Women over age 30 who regularly exercise decrease their chances of breast cancer, according to a study presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. The comprehensive study narrowed in on specific age ranges, surveying 4,296 women about their physical activity practices during four key stages of life: 10 to 15 years old; 15 to 30 years old; 30 to 50 years old; and 50 years old and above.

Ballroom dancing has gained in popularity in recent years as an activity for health and fitness. According to research presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle, ballroom dances like the salsa and the tango contribute to health gains and may improve fitness for amateur adult dancers, as measured by heart rates and energy expenditure.

Laughter is not only an effective stress-reliever, but can be heart-healthy, according to research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. Two separate studies examined the role of a good laugh as it relates to health. One of the studies took an inverted approach to previous research on the harmful cardiovascular tolls of stress and negative mood.

Frequent air travelers, as well as people who fly only occasionally, are often inconvenienced by the effects of jet lag, according to research presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. Christopher Berger, Ph.D.

Interactive video games - such those played on the Nintendo Wii - may raise heart rate and provide exercise intensity levels high enough to meet federal physical activity guidelines, according to a pair studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. The studies tested various Wii games to determine their energy requirements for college students and older adults, respectively.

The New England School of Acupuncture announces the launch of its Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification Program (SMAC) beginning in September 2009. This unique program teaches both Eastern and Western methods of orthopedic medicine, giving students a fully integrated, one-of-a-kind education in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western orthopedics.

We all know that vitamin D and calcium are good for bones, but research teams in Europe and USA have shown that both taken daily reduces the rate of hip fracture in older people by 20%.

In research that could open new avenues of treatment for seasonal allergies, a team of Yale University scientists has discovered how a poorly understood component of the human immune system triggers - and sometimes worsens - allergic reactions. The research appears in the May 24 Advance Online Publication of Nature Immunology. Scientists wanted to better understand how the immune system recognizes and responds to allergens.

Pregnant women with low levels of vitamin D may be more likely to suffer from bacterial vaginosis (BV) - a common vaginal infection that increases a woman’s risk for preterm delivery, according to a University of Pittsburgh study. Available

The MS Society Scotland has backed a school boy from Glasgow whose campaign aims to seek support for the use of vitamin D in helping to prevent the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS). Ryan McLaughlin’s campaign ‘Shine on Scotland’ was launched in April 2009 after the MS Society announced that research funded by the charity had discovered vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and the early years could potentially increase the risk of developing MS later in life.