Author: Avisoscuba
Natural is still the best. That’s the message from University of Otago researchers who found that raw fruits and vegetables may be better for mental health than their cooked, canned, and processed varieties. Dr. Tamlin Conner, psychology senior lecturer and the study’s lead author, observed that through the years, public health campaigns have concentrated on the amount of fruit and vegetables one must consume (e.g. at least five times a day). But the recently-published research in Frontiers in Psychology discovered that especially for mental health, food preparation and the manner in which the food is consumed, are just as important. Conner says…
You may have heard before that your stomach is home to trillions of bacteria. These microorganisms help break down the food you eat and have a lot to do with the quality of your overall health. But did you know that the state of your gut can impact the state of your mind, and in turn may affect your mood? In other words, the countless microorganisms living inside your body can directly affect your mental health. Dr. Leslie Korn, an integrative medicine and mental health expert, told Good Health that “the brain is not always the cause of mental illness.” According to studies, depression…
What do a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher have in common? Aside from sounding like the start of a bar joke, people with these three working professional roles are “more likely to drink alcohol regularly than manual workers.” According to a study, at least four out of five of people in the U.K. who work in managerial and professional roles drink alcohol in the previous week, compared to only half of receptionists and others considered as routine and manual workers. Healthcare experts cautioned that these findings suggest that the “wine o’clock” culture can endanger the health of heavy drinkers. Steve…
According to the alarming results of a report, it may be time to double-check the quality of your water supply. The findings have revealed that long-term exposure to arsenic “interferes with insulin secretion in the pancreas, which may increase the risk of diabetes.” The report was published in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. Even though arsenic occurs naturally in small amounts in plants, soil, and water, chronic exposure to higher levels of environmental arsenic has been connected to various health problems. Individuals exposed to arsenic may develop cancer and heart disease. Additionally, ingesting large doses of the element may…
An inactive lifestyle has many negative effects, including serious chronic diseases. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology added one more ailment to the list – environmentally induced asthma. The study was authored by researchers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They compared markers for chronic disease between inactive and active rats after the animals were exposed to air pollution. To conduct their research, they divided young rats into either an active or sedentary group. The active group was given a running wheel, while the sedentary group was not. Over the course of a seven-week…
Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common dental problems, affecting at least 40 million adults in the U.S., according to the Academy of General Dentistry. It involves pain or discomfort in teeth when eating certain flavors – such as sweet or acidic foods – or when these are exposed to cold and hot temperatures. Although the pain is often sharp and sudden, and it may shoot into the nerve endings of the tooth, it is only temporary. Tooth sensitivity can happen to anyone, and a lot of factors contribute to it. One of these is brushing too hard or…
Eating a lot of vegetables will not just benefit you – if you’re pregnant, it may also help your baby reduce their chances of developing asthma, according to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the study, researchers from the National Research Institute for Child Health and Development in Japan looked at how vegetable intake during the early stages of pregnancy can affect neonatal health, in particular, wheezing. Asthma refers to the inflammation of the lungs and the airways when it is exposed to certain triggers (allergens) – making it difficult to breathe. While the condition is…
Heart patients know that reducing or eliminating sodium from meals is a great way to lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease. But not many of them are aware that potassium is the body’s strong ally in preventing heart and kidney problems. Research conducted by a study team from the University of Southern California revealed that the interplay of sodium and potassium is essential in maintaining heart health. A review of 70 studies found that the sodium-potassium ratio excreted as urine shows how much our body consumes these minerals. When the body takes in more potassium through meals, the kidney –…
There are plenty of heartbreaking stories about chemotherapy failing, but once in a while, that failure can actually have a happy ending. That’s what happened to 52-year-old Judy Perkins, who found herself a few months from death as breast cancer spread throughout her body. She had a mastectomy and had her lymph nodes taken out when she was first diagnosed, but a decade later, her cancer had returned with a vengeance in the form of a stage 4 lump. Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy both failed to have an impact, and the cancer spread to her liver and chest. With three…
In one of the most shocking science videos you’ll see this year, molecular biologist Judy A. Mikovits, PhD, reveals the disturbing true story of how she was thrown in prison for blowing the whistle on deadly viral contamination of human vaccines. With a well established history of working for the National Cancer Institute as a cancer research, Dr. Mikovits worked with human retroviruses like HIV. Her work focused on immunotherapy research and involved HIV. In 2009, she was working on autism and related neurological diseases. She found that many of the study subjects has cancer, motor-neuron disorders and chronic fatigue…
Over the last five years, research has consistently pointed to a number of psychedelic drugs and plants as novel treatments for an array of mental health issues: depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and more. Psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis and kratom are some of the most promising medicinal plants, while other pharmaceutical psychedelics (LSD, MDMA and ketamine) are being studied for their potential medicinal value as well. The hope for plant medicines making their big debut and gaining acceptance as “real” treatments, however, is being cut short by the profit-seeking pharmaceutical industry. As is par for the course, the pharma industry…
