What’s a secret to possibly preventing heart disease, diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease?

There are many effective strategies for reducing your risk, ranging from getting regular exercise and watching your diet to avoiding cigarettes and controlling your cholesterol.

But another measure has been emerging as a prevention powerhouse, one that is rarely discussed – and still frequently overlooked – by many health-conscious individuals.

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Step away from the couch. Put down that remote control.

Engaging in even a modest amount of exercise (just 74 minutes per week!) has been associated with a significant improvement in quality of life among middle-aged women, a new study shows.

It’s not exactly a secret that exercise has a myriad of health benefits. But what scientists found in a six-month study may surprise you.

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When the federal government released its snapshot of diabetes cases in the U.S. last October, the picture wasn’t pretty.

The incidence of new cases among adults had nearly doubled in just one decade. And the bulk of the newly diagnosed patients had type 2 diabetes, the form of the condition linked to obesity, genetic factors, and a sedentary lifestyle.

By all accounts, the statistics are alarming. Experts anticipate that 29 percent of American women and 25 percent of men will develop the disease in their lifetime. The new data suggests the diabetes epidemic is continuing, full speed ahead – and is nowhere near a peak.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

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It’s that time of year again. The time when we attempt to atone for an entire year of little exercise and lots of food – magnified during the holiday season – by going overboard with our New Year’s resolutions.

The desire or effort to lose weight is certainly not a bad thing. Obesity is a very serious health condition, often with genetic components, that afflicts an estimated 72 million Americans, putting them at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack and even some kinds of cancer.

Losing just 10 percent of your body weight can significantly lower your risk of developing these health-related complications.

But the way we go about slimming down is often short-sighted (not to mention ineffective), with far too many dieters feverishly working out at the gym only until the desire to shape up no longer grips them. An hour or two of exercise each day soon gives way to every other day, and then to not at all.

Not surprisingly, a majority of Americans who lose a substantial amount of weight go on to gain back at least half of it within two years.

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“It feels like a toothache in your leg,” says one woman.

“Creepy, crawly bugs,” says another.

“Almost like a really bad cramp,” adds a third.

They’re talking about restless legs syndrome, or RLS, a health condition which affects an estimated 8 million Americans – but manages to get very little attention or respect.

The New York Times, however, recently focused a spotlight on the rarely discussed condition, which has a strong genetic component. The Times prominently featured the stories of seven men and women who have been diagnosed with it on the Health section of its highly trafficked web site.

Among them: Dr. David Rye, a neurology professor at Emory University who has both studied the condition and suffered from it.

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From the way some people talk about alcohol, you might think it’s almost a cure-all, capable of preventing heart attacks and strokes while reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and macular degeneration.

Others, however, will tell you alcohol is bad for your body and brain, causing addiction, cirrhosis of the liver and abnormal heart rhythms while raising the risk of breast cancer.

So who is right? Well, both sides, actually.

A growing body of research suggests that, when consumed in moderation, alcohol can have many significant health benefits.

The evidence purporting that alcohol may be associated with a reduction in heart disease – or at least a reduction in deaths from heart disease – has garnered the most attention.

One recent study of former teetotalers found that those who took up drinking wine in middle age experienced a 38 percent reduction in heart attacks and stroke over four years.

“The findings suggest that, for carefully selected individuals, a ‘heart healthy diet’ may include limited alcohol consumption, even among individuals who have not included alcohol previously,” the study’s authors wrote.

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Are you going to be healthy in 2009? How you answer that question may actually influence how well you feel – and how long you live.

If you’re a “glass-is-half-full” kind of person, enjoying an optimistic outlook on life, you’re much more likely to have better physical and mental functioning than people who believe the glass is half empty, research suggests.

Regular exercise, a well-balanced diet and access to sound medical care are critical components of good health. But scientists also point to evidence of a mind-body connection, and say that, at the very least, being pessimistic doesn’t boost health.

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You’re unlikely to see a doctor prescribe a few Ben Stiller movies in lieu of a course of antibiotics. But there is some truth to the old adage “Laughter is the best medicine.”

Whether you prefer to chuckle, chortle, cackle or crack up, the end result is the same. Laughter relieves stress. It also boosts the immune system and reduces blood pressure. It may even help stave off heart disease and prevent a heart attack.

