The food you eat has a huge impact on your body’s long term performance.
Given this – and the fact that we’re basically on a slow decline to death from the moment we’re born – you’d think we’d care more about what goes into our mouths. Instead, we gorge ourselves on fast food and spend thousands of dollars on anti-aging “miracle” treatments that claim to undo the years of damaged we’ve inflicted on ourselves by ingesting things we can’t even pronounce.
There are plenty of foods, however, that can nourish you and help keep age-related demons like cancer, dementia and osteoporosis at bay. They’ll also whittle your waistline, which is something that study after study shows increases longevity and improves overall health.

Here is a list of eight foods you should add to your diet in order to add years to your life :

1. Garlic
Garlic is a nutritional superstar that adds a wealth of taste to dishes without adding excess calories. Allicin, which is responsible for garlic’s strong smell and biting flavor, is an extremely potent antioxidant, and research published by the National Academy of Sciences shows that eating garlic appears to boost the body’s natural supply of hydrogen sulfide, which is manufactured by the body as an antioxidant and means of transmitting cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase blood flow. Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama and author of a large-scale study on the health benefits of garlic, advises crushing garlic and letting it sit for 15 minutes before cooking it in order to trigger a reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in the plant.

2. Eggs
Experts used to believe egg yolks were extremely unhealthy, they’ve now revised their assertions to recognize the benefits of the nine essential amino acids and six grams of healthy protein contained in one egg. Eggs also contain lutein (helpful in the prevention of macular degeneration), zeaxanthin (similarly good for your eyes and possibly helpful in preventing cataracts), and choline (important in the regulation of the brain, nervous and cardiovascular systems); they’re also one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring Vitamin D. Note that lack of Vitamin D is the cause of many cancers, but especially of breast and prostrate cancer. You should also know that there is no real link between egg consumption and heart disease. The link between Hollandaise sauce and butt flab is well-documented, however, so please ease up on the Benedict.

3. Blueberries
According to a study conducted by Tufts University, the pigments, or anthocyanins, in blueberries appear to be an antidote to oxidative stress, one of the main components of the aging process. They also help your brain produce dopamine, which is critical to happiness, memory and coordination. Tufts researchers found that ½-cup of blueberries daily effectively reversed declining memory and loss of coordination in laboratory rats. Frozen blueberries make a great addition to protein shakes or yogurt, and fresh berries are delicious as an alternative to the sugary candy that will make you fat and probably kill you.

4. Leafy Greens
Spinach and kale – the stuff that made you gag when you were younger but also made Popeye strong enough to fight dudes three times his size – are full of antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds like sulforaphane, beta carotene, vitamin C, and fiber. Spinach is also loaded with folate, which was shown by an Australian study published by the Journal of Nutrition to dramatically improve short-term memory. Greens are a great thickener for soups and smoothies, but they’re also far more delicious than you remember when sautéed in olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. Broccoli
Another dark-green, antioxidant-rich veggie, broccoli is part of the Cruciferous family of plants that aids the body in fighting against toxins and many forms of cancer. Several nutritional experts believe that eating broccoli raw or steamed helps to preserve important enzymes that are lost in the cooking process, but any broccoli is good broccoli when it comes to its overall health benefits. Broccoli is also a plant source of calcium, which can help prevent osteoporosis later in life and aid in the body’s absorption of Vitamin D.

6. Salmon
You’ve probably heard by now that oily fish like salmon and tuna help to prevent heart disease by keeping arteries lubricated, but salmon is also an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which, according to omega-3 expert Stephen Cunane, Ph.D., are essential to brain development and health. In fact, Alzheimer’s rates in different countries are consistent with the amount of fish present in the average citizen’s diet. Omega-3’s are also known to aid in weight loss, improve mood and help soothe certain skin conditions. Be mindful of where your fish comes from, though: wild salmon get their adorable pink color from eating krill and shrimp, but farmed salmon are fed food coloring to achieve the same hue. Wild Atlantic Salmon is currently thought to be the safest salmon option.

7. Beets
Doug was right; beets really are nature’s candy. They’re surprisingly sweet, especially considering their low calorie content (approximately 22/beet), and they contain folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins. Preliminary research demonstrates that Betanin, an antioxidant found in the vegetable, could play a significant role in the prevention of heart disease by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Animal studies also show that eating beets significantly slows the growth of skin and lung cancers, so these babies are poised to become disease-fighting superstars in the not-so-distant future.

