Category: Lifestyle

Your morning coffee or afternoon energy drink might be doing more than just giving you a quick boost. A new study suggests that excessive caffeine consumption could be putting your heart at risk, even if you’re otherwise healthy.

Researchers from Zydus Medical College and Hospital in India have found that drinking more than 400 mg of caffeine daily — roughly four cups of coffee or two energy drinks — could increase your chances of developing cardiovascular problems. The study, presented at the ACC Asia 2024 conference, sheds light on how popular caffeinated beverages might be secretly messing with our heart health.

“Regular caffeine consumption could disturb the parasympathetic system, leading to elevated blood pressure and heart rates,” explains Dr. Nency Kagathara, the study’s lead researcher, in a media release.

Let’s break that down a bit. The parasympathetic system is part of our body’s automatic control center. It’s responsible for the “rest and digest” functions, helping us relax and recover. When this system gets disrupted, it can lead to increased stress on our cardiovascular system.

The study looked at 92 healthy people between the ages of 18 and 45. Researchers measured their blood pressure and heart rate before and after a simple exercise test. What they found was eye-opening.

Nearly one in five participants (19.6%) were drinking more than 400 mg of caffeine daily. That might not sound like much, but it’s equivalent to four cups of coffee, two energy drinks, or a staggering 10 cans of soda! Moreover, those who regularly consumed this much caffeine each day displayed significant changes in their autonomic nervous system. This system controls involuntary bodily functions like heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, these changes could lead to an increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and other heart issues.

Who’s most likely to be consuming too much caffeine?

The study found that women, people working in business and management roles, and urban residents were the top caffeine consumers. It’s not hard to imagine why – long work hours, high-stress environments, and easy access to caffeinated drinks can all contribute to higher consumption.

The effects were even more pronounced in those consuming over 600 mg of caffeine daily.

“Due to its effect on the autonomic nervous system, regular caffeine consumption could put otherwise healthy individuals at risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular events,” Dr. Kagathara says. “Increasing awareness of these risks is vital to improve heart health for all.”

Why is high blood pressure so dangerous?
Hypertension is often called the “silent killer” because it doesn’t always have obvious symptoms. Over time, however, it can lead to serious health problems like coronary artery disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.

It’s important to note that caffeine isn’t the only factor that can contribute to high blood pressure. Other risk factors include alcohol consumption, smoking, age, family medical history, and high salt intake.

Despite this, there’s no need to panic and throw out all your coffee just yet. This study doesn’t mean you need to quit caffeine cold turkey. Instead, it’s a reminder to be mindful of how much you’re consuming each day.

There are several ways to control your caffeine intake. You can start by tracking your intake and keeping a log of how many caffeinated drinks you have daily. If you find you’re over the 400 mg threshold, try gradually cutting back. You might also consider finding alternatives, like herbal teas or decaf options, for some of your daily drinks.

Sometimes, thirst can masquerade as caffeine cravings, so staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help. Getting enough sleep is also crucial, as proper rest can reduce your reliance on caffeine for energy.

Remember, moderation is key. A cup of coffee or tea can still be part of a healthy lifestyle. If you find yourself reaching for that third energy drink of the day, however, it might be time to reassess your caffeine habits.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/caffeine-4-cups-coffee-heart/?nab=0

Problematic smartphone use refers to behaviours such as panicking when one’s phone is unavailable, finding it difficult to control time spent on a phone, and using the phone to the detriment of other meaningful activities.

Teenagers who have a problematic relationship with their smartphones are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and insomnia than those who do not, new research has found.

Young people who said they had problematic smartphone use, a pattern of behaviours resembling addiction, were twice as likely to report symptoms of anxiety compared to those who did not, according to researchers at King’s College London.

Problematic smartphone use refers to behaviours such as panicking when one’s phone is unavailable, finding it difficult to control time spent on a phone, and using the phone to the detriment of other meaningful activities.

It affects a minority of teenagers, the study found, and although it is less extreme than an addiction, researchers believe there could soon be enough evidence for physicians to recognise it as one.

Around 44% of 13 to 16-year-olds with problematic use of their device reported symptoms of anxiety compared to 26.4% without, while around 56% of 13-16-year-olds with problematic use had symptoms of depression compared with 35.8% without.

Researchers found use of TikTok and Instagram was higher among 16 to 18-year-olds with problematic smartphone use, but usage of WhatsApp, gaming and overall internet use were around the same between both groups.

Stepping out for a movie date? Here are 7 outfits inspired by celebrities that are perfect for the occasion. Check out!

A movie date goes beyond just watching a film. You can create enduring memories and spend quality time with your family, partner, and friends. A perfect outfit for the occasion is important to ensure that you have the best experience during this time.

A movie date is also an opportunity to show off your style while enjoying a fun evening. Drawing inspiration from celebrities can help you flaunt your style while enjoying a fun evening. Here are 7 movie date outfits inspired by celebs to look your best.

7 movie date outfits inspired by celebs
Denim shorts and breezy shirt

Denim shorts paired with a breezy shirt, like Kriti Sanon’s, is a comfortable movie date outfit. To stay throughout the evening, this pick is the one you can rely on. Denim shorts are a wardrobe staple that never goes out of style. Choose a pair of well fitted shorts that flatter your body-type. Team it up with a breezy shirt in fabrics like cotton or linen. You can roll the sleeves or tuck it in. Consider finishing your look with white sneakers or casual loafers. Simple accessories, like a necklace or small earrings, would go perfectly with the overall look.

A comfy maxi dress

A maxi dress is a fantastic option for a movie date, offering both style and comfort in one, whether you are heading out with friends or your partner. You can pick maxi dresses in fabrics like chiffon, jersey, or cotton. And in terms of length, ankle length or mid length maxi dress might work. Like Khushi Kapoor, you can pick maxi dresses with animal prints, floral prints, bohemian style, or a simple one and pair them with sandals or casual sneakers for a laid back vibe.

Forty thousand years ago, the world had its first fashionista. A study published in Science Advances is revealing how our human ancestors used to accessorize their clothing with eyed needle tools. The small adornments might not seem like much by today’s standards, but the choice marked a significant transition in how clothing is viewed. Garments were no longer a source of protection against the elements but a form of self-expression and cultural identity.

“Why do we wear clothes? We assume that it’s part of being human, but once you look at different cultures, you realize that people existed and functioned perfectly adequately in society without clothes,” explains Ian Gilligan, a professor of Archaeology at the University of Sydney in Australia, in a media release.

One question researchers answer is why people started using clothing to express themselves. The study shows that clothing became more than a physical necessity; it became a social necessity to become more desirable in group dynamics.

Trending: Eyed needles on prehistoric clothing
Eyed needles are among the most iconic artifacts from the Stone Age, with the earliest dating back 40,000 years from Siberia. Similar to bone awls, they are sharpened tools made of animal bone. Eyed needles contain a perforated hole to make threading into clothing easier.

Bone awls were already used to make tailored clothing, but eyed needles likely signified a change to making more complex and layered clothing (a must for surviving frigid Siberian winters). Along with eyed needles, the authors note our Paleolithic ancestors also accessorized with beads and other small decorative items.

“We know that clothing up until the last glacial cycle was only used on an ad hoc basis. The classic tools that we associate with that are hide scrapers or stone scrapers, and we find them appearing and going away during the different phases of the last ice ages,” Dr. Gilligan says.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/clothing-fashion-statement/?nab=0

From sophisticated smartwatches to simple fitness monitors, digital devices are strapped onto the wrists of millions of people, often with the goal of self-improvement. For many, these devices offer a window into their health, tracking everything from steps taken to hours slept. However, for individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart rhythm disorder, these wearable devices might be doing more than just counting steps – they could be fueling anxiety and driving unnecessary medical care.

A startling study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has shed light on the complex relationship between wearable devices and patients with AF. The research, conducted by a team led by Dr. Lindsey Rosman from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, reveals that while these gadgets can provide a sense of security for some, they may inadvertently lead to increased anxiety, excessive symptom monitoring, and higher healthcare utilization for others.

Atrial fibrillation, which affects millions worldwide, is characterized by irregular and often rapid heart rhythms. Symptoms can be unpredictable and sometimes severe, ranging from heart palpitations and shortness of breath to fatigue and chest pain. Given the nature of AF, it’s not surprising that patients might turn to wearable devices for constant monitoring and reassurance.

However, the study’s findings paint a nuanced picture of this tech-driven approach to heart health management. Among AF patients who use wearables, researchers found higher rates of symptom preoccupation and more concerns about their AF treatment compared to non-users. Perhaps most strikingly, one in five wearable users reported experiencing intense fear and anxiety in response to irregular rhythm notifications from their devices.

Dr. Rosman’s team found that this anxiety isn’t just a fleeting moment of concern. The study revealed that a similar proportion of wearable users routinely contact their doctors when their devices flag potential AF episodes or when ECG results are abnormal. This behavior translates into real-world healthcare implications, with wearable users showing significantly higher rates of AF-specific medical visits, diagnostic tests, and even surgical procedures.

The impact extends beyond individual patient experiences to healthcare providers and clinics. The study found that wearable users were significantly more likely to use informal healthcare resources, such as calling clinics and sending messages to their healthcare providers through patient portals. This increased communication, while potentially beneficial for patient engagement, could be contributing to an already overburdened healthcare system.

While these findings might seem alarming, it’s important to note that the relationship between wearables and healthcare utilization isn’t entirely negative. Many AF patients who use wearables reported feeling safer with their devices. This sense of security and the potential for early detection of serious heart rhythm issues shouldn’t be discounted.

However, the study raises important questions about the unintended consequences of constant health monitoring. For some patients, the continuous stream of data from their wearables may be transforming normal fluctuations in heart rhythm into sources of constant worry. This heightened awareness, while well-intentioned, could be leading to unnecessary anxiety and medical interventions.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/fitness-trackers-smartwatches-heart/?nab=0

Let’s face it, your neighborhood park just isn’t cutting it for those Instagram-worthy shots. If you’re tired of battling power lines and rooftops to catch a decent sunset, it’s time to step up your game. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic, a budding photographer, or just someone who loves a good golden hour glow, we’ve rounded up the best places in the world for watching sunsets that will make you forget all about that uninspiring view from your balcony.

This consensus list comes from the recommendations across 11 expert reviews. And we hope you find some new places to add to your bucket list. Or, should it be called a sunset list? Either way, check out the list below for awe-inspiring and wanderlust-inducing descriptions. And in the comments, let us know about your favorite spot to soak in the sun’s final rays of the day.

Accor describes Santorini as a breathtaking place to watch a sunset: “The Greek Island of Santorini is covered with picture perfect sunset spots, and is known world-over for this. The ragged cliff towns, breathtaking views and white-washed architecture offers sunset seekers an otherworldly experience while enjoying the sunset dusk. Colours range from bright rose-tinted pinks to ivory-infused lavender, accentuated by the glowing white of the island’s buildings and reflection of the Aegean Sea.”

Travel Awaits shares a first-hand account, “Nothing blocked our view of the setting sun. The wide-open Aegean Sea spread out as the bright orange ball began to slowly dip into the deep azure water as the orange, purple, and blues spread out across the open sky. We all cheered and clapped at the sun dipped into the water and hugged tightly, savoring the beauty and the incredible moment.”

And May Cause Wanderlust will give you a bit of sunset envy, too: “The views were breathtakingly beautiful. Watching the sun go down over the caldera and Nea Kameni is something I’ll treasure forever — it really is one of the best places to watch the sunset.”

2. Mount Bromo, Java, Indonesia

According to List 25, “This huge volcanic crater on the island of Java in Indonesia makes for an incredible setting in which to watch as the sun falls below the horizon. After hiking up the mountain, stay at Sukapura Permai Hotel at the foot of the mountain for a well deserved break.”

The Luxury Travel Expert says take advantage of the vantage point: “Indonesia’s most iconic mountain, Mount Bromo, stands tall at 2,329 meters (7,641 ft) and is still one of the world’s most active volcanoes. The mountain is easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. The overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, and this breathtaking, ethereal landscape has been swooned by many travelers. It takes about 1-2 hours to hike to the first vantage point (although you can also get there with a jeep excursion).”

3. Bali, Indonesia
A Bali sunset is an Instagram dream. Luxury Escapes writes, “Among the many reasons why Instagram influencers flock to Bali are the fiery sunsets, best admired from a chic beach club with a cocktail in hand. The crashing surf provides the perfect backdrop for a stunning sunset shot, not to mention the tiered rice paddies and intricate Buddhist temples dotted across the island.”

Forbes also recommends this sunset-watching spot, saying, “The stunning Uluwatu coastline is my favorite area of the island — because of its sunsets. Bali sunsets are unlike anywhere else in the world. The colors explode like fireworks and stretch for miles across the sky. This sunset lit the sky on fire. There’s a bit of magic in Bali that is evident in every sunset.”

4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Travel + Leisure recommends Rio: “Whether you’re standing with your feet in the sand at Barra da Tijuca or sipping a caipirinha on Leblon’s golden shores, there are many ways to enjoy a Rio de Janeiro sunset. Locals looking for a romantic rendezvous, though, usually head to Arpoador — a small peninsula that sits between Ipanema and Copacabana and juts out into the ocean. Arpoador’s geography allows for stunning views in all directions making it the perfect spot to watch the sun dip into the ocean.”

“Rio has some of the most amazing sunsets in South America. Head to Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro to experience the setting sun behind the beautiful mountains,” Trips To Discover writes.

Source:https://studyfinds.org/best-places-in-world-to-watch-sunset/?nab=0

Imagine you wake up one morning with a scratchy throat and a slight fever. You have an important meeting at work that you’ve been preparing for weeks. Do you call in sick, potentially disappointing your colleagues and jeopardizing your professional reputation? Or do you pop a few painkillers, put on a brave face, and hope for the best? According to recent research, many of us would choose the latter option, even if our symptoms were more severe or if we believed we might be contagious.

In a world still reeling from a global pandemic, the study uncovers a surprising trend: people are still choosing to hide their illnesses from others, despite the fact that doing so could put others at risk. This phenomenon, known as “disease concealment,” is more common than you might think and has far-reaching implications for public health and social behavior.

Perhaps most stunning is the revelation that people are more likely to conceal their illnesses when their symptoms are more severe and when the risk of transmission to others is higher. This counterintuitive finding challenges our assumptions about human behavior during times of illness and raises important questions about the factors that drive us to keep our health status a secret.

The research, conducted at the University of Michigan, found that a staggering 75% of the 4,110 participants across several studies reported either hiding an infectious illness from others at least once or said they might do so in the future. Many participants admitted to boarding planes, going on dates, and engaging in other social interactions while secretly sick. Even more alarming, more than 61% of healthcare workers participating in the study said they had concealed an infectious illness.

“Healthy people forecasted that they would be unlikely to hide harmful illnesses—those that spread easily and have severe symptoms—but actively sick people reported high levels of concealment regardless of how harmful their illness was to others,” says lead author Wilson N. Merrell, a doctoral candidate at Michigan, in a statement.

This tendency to conceal illness goes beyond the common cold or flu. The study’s findings, published in the journal Psychological Science, suggest that people may be more likely to hide their health status even when dealing with more serious conditions. This behavior can have serious consequences, not just for the individual, but for public health as a whole.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/why-people-hide-theyre-sick-contagious/

In today’s digital age, it’s become increasingly common for parents to hand their upset child a smartphone or tablet to calm them down. But could this seemingly harmless practice be hindering children’s emotional development? A new study from researchers at Eötvös Loránd University and the Université de Sherbrooke suggests that using digital devices as emotional pacifiers may have unintended long-term consequences.

The study, published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, followed 265 Canadian families with preschool-aged children over the course of a year. The researchers aimed to understand the relationship between parents using digital devices to regulate their children’s emotions and the development of children’s self-regulatory skills.

Digital pacifiers and self-regulation

Self-regulation is a crucial skill that develops in early childhood. It involves the ability to manage one’s emotions, control impulses, and direct attention. These skills are essential for success in school and later in life. They help children navigate social situations, focus on tasks, and cope with frustration.

The researchers looked at three specific aspects of self-regulation: anger management, effortful control, and impulsivity. Anger management relates to how well a child can handle frustration and angry feelings. Effortful control involves the ability to focus attention and inhibit inappropriate responses. Impulsivity refers to how quickly a child acts without thinking.

What the study found was concerning. Parents who frequently used digital devices to calm their children when upset saw negative effects on their kids’ self-regulation skills a year later. Children whose parents often relied on “digital pacifiers” showed more difficulty managing anger and had lower levels of effortful control.

Imagine a scenario where a child is having a tantrum in a grocery store. A parent, desperate for a quick fix, hands over their smartphone to distract and calm the child. While this might work in the moment, the study suggests that repeatedly using this strategy could prevent the child from learning how to manage their emotions on their own.

Interestingly, the relationship also worked in the other direction, albeit to a lesser extent. Children who had more difficulty managing anger at the beginning of the study were more likely to have parents who used digital devices for emotional regulation a year later. This suggests a potential cycle where children’s difficult behavior leads to more reliance on digital pacifiers, which in turn may worsen self-regulation skills.

“Here we show that if parents regularly offer a digital device to their child to calm them or to stop a tantrum, the child won’t learn to regulate their emotions,” explains the study’s first author Dr. Veronika Konok, a researcher at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, in a statement. “This leads to more severe emotion-regulation problems, specifically, anger management problems, later in life.”

‘Tantrums cannot be cured by digital devices’

This research comes at a time when children’s screen time is at an all-time high. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated this trend, with many children spending more time than ever in front of screens for both education and entertainment.

While digital devices can be valuable tools for learning and connection, this study highlights the importance of being mindful about how and when we use them with young children. Instead of relying on screens to soothe upset children, parents might consider alternative strategies that help kids learn to manage their emotions.

For example, parents could try talking through emotions with their child, using deep breathing exercises, or engaging in a calming activity together like reading a book or coloring. These approaches may take more time and effort in the moment, but they could pay off in the long run by helping children develop crucial self-regulation skills.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/digital-pacifiers-children-emotional-anger-issues/

Drastically reducing children’s leisure screen time to just three hours per week can lead to significant improvements in their mental health and behavior in as little as two weeks, a new study shows. The research, led by Dr. Jesper Schmidt-Persson from the University of Southern Denmark, offers a powerful and actionable strategy for parents concerned about their children’s well-being in our increasingly digital world.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, involved 89 families with 181 children and adolescents between four and 17 years-old. Half of these families were asked to limit their leisure screen time to a maximum of three hours per week per person – a dramatic reduction from the average seven to eight hours per day that many children typically spend on screens for entertainment.

The results were remarkable. After just two weeks (14 days) of this reduced screen time regimen, children in the intervention group showed significant improvements in their overall behavior and emotional well-being. Using a standardized assessment tool called the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), researchers found that these children experienced a decrease in behavioral difficulties equivalent to moving from the “borderline” category to the “normal” category.

This rapid and substantial improvement is particularly striking given the short duration of the study. It suggests that even a brief period of reduced screen time can have measurable benefits for children’s mental health.

The most notable improvements were seen in internalizing symptoms – those related to emotional problems and difficulties with peers – and in prosocial behavior, which involves being considerate and helpful towards others. This indicates that reducing screen time may help children better process their emotions and improve their social interactions.

Dr. Schmidt-Persson emphasizes that the three-hour limit applied specifically to leisure screen time, not including necessary screen use for school or homework. This distinction is crucial, as it focuses on moderating recreational screen use rather than eliminating all screen time.

The study’s findings are especially relevant in today’s digital landscape, where children’s screen time has reached unprecedented levels. Recent surveys indicate that many children and teens spend seven to eight hours per day on screens for entertainment alone, not including time spent on screens for educational purposes.While previous research has hinted at a link between excessive screen time and poor mental health, this study is one of the first to demonstrate a causal relationship through a randomized controlled trial. The speed and extent of the improvements observed provide compelling evidence for the potential benefits of screen time reduction.

However, the researchers caution against interpreting these results as a call to eliminate screen use entirely. Instead, they advocate for a more balanced approach, where families set reasonable limits and engage in alternative activities together.

For parents seeking practical ways to support their children’s mental health, this study offers a clear and achievable goal: aim for no more than three hours of leisure screen time per week. While this may seem challenging in our screen-dominated world, the potential benefits – improved emotional well-being, better peer relationships, and increased prosocial behavior – make it a worthwhile endeavor.

As we navigate the complexities of raising children in the digital age, this research provides a beacon of hope. It suggests that by making a concerted effort to reduce screen time, even for a short period, we can potentially see significant improvements in our children’s mental health and social development.

The study’s findings open up new avenues for further research, including investigations into the long-term effects of sustained screen time reduction and the development of practical strategies to help families achieve and maintain healthier digital habits.

In a world where digital devices are increasingly ubiquitous, this research offers a powerful reminder of the importance of balance. By consciously limiting screen time to just 3 hours a week, families may be able to unlock significant benefits for their children’s well-being in a surprisingly short amount of time.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/cutting-screen-time-kids-behavior/

In an age where social media dominates teenage life, researchers have discovered a disturbing trend that’s leaving parents and educators increasingly concerned. Digital self-harm — a phenomenon where teens anonymously post hurtful content about themselves online — has seen a staggering 88% increase among American teenagers since 2016.

This shocking statistic comes from a new study published in the Journal of School Violence, shedding light on a largely overlooked aspect of teen online behavior. That study reveals that, as of 2021, nearly 12% of U.S. teens between 13 and 17 have engaged in some form of digital self-harm. This behavior, which other people can easily mistake for cyberbullying, represents a potentially dangerous form of self-expression that’s becoming increasingly common in the digital age.

So, what exactly is digital self-harm, and why are so many teens turning to this destructive habit?

Methodology: How Researchers Tackled Digital Self-Harm

To get a clear picture of this digital trend, researchers from Florida Atlantic University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire analyzed three separate national surveys conducted in 2016, 2019, and 2021, focusing on American teens between 13 and 17 years-old.

The study looked at two specific measures of digital self-harm:

1. Whether teens had ever anonymously posted something negative about themselves online
2. Whether they had ever anonymously cyberbullied themselves online

By examining these behaviors across three separate time periods, the researchers were able to track how the prevalence of digital self-harm changed over time. They also considered important factors like gender, race, and sexual orientation to see if certain groups were more likely to engage in digital self-harm.

Additionally, the study explored the connection between experiencing cyberbullying and engaging in digital self-harm. This helped paint a more complete picture of the complex relationships between different forms of online aggression and self-directed harm.

Key Results

The findings of the study are both revealing and concerning. The study authors came away with five major conclusions:

1. Rising Rates: In 2016, roughly 6% of teens anonymously posted negative content about themselves online, and 4% anonymously cyberbullied themselves. By 2021, these numbers had jumped to nearly 12% and 9%, respectively.
2. Gender Shifts: Interestingly, the gender dynamics changed over time. In 2016, teen boys were more likely to engage in anonymous self-cyberbullying. By 2021, teen girls showed higher rates of digital self-harm overall.
3. Sexual Orientation Matters: Across all years, LGBTQ youth were significantly more likely to engage in both forms of digital self-harm compared to their straight peers.
4. Cyberbullying Connection: Perhaps most alarmingly, students who experienced cyberbullying were 5 to 7 times more likely to engage in digital self-harm compared to those who were never cyberbullied.
5. Racial Differences: While not consistent across all years, the study found that non-White students were more likely to anonymously post mean things about themselves online. Hispanic students, in particular, showed higher rates of anonymous self-cyberbullying compared to White students.

Discussion & Takeaways: What These Findings Mean

“Digital self-harm has been linked with major issues such as bullying, depression, eating disorders, physical harm, sleep disturbances and even suicidal tendencies,” says Dr. Sameer Hinduja, a professor at Florida Atlantic University and co-author of the study, in a media release. “With increasing global attention from youth-serving professionals on this phenomenon, it’s clear that digital self-harm is a significant public health issue that warrants further research to identify solutions that can serve as protective factors to forestall its incidence as well as its impact.”

The team cautions that the motivations behind digital self-harm are complex and varied. Previous research has identified reasons ranging from self-hate and attention-seeking to a desire to appear tough or resilient. Some teens may even engage in this behavior as a cry for help, using the anonymity of the internet to express their pain in ways they feel unable to do openly. Dr. Hinduja stresses the importance of understanding these underlying motivations

“It’s also crucial to understand why young people engage in digital self-harm and help them develop healthier coping mechanisms,” the study author explains. “Moreover, it’s essential that parents, educators and mental health professionals working with young people extend support to all targets of online abuse in informal and conversational, as well as formal and clinical settings.”

For parents and educators, staying informed about these trends and maintaining open lines of communication with teens is more important than ever. The researchers say that by fostering an environment where young people feel safe discussing their online experiences and struggles, families can take important steps toward combating digital self-harm and promoting healthier digital behaviors among our youth.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/digital-self-harm-surging/

Recent studies are reassuring middle-aged women who are approaching menopause. Many women are concerned about the potential link between migraines, menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. However, researchers from the University of Michigan are offering new insights and recommendations for managing health risks.

The studies analyze data from over 1,900 women who were part of a comprehensive long-term research project called the CARDIA study. This project tracked the health of these women from their late teens or early 30s into their 50s and 60s, providing valuable information on the factors that influence health before, during, and after menopause.

The studies are published in the journal Menopause.

The findings bring good news for most of these women, suggesting that the combined presence of migraines and prolonged menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats does not necessarily elevate cardiovascular risk, except in a specific subgroup. This subgroup comprises women who have experienced both migraines and early onset persistent vasomotor symptoms. For these women, an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack has been identified, emphasizing the importance of early and proactive risk management.

“The anxiety and dread that women with migraines and menopausal symptoms feel about cardiovascular risk is real — but these findings suggest that focusing on prevention, and correcting unhealthy habits and risk factors, could help most women,” says Dr. Catherine Kim, an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan and a primary care physician, in a statement.

For the majority, though, the studies suggest that focusing on lifestyle modifications — such as improving diet, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight — can significantly mitigate cardiovascular risk. These actions align with the American Heart Association’s “Essential 8” guidelines for maintaining heart health.