No joke.

In one intriguing study, University of Maryland Medical Center researchers determined that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh compared with people without heart disease. Those with heart problems often failed to recognize humor and were less likely to use it themselves.

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I can’t say the same for egg nog, fruit cake, sugar plums or figgy pudding, but if you indulge a bit this holiday season on dark chocolate, take heart.

Consuming a modest amount of dark chocolate – about one small square of it two or three times a week – is actually good for you, new research indicates.

Scientists had already determined that moderate amounts of dark chocolate have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.

But a new Italian study of thousands of men and women found that it also appears to markedly reduce levels of C-reactive protein – a measure of inflammation in the body that has been tied to heart disease.

“It is enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for one third in women and one fourth in men,” said lead researcher Dr. Romina di Giuseppe in a written statement. “It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome.”

Eating just a little bit of the bittersweet chocolate significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, researchers found.

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Is an ounce of prevention really worth a pound of cure? Or how about an extra year of life?

Cardiovascular experts believe so, calculating that if everyone with a risk factor for heart attack or stroke – 78 percent of the American adult population! – got serious about prevention, it would boost the average life expectancy by 1.3 years.

Researchers determined that if everyone took “to heart” the known preventive strategies for cardiovascular problems and made positive lifestyle changes, the incidence of heart attacks would decrease by 63 percent, while stroke would drop by 31 percent.

That is no small benefit. But unfortunately, it requires no small feat.

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The health community was energized in recent years when research hinted that basic vitamins might ward off prostate cancer. Prevention in a bottle? What could be better than that?

Well, lots of things, actually.

As it turns out, recent studies are finding that dietary supplements such as vitamin E and selenium won’t stave off the common cancer. One study of 300,000 men even found those who took more than seven multivitamins a week were more likely to develop an aggressive prostate cancer – and had twice the risk of dying from the disease.

Other recent research echoes these findings. A much anticipated large-scale federal trial of selenium and vitamin E supplements found they do not prevent prostate cancer, and could potentially be harmful. Researchers noted that men over age 50 who were taking vitamin E were slightly more likely to develop prostate cancer. And those who took selenium had higher rates of type 2 diabetes.

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Many women equate ultrasound screening with pregnancy, having undergone the painless procedure on their growing abdomen to get a precious first look at baby. But don’t be surprised if your doctor soon orders an ultrasound for something entirely different – the health of your breasts.

The same tool that so precisely monitors and measures a growing fetus – without exposing mother or child to radiation – is also being employed in the detection of breast cancer. New research shows that ultrasound picks up small tumors that mammograms sometimes miss.

Although mammograms are still considered the gold standard for breast cancer screening, ultrasounds are increasingly being recommended as an adjunct in women at high risk for the disease, with good reason. In one recent study of ultrasound screening on 2,809 women, doctors found cancer in 12 breasts that mammography had failed to detect. 

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“All natural sweetener.”

“Zero calories.”

Artificial sweeteners have been billed as the perfect alternative to sugar – a way for weight-conscious adults to have their cake and eat it, too. Yet more and more, a modicum of restraint is certainly advised when reaching for those packets of aspartame or sucralose.

While it’s true that sugar alternatives are much sweeter than table sugar, requiring smaller amounts to achieve the same level of sweetness, they won’t necessarily help you lose weight and keep it off. Simply taking the sugar out of a slab of chocolate cake doesn’t miraculously transform it into a low-calorie, high-nutrient food. At the end of the day, it’s still a slab of chocolate cake, with calories from flour, shortening, eggs, and other ingredients like nuts. So if you eat too much of it, your body will be the worse off from the encounter, regardless of which sweetener is used.

In fact, a growing body of evidence suggests that, when compared with sugar, no-calorie sweeteners may actually make it harder for people to control their body weight.

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If you’ve been blessed with genes that help you look good in your jeans, lucky you.

But you haven’t escaped the need to exercise.

Sure, being able to eat all you want without getting fat might seem like a blessing. Unlimited ice cream, limited time on the treadmill – what could sound better?  But studies clearly have shown that weight is not the best measurement of health. And if you’re physically inactive you aren’t doing yourself any favors, no matter what size you are.

