Health briefs: Shake it up

Too much salt and too little exercise are bad for your brain, a new study warns. It included 1,262 men and women, ages 67 to 84, who were followed for three years. Those with the highest sodium intake (3,091 milligrams a day or more) and the least amount of physical activity tended to have poorer cognitive performance than those with an active lifestyle and low sodium intake. The study was published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging. "These findings are important because they help people know they can be proactive in retaining healthy brains as they age," said researcher Carol Greenwood, a professor at the University of Toronto.

Bill of fare

Former President Bill Clinton now considers himself a vegan, a far cry from his eating habits when he reached the White House.

Back then, he loved foods such as steaks, chicken enchiladas, hamburgers, french fries and barbecue. He says he now consumes no meat, no dairy, no eggs and almost no oil. His diet consists of healthy fare such as vegetables, fruits and beans.

-- HealthDay