Over the course of seven years, blood samples were taken from a total of 271 individuals aged 65 to 79 years who showed no signs of memory complications at the start of the study.

The researchers monitored the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is linked to vitamin B12, and holotranscobalamin, an active nutrient found in the vitamin, in each sample. The team followed the concentration of this amino acid because unhealthy levels can lead to brain complications and stroke.

The results showed that unhealthy levels of homocysteine increased one's risk of Alzheimer's disease by 16 percent, but also found the active form of vitamin B12 slowed the brain's aging process by 2 percent.

According to researchers, these findings "show the need for further research on the role of vitamin B12 as a marker for identifying people who are at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease." They added that "low levels of vitamin B12 are surprisingly common in the elderly, however, the few studies that have investigated the usefulness of vitamin B12 supplements to reduce the risk of memory loss have had mixed results."

Individuals who are interested in increasing their vitamin B12 intake can benefit from eating eggs, fish, poultry and shellfish. 

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research found that those who ate more than three servings of seafood per week had a 16 percent lower chance of stroke than those in the bottom quintile, who ate less than one serving per week.

The study kept track of approximately 35,000 women between the ages of 49 and 83.

Its authors recommended that individuals looking to avoid strokes choose fish that contain particularly high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which previous research has associated with better cardiovascular health.

They also estimated that eating three or more servings of fish each week has roughly the equivalent medical value of prescription statins, which are drugs used to lower cholesterol.

Besides improving cerebral health, eating plenty of fish may contribute to weight loss and a healthy physique.

Another study published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association associated significant fish consumption with longer lifespan.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid that is found in fish oils. Nicolas Bazan, the study's lead investigator, said that the research shows the "significant impact of omega-3 essential fatty acids on stroke."

For the study, the scientists administered DHA to patients after the onset of stroke. As a result, the DHA reduced inflammation and also helped the subjects' neurobehavioral recovery.

The researchers noted that the DHA saved brain tissue that would have otherwise been damaged by stroke.

Bazan said that while there is no definitive cure for stroke, this research brings hope that DHA may help to someday combat this problem "and other debilitating neurodegenerative disease."

Each year, about 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke and approximately 85 percent are ischemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When an ischemic stroke occurs, it causes damage to the tissue at the site of where blood flow to the brain was blocked. As a result, everyday skills may be lost, including how to eat and knowing how to get dressed. 

Over the course of four weeks, a total of 45 healthy people who were considered overweight ate foods enriched with anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as antioxidants, fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. Researchers designed the dietary regimen to prevent low-grade inflammation, which causes cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

The results showed that a person's bad cholesterol intake was reduced by 33 percent as well as the development of blood clots by 26 percent, blood lipids by 14 percent and high blood pressure by 8 percent. Furthermore, preventing inflammation slowed the brain's aging process, which protected against memory loss and cognitive degeneration.

"Drug or specific products with health claims affect only one or maybe a couple of risk factors," said Inger Björck, lead author of the research. She added that "by a combination of food you can in a simple and striking way affect many risk parameters simultaneously."

In the U.S., heart disease is the leading cause of death, followed by 6th-ranking Alzheimer's disease and diabetes as the 7th cause, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

For this trial, researchers took blood samples and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of more than 3,600 people aged 45 to 84 years, which included postmenopausal women. The blood samples were used to measure each individual's sex hormone levels, and the MRIs allowed the team to examine the heart structure of each participant.

The results showed that only women undergoing hormone therapy with high estrogen levels had higher RV ejection fraction and lower RV end-systolic volume, which both contribute to the heart's efficiency to pump blood. Also, higher testosterone levels in men and an increased amount of DHEA, a compound that improved blood pressure in animals, in women not receiving hormone treatments caused larger RV mass and higher volumes.

Corey E. Ventetulo, lead author of the study, stated that this study shows "differences in RV structure that go beyond the sexes and may depend on specific hormone levels." He concluded that fiurther research will be needed to determine "whether the increased RV mass seen with higher hormone levels is helpful or harmful."

In 2008, a total of approximately 23 percent of women who used hormone treatments for menopause used oral medications, the North American Menopause Society reports.

