Finnish men who used a sauna 2-3 times per week were 24% less likely to die during an average follow-up of 20.7 years compared to men who used a sauna once a week according to a recent study.

Finnish men who used a sauna 4-7 times per week were 40% less likely to die during an average follow-up of 20.7 years compared to men who used a sauna once a week according to a recent study.

Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that blood donors experience lower mortality than the general population, but some have suggested that this may be due to healthier people donating blood.

A 2015 analysis of the Scandinavian Donation and Transfusion database (SCANDAT) found that after adjusting for the internal healthy donor effect, each additional annual donation of blood was associated with a 7.5% decreased risk of death over some number of years.

(I’m waiting for a copy of the study to find out the average number of years of follow-up.)

In other words, the more frequent someone donated blood, the lower their risk of death.

The analyses included 1,182,495 donors of whom 15,401 died during 9,526,627 person-years of follow-up.

Men who donated blood were 88% less likely to have a heart attack during a 9-year followup compared to men who did not donate blood according to a 1998 study from Finland.

This was after adjusting for age and coronary disease risk factors.

Only one (1) man out of 153 (0.7%) who had donated blood in the previous 24 months before baseline had a heart attack during 1984 to 1995, whereas 316 men of 2529 (12.5%) who had not donated blood had a heart attack.

“These findings suggest that frequent blood loss through voluntary blood donations may be associated with a reduced risk of acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged men,” the authors of the study concluded.

People drinking 17 ounces (500 ml) of water thirty minutes before meals three times a day lost an average of 9.5 lbs after three months compared to only 1.8 lbs for those who preloaded with water only once a day or none at all according to a recent study conducted in Birmingham, England.

Two hundred (200) prescription drugs used in the U.S. list depression or suicidal symptoms as possible adverse effects according to a new paper from researchers at Columbia University in New York, NY, USA.

The percentage of people reporting depression using drugs with depression as a possible side effect were:

• 4.7% of people taking no (0) risky drugs
• 6.9% of people taking one (1) risky drug
• 9.5% of people taking two (2) risky drugs
• 15.3% of people taking three (3) risky drugs

L-carnitine reduces all-cause mortality after a heart attack by 27% according to a meta-analysis of 13 studies.

L-carnitine reduces ventricular arrhythmias after a heart attack by 65% according to a meta-analysis of 13 studies.

L-carnitine reduces development of angina after a heart attack by 40% according to a meta-analysis of 13 studies.

L-carnitine reduces heart failure after a heart attack by 15% according to a meta-analysis of 13 studies.

However, there was a 21% chance that this difference seen between groups was due to random chance (P=0.21), in other words, it was not statistically significant, but this also means that there was a 79% chance the difference was due to the L-carnitine.

This means that it is likely that the L-carnitine following a heart attack also reduces the risk of developing heart failure.

L-carnitine given after a heart attack

• reduces all-cause mortality by 27%
• reduces ventricular arrhythmias by 65%
• reduces development of angina (chest pain) by 40%
• reduces heart failure by 15%
• reduces infarct size

according to a meta-analysis of 13 studies.

The minimum effective dose seems to be 2 grams per day (2,000 mg).

L-carnitine given after a heart attack

• reduces all-cause mortality by 27%
• reduces ventricular arrhythmias by 65%
• reduces development of angina (chest pain) by 40%
• reduces heart failure by 15%
• reduces infarct size

according to a meta-analysis of 13 studies.

The optimum dose seems to be 6-9 grams per day (6,000 to 9,000 mg per day).

Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs have not caused disability rates to fall as one might expect, but instead, these drugs have caused disability rates to skyrocket according to author and journalist Robert Whitaker as he noted in a 2010 interview that he did with Joseph Mercola, DO, and in his book Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America.

Number of people on government disability went from 1.25 million in 1987 to 4 million 20 years later

Whitaker notes that in 1987 when Prozac was introduced, there were 1.25 million people [ in the US ] on government disability due to mental illness.

As of 2010, twenty years later, there are 4 million people on government disability due to mental illness.

“So here we have this new embrace of a medication that is said to be a wonder drug and what do we see, we see disability rates do to depression and disability rates do to bipolar illness are skyrocketing [ because of these drugs ],” Whitaker says.

Three-fourths of people (74%) taking antidepressants long-term reported withdrawal symptoms when they stopped their drug according to data from 180 patients who had taken antidepressants for 3-15 years.

89% reported antidepressants had improved their depression.

30% reported moderate-to-severe depression on antidepressants.

72% reported sexual problems on antidepressants.

65% reported failure to reach orgasm on antidepressants.

65% reported weight gain on antidepressants.

65% reported feeling emotionally numb on antidepressants.

55% reported “feeling not like myself” on antidepressants.

46% reported “reduced positive feelings” on antidepressants.

36% reported “caring less about others” on antidepressants.

43% reported feeling “addicted” to their antidepressant.

