Seafood is rich in PUFAs, which have been shown to be beneficial for brain health. According to new research, not eating enough fish could increase the risk of cognitive decline.

“There were good reasons to hypothesize that breastfeeding was important to influencing levels of inflammation in adulthood,” says Thomas McDade (Northwestern University), a CIFAR (Canadian Institute…

By Allison Bond NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Overall body size, rather than shape, is a better indicator of breast cancer risk after menopause, according to a recent study. The analysis of U.S. women contradicts past research suggesting that having an apple shape with a large midriff measurement, regardless of weight or body mass index (BMI), might signal greater breast cancer risk. “When we looked at both BMI and waist size, we found that BMI explained the relationship (with breast cancer risk), and that the waist circumference had little effect,” said Mia Gaudet, an American Cancer Society epidemiologist who led the new study. Having a BMI in the obese range (30 or greater) has also been linked to breast cancer risk up to twice that of women in the normal weight range (BMIs of 25 or less, in this study).

By Shereen Jegtvig NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Just three weeks of exercise and a healthy diet produced positive changes in middle-aged men with a cluster of heart risk factors known as metabolic syndrome, according to a new study from Austria. “The data of the AMAS-2000 study proved that daily hiking for hours at any altitude provides cardiovascular benefits and represents an excellent therapeutic opportunity for physical and mental regeneration even for individuals with a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors,” Dr. Guenther Neumayr told Reuters Health in an email. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of characteristics, including abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood sugar and elevated blood pressure. People with metabolic syndrome are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

By Alastair Sharp TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s main stock index slipped on Friday, with energy companies among the leading weights as driller Canadian Oil Sands said unexpected maintenance could hurt its output. The energy sector in Canada has performed well in recent weeks, seemingly boosted by the geopolitical tensions in Ukraine that could limit the availability of Russian commodity exports to Western markets. “The overall scare of the conflict is really weighing on the market,” said Marcus Xu, a portfolio manager at MY Capital Management Corp in Vancouver. But the Canadian market seems to be holding up pretty well.” The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended the day down 20.68 points, or 0.14 percent, at 14,533.57.

April 24 – Canadian stock index futures inched higher on Thursday as upbeat earnings from heavyweights such as Apple and Facebook outweighed weak results from Potash Corp . June futures on the S&P TSX index were up 0.06 percent at 0715 ET. No major economic events are scheduled in Canada. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index eased on Wednesday, with gains from some big energy producers offset by weakness in banks and a pullback in Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ shares. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.3 percent at 0715 ET, S&P 500 futures were up 0. …