Interestingly, the research also highlights that young women in their 20s and 30s who suffer from migraines might face a higher likelihood of experiencing long-term menopausal symptoms as they age. This finding points to the importance of addressing these issues early on, not only to manage symptoms but also to potentially reduce future health risks.

The study further reveals that migraines, depression, smoking, racial background, and educational level are significant predictors of who might experience persistent vasomotor symptoms later in life. This insight underscores the complexity of factors influencing women’s health over their lifetime and the importance of personalized health care strategies.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/women-migraines-menopause-studies/

Cases of the deadly illness caused by smoking have grown by 17% since 2003, Cancer Research UK said, with the biggest jumps in liver, throat and kidney cancers, which have doubled over the last 20 years.

The number of cancers caused by smoking in the UK has reached an all-time high, a charity has warned, with “six people diagnosed every hour”.

As many as 160 new cancers due to smoking are being diagnosed each day, meaning an average of 57,600 diagnoses every year, Cancer Research UK has said.

Smoking is behind a 17% rise in cases of the deadly illness since 2003, the charity’s report, which has not been peer-reviewed, said, with the biggest jumps in liver, throat and kidney cancers, which have doubled over the last 20 years.

This is such a buzz kill.

As it turns out, consuming just one alcoholic beverage per day — whether it be a pint of beer, a glass of wine or a shot of your favorite spirit — can shorten your lifespan by approximately two-and-a-half months, one expert asserts

Dr. Tim Stockwell, of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, told Daily Mail that those who drink significantly more alcohol than that — about 35 beverages a week — could slash a staggering two years off their lifespan.

It’s a rude awakening for those who might like to unwind with a glass of pinot after a long day, or who frequent happy hours with friends or colleagues.

“Alcohol is our favorite recreational drug. We use it for pleasure and relaxation, and the last thing we want to hear is that it causes any harm,” he said.

“It’s comforting to think that drinking is good for our health, but unfortunately, it’s based on poor science.”

Unfortunately, according to the doc, no amount of alcohol is safe for boozers — and his claims are backed up by science.

Recent research has shown that alcohol consumption could increase the risk of certain health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease and more, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, over 20,000 people succumb to alcohol-related cancers every year in the US, where “moderate” drinking is defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Last year, Ireland became the first country to pass a bill requiring alcohol bottles to be labeled with health warnings, while Canada revised its health guidelines that recommended drinks to avoid consuming more than two drinks per week.

Stockwell’s own research has found a link between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality, which directly contrasts the widely held belief that just a little bit of booze can be beneficial for health.

Source: https://nypost.com/2024/07/06/lifestyle/drinking-just-one-alcoholic-beverage-per-day-shortens-your-lifespan-by-this-insane-amount/

Inflammation is extremely common in modern times due to processed and fried food consumption. These tips can help reduce inflammation in your body and help you achieve overall well-being!

Has it ever happened to you that after indulging in sugary sweets, fried food, restaurant meals or even just a heavy dinner, you wake up in the morning with a puffy face and body? Then, my friend, that’s inflammation showing up in your body. For the unversed, inflammation is a normal part of the body’s response to infection or injury, according to the National Cancer Institute. Fried and processed foods are high in trans fats and sugar that trigger inflammation in our bodies. We can experience inflammation at any time in our bodies, but the good news is that what you eat can make a huge difference!

How, you wonder? With some easy tips. If you are someone who struggles with inflammation frequently, then this article is for you. Holistic health coach Shalini Sudhakar (@consciouslivingwithshalini) shared three easy tips to tackle inflammation in our body.

Watch the full video below:

Here Are 3 Tips To Help Reduce Inflammation In Your Body

1. Vegetable Juice

If you are struggling with inflammation, then start your day with a glass of vegetable juice. It is because the fibre present in the veggies has the most effective anti-inflammatory properties which you need to the inflammation faster. However, it is important not to strain the juice and keep the fibres to stimulate bowel movement. Also, don’t forget to add ginger to ease up the digestion

Vegetables You Should Consume To Reduce Inflammation In The Body

Holistic health coach Shalini Sudhakar suggested consuming vegetable juice first thing in the morning. But which vegetables should you pick for this juice? Here are 5 vegetables you should choose that might help reduce inflammation in your body.

1. Bell Peppers

Bell peppers, also known as capsicums, are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C and antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in your body and provide protection against degenerative diseases.

2. Carrots

Sweet and crunchy, carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities that help reduce inflammation in the body. Carrots can also help strengthen your immune system and keep the flu at bay.

3. Beets

Beautifully reddish-purple in colour, beets contain a compound called betalains that is known to lower inflammation in the body. Add beets to your vegetable juice not just for nutrition but also for a beautifully coloured detox drink.

4. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene – a compound that is known to lower inflammation and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Plus, tomatoes are easily available so you can incorporate these in your diet daily.

5. Onions

Onions have a compound present in them called quercetin that has anti-inflammatory properties. What’s more? Onions are packed with vitamin C so incorporating these in your diet and juice can support your immune system.

Source: https://food.ndtv.com/health/struggling-with-inflammation-not-anymore-try-these-3-nutritionist-approved-tips-for-a-happy-gut-5982677

How does sunscreen work? What you need to know about SPF, UVA and UVB

Summer is finally here, holidays are on the horizon and bottles of sunscreen are being dusted off from the back of the bathroom cupboard.

This is often the time of the year when we start thinking about skin protection – even if we know it should be a year-round concern.

Some of the UK’s most popular sunscreens have failed safety tests, offering far less protection than promised.

But from UVA and UVB to SPF, what do all the acronyms on the bottle mean – and what’s important for protecting your skin?

Here is what you need to know.

What is the difference between UVA and UVB?

There are two main types of UV (ultraviolet) rays in sunlight – UVA and UVB.

A simple way to remember the difference is that A is for ageing and B is for burning.

UVB reaches the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, causing most sunburn.

UVA gets deeper and it is associated with ageing. It damages the collagen and elastin in the skin and causes wrinkles.

Both types of UV can damage the DNA in our skin cells and cause skin cancer.

What is SPF?

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and the number represents how much UVB it allows to reach your skin.

A sunscreen with SPF15 allows one-fifteenth of the sun’s UVB rays in, or about 7%.

The amount of UV rays filtered depends on the level of SPF.

• SPF15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
• SPF30 blocks 96.7% of UVB rays
• SPF50 blocks 98% of UVB rays

The numbers can be used as a guide to how long you are protected from burning, compared to if you weren’t wearing an SPF sunscreen.

So if you would normally burn after 10 minutes, and you’re wearing SPF30, you could – in theory – spend around five hours in the sun with a reduced risk of sunburn (because 10 x 30 = 300 minutes).

However, that calculation should be taken with a pinch of salt, because no sunscreen actually blocks 100% of UV rays. That is reflected in the fact that in the EU, the maximum SPF rating is 50+.

The calculation is also based on the sunscreen being applied exactly as directed.

What is the star rating?

While the SPF rating will tell you how well a suncream protects against UVB, star ratings are the indicator for UVA protection.

You should look for a high star rating of four or five stars, according to Cancer Research UK, or “UVA” in a circle, which indicates it meets the EU’s minimum standard.

What is the UV index?

The UV index tells you how strong the sun’s rays are – the higher the number, the stronger it is.

On a scale of 1 to 9+, a rating of three or more indicates the sun is strong enough to cause damage and you should use sun protection.

UV rays are generally strongest between 11am and 3pm and can be strong enough to damage your skin from mid-March to mid-October in the UK, even if it’s cold or cloudy.

You can check the UV index on weather forecasting websites or apps or by searching online.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/how-does-sunscreen-work-what-you-need-to-know-about-spf-uva-and-uvb-13157057

What are singles looking for in that “special someone”? Is it a deep connection through shared interests? What about good looks? A new survey finds many Americans actually want to date someone who will treat them to the finer things in life. It turns out that nearly half of adults are attracted to people in a higher economic class than they are. Simply put, Americans want a romance that also brings some luxury along for the ride!

Commissioned by luxury dating site Seeking.com and conducted by Talker Research, the study found many respondents are interested in modern “hypergamy” — a form of romantic attraction where one person is drawn to another who has a higher socioeconomic status than themselves, supporting and enhancing their own life. More than four in 10 (43%) admitted they weren’t aware of the term, yet once they learned the definition, 47% said they had a positive perception of hypergamy.

Another 39% believe this should include having the other person pay for their date in full. The same number of Americans think finding a partner that exhibits hypergamic traits can have a major or significant impact on their personal growth and discovery. In other words, 39% think “dating up” will lead to greater success for themselves.

“When people are looking for meaningful connections and relationships, they’re looking for others that can match their intellect and have ambitions in life,” says Emma Hathorn, an in-house dating and relationships expert at Seeking.com, in a statement.

“Showcasing those ambitions and treating dates to a taste of luxury sets the bar for the relationship. It is time to say goodbye to ordinary dating. People want to find themselves elevated — both in the conversation itself and by being treated to something tailored to them, exclusively.”

What’s a ‘luxury’ in modern dating?

According to the new survey, emotional connections are a “necessity” in addition to being swept off their feet and exclusive experiences. The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults found that 47% consider it “luxurious” if their date includes learning about their date’s background and having in-depth and intelligent conversations.

Nearly two in three of respondents (65%) valued feeling “swept off their feet,” and 35% believe a relationship is doomed if they don’t feel swept off their feet on a first date. Likewise, people find it attractive when others show self-confidence (80%), have pride in what they’ve accomplished in life (75%), and go “above and beyond” for them on a first date (73%).

The study also found that 45% of Americans believe it’s okay to showcase success and affluence on a first date. In fact, 31% said financial success plays a major or significant factor in their attractiveness.

The survey also revealed people find it attractive when others exhibit traits of a better standard of living. Over four in 10 (42%) said having financial stability and being able to cook well were their top attractive traits. They also found having a nice home (24%), having a cultured taste in music (21%), and having a good fashion sense (20%) attractive.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/luxury-love-singles-dating-up/

Have you ever thrown a barely worn shirt into the laundry just because you wore it once? You’re not alone. In fact, a new study explains that our obsession with cleanliness and sheer hatred of “disgust” are evolutionary phenomena passed down from generation to generation. At first glance, it sounds like a pretty good thing, right? Who wants to stink all day or wear smelly clothes? However, researchers in Sweden say people are actually overdoing it when it comes to cleaning!

A study by a team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden claims that people who go overboard with washing their clothes (especially in a washing machine) might be doing more harm than good — not just to their garments but also to the environment. Their research sheds light on the psychological factors driving our laundry habits, and the results are eye-opening. It turns out that our fear of being perceived as dirty often trumps our desire to be environmentally friendly, even for those who support “green” causes

The Dirty Truth About Clean Clothes
Let’s face it: we’re washing our clothes more than ever before. With easier access to washing machines and advances in technology, tossing our clothes into the wash has become second nature. However, researchers say this convenience comes at a cost.

The study published in PLoS ONE finds that 16% to 35% of global microplastic emissions come from washing synthetic fibers. That means every time you wash your favorite polyester shirt, you could be releasing up to 700,000 microplastic fibers into the water system. These tiny particles eventually make their way into our oceans, accumulating on the seabed and entering the food chain.

It’s not just microplastics people need to worry about, the researchers say. Detergents contribute to water pollution, and the energy and water used in washing machines add to our environmental footprint.

The Psychology of Laundry
So, why do we keep washing our clothes so frequently, even when we know it’s not great for the environment? This is where the Chalmers study gets interesting. The researchers, led by doctoral student Erik Klint, looked at two main factors influencing our laundry behavior:

Environmental identity: How strongly we identify with being environmentally conscious.
Disgust sensitivity: How easily we feel disgusted by things we perceive as unclean.

You might think that people with a strong environmental identity would wash their clothes less often. However, the study found that disgust sensitivity wins out, regardless of how eco-friendly a person considers themselves to be.

This is not ha-pea news for vegans.

While experts extol the health and environmental benefits of a diet free of animal products, new research suggests that consuming ultra-processed vegan food can increase the risk of heart death.

Ultra-processed foods include packaged goods, drinks, cereals and ready-to-eat products that contain colors, emulsifiers, flavors and other additives. UPFs are typically high in sugar, saturated fat, and salt and devoid of vitamins and fiber.

Researchers from the University of São Paulo and Imperial College London assessed the diets of more than 118,000 Brits aged 40 to 69 years old.

They found that a plant-based eating plan promotes overall heart health, but only when that diet features fresh plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Prince Bhojwani never thought of himself as a negative person, until three trips to the hospital in one month forced him to reconsider.

Before May 2018, he was a healthy but chronically worried start-up founder who regularly did 20-mile (32-kilometer) bike rides. When he suddenly became barely able to walk, with blurry vision and spiking blood pressure, emergency room doctors suspected a stroke, but couldn’t pinpoint the cause of his illness.

A close friend, however — “one of the most optimistic people I know,” he said — pointed out Bhojwani often lacked faith that things would work out, and suggested that had pushed him to burn out.

“I started looking at the world very differently, literally the next day,” said Bhojwani, who lives in New York City. He started meditating and taking a moment every morning to feel grateful to be alive. He also found purpose by co-founding a nonprofit, Asana Voices, a South Asian advocacy organization.

In the years since, he hasn’t had any similar health crises, despite working longer hours. He credits his newfound positive outlook.

“After there was a life-changing event, it kind of forced me to become optimistic,” he said. “I can’t even imagine living life the way I did back then.”

Optimism in itself is hardly a cure-all, but numerous studies over the decades have demonstrated a link between a positive outlook and good health outcomes.

A longer, healthier life?
Experts say a standard for measuring someone’s relative optimism has long been the 10-question Life Orientation Test-Revised, published in 1994. (Sample question: On a scale of 1 to 5, respondents are asked how strongly they agree with the statement, “In uncertain times, I usually expect the best”?)

Generally, optimism is defined as the “expectation that good things will happen, or believing the future will be favorable because we can control important outcomes,” said Hayami Koga, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.

She was the lead author on a 2022 study that found optimism associated with longer life spans and a greater chance of living past 90. In another study, published in May in JAMA Psychiatry, she and other researchers said optimists generally maintained better physical functioning as they aged. They looked at 5,930 postmenopausal women over a 6-year period.

“We know that more optimistic people are more likely to live a healthier life, with healthier habits, eating healthier, having more exercise,” Koga said.

Can I learn to be an optimist?
Some people are born more optimistic but it can definitely be learned, too, said Sue Varma, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University and author of “Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being.”

Optimism training, she said, can improve life satisfaction and lessen anxiety.

“Even if you were not born with this natural disposition to anticipate favorable outcomes and see the glass as half full, there are skills that you can learn,” Varma said.

Begin by noticing how you deal with uncertainty, she said. Do you tend to worry? Assume the worst?

Source: https://apnews.com/article/optimism-health-positive-thinking-39fb842af1cf9c08fe5c0bfa0ac368ec#

Nowadays, it seems like kids and teens are more likely to have a favorite streamer than a favorite TV show. They get a lot of their entertainment from creators on video game livestreaming platforms (VGLSPs) like Twitch, but those also contain advertisements, too. According to new research, unhealthy food and drink ads on VGLSPs are linked to kids eating and having more positive attitudes about unhealthy foods.

VGLSPs have been rapidly growing in popularity in recent years, competing with platforms like YouTube and inspiring new platforms like Kick to surface. These platforms are most utilized by users who want to watch streamed video game content with a live chat feature. Not everyone streams video games, though; some do commentary, cooking, art, or more.

At the time of this research published in the journal Appetite, the top VGLSPs around the world were Twitch (with 77% of the market share by hours watched), YouTube Gaming (15%), and Facebook Gaming Live (7%). Kick, which recently launched in 2022, has now taken over the third-place spot. In 2023 alone, there were almost 30 billion hours of content viewed on the top three platforms. Due to the popularity of these platforms among today’s youth, brands have seen it as a shiny new way to market. Specifically, food and drink brands can effectively engage with teens.

“Endorsement deals for prominent streamers on Twitch can be worth many millions of dollars, and younger people, who are attractive to advertisers, are moving away from television to these more interactive forms of entertainment. These deals involve collaborating with brands and promoting their products, including foods that are high in fats, salt and/or sugar,” explains Dr. Rebecca Evans from the University of Liverpool in a media release.

Dr. Evans and her University of Liverpool colleagues examined the extent and nature of food marketing on VGLSPs and how this affects teenage eating patterns. They conducted a content analysis to examine the extent and nature of food cues displayed in 52 Twitch videos (52 hours of video content) uploaded from October 2020 to September 2021 by three influencers popular among adolescents. They then systematically reviewed the evidence for a link between exposure to digital game-based (e.g., in-game advertising, advergames) or influencer food marketing (two key techniques used on VGLSPs) and food-related outcomes such as attitudes, preferences, purchase, and consumption in those 18 and under.

The researchers also surveyed 490 young people. On average, they were 17 years-old, with 76% being White and 30% being female. They were recruited through social media, schools, and a youth research panel. Participants were asked about their age, gender, ethnicity, VGLSP viewing habits, their recall of food marketing on VGLSPs, and then their views and habits related to marketed foods. Lastly, the researchers conducted a lab-based randomized controlled trial to explore links between food marketing using a mock Twitch stream and snack intake.

In total, 91 young people took part in an experiment where they viewed a mock Twitch stream containing either an advert for an unhealthy snack brand or a non-food brand. To prevent participants from knowing study goals, they were told that they’d be completing a memory task about what happened in the stream instead. After, they had a “snack break” where they were offered the branded snack from the stream and a supermarket brand version of it. Information about their age, gender, ethnicity, and VGLSP viewing habits was also obtained.

Overall, the analyses showed that food cues on Twitch appeared at an average rate of 2.6 every hour, with the average duration of each cue being 20 minutes. This translates to 52 minutes of exposure per hour (including overlapping exposure from multiple food cues on-screen at the same time). Also, 71% of the cues were for ultra-processed foods. Energy drinks were the most featured category, which accounted for 62%. A majority of the food cues (81%) were branded (e.g., an image overlaid on the video featuring a food brand logo), while only 2% had an advertising disclosure.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/ads-teens-junk-food-twitch/

When it comes to cruising on the high seas, the world is divided into three camps: Those who loathe it (I’m not friends with any of them), those who adore it (yours truly), and those who adore it so much that they happily fork out US$2 million (S$2.69 million) to USD$15 million for their very own apartment aboard The World – Residences at Sea just so they have the privilege of cruising around the world all year-long. Literally.

Now, I don’t normally get house-envy, but on a recent media tour of the 644-ft, 12-decked The World – when it was docked in Singapore for four days – I found myself giving serious thought to the possibility that so long as I continued to live in my tiny land-bound walk-up flat, I was not, to use Oprah’s wise words, being my true, authentic self.

There are just 165 apartments on board – a judicious mix of studios, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments, and 1- and 2-bedroom studio apartments ranging between 330 sq ft and a whopping 3,242 sq ft – which their owners are at complete liberty to furnish to their personal tastes.

The idea that I could bring my actual home with me on my travels struck a deep chord. No more horrid airplanes to catch, no crowded airports to sit in. No endless checking-in and checking-out of hotels. No taxi touts and long boring trips from airport to hotel.

It was a blissful thought made even more Nirvanic by the revelation that The World also features a fully equipped Pilates studio, physiotherapist, a vast gym with two full-time personal trainers and a full-sized Rebound Ace tennis court, alongside four restaurants, gourmet deli, cigar bar, a wine cellar of 17,000 bottles, and a full complement of reciprocal memberships to yacht and golf clubs around the world.

Somewhere on one of the decks is a helicopter pad. So there’s that, too.

In other words, if a luxury condominium and a luxury cruise liner has a love child, it would look and feel pretty much like The World. Billed as the world’s largest private residential yacht (and not a ship, though no one could quite explain to me what the difference is), it calls into a hundred ports each year, its itinerary decided by the captain and the residents three years in advance. And unlike a commercial cruise ship, The World stays in port for three to four days, the better for its well-heeled passengers to really get under the skin of the destination.

Residents – their average age clocking in at 64 – get on-board wherever and whenever they choose and then stay, on average, three to four months, though I imagine there’s a really hard-core contingent that stays all year and never leaves till The World goes into dry dock every three years for five weeks for maintenance and repair.

And given that the passengers are all owner-residents, it’s a given that life-long friendships will form, and a tight-knit community quickly coalesces as they sail together around the world. Which is not something anyone could say about a commercial cruise, no matter how luxurious the experience.

Most impressively, since it was launched in March 2002, the handsome, all-white ship – sorry, yacht – has sailed around the world about eight times at an average speed of ten knots (or 19kph). At least, that’s what I thought I heard. By the time the figure was announced, I was already frantically workshopping in my head just how I could get myself an apartment on-board.

Source: https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/obsessions/world-residences-sea-private-residential-yacht-245271

I was taking a group class at an art studio – using a pottery wheel. The instructor moved among the learners, offering help. However, she passed by me one, two, three times, even though I’d raised my hand for help. I suddenly realized why. I’m older. It took a while to click. Not because I’m in cognitive decline, but I just don’t think of myself as old(er?). In American culture, women often become invisible as they get older. Society’s messages become toxic.

An older woman with hutzpah and masterful research skills grew tired of feeling invisible. Author Caroline Paul discovered, through her research, that one of the best things older women can do for themselves to age with high spirits is to have outdoor adventures. Fortunately, the same principles apply to men.

Adventure is defined by the adventurer. For some people, it’s white-water rafting, and for others, it’s birdwatching. However, all adventures share characteristics: a sense of anticipation, the physical vitality of the outdoors, and the adrenaline rush of accomplishment.

Nature is healing. Studies show that trees release chemicals called phytoncides that support the immune system. Birdsong calms brainwaves. Fractals – complex patterns found in clouds, ocean waves, and coastlines – relax the brain. People perform tasks better after a 15 to 45-minute walk outdoors.

Mindset matters. The way people perceive their own aging is predictive of how well they age. A pessimistic point of view about aging puts you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia. When you look at aging with anticipation and you’re excited about what her future may hold, it can add an additional seven years to your life.

A study published in JAMA Network Open in 2022 assessed 14,000 adults over the age of 50. Those who were optimistic about their futures had a 43% lower risk of dying during the next four years than people who had a pessimistic outlook on aging.

Outdoor adventure can transform a pessimistic outlook on aging into excitement about living. There’s a group of women in San Diego who call themselves the Wave Chasers. They boogie board together. The oldest member is 99. They find that doing what is unexpected for them is exhilarating, and they feel empowered about the future.

Our culture claims that we lose the ability to learn as we get older. You’ll even hear older people say of themselves, “I’m too old to learn that.” The brain, however, has plasticity. It can lay down new and different neural pathways to learn and problem-solve. An older brain can be more innovative than its younger self – circumventing what may have become problem areas. It’s vital that we keep learning throughout life.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/adventure-older-adults-live-longer/

Girls in the United States, especially those from racial minorities and lower-income backgrounds, are starting their periods at a younger age than ever before. This trend, known as early menarche, is raising concerns among health experts. Moreover, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health say one of several factors that may be the cause of this shift is the growing problem of childhood obesity.

The findings, in a nutshell:

Menarche (pronounced meh-NAR-kee) is the medical term for a girl’s first menstrual period, a significant milestone in her life that marks the beginning of her reproductive years.

Harvard researchers discovered that girls born between 2000 and 2005 got their first periods around age 11.9, compared to girls born in the 1950s and 60s who started around age 12.5. That might not seem like a big difference, but it’s significant in terms of physical development. Even more concerning, about 15% of girls born after 2000 are experiencing “early menarche” (before age 11), and over 1% are having “very early menarche” (before age 9). That’s nearly double the rates seen in older generations.

But that’s not all. The study published in JAMA Network Open also found that girls today are taking longer to develop regular menstrual cycles. In the past, about 76% of girls had regular periods within two years of their first one. Now, only 56% do. This irregularity can make it harder for women to predict their cycles and plan their lives accordingly.

So, what’s causing this concern shift? The study also found a potential link between rising rates of childhood obesity and the onset of early puberty. As body mass index (BMI) continues to rise, especially among children, researchers saw a trend connecting the epidemic to reproductive health.

How did scientists make this discovery?

To uncover these trends, researchers at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health turned to a massive treasure trove of data: the Apple Women’s Health Study. This long-term study, launched in 2018, is a collaboration between Harvard, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Apple. It uses Apple’s popular menstrual cycle tracking feature to gather self-reported data from tens of thousands of women across the U.S.

For this particular study, the team looked at data from over 71,000 women who joined the study between 2018 and 2023. These participants shared personal information like their birth year, race, socioeconomic status, and most importantly, the age when they got their first period. The researchers then grouped these women by their birth decades (1950s-60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000-2005) to see how menstrual patterns changed over time.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/girls-getting-first-period-earlier/

College is supposed to be a landmark moment in a young adult’s life, bringing newfound freedom and, hopefully, happiness. However, an alarming new study finds the stresses and traumas of being a college student today are taking an immense toll on mental health. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham have discovered rising rates of both PTSD and acute stress disorder diagnoses among students nationwide.

The findings, in a nutshell
In a large study spanning 332 colleges and universities across the United States, the team found a startling increase in the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder (ASD) among students from 2017 to 2022.

The new research published in JAMA Network Open found that among the nearly 400,000 students surveyed, the prevalence of PTSD cases spiked from 3.4% in 2017-2018 up to 7.5% by 2021-2022 — more than doubling over those four years. Acute stress disorder diagnoses also rose substantially, going from 0.2% to 0.7% over the same period.

PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a terrifying event like violence, disaster, or abuse. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic event.

Acute stress disorder involves similar symptoms but occurs over a shorter window of three days to one month after trauma. Both conditions can severely disrupt day-to-day life and academic performance.

“These trends highlight the escalating mental health challenges among college students, which is consistent with recent research reporting a surge in psychiatric diagnoses,” lead researcher Dr. Yusen Zhai writes in this report.

What is driving this crisis?

The researchers point to a combination of factors behind the concerning increases:

• The COVID-19 pandemic inflicted heavy stress and trauma for many students, including grief over lost loved ones.
• Campus shootings and other incidents of violence are also taking a severe psychological toll.
• Societal reckoning with racial injustice may be contributing to racial trauma for some students of color.

According to the team, these all weigh heavily on top of the typical anxieties of academic pressures, social challenges, and major life transitions that come with being a young adult in college.

