Beauty Health for Life

Starting a milk drinking habit as a child can lead to lifelong benefits, even improving physical ability and balance in older age, according to new research. A new study published in Age & Aging found an increase of about one glass of milk a day as a child was linked to a 5% faster walking time and 25% lesser chance of poor balance in older age. The researchers suggest a "public health benefit of childhood milk intake on physical function in old age" – a finding that has huge potential for adults over 65, a population expected reach more than 70 million by the year 2030, doubling over just 30 years.

The team of British researchers used historical diet records from two large studies to assess the childhood habits of more than 1,500 men ages 62-86. They measured the impact of diet, specifically milk, protein, calcium and fat intake, on current performance and mobility in follow-up. Elderly participants were put through a series of activities, including walking, get-up-and-go, and balance tests. Childhood calcium, protein and milk intake were all associated with advantages in mobility later in life.

The researchers also found that childhood milk drinkers were also likely to be adult milk drinkers, emphasizing the benefits of establishing lifelong healthy habits. Among the many health habits to begin at a young age, experts recognize the importance of beginning the day with breakfast. In fact, studies show that milk drinkers and breakfast eaters have more nutritious diets than non-milk drinkers and breakfast skippers. Milk in the morning is a healthy habit that helps provide kids with nutrients they need for the day and benefits that extend well beyond the morning.

While decades of research support the bone-building benefits of milk, this is the first study to specifically find a physical performance benefit that can last a lifetime. Milk is the top food source of bone-building calcium and vitamin D in the American diet, and each glass provides 8 grams of high-quality protein. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend two glasses of milk for toddlers (ages 2-3), 2.5 cups for children (ages 4-8), and 3 cups for adolescents, teens and adults Milk at breakfast is an ideal opportunity to help your kids start the day right, and get the recommended milk each day.

Exposing skin to sunlight may help to reduce blood pressure, cut the risk of heart attack and stroke – and even prolong life, a study suggests.

Researchers have shown that when our skin is exposed to the suns rays, a compound is released in our blood vessels that helps lower blood pressure.

The findings suggest that exposure to sunlight improves health overall, because the benefits of reducing blood pressure far outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer.

The study has been carried out by the University of Edinburgh.

Heart disease and stroke linked to high blood pressure are estimated to lead to around 80 times more deaths than those from skin cancer, in the UK.

Production of this pressure-reducing compound – called nitric oxide – is separate from the bodys manufacture of vitamin D, which rises after exposure to sunshine. Until now it had been thought to solely explain the suns benefit to human health, the scientists add.

The landmark proof-of-principle study will be presented on Friday in Edinburgh at the worlds largest gathering of skin experts.

Researchers studied the blood pressure of 24 volunteers who sat beneath tanning lamps for two sessions of 20 minutes each. In one session, the volunteers were exposed to both the UV rays and the heat of the lamps. In the other, the UV rays were blocked so that only the heat of the lamps affected the skin.

The results showed that blood pressure dropped significantly for one hour following exposure to UV rays, but not after the heat-only sessions. Scientists say that this shows that it is the suns UV rays that lead to health benefits. The volunteers vitamin D levels remained unaffected in both sessions.

Dr Richard Weller, Senior Lecturer in Dermatology at the University of Edinburgh, said: "We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer. The work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight.

"We now plan to look at the relative risks of heart disease and skin cancer in people who have received different amounts of sun exposure. If this confirms that sunlight reduces the death rate from all causes, we will need to reconsider our advice on sun exposure."