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).

This is because the fruit is a high source of antioxidants, or nutrients that remove free radicals from the body. And free radicals can lead to several health complications, including cardiovascular problems.

Over the course of 20 weeks, researchers observed the effects of a blueberry-enriched diet on mice with atherosclerotic lesions. The team then compared these animals with a control group, which also suffered from the same artery damage.

As a result of eating the blueberry diet, lesions on two aortic arteries were 39 and 58 percent smaller than those found on the same arteries of the control group. The researchers also found that both groups of mice had an apolipoprotein-E deficiency, which is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.

The investigators concluded that these findings may contribute to developing future treatments for atherosclerosis. Also, the team hopes that blueberry consumption may be used during trials specializing in artery health among newborns, adolescents and teenagers.

In addition to eating blueberries, a study conducted at the Temple University School of Medicine found that consuming brown rice can improve cardiovascular health.

While previous studies have shown that insulin resistance can affect the liver, muscles and fat, a team of researchers used mice to see how the disorder affects the arteries. Using animals that were prone to atherosclerosis, a condition that causes fat to build up on the artery walls, the team found that these animals would become sicker if their artery linings couldn’t absorb insulin.

The researchers discovered that the mice that suffered from insulin resistance experienced hardening of their arteries. Also, the study showed that mice diagnosed with atherosclerosis had a higher risk of suffering from heart disease and stroke—which are both complications that are prevalent among diabetes patients.

The team concluded that this study helps scientists better understand insulin resistance.

In 2007, approximately 23.6 million people in the United States were diagnosed with diabetes, with more than 5.7 million cases yet to be diagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

During a recent study, researchers had a total of 70 patients in a hypertension clinic take either supplements containing antioxidants or a placebo over the course of six months. At the beginning of the trial and at the three- and six-month marker, the team conducted several cardiovascular tests on each participant.

The results of the trial showed that individuals who had been given the antioxidant capsule had more elastic arteries, which is a sign of improved heart health. Also, the investigators discovered that these patients had better blood sugar and cholesterol levels than those who took the placebo.

Reuven Zimlichman, lead author of the study, stated that "antioxidant supplementation significantly increased large and small artery elasticity in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors." He added that "this beneficial vascular effect was associated with an improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism as well as significant decrease in blood pressure."

In addition to antioxidants, increasing one’s intake of vitamin B can also lead to improved cardiovascular health, as a report published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart showed that vitamin B-6 and folate can reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease in women.

The AR has been found to be the central area that maintains testosterone levels and can also greatly affect several other organs.

For this trial, a team of researchers used a mouse model and introduced the animal to the hepatitis B virus, which has been proven to lead to liver cancer. Using an experimental drug called ASC-J9, the researchers were able to suppress the AR, which prevented the mouse from developing the disease.

The researchers concluded that while the trial was successful, it may only be able to help patients who are in the early stages of liver cancer.

According to the paper, "it will be interesting to see if targeting AR at different stages or in different liver cancer cell types may also lead to differential effects during the progression of cancer."

In 2009, more than 16,000 men were diagnosed with liver cancer, and approximately 18,160 patients died from the disease, according the American Cancer Society.

Some of the most common effects of a vitamin A deficiency include blindness in children, and an increase in the risk of child mortality.

A team of researchers conducted follow-up appointments with the children aged 9 to 13 years of mothers who were randomly given a vitamin A supplement during pregnancy. The study showed that the those whose mothers had received the supplement had a stronger forced expiatory volume and improved force vital capacity, resulting in stronger lungs.

"Children of mothers who received vitamin A supplementation before, during and after pregnancy had significantly improved lung function when compared to those whose mothers received beta-carotene supplementation or placebo," said William Checkley, an assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health..

Pregnant women may want to increase their vitamin A intake by adding several foods to their diet, including carrots, mango, spinach, papaya and fat-free milk products, according to a report from the Department of Human Nutrition at Ohio State University.

A team of researchers led by Catherine L. Davis, a clinical health psychologist at the Georgia Prevention Institute, measured the body mass index in a group of children. Those who had a greater index were more likely to develop stiff central arteries than those in the same age group who were considered leaner and healthier.

In addition, the team conducted a second study that enrolled children aged 8 to 11 years, and had half of the group play jump rope and basketball everyday after school. The other group was asked to do sedentary activities, such as board games or crafts. Through this study, the researchers hope to better understand how physical activity effects preventing atherosclerosis.

Davis said that atherosclerosis is "essentially another aspect of the metabolic imbalance these children are experiencing when they’re overweight and inactive."

It’s estimated that 17 percent of people aged 2-19 are considered obese, according to the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, which is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that patients who had a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids had a lower rate of telomere length, which is a chromosomal marker of biological aging.

Researchers studied 608 patients who suffered from coronary heart disease, which is caused by clogged arteries. They noted that patients who had a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids in their bloodstream had a 32 percent reduction in the chance of telomere shortening, which is a good sign for living longer.

"These findings raise the possibility that omega-3 fatty acids may protect against cellular aging in patients with coronary heart disease," stated the researchers.

Previous studies have shown several health benefits that omega-3 fatty acids can have for coronary heart disease patients, but scientists have never looked into how the nutrient affects cell life.

According to scientists from the US Agricultural Research Services, people should begin eating healthier in order to prevent inflammation and clogging of the arteries, which can potentially be fatal if not treated.

The researchers found that consumption of oats may decrease the risk of developing inflammation in the arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis. Eating healthy can potentially invoke cytokines, which serve as protectors of cells and help repair tissue.

However, there is a potential danger to cytokines, as some may create inflammation while trying to prevent infection. Adapting to a healthier diet like an alkaline may help decrease the pain and damage of inflammation.

The researchers also discovered that oats might also play a role in lowering cholesterol levels naturally. Fatty foods can often result in higher levels, which could bring many health complications and obesity.

Until recently, it was believed that those with type 2 diabetes and heart disease had a very grim prognosis, but now some physicians feel that patients can continue to have a long life if they make lifestyle changes.

According to research found in the journal Circulation, 2,368 individuals with diabetes and coronary artery disease were followed for five years, where their doctors would advise them with intensive medical therapy, supply them with medication and promote lifestyle choices.

It was found that those who followed these methods had the same survival rate as those who had an angioplasty procedure, which is when a balloon instrument clears artery blockage. Only 5 percent of patients who had either the intensive medical therapy or the angioplasty died over the course of five years.

"Our primary goal always is to prevent heart attacks from occurring," said study head Dr. Bernard Chaitman. However, our research found that angioplasty is not always necessary in preventing a heart attack or cardiac-related death just because a blocked artery is present."