances. Diet-and-exercise participants lost an average of 19 pounds and lowered systolic blood pressure by 16 points and diastolic pressure by 10 points by the end of the four-month program."

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Erectile Dysfunction Strong Predictor of Death

In a press release from the American Heart Association, it is reported that erectile dysfunction should be considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

German researchers have concluded that "erectile dysfinction is a strong predictor of death from all causes and of heart attack, stroke and heart failure in men with cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that men with cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction - conpared with those without erectile dysfunction - were twice as likely to suffer death from all causes and 16 times more likely to suffer the composite of cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke and heart failure. "

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Marathon Runners May Be At Increased Risk For Heat Disease

According to a press release by the American College of Cardiology, "new data show regular marathon runners have increased stiffness of the large arteries, suggesting that some types of higher intensity exercise may negatively impact heart health."

"Our data suggest that exercise may have an inverted U-shape relation with arterial stiffness. In other words, when you do not exercise you have higher risk of cardiovascular events, but the same also happens when you exercise too much, said Despina Kardara, M.D., Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece, and lead investigator of the study. Regular long-term endurance training is generally beneficial for heart health, but it seems that the cardiovascular system is like a sports car engine. If you do not use it, it will decay, but if you run it too fast for too long, you might burn it out."

"Researches say there may be several explanations for arterial stiffening in Marathon runners. One plausible theory is that extreme exercise may place repeated and excessive stress on the artery wall leading to its fatigue."

"Ebndurance athletes should be cautious about the amount and volume of their training programs, trying not to wear themselves out, and always work in close collaboration with their physicians, especially before participating in an intense endeavor like marathon running."

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