The importance of exercise to long-term health management is widely known, but a study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology further emphasized the fact. The research revealed that resistance-based interval exercises can improve endothelial function and blood flow in sufferers of Type 2 diabetes. The study compared the effects of cardiovascular (stationary bike) and resistance (weighted leg resistance exercises) interval exercises on endothelial function. A total of 35 individuals, with 56 as their average age, participated in the research. The subjects belonged to three groups. One group, classified as T2D, had Type 2 diabetes. The rest…
We all know vitamin D helps strengthen your bones and muscles. It’s also very good for your skin, which is why Australian and New Zealand researchers looked at its potential effects on psoriasis. They reported that increasing the amount of vitamin D in your body could help ease the symptoms of plaque psoriasis. Psoriasis is the term for a group of chronic diseases that affect the skin. They cause skin cells to grow so fast that they create scales and plaques, which are irritating at best and painful at worst. While the origins of psoriasis remain unknown, experts believe they…
Do you feel more stressed after checking your phone? Are your notifications constantly on your mind? According to a report by the American Psychological Association (APA), more than four out of five adults in the U.S. are always checking their emails, social media accounts, and texts on their phones. The second part of APA’s report, called “Stress in America™: Coping with Change,” revealed that this unhealthy attachment to mobile devices is linked to higher stress levels among Americans. Phone use and high stress levels Because of technology and social media, “constant checkers” can easily check their emails, social media accounts, and texts. The survey results…
Have you ever “heard” silent flashes? You might have a condition similar to synesthesia, where you can perceive one sense differently. According to a study, at least one in five people may have signs of a synesthesia-like phenomenon where they can “hear” silent flashes or movement. Researchers from the City University of London report that even if there isn’t that much scientific data about this effect, “visually-evoked auditory response” (vEAR) is more common than other types of synesthesia, where some sounds may evoke certain colors. Flashing lights and motion may evoke vivid sounds in people who experience vEAR. This association could also be the reason…
Music is known to help children with cognitive development, but one study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that structured music lessons significantly enhance children’s academic performance by improving their cognitive abilities, including language-based learning and short-term memory. In addition, visual arts lessons were also found to improve children’s visual and spatial memory. Schools have prioritized academic learning in their curriculum over learning music, which is seen as more of a luxury now than a necessary part of education. “Despite indications that music has beneficial effects on cognition, music is disappearing from general education curricula,” according lead author Dr. Artur Jaschke, from VU…
Studies have shown that developing children gain more neurons in their brain’s amygdala – the region that regulates emotions and controls social behavior – as they grow older. However, researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute found that this phenomenon does not happen in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and instead appear to lose the neurons as they become adults. The amygdala is the region of the brain that regulates emotions and governs social behavior and interaction. It develops rapidly through childhood and adolescence, as the individual becomes more socially and emotionally mature. “Any deviation from this normal path of development…
Would you mind living in a world where telepathy is normal? That’s pretty much where we’re headed, according to one expert on the subject, after looking at the study methods and technology available for the human brain today. Indeed, Dr. Eric Leuthardt from the Washington University stated that a new breed of superhumans could exist fairly soon, with advanced mental capabilities that are currently just the stuff of science fiction. What’s even more surprising is that it could happen within just a few decades. Dr. Leuthardt thinks that the technology of today will truly be able to advance to the point…
Most people know at least two fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, but there are other forms that, while not as prominent, greatly benefit our health. One such case is omega-7, a non-essential fatty acid found in certain fish and some plants, which is now getting attention, thanks to efforts to understand and develop the “science behind the ingredient.” The effort to further study this fatty acid is led by Dr. Tina Sampalis, who had previously developed krill oil as a dietary ingredient. It was during this time that she became familiar with the benefits of omega-7, and after further research,…
People suffering from Type 2 diabetes have a new reason to take up muscle-building resistance training. In an American Physiological Society article, a Japanese study recently reported that this particular type of physical regimen could increase the effectiveness of a protein that controls the rate at which it absorbs glucose. Resistance exercise could therefore be a way to decrease a diabetic’s growing resistance to insulin treatment. Insulin is a natural hormone responsible for helping the body absorb blood sugar. The absorbed glucose is transformed into energy that powers bodily functions, such as muscular action that moves our limbs. Unfortunately, people…
An Indian study using diabetic rats determined that the Ayurvedic medicine Chandraprabha vati (CPV) can treat and manage Type 2 diabetes just as effectively as metformin. CPV was shown to control blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides levels just as well as first-line diabetic medicines. Diabetes mellitus is indicated by abnormally high blood sugar levels that come from defects in the secretion and/or action of insulin. This condition is called hyperglycemia, and it has a negative effect on many parts of the body. The ancient Ayurvedic system prescribes CPV treatment for various indications such as prameha, a syndrome that shares symptoms with diabetes mellitus, obesity, and other diseases and…
When you see weeds in your lawn or garden, your initial reaction would usually be to eliminate all of them. But did you know that certain weeds, like beautiful wild violets, have various survival uses? (h/t to TheSurvivalMom.) Take note that you should learn how to differentiate between wild violets and African violets. While the former are edible, the latter are houseplants that can be toxic once ingested. Wild violets usually have purple flowers and heart-shaped leaves. But there are also flowers that come in different shades of purple and even white. The flowering weed grows in clumps. Wild violets only…