In what they have called an 'unprecedented achievement,' researchers have managed to synthesize a powerful anticancer compound. Scientists have been trying to achieve this feat for more than 3 decades. Yoshito Kishi, who is the Morris Loeb Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, is the lead researcher of this scientific endeavor, and the compound in question is called "halichondrin." Halichondrin occur

People who increased their red meat intake over 8 years had a higher death risk in the following 8 years than people whose meat intake stayed the same. Conversely, decreasing meat intake and replacing it with more healthful alternatives reduced death risk. These are the main takeaways of new research that investigators have just published in the journal The BMJ. Yan Zheng, a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, is the first author of the paper. Frank Hu, Fredrick

Findings from a new study suggest that inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables may be a major factor in heart disease death. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. A diet that includes fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and improve digestive health. Previous research — part of the Harvard-based Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study — co

Older adults with insufficient vitamin K are likely to be at higher risk for mobility disability, according to new research. Dietary sources of vitamin K include kale, spinach, broccoli, and other leafy greens. Some dairy foods also contain vitamin K. The investigators who carried out the study say that their findings "suggest vitamin K may be involved in the disablement process in older age." They describe their work in a paper that features in a recent issue of The Journals