8. Flaxseed
Just like salmon, flaxseeds are chock-full of Omega-3 fatty acids (and happen to be one of the few plant sources of that provide the nutrient). Being plants, they also contain several phytoestrogens (as the name suggests, plant estrogen that mimics the healthful effects of estrogen in the body), one of which is lignin, now thought to improve cholesterol, as well as easily absorbed plant protein. Ground flaxseeds and flaxseed oil can be added to everything from oatmeal to pasta dishes in lieu of fattier and more expensive fish.

Even three years after finishing treatment for breast cancer, almost 50 percent of women report long-term pain, a new Danish study finds.

The research, published in the Nov. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, strengthens earlier findings, said study senior author Dr. Henrik Kehlet, a professor of perioperative therapy at Rigshospitalet at Copenhagen University. But this work indicates which women are most likely to experience persistent pain.

“Several previous scientific reports have shown a risk of chronic pain after breast cancer surgery,” said Kehlet. The strength of this study, he noted, is the large number of participants — more than 3,000 — and the evaluation of many types of treatments.
Kehlet’s team reviewed questionnaires filled out by 3,253 women who had undergone breast cancer treatment in Denmark between 2005 and 2006. Their treatments varied and included breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy and dissection of the lymph nodes.

The women were asked whether they experienced pain, in what areas of the body, how bad it was and how often they experienced it.
In all, 1,543 — 47 percent — reported pain in one or more areas. Of those, 52 percent reported severe or moderate pain.
Among those who had severe pain, 77 percent said they had it daily. For those who reported their pain as light, 36 percent had it every day. Pain was reported in the breast area, the armpit, the arm and the side of the body.
The research was funded by the Danish Cancer Society, Breast Friends and a private organization that funds science research, the Lundbeck Foundation.
Women under 40 were more than three times more likely to have chronic pain than older women, the researchers found. Those having radiation therapy were more likely to have pain than those who had chemotherapy. Dissection of the axillary (under arm) lymph node was associated with increased likelihood of pain compared to dissection of the sentinel lymph node (the first node to which the cancer is likely to spread).

Why does the pain linger?
“There are multiple mechanisms to explain the risk of chronic pain,” Kehlet said, “such as young age, risk of nerve damage during axillary dissection, radiation therapy or a general pain hyper-responsiveness in some patients.”
More research is needed on the pain mechanism in those who experience high levels of discomfort, he said. The focus for now should be on identifying patients at high risk for pain and providing preventive treatment and nerve-sparing treatment when possible.

The results do not surprise Dr. Robert H. Dworkin, a pain specialist and professor of anesthesiology, neurology, oncology and psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York, who has also published on lingering cancer pain.
But the findings may come as a surprise to oncologists and others who treat cancer patients, he said. “Women tend not to tell their surgeons about this continuing pain,” he said, citing clinical experience. Why? “They fear that the fact they are in pain might mean a recurrence, and they don’t want to deal with it,” he said. Or, “they don’t want to hurt the oncologist’s feelings.”
A third reason is “they don’t want to distract the physician from thinking about the cancer,” he said.
Even pain specialists can’t say for sure why the pain lingers. “We have little understanding of what causes this kind of pain,” Dworkin said.
A woman in pain after breast cancer treatment “should not be shy in talking to her physician about it,” Dworkin said. He advises such women to ask for a referral to a pain specialist.

If you know someone who is at risk for a stroke you will want to make sure that you understand exactly what a stroke is.

It is very important that you recognize all of the warning signs of a stroke.

You will see that many of the symptoms will occur quickly so you will want to call 999 in the UK [or 911 if you're US based] or get your loved one to the hospital as quickly as possible. Even thought some of the people who have the symptoms are not just having a stroke. It is important to recognize all of the symptoms, but you should also try to act quickly so that you can minimize the damage.

Symptoms of a stroke
1. You will want to get immediate attention if there is a sudden numbness in the face, arm and leg. It can occur on both sides of the body or it may just be one side. It all depends what affects the brain. There are times when the body is only affected on one side of the body.

2. You will also notice that the person will struggle with their speech and may have difficulty understanding others.

3. Also, you will see things like confusion, dizziness, tiredness, and loss of coordination as a sign too.

You will want to get emergency care immediately so that your friend can have a better chance of getting through without damage.

That’s what it is very important that you take the time to write down all valuable information and leave it next to a phone.

Make sure you have all the numbers that you could possibly ever need to help you for emergency problems.