Case in point: Recent research found that about one in four slim people had two cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels that are typically associated with obesity. Some of the obese people in the study, in fact, were in much better metabolic health than some who were considered to have “healthy” weights.

“We found that 23.5 percent of normal-weight adult Americans — or about 16.3 million people — are metabolically abnormal when it comes to heart-disease risk,” said Rachel Wildman, the study’s lead author, in a written statement.

I can’t say it enough: Skinny people need to exercise, too.

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Got rheumatoid arthritis? Get rid of your cigarettes. New research suggests that your aching joints will thank you for it.

For years, scientists have known that smoking increases a person’s risk for developing this inflammatory condition, which causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.

Studies also indicated that tobacco smoke increases the severity of the disease in those who have it.

Now comes the first solid evidence that kicking the habit may actually help arthritis sufferers control their disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients who stop smoking “may see an improvement in the number of joints that hurt them every day and in how they feel overall,” said Dr. Mark C. Fisher, leader of the new study in a written statement. The results were presented recently at the Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco.

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I call it the “nickel and dime” approach to losing weight. 

As anyone who has ever looked under their couch cushions for loose coins knows, small change can add up. And when it comes to losing weight, small changes can also make a big difference. In fact slow and steady is the best way to sustain weight loss.

Thing is, many dieters unsuccessfully attempt a major makeover of their eating habits, giving up all pleasurable foods or starving themselves to reduce their calorie intake – and their waistline. Those strategies, however, are generally not ones people are able to stick with for a long time. So more often than not, the diet ends and the weight slowly (or not so slowly) comes back on, and the health benefits gained from weight loss slip away.

My “radical” suggestion is to consider something not at all radical: Making small, simple changes for life. Not only are they the easiest to attempt, they are also often the most successful.

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As we pointed out in our blog a few weeks back, the Scripps Translational Science Institute has launched an ambitious 20-year study on how people respond to genetic test results, using the Navigenics service as a basis for the research.

Upon learning they are at increased genetic risk for conditions such as obesity, diabetes or cancer, do people start to exercise more and eat a little less? Are they more conscientious about going to the doctor at the first sign of trouble? Do they ignore the information entirely, refusing to kick their pack-a-day habit?

Previous smaller studies have found that genetic information holds promising motivational potential. Now, the Scripps study’s principal investigator, Dr. Eric J. Topol, plans to follow 10,000 adults to find out more.

He already has one very important set of results in hand—his own.

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If you’ve been looking for excuses to skip exercise, a predisposition to atrial fibrillation shouldn’t be one of them.

For years, the prevailing wisdom has been that exercise – at least vigorous endurance training – increases a person’s risk of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart beat linked to the formation of blood clots that can potentially cause a stroke.

By extension, many people feared the same might be true even for leisurely physical activity.

But new research has determined that being inactive may be just as bad. Scientists recently found that light to moderate exercise appears to actually prevent this health condition from occurring in older adults.

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There’s been much ado lately about bisphenol-A, a chemical used in the packaging of some foods and drinks – and found in the bodies of 93 percent of Americans.

While some scientists insist it is impossible to say that BPA is safe, others say there isn’t enough evidence yet to conclude that it’s unsafe.

Among the research studies raising eyebrows – and concerns that consumers may be better off avoiding the substance: a large study published in September, the first to link BPA to heart disease and type 2 diabetes in humans.

Researchers found that the 25 percent of the adult population with the highest BPA levels were more than twice as likely to have heart disease or diabetes as the 25 percent with the lowest BPA levels. High BPA levels were also linked to liver enzyme abnormalities.

“Our study has revealed, for the first time, an association between raised BPA loads and two common diseases in adults,” said David Melzer, one of the study’s authors, in a written statement. “At the moment we can’t be absolutely sure that BPA is the direct cause of the extra cases of heart disease and diabetes: if it is, some cases of these serious conditions could be prevented by reducing BPA exposure.”

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Hot flashes, a common and annoying rite of passage for many women entering menopause, may truly be something to sweat over.

Long seen as a nuisance, an unavoidable quality-of-life issue, hot flashes have been linked to insomnia, irritability and depressed mood, not to mention soaking bedsheets. But now there’s increasing evidence that hot flashes may have medical implications as well.

The habitual flushing and perspiration many women have come to dread may actually be a harbinger – a warning – of heart disease.

