Zoomer Report

Are you a foodie? It means you’re passionate about food and love trying new dishes. Many people think those of us who fit this description are indulgent and gluttonous, let along pretentious. But a study from the famous Cornell Food and Brand Lab suggests the opposite: Foodies weigh less and could be in better health than the less discerning among us. The researchers asked 500 women about their we...

Here’s another reason to hate excessive noise. According to Swedish researchers. Exposure to noise from traffic, trains, planes and maybe even deafening restaurants could be linked to a burgeoning belly. The study in Occupational & Environmental Medicine followed 5000 people around Stockholm for four years. It found that women had a 0.08-inch increase in waist size for every additional 5 decibels...

Here’s something unexpected to look forward to when your marriage hits the 50 year milestone. For many, if not most couples who have been together for a long time, things can get a little dull in the bedroom. Now a study says that after around 50 years of marriage, your sex life could pick up again thanks to a renewed sense of trust and commitment. Researchers at Louisiana State university analyze...

Here’s another reason to make sure you eat lots of fibre. If you do, you might be less likely to die prematurely from a range of illnesses -- including heart disease, cancer, and infection, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. We already know that fibre promotes weight loss, lowers cholesterol, and protects against heart disease. This work suggests that it has broader health...

There’s dramatic evidence that a cocktail of vitamins may slow memory loss. Scientists from Oxford University say daily tablets of large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems and may slow their progression toward dementia. They came to that conclusion after a two-year clinical trial - the largest to date - into the effect of B vitamins on...

Get a good education. Get married. Don’t gain weight. These are some of the keys to long life for Zoomer men, according to a US study. In fact, nine factors in all were identified as good predictors of which 50-plus men would live healthily into their 80s and beyond, according to a 40-year study of nearly 6,000 Japanese-American men living in Hawaii. The study, in the Journal of the American Medic...

It’s something we’ve always suspected - that attractive people have an advantage when it comes to finding a job. A new study suggests that while handsome men do better while looking for work, good looks can end up hurting a woman’s chances of scoring a job interview. Israeli researchers came to that conclusion by sending more than 5,000 resumes in pairs for half as many job openings. In each pair,...

LADIES, if you’ve ever thought that having a younger husband would give you a boost, think again: New research from Denmark shows that boy toys can be bad for your health. Researchers have long thought that younger spouses were better for both men and women. But new data gleaned from 2 million couples destroy that theory. Younger wives are better for men’s health, but younger husbands can be deadl...

What’s the tone of your conversations? Surprisingly it makes a difference in whether or not they will provide you with mental benefits. A study finds friendly discussions with other people can help you solve common life challenges, but conversations that are competitive in tone aren't helpful. Researchers from the University of Michigan found engaging in a short, 10-minute conversation in which pa...

Here’s some news about a natural pain-killer – and it’s not exactly something a doctor can prescribe. Researchers say falling in love can act as a potent painkiller because love stimulates the brain's reward pathway, much like the rush of an addictive drug. It’s probably because the euphoric phase of a fresh romance has been linked to brain regions rich in the chemical dopamine. Study participants...

It’s no surprise. A healthy lifestyle will help look good as well as feel good! Living well is not only good for your health ... researchers studied the aging differences in identical twins ... and found one part was genetics, but the visible signs of aging also depend on the health choices they made. Here's a list of the top five aging mistakes ... and what you can do to fix them. "Yo-yo dieting"...

Here’s some good news about getting older. A new survey suggests aging may actually help us take it easier and be happier. On average, people reported being less worried after the age of 50, and less stressed and angry in the years after their 20s. People in their 70s and 80s had the fewest negative emotions. That was the case even though they were dealing with more medical problems and the deaths...

We all know that it’s a good idea to cut back on red meat. Now a new study finds the kind of meat you eat makes a big difference. The research published in the journal Circulation shows eating processed red meat -- such as hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and cold cuts -- is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. But the study shows no such link for unprocessed red meat. Eating one se...

They say a smile can brighten the darkest day. Now researchers think it can also extend your days. A study in the journal Psychological Science examined a database of professional baseball players and found those who put on a happy face in their official photographs — ended up living longer than those who didn't smile. Those with broad smiles lived an average of five years longer than players who...

Here’s a way to improve your health while you’re having a lot of fun. Researchers reviewed several decades' worth of studies on sex and health, for the Journal of Sexual Health. While the underlying reasons might be unclear, here's a list of health benefits that people who have frequent sex enjoy. 1. A longer life In a British study, men who had intercourse at least twice a week lived longer than...

Here’s some great news about one of our favourite foods. Research out of St. Michael’s Hospital says eating chocolate may have a positive impact on stroke. The analysis involved a review of three prior studies, and it suggests eating about a bar of chocolate a week can help cut the risk of stroke and lower the risk of death after a stroke. One study found that people who ate one serving of chocola...

Do you live near a nice patch of green? There is more evidence that being close to parks, woods, or other natural settings may improve your mental and physical health. A study out of the Netherlands finds that proximity to green spaces is associated with less depression, anxiety, and other health problems. The relationship was strongest for children and people with low incomes. Investigators in th...

It’s our most basic function and we have to do it to live. But according to Health.com you can use the way you breathe to fight anxiety, sleep better, and focus your attention. For instance, you may not notice, but in a stressful situation, the natural reaction is to take quick and shallow breaths, which actually increases your body's stress response. Experts say the fastest way to relieve anxiety...

It’s often a wrenching decision for Zoomers and their loved ones. When should an older driver stop getting behind the wheel? Now a study out of Columbia university finds that when that happens, people are more likely to feel depressed and to develop other health problems than their peers who remain on the road. The work analyzed 16 different studies and found giving up the car keys was linked to a...

Here’s some work that underscores the importance of the grandparent/grandchild relationship. A study published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry finds teens who form close, loving relationships with a grandparent have fewer behavioural and emotional problems than less-attached teens. The benefits to the young people were even greater when they were also close to the parent who was the gra...

It’s something I worried about every time I had surgery. What if the doctor was on call the night before and was fatigued by the time I had my operation? Now research that followed the outcomes in nearly 39,000 cases here in Ontario found that patients having elective surgery during the day fare no better or worse if the doctor operating has worked the night before. The work tracked similar patien...

Do you ever complain that your job is killing you? Turns out, it could be. According to a study from researchers at Harvard and Stanford, workplace stress could shorten your life by up to three years depending on your race, gender and educational level. The data show that people with less education are much more likely to end up in jobs with more unhealthy workplace practices that cut life span, a...

It’s practically an epidemic and it can really interfere with your life! Insomnia is notoriously difficult to deal with. But after reviewing a total of 20 studies, researchers say Non-drug talk therapy can help adults who lie awake in bed most nights. They came to the conclusion that instead of taking pills, insomniacs could benefit from techniques associated with cognitive behavior therapy. The e...

Do you want to get that healthy glow? The latest research finds that instead of going for a beach vacation, you should just eat more carrots, sweet potatoes and mangoes. A study in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour showed that eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables gives you a more healthy golden glow than the sun. It’s thanks to substances called carotenoids – the antioxidants respons...

Do you love listening to sad music, or do you hate it? Eminent music professor David Huron has a theory. And he’s using Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings to test it. He says people who enjoy sorrowful music are experiencing the consoling effects of prolactin, a hormone that is usually associated with pregnancy and lactation but that the body also releases when we’re sad or weeping. He figures peo...