Harvard freshman with pre-hypertension had higher risk in later life.

Men enrolling at Harvard between 1914 and 1952 who reported elevated systolic blood pressure their freshman year experienced a 20% greater risk for coronary heart disease later in life. Those diagnosed with hypertension in middle age had twice the risk of coronary deaths and stroke compared to those with normal blood pressures.

PositiveTip: Have you had your blood pressure checked recently? Get it taken even if you are young!

Good and bad genes can be influenced by what you eat and how you live.

A study was conducted to determine whether a pure vegetarian diet, exercise and stress management could modify the progression of prostate cancer. After one year, those following the program showed significant improvements in weight, abdominal obesity, blood pressure and blood fats. The research found that over 500 genes changed function -- some were turned "on" and others turned "off" in favor of controlling the cancer. We all have bad genes and are exposed to cancer-causing agents, but our lifestyle and diet can determine whether those genes are activated.

PositiveTip: Are you helping to turn "off" cancer genes by choosing a vegetarian diet and exercise to lower your risk of cancer?

Sugar-laden beverages may raise blood pressure.

Sugar-sweetened sodas and fruit juice may increase blood pressure according to British researchers who looked at 2,696 U.S. and U.K. participants. For each additional sugary beverage per day systolic blood pressure rose 1.6 mmHg and diastolic by 0.8 mmHg (p<0.001 for both). Perhaps these "empty calories" are displacing calories from the nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. More research is needed.

PositiveTip: None of us really need sugar-sweetened beverages for health. Drink plain water instead of that calorie dense beverage, and eat another serving of delicious fruit.

Metabolic syndrome succumbs to healthy Mediterranean-style diet patterns.

The Mediterranean-style diet has scored another victory in a new review of 50 previous studies. This dietary pattern is characterized by high consumption of fruit and vegetables, whole grains and olive oil along with less meat. The review found that this diet brings significant protection against metabolic syndrome, a precursor of diabetes and heart disease. People eating a Mediterranean-style diet had higher HDL ("good" cholesterol levels), lower fasting glucose levels and lower systolic blood pressures.

PositiveTip: The evidence continues to accumulate: eat more fruit and vegetables, whole grains, good oils and less meat for better health.

Your beauty rest may help reduce your blood pressure!

Can reduced sleep time or poor quality sleep increase blood pressure? Researchers have analyzed the associations between sleep behavior and BP in more than 500 adults in mid-life. After adjusting for confounders, short sleep hours predicted significantly increased odds of hypertension over 5 years. Lower sleep duration predicted higher systolic and diastolic BP.

PositiveTip: Getting adequate sleep every night may help lower your blood pressure. Remember: sleep is even easier than exercise!

Turning out the lights earlier may protect you from hypertension.

Observational studies have reported an association between short sleep patterns and hypertension. Now a report comes from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study finding shorter sleep duration and lower sleep maintenance (an indicator of the quality of sleep) predicted significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Those taking hypertensive medications were excluded, and results were adjusted for age, race, and sex. Research is needed to determine if more sleep would effectively treat hypertension.