Cheers and Jeers

by Laura Jungreis, blogger

Cheers to…

Cereal, which may decrease your risk of developing high blood pressure by 20 percent. Research presented at an American Heart Association meeting showed the benefit of having a whole-grain cereal once a day.  It’s an easy way to decrease your risk for hypertension, which affects 1 in 3 adults.  Read more here.

Apples, which help decrease levels of bad cholesterol and increase levels of good cholesterol in women.  A recent study showed that women who ate 75 grams of apples every day for six months had a 23 percent decrease in LDL, or bad, cholesterol.  Levels of HDL, or good, cholesterol rose 4 percent.  Eating the apples did not lead to weight gain.  Learn more about the study here.

Jeers to…

The Food and Drug Administration, for not conducting enough tests on products before allowing them to be sold.  One product was an artificial hip sold by Johnson & Johnson that disintegrated in some patients, emitting dangerous metallic debris.  The FDA did not conduct clinical trials before approving the hip.  Get more details here.

Dengue Fever, cases of which have tripled in the United States over the last seven years, after a 45-year absence in the country.  The disease is spread to humans by infected mosquitoes, and cases were initially reported in Florida.  The World Health Organization considers dengue fever a serious international public health concern.  Read more here.

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