SATURDAY, Feb. 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- More than 43 million American adults care for their loved ones every year, but a new survey shows they are more likely to neglect their own health in the process. The survey found that those who regularly care for a family member or friend with a health problem are less likely to access needed services due to cost or lack of health insurance. "Caregivers provide tremendous benefits for their loved ones, yet they may be at risk for lacking access to needed services, which puts their health in jeopardy," said study co-author Jacob Bentley, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Seattle Pacific University. "We found that caregivers were more likely not to have health care coverage or forgo needed medical appointments and services,"...

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults who regularly consume a group of antioxidants called flavonols may have a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. The compounds exist in many fruits and vegetables, with the richest sources including green vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli, apples and tea. The researchers found that of over 900 older adults they followed for six years, the one-fifth with the highest flavonol intake were 48% less likely to develop Alzheimer's than the one-fifth with the lowest intake. The findings do not prove the antioxidants are a magic bullet against dementia, the researchers stressed. But they add to evidence that a healthy diet -- including plenty of fruits and vegetables -- may help protect the...

MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- "Food insecurity" -- not having enough money to afford sufficient food -- increases the risk of premature death, new research suggests. For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 510,000 adults in Canada between 2005 and 2017. Over the study period, nearly 25,500 people died prematurely. The average life expectancy in Canada between 2008 and 2014 was 82, so deaths at or before that age were considered premature. The study found that, compared with adults who had access to enough food, those with food insecurity were 10% to 37% more likely to die early from any cause other than cancer. Rates of premature death from infectious-parasitic diseases, unintentional injuries and suicides were more than twice as high among those with...