Body Weekly - June 2011 Archives

Mystery ingredient in coffee boosts protection against Alzheimer's disease (6/30/2011)

A University of South Florida study indicates a yet unidentified coffee component combined with caffeine increases a growth factor that counters Alzheimer's pathology in mice. ...> Full Article

Blueberries help lab rats build strong bones (6/30/2011)

Compounds in blueberries might turn out to have a powerful effect on formation of strong, healthy bones, if results from studies with laboratory rats turn out to hold true for humans. Jin-Ran Chen and his colleagues are exploring this idea in research funded by the US Department of Agriculture at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock. ...> Full Article

Need a nap? Find yourself a hammock (6/29/2011)

For grownups, drifting off for an afternoon snooze is often easier said than done. But many of us have probably experienced just how simple it can be to catch those zzz's in a gently rocking hammock. By examining brain waves in sleeping adults, researchers reporting in the June 21 issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, now have evidence to explain why that is. ...> Full Article

Husband's employment status threatens marriage, but wife's does not, study finds (6/28/2011)

A new study of employment and divorce suggest that while social pressure discouraging women from working outside the home has weakened, pressure on husbands to be breadwinners largely remains. ...> Full Article

Review of resveratrol studies confirms potential health boost (6/27/2011)

A University of Florida review of research finds the polyphenol compound known as resveratrol found in red wine, grapes and other fruits may not prevent old age, but it might make it more tolerable. ...> Full Article

Magical thinking helps dieters cope with unrealistic expectations (6/26/2011)

Magical thinking, usually dismissed as naive and irrational, can actually help consumers cope with stressful situations like trying to lose weight, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. ...> Full Article

Using olive oil in your diet may prevent a stroke (6/25/2011)

A new study suggests that consuming olive oil may help prevent a stroke in older people. The research is published in the June 15, 2011, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ...> Full Article

Ancestry plays vital role in nutrition and disease, study shows (6/24/2011)

Over the past decade, much progress has been made regarding the understanding and promise of personalized medicine. Scientists are just beginning to consider the impact of gene-diet interactions in different populations in regards to disease prevention and treatment. ...> Full Article

Eat your fruits and vegetables! (6/23/2011)

Not only do fruits and vegetables furnish valuable dietary nutrients, but they also contribute vital elements to chronic disease prevention for heart disease, hypertension, certain cancers, vision problems of aging, and possibly type 2 diabetes. Network for a Healthy California is taking steps to prevent these problems by promoting fruit and vegetable consumption through a large-scale social marketing program funded in part by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formally known as the Food Stamp Nutrition Education program) to provide nutrition education. ...> Full Article

Sleepiness may impair the brain's inhibitory control when viewing high-calorie foods (6/22/2011)

Daytime sleepiness may affect inhibitory control in the brain when viewing tantalizing, high-calorie foods, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 13, in Minneapolis, Minn., at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC. ...> Full Article

Eating a high-fat diet may rapidly injure brain cells that control body weight (6/21/2011)

Obesity among people who eat a high-fat diet may involve injury to neurons, or nerve cells, in a key part of the brain that controls body weight, according to the authors of a new animal study. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. ...> Full Article

Apple ingredient keeps muscles strong (6/20/2011)

In search of a way to prevent the muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have landed a natural compound that might just do the trick. The findings reported in the June issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, identify a component of apple peels as a promising new drug candidate for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another. ...> Full Article

An 'all natural' diet? There's no such thing (6/19/2011)

From the paleolithic diet to the raw food diet, many health-conscious Americans now want to eat the way they believe our ancient ancestors ate. But some of these dietary prescriptions make little sense for modern humans, according to a new book on the evolution of the use of food and eating habits among prehistoric people. ...> Full Article

New report equates dried fruits and fresh fruits (6/18/2011)

Internationally recognized health researchers presented their views at the 30th World Nut & Dried Fruit Congress on May 21, 2011, recommending that food policy makers consider dried fruits equivalent to fresh fruits in dietary recommendations around the world. The presentations recognize that traditional dried fruits such as dried apricots, dried apples, dates, dried figs, raisins and sultanas, and prunes should be included side by side with fresh fruit recommendations by policy makers around the world. ...> Full Article

Yo-yo dieting appears to be healthier than lifelong obesity (6/17/2011)

A new study comparing lifelong obesity with the weight fluctuations of "yo-yo dieting" suggests it is better to attempt to lose weight despite repeated failures at keeping the weight off than to not diet and remain obese. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. ...> Full Article

Women warriors show resilience similar to men (6/16/2011)

Women service members who experience combat are apparently as resilient as the men they serve alongside, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. ...> Full Article

Study finds higher adherence to dash-style diet reduces excess weight gain in adolescent girls (6/15/2011)

Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers found that girls who followed the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet pattern had a lower incidence of excess weight gain as measured by body mass index (BMI) over the 10-year period of their adolescence. ...> Full Article

Eating dirt can be good for the belly, researchers find (6/14/2011)

Most of us never considered eating the mud pies we made as kids, but for many people all over the world, dining on dirt is nothing out of the ordinary. Now an extensive meta-analysis forthcoming in the June issue of the Quarterly Review of Biology helps explain why. ...> Full Article

Blueberry's effects on cholesterol examined in lab animal study (6/12/2011)

Laboratory hamsters that were fed rations spiked with blueberry peels and other blueberry-juice-processing leftovers had better cholesterol health than hamsters whose rations weren't enhanced with blueberries. That's according to a study led by US Department of Agriculture chemist Wallace H. Yokoyama. ...> Full Article

Cosmetics can cause serious adverse effects (6/11/2011)

Permanent hair dye gives the most serious adverse effects, yet there are also many reactions to facial and body moisturizers. This comes from the first report from the National Register of Adverse Effects from Cosmetic Products from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. ...> Full Article

Sleep loss lowers testosterone in healthy young men (6/10/2011)

Cutting back on sleep drastically reduces a healthy young man's testosterone levels, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. ...> Full Article

Studies show siginificant benefits of yoga in 2 conditions (6/9/2011)

Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who practice yoga showed statistically significant improvements in disease activity, according to a small study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress. ...> Full Article

Fish oil may have positive effects on mood, alcohol craving, new study shows (6/8/2011)

Omega 3 fatty acids may be beneficial for more than just the heart. Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine disclosed at a molecular level a potential therapeutic benefit between these dietary supplements, alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorders. ...> Full Article

Happy guys finish last, says new study on sexual attractiveness (6/7/2011)

Women find happy guys significantly less sexually attractive than swaggering or brooding men, according to a new University of British Columbia study that helps to explain the enduring allure of "bad boys" and other iconic gender types. ...> Full Article

Post-exercise recovery advantages of lowfat chocolate milk (6/7/2011)

New research suggests an effective recovery drink may already be in your refrigerator: lowfat chocolate milk. Grabbing lowfat chocolate milk after a tough workout helped give both trained and amateur athletes a post-exercise training advantage, according to three new studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research this month. Athletes in the studies who had a post-exercise lowfat chocolate milk -- with the right mix of carbs and high-quality protein -- had improved training times, better body composition (more muscle, less fat) and were in better shape than their peers who drank typical sports beverages with carbohydrates only. ...> Full Article

Love matters: Internet hookups for men don't always mean unsafe sex (6/6/2011)

If a gay or bisexual man seeks sex or dating online, the type of partner or relationship he wants is a good indicator of whether he'll engage in safe sex, a new study suggests. ...> Full Article

The Four Loko effect (6/5/2011)

The popular, formerly caffeinated, fruity alcoholic beverage, Four Loko, has been blamed for the spike in alcohol-related hospitalizations, especially throughout college campuses. ...> Full Article

Brisk walking could improve prostate cancer outcomes (6/4/2011)

Men with prostate cancer can improve their outcomes if they walk briskly for at least three hours a week following their diagnosis, according to a recent study in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. ...> Full Article

The healing power of hydrogen peroxide (6/3/2011)

New information has come to light explaining how injured skin cells and touch-sensing nerve fibers regenerate during wound healing. It was found that a chemical signal released by wounded skin cells promotes the regeneration of sensory fibers, thus helping to ensure that touch sensation is restored to healing skin. The reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide, which is found at high concentrations at wounds, was found to be a key component of this signal. ...> Full Article

Increasing daily calcium will not reduce the risk of fractures in later life (6/2/2011)

While moderate amounts of calcium (around 700 mg a day) are vital for maintaining healthy bones, there is no need to start increasing calcium intake in order to reduce the risk of fractures or osteoporosis in later life, finds a paper published online today. ...> Full Article

Vitamin D increases speed of sperm cells (6/2/2011)

Vitamin D is important for optimal reproductive function in both animals and humans. It has long been known that serum vitamin D level is important for reproductive function in various animals, but now researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen University Hospital have shown that this relationship can also be demonstrated in humans. ...> Full Article

Pelvic widening continues throughout a person's lifetime, UNC study (6/1/2011)

A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found evidence that, even though you're not getting taller anymore, the pelvis ("hipbones") does continue to widen as people advance in age from 20 years to 79 years. ...> Full Article

The use of voice on stage takes dancing towards an extradisciplinary dimension (6/1/2011)

The appearance of certain experimental choreographies has incorporated the use of the voice into contemporary dance, either through articulated words or through the mere emission of sounds. In fact, the use of the voice itself involves breaking the harmony between body and subjectivity. The playwright, researcher and writer, Ixiar Rozas studied the consequences of this incursion. ...> Full Article