The study out of the University of California at Berkeley put 10 women with an average age of 55 through rigorous endurance training. The findings suggest that exercise without weight loss is an effective method of increasing energy and controlling risk factors for chronic diseases in older women.

Participants in the study, which appears in the journal Metabolism – Clinical and Experimental, were able to increase their body’s capacity to consume and use oxygen by an average of 16 percent and dropped their resting heart rates by an average of 4 beats per minute.

"In effect, the women in our study had the cardiovascular and metabolic capabilities of women 16 years younger," says study leader and exercise physiologist George Brooks.

Meanwhile, health practitioners have also suggested that diet and nutritional supplements as well as massages and reflexology treatments may minimize unpleasant symptoms of menopause including hot flashes, headaches, insomnia, weight gain or fatigue.

They may still be able to sleep at night, and it may be possible to do so without a doctor’s prescription.

"Studies show that healthy individuals tend to engage in many healthy habits-eating a healthy diet, taking supplements, exercising regularly and getting adequate amounts of sleep-as an integrative approach to wellness," says naturopath Dr. Douglas MacKay.

Making sure that one has a healthy diet may aid in promoting good sleeping patterns, and certain supplements and vitamins may also keep eyelids closed throughout the night, according to McKay.

He recommends compounds like melatonin, magnesium and chromium as possible options for supplementation because they may help regulate one’s sleep patterns.

Lifestyle changes like exercise and not allowing oneself to focus too much on any one activity or concern may also be beneficial.

Research from the Federal University of Sao Paulo supported the need for a healthy diet, suggesting that high fat intake may disrupt sleep patterns.

Scientists at University of Vermont and Johns Hopkins found that when daily caffeine users stopped consuming the chemical, blood flow was reduced in the brain, a likely cause of withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue or reduced alertness, and were matched with participants reports of those same effects.

They also found that people on placebos reported similar experiences to those on caffeine over the course of the study.

"In contrast to what most of us coffee lovers would think, our study showed no difference between when the participant was maintained on chronic placebo and when the participant was stabilized on chronic caffeine administration," said lead author Dr Stacey Sigmon. "What this means is that consuming caffeine regularly does not appear to produce any net beneficial effects, based on the measures we examined."

Those looking to maintain alertness may find that vitamin supplements, especially for those who do not get enough in their daily diet, may help to alleviate some feelings of lethargy by enabling the body to better process nutrients.

By combining cognitive behavior therapy with meditation, the scientists were able to reduce the number of patients with major depression, considered those with severe bouts of the illness that can include suicidal thoughts.

The initial study compared the dual therapy to those who only received cognitive behavior therapy, where the number of suicidal thoughts did not decrease.

Professor Mark Williams is calling for more studies to substantiate the effect.
Scientists who study meditation have found it to provide some relief in a variety of situations.

Researchers from the University of Montreal found that zen meditation reduced feelings of pain in highly-trained practitioners, while compassion meditation was studied by Emory University scientists who found that it relieved stress among patients.

The mental disorder affects more than 5 percent of Americans over the age of 12, according to statistics from the National Institutes of Health, and 40 percent of those reported severe symptoms.

Produced naturally by the body in small amounts, melatonin is related to inducing sleep at night and wakefulness during the day.

Russel J. Reiter, a nutrition researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center, said eating cherries may be the best way to boost the body’s natural supply of melatonin.

"When eaten regularly, tart cherries may help regulate the body’s natural sleep cycle and increase sleep efficiency, including decreasing the time it takes to fall asleep," Reiter said. "And, because cherries are so rich in other antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, you get other important health benefits."

Melatonin could also be valuable for mitigating the effects of jet lag, new parents and late-shift workers who are thrown off their natural sleeping pattern. Other studies have shown that increasing melatonin can help with sleep-onset insomnia in adults with a melatonin deficiency.

In addition to melatonin, cherries contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anti-carcinogenic properties.

To combat the symptoms of chronic fatigue, Dr Jacob Teitelbaum has a protocol he calls SHINE, which stands for Sleep, Hormones, Infections, Nutritional supplements and Exercise, ConnectSavannah.com reports.

"Chronic fatigue results in poor sleep, hormonal problems, infections, nutritional deficiencies and chronic stress. The hypothalamus uses more energy for its size than any part of the body. Severe stress can cause it to blow a fuse," Teitelbaum told the news provider.

Patients who use nutritional supplements and get regular exercise may see "significant results" in approximately 10 weeks, the doctor added.

Teitelbaum also said the current state of the economy is most likely increasing people’s stress levels and that by getting at least nine hours of sleep each night will help the body "replenish energy and promote healing" as well as protect against infections.

The doctor is the author of two books: From Fatigued to Fantastic and Pain Free 1 –2 –3: A Proven Program for Eliminating Chronic Pain Now.

The husband and wife team of Dr George and Kristi Kelley studied the effects of weight training on cholesterol levels in adults. A total of 1,329 men and women of various ages participated in almost 30 studies.

Researchers found the group who lifted weights experienced a significant drop of three percent in total cholesterol, five percent in LDL, which is known as the bad cholesterol, and six percent in triglycerides.

There were no changes in the levels of HDL, or good cholesterol.
"[T]he decreases we observed in total cholesterol would be equivalent to a five percent decrease in the risk of heart disease," Dr George Kelley said.

Some 700,000 people die from heart disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People who can’t weight lift or have no desire to enter a gym may want to look into nutritional supplements. Some people have found fish oil supplements can lower their cholesterol level.

A UK doctor has warned men the stress they may feel from the recent downturn in the economy may affect their testosterone levels, Agence France-Presse reports.

Dr Richard Petty, a medical director at a London health clinic, said chronic stress could make the hormone levels in men drop, which may lower a man’s sexual function, circulation and muscle mass.

"Chronic stress occurs all too frequently due to our modern lifestyles, when everything from high-pressured jobs to unemployment keeps the body in a state of perceived threat," Petty told the news provider.

Low testosterone can also alter a man’s concentration, mood and memory. However, men’s ego may also be taking a hit from the economy as well. Multiple reports have stated men are being hit hardest in recent job losses when compared to women.

According to 14WFIE.com, men account for eight of 10 jobs lost. Just last month, approximately 598,000 more jobs were cut.

Men interested in reducing their stress levels may want to turn to nutritional supplements. St John’s Wort has been shown to be highly effective in battling stress and depression.

The Buffalo News spoke with Thomas P McNulty, president and CEO of the Mental Health Association of Erie County, who said the feelings of despair and stress is "the modern face of mental illness."

"It’s an entirely different emotional situation. The modern-day things we can face can turn into a severe emotional disturbance," McNulty said.

The winter weather in some areas may be a factor as well and could produce a feeling in people that "there is no end in sight," McNulty told the news provider.

"You may slip on the sidewalk, or sidewalks that aren’t cleared block your way. It just adds to the aggravations," McNutly said.

However, even with spring around the corner, the country’s financial situation may not do much to improve people’s mental state, especially with more reports of job losses.

Some people have turned to the herbal supplement St John’s Wort to treat depression, anxiety and stress.

And although heart disease is considered by many to be a “man’s disease,” it really is no respecter of gender—it is the leading cause of death for both American men AND women. Scary? You bet it is!

But take heart! There are things you can do to protect your all-important organ. I’ve mentioned to you how to understand the risk factors for a heart attack—and how to zero in on the risks that you can do something about. And now we’re going to look at another way to determine your risk category for a heart disaster—getting your blood tested.

In order to do that, you need to visit your doctor regularly, depending of course, on your health status. Why? Because there are certain heart markers in your blood that can tell you if your arteries are already hardening.

If your doctor finds the following in your blood results, you should immediately take action to protect your heart and prevent a heart disaster:

• High fibrinogen—This could be an indication that your blood is clotting too much.
  High C-reactive protein—This is an indication that acute inflammation is occurring somewhere in your body—possibly inside your blood vessels.
• High glucose—This condition can cause a heart attack indirectly by the weakening of blood vessels, a familiar condition of a long-term case of diabetes.
• High insulin—This occurs with Type 2 diabetes.
• High iron—This is an indication of problems with your liver.
• High triglycerides—This condition is tied to high insulin levels and high sugar intake over time.
• Low testosterone—This is a sign that because of aging, youth hormones are decreasing.
• Metabolic syndrome—One in four people over age 30 are believed to already have this syndrome, which is mainly characterized by high insulin levels. Too much insulin causes “inflammation” in your blood and can initiate clotting in your arteries, including inside your heart and brain.

Now you can see there are many things going on inside your body that can affect your heart negatively. So I encourage you to see your doctor regularly and have your blood tested. This way you can get a heads-up on hidden problems that can put you at risk for a heart disaster.