He’s in his terribly talented twos.

A diminutive da Vinci from Germany is selling his paintings for up to $7,000 — and they’re flying off the shelves.

Young Laurent Schwarz’s appreciation for art was first noticed on a family vacation last fall, when his family found it difficult to wrest him away from the activities room at the resort where they were staying.

After returning home, parents Lisa and Philipp Schwarz set the pint-sized Picasso up with a studio and watched in amazement as the toddler covered himself and the canvas with his colorful creations.

“They’re abstracts and what’s unusual is how he integrates discernible figures into them, which people often mention to us and which makes them so popular,” the proud mama told The Times of London.

“You can clearly recognize his animals, like elephants which are one of his favorite animals, as well as dinosaurs and horses. It’s very important to him that it’s bright and colorful. Brown and other boring colors don’t interest him. He has a very clear ideas about the colors he mixes,” she explained.

In awe of her son’s talent, Lisa created an Instagram account to share his work and was overwhelmed by the attention it attracted.

The account @laurents.art has over 29,000 followers as of Wednesday.

“I thought I’d set up a channel because what he was painting looked so nice,” she said. “And that triggered a real hype.”

The kind comments and appreciation for Laurent’s work that came through social media then prompted Lisa to begin selling his work online.

The talented toddler’s work has since been displayed at Munich’s biggest art fair, ART MUC, held in April, and have been sold to buyers all around the world.

New York could be the mini Monet’s next stop — a gallery in New York City is in talks to exhibit some of his pieces.

Art aficionados will have to act fast, however — nearly all of Laurent’s existing creations have been sold, with the price tag of some reaching nearly $7,000.

But while the toddler is rolling in both paint and cash, the money is all sitting in a bank account that he won’t have access to until he turns 18.

Lisa noted that while she encourages her son’s talents and passion, she doesn’t push them.

“It’s totally up to him when and what he paints,” she said. “Sometimes he doesn’t feel like painting and doesn’t set foot in his studio for three or four weeks but then suddenly it grabs him and he says, ‘Mama, painting.’”

Source: https://nypost.com/2024/05/29/lifestyle/two-year-old-painter-commands-up-to-7000-for-his-abstract-art/

The simplest tool to calm anxiety is literally a step away. A survey of 2,000 Americans with outdoor spaces at home finds that 94 percent agree that the simple act of stepping away and going outside helps them relax when they’re stressed or dealing with anxiety.

On average, Americans believe it takes about nine minutes to calm down and unwind when stressed after stepping out for fresh air.

Commissioned by TruGreen for Mental Health Awareness Month in May and conducted by Talker Research, researchers found that seven in 10 people have made a conscious decision to spend more time outside to improve their mental health. Similarly, 69 percent have made an effort to get outside during their daily routine.

When it came to day-to-day stress and anxiety, respondents rated their stress at a moderate level of four (on a scale of one to 10). However, those who include outdoor time in their daily routines reported lower stress levels (4) compared to those who don’t (5).

According to the research, the biggest stressors of daily American life are finances (52%), current events (37%), health (37%), and relationships (29%). Respondents said activities like breathing in fresh air (54%), going on a walk (53%), cleaning and organizing (34%), and texting or calling a friend (33%) were helpful ways to reduce stress.

Reflecting the positive mental health benefits of heading outdoors, more than half the poll (51%) considered having an outdoor space a non-negotiable when they moved into their home. Despite the benefits of outdoor time, many struggle to prioritize it: 65 percent of those with outdoor routines will skip them on a busy day.

Nearly half (48%) also said having a nice yard gives them a sense of pride, and three-quarters (74%) feel they should spend more time than they do enjoying their outdoor space. Of those, 57 percent even feel guilty about not spending enough time outside in their yards.

Aesthetic factors can also affect someone’s outdoor time as well. More than nine in 10 respondents (92%) believe messiness or poor upkeep of their yards negatively impacts their enjoyment of spending time outdoors.

“A well-kept outdoor space enhances home appeal and makes it easier for homeowners to incorporate outdoor time into their daily routines. But while maintaining outdoor spaces is a priority for nearly 90 percent of Americans, it comes with challenges like weeding and pest control,” says Matt Morelli, region technical manager at TruGreen, in a statement. “If maintenance feels overwhelming, partnering with a professional can ease the burden, rather than facing the task alone, so homeowners can get back to enjoying their free time — including being outside.”

Source: https://studyfinds.org/going-outside-defeat-stress/

As we age, it’s not uncommon to experience some degree of cognitive decline – a frustrating reality for many older adults. But what if there were a way to slow down or even prevent this age-related brain deterioration? Exciting new research from the emerging field of Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience suggests that the answer may lie in the foods we eat.

The study, published in Nature Aging, identifies a specific set of nutrients that appear to promote “healthy brain aging.” By studying the diets, cognitive abilities, and brain scans of 100 older adults, the researchers discovered that those with higher levels of certain key nutrients in their blood exhibited larger brain volumes, better white matter integrity, more efficient brain network organization, and superior performance on tests of intelligence and memory.

So, what exactly are these brain-boosting nutrients? The nutrient profile linked to healthier brain aging included higher levels of specific monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and vitamin-like compounds (vitamin E and choline), and antioxidants called carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin). While these nutrients have previously been associated with brain health, this study is one of the first to examine their collective impact using multiple sophisticated brain imaging techniques, providing a more comprehensive picture. Interestingly, the team found that this nutrient profile lined up strongly with the foods in the Mediterranean diet.

“We investigated specific nutrient biomarkers, such as fatty acid profiles, known in nutritional science to potentially offer health benefits. This aligns with the extensive body of research in the field demonstrating the positive health effects of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes foods rich in these beneficial nutrients,” says Aron Barbey, director of the Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in a media release. “The present study identifies particular nutrient biomarker patterns that are promising and have favorable associations with measures of cognitive performance and brain health.”

To understand why this nutrient combination is so powerful, let’s break down the roles of these nutrients in the brain. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, like those found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils, are crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of brain cells and facilitating communication between neurons. They also help combat inflammation, which has been linked to age-related cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Vitamin E, abundant in nuts, seeds, and leafy greens, is a potent antioxidant that protects brain cells from oxidative stress – a kind of cellular wear-and-tear that accumulates with age. Choline, found in eggs, meat, and cruciferous vegetables, is essential for producing acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter critical for memory) and maintaining the structural integrity of brain cell membranes.

Lutein and zeaxanthin, the carotenoids highlighted in the study, are primarily found in leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale. These compounds accumulate in the brain and act as potent antioxidants, shielding brain cells from damaging free radicals. Previous research has linked higher lutein and zeaxanthin levels to better memory, processing speed, and executive function in older adults.

Interestingly, the researchers found that study participants naturally clustered into two distinct groups based on their brain health: those displaying age-appropriate brain changes (the “Delayed Aging” group) and those showing more pronounced brain deterioration (the “Accelerated Aging” group). Remarkably, the Delayed Aging group not only had higher blood levels of the key nutrients but also outperformed their Accelerated Aging counterparts on tests of intelligence, memory, and executive function.

What’s more, the researchers calculated each participant’s “brain age” using machine learning algorithms trained on their brain scans. Incredibly, those in the Delayed Aging group had brains that appeared younger than their chronological age would suggest. This finding underscores the potential for nutrition to not just maintain but potentially even reverse some aspects of brain aging.

The study’s lead authors emphasize that their nutrient profile is not meant to be a definitive prescription but rather a starting point for developing targeted “brain-healthy” diets. They stress the importance of obtaining these nutrients from whole foods rather than supplements, as the complex interactions between nutrients in their natural form may be key to their beneficial effects.

While this study represents an exciting leap forward in our understanding of nutrition’s role in brain health, the authors acknowledge some limitations. The study’s cross-sectional design means that causality cannot be definitively established – that is, we can’t say for certain that the nutrient profile directly caused the brain and cognitive differences observed. Additionally, the study sample was relatively small and homogeneous (predominantly white and well-educated), so further research is needed to determine if these findings apply to more diverse populations.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/key-nutrients-healthy-brain-aging/

Eating while distracted is one of the easiest ways to overeat. When you go to the movies and get a large popcorn, think about how easy it is to eat a ton of salty snacks while watching the big screen. Now, think about how much less likely you are to overeat if you’re just sitting down in a room without any distractions. According to researchers with the American Psychological Association, being distracted while doing things like eating could potentially lead to the overindulgence of other everyday pleasures.

Specifically, the study looked at how distraction impacts “hedonic consumption,” which describes buying and using products and engaging in experiences because they make you feel good and not because you actually need them. If we look at U.S. society, especially influencer culture, which often promotes high levels of consumerism, we see that it’s very common. Always having a new skincare product, supplement, purse, perfume, or whatever else is pushed in your face through the algorithm is the new reality.

“On any given day, a person may take great pleasure from one or more of these activities, yet people often consume more hedonic goods than they want or than is good for them,” says lead author Stephen Lee Murphy, PhD, of Ghent University in a media release.

In this study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the researchers led an experiment involving 122 participants who were mostly young females between the ages of 18 and 24 who reported on how much they expected to enjoy their lunch before eating it. After, they were asked to eat their lunch under one of three conditions: no distraction, moderate distraction (watching a video), and high distraction (playing Tetris). After eating, participants reported their actual enjoyment, satisfaction, desire for further gratification, and the amount consumed. They also reported on snacking they did later in the day.

Those who ate while distracted reported enjoying and being satisfied by their food less, which was linked with increased snacking afterward and wanting further gratification. The team thinks this effect, which they call “hedonic compensation,” applies to things other than eating. For instance, people who are watching a movie or playing a game are more likely to also check social media or have a YouTube video up to make up for lack of enjoyment from the original activity.

As a dietitian, I see this a lot. A lot of people like to eat their meals with a YouTube video playing or with their phone in hand. A lot of people report that they felt they weren’t fully present with their meal, ate it quicker than they normally would, and ended up going back for more — even if they felt they ate enough. Distracted eating can cause you to eat quicker, which usually means you chewed your food less frequently. Chewing enough is one of the best ways to support digestion and give your body time to process what you’ve eaten so that you can feel satisfied. Scarfing food down gets the job done, but rushed eating isn’t optimal.

Additionally, the researchers followed 220 participants between the ages of 18 to 71 for a week to explore things beyond food. The participants, who were mostly women, filled out seven brief surveys per day regarding their levels of hedonic consumption, distraction, and satisfaction. Just as the lunch experiment showed, when people were distracted during meals, their enjoyment and satisfaction fell while their need for further gratification increased.

“Overconsumption often results due to a lack of self-control,” says Murphy. “However, our findings suggest overconsumption may also often be driven by the simple human desire to reach a certain level of enjoyment from an activity. When distraction gets in the way, it’s likely we may try to compensate by consuming more.”

Looking ahead, Murphy and his colleagues plan to conduct further research to replicate and confirm the proposed hedonic compensation effect. If the additional research confirms it, they plan to apply interventions that could help people pay more attention to their consumption experiences to hopefully lower overconsumption.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/why-do-we-overindulge/

Every breath you take could be full of invisible plastic particles invading your body. Now, scientists in Australia know where this plastic pollution is building up in our bodies.

A groundbreaking study by a team at the University of Technology Sydney reveals a concern far more intimate and invisible than smog or smoke: microplastics and nanoplastics, tiny particles that regularly infiltrate the human respiratory tract. These findings, documented in the journal Environmental Advances, could have significant implications for public health.

First, we need to break down what exactly is entering the human body. Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments, less than five millimeters in size, often from the breakdown of larger plastic waste. Nanoplastics are even smaller, measuring between one and 100 nanometers. Both can be released into the environment from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, clothing, and larger plastic debris.

The study utilized advanced computational fluid particle dynamics (CFPD) to track how these tiny pollutants move through and deposit within our respiratory systems. Imagine particles so small that they can travel through the air we breathe and settle deep within our lungs, potentially causing or exacerbating a range of respiratory ailments, from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The researchers built a detailed model of the human respiratory tract — from the nose to the bronchial tree’s 13th generation — based on computerized tomography scans. This allowed them to observe how different sizes and shapes of plastics behave under different breathing conditions: slow, normal, and fast breathing. What emerges is a vivid picture of our lungs under siege by plastics.

For instance, larger microplastics, due to their size and the body’s airflow dynamics, tend to deposit in the upper respiratory tract. This is similar to how larger, visible dust particles might get caught in your nose or throat.

Meanwhile, the tinier nanoplastics, thanks to their minuscule size and the effects of Brownian motion (the random movement of particles in fluid), can penetrate deeper into the lungs, reaching the delicate bronchioles and alveoli where gas exchange occurs. This could potentially lead to more direct impacts on lung tissue.

“Experimental evidence has strongly suggested that these plastic particles amplify human susceptibility to a spectrum of lung disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibrosis, dyspnea (shortness of breath), asthma, and the formation of what are called frosted glass nodules,” says Dr. Suvash Saha in a university release. “Plastic particle air pollution is now pervasive and inhalation ranks as the second most likely pathway for human exposure.”

The study’s simulations showed distinctive patterns in how these particles deposit, depending on the breathing rate. Under fast breathing—like when you’re running—particles are deposited more in the upper airways. Slow, deep breaths, which might occur during sleep, allow particles to settle deeper into the lungs. This is critical to understand because it indicates that our exposure level and potential health risks might vary throughout the day and with different activities.

“Particle shape was another factor, with non-spherical microplastic particles showing a propensity for deeper lung penetration compared to spherical microplastics and nanoplastics, potentially leading to different health outcomes,” Dr. Saha adds. “These findings highlight the imperative consideration of breathing rates and particle sizes in health risk assessments associated with respiratory exposure to nano and microplastic particles.”

Source: https://studyfinds.org/every-breath-you-take-plastics/

They have long been commonplace for celebrities and the super-rich, but in recent years prenuptial agreements have filtered into the real world, too. Solicitors have reported big rises in requests for the legal deals, but what are the factors behind the trend – and is it here to stay?

As Olivia* was picking her wedding dress, she and her partner Leo were also discussing divorce.

Despite being in love and ready to commit, having a prenup, they both agreed, was simply the sensible thing to do when starting married life.

“You go into it with love and hope for the future,” Olivia says. “But also realism.”

They are not alone. Once the preserve of Hollywood celebs and the super-rich, prenuptial agreements are on the rise among “normal” people too, with legal and marriage experts saying numbers have increased dramatically in recent years; around one in five weddings in the UK now involves some form of legal agreement, according to several polls.

Olivia and Leo got engaged last year after meeting on a dating app. Olivia, in her early 40s, is a business founder and Leo, who is in his late 30s, now works for her company. He was the one to initially broach the subject of a prenup.

“I didn’t want to at first as it doesn’t feel very romantic,” says Olivia. “It kind of puts a dampener on things – you’re at this really happy stage of getting married and then you’re potentially talking about, what happens if we split?”

Both have children from previous marriages, both have been through divorce. They decided a prenup was the right thing to do. Now, just a few weeks after their honeymoon, they are happily reminiscing through their wedding day photos; the prenup filed away, no longer a talking point, but there should they ever need it.

“It didn’t feel right that if something was to happen in the future, I could just have what she had built with her business,” says Leo. “I wanted to make the decision from my heart and do what’s right and to focus on building shared assets together.”

“Both of us had amicable divorces,” Olivia adds. “But we know what can happen. It’s reality, and I think life is more complex these days.”

The law on prenups in the UK

A prenuptial or premarital agreement is one made before a couple marries or enters into a civil partnership, setting out how they wish assets to be divided in the event of a split. They are not automatically enforceable in England and Wales, but following a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court in 2010, courts now take them into account as long as they have been made in good faith.

They have long been commonplace for celebrities: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie reportedly had one, as apparently did Britney Spears and Sam Asghari. Catherine Zeta Jones reportedly told Vanity Fair back in 2000, the year she married Michael Douglas, that she thinks prenups are “brilliant”. And over the past few years, they have filtered into the real world, too.

Co-op Legal Services says prenup sales in 2023 were up by 60% on 2022, as were cohabitation agreements – and that postnup agreements almost trebled (an increase of almost 185%) in the same period. It says 21% of married people in Britain, or one in five couples, now have some form of an agreement in place, tallying with research published by marriage advocate charity the Marriage Foundation in 2021.

Experts put the rise down to a number of factors: women earning more; more people remarrying and going into partnerships with children; the internet increasing savviness and accessibility when it comes to the law. Millennials and younger generations are also generally getting married later in life than their parents, therefore accruing more assets individually ahead of the milestone.

Plus, these generations have grown up experiencing divorce between mums and dads or other people close to them, in a way that was far less common for their parents and grandparents.

‘Break-up talk isn’t romantic – neither is death, but we make a will’

Despite the rising number of couples choosing this route, it seems few are comfortable talking about it publicly. The idea of a prenup being “unromantic” still prevails.

Olivia and Leo did not want to give their real names, saying they did not feel ready to share the details with the world. They arranged their prenup through Wenup, an online platform aiming to make couples’ deals more accessible and affordable, launched in the UK in 2023 in response to the increasing demand.

“Prenups are considered taboo, unromantic and are something very private to most people,” says Wenup co-founder James Brookner.

“This is changing for younger generations who have a more open, pragmatic and non-traditional view of marriage, but for many people, thinking about what will happen if they break up in the lead-up to a wedding is a difficult enough conversation to have in private, let alone public.”

Aishwarya Rai’s glitzy Cannes Red Carpet gown deserves a party of its own

A new day at Cannes comes along with a new layer of fashion. An array of celebrities from across the globe have already walked the Cannes red carpet and Aishwarya Rai was one of them. After serving a stunning sartorial statement on the red carpet in a custom-made Falguni Shane Peacock number, the actress is back at it again in yet another look. To deliver the utmost glam, the actress opted for another custom-made piece by the designer duo. She looked breathtaking in a silver and pastel green gown that came with tasselled detailing and all the right glitzy details. Open tresses and signature glam were perfect to complete her red carpet style.

Aishwarya Rai walking the Cannes red carpet is of course a sight we couldn’t afford to miss. With utmost grace and elegance, the actress has managed to take over our hearts in the most stunning way. This year, Aishwarya looked breathtaking in a custom-made Falguni Shane Peacock number. The meticulously crafted black and white corseted gown came with exquisite, hand-beaten, molten gold flowers and plates.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/lifestyle/aishwarya-rais-stunning-cannes-red-carpet-look-is-as-starry-as-her-glitzy-falguni-shane-peacock-gown-5686625

These nutrition experts have a T-bone to pick with four kinds of foods — and one type of beverage — they say can lead to cancer.

Studies have shown that a person’s diet can affect their chances of developing several types of cancer, with experts promoting the consumption of whole grains, vegetables, fruit and beans to lower the risk.

“People should aim to eat more nutrient-rich food by eating at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables each day, choosing whole-grain versions of food, [legumes] like beans and lentils, and unsalted nuts and seeds,” nutritionist Matthew Lambert, the health information and promotion manager at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), told the Daily Mail this week.

“These types of food are higher in nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber — which, among other things, is important in lowering the risk of bowel cancer,” Lambert added.

Lambert also shared his no-no list, which includes processed meat, alcohol, red meat and sugary and fried food.

Processed meat
In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans,” noting that there is “sufficient evidence from epidemiological studies that eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”

Processed meat has been salted, cured, fermented, smoked or prepared in a different way to enhance flavor or improve preservation, according to the WHO, which reports that some of these cooking methods can generate potentially cancer-causing chemicals.

Examples of processed meat include hot dogs, ham, sausages, corned beef and beef jerky.

“The increase in risk of cancer with processed meat is quite modest,” Dr. Duane Mellor, a British Dietetic Association (BDA) spokesperson, told the Daily Mail. “The risk quoted at 18% for every 50 [grams] extra of bacon or sausages sounds large, but per 1,000 people it might represent an extra two cases of colon cancer in those eating processed red meat.”

The American Heart Association recommends limiting processed meat to 100 grams a week, which is about two servings.

The American Institute for Cancer Research suggests swapping deli meats and cold cuts for fresh chicken or fish; bacon, chorizo or salami for spicy vegetarian sausages; and sausage in chili and soups for kidney beans, chickpeas or lentils.

Alcohol
Drinking alcohol raises the risk of cancers of the mouth and throat, larynx, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver and breast, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“When it comes to alcohol, there are no health benefits to drinking,” Lambert said. “As even small amounts of alcohol can increase cancer risk, we recommend not drinking any alcohol. For some cancer types, alcohol is particularly harmful if you also smoke.”

The National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention advises women to limit alcohol to one drink a day, while men should not drink more than two a day. Adults over 65 should not have more than one drink a day.

Red meat
Also in 2015, the IARC declared that red meat — such as beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat — is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

“The strongest, but still limited, evidence for an association with eating red meat is for colorectal cancer. There is also evidence of links with pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer,” IARC researchers wrote about their decision at the time.

Lambert explained that meat contains heme iron, which can facilitate the production of potentially carcinogenic chemicals.

“Heme, which contains iron and gives red meat its color,” Lambert said, “can trigger the formation of cancer-causing compounds which have been shown to damage the lining of the bowel, which may then increase bowel cancer risk.”

The WCRF recommends limiting red meat consumption to three portions per week, which is the equivalent of about 350 grams to 500 grams.

Source: https://nypost.com/2024/05/06/lifestyle/nutrition-experts-reveal-4-foods-to-avoid-to-lower-cancer-risk/

(© Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com)NEW YORK — Now Hiring! Work From Home! Position requires strong ability to multitask. The successful applicant will be able to plan and prepare nutritious meals, while maintaining mountains of clean laundry. She can provide tutoring, nursing, counseling and therapy sessions on an as-needed basis. In addition, applicants should be available for various event-planning activities, including birthday parties. The position involves staying up-to-date on all recommended practices of child development, including, but not limited to temper tantrums and adolescent awkwardness. Sleeping and eating not guaranteed for employees. Applicant must have a valid driver’s license or organize reliable transportation. Expect to work an average of 97 hours per week for 52 weeks per year. Pay range: $0 to $0 DOQ. Fringe benefits: priceless.

Yes, motherhood entails a list of responsibilities that could go on and on. According to a 2019 survey of 2,000 mothers raising school-aged children (ages 5 to 18), moms spend nearly 100 hours a week on parenting tasks — even if it means sacrificing sleep and “me time.” The poll, commissioned by Campbell’s Well Yes! Sipping Soups, found no fewer than 15 different hats a mom wears, from chef to financial advisor. It’s no wonder the job goes well beyond a 40-hour workweek! And while the results may be five years old, they certainly still work in today’s society.

Where do moms carve out the extra time for this massive job? More than half of those surveyed (53 percent) reported sacrificing sleep for their children, while 47 percent regularly give up date nights, hobbies and time with friends.

Despite the nutritional requirements of the job, the survey found that mothers often zero in on their children’s needs more than on their own. About 3 in 5 respondents (62 percent) say they often eat on the run, 53 percent admit they struggle to eat nutritious foods because of the demands of their schedule.

“It’s incredible how many jobs moms juggle in their everyday lives, so it’s no surprise that their personal nutrition isn’t their top priority,” says Diego Palmieri, Chief Marketing Officer, Meals & Beverages at Campbell Soup Company, in a statement. “Taking time to eat nutritious foods is something we all know is important, but for on-the-go parents – moms in particular – it can feel impossible.”

While moms tend to ignore their own needs, the survey found that they still make sure the kids are eating healthy foods. Mothers themselves eat balanced meals just 39 percent of the time, compared to 52 percent of the time for their kids. Moms also only manage to eat three meals a day 44 percent of the time; for kids, it’s 68 percent. And these women admit consuming the recommended daily number of fruits and vegetables 34 percent of the time, while making sure their children hit this goal 42 percent of the time.

Where does the time go? In a typical day, mothers say they spend 46 minutes preparing meals for their children, 44 minutes doing their laundry and 29 minutes creating artwork and drawings with the kids. Add to that the time spent as chauffeur, cheerleader, tutor and therapist, and it doesn’t take long to rack up many more hours than a full-time job.

Researchers found such a job would pay a handsome six-figure salary: a whopping $100,460 per year if moms were paid for their work as parents. And that’s despite the fact that 70 percent of the mothers surveyed still work a full- or part-time job to boot.

After the immeasurable amount of selflessness shown by the typical mom, the survey found she’s left with less than an hour a day of “me time.” For 88 percent of moms surveyed, this time is often stolen from hours of shuteye, be it getting up early, staying up late, or both.

“With the amount of time moms spend taking care of their children, it’s no surprise that they’re giving up time for themselves,” says Palmieri.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/mothers-parenting-six-figure-job/

Including “Sent from my iPhone” at the bottom of an email signals mobile correspondence, that gives room for an understanding if there is an error in the content. Often, people will forgive you for careless mistakes if they know that the email was sent using a mobile device.

But if you keep aside the series, professionally it’s recommended to use “Sent from my iPhone” as your mobile signature. Author Rob Ashton on his official website writes, “The short answer to the question of whether you should write ‘Sent from my iPhone’ is: yes, you should. Or, at least, you should indicate that you’re sending the message from some sort of mobile device.”

Ashton writes about a research area called uncertainty reduction theory (URT). It’s also known as the initial interaction theory and was developed in 1975 by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese. It is one of the few communication theories that specifically looks into the initial interaction between people prior to the actual communication process.

“The central idea of URT states that our primary aim in any initial interaction with people is to reduce uncertainty about them. In other words, we want to check that they are what (or who) they say they are, that they have our best interests at heart or that they really will help us having said they would,” explains Ashton.

And, communication is the surest way to reduce uncertainty about a person or situation. People look for cues while communicating, and there are two kinds of cues. One that you can control is called low-warrant cues such as our thoughts and words. The ones that we cannot control easily are called high-warrant cues and “Sent from my iPhone” is one.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/lifestyle/relationships/work/sent-from-my-iphone-these-four-words-as-email-signature-hold-more-power-than-you-think-article-109985106

Thailand, one of the most popular tourist destinations among Indians, has recently made headlines by extending its visa exemption program for visitors from India. According to a report in Bloomberg, this extension allows Indian tourists to explore Thailand without the need for a visa until November 11, 2024. Removing visa requirements for Indian travellers aims to draw more visitors and boost economic growth through increased tourism.