A series of studies has helped put some – but not all – of the pieces together on this puzzling physiological phenomenon.

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Sitting in my mailbox last week was a sign of the times.

No, it wasn’t a political brochure or a notice about homes for sale in my neighborhood. It was a scientific journal, tightly wrapped in plastic, attesting to the evolving importance of genetics in the delivery of medical care.

“Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics,” a journal of the American Heart Association, was launched this month to much fanfare, and has started arriving in the offices of physicians and the labs of researchers.

As the title suggests, the new publication will focus on the genetics of the cardiovascular system, exploring population genetics and biomarkers, pharmacogenetics, molecular genetics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and systems biology, among other pertinent topics.

In short, it delves into what those of us already firmly entrenched in the genetic testing industry have long known is the future of healthcare:  genomics and personalized medicine.

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Crohn’s disease isn’t something that usually comes up in cocktail party conversations.  It isn’t featured prominently in television shows or radio spots. Ask your average person what Crohn’s is, and they likely will be hard-pressed to give you the right answer.

But this chronic inflammatory bowel disease is featured on the Web site of the New York Times, putting a face – or faces, in this case – to this rarely discussed disorder. In this interactive feature, seven people ranging in age from 19 to 61 share their experiences with the condition that has been diagnosed in more than 300,000 Americans.

“It takes forever to get diagnosed with Crohn’s,” recounts Ryan Walsh Horowitz, 19, of Brooklyn. “They thought I was anemic. They thought I had leukemia – and a bunch of other things.”

That is not surprising, nor an isolated problem.

Crohn’s has long been overlooked or misdiagnosed in the general public. The most common symptoms are, well, common: diarrhea, constipation, gas, abdominal pain, bloating and loss of weight. So it’s easy to see why many other health conditions are often suspected first.

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Last month, a new study of a seemingly more user-friendly approach to colon cancer screening generated quite a buzz.

“Scans provide alternative to colonoscopies in spotting cancer,” read one headline. “Virtual colonoscopies ready for prime time” said another.

For anyone who could think of a thousand things they’d rather be doing than undergoing a traditional colonoscopy, it sounded like wonderful news. A federal study of CT colonography or “virtual colonoscopy” determined that the X-ray procedure was effective at detecting large cancers and precancerous growths in people with an average risk of colon cancer.

No general anesthesia? No need to take a day off from work? No problem! Those were no doubt the thoughts of many patients who are skittish about traditional colonoscopies – and the bowel preparation that accompanies them. Some experts expressed hopes that this vote of confidence in an alternative screening method which is less invasive and cumbersome would encourage more people to be checked for colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

Now, I am all for appropriate colon screening. But as a practicing physician for more than 30 years, I have strong feelings against this procedure, and here’s why:

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As far as vitamins go, the popular belief has been that B – or B12, specifically – is for brain. Memory, cognition and brain size have all appeared to benefit from the dietary supplement.

A new study suggests, however, that vitamin B12 doesn’t slow cognitive decline in patients already diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms did not improve in 202 patients put on high doses of the vitamin.

But don’t throw away your bottle of B vitamins just yet.

While the new study raises questions about the vitamin’s ability to treat Alzheimer’s disease, there is still a growing body of evidence indicating that it may be useful in preventing it. A number of clinical trials have determined that sufficient levels of vitamin B12 may be needed to keep the brain from shrinking and mental cognition from declining. So, it is more important than ever to make sure you’re getting enough of this nutrient.

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You might expect to read the “Eight Secrets to Weight Loss!” in a popular women’s magazine. But in a top medical journal? And based on a long-term scientific study of thousands of people who lost weight and kept it off for more than a year?

Both a scientific journal and a health conference held earlier this year highlighted the key characteristics of successful weight loss in the National Weight Control Registry, an ongoing study of more than 5,000 successful dieters. Brown University researcher Suzanne Phelan, who is involved in the study, noted that the people who lost at least 30 pounds – and kept them off for more than a year – tended to share certain success strategies. Anyone with some unwanted pounds to shed, she said, would be wise to learn from the “successful losers” in the research project.

“There is a general perception that almost no one succeeds in long-term maintenance of weight loss,” Phelan and a colleague wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “However, research has shown that [roughly] 20 percent of overweight individuals are successful at long-term weight loss when defined as losing at least 10 percent of initial body weight and maintaining the loss for at least one” year.

