Love: When it comes to love, go with your gut – literally. A new study says our choice of mate may be influenced by our intestinal bacteria driving our pheromones to tell us who to be attracted to. The research compared two groups of flies, one that had been fed a diet of starches and one that had been fed a diet of malt sugar, and found that each subgroup preferred partners with similar nutritional background. But when antibiotics were administered, killing gut bacteria, the preferential mating pattern disappeared. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate that intestinal flora plays a direct role in pheromone levels, driving mate selection. Yet another reason to take your probiotics. Read More…
I come across a lot of people who want to lose weight and feel great. It’s mostly a looks-driven focus, without a clue that overall health is the key to both. In this mentality, people think that being skinny will automatically make them feel better about who they are. I disagree. Read More…
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. It works with phosphorous to build and maintain bones, and with magnesium for cardiovascular health and skeletal strength. It is also important for the flow of electrical energy in the system and in helping to transport nutrients into the cell. Calcium even plays a role in weight control, will power, and digestive health.
One of the biggest calcium myths is that cow’s milk is the best source to get this amazing essential mineral, and that this means milk is good for our bones. Not true. Read More…
Image by Jesse Wight
Cancer: The benefits of vitamins are in the spotlight again with a study conducted by the Mayo clinic and and presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. According to the study, Vitamin D is strongly associated now with survival in lymphoma patients. “The exact roles that Vitamin D might play in the initiation or progression of cancer is unknown, but we do know that the vitamin plays a role in regulation of cell growth and death, among other processes important in limiting cancer”, said Dr. Matthew Drake, lead investigator of the study. The best part? All you need is 15 minutes in the sun three times a week in the summer as your free “supplement” of Vitamin D, which your body will then store inside body fat. Read More…
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Bones: Adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health. The results of the study conducted in Egypt suggested that flaxseed oil has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density and reduces markers associated with osteoporosis. The research team explains that the presence of so-called “n-3 fatty acids” in flaxseed oil may play a role in protecting the processes of matrix formation and bone mineralization, which seem to be compromised by diabetes and menopause. Tip: If you don’t have flaxseed oil, grind flaxseed and add it to your morning smoothie for better fatty acid absorption. Read More…
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Pain: Meditation can help with pain management, according to a study published in the current issue of The Journal of Pain. The idea is not new, but the researchers discovered that, contrary to previous assumptions, just a single hour of training spread out over a three-day period (20 mins a day) can produce the same analgesic effect than a long time commitment. More on pain control: Another study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that emotions – or mood – can alter how we react to pain. The researcher Mathieu Roy noted: “Our findings show that non-pharmaceutical interventions – mood enhancers such as photography or music – could be used in healthcare to help alleviate pain.” Crank up that Mozart.
Relationships: Fight – but choose your words. Couples who bring thoughtful words to a fight release lower amounts of stress-related proteins, according to a study published in Health Psychology. Researchers found that rational communication between partners – using words like ‘think’, ‘because’, ‘reason’, and ‘why’ – can ease the impact of marital conflict on the immune system. These words suggest people are either making sense of the conflict or at least thinking about it in a deep way. Interesting side note: women, typically better at communication, were more likely to use cognitive words than husbands. Come on, guys – use your words! Read More…