36% reported “suicidality” on antidepressants.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking amitriptyline (Elavil) were 1.7-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking escitalopram (Lexapro) were 2.3-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking citalopram (Celexa) were 2.6-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking fluoxetine (Prozac) were 2.6-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking sertraline (Zoloft) were 2.9-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking paroxetine (Paxil) were 4-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking trazodone (Oleptro) were 5-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking venlafaxine (Effexor) were 5.7-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking mirtazapine (Remeron) were 9.5-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Women who consumed 2 or more diet drinks per day were 30% more likely to have a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, over the next 8.7 years compared to women who consumed few to none, 0-3 diet drinks per month, according to a recent study.

This was after controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors.

Women who consumed 2 or more diet drinks per day were 50% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease over the next 8.7 years compared to women who consumed few to none, 0-3 diet drinks per month, according to a recent study.

This was after controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors.

Women who consumed 2 or more diet drinks per day were 30% more likely to die from all causes over the next 8.7 years compared to women who consumed few to none, 0-3 diet drinks per month, according to a recent study.

This was after controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors.

Men consuming 1-3 servings of chocolate per month were 7% less likely to get diabetes during an average follow-up of 9.2 years compared to men who never ate chocolate according to data from 18,235 male physicians in the Physicians Health Study.

Men consuming 1 serving of chocolate per week were 14% less likely to get diabetes during an average follow-up of 9.2 years compared to men who never ate chocolate according to data from 18,235 male physicians in the Physicians Health Study.

Men consuming 2 or more servings of chocolate/week were 17% less likely to get diabetes during an average follow-up of 9.2 years compared to men who never ate chocolate according to data from 18,235 male physicians in the Physicians Health Study.

The effect was much stronger in normal-weight men (BMI less than 25), and in men younger than 65.

In men younger than 65, those who consume 2 or more servings of chocolate/week were 27% less likely to get diabetes compared to those who never ate chocolate.

In normal-weight men (BMI less than 25), those who consume 2 or more servings of chocolate/week were 41% less likely to get diabetes compared to those who never ate chocolate.

People who consumed one-half (0.5) serving of fruits and vegetables per day lived an average of one (1) years longer than those who never consumed fruits and vegetables according to a recent study which followed 38,221 men and 33,485 women who were 45- to 83-years-old for an average of 13 years.

People who consumed one (1) serving of fruits and vegetables per day lived an average of 1.7 years longer than those who never consumed fruits and vegetables.

People who consumed 2 servings of fruits and vegetables per day lived an average of 2.5 years longer than those who never consumed fruits and vegetables.

People who consumed 3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day lived an average of 2.8 years longer than those who never consumed fruits and vegetables.

People who consumed 4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day lived an average of 3 years longer than those who never consumed fruits and vegetables.

People who consumed 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day lived an average of 3.1 years longer than those who never consumed fruits and vegetables.

People consuming the most chocolate were 13% less likely to have a cerebral infarction (stroke), and 17% less likely to have a hemorrhagic stroke, according to data from six prospective studies.

People consuming the most chocolate were 10% less likely to have coronary heart disease, and 14% less likely to have a heart attack, according to data from six prospective studies.

The one-fourth of people with the highest intake of chocolate were 17% less likely to have a stroke over the next 10 years compared to the one-fourth of people who ate the least according to a study from Sweden.

A meta-analysis of 5 studies found similar results, that people consuming the most chocolate were 19% less likely to have a stroke (of any type) compared to people eating the least, the paper notes.

People who ate chocolate more than once a week were 48% less likely to get type 2 diabetes over the next 5 years compared to people who never ate chocolate according to a new study.

This was after adjusting for cardiovascular, lifestyle and dietary factors including other polyphenol-rich beverages.

“Compounds in cocoa and chocolate have established cardiovascular benefits, including beneficial effects on insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus,”  the paper notes.

“Statin treatment increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 46%, attributable to decreases in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion,” concludes a 2015 study that followed 8,749 non-diabetic participants, 45– to 73-years-old, for 5.9 years.

The one-fourth of people with the highest levels of byproducts from dairy fat had a 46% lower risk of diabetes over about 15 years compared to the one-fourth of people with the lowest according to analysis of the blood of 3,333 adults in the Nurses’ Health Study of Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, people eating roughly one egg per day were 18% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease according to a study looking at more than 500,000 people in China.

Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, people eating roughly one egg per day were 28% less likely to die from hemorrhagic stroke according to a study looking at more than 500,000 people in China.

Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, people eating roughly one egg per day were 12% less likely to have ischemic heart disease according to a study looking at more than 500,000 people in China.

Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, people eating roughly one egg per day were 14% less likely to have a major coronary event according to a study looking at more than 500,000 people in China.

Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, people eating roughly one egg per day were 10% less likely to have an ischemic stroke according to a study looking at more than 500,000 people in China.

Compared with people who never or rarely ate eggs, people eating roughly one egg per day were 26% less likely to have a hemorrhagic stroke according to a study looking at more than 500,000 people in China.