With this positive development, Indians can now explore Thailand with greater ease and enjoyment. While Bangkok is a popular destination, Thailand offers a variety of splendid experiences beyond its bustling capital. Here are just a few to consider:

1. AyutthayaFor history enthusiasts, this destination is an absolute gem, boasting numerous ancient sites adorned with headless Buddha statues and crumbling temples. Exploring the temples and structures here provides an opportunity for a fascinating journey through Thailand’s rich history, offering glimpses into the kingdom’s storied past.
2. Chiang MaiChiang Mai, the capital of Northern Thailand, is renowned for its ancient temples, bustling markets, and delicious cuisine. Beyond exploring the streets, visitors can enjoy traditional Thai dishes like Khao Soi and Sai Oua. Outdoor enthusiasts can trek through lush landscapes or experience elephant encounters. Don’t miss the iconic Doi Inthanon National Park with its breathtaking scenery and temples. Chiang Mai offers a perfect blend of culture and adventure for an unforgettable experience.
3. PetchaburiFor a taste of adventure, head to Petchaburi in central Thailand. Explore the Khao Luang Cave Temple, situated within a cave guarded by monkeys, where ancient wonders await. Surrounding the temple, lush jungles invite exploration, offering hiking trails and camping opportunities in the Kaeng Krachan National Park. Petchaburi promises an adventure-packed escape into nature’s embrace.
4. Koh SametJust a short distance from Bangkok lies Koh Samet, a tranquil paradise with white sands and clear waters. Whether you seek relaxation or adventure, this island offers it all. Dive into the turquoise sea or unwind on the beach with a drink. As the sun sets, enjoy fresh seafood or join the lively atmosphere at beach bars. Getting there is easy – just head to the ferry pier. For a quick escape from Bangkok, Koh Samet is the perfect destination.

Source: https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/thailand-updates-visa-rule-for-indians-5-iconic-destinations-to-explore-other-than-bangkok-8885116.html

UPFs have become the dietary devil of our time, as research shows they raise the risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes

It seems like only yesterday we could enjoy our toast and cereal in the morning without a care in the world. Not anymore. Research published in the The British Medical Journal (BMJ) shows that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) such as sugary cereals, ready meals and fizzy drinks has been linked to poor mental health and a greater risk of dying from heart issues.

UPFs are usually higher in fat, sugar and salt and contain chemicals, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives that extend shelf life. And thanks to Dr Chris van Tulleken, author of the bestselling book Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn’t Food, it’s a term now popping up everywhere.

Despite the latest research, this is an area beset by contradictions and confusion, with many of us wondering what exactly constitutes an UPF and if there’s anything left to eat that won’t make us fat or unwell.

“It’s high-fat, high-salt and high-sugar, but these ingredients have been combined into industrial products with exotic additives, which can’t really be described as food. They’re ultra-processed foods, a set of edible substances that are addictive for many and which are now linked to weight gain, early death and, yes – depression,” Dr van Tulleken told The Telegraph.

So which foods should remain on the “naughty list”, to be eaten on rare occasions and which can be part of a healthy diet?

Swap UPFs for these foods

Swap your ultra-processed sliced white bread – which contains emulsifiers to improve texture and shelf life – for sourdough made from only flour, salt and yeast.

Ditch processed meat which contains chemical preservatives such as nitrates to make it last longer. Get your protein fix from boiled eggs which are also a good source of vitamins D and B12.

Margarine often contains a lot of emulsifiers to keep its texture – stick to good old-fashioned butter (in moderation).

Some cereals are not only high in sugar, but they can also be ultra-processed. Try to avoid ingredients such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) which are potentially harmful additives or switch to porridge made with oats and cow’s milk for a filling breakfast.

Avoid flavoured tortilla chips and crisps which are high in calories, fat, and salt, plus many crisps are flavoured artificially with ingredients such as monosodium glutamate and dextrose (a type of sugar). Swap for homemade popcorn – as well as being a good source of fibre, popcorn also contains phenolic acids, a type of antioxidant.

Sweetened low-fat yogurts are high in added sugars, to replace the flavour lost from removing most of the fat. Try choosing a full-fat natural Greek yoghurt, as the fat actually helps you to feel fuller for longer. Or try kefir yoghurt – it’s full of probiotics to feed your gut bacteria.

What does the latest 2024 research on UPFs say?
The research conducted by academics in Australia, published in February 2024, reviewed 14 studies published in the past years to assess the impact of UPF foods on various health measures. The studies followed a total of 9.9 million people who had responded to questions regarding their food preferences and habits.

Based on their answers and health history the researchers concluded that a higher UPF intake was associated with a 50 per cent greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a 12 per cent greater risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 48-53 per cent greater risk of developing anxiety.

The scientists concluded there was further “highly suggestive” evidence that eating more UPFs could increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep problems and dying from heart disease by 40-66 per cent, as well as a 22 per cent greater risk of developing depression and a 21 per cent greater risk of death from any cause. UPFs have been linked to 32 different health conditions in total, with varying degrees of credibility, the researchers concluded.

All in all it’s a pretty damning assessment, adding to the multiple black marks chalked up by highly processed, chemically manipulated foods.

What is the definition of ultra-processed food?
UPFs now account for almost 60 per cent of the UK diet, and it’s easy to see why the products are popular; they’re cheap, convenient, delicious and designed to be moreish.

Almost all food is processed to some extent, to make it digestible and tasty, or to delay spoiling. Think flour (made from ground and sifted grains), tinned tomatoes (sealed in a can using heat) and pasta (produced by mixing flour, water and sometimes eggs).

UPFs are different. The term dates to 2009 when Carlos Monteirom, a professor from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, developed the Nova classification system. This divides food into four groups according to how extensively they have been processed, ranging from group 1, foods that are minimally processed with no added salt, sugar, oils, fats or other additives, to group 4, which are ultra-processed foods that are formulated in factories, often using multiple processes. Scientists around the world now use the Nova system to study links between eating habits and disease, and evidence is mounting that UPFs can seriously damage our health.

Typical examples in our daily shop include pizzas, breakfast cereals and cereal bars, cakes and biscuits, sweet and savoury snacks, crisps, baked goods like bread, sausage rolls and pastries, ready meals, flavoured yoghurt and yoghurt drinks, fruit drinks, milk drinks, alternative milks and alternative meat products.

Most of these are obviously UPF and clearly not good for our health; they’re loaded with sugar, salt and/or fat. Additives are a red flag, too. “If there’s an ingredient on the list that you don’t find in a kitchen cupboard, it’s very probably UPF,” says Dr van Tulleken.

Some UPFs are harder to identify. “Anything with a health claim on it is probably a UPF,” Dr Van Tulleken says. “It’s marketing by companies that have the budget to do it. There’s no health claim on broccoli, oily fish or any of the stuff we know is healthy.”

For example, the wording on the packet about fibre, vitamins and/or minerals suggests the food has been stripped of nutrients during processing and the manufacturer has added some back in order to be allowed to promote it as healthy. These types of health claims are common on boxes of breakfast cereal, for example.

It’s worth noting that some unfamiliar ingredients don’t necessarily signify UPF. Certain flours sold in the UK are fortified with calcium, iron, thiamine and niacin, and don’t count as UPF. Corn starch, also known as corn flour, isn’t UPF either, but “modified” corn starch is.

What’s the difference between processed food and ultra-processed food?
Distinguishing unprocessed food (like an apple) from UPF (a chocolate bar) is easy, but the difference between processed and ultra-processed food is not always clear.

In his guide, ‘Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them’, Prof Monteiro lists the ingredients to look out for that indicate a product is probably UPF.

Check for: sugars (fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, “fruit juice concentrate”, invert sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose, lactose); modified oils (hydrogenated or interesterified oils); and protein sources (hydrolysed proteins, soya protein isolate, gluten, casein, whey protein and “mechanically separated meat”). These will be found at the beginning or in the middle of the ingredients list of UPF.

Cosmetic additives are designed to enhance the flavour, appearance and texture of food and are found at the bottom of the ingredients list. They include flavours, flavour enhancers, colours, emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, sweeteners, thickeners, and anti-foaming, bulking, carbonating, foaming, gelling and glazing agents.

What alternatives are there to ultra-processed foods?
Preparing meals and snacks from scratch with unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients is ideal, but for most of us this simply isn’t possible all the time. The good news is there are non-UPF versions of many UPFs – these products are processed rather than ultra-processed.

Many organic versions of common UPFs, such as tins of baked beans and non-dairy milk alternatives, are not ultra-processed. For example, most ready-meal lasagne is an UPF but Tesco and Marks & Spencer both sell versions that are processed but not ultra-processed, and both score B for “good nutritional quality”.

Dr van Tulleken stresses he’s not encouraging anyone to eat ready meals every night just because they’re not ultra-processed. “There are lots of non-UPF ready meals that are great and convenient, but the evidence shows that if you can possibly cook a lasagne at home, it will be better for you than even the non-UPF convenience meal.”

Dr van Tulleken also recommends Open Food Facts, a free app and online database that makes it easy to differentiate processed from UPF products. UPF is identified as Nova group 4, while processed food is Nova group 3. The database also indicates how nutritious a product is according to the Nutri Score system, a five-point scale that rates food letters from A to E, indicating highest to lowest nutritional quality, and colours from green to red (best to worst).

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/nutrition/diet/ultra-processed-foods-upf-which-worst-best/

Pain can come in many forms, but a new poll has arrived at one unsettling conclusion: Nearly a third of Americans are in a constant state of pain. Three in 10 Americans say they haven’t had a pain-free day in more than a month, with 28 percent adding they feel some kind of pain every single day.

The survey of 2,000 Americans also revealed that nearly half of respondents suffer from chronic pain – whether diagnosed or not. Over a quarter (26%) who deal with chronic pain have dealt with it for 13 years or longer.

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Ancestral Supplements, the survey discovered that the average American started to feel aches and pains at age 37. The most common pains that pop up are in the legs (39%), neck (29%), and shoulders (29%). However, other respondents noted that their back was their biggest issue each day.

On average, on days when Americans wake up in pain, it takes them seven minutes longer to get ready in the morning. For answers to their chronic pain questions, respondents say they consult their doctors (75%), followed by nearly half the poll turning to “Dr. Google” for help (48%).

When asked what frustrates them the most about living with chronic pain, Americans say their biggest frustrations include not feeling 100 percent like themselves (43%), being more tired than they used to be (30%), pain causing constant sleep disruptions (28%), and having to give up certain activities they love (27%).

“Living with chronic pain isn’t just about the physical discomfort; it’s about all of the disruptions and inconveniences it brings to our daily lives,” says Chris Ricci, Chief Executive Officer at Ancestral Supplements, in a statement. “From struggling through morning routines to missing out on activities we love, such as spending time with family, and even compromising our careers at work, which affects our livelihood, the impact is felt in all aspects of our lives. Our research sheds light on these struggles, emphasizing the urgent need for effective solutions.”

To never experience aches or pains again, Americans would be willing to trade in some of their greatest loves. A quarter (25%) would give up coffee! Meanwhile, others are willing to part ways with social media (22%) and even cheese (18%) in order to finally wake up without their aches and pains.

The survey reveals that Americans are also willing to pay an average of $1,800 just to get answers on why they are feeling this way. To ease their daily ailments, many people turn to heating pads (39%), exercise (33%), and various supplements that don’t include their daily vitamins (25%). When it comes to taking supplements specifically for pain, iron (19%), fish oil (17%), turmeric (16%), and colostrum (10%) top the list.

In the end, 80 percent of those respondents with chronic pain are still looking for a fix to the problem, and 78 percent of them are more likely to try natural remedies before opting for surgery.

“Prevention is key to maintaining overall well-being. As our bodies age, vitality becomes increasingly important,” Ricci says. “Fortunately, there are natural and simple solutions available to support our bodies in this journey. By taking proactive measures, we can mitigate the effects of daily aches and pains, promoting a healthier, happier life. As the saying goes, ‘Health is wealth,’ and we embrace that.”

Source: https://studyfinds.org/1-in-3-americans-constant-pain/

Isha Ambani exudes the magic of floral elegance in a timeless bespoke sari gown designed by couturier Rahul Mishra.

Envisioned by renowned celebrity fashion stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania and Rahul, the hand embroidered ensemble commemorates Met Gala 2024 official dress code ‘The Garden of Time’.

Ahead of her attendance at the 2024 Costume Institute exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art titled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion in New York, Isha’s nature-inspired elegant look was shared by Anaita on her Instagram account.

Celebrating India through its crafts and artisans, the masterpiece also marks Rahul Mishra’s debut at the prestigious Met Gala 2024. Anaita who has also styled celebrities including Alia Bhatt and Natasha Poonawalla for the Met Gala in the past, took to Instagram to share a detailed description behind this iconic masterpiece adorned by Isha Ambani.

“Our garden of time. Isha is wearing a bespoke hand-embroidered couture sari gown from Indian designer Rahul Mishra. For this year’s Met Gala theme of ‘The Garden of Time’, Rahul and I set out to depict nature’s glorious and bountiful lifecycle in this custom look for Isha, which took over 10,000 hours to complete,” expresses Anaita.

Embracing sustainability, the ensemble incorporated intricate elements from Rahul’s past collections. Delicate samples of flowers, butterflies, and dragonflies were meticulously integrated from the archives into the design, via distinct applique and embroidery techniques such as fareesha, zardozi, nakshi and dabka, as well as French knots. “Together, all of these elements carry a powerful narrative about the state of the planet and offer a message of hope and rebirth. The magnificent look was intricately hand embroidered at Rahul Mishra’s ateliers across several Indian villages, supporting hundreds of local craftspeople and weavers,” adds Anaita.

Source : https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/met-gala-2024-isha-ambanis-hand-embroidered-sari-gown-took-over-10000-hours-to-create-8880406.html

French bakers cooked the world’s longest baguette on Sunday at 140.53 metres (461 ft), reclaiming a record for one of the nation’s best-known emblems taken by Italy for five years.

The baguette, about 235 times longer than the traditional one, was made in Suresnes in the suburbs of Paris during an event for the French confederation of bakers and pastry chefs.

The previous longest baguette of 132.62 meters was baked in the Italian city of Como in June 2019.

To better that, the French bakers began kneading and shaping the dough at 3 a.m. before putting it in a specially-built slow-moving oven on wheels.

“Everything has been validated, we are all very happy to have beaten this record and that it was done in France,” Anthony Arrigault, one of the bakers, said after the baguette was approved by the Guinness World Records judge.

Part of the baguette, which had to be at least 5 cm thick throughout, was cut and shared with the public.

The rest was to be given to homeless people.

The traditional French baguette must be about 60 cm long, be made from wheat flour, water, salt and yeast only, and weigh about 250 grammes, according to the official regulation, opens new tab.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/french-bakers-make-worlds-longest-baguette-beating-italy-2024-05-05

A Kentucky angler has found himself back in Texas to reel in some massive monsters.

Art Weston, state and world record fisherman, returned to Sam Rayburn Lake in the hope of setting another International Game and Fishing Association record.

Last year, with the help of professional fishing guide Captain Kirk Kirkland, Weston set the all-tackle world record after reeling in a 293-pound alligator gar on a six-pound line, as Fox News Digital reported.

Ready to find another beast, the duo ended up reeling in something truly unexpected.

Weston and Kirkland came close on three different occasions to catching another world record-sized alligator gar, but couldn’t hold on after spending nearly an hour-and-a-half battling with one, Weston told Fox News Digital.

The massive fish pulled the two into a “stumpy area” of Sam Rayburn Lake, which ended up being the perfect spot to fight off another monster.

“The only consolation was a very unusual and unplanned catch: a 200-plus-pound alligator snapping turtle,” Weston said.

“When the turtle took the bait, Kirk had a good idea it was a turtle based on the way it was fighting, and he was right, as it came to the surface quickly. What we didn’t expect was how big it was,” Weston added.

The two men had to be careful to protect themselves and to make sure the reptile was safely placed back into the water.

“We had to remove the hook from his foot and [this reptile’s] bite can remove fingers — so you have to be extra careful with them. They also have to be released unharmed since they are a protected species,” Kirkland told Fox News Digital.

Weston and Kirkland were able to skillfully remove the hook and avoid getting bitten by the large reptile before releasing it back into the lake.

“The entire time, the turtle was tracking my movements and had its mouth open ready to strike if I made the wrong move,” Weston said.

“We were able to get it back in the water after just a few minutes,” Weston said.

A catch of this size is rare and remarkable because of the reclusive nature of the protected reptile.

“They are a very old, slow-growing species that are rare to see outside of the zoo, much less catch,” Kirkland added.

Source : https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/fisherman-hooks-prehistoric-200-pound-alligator-snapping-turtle-catching-monster-alligator-gar

We all know that exercise is good for our health, but the intricate ways in which physical activity affects our bodies at the cellular and molecular level have remained largely a mystery. Now, a seminal new study by the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) has shed new light on the complex and far-reaching effects of exercise on the entire body.

Published in the journal Nature, the study, which included an astounding 9,466 assays across 25 molecular platforms and four training time points, identified thousands of shared and tissue-specific molecular alterations in response to endurance training. These changes were observed in a wide range of biological pathways, including immune, metabolic, stress response, and mitochondrial function.

Specifically, researchers discovered physical activity caused significant cellular and molecular changes in all 19 of the organs they studied, from the heart and brain to the lungs and liver. Simply put, working out can literally benefit every fiber of your being!

“It took a village of scientists with distinct scientific backgrounds to generate and integrate the massive amount of high quality data produced,” says co-senior study author Steven Carr, senior director of the Broad Institute’s Proteomics Platform, in a media release. “This is the first whole-organism map looking at the effects of training in multiple different organs. The resource produced will be enormously valuable, and has already produced many potentially novel biological insights for further exploration.”

One of the most striking findings was the widespread regulation of the heat shock response across all of the body’s tissues. Heat shock proteins (HSPs), which are known to play a crucial role in cellular stress response and protein folding, were found to be prominently upregulated in response to exercise. This suggests that the protective effects of exercise may be mediated, in part, by the induction of HSPs, which could help prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins and maintain cellular homeostasis.

The study also revealed tissue-specific adaptations to endurance training. For example, in the lung, researchers observed a decrease in inflammation-related pathways, while in white adipose tissue, there was evidence of increased immune cell recruitment. The heart and skeletal muscle showed a shared enrichment of mitochondrial metabolism pathways, highlighting the importance of improved energy production in these tissues.

Researchers’ interest piqued when they saw that the small intestine exhibited a robust immune response to exercise, particularly in female rats. The downregulation of transcripts related to gut inflammation and the decreased abundance of various immune cell markers suggest that endurance training may improve gut homeostasis and confer systemic anti-inflammatory effects. This finding is particularly relevant given the growing recognition of the gut-brain axis and its potential role in modulating overall health and well-being.

Source : https://studyfinds.org/exercise-pill-cells-working-out

Amidst the summer heat, the rise in mumps cases in Delhi-NCR has raised concern. Here are signs and symptoms you must know along with preventive tips.

After an outbreak in Kerala, mumps cases are now on rise in Delhi, NCR and mostly affecting children from the age group of 6-7 years. The viral infection caused by paramyxovirus leads to swollen face, painful salivary glands, fever, sore throat and appetite loss. Cases have also been reported in Maharashtra, Hyderabad and Telangana in the past few weeks. While the condition is self-limiting and mostly has manageable symptoms, in rare cases, it can cause meningitis which could even be life-threatening, and deafness.

The disease spreads through infected saliva. To prevent getting mumps, it is advisable to get your kid three doses of MMR vaccine at 9 months, 15 months and 4 to 6 years of age respectively. Children and adolescents who missed the vaccination, can be given 2 doses 4 weeks apart.

Washing your hands properly, practicing cough and sneezing etiquette, cleaning frequently used surfaces with disinfectants and getting vaccination can all help prevent against this infection.

“Amidst the summer heat, the rise in mumps cases is a concerning trend. Mumps is a viral infection that spreads swiftly, causing swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. Early signs that people shouldn’t take lightly include fever, headache, and fatigue as they progress to painful swelling of the salivary glands. Symptoms like severe headache, neck stiffness, or testicular pain warrant immediate medical attention. Prevention hinges on vaccination, maintaining good hygiene, and avoiding close contact with infected individuals. Treatment primarily involves rest, fluids, and pain management. Proactive measures are essential to curb the spread of mumps,” says Dr Nidhin Mohan, Consultant Internal Medicines, Narayana Health City, Bangalore.

What is mumps?

“Mumps, also known as Acute Parotitis involves parotid glands and salivary glands below and in front of the ears. This disease spreads through infected saliva. It is caused by paramyxovirus, a member of the Rubulavirus family. It’s a contagious viral infection that affects the salivary glands and is easily preventable by MMR vaccine, which is already included in our National IAP/WHO schedule since late 1970s,” says Dr Ankit Prasad, Consultant- Paediatrics, Fortis Hospital, Noida.

How does it spread?

Mumps resolves within days to weeks. It mainly spreads via airborne respiratory droplets through coughing or sneezing. You can catch it by frequently touching a contaminated surface and touching back your own nose-mouth area. It can also spread by saliva via activities like kissing or sharing drinks from the same glass.

Mumps symptoms

“Mumps typically manifest with distinctive symptoms, including swelling of one or both parotid glands, accompanied by pain and tenderness localized around the face, jawline, and ears. Fever, earache, body ache, headache, weakness, and loss of appetite are common. Mumps become apparent approximately two weeks post-infection, with subsequent progression to high fever and glandular swelling,” says Consultant – Dr Jatin Ahuja, an Infectious Diseases specialist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

Signs and symptoms of mumps include swollen, painful salivary glands, fever, neck pain, headache, earache, sore throat, fatigue, and difficulty in swallowing leading to appetite loss. Scrotal swelling in boys may also be reported in some extreme cases, says Dr Prasad.

Prevention tips

Vaccination can play a huge role in mumps prevention. MMR vaccine can provide protection against the disease. However, it’s important to follow hand hygiene measures and following cough and sneezing etiquette. It is also important to get the adults vaccinated as growing old can reduce your immunity.

“Given the highly contagious nature of mumps, Vaccination stands as the top of prevention, with the combined MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine serving as a pivotal tool. Administering two doses of the MMR vaccine to children provides robust protection against mumps and its associated complications. However, promoting hand hygiene practices, including regular washing with soap and water, and advocating for respiratory etiquette, such as covering the face during coughing or sneezing, are integral in reducing transmission,” says Dr Ahuja.

“It’s crucial to highlight the importance of adult immunization against mumps, especially for individuals in their 40s or 50s. As individuals age, their immunity to mumps may decrease, leaving them susceptible to infection or potential complications. Therefore, adults who may not have received the MMR vaccine in childhood or who belong to age groups where vaccine effectiveness might diminish should consider getting vaccinated,” adds he expert.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/mumps-cases-rise-in-delhi-ncr-watch-out-for-these-top-symptoms-preventive-tips-101714644657127.html

Doctors are still your best bet to treat cardiovascular issues over artificial intelligence. In a new study conducted at Washington State University, researchers evaluated ChatGPT-4’s ability to assess the risk of a heart attack risk among simulated patients with chest pain. The generative AI system provided inconsistent conclusions and failed to match methods used by doctors to assess a patient’s cardiac risk. Simply put, AI may be able to pass a medical exam, but it can’t replace your cardiologist yet.

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people end up in the emergency room. Doctors often rely on risk assessment tools like the TIMI and HEART scores to help determine which patients are at high risk of a heart attack and need immediate treatment and which can safely be sent home. These tools take into account factors like the patient’s age, medical history, EKG findings, and blood test results.

In this study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers created three sets of simulated patient data: one based on the variables used in the TIMI score, one based on the HEART score, and a third that included a whopping 44 different variables that might be relevant in a patient dealing with chest pain. They then fed this data to ChatGPT-4 and asked it to calculate a risk score for each “patient.”

The good news? Overall, ChatGPT-4’s risk assessments correlated very well with the tried-and-true TIMI and HEART scores. This suggests that, with the right training, AI language models like ChatGPT have the potential to be valuable tools in helping doctors quickly and accurately assess a patient’s risk.

However, there was a worrying trend beneath the surface. When researchers fed ChatGPT-4 the exact same patient data multiple times, it often spit out very different risk scores. In fact, for patients with a fixed TIMI or HEART score, ChatGPT-4 gave a different score nearly half the time. This inconsistency was even more pronounced in the more complex 44-variable model, where ChatGPT-4 came to a consensus on the most likely diagnosis only 56 percent of the time.

“ChatGPT was not acting in a consistent manner,” says lead study author Dr. Thomas Heston, a researcher with Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, in a media release. “Given the exact same data, ChatGPT would give a score of low risk, then next time an intermediate risk, and occasionally, it would go as far as giving a high risk.”

Part of the issue may lie in how language models like ChatGPT-4 are designed. To mimic the variability and creativity of human language, they incorporate an element of randomness. While this makes for more natural-sounding responses, it can clearly be a problem when consistency is key, as it is in medical diagnoses and risk assessments.

Researchers did find that ChatGPT-4 performed better for patients at the low and high ends of the risk spectrum. It was in the medium-risk patients where the AI’s assessments were all over the map. This is particularly concerning, as these are the patients for whom accurate risk stratification is most important in guiding clinical decision-making.

Another red flag was ChatGPT-4’s occasional tendency to recommend inappropriate tests. For example, it sometimes suggested an endoscopy (a procedure to examine the digestive tract) as the first test for a patient it thought might have acid reflux rather than starting with less invasive tests as a doctor would.

“We found there was a lot of variation, and that variation in approach can be dangerous,” explains Dr. Heston. “It can be a useful tool, but I think the technology is going a lot faster than our understanding of it, so it’s critically important that we do a lot of research, especially in these high-stakes clinical situations.”

Researchers suggest a few potential avenues on how to improve ChatGPT-4. One is to tweak the language model to reduce the level of randomness in its responses when analyzing medical data. Another is to train specialized versions of ChatGPT-4 exclusively on carefully curated medical datasets rather than the broad, unfiltered data it’s currently learning from.

