Zoomer Report

Here’s important information for anyone who would like to quit smoking. Pumping iron may double the chance of the success, according to a study from Rhode Island. The researchers found that three months of pumping iron seemed to help curb cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, while lessening the weight gain that sometimes goes along with quitting. Overall, men and women who completed the res...

Have you made a New Year’s resolution? Eight out of 10 Canadians, have, at least at some point. And here’s how it usually goes, by the numbers: 75% hang in for the first week, only 64% are still at it by the end of a month, and 46% stick to it for six months. Complete success is even more elusive. Only 8% of resolution makers actually achieve their goals. So is the tradition of vowing to change on...

We’ve all heard that moderate drinking protects the heart. Now a major French study is challenging that notion. Researchers did find a link between a little imbibing and a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but they say it’s a coincidence – sort of. They say downing a glass or two of wine every day or its equivalent may not cause enhanced well being. More likely, it indicates an otherwise heal...

If you want to trim down, a live-in buddy helps a lot. And so does setting up your home to make the healthy choice the easy choice. A study out of the University of Connecticut divided 200 overweight and obese people into two groups. Participants in one group got a six-month behavioral weight-loss program that emphasized a low-fat, low-calorie diet and moderate-intensity physical activity. They me...

Here’s another way to take care of your health if you’re over 50. Cardiologists say everyone in this age group should be routinely tested for a narrowing of blood vessels to the legs that could put them at elevated risk for a heart attack or stroke. The condition is known as peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, and it can be dangerous. Signs of PAD may include leg pain during exercise and walking;...

Do you ever wish you were the boss? Well it has its health drawbacks according to a sociological study out of the University of Toronto. The paper says anger and carping directed at superiors may actually be making them less healthy than they should be. Researchers say the paradox is that there doesn't appear to be any health benefit for people who have authority. They expected that better incomes...

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Scientists from the University of Michigan say the answer may be in your genes. They've discovered optimism is directly related to levels of a molecule in your brain called neuropeptide Y or (NPY). So if you have low levels of NPY, you may be more likely to have depression than someone with high NPY levels. You may also be more prone to being negative and less l...

It can happen when they’re hanging Christmas lights or decorating the top of a tall tree. According to the BC-based organization, Community Against Preventable Injuries, men over 50 are more likely than any other demographic to suffer a preventable injury around the holidays. Have you ever heard the line, “I’ve done this a thousand time before”? Apparently it’s all that experience that makes Zoome...

This time of year, a lot of us fretting about what we eat. Well here’s some good news about holidays foods – foods we should think about adding to our diets all year round. According to the famed Cleveland Clinic, they pack a big nutritional punch with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that may help prevent disease. Sweet potatoes top the list. They a high amount of potassium, fiber, and beta-c...

The holidays can be stressful enough. And if a loved one has Alzheimers’ Disease, that can make things more difficult. Here are some tips for caregivers from Houston Methodist Hospital's Nantz National Alzheimer Center. Hospital experts say making minor adjustments to family traditions can make all the difference. They advise keeping your family member as involved as possible. Open cards together,...

We all know how hectic it can get preparing for the holiday. Here are The Ontario Kinesiology Association’s tips for healthy holiday shopping: Dress for comfort •Wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move easily so you can increase your stride and heart rate. •Consider shoes that have proper treads to reduce the risk of slipping on ice or wet floors and allow you to walk faster and more comfo...

If you are single, divorced, widowed, or recently separated, the holidays can be a difficult time. Here are 5 tips to having a happy holiday from psychologist and happiness expert Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo. Be with friends — old or new. Social support is a proven buffer to depression. So spend time with people you like. If all of your friends are with their families, make new ones. Look for people wh...

If you’d like to cut down on your holiday ecological footprint, here are some tips for a Green Christmas from Seventh Generation, a manufacturer of plant-based cleansers. Save time, conserve fuel, and prevent pollution by making just one or two big shopping trips instead of multiple small ones. You can also cut down by shopping online, which will also save time. Get a real tree. These days, almost...

If Christmas shopping in crowded, overheated malls makes you cranky and uncomfortable, there may be a very good reason for that. According to the New York Times, evidence suggests that the less comfortable you are during the holiday shopping spree, the more money you’ll spend. So stores crank up music, repeat the same songs, over and over again, pipe in smells, and confuse us with complicated offe...

Do you feel colder as you get older? I certainly do. Now there’s research that explains why. Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in California analyzed data from more than 18,000 patients, aged 20 through 98. This is the largest sample used in a body temperature study since the 1860s, when researchers determined that normal temperature is 98.6 degrees — though in fact, according to this w...

When you're in a public restroom, do you go for the paper towels or the air dryer after you wash your hands? To get your hands cleanest, choose the towels. A study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology put each drying method to the test and revealed that rubbing hands thoroughly dry with paper towels may give people the best chance of walking out of the restroom with germ-free mitts. The research...

More of us are shopping online than ever before – with two thirds of consumers making one to four online purchases in the last six months. And most said they were happy with the experience according to Statistics canada. Here are some tip to make sure you are too: Only shop at websites that have secure payment systems. Look for the padlock logo on the checkout page. Make sure you understand shippi...

Here’s an important finding about the importance of social contact and interacting with the outside world. Researchers at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem found that for older people, getting out of the house regularly may contribute to a longer life. They asked people in their 70s, 80s and 90s, how often they left the house and found that those who ventured out frequentl...

Do you have gum disease? It could be a warning sign of an increased risk of cancer. A study in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention links periodontal disease with increased risk of several types of cancer in older women, even in those who never smoked. Researchers followed more than 65,000 women, average age 68, for about eight years and found more than 7,000 cancers. Periodontal disease...

If you’re trying to lose weight, here’s some advice that may be counter-intuitive. There’s research showing that switching to diet pop might actually cause the opposite of the desired effect. Researchers at the University of Texas found that drinking diet soda was associated with an increased waist circumference. In fact, over the course of the study, people who consumed diet soft drinks experienc...

One of the keys to a better night’s sleep is connected to our reasons for getting out of bed in the morning. According to study from Northwestern Medicine and Rush University Medical Center Having a purpose in life makes people more likely to sleep better at night with less sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. The study is based on more than 800 older people aged 60 to 100 years old with an aver...

We already know that there’s a connection between slowed walking and mental decline, but now a study suggests why. And it also may hold clues about easier and cheaper ways to test. Researchers followed a group aged 70 to 79 for 14 years. Those who developed slowed walking during the follow-up also showed shrinkage of their right hippocampus, according to the study. That brain region that governs m...

Do you have lower back pain? Most of us can expect to experience it at some point in our lives. For many people, it’s chronic. Now a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, finds that a yoga class designed specifically for back pain can be as safe and effective as physical therapy in easing pain. The protocol was developed by researchers at Boston Medical Center with input from yoga teachers, do...

Which is healthier whole wheat bread or white? Most people think the answer is whole wheat. But researchers at the Weizmann institutewere surprised when they did a study comparing specially baked fresh artisanal sourdough with processed, packaged white bread. They found different people reacted differently - about half the people had a better response to the white, and the other half had a better...

If you like chocolate – and who doesn’t – here’s some good news: Eating chocolate has been linked to a lower risk of atrial fibrillation, the irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other forms of heart disease. A Danish study followed 55,000 people aged 50 to 64 for 14 years and found more than 3000 cases of atrial fibrillation. After accounting for things like smoking and...