So how do they do it?

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Psoriasis is a dermatological condition that is more than skin deep.

This chronic skin disease, known for its silvery scales and itchy red patches, has been linked to a whole host of other health problems.

These include heart attack, type 2 diabetes, obesity and Crohn’s disease. Scientific evidence continues to mount that psoriasis is associated with other diseases, as well.

In some cases, the association is quite significant.

One study found that 20- to 30-year-olds with severe psoriasis had a 310 percent increased risk of having a heart attack compared with peers who didn’t have the skin disorder.

And the risks don’t stop there.

In a review this spring of recent research on the association between psoriasis and other ailments, the National Psoriasis Foundation warned that psoriasis patients are at heightened risk for many serious health conditions. The organization urged psoriasis patients to work with their physicians to come up with an appropriate prevention program, and to ensure they are continually monitored for the “potential onset of any health issues related to psoriasis.”

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“Feel the burn!” Jane Fonda used to exclaim to her aerobics disciples. “No pain, no gain.”

These were popular exercise mantras, embraced by many American fitness buffs. Yet these days, you won’t hear many health experts repeating them.

Exercise, obviously, is a good thing. But even if you aren’t a triathlete in training, you still have options.

Intense, painful exercise dragging on for hours at a time isn’t necessarily “better” than a more temperate approach.  In fact, engaging in just 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day has been associated with many significant health benefits, even when the 30 minutes are divided into several shorter workouts.

Given that many people are more likely to squeeze in exercise when it seems easier or less painful, “intermittent” exercise may be the best option for some folks.

What exactly is intermittent exercise?

Fitness experts have used the term somewhat loosely to describe several types of physical activity, namely interval workouts and short, separated bouts of exercise. The premise behind both is simple: Follow a brief period of exercise with a varying level or amount of rest.  And many researchers are beginning to sing its praises.

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Forget the fountain of youth. If you’re seeking longevity, put on your running shoes instead.

Regular, vigorous running has been found to lower mortality and reduce disability – giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “Run for your life.”

It has long been known that there are health benefits to jogging – and any other type of physical activity.

But a recent study out of the Stanford University School of Medicine determined that older runners who had been jogging for more than 20 years were half as likely as their non-running peers to die early deaths. They also had fewer disabilities and more active, healthy years in which to enjoy life.

“If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise,” said James Fries, the study’s lead author, in a written statement.

From the results, it isn’t hard to understand why.

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In one of the more famous public service announcements ever to hit American television, a man cracks open an egg, drops it into a hot frying pan and says “This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?” In another memorable segment, actress Rachael Leigh Cook smashes an egg – and the entire kitchen – with a skillet to illustrate what happens to the brain on heroin.

But what happens to the brain after many years of smoking? New research indicates the picture is no less disturbing. Smoking side effects go beyond the heart and the lungs; they go to the very core of your being—your mind.

In a study of more than 5,000 civil servants living in London, researchers determined that smoking is associated with an increased risk of poor memory. Smoking in middle age was linked not only to a significant memory deficit, but also to a decline in reasoning ability.

The concern, however, isn’t just that smokers might forget where they put their keys or glasses. The researchers noted that cognitive impairment is often a precursor to dementia.

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Going up?

If you regularly take the elevator instead of the stairs, your weight – and blood pressure and lipid levels– may be going up, too.

Sure, elevators and escalators may seem more convenient and time-efficient, especially when you’re cradling your laptop or a load of groceries in your hands. But health experts have long advised folks to make simple changes to sneak more exercise into their daily routine. And scientific research is beginning to suggest that there’s benefit in taking the stairs.

In fact, one British scientist who has studied the public’s use of stairs – or lack thereof—said the benefits might be far greater than you think.

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Are you at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease? It appears your nose may know.

In a growing body of research, an inability to identify common scents has been associated with the development of mild cognitive impairment – a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. Older adults who have difficulty identifying odors such as lemon or cinnamon are more likely to have problems with thinking, learning and memory, according to one such study by Chicago researchers.

That may sound a bit far-fetched. But scientists know that protein deposits called tangles begin to appear in a region of the brain responsible for smell before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease manifest themselves. An inability to identify some scents has been linked to other neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, and scientists are still attempting to understand why this is.

