As the average life span becomes longer, dementia becomes more common. Swedish scientist Laura Fratiglioni has shown that everyone can minimize his or her risk of being affected during the aging process. Factors from blood pressure and weight to the degree of physical activity and mental activity can influence cognitive functioning as one gets older. [...]

APA.org – Therapeutic lifestyle changes – such as getting more exercise, time in nature, or helping others – can be as effective as drugs or counseling to treat an array of mental illnesses, according to a new paper published by the American Psychological Association. Multiple mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, can be treated [...]

IDW-online.de – Even a low concentration of lithium leads to an increased life expectancy in humans as well as in a model organism, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, according to Professor Dr. Michael Ristow’s team along with Japanese colleagues from universities in Oita and Hiroshima (the teams used two independent approaches). The research team presents its [...]

Missouri.edu – Most people know that exercise is important to maintain and improve health; however, sedentary lifestyles and obesity rates are at all-time highs and have become major national issues. In a new study, University of Missouri researchers found that healthy adults who received interventions focused on behavior-changing strategies significantly increased their physical activity levels. [...]

Depending on the level of smoking and leisure time exercise, vitamin E supplementation may decrease or increase, or may have no effect, on the risk of pneumonia, according to a study published in Clinical Epidemiology. In laboratory studies, vitamin E has influenced the immune system. In several animal studies vitamin E protected against viral and [...]

AAOS.org – Stretching before running neither prevents nor causes injury, according to a study presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). However, the study suggests that runners who typically stretch should continue to do so, or risk injury. More than 70 million people worldwide run recreationally or competitively, [...]