Health news: iodine deficiency, zinc, and popcorn

1. The workout of a lifetime

How do you see yourself later in life? If you want to stay physically active, mentally sharp and be able to live independently in later life then you should consider taking up a sport, rather than just heading to the gym, to stay in shape. According to a 20-year study recently published in the BMJ, people who play a sport are more likely to stay healthy and fit as they age compared to those who do other types of physical activity. Even people who took up sports relatively late in mid-life were more likely to be active in old age compared to those who never did.

2. Why you need zinc 

A new study has demonstrated that zinc supplements can significantly inhibit the proliferation of oesophageal cancer cells, the sixth leading cause of human cancer deaths around the world. "Zinc deficiency has been found in many cancer patients, and both clinical data and animal studies have shown that this mineral is very important for overall body health and for cancer prevention," said associate professor Zui Pan, who led the study with the National Cancer Insitute. "Zinc is an important element in many proteins and many enzymes and the absence of zinc makes it impossible for cells to function," she added. The few good sources of zinc include spinach, flax seeds, beef, pumpkin seeds and seafood like shrimp and oysters. Zinc deficiency is common throughout the world (including the UK & US) which is why you'll get 100% of your RDA (10mg) of zinc in its most absorbable form, chelated zinc citrate in our daily multivitamin.

3. Hot, sweaty and... stationary? 

If you think saunas are only good for chilling, think again. A 22-year study, researchers found that the risk of developing elevated blood pressure was nearly 50% lower among men who had a sauna 4-7 times a week compared to men who had a sauna only once a week. They previously demonstrated that frequent sauna bathing can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular-related deaths and they also found, in the same study, that those taking a sauna frequently have a lower risk of pulmonary diseases. It's believed that sauna bathing has a beneficial effect on blood pressure, which is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Sweating also removes fluid from the body, which is a contributing factor to decreased blood pressure levels and the increase in temperature causes vessels vasodilation and improves endothelial function, i.e. the function of the inside layer of blood vessels. The relaxing effects could also be a contributing factor to lowering systemic blood pressure.

4. Popcorn has become Britain's fastest-growing grocery product, but is it healthy?

Popcorn sales up more than 10% this year, to £152m, making the UK the 2nd biggest consumer of popcorn in the world (after the US, of course). Market researchers put the popularity down to consumers' growing preference for healthier foods as popcorn is low in calories, high in fibre and gluten-free. But the question is, is popcorn really that great for us? 

5. Are you at risk of iodine deficiency?

Consumers of milk-alternative drinks may be at of risk iodine deficiency, according to the findings of a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition. Researchers discovered that the majority of milk-alternative drinks did not have adequate levels of iodine, with concentration levels found to be around 2% of that found in cows' milk. Iodine helps make thyroid hormones, which help keep cells and the metabolic rate, the speed at which chemical reactions take place in the body, healthy.  It is particularly important during pregnancy as it is essential for normal fetal brain development, which is why it is included in all of our pregnancy range nutrition packs. 

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