Despite the current limitations, researchers remain optimistic about the future of AI in medicine. They propose that tools like ChatGPT-4, with further refinement and in combination with established clinical guidelines, could one day help doctors make faster and more accurate assessments, ultimately leading to better patient care.

“ChatGPT could be excellent at creating a differential diagnosis and that’s probably one of its greatest strengths,” notes Dr. Heston. “If you don’t quite know what’s going on with a patient, you could ask it to give the top five diagnoses and the reasoning behind each one. So it could be good at helping you think through a problem, but it’s not good at giving the answer.”

Source : https://studyfinds.org/chatgpt-heart-attack-risk

Tourists can expect a future where visiting world hotspots will come with extra charges or further restrictions – with many places already taking steps depending on the pressures faced by their communities.

Growing tourism numbers are placing popular destinations under extra pressure – due to various factors including environmental and residential concerns.

Here are some locations limiting tourists – or which could be about to take action.

Venice, Italy

A controversial scheme has been introduced for day trippers in Venice in an attempt to reduce the number of tourists.

Signs inform visitors there is a new €5 fee (£4.28) to be paid as part of a trial phase during peak periods of the summer.

Around 200 stewards have been trained to politely walk anyone unaware of the charge through the process of downloading a QR code – with a kiosk set up for people not in possession of a smartphone.

The charge will not apply to hotel guests.

The city has an estimated 30 million visits from tourists every year.

Canary Islands, Spain

Officials are considering introducing stricter rules over tourism amid simmering anger among the locals who are worried about increasing visitor numbers.

Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo said this month that although the region was a leading Spanish tourist destination, more controls were needed.

Just over a week ago, thousands of people protested in Tenerife, calling for the Spanish island to temporarily limit tourist arrivals.

They want to dampen a boom in short-term holiday rentals and hotel construction which is driving up housing costs for locals.

One of the leaders of the protest, Antonio Bullon, said: “The authorities must immediately stop this corrupt and destructive model that depletes the resources and makes the economy more precarious.”

Haiku Stairs, Hawaii

Demolition of a mountain staircase which was built during World War Two on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was due to start this month – to prevent tourists from using it.

Hikers have long headed to the site, despite being officially closed to visitors since 1987, as part of efforts to access amazing views of the island.

Officials confirmed earlier this month the Haiku Stairs would be removed as part of an operation which will cost $2.5m (£2m).

They later said they were “disappointed and dismayed” visitors were still trying to reach the site despite their “warnings that the project to dismantle” the stairs had begun.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Access to one of the world’s most popular heritage sites was temporarily closed to tourists last September.

Authorities took the decision amid growing concern over the deterioration of the site due to increasing footfall.

The site was built in the 15th century as a religious sanctuary for the Incas.

Maya Bay, Thailand

One of Thailand’s most popular beauty spots was closed to tourists for four years from 2018 – after it was made famous by a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh island featured in the 2000 thriller The Beach – but increasing visitor numbers eventually forced officials to take action “to allow its ecology to fully recover”.

Authorities decided to step in following reports that up to 80% of the coral in the bay had died.

Mount Fuji, Japan

Officials said a barrier will begin to be installed this week to block views of Mount Fuji in an effort to tackle growing tourism numbers.

The nation’s highest mountain attracts many photographers and selfie-lovers.

Source : https://news.sky.com/story/popular-global-destinations-which-are-trying-to-limit-tourism-numbers-13125739

As surgical treatments continue to rise, Olivia Petter asks what happens when people all strive towards the same facial features

Take a look at the faces around you. Notice anything? The shapes of people’s eyes all tilting up in the same way towards their hairline? Pouts that pucker up with perfect uniformity? Cheekbones that protrude almost violently through the skin? Perhaps you don’t notice any of these things, in which case you’re already too far gone. But if you do? Well, it’s only a matter of time until you become indoctrinated. Because in 2024 beauty is a homogenous ideal, one that none of us can escape from.

“It is the face of some of the most popular women in our digital realm, from Kylie Jenner to Kim Kardashian, Bella Hadid to Emily Ratajkowski, and has formed the foundation of a new beauty industrial complex, in which a single facial aesthetic is popularised and idealised for the mass market,” says Ellen Atlanta, author of the new book Pixel Flesh: How Toxic Beauty Culture Harms Women. “The result is a culture of homogeneous beauty, in which women covet each other’s features and strive for ideals that can only be achieved through augmentation – normalising injectable procedures, cosmetic surgery, photo editing and filter use in order to achieve the look (all of which have become increasingly accessible over the past decade).”

Those deeply embedded within this specific zone of the pop culture zeitgeist will be familiar with this idea already thanks to the term “Instagram Face”. Coined by writer Jia Tolentino in a viral 2019 piece for The New Yorker, the term reflected the “single, cyborgian look” requested by young women rushing into plastic surgery clinics. “It’s a young face, of course, with poreless skin and plump, high cheekbones,” writes Tolentino. “It has catlike eyes and long, cartoonish lashes; it has a small, neat nose and full, lush lips.”

Back then, this still felt like a fairly new phenomenon. It was shocking, perhaps, and relevant only to a few celebrity faces (Tolentino references Kendall Jenner and Emily Ratajkowski as examples), and a handful of high-profile social media influencers you followed online. Five years later, though, and Instagram Face is very much an offline reality, and one so deeply embedded into our culture that it doesn’t even feel strange anymore.

There are now endless filters people can access on any social media platform that show users what their faces would look like with various plastic surgeries. Using them is often part of a wider trend that parodies but also normalises a surgically enhanced aesthetic; how many people have you seen talking to the camera with comically large lips?

“The use of digital enhancement on social media is so commonplace nowadays that people use filters and apps to completely reshape their face and body and think that it’s normal,” says cosmetic surgeon Dr Paul Banwell. “You’re now able to quickly create a new version of yourself that is comparable to looking in the mirror every day. Because these filters and edits have become the norm among influencers and celebrities, it’s altering people’s perception of normal beauty ideals worldwide.”

But what are people actually having done? According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), women had 93 per cent of all cosmetic procedures in 2023. And while the majority of the most popular surgeries were bodily (breast augmentation and reduction were the top two), a surprising entry was blepharoplasty aka eyelid surgery. This was also one of the top five most popular procedures among men, who also favoured rhinoplasty and otoplasty, which is ear correction. Meanwhile, face and neck lift surgery increased across the board, becoming the sixth most popular treatment overall.

Elsewhere, Botox and dermal filler, both of which can drastically change one’s appearance, are surging in popularity, with UK dentists claiming they’ve benefitted hugely from the rise in demand; a 2022 audit by the BAAPS found that 6,639 Botox treatments were performed by its members, marking a 124 increase on the previous year.

Perhaps what’s more concerning, though, is not what’s being done, but what’s inspiring the work that’s being done.“People used to come to see me asking to look like a particular celebrity,” says Dr Banwell, “but many patients come to me [now] with a phone and show me pictures saying, ‘That’s how I get the most likes and followers – could we do that in reality. I’m tired of editing the picture.’ They want to look like the filtered version of themselves. I find that shocking. These filters just aren’t realistic. They will increase the size of a patient’s eyes, change the shape of the face entirely, not to mention wipe out imperfections where lines can’t be removed – the face just wouldn’t be able to show any emotion.”

Today’s surgery requests go far beyond the aforementioned mainstream treatments; there are procedures taking place most people wouldn’t even deem possible, let alone necessary or desirable. Take one look at any of the surgery trends on Instagram or TikTok and you’ll find thousands of videos with millions of views, in which doctors speculate over what celebrities have had done to their faces. The procedures range from cheek enhancements and brow lifts to buccal fat removal and eyelash transplants (yes, really). Then there’s canthopexy, aka “fox-eye surgery”, which involves lifting the outer corners of the eyes to create a more elongated, cat-like shape. And with many people seeking the same sorts of treatments, well, that’s what creates the single cyborgian look that Tolentino references.

“I think what’s most damaging in the cosmetic industry are doctors and clinics striving for a singular type of beauty,” says Dr Mark Solomos, TV plastic surgeon from Channel 4’s 10 Years Younger and ITV’s The Price of Perfection. “They might do a course on brow lifts and then all their patients have the same brow lift, whether it suits them or not. Treatments should always be targeted to the person to get the best outcome for them personally.”

It’s a dilemma for those actually performing the surgeries, given the ethical responsibility they have. “I have to try and stick to my beliefs that we are offering a bespoke and tailored service that enhances and improves the patient depending on so many differing facial factors, as of course no two faces are the same,” adds Dr Solomos. “This isn’t always easy when people see filtered faces and edited faces on Instagram and think this is the new normal – [but] there is no normal or perfect face for everybody. It’s fashion, and fashions come and go. When it comes to surgery, the results are often permanent.”

There are long-term ramifications at a wider societal level for all of this, too. “The pursuit of a singular beauty standard can be damaging because it fosters unrealistic ideals, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem for those who don’t fit the mould,” says plastic surgeon Dr Fadi Hamadani. “It also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and biases, particularly affecting marginalised communities, and can drive people towards risky behaviours and extreme measures to conform.”

It’s also, Atlanta argues, a reductive, capitalist tactic. “Not only is it a genius marketing tool, as a globalised beauty standard creates an incredibly exclusive set of ideals that everybody must augment themselves in order to achieve, but it is also a tool of our collective oppression, a way to keep us in line,” she explains. “Uniformity has been used historically as a form of control and subordination: by conforming to copy/paste versions of one another, by assimilating into an assembly line of identical faces, we lose a sense of our individuality and of our humanity. It goes beyond aesthetics; it’s a political act that hinders our self-definition and ultimately strips us of agency.”

The rise in non-invasive treatments offering similar results to surgical ones – usually involving lasers, radiofrequency and microneedling – has also made achieving a tweaked “look” far easier, giving people the opportunity to achieve the same aesthetics without going under the knife. “We have seen increased requests for FaceTite, which tightens and contours the skin using radiofrequency technology, while Morpheus8 combines microneedling with radiofrequency to improve skin texture,” adds Dr Hamadani. “Both treatments offer versatility across different skin types and ages, delivering noticeable results with little discomfort or recovery time.”

In some ways, this could be considered a good thing – people can get the look they want without having to undergo major surgery – but perhaps it only exacerbates the central issue at play. Because if these sorts of aesthetics become more widely available, a tweaked and twisted face becomes more ubiquitous, subsequently raising the beauty standards even higher and further from reality.

Source : https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/beauty-features-same-face-instagram-b2534111.html

In today’s digital age, social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have become an integral part of our daily lives, particularly for young adults. A recent study conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University has revealed that even subtle differences in the wording of social media messages can significantly influence college students’ beliefs about depression, anxiety, and their treatment.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, involved 322 undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to view posts about mental health with either a “growth mindset,” a “fixed mindset,” or a control condition where the posts did not involve mental health at all.

A growth mindset refers to the belief that a feature, such as mental health, can be improved with effort, while a fixed mindset is the belief that a feature can’t change, no matter how hard you try.

“These relatively subtle messages may be influencing whether they believe they have any possibility of working through their depression and anxiety and getting better,” says lead study author Whitney Whitted, a doctoral student in psychology at Ohio State, in a media release.

Participants who read the growth mindset tweets were more likely to say that depression and anxiety don’t have to be permanent conditions and that people can take steps to alleviate the symptoms. In contrast, those who read the fixed mindset tweets had less optimistic views about the permanence of mental illness and the ability of people to treat it.

“It was just a few minutes of people reading these tweets with small variations in how the messages about mental illness were framed,” notes study co-author Jennifer Cheavens, a professor of psychology at Ohio State. “But it made a difference in what these participants reported they believed.”

The results of this study have important implications for mental health treatment. Growth mindset social media messages may help persuade people with depression or anxiety that it is worthwhile to seek help. Additionally, for those already in therapy, these messages can provide a boost and help persuade them that working hard in therapy can pay off in the end.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/social-media-posts-mental-illness/

Taking an elevator is a wonderful convenience, but a new study finds it’s not doing anything for your longevity. Instead, researchers have found that opting to take the stairs can help you live a significantly longer life. Specifically, climbing a few flights of stairs each day slashes a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease and death — even if you’ve had a history of heart problems.

“If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart,” says study author Dr. Sophie Paddock of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust in a media release. “Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines.”

Although cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States, researchers say regular exercise can help prevent it. Unfortunately, the new study, presented at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2024, notes that one in four adults worldwide don’t meet the recommended levels of physical activity.

In the U.S., the CDC notes that adults should be getting around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. That’s about 30 minutes of brisk walking a day for five days. The CDC also recommends adding two days of muscle-strengthening activities, where you engage all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms), to this exercise regime.

Dr. Paddock notes that climbing stairs is an easy and widely accessible form of exercise that people can do anywhere — from their apartment building to a city park. With that in mind, the new study looked at stair climbing’s influence on longevity and heart health.

The team gathered nine previous studies on climbing stairs involving more than 480,000 people. These studies examined a wide-ranging set of circumstances and did not discriminate based on the number of flights of stairs participants climbed or the speed people walked up those stairs. Those nine reports also included healthy people as well as those with peripheral arterial disease or a history of heart attacks. The participants ranged in age from 35 to 84.

Overall, the new study found that climbing stairs had a connection to a 24-percent lower risk of dying from any cause. Participants also had a 39-percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Moreover, taking the stairs helped these participants avoid some of the major complications of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

“Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives. Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits – but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home, or elsewhere, take the stairs,” Dr. Paddock concludes.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/take-the-stairs-live-longer/

Fish is often hailed as a nutritional heavy hitter that provides a slew of health benefits.

Rich in essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals, seafood can make for a solid choice in an overall balanced diet.

Not every type of fish, however, is a slam dunk from a nutritional perspective.

Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, said, “Not all fish are created equal when it comes to their nutrition profile, so choosing specific ones may be more beneficial for your health.”

‘Best’ fish for your health
Salmon

There are good reasons this fish gets a lot of lovin’ from health professionals.

“Salmon is among the best choices for healthy fish. It’s high in omega-3s — fats that help cardiovascular and brain health — and also high in protein,” said Lauri Wright, a registered dietitian nutritionist and professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

Wright said research shows that omega-3 consumption decreases overall mortality from heart disease.

“Further, omega-3 provides a modest reduction in high blood pressure and significant reduction in triglycerides,” said Wright.

“In addition to cardiovascular benefits, omega-3s also have anti-inflammatory properties, making them beneficial for those suffering from arthritis,” she said.

For all these reasons and more, it’s probably a good idea to add omega-3 rich foods to your diet, whether through seafood sources or via walnuts, flaxseeds and Brussels sprouts.

Talk with your own health care professional, of course, about any planned changes to your diet.

Oysters
Slurp, slurp on these good-for-you bivalves, say nutritionists.

“Oysters, like salmon and sardines, are high in omega-3s and also high in iron. They’re also good for the environment. One warning, though: Never consume raw seafood,” said Wright.

Sardines

As Routhenstein noted, sardines are rich in EPA and DHA, omega 3 fatty acids, that provide anti-inflammatory, heart health benefits.

“Sardines also have a unique nutritional profile because they are rich in calcium, which helps with bone health and heartbeat regularity,” she said.

In addition to praising sardines for being packed with omega-3s, Wright said sardines are high in vitamin D and are also inexpensive.

If you want to add more sardines to your diet, Wright has a few easy ideas.

Top a cracker with a sardine and mustard. Sauté sardines in oil, garlic, onions with a bit of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to get rid of the strong fishy flavor and serve with rice. Substitute sardines for lox on top of a bagel.

Halibut

Halibut is rich in selenium, per Routhenstein, which is a heart-healthy antioxidant that reduces inflammation and oxidative stress.

“Halibut is also a good source of vitamin B6, which is beneficial for immune, nerve and liver health,” she said.

Red snapper

Pass the red snapper, please.

“Red snapper is a rich source of potassium, which helps improve blood pressure and arterial health,” said Routhenstein, noting this fish is also a good source of protein and B vitamins.

‘Worst’ fish for your health
Sole

Sole has a high risk for contaminants, and it is low in many heart-healthy nutrients like omega-3s, potassium, and magnesium, cautioned Routhenstein.

“It is also high in sodium relative to potassium, which may increase blood pressure levels,” she said.

Farmed tilapia
Another fish you might want to steer clear of is farmed tilapia, which “contains high levels of contaminants, antibiotics and omega-6 fatty acids that can be pro-inflammatory and negatively contribute to your health goals,” said Routhenstein.

Orange roughy
Also known as the red roughy, this fish is best to avoid.

Why?

“Orange roughy has a long lifespan, meaning it often picks up many contaminants throughout its life, including high levels of mercury,” said Wright.

Shark
It’s worth flagging that this creature may not be good for your health, or the environment, experts say.

“Shark is very high in mercury, which is a neurotoxin. It should be avoided completely by pregnant women and children. Further, the population of sharks is also declining,” said Wright.

A note about tuna
Ah, tuna.

This fish can be controversial — so Routhenstein set the record straight.

“Tuna is a rich source of vitamins B6 and B12, which helps support immune, hormonal and nerve health,” she said.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/from-salmon-shark-best-worst-fish-health-according-experts

While some health myths may seem harmless, believing in them can lead to ineffective treatments or unnecessary worries.

Health myths are equivalent to unchecked rumours; both can lead to unnecessary panic, confusion, and potentially harmful consequences if allowed to spread.

But before we discuss these myths at length, let’s take a short walk down memory lane.

Remember as kids how our parents forbade us from staying under a tree after dusk or sleeping under one at night?

The myth was that large trees were haunted. We all believed it.

Cut to science class; the myth was busted when we learnt that trees emit toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide, which is why it’s advised not to sleep under a tree at night.

Now, to health myths.

These often circulate widely, fuelled by word of mouth, outdated information, or misinformation online. While some myths may seem harmless, believing in them can lead to ineffective treatments or unnecessary worries.

Separating fact from fiction is crucial for making informed decisions about our health.

Here are 15 common health myths debunked, based on scientific evidence.

Myth: Eating late at night causes weight gain.
Fact: Weight gain is primarily determined by the total number of calories consumed throughout the day, rather than the timing of meals. However, eating large meals right before bedtime can disrupt sleep and digestion. Therefore, it is suggested to eat the last meal at least two hours before bedtime, so the food has enough time to digest.

Myth: You need to drink eight glasses of water per day.
Fact: The notion that everyone should drink eight glasses of water per day is a myth. The actual amount of water a person needs to drink varies based on several factors, including weather, sweat rate, sweat type, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and overall health.

The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends 92-124 ounces (2-3 litres) of water daily for the average adult living in a temperate climate. It’s important to listen to one’s body and drink water and other fluids at regular intervals throughout the day rather than relying on thirst to indicate the need for hydration.

Myth: Reading in dim light will harm your eyes.
Fact: The belief that reading in dim light can harm your eyes is a common concern, but the evidence suggests that this is more myth than reality. According to various sources, including statements from medical professionals and scientific studies, reading in low light does not cause permanent damage to the eyes.

Experts clarify that although eye strain can occur, leading to temporary discomfort such as soreness, redness, or headaches, these symptoms are not indicative of lasting damage.

Myth: People with dark skin can’t get skin cancer.
Fact: It is a common misconception that people with dark skin cannot get skin cancer. However, this belief is not true. While it is accurate that darker skin provides some protection against the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays due to higher levels of melanin, which can absorb and dissipate UV radiation, this does not confer immunity against skin cancer.

People of all skin colours, including those with brown and black skin, are susceptible to skin cancer. Although the incidence of skin cancer is lower in people with darker skin compared to those with lighter skin, it still occurs.

Therefore, people, irrespective of their skin colour, should use sunscreen.

Myth: Bar soap is covered in germs.
Fact: Bunty, tera sabun slow hai kya? Well, not sure about that, but it sure is a good marketing technique, to say the least.

Extensive research and studies have shown that while bar soap can indeed harbour bacteria, the levels present are not significant enough to pose health risks. Also, they won’t last long enough to spread.

A series of studies, including one from 1965, have consistently demonstrated that the bacteria on bar soaps do not transfer from person to person. Even when bar soap was deliberately contaminated with high levels of bacteria such as Staphylococcus and E coli, subsequent users did not pick up these bacteria.

The cleaning action of soap ensures that bacteria are washed away effectively.

Myth: Holding in a fart can damage the gastrointestinal tract.
Fact: Holding in a fart results in increased pressure within the digestive system, which can lead to symptoms such as bloating, pain, and discomfort. Experts say that while holding gas in can be uncomfortable due to intestinal distension, leading to bloating or nausea, it is not harmful in the long term.

Myth: Detox diets cleanse toxins from your body.
Fact: Experts suggest that the human body is already well-equipped to handle detoxification on its own. The liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs all play crucial roles in naturally eliminating toxins from the body. For instance, the liver chemically neutralises toxins, the kidneys filter toxins out through urine, and the skin expels toxins via sweat.

Scientific scrutiny reveals that detox diets rarely specify the exact toxins they aim to remove, and there is minimal evidence showing that these diets effectively eliminate any toxins.

In fact, some of the perceived benefits of detox diets, such as feeling more energetic or focused, are likely due to cutting out processed foods and alcohol, rather than directly removing toxins.

Myth: Eating too much sugar will give you diabetes.
Fact: The relationship between sugar intake and the development of diabetes is complex and often misunderstood. It’s a common misconception that consuming too much sugar directly causes diabetes.

However, the truth is more nuanced.

It’s important to distinguish between different types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition and is not linked to sugar consumption or lifestyle factors.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is often associated with lifestyle factors, including diet, but does not have a direct causation link with sugar intake alone.

Myth: Carrots help your eyesight.
Fact: While carrots are beneficial for overall eye health, they do not directly improve visual acuity or cure vision impairments.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a compound that the body converts into Vitamin A.

Vitamin A is crucial for maintaining healthy vision, particularly in low-light conditions. It supports the function of the retina and is essential for the formation of rhodopsin, the eye pigment responsible for seeing in dim light.

However, consuming carrots will not enhance one’s eyesight to superhuman levels nor restore vision to those who are visually impaired due to genetic, age-related, or disease-related factors.

Myth: Cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis.
Fact: Several studies have investigated this claim and found no evidence to support it. The “cracking” sound is caused by the release of gas bubbles in the synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints.

While habitual knuckle cracking might annoy those around you, it’s unlikely to cause any long-term damage like arthritis.

However, excessive or forceful cracking could potentially lead to joint irritation or injury in some cases. So, while it’s generally harmless, moderation might be wise.

Myth: Alcohol warms you up when it’s cold outside.
Fact: The sensation of warmth you might feel after consuming alcohol is more of a perceived effect rather than a true increase in body temperature.

Alcohol can cause blood vessels to dilate, particularly those close to the skin, which may give the sensation of warmth.

However, this can actually lead to increased heat loss from the body, potentially making you feel colder in the long run.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/wellness/story/diabetes-from-too-much-sugar-and-15-health-myths-you-should-stop-believing-in-2530738-2024-04-24

Myopia, or the need for corrected vision to focus or see objects at a distance, has become a lot more common in recent decades. Some even consider myopia, also known as nearsightedness, an epidemic.

Optometry researchers estimate that about half of the global population will need corrective lenses to offset myopia by 2050 if current rates continue – up from 23% in 2000 and less than 10% in some countries.

The associated healthcare costs are huge. In the United States alone, spending on corrective lenses, eye tests and related expenses may be as high as $7.2 billion a year.

What explains the rapid growth in myopia?

I’m a vision scientist who has studied visual perception and perceptual defects. To answer that question, first let’s examine what causes myopia – and what reduces it.

How myopia develops
While having two myopic parents does mean you’re more likely to be nearsighted, there’s no single myopia gene. That means the causes of myopia are more behavioral than genetic.

Optometrists have learned a great deal about the progression of myopia by studying visual development in infant chickens. They do so by putting little helmets on baby chickens. Lenses on the face of the helmet cover the chicks’ eyes and are adjusted to affect how much they see.

Just like in humans, if visual input is distorted, a chick’s eyes grow too large, resulting in myopia. And it’s progressive. Blur leads to eye growth, which causes more blur, which makes the eye grow even larger, and so on.

Two recent studies featuring extensive surveys of children and their parents provide strong support for the idea that an important driver of the uptick in myopia is that people are spending more time focusing on objects immediately in front of our eyes, whether a screen, a book or a drawing pad. The more time we spend focusing on something within arm’s length of our faces, dubbed “near work,” the greater the odds of having myopia.

So as much as people might blame new technologies like smartphones and too much “screen time” for hurting our eyes, the truth is even activities as valuable as reading a good book can affect your eyesight.

Outside light keeps myopia at bay

Other research has shown that this unnatural eye growth can be interrupted by sunlight.

A 2022 study, for example, found that myopia rates were more than four times greater for children who didn’t spend much time outdoors – say, once or twice a week – compared with those who were outside daily. At the same time, kids who spent more than three hours a day while not at school reading or looking at a screen close-up were four times more likely to have myopia than those who spent an hour or less doing so.

In another paper, from 2012, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of seven studies that compared duration of time spent outdoors with myopia incidence. They also found that more time spent outdoors was associated with lower myopia incidence and progression. The odds of developing myopia dropped by 2% for each hour spent outside per week.

Other researchers have reported similar effects and argued for much more time outdoors and changes in early-age schooling to reduce myopia prevalence.

What’s driving the epidemic

That still doesn’t explain why it’s on the rise so rapidly.

Globally, a big part of this is due to the rapid development and industrialization of countries in East Asia over the last 50 years. Around that time, young people began spending more time in classrooms reading and focusing on other objects very close to their eyes and less time outdoors.

This is also what researchers observed in the North American Arctic after World War II, when schooling was mandated for Indigenous people. Myopia rates for Inuit went from the single digits before the 1950s to upwards of 70% by the 1970s as all children began attending schools for the first time.

Countries in Western Europe, North America and Australia have shown increased rates of myopia in recent years but nothing approaching what has been observed recently in China, Japan, Singapore and a few other East Asian countries. The two main factors identified as leading to increased myopia are increased reading and other activities that require focusing on an object close to one’s eyes and a reduction in time spent outdoors.

The surge in myopia cases will likely have its worst effects 40 or 50 years from now because it takes time for the young people being diagnosed with nearsightedness now to experience the most severe vision problems.

Treating myopia
Fortunately, just a few minutes a day with glasses or contact lenses that correct for blur stops the progression of myopia, which is why early vision testing and vision correction are important to limit the development of myopia. Eye checks for children are mandatory in some countries, such as the U.K. and now China, as well as most U.S. states.

People with with high myopia, however, have increased risk of blindness and other severe eye problems, such as retinal detachment, in which the retina pulls away from the the back of the eye. The chances of myopia-related macular degeneration increase by 40% for each diopter of myopia. A diopter is a unit of measurement used in eye prescriptions.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/nearsightedness-reaching-epidemic-levels-half-the-world-will-need-glasses-by-2050/

Gustav Klimt’s “Portrait of Miss Lieser”, a painting of a young woman left unfinished when the Austrian artist died, sold at auction on Wednesday for 30 million euros ($32 million) despite open questions about its subject and previous ownership.
The work was long thought to have been lost when in fact it was hanging in a private villa near Vienna for decades, according to the auction house Im Kinsky that put it on display in January before putting it under the hammer. Im Kinsky had estimated its value at 30 million to 50 million euros.

It shows its likely teenage subject in a turquoise dress draped in a flowing floral gown against a red background, her alabaster skin and piercing, pale brown eyes contrasting with her dark, curly hair.
Despite depicting her so clearly, it remains unclear who “Fraeulein Lieser” actually was. The brothers Adolf and Justus Lieser were wealthy industrialists in the Austro-Hungarian empire, having built their wealth on jute and hemp, making twine and rope.

What happened to the painting after Klimt’s death in 1918, when it would have been in his studio, remains unclear, particularly what happened after Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938 and the country’s Jews were persecuted, expropriated and sent to concentration camps.
Margarethe left Austria for Hungary and then Britain but the auction house says the painting verifiably never left Austria. Lilly Lieser stayed in Vienna until she was deported in 1942 and then killed in Auschwitz the following year.
Her daughters returned to Vienna after World War Two to reclaim her assets but the painting was not mentioned in any documents, Im Kinsky said.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/klimts-portrait-miss-lieser-fetches-32-million-euros-auction-2024-04-24/

OSLO, Norway — We’ve all heard the phrase “use it or lose it” when it comes to keeping our minds sharp as we age. But did you know your career choice could play a big role in how well your brain ages over time? According to new research out of Norway, having a mentally stimulating job during your working years may help preserve your memory and thinking skills well into your golden years. So, in addition to helping pay the bills, that mentally engaging career could be giving your brain a workout, too!

The study, published in the journal Neurology, looked at over 7,000 Norwegians across 305 different occupations. The researchers categorized the cognitive demands of each job into four main types:

• Routine manual tasks (like factory work)
• Routine cognitive tasks (bookkeeping, filing)
• Non-routine analytical work (computer programming, data analysis)
• Non-routine interpersonal roles (coaching, PR, managing teams)

Then, they tracked whether the participants developed mild cognitive impairment after age 70. MCI involves noticeable declines in memory and thinking abilities beyond normal aging. For example, MCI can take the form of frequently misplacing things or struggling to follow conversations. While it’s not as severe as dementia, it can make everyday mental tasks quite challenging.

Here’s where it gets exciting for workers: the researchers found a striking difference in MCI rates between those with the most and least cognitively stimulating careers. A whopping 42 percent of those in the least stimulating jobs (mail carriers, custodians) developed MCI after 70. For those in the most mentally engaging fields (like teaching), however, that number dropped to just 27 percent.

Even after accounting for factors like education and lifestyle, those least stimulated at work were 66 percent more likely to experience MCI in later life compared to their more mentally challenged peers. Talk about motivation to find a career you love that also gives your noggin a workout!

Source: https://studyfinds.org/stimulating-careers-better-memory/

Move over, Ozempic finger, Ozempic face and Ozempic butt — say hello to Ozempic personality.

The latest transformative outcome of the buzzy weight loss drug may be the most profound yet, with a growing number of patients claiming that the GLP-1 medication — and others like it — have caused anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, even as they shed the pounds.

Looking into the science behind the life-changing jabs, experts revealed why the medications, originally intended to treat diabetes, could be changing people’s personalities and behaviors.

Ozempic, and other popular treatments like Wegovy, have an impact on dopamine levels, which are responsible for a range of functions.

Along with impacting our emotional and physical drive for food, the brain chemical impacts feelings of reward, pleasure, motivation and movement.

These changing levels could help explain why some users have even claimed the drugs have also reduced their cravings for drugs, alcohol and sex.

Dr Kent Berridge, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Michigan, explained to The Daily Mail that both addictive substances and food activate the same dopamine signals and reward-learning regions in the brain.

He also noted that: “Cravings for addictive drugs are also amplified by hunger.”

“When researchers are trying to get animals to learn to self-administer cocaine, they often will keep them hungry for a little while, as this helps them learn,” Dr. Berridge explained.

The medical expert added: “Hunger is specifically for food but it’s more general than that, it activates craving for a lot of things. If you’re hungry, the motivational value of things, even that are not food, seems to increase.”

Because these drugs help patients to feel satiated for longer, experts believe they then also lessen cravings for things other than food as well, such as drugs and alcohol.

“Satiety may be not only reducing the craving for food, but potentially for other things,” Dr. Berridge said.

GLP-1 drugs appear to alter the motivational dopamine systems, dampening but not eliminating desires. For example, patients have found that they don’t lose their appetites but eat less while on these medications which experts believe could translate to other vices.

“That would be a possibility — taking the [edge off certain cravings], and those are the ones that are problematic if you’re trying to lose weight or if a person is trying to stop taking drugs,” Dr. Berridge said.

He also shared that a decreased libido while on GLP-1 drugs is “conceivable.”

Dr. Berridge explained that because sex is a pleasurable natural desire, suppressing the reward pathway could lead to a reduced sex drive.

“If you’re suppressing [dopamine activation] a little bit and cutting down those mountain peaks, sexual desire is a natural peak, so that would be plausible,” the medical expert said.

However, he admitted that exacly how GLP-1 drugs are suppressing dopamine systems is still unknown.

The US Food and Drug Administration’s adverse event reporting system received 606 reports of psychiatric disorders connected to Ozempic, along with 324 reports connected to Saxenda and 190 to Wegovy in 2023.

The FDA requires that medications for weight management that work on the central nervous system, including Saxenda and Wegovy, carry a warning about suicidal thoughts.

Ozempic, which is only FDA-approved to treat diabetes, does not come with that warning.

Research has shown that bariatric surgery patients have an increased risk for suicide and self-harm behaviors following the procedure.

Lead study author Dr. Alexis Conason, a licensed psychologist in NYC, noted that triggering experiences such as changes in quality of life and unrealistic expectations also occur to those going through other weight loss treatments such as Ozempic.

“People put so much emotion and hope into weight loss, and are sold this fantasy that if they just lose weight everything’s gonna be okay and all the good things that they want in life will come when they lose weight,” Conason previously told The Post.

Source: https://nypost.com/2024/04/17/lifestyle/experts-reveal-why-ozempic-appears-to-change-peoples-personalities/?utm_source=whatsapp_sitebuttons

People are living longer, and daily life is getting more expensive. It may be time to rethink the timeline for leaving the workforce.

Handing in your proverbial badge as a sexagenarian has been the goal for many workers around the world: turning 65 would open a golden portal to retirement. Yet increasingly, the idea of stepping away from the workforce in your 60s doesn’t seem realistic – or even sensible – for many people, especially now. Some major financial figureheads agree.

In March, investment-management firm BlackRock released its annual letter to the company’s investors. Its CEO Larry Fink sounded a warning for workers hoping to retire – comfortably and financially secure – in their 60s. As global life expectancy grows, social safety nets fray and cost of living spikes, Fink warned that retirement at age 65 won’t be possible for many, even most, people.

“[Retirement] is a much harder proposition than it was 30 years ago,” wrote Fink. “And it’ll be a much harder proposition 30 years from now.”

From 2000 to 2019, global life expectancy increased from 67 years to 73. By 2050, the UN expects one in six people worldwide will be aged 65 or older. And as the population ages, many countries will soon reach a point where more people are leaving the workforce than are entering it: in the UK, that point may be reached by 2029; in Brazil, by 2035; in India, by 2048; and in the US, by 2053.

“Life expectancy has been continuing to go up since the mid-1850s in the UK,” says Rebecca Sear, professor of population and health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “But the retirement age hasn’t changed that much.”

As both the health and economic landscape has changed dramatically, is retirement at 65 an entirely unrealistic goal in a modern world?

An arbitrary standard?
Not only has the target retirement age not changed in step with modern circumstances, but it’s also “unclear why the mid-60s became such a focal age for retirement”, says Gal Wettstein, senior research economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. In ways, it was a “rough judgement” intended to usher people out of the workforce towards the very end of their lives.

Yet many government programmes continue to use it as a standard. In the US, Medicare, the federal healthcare insurance program, is currently available only to adults aged 65 and older (there are exceptions for younger people with disabilities). Americans become eligible to receive their full Social Security benefits at age 67, roughly the same age that UK citizens can claim their universal State Pensions.

In the mid-20th Century, when many of these programmes were enacted, life expectancy was significantly shorter: in the UK, for instance, it was roughly 66 years for men and 71 years for women. “If you’re basic about it, [UK citizens would] only spend 8% or 10% of their life on a pension,” says Chris Parry, principal lecturer in finance at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Now, however, “our lives are getting longer, we’re being healthier longer into late middle age and early elderly”, he says. “There are many people wandering now in their early and mid-80s who are healthy and enjoy a very active life – both physically and mentally.”

Source: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240404-global-retirement-increase-65-to-75

World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 each year across the globe to raise awareness amongst the general public about widespread health issues and honour the contributions made by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The day focuses on promoting the overall well-being of the population, highlighting grave ailments and contemporary illnesses plaguing the world’s population, and providing solutions to resolve the maladies.

The global health campaign was established by WHO in 1948 and thereafter earmarked that date as World Health Day beginning in 1950.

The theme for World Health Day 2024 is ‘My health, my right’. This year’s theme is to campaign for the rights of everyone and everywhere, to have access to quality health services, information, and education, as well as safe drinking water, good nutrition, clean air, decent working, quality housing, freedom from discrimination, and environmental conditions.

WORLD HEALTH DAY 2024: TIPS TO BOOST MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL FITNESS

It is important to stay physically and mentally fit to maintain good health. Here are six ways to boost both your mental health and physical fitness in order to live a healthier life:

1. Stay Active : Daily exercise is a powerful tool that keeps you physically and mentally active throughout the day. It can also help you in coping with stress and depression. Aim to do 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days. Remember, even short bursts of activity can make a difference.
2. Prioritise Sleep : Getting enough quality sleep is necessary for both physical and mental wellbeing. Lack of sleep frequently causes low focus during work and poor decision-making. Establish a regular sleep schedule and create a relaxing bedtime routine so that you wake up with a fresh mood every day.
3. Seek Help : Don’t be afraid to see professional help if you are struggling with mental or physical health challenges. It is important to have regular check-ups to discover health diseases, talk to therapists to manage stress, anxiety, or depression.
4. Balanced Diet : Nourish your body with nutritious foods to fuel your workouts and overall health. Try to maintain a fixed schedule for your meals and eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.

Source : https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/world-health-day-2024-6-ways-to-boost-physical-fitness-and-mental-wellbeing-8838302.html

Eclipse events can cause weird weather conditions, radio interference and changes in animal behavior

A rare occurrence in orbit could lead to some strange happenings here on Earth.

The North American solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, is expected to hit totality in 15 U.S. states.

What can Americans expect to happen in the sky as well as on the ground?

SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024: WHERE AND HOW TO VIEW THE RARE ORBIT HITTING THE US

Here are eight weird things that could happen during a solar eclipse.

1. Baily’s beads

Baily’s beads is a strange effect that occurs as the moon closes in on the sun during a solar eclipse.

The phenomenon, viewed safely with proper eyewear, is a sliver of light at the edge of the eclipse, often referred to as the Diamond Ring Effect.

Just as the moon covers or begins to uncover the sun, onlookers might be able to view this “interesting edge effect,” Johns Hopkins University astrophysicist Dr. Bill Blair told Fox News Digital.

In “the phenomenon known as ‘Baily’s beads’ … the sun can actually peak through lunar valleys right along the edge of the moon’s limb,” he said.

Eclipse viewers can maximize their chances of seeing effects like this by traveling along the “edge” of the total eclipse zone, Blair suggested.

2. Animal behavior

During a solar eclipse, wildlife species have reacted as if day suddenly turned to night.

During an eclipse, local animals and birds often “prepare for sleep or behave confusedly,” according to the University of Dallas.

Both physical and auditory animal behaviors will shift during the eclipse, National Geographic noted in an article.

“The early onset of darkness disrupts animals’ circadian rhythms, sparking a possible chorus of owl hoots, cricket chirps or even coyote calls, depending on the eclipse-viewing location,” NatGeo wrote.

Because of this expected shift in sound, NASA has released its Eclipse Soundscapes Project, prompting eclipse viewers to pay attention and record differences in animal behaviors in their area.

“Reports of these atypical animal behaviors date back centuries, but the effects of an eclipse on plant and animal life are not fully understood,” NASA wrote in an article.

“The NASA-funded Eclipse Soundscapes Project will collect the sights and sounds of a total solar eclipse with help from interested members of the public to better understand how an eclipse affects different ecosystems.”

3. Strange shadows

The changing orientation of the sun’s light can cast some pretty cool shadows on Earth.

Light that filters through the leaves of trees has been observed to leave crescent-shaped shadows as eclipse totality closes in, Blair shared.

NASA also recommends the use of a pinhole projector to view images of the crescent sun.

These pinhole cameras can also be used during the partial phases of the eclipse instead of wearing protective glasses, according to Blair.

“Even more impressive, if you have a colander or a big soup spoon with small holes in it, hold it up, and you will get a whole bunch of little eclipses,” he said.

During total eclipses only, special shadow bands can be seen in the seconds before totality.

Shadow bands can show up across plain-colored surfaces, appearing as thin, wavy lines of alternating light and dark, as NASA noted.

The effect is similar to the sheen of a swimming pool.

4. Colder weather

The weather during a solar eclipse could change rather quickly.

Local temperatures could drop more than 20 degrees near eclipse totality, the University of Dallas said.

This is because when sunlight fades, the weather starts to cool down.

NASA reported that a 2001 eclipse in Zambia dropped the air temperature by nearly 15 degrees.

Source : https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/solar-eclipse-2024-8-strange-things-rare-event

When it comes to living your best life, location matters. Some cities go above and beyond to promote the well-being of their residents, whether it’s by ensuring access to nutritious food, providing ample recreational facilities, or keeping healthcare costs affordable. But in other places, maintaining good health can be an uphill battle. To that point, in its annual list of the healthiest cities in the U.S., WalletHub ranks San Francisco as the clear winner — a choice sure to stir some debate considering some of the far-from-healthy problems the city faces.

To uncover the cities that prioritize their residents’ health, WalletHub crunched the numbers on more than 180 of the most populated U.S. cities. They evaluated each city using 41 key indicators of good health, which were grouped into four main categories: Health Care, Food, Fitness, and Green Space. Researchers looked at everything from the cost of a doctor’s visit to how many people are eating their fruits and veggies to the number of physically active adults. The results? A fascinating snapshot of where in America the healthy life is most accessible.

By using such a diverse array of indicators and assigning them weights based on their relative importance, WalletHub aimed to create a comprehensive and balanced ranking of the healthiest cities in America. However, it’s important to note that no ranking system is perfect, and individual health outcomes can vary widely even within cities that rank highly on these metrics. Nonetheless, this study provides a useful starting point for understanding which urban environments are most conducive to leading a healthy lifestyle.

That’s why San Fran lands atop the others. Despite being mired in a homelessness and drug overdose crisis, the weighted list is based on health factors most easily available to citizens, along with the number of individuals who take advantage of them in each city. San Francisco, though 76th overall in health care ranking, was number one both in healthy food and green space availability. It also ranked 28th overall in fitness.

Similarly, Honolulu placed second overall in green spaces and fourth overall in food, while ranking 27th in fitness and 99th in healthcare. Seattle seemed a bit more balanced than San Francisco and Honolulu, placing fifth overall in fitness, 10th in food, 11th in green space, and 28th in healthcare.

Let’s start with one of the most crucial factors: healthcare affordability. In Laredo, Texas, the cost of a medical visit is three times lower than in Juneau, Alaska. That’s a huge difference that can make or break someone’s ability to get the care they need. St. Louis, Kansas City, and Brownsville, Texas also stood out for their low healthcare costs.

But it’s not just about affordable doctor’s visits – having enough mental health support matters too. If you’re looking for easy access to mental health counselors, Spokane, Washington and Colorado Springs tied as the top places to be, with 12 times more counselors per capita than Laredo, Texas, despite the city’s aforementioned affordability. Rapid City, South Dakota and Richmond, Virginia also scored high in this category.

Of course, preventative care is key to staying healthy, and that starts with what we put on our plates. Portland, Maine takes the cake (or should we say, the carrot?) for the lowest percentage of adults not eating enough fruits and veggies per day. San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont, California are also crushing it in the healthy eating department. On the flip side, southern cities like Memphis, Chattanooga, and Baton Rouge could use some work in getting their greens.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/san-francisco-healthy-cities-2024/

In a recent poll by Taste Atlas, India’s Rogan Josh and Galouti Kebab ranked 26th and 27th among the world’s top lamb dishes. Originating from Kashmir, Rogan Josh boasts fiery flavours and a vibrant red hue, influenced by Persian and Mughal cuisines. Meanwhile, Galouti Kebab, hailing from Lucknow, melts in the mouth, showcasing Uttar Pradesh’s rich culinary heritage.

Achappam, Gulab Jamun And More Make It To The World’s Top 50 Favourite DoughnutsTo the world, India is known as a haven for vegetarian cuisine. But along with the many dishes that champion the versatility of vegetables, there are also a host of unique non-vegetarian dishes with a rich history of their own which often don’t get as much attention. In a recent poll by digital food ranking platform

The top five spots were taken by Greece’s Paidakia, a dish of marinated lamb chops. Cag kebab, Doner Kebab and Adana Kebab, all from Turkey, with Spain’s Lecahzo coming in at the fifth spot.

Let’s take a closer look at these two iconic dishes from North India.

Rogan Josh

Originating from Kashmir, Rogan Josh is known for its fiery flavours and bright red colour. The name itself, “Rogan” originates from Persian, where it means clarified butter or oil, while in Hindi, it translates to “red.” “Josh” signifies passion, often fiery or hot. Hence, rogan josh involves cooking in an oil-based sauce with intense heat. This dish found its way to Kashmir through the Mughals, who were influenced by Persian cuisine.

The dish was adapted from its original form to suit the unique palate and methods of Kashmir and despite the Kashmiri Brahmin menu typically being vegetarian, Rogan Josh found a place in the regular diet. Their version avoids onions and garlic, instead favouring fennel seeds and hing for flavour enhancement, resulting in a delightful infusion with the lamb. In contrast, the Mughal iteration boasts generous amounts of ginger and garlic.

Generally, rogan josh consists of lamb or goat that has been slow-cooked in oil, yoghurt and a mix of many different spices. Despite its intense red hue, it is usually not a particularly spicy curry. Rogan josh remains a common dish in Northern India and is a popular menu item at Indian restaurants in North America and Europe.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/lifestyle/food/news/two-north-indian-specialties-named-among-the-best-lamb-dishes-in-the-world-article-108910958

So much for the van-tasy.

The dream of ditching expensive apartments for Instagram-worthy nomadic RV adventures and endless excitement took off at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the #VanLife movement shows signs of slowing amid return-to-office mandates and high gas prices, as trailblazers spill about the speed bumps in their journeys, including unforeseen repair costs, isolation, safety concerns, and tiresome logistics, among other shortcomings.

“Everything is 10 times harder,” Siena Juhlin, 23, admitted to The Wall Street Journal last week. “But everything is also amazingly beautiful and rewarding.”

Juhlin, of Missouri, confessed she is working three part-time jobs to recover the $5,000 she spent to fix the transmission of the white Ford Transit she purchased in August.

And freelance photographer Emilie Hofferber, 28, griped to The Journal about the exhausting complexities of daily decision-making, such as evaluating the safeness of the sleeping conditions at truck stops.

“You’re just always having to make big choices and think about all the tiny things you need for survival,” Hofferber said.

Even more frustrations were shared in a recent post to the Reddit Van Dwellers channel.

“I spent only a few months living vanlife and had a nervous breakdown,” one Redditor penned. “My mental health wasn’t the best to begin with, so perhaps take that with a grain of salt. I still feel that vanlife is a fantastic way to live. I was vanlifing at the height of covid so very isolated, I had envisioned making lots of friends along the way.”

“Making friends takes time: you don’t just meet someone and become close over a weekend,” another Redditor replied, adding, “Additionally, a lot of the expenses of vanlife come from moving: the obvious thing is gas costs, but less obviously, moving around a lot means you don’t have a chance to learn where to get supplies like groceries inexpensively, so you end up paying more money for everything you buy.”

Source: https://nypost.com/2024/03/31/lifestyle/van-lifers-reveal-most-difficult-challenges-of-roving-lifestyle/

The past may be over, but is it ever really past? Researchers from Linköping University explain that how fit middle-aged men were during their youth appears to have a connection to their heart health today. More specifically, men who were in shape as adolescents showed a much lower risk of atherosclerosis close to 40 years later.

Atherosclerosis is the thickening of arteries, usually due to the buildup of plaque within the inner lining. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, indicates that atherosclerosis is one of the key mechanisms driving the link between physical fitness and cardiovascular disease.

“Our results strengthen the notion that physical fitness is linked to health outcomes much later in life. The findings are worrying in the sense that there is a clear global trend indicating that young people are less fit now than when these study participants were young in the 1970s and 80s. Therefore, I believe that these findings may be even more important for those growing up now,” says Pontus Henriksson, senior associate professor in the Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences at Linköping University, in a media release.

Prior studies have established that being in poor physical shape at a young age shows a link to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. However, the mechanism driving this relationship is not fully understood. Meanwhile, an important risk marker for future cardiovascular disease is the occurrence of atherosclerosis.

The international research team behind this latest study set out to investigate if physical fitness during adolescence is potentially linked to atherosclerosis much later on. If they could prove this, it would indicate that atherosclerosis is a likely mechanism in connection with the observed link to cardiovascular disease.

To conduct this project, researchers linked information provided by the Swedish Military Conscription Register to SCAPIS (the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study), a large population study focusing on heart and lung health among older individuals (ages 50 to 64). Among nearly 9,000 men, all of whom participated in SCAPIS, data on the individuals at conscription at age 18 from 1972 to 1987 was also available. Study authors stress one of the study’s biggest strengths was its basis on the general population, as well as participating men having been followed for a long period (38 years).

Then, the study authors analyzed their coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle, using coronary CT angiography (CCTA). This work is the first ever to utilize this state-of-the-art technology as a means of assessing plaques in the coronary arteries in connection with physical fitness at a young age. Additionally, the research team focused on two distinct types of plaques in the coronary arteries. Plaques with calcium have historically been the focus of earlier studies, as they tend to be easier to measure.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/active-childhood-save-your-life/

April Fools’ Day, though an unofficial holiday, is widely popular across the world. All you want to know about its history and significance.

The day to share jokes, pull pranks and laugh generously, April Fools’ Day, though an unofficial holiday, is widely popular across the world. You may not get an off from work or school on this day, but it’s the perfect opportunity to make the atmosphere light-hearted with jokes and hoaxes and even make peace with people you normally don’t get along well with. In India too, April Fools’ Day is celebrated with much enthusiasm thanks to its widespread recognition in popular culture, media, and the internet. (See pics: April Fools’ Day fun pranks for friends and family)

Most of us likely have childhood memories of friends placing plastic jelly fish or cockroach beside the pillow to play prank on April 1 and crying out – ‘April Fool banaya, bada maja aaya’ after seeing your terrified face. No wonder, this day is keenly awaited by pranksters who find newer ideas to leave near and dear ones shocked only to enjoy their reaction thereafter.

Why do we celebrate April Fools’ Day?

April Fools’ Day is being celebrated on April 1 since centuries and while there are many stories associated with it the most popular ones dates to the 16th century France. In 1582, France switched to Gregorian calendar from the Julian calendar as decided by the Council of Trent in 1563. Before this change, New Year was celebrated around the time of spring equinox which used to fall between end of March to April. Following the new calendar moved the start of the new year to January.

Picture this: It’s been a long day, and you’re feeling a bit down. But then, you take a sip of cool, refreshing water, and suddenly, your mood starts to lift. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. A new survey suggests that staying hydrated might just be the key to unlocking more joy in your daily life.

The poll of 2,000 American adults, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by True Lemon, reveals that the average person experiences 57 “little things” that bring them happiness each week — that’s about eight per day. And what’s one simple way to boost your mood? Drinking enough water, according to 36% of respondents.

We all know that regular exercise is good for our health, but did you know it could also be the key to a better night’s sleep? A new study suggests that consistent physical activity over the long term — and we’re talking about as few as two 30-minute sessions weekly — is linked to a lower risk of insomnia and a greater likelihood of getting the recommended six to nine hours of shut-eye each night.

The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, conducted by an international team of researchers, followed nearly 4,400 middle-aged adults from 21 centers across nine European countries over a 10-year period. Participants reported on their exercise habits at the start of the study and again a decade later, as well as providing information on their sleep patterns, insomnia symptoms, and daytime sleepiness at the end of the study period.

So, what counts as “consistent” exercise? The researchers classified participants as physically active if they reported exercising at least twice a week for a total of one hour or more per week. Those who maintained this level of activity at both the start and end of the study were dubbed “persistently active.”

The results were striking. Persistently active individuals were 42 percent less likely to report difficulty falling asleep, 22 percent less likely to have any insomnia symptoms, and around 40 percent less likely to experience two or more insomnia symptoms compared to their persistently inactive counterparts. They were also significantly more likely to be “normal” sleepers, clocking in the recommended six to nine hours per night, and less likely to be either short (≤6 hours) or long (≥9 hours) sleepers.

Interestingly, the benefits seemed to be tied to the consistency of exercise over time. Participants who were active at the start of the study but became sedentary by the end showed no significant sleep advantages compared to those who were inactive throughout. In other words, it’s not enough to be active at one point – maintaining that activity level over the years seems to be key.

The link between physical activity and better sleep held up even after the researchers accounted for factors like age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and smoking history. They also found that insomnia symptoms were more common in women, older adults, and those with higher BMIs, independent of exercise habits.

So, what might explain this sleep-promoting effect of regular exercise? While the study didn’t delve into the underlying mechanisms, previous research offers some clues. Physical activity is thought to help regulate the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which governs the sleep-wake cycle. It can also reduce stress and anxiety, promote feelings of relaxation, and even trigger beneficial changes in brain chemistry – all of which can contribute to more restful slumber.

Source : https://studyfinds.org/good-sleep-working-out-30-minutes

We’re no longer in the heyday of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and CrossFit. Now, low-impact and functional fitness workouts are all the rage for American adults.

Why it matters: As longevity becomes a primary health focus, more adults are prioritizing workouts that help them in the long-term by being easier on the body and improving strength and flexibility.

• More than one-third of Americans say they prefer low-intensity training exclusively, according to recent data from exercise booking platform Mindbody.
• And almost 29% of consumers said they exercise for a long and healthy life in 2023, compared to 20% the year before.

Flashback: About 15 years ago, we “went through an era [of] high-intensity interval training,” from Insanity to CrossFit, says Nima Alamdari, honorary professor of sport and health sciences at the University of Exeter.

When done too quickly, those kinds of high-impact workouts can lead to back, knee or ankle injuries, Alamdari says.

Now, Pilates, in particular, is taking off.

• Pilates — a low-impact exercise that benefits balance, flexibility and core strength and can help athletes recover from injuries — was the most popular ClassPass workout of 2023, with booking reservations up 92% from 2022, according to data shared with Axios.
• And Yelp searches for Pilates increased 25% from the previous year.

“Functional fitness,” a kind of movement that more than half of those surveyed by Mindbody say they engaged in, is a relatively new wellness phrase.

• It doesn’t have an exact clinical definition, but it generally means exercise that advances physiological function, Alamdari tells Axios.
• Mindbody defines it as a “type of strength training that prepares the body for day-to-day activities like squatting, bending, pushing, and lunging.”
• Unlike stationary bikes and certain gym equipment — which often involve singular repetitive motions — functional fitness exercises typically work multiple muscle groups via different planes of movement, done at low or high intensity, and with or without equipment.

Functional fitness and low-impact exercises like Pilates are “particularly important” for people 40 and older because that’s the age that muscle mass and function can start to decline, says Alamdari, who’s a clinical advisory board member of functional fitness workout company Pvolve.

Source : https://www.axios.com/2024/03/08/pilates-classpass-functional-fitness-popular

In a world where plastic is literally in the air, a concerning new study finds that people with heart disease may have more plastic than plaque in their arteries. In fact, researchers in Italy discovered that more than half of the patients they examined had detectable microplastics and even tinier nanoplastics mixed in with the plaque in their clogged arteries.

The groundbreaking study focused on patients undergoing surgery for a condition related to the buildup of plaque in the arteries — specifically, in the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain. Researchers analyzed the plaque extracted during these procedures, employing sophisticated techniques like pyrolysis – gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy. These high-tech methods can reveal the chemical makeup of substances and visualize the tiniest particles, essentially allowing scientists to “see” the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (collectively known as MNPs) in the arterial plaque.

What they found was startling: nearly six in 10 patients had these plastic particles embedded within the plaque in their arteries. Specifically, polyethylene, the materials that make shopping bags and packaging materials, was found in the plaque of 58.4 percent of patients. Polyvinyl chloride, used in everything from pipes to vinyl records, was present in 12.1 percent of the samples.

The presence of these materials was not silent; it was visually confirmed by electron microscopy, which showed jagged-edged particles nestled among the cells designed to remove debris and scattered in the plaque itself. Some particles even contained chlorine, a component of polyvinyl chloride, hinting at the diverse nature of plastics invading our vascular systems.

The study didn’t stop at just identifying the presence of these particles. It went further to explore the implications for patient health. By following the health outcomes of 257 patients over an average period of nearly 34 months, the researchers discovered that those with MNPs in their plaque faced a much higher risk of severe cardiovascular events — like heart attacks, strokes, or even death — compared to those without. The risk was over four times higher for those with MNPs in their arterial plaque.

“Humans are exposed to microplastics and nanoplastics by means of ingestion and inhalation. Previous investigations have detected microplastics and nanoplastics in multiple tissues, including colon, placenta, liver, spleen, and lymph node tissues. Animal studies indicate that microplastics and nanoplastics can cause toxic effects at multiple sites, potentially by inducing oxidative stress. Until now, information on the health effects in humans of ingested or inhaled microplastics and nanoplastics has been scant,” writes Philip J. Landrigan, M.D. in an editorial tied to the new study.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/heart-plastic-clogging-arteries/

International Women’s Day is marked on March 8 every year across the globe. It is a day to honour and recognise women’s resilience, strength, and power. On this day, people also take time to consider the work still left to be done in the ongoing battle for gender equality. In 2024, the theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Inspire Inclusion’, meaning that we must value and respect women of all backgrounds. Women feel more empowered when they have a sense of importance and belonging.

Women play important roles in many fields, such as homemaking, economics, education, engineering, and innovation. Through their determination and beliefs, they help to make the world a better place. One way to commemorate the occasion is to share inspirational quotes and messages that encourage and empower women.

International Women’s Day 2024: Quotes

1. “Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood… will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic.” –Indira Gandhi.
2. “I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. … We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” –Malala Yousafzai.
3. “Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” –Serena Williams.
4. “You never have to ask anyone permission to lead. When you want to lead, you lead.” –Kamala Harris.
5. “Gender diversity is not just good for women; it’s good for anyone who wants results.” –Melinda Gates.
6. “Strong men, men who are truly role models, don’t need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful.” –Michelle Obama.

Source: https://www.news18.com/lifestyle/international-womens-day-2024-inspirational-quotes-every-woman-should-read-8788216.html

Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day to stay in good health? Although several studies have shown that you can likely stay healthy taking half as many steps, a new report finds 10,000 is still a good goal for certain people. Specifically, those who sit all day long.

A comprehensive study involving more than 72,000 individuals has unveiled that increasing daily step counts could reverse the adverse health effects associated with prolonged sitting.

Researchers from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Center reveal a compelling link between higher daily step counts and lower risk levels of mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Specifically, each additional step taken towards the 10,000 step-a-day mark correlated with a 39-percent reduction in death risk and a 21-percent decrease in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, irrespective of how much time was spent being sedentary.

This research stands out as it combines the observation of the benefits of higher daily steps with an objective analysis of sedentary behavior’s risks through the use of wrist-worn accelerometers. These devices provided a reliable measurement of the participants’ physical activity and sedentary time, setting this study apart from previous inquiries into the subject.

“This is by no means a get out of jail card for people who are sedentary for excessive periods of time, however, it does hold an important public health message that all movement matters and that people can and should try to offset the health consequences of unavoidable sedentary time by upping their daily step count,” says study lead author Dr. Matthew Ahmadi, a research fellow at University of Sydney, in a university release.

Highlighting the implications of this study for public health, researchers emphasized the value of step count as a clear and easily measurable physical activity metric.

“Step count is a tangible and easily understood measure of physical activity that can help people in the community, and indeed health professionals, accurately monitor physical activity,” notes study senior author Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor and director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at the Charles Perkins Center. “We hope this evidence will inform the first generation of device-based physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines, which should include key recommendations on daily stepping.”

Source: https://studyfinds.org/10000-steps-daily-sitting/

Drinking two liters or more per week of artificially sweetened beverages — the equivalent of a medium-sized fast-food diet soda a day — raised the risk of an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation by 20% when compared to people who drank none, a new study found.

Known as A-fib, atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat often described by many people who have it as a “quiver,” “flutter” or “flip-flop” of the heart in the chest.

Drinking a similar number of added-sugar beverages raised the risk of the condition by 10%, while drinking about four ounces of pure, unsweetened juices, such as orange or vegetable juice, was associated with an 8% lower risk of atrial fibrillation, the study found.

“This is the first study to report an association between no- and low-calorie sweeteners and also sugar-sweetened beverages and increased risk of atrial fibrillation,” said Penny Kris-Etherton, a professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at the Pennsylvania State University, in a statement. She was not involved in the new study.

While the study could only show an association between sweetened drinks and A-fib, the relationship remained after accounting for any genetic susceptibility to the condition. A 2017 study found people with European ancestry had about a 22% risk of inheriting the condition.

“We still need more research on these beverages to confirm these findings and to fully understand all the health consequences on heart disease and other health conditions,” said Kris-Etherton, who is also an American Heart Association nutrition committee member.

“In the meantime, water is the best choice, and, based on this study, no- and low-calorie sweetened beverages should be limited or avoided,” she added.

Atrial fibrillation is dangerous and on the rise
Atrial fibrillation is the leading cause of stroke in the United States. In addition, strokes connected to A-fib tend to be “more severe than strokes with other underlying causes,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Atrial fibrillation can also lead to blood clots, heart failure and “can increase the risk for heart attack, for dementia, for kidney disease. All of those things are likely long term risks,” Dr. Gregory Marcus, professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and associate chief of cardiology for research at UCSF Health, told CNN in a prior interview.

Nearly 40 million people worldwide are living with atrial fibrillation, 6 million of those in the United States alone, according to the Heart Rhythm Society, who represents more than 7,000 specialists in cardiac rhythm disorders from more than 90 countries.

Many of those people suffer chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath and fatigue. But for others, A-fib is symptomless, a potentially silent killer. Once detected, however, the condition can be treated with medications, lifestyle changes and if necessary, surgeries to slow or restore the heart’s normal rhythm.

The rate of atrial fibrillation in the US population is growing: The CDC estimates some 12 million Americans will have A-fib by 2030.

“Age is one of the most important risk factors, so with the aging of the population it’s becoming more common,” Marcus said.

A caring mid adult female home healthcare nurse uses a stethoscope to check the heart and lungs on a senior female patient.

The epidemic of obesity is also contributing to the growing numbers, along with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, smoking and drinking alcohol.

“Previous research has shown high soft drink consumption to be association with increased risk of AF (atrial fibrillation),” said Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, in a statement. He was not involved in the new study.

“Risk of AF is well known to be associated with type 2 diabetes, binge drinking of alcohol (commonly called holiday heart) as well as illicit drug use (cocaine),” Sattar said.

Possible ‘additional health risks’
The study, published Tuesday in the journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, analyzed data on nearly 202,000 people participating in a large, biomedical database called the UK Biobank. Followed for an average of 10 years, people in the analysis ranged in age from 37 to 73 years old, and more than half were female.

Higher consumers of artificially sweetened beverages were more likely to be female, younger, weigh more and have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes, the study found. Those who drank more sugar-sweetened beverages were more likely to be male, younger, weigh more and have a higher prevalence of heart disease.

Mixed salty snacks. Flat lay table scene on a rustic wood background.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/05/health/diet-and-sugary-drinks-atrial-fibrillation-wellness/index.html

Coffee in the morning is a ritual for many people — but is it ever too early in the a.m. to indulge?

Brewing a cup or a pot of coffee as soon as you wake up might not give you the biggest energy boost throughout the day, according to sleep experts.

Dr. Deborah Lee, a U.K.-based doctor, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that drinking coffee first thing in the morning might not be the best bet.

“When you wake up, your stress hormone cortisol level, which is a hormone that enhances alertness and focus, as well as regulates your metabolism and immune system response, is at its peak,” said Lee, who works with bed manufacturer Get Laid Beds.

“Elevated levels of cortisol may impact your immune system, and if they’re already at their peak when waking up, drinking coffee as soon as your eyes open may do more harm than good, and may even make you immune to caffeine over a long period of time,” Lee added.

Cortisol follows a rhythm “specific to your own sleeping cycle,” the expert said, peaking within 30 to 45 minutes of waking up and slowly declining throughout the day.

“That explains why you may peak in the morning and get more tired at night,” she noted.

Taking this rhythm into consideration, Lee suggested that the best time to have caffeine would be at least 45 minutes after waking up, when “your cortisol rhythm starts to dip.”

“The best time to drink coffee would typically be mid-to-late morning, when your cortisol is a lot lower and you start to feel that energy slump,” she said.

“But of course, not too late in the afternoon — as it could affect your sleep.”

Someone who wakes up at around 7 a.m., for example, might wait until around 10 a.m. or noon to have the first cup of coffee, “when your body and mind will appreciate it the most, and you’ll get the most benefits from the caffeine,” Lee said.

A different take

Dr. Wendy Troxel, a Utah-based sleep expert and senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation, had a different take on the matter. Delaying caffeine might not actually make a difference, she told Fox News Digital.

“There really is no scientific evidence that having caffeine first thing in the morning versus delaying it for a couple of hours after awakening has any differential effects on alertness,” she said.

Troxel suggested that coffee drinkers should experiment with what works best for them.

“For some people, waking up and having a glass of water to rehydrate and then having coffee works well — but for others, the morning ritual of having a cup of coffee first thing upon awakening is just too good to give up,” she said.

“So, I think it’s mostly a matter of personal preference.”

Since caffeine works by “blocking sleep-promoting receptors in your brain called adenosine receptors,” Lee said that people who drink coffee too late in the day may struggle to sleep at night.

“However, this is different for different people, and only you know your own caffeine tolerance,” she said.

The average half-life of caffeine is around six hours, according to Troxel, but it can remain in the body for up to 10 hours.

Source : https://www.foxnews.com/health/should-drink-coffee-first-thing-morning-wait-experts-caffeine-guidance

SAN DIEGO — Who knew a Netflix binge or cushy desk job could be so hazardous? Researchers from the University of California-San Diego suggest that avoiding sedentary behavior (like sitting down all day) may be the secret to a longer life. Older women who sat for 11.7 hours or more daily saw their risk of death jump by 30 percent – even if they exercised vigorously!

It’s an alarming takeaway, but study co-author Steve Nguyen, a postdoctoral fellow at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, used an impressive sample size for his work. His team examined time spent sitting and daily activity measurements collected from monitors worn for up to a week by 6,489 women (ages 63 to 99). Researchers also tracked the participants for eight years, monitoring if any of the women died.

That data was originally collected during a study led by Andrea LaCroix, Distinguished Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health. It’s a larger long-term national project called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), which began in 1991 and is still ongoing today. This report is the first ever to utilize a novel and validated machine-learned algorithm (called CHAP) in order to analyze the relationship connecting total sitting time and length of sedentary activity with the risk of premature death.

“Sedentary behavior is defined as any waking behavior involving sitting or reclining with low energy expenditure,” Nguyen says in a university release. “Previous techniques for calculating sedentary behavior used cut points that identified low or absent movement. The CHAP algorithm was developed using machine-learning, a type of artificial intelligence, that enhanced its ability to accurately distinguish between standing and sitting.”

Exercise ‘incapable’ of reversing the damage
Fine-tuning “sitting” helped Nguyen separate and better assess total sitting time and usual sitting bout durations. Sedentary behavior, in general, isn’t healthy because it lowers muscle contractions, blood flow, and glucose metabolism.

“When you’re sitting, the blood flow throughout your body slows down, decreasing glucose uptake. Your muscles aren’t contracting as much, so anything that requires oxygen consumption to move the muscles diminishes, and your pulse rate is low,” Prof. LaCroix explains.

Unfortunately, and rather surprisingly, exercise appears incapable of reversing these negative effects. According to researchers, whether women participated in low or even high amounts of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity ultimately proved inconsequential if paired with excessive sitting; all patterns of exercise showed the same heightened risk if they also sat for long hours.

“If I take a brisk long walk for an hour but sit the rest of the day, I’m still accruing all the negative effects on my metabolism,” Prof. LaCroix continues.

So, what can you do if you sit too long?

Notably, Nguyen also says that not all sitting is the same.

“Looking beyond conditions like cardiovascular disease, we start thinking about cognitive outcomes, including dementia,” the researcher explains. “There are cognitively stimulating activities that can result in sedentary behavior, like sitting while studying a new language. Is sedentary behavior in that context overall bad for a person? I think it’s hard to say.”

Nguyen recently received a National Institute of General Medical Sciences K99 award entailing 12 months of mentored research focusing on protein signatures tied to physical activity and how they relate to dementia. Prof. LaCroix, meanwhile, while sympathetic to the challenges of changing sedentary behavior once habits set in, also stresses that the modifications are frequently necessary.

“We’ve created this world in which it’s so fascinating to sit and do things. You can be engrossed by TV or scroll on your Instagram for hours. But sitting all the time isn’t the way we were meant to be as humans, and we could reverse all of that culturally just by not being so attracted to all the things that we do while sitting,” Prof. LaCroix concludes.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/sitting-all-day-early-death/

By now, most people know that the candies, chips, cakes, and sodas aren’t healthy. Now, new research is helping drive the point home. Solid evidence shows that exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 negative health outcomes, including cancer, mental health conditions, and early death.

Ultra-processed foods refer to sugary cereals, drinks, frozen TV dinners, and other foods that undergo heavy industrial processing and contain significant amounts of additives and preservatives. While it isn’t the case for all, most ultra-processed foods are typically low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while packed with added sugar and excessive amounts of fat and salt. In Western nations, they can account for nearly 58 percent of daily energy intake. As some low to middle income nations continue to advance, the intake of these foods also has gone up.

So far, studies have continued to show that highly processed food are linked to poorer health outcomes, but there has been no comprehensive review that broadly assesses the current evidence. The researchers of this study conducted an evidence review of 45 pooled meta-analyses from 14 articles associating ultra-processed foods with adverse health outcomes. The analyzed reviews were published within the past three years and included nearly 10 million participants. None of the works received funding from companies linked to the production of ultra-processed foods.

The team obtained estimates of exposure to ultra-processed foods by using a combination of food frequency questionnaires, diet history, and 24-hour dietary recalls. The researchers then graded the evidence on a scale of “convincing,” “highly suggestive,” “suggestive,” “weak,” or “no evidence.” Quality of the evidence was assessed on a scale of high, moderate, low, or very low.

The “convincing evidence” reveals that higher exposure to ultra-processed foods was consistently linked to an increased risk of these 32 harmful outcomes. More specifically, there was a 50-percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48 to 53-percent higher risk of anxiety and other common mental disorders, and a 12-percent heightened risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Meanwhile, the “highly suggestive evidence” shows that higher intake was associated with a 21-percent greater risk of death from any cause, a 40 to 60-percent increased risk of heart disease related death, obesity, sleep problems, and more. As far as asthma, gastrointestinal conditions, and certain cancers, the evidence isn’t as robust.

The team recognizes that the study design can only give an overview and doesn’t rule out the chance that confounding factors could affect the results. Still, the use of meticulous systematic methods to assess the quality and credibility of the analyses demonstrates that the results remain strong.

“These findings support urgent mechanistic research and public health actions that seek to target and minimize ultra-processed food consumption for improved population health,” the research team writes in a media release.

Additionally, they say that multidisciplinary investigations “are needed to identify the most effective ways to control and reduce ultra-processing and to quantify and track the cost-benefits and other effects of all such policies and actions on human health and welfare, society, culture, employment, and the environment.”

A Dietitian’s Take
It’s clear that what we eat impacts our health. There is a misconception that every food that comes in a box or can is ultra-processed and therefore drives disease, however that isn’t true.

Canned tuna and beans are examples of processed foods. However, foods that make up over 50 percent of the average American’s diet are ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips, chocolate, ice cream, sugary cereals, pizzas, chicken nuggets, and fries. This is what should be limited to help prevent chronic disease, such as those mentioned in this research.

Although there are some conditions with little research tying them to poor diet, there is mounting evidence linking the most prevalent diseases throughout the country, including hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. So, here’s some advice:

Source: https://studyfinds.org/ultra-processed-foods-30-health-problems/

Big abs could be bad for a man’s health. Body composition, which is typically defined as the amount of fat, bone, and muscle in the body, is a concept frequently used by health professionals in relation to heart health. However, researchers from the University of California-San Diego are challenging this, suggesting that more muscle doesn’t automatically mean a lower risk of heart problems.

Britta Larsen, PhD, explains that men with a larger abdominal muscle area have a greater risk of heart disease. As far as muscle density goes, the prognosis is much different. Men with the densest muscle within the abdominal cavity had nearly one quarter of the risk of heart disease later in life.

“And the other really important thing to note is that we didn’t find this with women. It was just in men,” says Larsen, the study’s lead author and associate professor in the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, in a media release.

The data comes from computed tomography of participants in the National Institutes of Health Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Study authors explored the thickening of the arteries starting in 2000, examining participants in their mid-60s recruited from around the country. Follow-up visits took place after 20 years. Larsen notes that her research group also followed each person’s medical records for 12 years.

The team found that the large-muscle group’s heart disease risk was nearly six times higher than the group of men with the smallest abdominal muscle area. The team wasn’t expecting to see such a strong correlation between increased muscle area and coronary heart disease.

“Muscle has been overlooked in health for a long time,” explains Larsen. “Researchers have really just focused on fat. But muscle is a large, active metabolic tissue, and it’s finally getting a little bit more attention.”

According to the researcher, the difference between muscle area and muscle density comes down to quantity versus quality.

“Density is a little bit trickier. It’s sort of our proxy measure of muscle quality,” Larsen adds. “It’s really a measure of how much fat has infiltrated the muscle cavity. Within the muscle itself, how much is pure muscle? And how much is fat content?”

Additionally, the team did not find a correlation between muscle and stroke in either men or women. For the research, coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease were distinguished because the latter includes a risk of stroke.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/big-abs-heart-disease-men/

I was born in Poland and grew up in Germany, but my family and I have been living in the Netherlands for the last 14 years.

When I first discovered the concept of “niksen,” or the Dutch art of doing nothing, I was fascinated. I even wrote a book about it. When I applied it to my own life, my perspective about happiness shifted in a significant way.

I believe niksen is one of the reasons why the Dutch are consistently ranked as some of the happiest people in the world. Niksen might seem selfish or boring at first glance, but it’s actually a service to you and your community.

Here’s how it make it work for you:

1. If you’re doing nothing, own it

When someone asks you what you’re doing during your niksen time, simply respond, “Nothing.”

Be unapologetic about taking breaks or holidays. Think of niksen not as a sign of laziness, but as an important life skill that might help you regain some composure, find calm, and prevent burnout.

Tony Crabbe, the author of “Busy,” says that resisting cultural pressures is easier when done with other niksen-minded people.

Or you can do what my mom does and hang a sign on your office door that reads: “I bite.” (She doesn’t bite, but it’s clear that she doesn’t want to be disturbed.)

2. Work and rest according to your natural rhythm

People have different chronotypes, which means they need to sleep and work at different times of the day to achieve maximum productivity. Some of us are at our best in the morning, while others feel the most productive in the afternoon.

“Every one of us should figure out when we’re at our most creative. Most productive. And niksen is part of this,” says Dutch psychoanalyst Manfred Kets de Vries. He suggests drawing a diagram like the one below:

Then look at your activities, tasks, and obligations and decide where they fit on the diagram.

3. Do nothing, together

I always thought of niksen as something you do alone in your home, by yourself. But those sweet nothing moments can become more special when they are shared.

For many parents, the best thing in the world can be reading to their children or playing with them. To me, it’s hugging. When I’m in a great mood, I’ll ask, “Who wants a hug?”

And if I’m lucky, at least one of my three kids will be willing to put their little arms around me and give me a cuddle. Sometimes, I’ll lie down with them on the floor and do nothing but put my arms around them.

When the kids are in bed, my husband and I often watch a TV series together. I’m usually snuggled into my husband because he is soft and warm, and I often think that the series is secondary. I’m simply niksening up against him.

Source : https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/24/the-netherlands-is-one-of-the-happiest-countries-in-the-worldwhat-they-do-differently-than-everyone-else.html

Many people have compared the addictive nature of social media to cigarettes. Checking your likes, they say, is the new smoke break. Others say the unease over social media is just the next round of moral panic about new technologies.

We are a pair of researchers who investigate how social media affects the mental health of young people. More than 75% of teens check their phone hourly, and half say they feel like they’re addicted to their devices.

Here are some of the things they’ve told us:

“TikTok has me in a chokehold.”

“I would 1,000% say I am addicted.”

“I feel completely aware that it is hijacking my brain, but I can’t put it down. This leaves me feeling ashamed.”

Maybe you’ve had similar feelings yourself, no matter your age. Although it’s true social technologies offer clear benefits – unlike smoking – many people still feel uncomfortable with how much time they spend online and often wonder if they’re addicted.

Years of investigation have led our team to this conclusion: Perhaps a better approach is to view your media consumption as a diet. Just as there are many ways to have a healthy diet, there are also a variety of ways to develop healthy and personalized social media habits.

The search for answers

A deluge of research on social media usage that began in the early 2010s shows negative impacts in areas related to body image, eating disorders and social comparison. Conversely, other studies point to the mental health benefits of social media, including social well-being, strong friendships and exposure to diverse perspectives.

Still other studies show conflicting results. In fact, inconclusive or mixed results seem to be a recurring pattern when researching this subject.

The inconsistencies in these studies highlight the very hard problem of characterizing healthy interaction between two complex systems – social media technologies and human behavioral psychology.

One issue is that the stress, anxiety and challenges to self-esteem experienced by users may vary from moment to moment, depending on what they are viewing. Consider that not all time spent on social media is equal. For example, messaging distant friends for one hour a day will likely leave you feeling more fulfilled than spending 30 minutes a day doomscrolling, which refers to an excessive amount of time consuming negative media.

That’s why researchers are trying to distinguish between the active and passive use of social media. “Active use” refers to social exchanges, like sending messages or posting content, while “passive use” is strictly the consumption of social media content without participation, contribution or engagement with others.

But even this distinction is too simplistic and has come under scrutiny. Some active behaviors, such as trolling on Reddit, are likely unhealthy for everyone involved. And some passive behaviors, like consuming educational videos, are beneficial.

Because healthy media consumption varies considerably from person to person, our research takes a different approach and focuses on users developing personal agency with respect to their media consumption.

