Centenarians often make the news. Reaching a hundredth year is a feat that makes most people want to know the secret to living well and long.

Reuters news service carries the story of Chan Chi, a Hong Kong villager who has reached the impressive age of 107, and is surprisingly spry. Chan Chi credits his longevity to a low-fat diet, regular exercise and… abstinence. Chan has been celibate since his wife died almost 80 years ago.

But while he hasn’t been having sex, Chan still enjoys smoking cigarettes.

Go figure.

Seniors consume more Vitamin K than do younger people but according to researchers at Tufts University, they still don’t get enough.

Low Vitamin K intake may be associated with conditions such as bone fractures, bone loss, hardening of the arteries, and osteoarthritis - all conditions of major concern in older patients. It is also thought that high levels of phylloquinone (the plant form of Vitamin K) is an indicator of lower risk of coronary heart disease.

Vitamin K is found in leafy vegetables (especially spinach and celery), cheese and liver. It is also found in asparagus, coffee, bacon and green tea. Toxicity rarely occurs with normal dietary intake of Vitamin K but can
happen if the synthetic form, K3 is taken as a supplement.

If you take an anticoagulant, consult your doctor before taking a Vitamin K supplement.

Update of Tufts Vitamin K research

Tufts Researchers are Keeping Track of Vitamin K

Studies have long suggested that drinking red wine has heart-health benefits. For those who want to reap those benefits but avoid the consumption of alcohol, a new study says drinking Concord grape juice may be equally effective.

The study, published in the January 2007 issue of Cardiovascular Research, found that Concord grape juice worked in a similar fashion to red wine to promote healthy arterial function.

Concord purple grapes stimulate the production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells and produce a vasorelaxation effect. Nitric oxide is important to the body for maintaining healthy, flexible blood vessels and supports healthy blood pressure. The beneficial effects of Concord grape juice were observed in arteries of the heart. These effects, produced by stimulating chemical reactions in the arteries, are the same as those activated by red wine. Apparently, it’s a component of the grapes and not the alcohol that produces the heart health benefits.

So, break open a bottle of Concord grape juice and drink to your health!

Whole fruit and vegetables have been touted for their roles in cancer and coronary heart disease prevention. Now a European study says that 100% fruit and vegetable juices are just as beneficial.

Based on a review of the literature, the study determined that the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetables come not just from the fiber but also from the antioxidants which are present in juices.

The study does not recommend one juice over another but applies only to 100 percent juice. The study was published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition (2006).