Benefits of volunteering | Statins and exercise | Mediterranean diet
Volunteering reduces risk of high blood pressure
Pittsburgh, PA - Older adults who volunteer for at least 200 hours per year reduce their risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) by 40 percent, new research from Carnegie Mellon University shows.
"Every day, we are learning more about how negative lifestyle factors like poor diet and lack of exercise increase hypertension risk," said Rodlescia S. Sneed, lead author. "Here, we wanted to determine if a positive lifestyle factor like volunteer work could actually reduce disease risk. 
And, the results give older adults an example of something that they can actively do to remain healthy and age successfully."
Researchers interviewed 1,164 adults ages 51-91 in 2006 and 2010. Those who reported at least 200 hours of volunteer work in the first interview were 40 percent less likely to develop hypertension than those who did not volunteer.
Cholesterol drug blocks exercise benefits
Columbia, MO - A generic type of statin (a cholesterol-lowering drug) blocked the benefits of exercise, according to University of Missouri researchers.
Scientists measured cardiorespiratory fitness in 37 sedentary, obese individuals and then put them on a 12-week exercise program; 18 of the people also took a statin drug each day. The fitness of the statin group increased only 1.5 percent versus a 10 percent increase in the non-statin group.
"Fitness has proven to be the most significant predictor of longevity and health because it protects people from a variety of chronic diseases," said lead researcher John Thyfault. "Daily physical activity is needed to maintain or improve fitness, and thus improve health outcomes. However, if patients start exercising and taking statins at the same time, it seems that statins block the ability of exercise to improve their fitness levels."
You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting with your healthcare provider.
Mediterranean diet reduces risk of heart attack and stroke
Barcelona, Spain - In a recent study, 7,447 people with heart disease risk factors were asked to eat either A) a Mediterranean diet high in olive oil, B) a Mediterranean diet mixed with nuts, or C) a low-fat diet. Those in the two Mediterranean diet groups were advised to eat three servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables a day, fish and legumes at least three times a week, and white meat instead of red. The olive oil group consumed four tablespoons of olive oil each day while the nut group ate a daily mixture of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts.
The Mediterranean diet, high in olive oil, reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke by 30 percent compared to a low-fat diet, say researchers from the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. A Mediterranean diet high in nuts lowered the risk by 28 percent.
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