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Leisure Physical Activity Is Linked with Health Benefits but Work Activity Is Not
The first large study showing that leisure time physical activity and occupational physical activity have opposite, and independent, associations with cardiovascular disease risk and longevity is published . . . in European Heart Journal, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
“We adjusted for multiple factors in our analysis, indicating that the relationships were not explained by lifestyle, health conditions or socioeconomic status,” said study author . . .
Industrial Animal Agriculture Poses Serious Threats to Human Health
For people who live near industrial animal feedlots, the stench, flies and day-and-night rumbling of trucks are more than a nuisance that impairs the use and enjoyment of their own property. Concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs – whether swine, cattle or poultry – also pose serious health threats. . . .
[A 2018 study] found that . . . North Carolina communities located near hog CAFOs had higher total and infant deaths, deaths due to anemia, kidney disease, tuberculosis, septicemia . . .
How to Exercise Your Brain for Better Focus + Productivity
Many of us spend a good amount of time thinking about our physical fitness.
But what about our mental fitness?
Sometimes in our quest for a healthy, vibrant body, we can forget that our minds are a critical piece of the puzzle of our health. Our brain is an incredibly complex organ and is responsible for movements, mood, and thoughts.
So, if we hit the gym to work out our quads and biceps, why can’t we also work out our brains as well? Well, we can — and we should! Here are five ways . . .
Heart Rate Variability: What It Is and Why It’s Important
[Y]our heart does not beat like an unchanging metronome, i.e., the intervals vary between one heartbeat and the next. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is the beat-to-beat variation in consecutive heartbeats as shown in electrocardiogram (EKG).
. . . HRV is a quick and reliable view into the state of your physical — and even mental — health. . . .HRV can also indicate deteriorating health.
H. pylori: What It Is + 9 Natural Treatments
Do you know what’s been called “the most successful pathogen in human history?” It’s a type of bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and it’s been around for at least two hundred thousand years.
According to the CDC, about 66 percent of the world’s human population is infected with Helicobacter pylori. . . . But, having this bacteria living in your body can make your risk of developing gastric cancer up to six times higher. Plus, H. pylori bacteria is often at the root of other major digestive problems . . .
Nutrition Can Strengthen the Immune System to Fight COVID-19
Dietary changes can help bolster your natural immunity against viruses.
No diet can reduce your risk of catching COVID-19. . . . [I]t is largely the health of your immune system that ultimately determines your fate.
Yet even with a grand total of zero dietary studies available thus far, it would be a mistake to conclude that diet doesn’t matter in a pandemic. . . . [This is] because the majority of people who suffer serious consequences from COVID infections have something in common: poor metabolic health.
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Alcohol and Your Heart
[T]he latest research suggests . . . [that moderate] alcohol consumption [one drink for women and two for men per day] is linked with an increased risk of accidents, falls, several types of cancer, and numerous cardiovascular problems.
Cruciferous Vegetables and Thyroid Disease
The thyroid gland produces hormones that control metabolism as well as influence other essential systems in the human body, such as the cardiovascular system, the immune system, and calcium homeostasis. Thyroid hormones increase . . .
Ketogenic Diet Proves Effective in Alzheimer’s Disease
The brain’s primary fuel is glucose.
Recently, technology has evolved to allow researchers the ability to visualize, using PET scans, how the brain is able to utilize another fuel, ketone bodies.
Study Suggests High Vitamin D Levels May Protect Against COVID-19, Especially for Black People
A new research study . . . has found that when it comes to COVID-19, having vitamin D levels above those traditionally considered sufficient may lower the risk of infection . . .
Non-Invasive Skin Swab Samples Are Enough to Quickly Detect COVID-19, a New Study Finds
Researchers at the University of Surrey have found that non-invasive skin swab samples may be enough to detect COVID-19.
In a paper published by Lancet E Clinical Medicine, chemists from Surrey . . .
Study Claims to Shut the Coffin Lid on Supplements for COVID-19
While vaccines are hailed . . . is it balanced and equitable for supplements to be relegated to the trash heap?
