RefBan

Referral Banners

Saturday, November 8, 2014

ScienceDaily: Living Well News

ScienceDaily: Living Well News


Brain's response to threat silenced when we are reminded of being loved and cared for

Posted: 07 Nov 2014 08:10 AM PST

Being shown pictures of others being loved and cared for reduces the brain's response to threat, new research has found. The study discovered that when individuals are briefly presented pictures of others receiving emotional support and affection, the brain's threat monitor, the amygdala, subsequently does not respond to images showing threatening facial expressions or words. This occurred even if the person was not paying attention to the content of the first pictures.

Sense of meaning and purpose in life linked to longer lifespan

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 06:16 PM PST

A study of 9,050 English people with an average age of 65 found that the people with the greatest well-being were 30 percent less likely to die during the average eight and a half year follow-up period than those with the least well-being.

Body weight heavily influenced by gut microbes: Genes shape body weight by affecting gut microbes

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 10:22 AM PST

Our genetic makeup influences whether we are fat or thin by shaping which types of microbes thrive in our body, according to a new study. Scientists identified a specific, little known bacterial family that is highly heritable and more common in individuals with low body weight. This microbe also protected against weight gain when transplanted into mice. The results could pave the way for personalized probiotic therapies that are optimized to reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases based on an individual's genetic make-up.

Arm pain in young baseball players common, preventable

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:33 AM PST

Arm pain is common among supposedly healthy young baseball players and nearly half have been encouraged to keep playing despite arm pain, the most in-depth survey of its kind has found. The findings suggest that more detailed and individualized screening is needed to prevent overuse injury in young ballplayers.

All kidding aside: Medical clowns calm children during uncomfortable allergy test

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:33 AM PST

Because the 'scratch test' for allergies involves needles that prick multiple points along the skin's surface, it's a particularly high-stress examination for children -- and their understandably anxious parents. Now a new study has confirmed that 'medical clowns' not only significantly decrease the level of anxiety expressed by children undergoing these tests, but they also assuage the pain the children experience.

New research adds spice to curcumin's health-promoting benefits

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:32 AM PST

The health benefits of over-the-counter curcumin supplements might not get past your gut, but new research shows that a modified formulation of the spice releases its anti-inflammatory goodness throughout the body.

Lifestyle education crucial to help young Americans control their blood pressure

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:39 AM PST

Far too many "teachable moments" are lost in a doctor's office during which young adults with hypertension could have learned how to reduce their blood pressure, experts say. In fact, only one in every two hypertensive young Americans do in fact receive such advice and guidance from a healthcare provider within a year from being diagnosed, a study shows.

Omega-3 reduces smoking, study suggests

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 07:19 AM PST

Taking omega-3 supplements reduces craving for nicotine and even reduces the number of cigarettes that people smoke a day, a new study suggests. "The substances and medications used currently to help people reduce and quit smoking are not very effective and cause adverse effects that are not easy to cope with. The findings of this study indicated that omega-3, an inexpensive and easily available dietary supplement with almost no side effects, reduces smoking significantly," said the study's lead investigator.

No comments: