Optimism is good for heart health, at least among men.

Men who believe that they are at lower-than-average risk for cardiovascular disease actually experienced a three times lower incidence of death from heart attacks and strokes. The data did not support the same conclusion among women.

One possible explanation for the gender difference is that the study began in 1990, when heart disease was believed to be primarily a threat to men; women’s judgments about how at risk they were for heart attacks might have been disproportionately low.

The 15-year surveillance study involved almost 3,000 adults between the ages of 35 and 75 who had no history of heart disease.

Foods with vivid colors, like berries, tend to be higher in antioxidants. So it’s no surprise berry juices are among the healthiest you can drink.

Be careful, though — juices also contain a lot of calories. You should eat the fruit itself if you can, rather than drinking the juice. The fruit has far fewer calories, and contains more fiber, too.

That being said, here are some of the top juices:

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate is the healthiest of them all, because it contains the most of every type of antioxidant. It may protect against some cancers, such as prostate cancer. It might also modify heart disease risk factors.

Concord Grape Juice

Concord grape juice is a source of very potent antioxidants. There’s some research indicating it may be good for your heart and help reduce blood pressure.

Blueberry Juice

The color alone indicates a lot of antioxidants. But blueberry juice also contains lots of fiber, and is very high in Vitamin C. There’s some indication that blueberries may have a beneficial effect on age-related cognitive abilities.

Black Cherry Juice

Not only is it high in antioxidants, but there is evidence that black cherry juice can actually diminish exercise-induced muscle injuries.

Cranberry Juice

It’s also high in antioxidants and Vitamin C. There is evidence that it can decrease the incidence of urinary tract infections.

As a flurry of recent research indicates that Vitamin D can have a dizzying array of health benefits, there is increasing debate over whether federal guidelines for the “sunshine vitamin” are outdated, leaving millions unnecessarily vulnerable to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Several medical societies are considering new recommendations for a minimum daily Vitamin D intake, and the American Medical Association recently called for the government to update its guidelines.

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient the skin produces when hit by ultraviolet light from sunlight and other sources. With people spending more time indoors or using sunblock when they do venture outdoors, the amount of Vitamin D that people create in their bodies has been falling.

For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics, an influential doctors’ group, has recommending that some children as young as 8 should be given cholesterol-lowering drugs to ward off future heart problems.

Dr. Stephen Daniels, who is on the academy’s nutrition committee, says the new advice is based on mounting evidence that damage leading to heart disease, the nation’s leading killer, begins early in life. The drug treatments would targeted at kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.

Folks, this is frankly ridiculous. Every few years, the number of people who “need” cholesterol-lowering drugs is suddenly expanded. At this rate, it won’t be very long before someone suggests that everyone take them cradle to grave. The companies that make the drugs would certainly approve of that idea.

A few cups of green tea each day may help prevent heart disease. Green tea improves both blood flow and the ability of arteries to relax.

Other studies have shown that black tea also has benefits for cardiovascular health. However, green tea might be even better because it had higher quantities of beneficial compounds called flavonoids, some of which are lost in the oxidation process that black tea undergoes.

Flavonoids are also found in cocoa, tomatoes and grapes.