The findings are raising hopes that doctors may one day be able to administer a sort of “scratch ‘n sniff” test to gauge olfactory abilities as part of determining a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Here’s some news to sleep on. If you don’t snooze, you’ll lose – some health benefits, that is. And if you do snooze, you’ll lose – at least when it comes to weight.

Just what is all this sleep-talk about?

Scientific research continues to uncover evidence that sleep has many health benefits. It’s long been known that a proper night’s sleep can boost a person’s mood, but new studies indicate that it is good for the heart, brain, and waistline, too.

With Americans sleeping, on average, only about 6.5 hours per night (instead of the recommended eight), this might seem like a tough sell. But the good news is that power naps can help.

In one long-term study of more than 23,000 people, scientists found that midday napping, or siestas, reduced deaths from heart disease by about one-third. Even occasional nappers – those who napped fewer than three times per week – had a 12 percent reduction in coronary mortality.

The protective effect of naps was especially strong in working men, the researchers determined.

“Taking a nap could turn out to be an important weapon in the fight against coronary mortality,” Dimitrios Trichopoulos, the study’s lead author, told the Washington Post. “If you have an opportunity to take a nap, then, yes, do it. If you’re accustomed to taking a nap, then don’t give it up.”

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You have heard of the elderly. But how about the “wellderly”? The moniker is now being used to describe healthy seniors over the age of 80 who have been fortunate enough to live long – without any chronic diseases or the assistance of long-term medication.

What’s their secret? Scientists would like to know, too. In southern California, a group of researchers has launched the “Wellderly Study” to analyze the genes of some 1,000 healthy octogenarians, nonagenarians and centenarians. The researchers hope that by exploring the DNA of this long-lived group, they will have a better understanding of the genetics behind longevity and lifelong health.

For the Wellderly project, Scripps scientists will compare the DNA from healthy seniors with DNA taken from seniors who died from common diseases such as cancer, heart attack and stroke before they made it to 80. This second group has been dubbed the “Illderly.”

Many of the wellderly, the scientists note in the journal Nature, do have genes that should have made them susceptible to diseases – yet they’ve still managed to stay healthy.

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As a physician with many years in private practice, I’ve always valued tools that helped me care for my patients on an ongoing basis. Everyone’s health is prone to vary over time, so there is definite benefit to new science that highlights change.

That’s why a key aspect of the Navigenics genetic health service – ongoing updates – is so important. When Navigenics analyzes a person’s DNA, the findings don’t stop with that first genetic report. As new genetic research findings pass our rigorous scientific scrutiny, we bring our members additional information about their current conditions and new ones.

This process means that our members’ DNA results stay current with the latest and best genetic science.

This week, we’ve started providing our members their personal genetic insights into two additional conditions:

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With high gas prices already pinching you in the pocketbook, you might be cringing a bit when you see the cost of organic foods these days. A gallon of organic milk: $6.99. Small container of organic blueberries: $4.99. A single sweet potato: $1.69.

What price health?

But don’t let the dollar amounts deter you. When you eat organic foods, especially fruits and vegetables, you aren’t just doing a good turn for the environment. You are doing your body good, and possibly lowering your risk for health problems in the future, including conditions covered in the Navigenics genetic health service.

Many consumers have long wondered whether organics live up to their hype. More nutritious? Better for the waistline? Less toxic? I’ve looked at the science, and the answers are a resounding yes, yes and yes.

Here’s why.

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The Navigenics genetic testing service can be experienced one of two ways – through test results you order yourself, or through a test ordered for you by your doctor. While that second option clearly means more physician involvement from the start, it doesn’t change the need for your participation in the genetic process.

Your DNA is still just that—your DNA. To understand it thoroughly, your physician needs your input.

Even if your physician ordered your Navigenics Health Compass report for you and plans to explain your results, the very personal nature of DNA analysis means there are important steps you should take before your doctor’s visit. Your discussion with your physician will be more productive if you gather some personal information before your results review.

This preparation is somewhat different from the physician-related steps we recently recommended for Navigenics members who’ve ordered their own Health Compass reports.

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It might sound a bit absurd, totally contrary to everything you’ve ever been taught about proper nutrition. But, fruit may be a bad apple, at least in relatively large amounts.

