A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that participants who took small daily doses of inorganic nitrates experienced an improvement in the function of their mitochondria, the organelles that provide energy for human cells.

This allowed them to use less oxygen with each breath while riding an exercise bicycle.

Nitrate has long been considered of little value to the human body. In large doses it is toxic, and it can be found as an oxidizer in airbag propellants, solid rocket fuel and fireworks. However, previous studies have suggested nitric oxide, a compound derived from nitrates, may help blood vessels dilate, which relieves high blood pressure.

Researchers noted that the amount of nitrate needed to produce the mitochondrial effect was no more than may be found in spinach, beets and certain other vegetables.

They concluded that eating spinach may not only help improve heart health but contribute to muscle function as well.

Spinach is also a rich source of iron, calcium, lutein and antioxidants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A study published in the British Medical Journal found that women who consumed nutrition bars that contained vitamins and the amino acid L-arginine were significantly less likely to develop preeclampsia, even though all participants were at high risk for the illness.

In all, around 13 percent of women consuming the bars developed the condition, compared to 30 percent of those who took no supplements.

Preeclampsia occurs when an expecting mother's blood pressure begins to rise around week 20 of her pregnancy. With this hypertension can come high levels of protein in the blood, weight gain, nausea and vomiting, the Mayo Clinic states.

Untreated, preeclampsia can endanger a fetus and lead to seizures, as well as to a condition known as HELLP syndrome, which causes destruction of the red blood cells, elevated liver proteins and low platelet levels.

The Mayo Clinic notes that poor diet can contribute to the illness. In the new study, researchers concluded that vitamin supplements may lower the likelihood of preeclampsia among high-risk mothers.

Research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine appears to confirm the notion that darker skin synthesizes during direct exposure to sunlight, as well as the hypothesis that vitamin D insufficiency may contribute to high blood pressure.

Scientists at the Universities of California, Davis, and Rochester determined that 61 percent of black adults fell in the lowest quintile of of vitamin D blood levels, compared to 11 percent of white Americans.

Conversely, while 25 percent of Caucasians were classified within the highest fifth of measured levels of the nutrient, just 2 percent of black adults fell in the same quintile.

The team concluded that it is especially important that individuals with darker skin, as well as those who get little sun exposure, ensure they get adequate dietary levels of vitamin D.

Since there are few readily available food sources of the nutrient, people who want to maintain a moderate blood pressure and a healthy body may consider looking into dietary supplements that contain vitamin D and other essential compounds.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that, among teens and young adults who regularly drink caffeinated beverages, males experience a greater rush from the chemical than females.

The team came to this conclusion after giving participants either 50, 100 or 200 milligrams of caffeinated liquid. By monitoring vital signs, scientists discovered that males experienced a greater increase in blood pressure and heart rate.

Researchers also found that heavy users of caffeine tended to consume more fat, protein and sugary snacks on a daily basis, compared to their non-caffeinated peers.

A previous study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology determined that caffeine does not even stimulate wakefulness. Instead, it simply suppresses the urge to sleep temporarily, the authors said.

Individuals who need a pick-me-up may consider purchasing products with ginseng instead, which has been used as an alternative medicine for thousands of years. Also, taking a daily vitamin supplement may keep the body healthy and promote increased alertness and attention. 

By examining 201 patients who were between 10- and 18-years-old, the researchers found that of the subjects with learning disabilities, 28 percent also had hypertension. Meanwhile, only about 9 percent of the participants who did not have high blood pressure had cognitive problems.

ADHD was the most common learning problem, as 20 percent of the children with hypertension also had impaired cognitive functioning compared to only 7 percent who did not have high blood pressure.

Overall, the scientists found that the children who suffered from hypertension were four times more likely to also have a learning disability. Marc Lande, the research's principal investigator, said that this discovery will hopefully "tease out the potential risk children with hypertension have for learning difficulties at a time when learning is so important."

Approximately 4.5 million children who are between the ages of 5 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During the four-year trial, researchers monitored more than 2,100 heart patients using medical equipment that locates plaque deposits found in major arteries. Also, the technology measures the fat surrounding the heart and coronary arteries.

The investigators discovered that individuals who showed no signs of cardiovascular disease, but had large deposits of fat around the heart, still suffered heart complications compared to participants in a control group. The results also showed that people with these fat deposits had an increased risk of narrow coronary arteries.

The authors of the study stated that "the measurement of pericardial fat from cardiac CT appears primed to ultimately become a routine complement to the information gained from plaque evaluation." They added that "this assessment could generate CT information regarding the activity of the atherosclerotic (plaque buildup) process, potentially adding meaningfully to clinical risk assessment."

The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease and it was the cause of more than 445,000 deaths in the United States in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Previous reports have found that an estimated 80 percent of all deaths among people with diabetes are caused by heart disease. Among the different types of these illnesses, cardiomyopathy—which leads to heart muscle damage—is the leading heart-related cause of deaths among diabetics.

During the recent trial, groups of rats with diabetes were either given a diet that contained garlic or corn oil. The researchers then observed the two animal groups to see which oil led to better prevention of cardiomyopathy.

The team of investigators discovered that because garlic oil contained a high amount of antioxidants, it reduced the risk of cardiovascular complications in the rats that consumed it as opposed to the animals that were fed corn oil.

The authors of the report concluded that "garlic oil possesses significant potential for protecting hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy."

Individuals who wish to find other natural alternatives to treating diabetes and protecting themselves against heart disease can benefit from eating grapes, according to a study conducted at the University of Michigan Health System. 

Recently, a new study from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute found that neighborhood barbers may play an important role in helping their African-American customers—many of whom are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease—take control of their blood pressure.

The study, which is scheduled to be published in the February 2011 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that significant public health benefits could be obtained if barbers offered blood pressure checks to men who come to get their haircuts.

Lead author Ronald G. Victor said that empowering barbers to become "healthcare extenders" may help in the fight against the condition, which is often described as "a silent killer," as sufferers do not often have recognizable symptoms.

The researcher believes that if this type of program was implemented at the 18,000 barbershops across the country, it would help avoid some 800 heart attacks, 550 strokes and 900 deaths every year. 

A paper printed in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that grapes are a natural source of reservatrol, a compound that scientists have already determined prevents cellular damage caused by free radicals in the body.

The paper's authors, an international team of cellular biologists and metabolic researchers, determined that reservatrol does something previously unexpected – stimulate the production of adiponectin, a human hormone that regulates fat absorption and weight control.

Reservatrol may be used not only to reduce the rate of aging, but to help dieters maintain a healthier weight, the team said.

Previous studies have shown that grapes' antioxidants naturally reduce the risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis, and may even alleviate some of the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of cholesterol- and fat-related risk factors that predispose those with the syndrome to heart disease.

Researchers concluded that reservatrol may be used to create new therapies for obesity and aging.

A team of biostatisticians at the University of Washington School of Medicine found that simply treating depression in those with certain chronic diseases may improve their symptoms and reduce the severity of their illnesses.

To study the effect, the researchers broke a group of medical patients into two groups, one receiving coaching on mental and physical health from registered nurses and the other receiving no coaching at all.

Those who received coaching experienced some relief from depression. They also noted improvements in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, hemoglobin counts, blood-glucose levels and quality of life.

The team concluded that healthcare professionals' management of patient depression may be able to reduce the severity of many chronic conditions like hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Nearly 27 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, three-quarters of whom also have hypertension, according to the American Diabetes Association.