Millions of Americans take aspirin daily to prevent blood clots, heart attack and stroke. But are they taking too much?

A recent study by researchers at the University of Kentucky suggests that a 325 mg dose of adult aspirin is not more effective than an 81 mg dose of baby aspirin but carries a higher risk for bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract.

A review of the published data found no benefit to higher doses of aspirin and cited the dangers of bleeding as a reason for patients to take the lowest effective dose. According to Dr. Steve Steinhubl, one of the study’s authors, there is almost no one who needs to take more than 81 mg of aspirin a day but cautions patients to check with their doctors to be sure.

UK Study: Baby Aspirin Better for Your Health

Transcendental Meditation can reduce the incidence of factors that can lead to heart failure and even lessen the severity of congestive heart failure.

In conjunction with the usual health care, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania gave participants in a study either TM education or traditional health education. The participants were 23 African American men and women, average age 64, who were recently hospitalized with New York Heart Association class II or III congestive heart failure. African Americans have twice the mortality rate from congestive heart failure as white Americans.

The group practicing TM showed greater improvements in the six-minute walk test at three months and six months and continued to experience improvements in quality of life and depression. They also required fewer hospitalizations.

Transcendental Meditation likely works to improve heart function by reducing sympathetic nervous system activation associated with stress.

Another recent study showed that older adults don’t ask their doctors about complimentary or alternative medicine for treatment of their conditions. According to the above research, it seems they may be missing some simple techniques that could greatly improve quality of life.

Transcendental Meditation for the Heart

A little alcohol every day may increase life expectancy and drinking small amounts of wine (about a half a glass a day) was linked to the lowest levels of cardiovascular death and death from all causes. Long-term, light alcohol intake compared to no alcohol intake was associated with a 36 percent lower relative risk of all-cause death and a 34 lower relative risk of cardiovascular death.

Dutch researchers presented these findings of a study into the effects of alcohol consumption and death risk at the American Heart Association’s 47th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Diseae Epidemiology and Prevention.

“Our study showed that long-term, light alcohol intake among middle-aged men was associated not only with lower cardiovascular and all-cause death risk, but also with longer life expectancy at age 50,” said Martinette T. Streppel, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student in the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University and National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in Bilthoven, The Netherlands. “Furthermore, long-term light wine consumption is associated with a further protective effect when compared to that of light-to-moderate alcohol intake of other types.”

The study followed 1,373 men born between 1900 and 1920 over a period of 40 years.

Light wine intake associated with longer life expectancy in men

Walking is great exercise at any age and it particularly sets older Americans in good stead in terms of health and emotional benefits. Getting out into the community by walking develops outside interests as well as building muscle mass, burning calories and enhancing cardiovascular health.

Ir you’re an avid walker and looking to retire to a community that affords great opportunities and destinations for walkers, then have a look at the list of the top 10 cities for walking according to the American Podiatric Medicine Association as updated in 2006.

Topping the list is Portland, Oregon. Number two is Colorado Springs, CO, followed by Madison, WI at number three and Boise, ID in the fourth slot. You might be surprised to find the fifth ranked city for best walking is Las Vegas, NV.

Check out the list at the APMA.

Top Ten Walking Cities for 2006