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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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