You may also want to carry a cell phone with the same information in your pocket, purse, or wallet for any occasion that you might be out and need to get emergency help.

Every stroke will and should be treated as an emergency. It is very important you think about getting help as if you new someone was taking a heart attack.

You will also find that timing is very important. Early treatment can help you save your friend’s life.

You will want to make sure that get treated within three hours of showing signs. You will be given medications to dissolve blood clots and you will also find that your doctor or the hospital will try to do all that they can to minimize the damage.

Time for recovery
After a stroke you will need to give the person some time for rehabilitation. They may need to take several months off and lean the basics all over again. Most people are unable to do things like walking, talking, or even associating with those that they love. Sometimes it is best that you spend as much time with a person who has had a stroke so that they know that they loved and make a good recovery.

Diet and exercise can keep diabetes at bay for a decade, cutting the risk for the disease by more than a third in the most susceptible people, a new US study finds.
In the UK one person is diagnosed with diabetes every three minutes and three people die from its complications every hour.
Most people have type 2 diabetes, which is linked to poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. In addition, a lot of adults have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, which raise the risk of a heart attack or stroke and the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
But new research, published in the Oct. 29 online edition of The Lancet, shows that losing weight and exercising can delay or prevent the onset of diabetes more effectively than the prescription drug metformin or a placebo.

“Interventions that result in weight loss lower the risk of diabetes, and that lower risk appears to persist for a long period of time,” said study author Dr. William C. Knowler of the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

For people who are at high risk of getting diabetes, losing weight “is clearly to be recommended,” he said. In addition, using a drug like metformin may also benefit people unable to lose weight through exercise and diet alone, he said.

About the study
For the diabetes prevention study, 3,234 overweight or obese adults with elevated blood sugar levels were randomly assigned to either lifestyle changes or metformin to control their blood sugar, or a placebo.
After 10 years, 2,766 remained in the trial, and those taking metformin saw an 18 percent reduction in their rate of developing diabetes, compared with those on placebo.

But those who had made lifestyle changes — reducing caloric and fat intake and exercising at least 150 minutes a week — reduced their risk of getting diabetes by 34 percent compared with those on placebo, the researchers found.

In the first year of the trial, people in the lifestyle group lost an average of 15 pounds, regaining all but about five pounds over 10 years. People on metformin maintained a five-pound weight loss, and those on placebo lost less than two pounds over 10 years, the researchers note.

Over 10 years, after all the participants made lifestyle changes, the yearly diabetes incidence rates for the drug and placebo groups had dropped to about 5 to 6 percent, the same rate as the lifestyle group.

“Lifestyle intervention, even when provided later, also seemed to lower diabetes incidence rate,” Knowler said.

Loosing weight is difficult
But losing weight is difficult, and simply telling someone to slim down won’t work, he acknowledges.
“To make things like this happen on a large scale, we have to do more than simply tell people to lose weight,” he said. People need access to weight loss clinics that can teach them about diet and exercise, he added.
Dr. Anoop Misra, director of the department of diabetes and metabolic diseases at Fortis Hospitals in India, and author of an accompanying journal editorial, said that “prevention of diabetes is important to curb epidemic of diabetes globally. Diet and exercise remain the most important modalities to prevent diabetes, and any drugs are less important.”

Targeting groups at risk
At-risk groups of diabetes need to be identified, especially certain ethnic groups, and taught proper lifestyle management strategies, Misra said. “Young adults with family history of diabetes should be carefully managed along the same lines,” he said.
Diabetes prevention makes economic sense as well, by decreasing costly, lifelong expenditures on management of the disease and its complications, Misra said.
All nations, particularly developing countries, seeing a rapid rise in diabetes should devise or strengthen a national diabetes-control program to help curb the epidemic, he said.
“In particular, regulations should apply for advertisement and sale of energy-dense junk food to children, and regular physical activity should be encouraged starting at a young age. Spreading awareness about proper lifestyle and adverse consequences of obesity and diabetes should be at the top of health agenda of all nations,” Misra said.

Getting results
Regarding the study findings, other experts are optimistic. Dr. Ronald Goldberg, a professor of medicine at the Diabetes Research Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, whose institution participated in the study, said that “seeing quite significant effects lasting this long really bodes well for the utility of these interventions for diabetes prevention.”
Cutting calories and increasing physical activity clearly slow the progression to diabetes, Goldberg said. “Lifestyle works, and every effort needs to be made to begin and maintain a lifestyle program in the long-term.”