The results of the research were published in Nutrition Journal and suggest that consumption of the exotic fruit may lower the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a measure of inflammation.

Dr. Jay Udani, lead researcher in the study, explained that inflammation—as measured by CRP—is a predictor of cardiovascular disease and a precursor of metabolic syndrome.

He added that the results are important because they suggest that reducing inflammation in obese people is a treatment goal. Moreover, drinking a natural product such as mangosteen juice tends to be preferable to other therapy methods due to its lack of side effects.

MangosteenBasics.com, an informational website, says mangosteen fruit is rich in antioxidants and contains fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamins B1, B2 and B6 as well as iron and vitamin C. It is also a good source of xanthones, which are believed to boost the immune system and promote general wellbeing.

According to a study published in The International Journal of Low Radiation, extracts of gingko biloba may protect cells from radiation damage.

To arrive at this conclusion, researchers collected white blood cells from healthy donors between the ages of 18 and 50. Half of the cells were then treated with gingko biloba and the rest were subjected to a saline solution.

After subsequent exposure to radiation, the scientists found the cells treated with gingko biloba had a lower rate of apoptosis, or cell death.

Subsequent laboratory studies on animals confirmed the results.

The leaves of gingko biloba—which naturally grows only in Zhejiang province in Eastern China—contain antioxidant-rich compounds which are believed to protect cells from damage by free radicals and other reactive oxidizing species.

It has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years and is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the U.S, according to the Mayo Clinic. Gingko is believed to have a host of health benefits, including preventing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other memory problems, treating altitude sickness and reducing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Researchers from Scotland have found evidence HRT could make bladder control problems worse in some women. Specifically, they indentified a type of therapy called systematic conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) as the main culprit behind incontinence in that group.

Study author June Cody says the trial also showed that even individuals who did not have bladder problems at the beginning of the study were more likely to develop the condition than those who took a placebo.

"These findings should be discussed with women who are contemplating using estrogen or hormonal therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms, particularly those who already have incontinence problems," said Dr. Charla Blacker of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

By contrast, nutritional supplements that have been shown to relieve troublesome menopausal symptoms are safe and natural. WebMD recommends menopausal women try St. John’s wort, black cohosh, evening primrose oil or flaxseed.

The work of nutrition scientists at UMA led to the discovery of a molecular pathway that allows foods rich in isoflavones—bioactive compounds found in soy—to lower diabetes risk and to reduce blood sugar and improve glucose tolerance in individuals with the disease.

Study author Young-Cheul Kim says soy compounds do that by "targeting fat cell-specific transcription factors and the downstream signaling molecules that are important for glucose uptake and thus insulin sensitivity."

"These new findings help fill a critical gap between epidemiological observations and clinical studies on the anti-diabetic benefits of dietary soy," adds Kim.

Other studies have suggested soy may lower the risk of breast and prostate cancer and help manage the symptoms of menopause.

In addition to isoflavones, soy products also contain amino acids, proteins, complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins and minerals such as calcium, folate and iron, according to Soynutrition.com.

Popular soy foods include tofu, edamame, soy milk, meat alternatives, miso and soy protein powders.

In their work, researchers followed 559 Caucasian women with an average age of 38 between the years of 1992 to 2007. They found that premenopausal women with vitamin D deficiency at the beginning of the study had the risk of developing systolic hypertension 15 years later that was three times higher than in other groups.

Flojaune C. Griffin, the study’s author, says the study differs from other research in this field because of its longer time span.

Vitamin D has long been known to be crucial for bone health, but recent studies have also linked a deficiency of the vitamin to decreased immunity and higher risk for some cancers.

Foods like milk, fish and eggs as well as cod liver oil are good sources of vitamin D, but it can also be found in nutritional supplements.

The vitamin is moreover produced in the body after exposure to the sun, and experts say as little as 10 minutes a day are enough to prevent deficiencies.

Scientists at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo concluded that women who drink five or more cups of the antioxidant-rich beverage every day have a 20 percent smaller chance of developing the disease, Reuters reports.

The results hold true even if the women were smokers.

Researchers suspect that green tea compounds fight bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori that have been linked to stomach cancer.

Studies have demonstrated that green tea can help prevent other forms of cancer as well as heart disease and diabetes, according to WebMD. It may be helpful in lowering cholesterol, weight loss and protecting against memory loss.

"Taken altogether, the evidence certainly suggests that incorporating at least a few cups of green tea every day will positively affect your health," says Dr. Diane McKay, a Tufts University scientist who studies antioxidants, quoted by WebMD.

Antioxidants are also present in fruits such as blueberries and pomegranates, and are available at health stores in the form of dietary supplements.

The results were reported by a Reuters article which said a team of researchers from South Korea discovered that females who ate the most folate lowered their risk of getting the disease by about two-thirds, compared with those who consumed smaller amounts of the vitamin.

However, they did not find the same correlation when it came to men’s intake of folic acid.

The researchers stress the significance of the results which suggest that a simple dietary modification may help cut the risk of the disease that was diagnosed in more than 140,000 Americans in 2005.

Folate is known to support red blood cell production and help prevent anemia and homocysteine build-up in the blood. It’s also important for proper neurological function and is believed to prevent osteoporosis-related bone fractures and some forms of dementia, according to WHfoods.com.

In additional to nutritional supplements, folic acid can also be found in romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, calf’s liver, parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, beets and lentils.

The research was completed at Stanford University School of Medicine where scientists enrolled 44 individuals who had undergone a weight-loss surgery. Their results suggest that patients who received a probiotic supplement everyday for three months following the procedure had higher levels of vitamin B12 than the control group.

Vitamin B12 is a key compound that ensures healthy metabolism, proper formation of red blood cells and the well-being of the central nervous system

In addition, the researchers found that the treated patients experienced a nearly 48 percent weight loss compared with a 38.5 percent loss in those who received a placebo.

Statistics suggest that nearly 66 percent of adult Americans are overweight.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria strains that are known to aid in digestion. They can be found in yogurt and other cultured milk products as well as miso, some juices and soy beverages or nutritional supplements.

The study, which analyzed the link between levels of the vitamin in the bloodstream and the death rates of those 65 and older, was published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

It found that seniors with a vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases and two and a half times more likely to die from any cause, compared to those who maintained optimum levels of the vitamin.

The study’s lead author Dr. Adit Ginde, who works at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine’s Division of Emergency Medicine, explains that considering the aging U.S. population and the easiness with which vitamin D levels can be increased, "a small improvement in death rates could have a substantial impact on public health."

Vitamin D is found in milk, fish and eggs as well as cod liver oil and nutritional supplements. It is also produced in the body after exposure to the sun.

Anyone with low levels of the vitamin may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, but a team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found vitamin D deficiency causes diabetics to be unable to process cholesterol normally.

As a consequence, cholesterol builds up in their blood vessels, which leads to an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke.

Dr. Carlos Bernal-Mizrachi, a Washington University endocrinologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, said that vitamin D inhibits the absorption of cholesterol by cells known as macrophages.

"When people are deficient in vitamin D, the macrophage cells eat more cholesterol, and they can’t get rid of it…They become what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the earliest markers of atherosclerosis," he explained.

Individuals at risk for high cholesterol may consider eliminating red and processed meats from their diet and replacing them with omega-3 fatty acids which have proven heart benefits and which can be found in oily fish and nutritional supplements.