Heresy, you say? Hardly.

The key word here is excess. Nutritional guidelines state that we all need several servings of fresh produce each day. But as with anything in life, there really can be too much of a good thing.

And in this case, the good or bad thing (depending on how you want to look at it) is fructose, the natural sugar that makes fruit sweet. Increasingly, scientific evidence shows that too much of it, whether consumed in large amounts of fruit or added to foods as a sweetener, can make us fat.

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An apple a day isn’t enough anymore. Now you also need to think fish or flaxseed in your diet to help keep the doctor away. That is why Navigenics has new recommendations to encourage our members to be sure they get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids aren’t snake oil, promising to cure all ills; rather, they are oils from fish or certain nuts and plants, and researchers have found strong evidence that they have many potential health benefits.

These polyunsaturated fatty acids are found primarily in fish and fish oils, but also in some plant-based oils, such as canola oil or flaxseed oil, and certain leafy green vegetables, including spinach, kale, broccoli and seaweed.  They are essential to human health, but cannot be made by the body. That is why it is so important for people to make sure they get sufficient amounts of them through diet or supplements—and to know how much they need.

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For anyone needing to lose weight (and who doesn’t these days?) comes welcome new research showing there is life – and weight loss—beyond the low-fat diet.

The popular Mediterranean diet is a safe and effective alternative to the low-fat plan often recommended by physicians, Israeli researchers determined in a two-year-long study published in July in the New England Journal of Medicine.

While people who stick with almost any diet lose weight, those on the Mediterranean diet lost a significant amount – almost 10 pounds, compared to about six pounds for those on a low-fat diet. And the Mediterranean diet, in particular, was praised by the scientists because it is high in fruits, vegetables and fiber, all of which are beneficial for health.  Previous research has shown it is good for the heart, and may even reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

What is a Mediterranean diet?

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Last month, I blogged about a concept getting more attention in weight and health – the size of your waist may be even more important than the number on the scale.  Now, two recent developments further highlight that point. 

In that last post, I talked about a powerful study from the Mayo Clinic on a phenomenon called “normal-weight obesity.” That research indicated that more than half of American adults not considered overweight by regular standards such as Body Mass Index actually had high body-fat percentages, especially in their midsection. Those with wider waists also had higher rates of heart and metabolic risk factors.

Recent news illustrates that more findings support that idea. After looking at the health records of more than 20,000 people, researchers at Ohio State University spotted similar problems.

People included in the study who were not considered formally overweight but had a “marginally increased” waist circumference were much more likely to have high blood pressure than those with slim midsections. The scientists determined that adults with “normal” weights but a wide waist have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. 

In other words, Americans need to get a handle on their love handles.

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Medical experts have long been aware that vitamin D has its benefits.  Known to prevent rickets and osteoporosis, it is added to the bulk of the U.S. milk supply to help the public maintain healthy bones.

An abundance of new research suggests that the valuable vitamin is much more important than once thought – and that many of us are not getting enough of it.

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The field of personalized medicine is filled with many players, each with its own approach.  Physicians considering the Navigenics genetic health service often ask me if we follow best practice guidelines set forth by leading professional societies. My answer is a clear “Yes.”

Leading medical genetics societies, such as the American College of Medical Genetics, the American Society of Human Genetics, and the National Society of Genetic Counselors, have laid out clear standards for the field of personal genetic services. These industry leaders usually describe our field as “direct-to-consumer” genetics, meaning that individuals may access these services themselves, rather than being required to seek a test through their doctor.  And these groups want to make sure individuals who turn to these services receive high-quality care.

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If you consider yourself fairly trim—perhaps a woman who is 5’7’’ and weighs about 135 to 140 pounds, or a man who measures an even 6 feet and weighs 170 pounds—you may think you don’t have to worry about your weight and your health. You may need to think again.

We’ve all been trained to assume that a lower BMI, or Body Mass Index, always equals better health. But recent research from the Mayo Clinic says what really matters is body fat, not weight or BMI. You may appear to be in pretty good shape, but form isn’t always an accurate indicator of body fat. And if you carry a relatively high percentage of body fat – more than 20 percent for men or 30 percent for women—you may still be at increased risk for serious health problems such as diabetes or heart disease. 

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