Source : https://studyfinds.org/hijacking-brain-people-addicted-to-social-media-seek-help

In a little-known mountainous area called Hunza Valley, located far north of Pakistan, people seem to defy all medical odds.

It is primarily home to the Burusho and Wakhi people, who for centuries have survived and thrived in remote villages — with minimal amenities and rudimentary health facilities. Studies have found that the average life expectancy here is around 100 years.

My husband was born and raised here, and is from the Burusho indigenous community. After we got married, I left the U.S. and we settled down in the Central part of the valley.

Here are some intriguing habits that help the people of Hunza live longer:

1. They consume apricot seeds and oil

Apricot trees are one of the most important local crops in the valley. Studies have shown that apricot seeds can help fight cancer and other sources of inflammation in the body, in part due to a compound called amygdalin.

Nearly every traditional Hunzai dish includes apricot oil. Back in the day, it was made by hand, but now locals use machines to extract it from their harvested kernels.

My mother-in-law told me that 50 years ago, it was all anyone used to cook food with, even meat. Dried versions of the fruit also help with altitude sickness, and are boiled into a soup come winter.

2. They never stop moving

People here are healthy and active throughout their lives, well into old age. It’s very common to see folks in their 80s outside, even in the winter. Elderly family members still graze their cows and sheep, collect wood, and do other household tasks.

They also participate in community activities like “rajaki,” which involves cleaning out the elevated water canals when spring arrives.

Locals of all ages cycle, skate, and play sports like soccer and cricket every day.

3. They drink glacier water

Hunza is filled with dozens of glaciers, all of which melt throughout the summer.

A shiny, dark-grey liquid, “Hunza water” has long held the interest of scientists. Unlike other water sources, this glacial water is naturally filtered by layers of ice and rock and contains precious minerals.

Some argue that the water contains quartz (sillica) minerals in colloid form, which are considered to be powerful antioxidants.

The runoff generally lasts from May to October each year, which is when you’ll find it served at restaurants and in homes. Locals swear by it, and prefer it to filtered water.

4. They rarely eat processed foods

Almost every piece of meat eaten in Hunza comes from a locally sourced animal that’s been recently killed.

People rarely eat processed foods, and you certainly won’t find any fast food spots here. Meals are typically prepared fresh in the home daily, and almost every household grows some kind of vegetable.

Spinach is especially popular, and other favorites like tomatoes and potatoes are grown locally and organically.

Source : https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/17/people-in-remote-region-of-hunza-valley-live-to-100-years-old-heres-how.html

Miss World pageant returns to India for its 71st edition between February 18 and March 9 – Here’s everything you need to know about ‘Beauty With Purpose.’

71st Miss World Pageant: The Miss World Organization has announced that the 71st Miss World Festival will take place between February 18 and March 9, 2024, spanning some of the most stunning sites in India, just as excitement for the global extravaganza is building. A stunning lineup of Miss Worlds, including the current Miss World Karolina Bielawska and previous Miss World winners Toni Ann Singh, Vanessa Ponce De Leon, Manushi Chillar, and Stephanie Del Valle, came together for the first time to set the stage for the Grand Finale, marking a remarkable moment in the event’s history. The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) will host ‘The Opening Ceremony’ and ‘India Welcomes the World Gala’ at the majestic Hotel The Ashok in New Delhi on February 20th to kick off the 71st Miss World event.

The big finale, which will take place on March 9 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, is set to be an incredible event that will be broadcast on television and streamed globally. Renowned superstars will add even more glamour to the event with their outstanding performances during the majestic climax of this star-studded extravaganza unlike any other.

The 21-day Festival will feature a variety of events that will empower these young women as change agents and future leaders, all while adhering to its poignant theme of ‘Beauty with a Purpose.; Each competitor will have a special media channel on the Miss World.com website where they may showcase their skills and compete for a spot among the top 20.

Source : https://www.india.com/lifestyle/india-to-host-71st-miss-world-pageant-check-date-time-venue-and-other-details-6716267

If it fetches that asking price, the roughly 9-acre compound in Naples, Fla., would shatter the U.S. home sale record

Financier John Donahue was flying above Naples, Fla., in the 1980s when, according to family lore, he spotted an uninhabited piece of land along the Gulf of Mexico. He pointed to the tip of a peninsula known as Gordon Pointe and told his wife, Rhodora Donahue, “I want to go there.”

That’s just what he did, paying $1 million in 1985 for a roughly 4.3-acre parcel with nothing on it but a small fishing cottage surrounded by mangroves.

Over the next decade, the Donahues amassed roughly 60 acres, where they built a beachfront retreat for themselves and their burgeoning family of 13 children and 84 grandchildren, according to their son Bill Donahue.

Now, after John and Rhodora’s deaths, the family is listing the crown jewel of the estate—a roughly 9-acre compound in Naples’ Port Royal neighborhood with three houses and a private yacht basin—for a potentially record-setting $295 million.

With about 1,650 feet of waterfront, the property is the highest-priced listing in the U.S., and would set a record for the most expensive residential sale in the country if it fetches close to its asking price, according to Dawn McKenna of Coldwell Banker Realty, who is marketing the property with Leighton Candler of the Corcoran Group and Rory McMullen of Savills.

A Pittsburgh native, John Donahue graduated from West Point in 1946 and served in what is now the Air Force until 1950, when he enrolled in a Forbes magazine stock-market correspondence course. In 1955, with two high school buddies, he started the Pittsburgh-based investment-management firm Federated Investors. Now known as Federated Hermes, the company is run by Donahue’s son J. Christopher Donahue and manages $668.9 billion in assets, according to its website.

Source: https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/luxury-homes/americas-most-expensive-home-for-sale-naples-florida-81535a6b?reflink=integratedwebview_share

When heading off for a night’s slumber, does your pet follow? Perhaps the cat curls up at the end of your bed. Maybe the dog dives under the duvet or pops their head on your pillow. Alternatively, your pet might have their own devoted sleeping space. But if you do share your bed with Fluffy or Fido, what does science suggest is best practice?

Pets increasingly have new roles and expectations in society. Dogs, cats and a multitude of other companion animal species have become family members, a role far removed from their original purposes as protectors, hunting partners, pest exterminators and in some cases, food sources.

Owners now spend much more time in close contact with their pets, which confers many benefits. Positive associations with pets are linked with improved health, social contact, physical activity, and decreased perceptions of loneliness.

While people typically share living spaces with their pets, sharing beds is a much more intimate proposition. Nevertheless, research shows that of the estimated 90 million European households who own a least one pet, 45% of dogs and 60% of cats are allowed on the bed – and 18% of dogs and 30% of cats sleep with their owner inside the covers.

While it might be enjoyable and relaxing to share resting time with your pet, it could come with risks to pet and human health, not to mention impacts on sleep hygiene and human relationships too.

Disturbed Sleep

One challenge of sharing your bed with your pet could be disturbed sleep. The movement of sleeping partners (two or four-legged) may lead to reduced sleep efficiency, although a bed large enough to accommodate all can mitigate this.

Encouraging your pet to sleep elsewhere, but within the bedroom could also be beneficial if sleep disturbance is affecting your well-being. Our pets also need quality sleep, so their own sleeping space might be good for them too.

But shared sleeping areas can have positives. Many owners like to sleep with their pets, who can offer companionship, security and even warmth. More than 80% of dogs examined in studies preferred to be close to people at night, suggesting a mutual benefit. Different species of pets also appear to spend time resting together, so if you have a multi-pet household, all might enjoy shared sleeping.

Bed bugs

Pets sometimes bring unwanted guests into our homes such as fleas, ticks, mites and lice. These ectoparasites might hop from our pets to us and either cause transient or more prolonged irritation. In extreme cases, they can transmit other, potentially serious diseases such as plague or “cat scratch disease”, an infection caused by bacteria in cat saliva.

Pets often also harbor internal parasites such as the roundworm Toxocara canis – a parasite that affects both cats and dogs – some of which can be passed to humans, resulting in illness. Microscopic eggs that can cause infection can be carried on the fur of our pets and close contact increases the potential of spread between pets and people.

The potential for other disease-causing organisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi to spread between our pets and us is also of concern, especially antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA. Indeed, we can even share infections with our pets – including COVID-19 – so it’s not all one-sided.

Allergies and injuries

Sharing intimate contact with pets does raise the potential for increasing allergic responses or injury risk. Minor, unintentional injuries such as scratches can occur. Contact with dust and dander from pet hair can be prolonged when in close proximity. This material can also accumulate in the environment, potentially increasing the risk of allergic reactions.

Less than a fifth of millennials, specifically those between 26 and 35, are certain that they want to become parents one day. This inclination further diminishes among individuals with pronounced environmental concerns. Simply put, four in five young millennials want to remain childless, especially if they dwell on climate change concerns.

The study, conducted by the University of Southampton and the Generations and Gender Program, gathered insights on attitudes toward children, family, and various political issues. It involved a sample of 7,000 individuals ranging from 18 to 59 years-old in the U.K.

The findings revealed a correlation with the nation’s declining birth rates, highlighting a drop in the number of young adults planning to have children. Only 19 percent of younger millennials expressed a definitive desire to have children, while 30 percent leaned towards probably wanting children. Among older millennials, between 36 and 41, 36 percent were certain they will not have children, and 20 percent were leaning towards not having them.

The percentage of millennials who are disinclined to have children increases among those with stronger environmental concerns. However, the trend appears different for Generation Z — ages 18 to 24. Data shows that those in this age group who are more likely to desire children are also more concerned about environmental and climate issues.

“Whilst we found that environmental concerns are a factor for older millennials intending to remain childless, our study suggests this isn’t the case for Gen Z,” says Professor Brienna Perelli-Harris, from the University of Southampton who led the UK Generations and Gender Survey, in a media release.

“This may be because some younger people do not intend to have children for other reasons, or it could be that Gen Zers who would like to have children are more worried about the planet that their children will inherit.”

The study also highlights a declining trend in the desire for children among Generation Z, compared to previous generations. Specifically, 15 percent of Generation Z respondents stated a definite lack of interest in having children. This contrasts with the 10 to 15 percent of individuals of the same age group who expressed similar sentiments between 2005 and 2007.

Additionally, 11 percent of Generation Z participants indicated they probably will not have children, and 22 percent were uncertain about it. According to the study, these findings suggest that birth rates in the U.K. may continue to decrease.

“More young adults planning to remain childless suggests the recent decline in fertility rates at young ages isn’t just about individuals delaying parenthood until they are older,” Prof. Perelli-Harris says, according to SWNS.

“Instead, it suggests a growing trend of individuals intending not to have children. If this is the case, then we can expect UK birth rates to decline further from their current level.”

The study also delves into a significant challenge for those who choose to have children: the high cost of childcare.

Researchers found that parents typically spend an average of $711 per month on childcare. A quarter of these parents pay over $1,016, and 15 percent spend more than $1,270.

For lower-income households, childcare expenses account for a substantial 20 to 30 percent of their income. This is a larger proportion compared to higher-income households, which allocate around 10 percent of their salary to childcare.

The survey also uncovered varied childcare approaches among parents. About a fifth exclusively utilize formal childcare options, such as nurseries. In contrast, a quarter depend solely on assistance from parents, relatives, or friends.

Notably, a third of parents do not use any formal childcare, a trend most prevalent among the lowest income groups. Families with higher incomes are more inclined to use formal childcare exclusively. Meanwhile, middle-income families tend to rely on a mix of both formal and informal childcare solutions.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/childless-millennials-parents/

Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive compound in the world. Even if you don’t drink coffee or tea, you probably still regularly consume caffeine since it’s found in everything from soft drinks and cold remedies to decaf coffee and chocolate.

When caffeine is consumed, it’s rapidly absorbed by the body – reaching peak effects within two hours (though it may take up to nine hours to leave your body). It’s also water and fat-soluble, so it gets into all body tissues, which explains why caffeine can affect many different parts of the body.

It’s recommended that adults consume no more than 400mg of caffeine a day (approximately four cups of coffee). More than this may lead to muscle tremors, nausea, headaches, pounding heart and even death (in extreme cases).

But even people who only consume a couple cups of coffee or tea daily may feel it still has adverse effects – such as irritability, difficulty falling asleep and feeling jittery. This is why a growing number of people are deciding to give up caffeine.

If you’re thinking about giving up caffeine and are wondering what benefits it may have, here’s what the research says:

Brain function
Caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches, fatigue and tiredness. This is because the body develops a tolerance to caffeine.

Caffeine binds to a receptor in the brain used by adenosine. The binding of caffeine to these receptors causes the body to delay the onset of fatigue. But over time the brain cells produce more adenosine receptors to enable normal adenosine binding to happen.

So, when you stop consuming caffeine, there are excess adenosine receptors to bind to. This allows fatigue and tiredness to kick in as normal, with the person feeling more tired than before.

Headaches happens as a result of the absence of caffeine. In the head and neck, caffeine causes the blood vessels to narrow, reducing blood flow to the brain. When you stop drinking caffeine, after approximately 24 hours it causes the blood vessels to return to normal, causing an increase in blood flow to the brain and triggering headaches. They may last up to 9 days on average.

And because caffeine binds to adenosine receptors (which also modulate pain) quitting caffeine may temporarily increase your perception and sensitivity to pain because there’s more receptors available.

Caffeine really only affects sleep when consumed in the late afternoon and evenings. This is because caffeine delays the release of melatonin (a hormone which makes us tired) by 40 minutes. Caffeine also reduces the overall time you sleep and shortens the period of deep sleep.

This can increase your tiredness the next day, leading to cycle of using caffeine to wake you up but having trouble sleeping later on as a result. When you stop caffeine, you may find your sleep improves. Some evidence suggests improvements are seen in as little as 12 hours.

Caffeine has also been linked to increased anxiety and panic attacks – and not just in those with a pre-disposition to mental health issues. Reducing or eliminating caffeine may improve your mood. This may partly be because it improves sleep. Sleep deprivation can exacerbate anxiety and other mood disorders.

But the adenosine receptors that caffeine bind to are also involved in the modulation of other neurotransmitters that have a role in stress, happiness and fear.

Cardiovascular health
Reducing or eliminating caffeine might also cure heartburn and indigestion. Caffeine induces acid secretion in the stomach and weakens the oesophageal sphincter, which controls reflux of stomach contents up the oesophagus – triggering heartburn and indigestion.

Quitting caffeine may also lower your blood pressure and reduce your heart rate – although other studies have shown little change.

This is because if someone consumes caffeine daily for many years, their body adapts to the exposure – and it becomes the new norm with its stimulant effects on the nervous system, bowels and heart.

There also appears to be genetic component to caffeine tolerance and metabolism. This could mean some people are more affected by caffeine over others – though more research is needed on this link.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/break-the-grind-find-your-flow-why-ditching-caffeine-might-be-best-for-health/

Siggi’s Dairy is offering a prize of $10,000 if you’re willing to give up your smartphone for one month.

The New York-based company, which is known for selling an Icelandic yogurt called skyr, announced the contest on Wednesday.

“We’re introducing a NEW kind of ‘Dry January’ this year,” the company’s website read. “Instead of abstaining from alcohol for a month, we challenge you to ditch your smartphone!”

“We believe in the power of living a simpler life with fewer distractions. One of the biggest distractions in our lives today is our phone,” Siggi’s added.

Ten participants will be selected based on the essays they submit to Siggi’s. To make sure the contest entrants don’t use their smartphones, Siggi’s will send participants a lockbox and a flip-phone with a one-month prepaid SIM card.

In the end, the 10 participants could walk away with $10,000 and 60 cups of Siggi’s yogurt.

Kristina Drociak, Siggi’s director of PR and digital strategy, told FOX Business that the contest was inspired by the idea of digital detoxing.

“At Siggi’s, we believe in simplicity and that less is what truly sets you free,” she said. “Our brand ethos is all about stripping away the unnecessary, and just like fewer ingredients in yogurt, we believe fewer digital distractions can make for a more satisfying life.”

“We recognize the increasing screen time and phone usage in our society and the negative effects this can have, which inspired us to launch Siggi’s Digital Detox Program for this new year,” Drociak added.

“The goal of the program is to show people the benefits of going digital-free in hopes that this can start new healthy habits in 2024 and beyond.”

Source: https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/ditch-cell-phone-entire-month-company-pay-thousands-if-you-do

‘You don’t have to love your body to be kind to it.’ – Alissa Rumsey

Body positivity is a major topic of conversation these days. From social media to commercials on TV, there has been a growing effort to push a more inclusive image of the human body. While the concept of accepting our individual flaws is a generally positive idea, when does it go too far and start endangering your health? From a medical standpoint, the line should be drawn at embracing obesity — because the condition can lead to life-long health problems if left untreated.

Body positivity is about how our perception of body image (our own and others) shapes our concept of self, mental health, well-being, and relationships. It refers to how you feel about your own appearance, and how you feel about your height, weight, and shape.

Moreover, the term body positivity describes a mindset that the shape or size of someone’s body does not determine their worthiness of love. It challenges the roles of cultural, social, and media influences in the development of our relationship with our body, ourselves, and how we perceive others. Body positivity can also refer to cultivating confidence and self-love, and appreciating your body for all that it can do, despite its flaws. It’s about inclusivity and acceptance of all physical traits.

If the goal of body positivity is to encourage the media to present images of “real” people, rather than idealized images, the movement is succeeding. It’s my unscientific observation that more television ads and programming, as well as print media, feature more overweight models and actors.

When does body positivity cross a line into harmful self-indulgence?
Weight is just one aspect of body positivity, but let’s use it to examine the movement.

For children and adolescents between two and 19 years-old, almost 20 percent are obese – that’s about 15 million kids. The older the child, the higher obesity rates rise.

It’s 12.7 percent among kids two to five, and 22.2 percent and children 12 to 19. About 26 percent of Hispanic children are obese, as are 25 percent of Black children in this age group.

We are seeing diseases in these young people which previously were seen almost exclusively in adults. This includes cases of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, gall bladder disease, sleep apnea, and joint problems. There is more obesity in proportion to decreasing education among parents and lower household incomes.

Obesity in children is associated with:

• Psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression
• Lesser self-esteem
• Lesser quality of life
• Bullying and stigmatization
• Obesity in adulthood

Obesity in adults is associated with:

• Increases in all causes of death
• High blood pressure
• Higher LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol), lower HDL (‘good’ cholesterol)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Joint problems
• Sleep apnea
• Increases in many types of cancer
• Lesser quality of life
• Mental illness
• Generalized body pain
• Poor physical conditioning

These negative consequences are increasing in frequency as the incidence of overweight and obesity in our culture, while the body positivity movement gains attention.

Body positivity purports loving your body. You care for what you love. Does that make being overweight, or self-indulgence, body negativity? Let’s just get rid of the positive vs. negative and replace them with wellness.

How Can You Practice ‘Body Wellness’?
There are several ways to discover what “being healthy” means to you – physically, mentally, and emotionally. This includes cultivating a realistic perception of your body, including its flaws.

1. Practice positive self-talk: It can increase your confidence and self-esteem. Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations and focus on your strengths. Use statements such as “I am courageous,” and “My body is capable of great things.” You can put these on sticky notes and post them on your bathroom mirror.

2. Seek out community: Surround yourself with people who support and uplift you. Join online communities or groups that promote body positivity and self-love.

3. Add more physical activity: Move in ways that make your body feel good, such as yoga, dancing, or walking. Focus on how your body feels during these activities, rather than how it looks.

4. Write a gratitude list: List things about your body and yourself you are grateful for. This can help shift your focus from negative thoughts to positive ones.

5. Nourish yourself with nutrient-rich food: Eat whole foods that make you feel good and provide energy. Avoid restrictive diets.

6. Wear clothing that builds confidence: Be comfortable, and bold with color. Don’t worry about following fashion trends or certain sizes.

7. Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same compassion and love you would show to a friend.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/body-positivity-obesity/

Americans have been leaving big cities in droves in recent years, and now a new study is giving older adults another reason to move. Scientists from Washington State University have found that even small, seemingly insignificant, differences in the availability of green and blue spaces across urban areas may contribute to improved mental and physical health. In other words, the more nature near your home, the better you’ll likely feel.

Study authors found that just 10 percent more forest space in a person’s residential ZIP code contributes to a reduction in serious psychological distress, which refers to mental health problems that require treatment and may interfere with one’s social life, work, or school. Meanwhile, another 10 percent increase in green space, tree cover, water, or nature trails also appeared to lower the odds that older individuals reported their general health as either poor or fair.

“Our findings suggest that loss of our urban green and blue spaces due to rapid urbanization may not just have an environmental impact but could have a public health impact as well,” says first study author Adithya Vegaraju, a medical student in the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, in a university release.

These findings are based on health survey data collected from over 42,000 people 65 and older who lived in urban regions of Washington state between 2011 and 2019. During the analysis, researchers compared each person’s general and mental health to various measures that reveal their access to green and blue spaces within their residential ZIP codes. While close to two percent of the participants displayed signs of serious psychological distress, 19 percent reported dealing with fair or poor general health.

This work focused solely on the relationship between serious psychological distress and distance to the closest green and blue space. However, the final report expanded the scope of the study by adding several additional measures, such as the percentage of green space, tree canopy, forest area, and open space within ZIP codes in addition to the length of trails. Researchers were also sure to expand their analyses to include how each measure related to self-rated general health. This also helped account for differences in survey respondents’ demographics (race, education level, etc).

While prior projects have analyzed how proximity to nature might impact health, Vegaraju believes this study is among the first ever to assess this relationship in older U.S. adults. Older individuals are especially vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression, which can also increase one’s risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Older adults are also generally less likely to undergo treatment for mental health conditions.

“Older adults with depression, anxiety or mental health issues are known to be more resistant to medical interventions or talk therapy, which are the go-to treatments for these conditions,” Vegaraju explains. “If exposure to green or blue spaces could help prevent, delay or even treat poor mental health in older adults, we need to look at that more closely as a way to improve mental health outcomes in this population.”

Researchers believe a potential solution may be nature prescriptions, which is a growing trend in healthcare that involves doctors giving patients written recommendations to spend time outdoors.

Senior study author Solmaz Amiri adds more research is necessary to understand exactly how exposure to green and blue spaces promotes better mental and general health. Moving forward, she wants to study the possible link between nature exposure and cognitive decline, which is often an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/living-closer-nature-older-adults/

The honeymoon is over for the longtime Honeymoon Capital of the World — several disillusioned globetrotters took to Reddit last week to rate Dubai, Niagara Falls, Disney World and other surprising locations as overhyped travel destinations.

The list comes as US airports completed their busiest travel season in years.

AAA had predicted that 115.2 million travelers would hit the road or take flight for the holidays.

Many of them likely visited the tourist traps that made Reddit’s no-fly list.

Dubai

The so-called City of Gold seems to be an Arabian nightmare for Redditors who ranked it the No. 1 most overrated destination with 10,000 upvotes on the forum.

“Dubai has always sounded like a holiday in materialistic hell,” sniped one. Another griped, “It sucks so bad, there is nothing to do and no culture. Unless you like gaudy designer bulls—t or laying by the pool.”

Even former expatriates expressed distaste for the allegedly Disneyfied Middle Eastern metropolis.

“I worked there for years and looked behind the fancy veneer,” wrote one. “Dubai has nothing by my abject contempt. It’s deplorable.”

Like a naturally beautiful celeb tarnished by plastic surgery, some argued that Dubai has transformed from a dream desert destination to a soulless labyrinth of commercialism.

“It was a beautiful place with nomadic tribes and culture,” lamented one Redditor. “Now it’s a shopping hellhole.”

This alleged materialism is perhaps best personified by Linda Andrade, a Dubai millionaire’s wife who frequently flaunts her conspicuous adventures on TikTok.

Those include enjoying a luxurious 24-k gold cup of coffee and having her hubby light up the Burj Khalifa skyscraper with a birthday message.

Others insisted that Dubai bashing has become trendy and is not reflective of the locale.

“Dubai gets s—t on harder than any other travel destination on Reddit (maybe with the exception of Cairo),” one defender declared. “It’s always at or near the top of threads like these. Honestly though? I thought it was completely fine.”

The poster added, “It’s one of those places where you have to have the appropriate expectations. Dubai is NOT the place to go if you’re interested in culture and history. But it can be a fun destination if you want to go dune bashing, sit on a beach or if you’re into futuristic-looking architecture.”

Disney World

Another universally reviled destination on Reddit? Disney World. Some believe the House of Mouse has become far too expensive and congested to deserve the moniker “Most Magical Place on Earth.”

“You turn into a human cash dispenser the moment you step foot in those parks,” rued one Redditor.

“Disney is and always has been a pretty cool experience,” wrote another. “But reduced staffing and increased cost overshadows the magic these days unfortunately.”

“I had to wait in line just to type this,” quipped one Reddit wit.

After its stock price hit a nine-year low last year, Disney hiked admission prices at its Florida and California theme parks by as much as 10%.

Some Disney buffs claim that VIP is the only way to go when making a pilgrimage.

“Disney World is pay to win. I got a $10,000 bonus at work one year and went. I paid for the nice hotel that gets early park access and you can walk to the parks,” one recalled. “Gets you on rides with short lines. Also paid for the enhanced dining stuff, several optional fun stuff (like light saber building) and paid for the line skipper. It was a very different experience than just showing up 2-3 hrs after the park opens and planning to wait in line.”

“I agree. You kind of need to go big if you go at all. You can’t just show up and buy a ticket anymore,” seconded another.

Niagara Falls

Redditors don’t seem to want to go chasin’ waterfalls.

“Niagara Falls, NY is NOT a nice place,” declared one critic.

Another wrote, “As someone from western New York, the city of Niagara Falls is the victim of boom and bust tourism economy, corruption in the local and state governments over decades. The unfortunate reality is that the city is left behind to pick up the pieces.”

Cataract City was recently ranked the 44th most dangerous city in the US — up five places from last year.

Some feel that tourists are better served experiencing the falls from our neighbor to the north.

“The State Park is great, but yeah that’s about the only thing worth seeing on that side of the Falls,” said one. “We always stay on the Canadian side.”

Another wrote, “The Canadian side is the one with the views. The American side is just kind of a sad decaying town.”

Source : https://nypost.com/2024/01/03/lifestyle/dubai-niagara-falls-disney-world-named-overrated-travel-spots