Recently, a team of researchers analyzed the results of 24 different trials, and of the studies, 21 included participants who reported positive results when taking the supplements. Furthermore, these individuals didn't experience any serious side effects.

The investigators concluded that the capsules that were most effective against these health problems contained passion flower or kava extract as well as L-lysine and L-arginine, which are both amino acids. While the supplements alleviated some anxiety symptoms, the team suggests that further studies will be needed to determine the proper daily dosage, and the most effective amount against each disorder.

"Our review and summary of the literature on herbal remedies and dietary supplements for anxiety should aid mental health practitioners in advising their patients and provide insight for future research in this field," Shaheen Lakhan, co-author of the research.

In 2006, an estimated 11.3 percent of people in the U.S. were diagnosed with anxiety disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During a recent study, a team of researchers from the University of Miami observed the likelihood of strokes in 1,509 people who developed insulin resistance, a symptom of diabetes. During a series of follow-ups, a total of 46 participants suffered from fatal or non-fatal strokes, 45 people had fatal or non-fatal heart attacks and 121 died of vascular complications.

The researchers discovered that individuals with the most resistance to insulin were 45 percent more likely to suffer from a vascular event, but it was not connected to a heart attack or related death causes.

"There are several possible reasons for the stronger effect of insulin resistance on the risk of ischemic stroke," the authors wrote. They added that "individuals with a history of heart attack were excluded from this study, or because factors associated with insulin resistance – including high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels and low 'good' cholesterol levels."

According to the American Heart Association, the rate of stroke-related deaths in the U.S. has declined by nearly 34 percent from 1995 to 2005.

In an effort to determine how anxiety may affect people with heart problems, investigators examined more than 1,000 patients who had been diagnosed with coronary heart disease. The team conducted a series of tests on the participants, took both blood and urine samples, and interviewed each individual.

Following approximately six years of follow-ups, 371 of the patients suffered some form of cardiovascular complications. Of the people who developed the health problems, 9.6 percent had anxiety disorders, while 6.6 percent were free of these psychological problems.

Also, the team discovered that patients with the disorders were 74 percent more likely to suffer a stroke, heart attack, heart failure and death.

The authors of the study concluded that "generalized anxiety disorder may be considered a prognostic factor in patients with coronary heart disease and could be used in risk stratification." They added that "evaluation and treatment of anxiety may also be considered as part of the comprehensive management of patients with coronary heart disease."

In addition to monitoring anxiety disorders, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that coronary heart disease patients lower both their cholesterol and blood pressure levels in order to avoid further cardiovascular complications.

Using breast cancer tumors in an animal model, a team of researchers observed how commonly used estrogens and progestins affected the body. Because their ovaries become inactive, women take these supplements in order to replace the hormones no longer being created.

The results showed that all types of progestin used during the study increased the risk of breast cancer, and the use of estrogen and progestin together or alone would still have the same medical effects. The researchers also concluded that women who have family history of breast cancer should avoid taking progestin supplements.

The team hopes further research will lead to the development of a progestin that wouldn’t cause an increased risk of breast cancer, but still protect the uterus.

"Progestins increase the number of blood vessels that are responsible for transporting existing cancer cells," said Salman Hyder, a biomedical sciences professor at the College of Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. He added that "the more the blood vessels increase, the higher the chance of cancer cells metastasizing."

A total of 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 patients died from the disease in 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

In an effort to encourage Americans to use less salt, researchers are conducting studies to determine if physiological elements contribute to how much salt a person consumes.

A team of investigators enrolled 87 participants into a two-week trial and had them eat different types of salty foods, including broth, chips and pretzels. Individuals were selected from a group of people who didn’t watch what they ate or weren’t smokers.

After consuming each food, the participants ranked it based on the amount of salt they tasted.

Researchers found that individuals who ranked foods the saltiest were categorized as supertasters, who were described as people who may have a gene variation that allowed them to taste flavors at a more intense level. Because these individuals can taste more bitterness in certain foods, the results of the study also showed that these participants used more salt than other people.

These new findings could prove beneficial to physicians when discussing salt intake with their patients. High salt consumption has been proven to lead to several heart-related health complications.

In 2006, an estimated 81.1 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with at least one type of cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association reports.