[T]here’s a considerable body of scientific literature that show they [supplements] boost immune defenses.
THC Stays in Breast Milk for Six Weeks, Study Shows
In a new study, researchers found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana, stays in breast milk for up to six weeks. The finding supports recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics . . .
Your Guide to Eye Health
Scientists have known for many years that neurogenesis, the growth of new nerve cells, occurs in the brain. However, emerging research indicates that the eyes, which are really an extension of the brain, also have cells capable of regeneration.
How to Help a Loved One Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, with almost 45,000 victims every year. Approximately 123 Americans die from suicide each day, but many more attempt suicide . . .
6 Common Drugs Your Body Needs to Try to Cut Ties With
[W]e are a nation of [drug] over-users. . . . Drugs, be they prescription or over-the-counter, unbalance the system by design. They inhibit certain natural physiological processes . . .
Why Practicing Gratitude Is Good for Your Health
[S]cience shows what the ancients knew intuitively—that grateful people are likely to be much happier and healthier than their pessimistic counterparts. For example, expressing gratitude enhances . . .
Green Leafy Vegetables Essential for Muscle Strength
Eating just one cup of leafy green vegetables every day could boost muscle function, according to new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research.
The study . . . found that people who consumed a nitrate-rich diet . . .
High-Intensity Exercise May Restore Heart Function in People with Type 2 Diabetes
[A University of Otago] study found that three months of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) improved heart function in adults with type 2 diabetes, without any change in medications or diet.
Self-Care Rx: Movement
Exercise offers a plethora of health benefits – it strengthens muscles and bones, improves sleep and mood, boosts the immune system, supports memory and cognition . . .
And when you exercise throughout your life, studies show it can slow signs of aging.
Higher Aerobic Fitness Levels Are Associated with Better Word Production Skills in Healthy Older Adults
Researchers found that older adults’ aerobic fitness levels are directly related to the incidence of age-related language failures such as ‘tip-of-the-tongue’ states.
Environmental Toxins and Cognitive Decline: 6 Steps to Reduce Your Risk
Researchers have linked low-level toxin exposure to many diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, and kidney disease. [There is a] . . . growing body of medical literature that demonstrates that certain toxins . . .
Study Finds New Evidence of Health Threat from Chemicals in Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke
In a [recent] study . . . researchers report[ed] that people who smoked only marijuana had several smoke-related toxic chemicals in their blood and urine . . . Two of those chemicals . . .
“Hidden-In-Plain-Sight” Toxin Raises Your Risk for Developing Diabetes by 65%
It’s one of the world’s most under acknowledged causes of illness. Elevated levels of it are linked to heart disease, impaired cognitive function, chronic fatigue syndrome, immune system dysfunction . . .
Prostate Enlargement
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is commonly referred to as prostate enlargement. . . .
As this gland enlarges it encroaches upon the urethra and interferes with urine flow. This causes the bladder to become irritated and as a result thickens. This irritation . . .
3 Simple Ways to Use Your Brain to Change Your Age
It’s clear that not everyone—or every brain—ages the same way. But by putting neuroscience into practice in our daily lives, there are a number of things we can all do to help preserve our mental abilities; prevent cognitive impairment . . .
Abdominal Fat Gain Tied to Heart Disease Risk in Menopause
Women who experience an accelerated accumulation of abdominal fat during menopause are at greater risk of heart disease, even if their weight stays steady, according to a University of Pittsburgh . . .
How Sleep Helps Teens Deal with Social Stress
[A Michigan State University] study, which focused on ninth grade students, found that adequate sleep allowed students to cope with discrimination and challenges associated with ethnic or racial bias.
Asian Americans and the Model Minority Dilemma
The March 16 shooting deaths of eight people in Atlanta, six of them Asian women, has left the Asian American and Pacific islands communities not only grieving and fearful—but also organizing to raise awareness around the bias they live with . . .
Social Support and a Purpose in Life May Help Preserve Cognitive Abilities with Age in Hispanics/Latinos
Higher social support and having a sense of purpose in life are each associated with higher cognitive functioning in middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos . . .