December 17, 2019

Turmeric Boosts Brain Power

Want to start your day right? Add turmeric to your breakfast. Turmeric is a spice that’s commonly used in Indian dishes. Not only can it perk up your meal, but it may also stimulate your brain due to an antioxidant it contains called curcumin. A recent study found that turmeric enhanced memory in adults. The results were published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Turmeric Boosts Memory for Six Hours People aged 60 and older were recruited for the study. They were given a bland breakfast consisting of white bread along with a placebo, 2 grams of cinnamon, 1 gram […]
October 30, 2019

Scientists Pinpoint Brain’s Role In Human Longevity

The brain’s neural activity–long implicated in disorders ranging from dementia to epilepsy–also plays a role in human aging and life span, according to research led by scientists in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School. The study, published Oct. 16 in Nature, is based on findings from human brains, mice and worms and suggests that excessive activity in the brain is linked to shorter life spans, while suppressing such overactivity extends life. The findings offer the first evidence that the activity of the nervous system affects human longevity. Although previous studies had suggested that parts of the nervous system influence aging in animals, the role […]
October 29, 2019

Can Tea Lower Risk of Dying From Major Diseases?

A study reported on August 13, 2019 in Nature Communications found that people who consumed higher amounts of flavonoids had a lower risk of dying of cancer and heart disease compared to those who consumed lesser amounts. Flavonoids are compounds that occur in fruit, tea and other plant foods. Nicola Bondonno and associates at Edith Cowan University analyzed 23 years of data from 53,048 men and women enrolled in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. They found that subjects who consumed approximately 500 milligrams flavonoids per day had the lowest risk of heart disease or cancer-related mortality. The protective effect was strongest for […]
October 15, 2019

Can Ear Tickling Slow the Aging Process?

Fancy an ear tickle? Stimulating the ear with low electrical currents appears to potentially slow down the effects of aging, according to new research. The new research, conducted at the University of Leeds, found that a short daily therapy delivered for two weeks led to improvements in quality of life, mood and sleep. The therapy, called transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, delivers a painless electrical current to the ear, which sends signals to the body’s nervous system through the vagus nerve, which is connected to the heart, lungs and digestive system. This could potentially be used to help prevent chronic diseases that become […]
October 1, 2019

Fight MS with Cappuccino?

Could coffee help stave off multiple sclerosis? A new international study suggests it might. “Caffeine intake has been associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases,” the study’s lead author Ellen Mowry of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine told Medicalxpress.com. “Our study shows that coffee intake may also protect against MS, supporting the idea that the drug may have protective effects for the brain,” she said. Findings of the U.S. and Swedish study were released ahead of the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting inWashington, D.C. Researchers compared more than 1,000 MS patients to a similar […]
October 1, 2019

The Facts on Carb Loading

The single most important nutritional factor in athletic performance is, you guessed it, carbohydrate intake. As we dash into marathon and track season, many athletes are looking for ways to fuel their bodies properly and have an edge over the competition. Carbohydrates are indispensable to athletes; they are nature’s high-octane fuel for the body. Implementing carbohydrate loading is a relatively simple way to maximize performance. However, despite what your high school coach might have told you, it’s not just eating spaghetti the night before the event. Here are some tips for doing it right: Start early. Effective carb loading begins […]