The study, which is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, followed more than 100,000 adults in the U.S. between the years of 1984 and 2000.

According to Reuters, it found that individuals with the highest dietary fiber intake had a one-third lower risk of developing COPD than people who consumed the lowest amount of fiber.

"For COPD prevention, the most important public health message remains smoking cessation, but our data suggest that diet, another modifiable risk factor, might also influence COPD risk," the study’s authors wrote.

Researchers say fiber from grains (versus fiber from fruits and vegetables) was only shown to lower the risk of lung disease.

In addition, they point out that fiber is high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties that may explain its disease-fighting properties.

Diets high in fiber have also been said to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, prevent constipation and aid in weight loss.

In addition to food sources, nutritional supplements containing fiber may be a good option for those who don’t get enough in their diets.

Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco analyzed data on the intake of sugar-sweetened drinks and their effects on adults aged 35 and older between the years 1990 and 2000. They found that there were 130,000 fresh diabetes cases and 14,000 new cases of coronary heart disease associated with drinking sweetened beverages, like sports drinks.

"We can demonstrate an association between daily consumption of sugared beverages and diabetes risk and translate this information into estimates of the current diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that can be attributed to the rise in consumption of these drinks," said lead researcher Dr. Litsa Lambrakos. "We want to make the general public more aware of the adverse health outcomes of consuming these drinks over time and help support disease prevention and curb consumption of these drinks."

Exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet are among the best ways to prevent diabetes and control blood sugar levels naturally. Some studies have found that nutritional supplements containing chromium and cinnamon may benefit blood sugar control in diabetics.

Researchers studied the effects of a process known as deliquescence, in which humidity causes a water-soluble solid to dissolve, on several different vitamins and health supplements.

If you get some moisture present or ingredients dissolve, they’ll decrease the quality and shelf life of the product and decrease the nutrient delivery," said the study’s lead author, Lisa Mauer. "You can get complete loss of the ingredients. It depends on the conditions. It depends on the formulations. Within a very short time – in a week – you can get complete loss of vitamin C in some products that have deliquesced."

Storing products in dry conditions, below their deliquescence relative humidities, can avoid unwanted ingredient loss, according to researchers.

Liquid or condensation in vitamin containers as well as brown spotting may be signs of nutrient degradation. Researchers suggest discarding any dietary supplement that is showing signs of moisture uptake or browning.

Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program conducted a large, long-term study that included more than 130,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 90, with the majority under the age of 50 years old.

They found that men and women who reported drinking four or more cups of coffee each day had an 18 percent lower risk of hospitalization for heart rhythm disturbances. Those who reported drinking one to three cups each day had a 7 percent reduction in risk.

"This study does not mean that people should drink coffee to prevent rhythm problems," said the study’s lead investigator, Dr. Arthur Klatsky. "It supports the idea that people who are at risk for rhythm problems or who have rhythm problems do not need to abstain from coffee."

Because patients frequently report palpitations after drinking coffee, the public may be surprised at the study findings, according to Klatsky.

According to the American Heart Association, about 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, which is the most common heart rhythm problem. About 15 percent of those who suffer a stroke have the disorder.

Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program conducted a large, long-term study that included more than 130,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 90, with the majority under the age of 50 years old.

They found that men and women who reported drinking four or more cups of coffee each day had an 18 percent lower risk of hospitalization for heart rhythm disturbances. Those who reported drinking one to three cups each day had a 7 percent reduction in risk.

"This study does not mean that people should drink coffee to prevent rhythm problems," said the study’s lead investigator, Dr. Arthur Klatsky. "It supports the idea that people who are at risk for rhythm problems or who have rhythm problems do not need to abstain from coffee."

Because patients frequently report palpitations after drinking coffee, the public may be surprised at the study findings, according to Klatsky.

According to the American Heart Association, about 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, which is the most common heart rhythm problem. About 15 percent of those who suffer a stroke have the disorder.

Researchers analyzed results from the Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health (JCUSH) conducted in cooperation by Statistics Canada and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics during 2002-2003. Data were obtained for 3,505 Canadians and 5,183 Americans.

The results, published in the medical journal Arthritis Care and Research, found that the prevalence of arthritis was 18.7 percent and AAL was 9.6 percent in the U.S., while equivalent estimates in Canada were 16.8 percent and 7.7 percent.

In addition, arthritis prevalence (23.3 percent versus 19.6 percent) and AAL (13 percent versus 9.2 percent) were both higher in American women than in Canadian women.

"Our study results suggest that the higher prevalence of arthritis and AAL in the U.S. may be a consequence of greater obesity and physical inactivity in that country, particularly in women," said the report’s Dr. Elizabeth Badley. "Public health initiatives that promote healthy weight and physical activity may benefit from including arthritis concerns to its message, and could potentially reduce the incidence of arthritis and AAL."

Among the natural treatments for arthritis and other joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin as well as acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.

They say animal studies have proven that MgT effectively crosses the blood-brain barrier to inhibit calcium flux in brain neurons.

Scientists studied two groups of rats to determine the supplement’s effect on memory. Both groups were fed normal diets containing a healthy amount of magnesium from natural sources. One group, however, was also given MgT supplements in addition.

Behavioral tests showed that cognitive functioning improved in the rats in who received the supplements. These animals also demonstrated an increase of synapses in the brain, according to researchers involved in the study.

They say the results indicate that the new compound improves permeability of the blood-brain barrier.

"Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, but today half of all people in industrialized countries are living with magnesium deficiencies that may generally impair human health, including cognitive functioning," said lead researcher Dr. Inna Slutsky.

Dietary sources of magnesium include green leaves, broccoli, almonds, cashews and fruit.

Taking MgT supplements and increasing magnesium in the diet may help improve memory and delay dementia and other age-related cognitive malfunctions, according to Dr. Slutsky.

"Many women younger than 50 have not yet gone through menopause and still have high levels of the female hormone estrogen in their blood, which is thought to help protect the heart," explained Dr. Vera Rigolin of the Center for Women’s Cardiovascular Health at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "After menopause, however, the levels of estrogen in a woman’s body drop significantly and can contribute to the higher risks of cardiovascular disease."

Weight gain often associated with menopausal hormonal changes can also increase health risks. Women may also have a harder time losing weight, which can contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol – all risk factors that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the best way to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to healthcare experts.

"If you are a smoker, quit immediately and avoid second hand smoke. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and exercise at least three times per week to maintain a healthy body weight," said Rigolin.

She also recommends that women have their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels checked annually.

Researchers from the University of Washington at Seattle analyzed data from a study that was conducting cognitive testing on older adults, and examined administrative data from hospitalizations to determine whether hospitalizations for acute illness or critical illness were associated with cognitive decline and dementia.

The study included data on 2,929 individuals 65 years old and older without dementia at the beginning of the study. Cognition was measured with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) every two years at follow-up visits, and those with scores below a certain point underwent a clinical examination for dementia.

They found that individuals who were hospitalized for non-critical illnesses were significantly more likely to suffer from dementia. In addition, they found that patients who had a hospitalization for an acute care or critical illness had lower CASI scores during follow-up tests compared to those who were not hospitalized.

Activities such as reading, playing board games, social networking, and physical activity such as walking and routine exercising are believed to help prevent cognitive decline.

Nutritional supplements that are believed to help boost cognitive function include coenzyme-Q10, gingko biloba, coral calcium, huperzine A and omega-3 fatty acids.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied more than 900 men and women between the ages of 60 and 75 with type 2 diabetes. They evaluated participants’ mental abilities with a range of tests, including memory function and how quickly they processed information. The findings were then compared with general intelligence levels to determine whether participants’ brain function had diminished over time. They found that brain function slowed in subjects with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

"This study shows that older people with diabetes who have higher levels of stress hormones in their blood are more likely to have experienced cognitive decline," said researcher Dr. Rebecca Reynolds. "It may be that by regulating cortisol levels, we could help improve cognitive decline in patients with type 2 diabetes."

Exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet are among the best ways to prevent diabetes and control blood sugar levels naturally.

Natural methods of reducing stress include exercise, relaxation and breathing exercises, tai chi, yoga and meditation.