Tag Archives: Mental Health

Grow Some Fresh Brain Cells and Ward off Alzheimer’s with Daily Exercise

Not only can exercise improve your health, but an increasing body of research is finding that exercise benefits your memory. The advantages may be as diverse as reducing the risk of cancer, spurring the growth of new brain cells, and preventing Alzheimer’s.

In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2024, researchers found an improvement in participants’ blood flow to a memory-related brain area as well as increased scores on memory tests after a three-month-long workout program.

Another study, conducted at Cambridge University in 2024, showed that running stimulates the brain to grow new cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with memory. Mice were given rewards of sugar if they nudged a square to their left, and nothing if they nudged a square on their right. One group then had access to running wheels, and after their exercise they outperformed sedentary mice’s ability to pick the right square by nearly fifty percent. Tissue samples also showed that they had hundreds of thousands of new brain cells. (more…)

Posted on July 17, 2023 by SarahS

Why Taking a Vacation Could Save Your Life

The typical American takes just two to three weeks of vacation a year. Do you fall into this category? If so, new studies suggest that too much work and not enough play may be putting your health in jeopardy.

Dean Obeideallah, a former attorney and political comedian, recently wrote an editorial piece for CNN that argued the life-saving power of vacations.

“Take a vacation or die,” he says. Otherwise, we face an increased risk of heart attack and stress, which Obeideallah argues could eventually kill us.

‘Stress causes a slough of problems such as the inability concentrate, poor sleep and even body rashes,’ he said. And contrary to what people believe, taking time off from work can actually make you more productive at work as studies have shown that people who take vacations sleep better, work better and are generally more alert. (more…)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Dana

Candy-Free Potty Training Should be the Norm, Not the Exception

When my husband and I decided to start potty training our two-year-old this summer, we agreed to be patient, let her lead but with some firm direction, and not dazzle her with sugar. I won’t say that we’ve been obsessive about her eating habits since she started on solid foods, but I will say we are hyper aware of what she eats and her nutrition is of utmost importance. Because of that, my daughter turns away offerings of cake, ice cream, or even small pieces of candy. However, she’ll knock you over for a bite of avocado.

I’ve watched friends charm the training pants off their toddlers with promises of suckers and candies to convince them to potty on the toilet; specifically one incident where one-and-a-half Fun Size candy bars and a handful of M&Ms were used to reward a toddler for taking care of business. That’s a lot of sugar and calories for a little tinkle. My daughter gets none of that. She gets high-fives, a big cheer along the lines of “great job! I’m proud of you!”, and two or three squares of toilet tissue.

This, I kid you not, is a really big deal to her. That she is allowed to get squares of toilet tissue to clean up is like she’s arrived at the throne of the big girls. Every time she potties she announces, “I get tissue now!” and she is proud of it. She earned it. Not long from now I won’t be able to reward her with septic-friendly paper, but for now, I’m totally rolling with it.

I can feel half the world rolling their eyes at me, but that’s the decision my husband and I made – candy-free potty training. It’s the choice that’s right for our daughter. Maybe it’s not right for your child, but I at least ask you to listen with an open mind and consider that maybe it might just work. (more…)

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Natalie K

Q&A with Leading Celiac Experts on Gluten Sensitivity, Schizophrenia, and Nutritional Deficiencies

By Kristin Voorhees, MA, and Brenda Flaherty for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA)

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) kicked off this year’s Celiac Awareness Month by hosting the live webcast “State of the Union: A Live Chat with Experts on Gluten-Related Disorders” on May 3, 2024.

Alice Bast, Founder and President of NFCA, moderated the 60-minute event, which featured internationally renowned experts in the field of celiac disease research including Stefano Guandalini, MD of the University of Chicago, Alessio Fasano, MD of the University of Maryland, and Melinda Dennis, MS, RD, LDN of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The event supplied patients and providers alike with the latest news in gluten-related disorders research free of charge. The panelists’ discussions were based on questions and concerns submitted to the NFCA team in the months leading up to the special webcast.

Dr. Guandalini kicked off the event by identifying the differences between celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity and explaining the important role guidelines play in diagnosing a gluten-related disorder. Next, the audience heard from Dr. Fasano, who touched on multiple research ventures in the field, including the timing of gluten introduction in infants. Finally, Melinda Dennis provided tips on how nutritional counseling can ensure that patients live a healthy gluten-free life.

Because there is never enough time to cover all of the celiac and gluten-free topics we’d like to discuss, NFCA asked the trio of experts to participate in this follow-up Q&A session. Here’s what they had to say! (more…)

Posted on July 10, 2023 by GuestBlogger

The Mental Switch That Leads to Weight Loss Breakthroughs

Last week, while doing a book interview with the author of “The Cure for Everything,” something happened. I had an ‘a-ha’ moment that made me realize one of my unhealthy habits: I was eating too much.

I wasn’t eating terrible. I wasn’t eating unhealthy; just too much. And I was justifying it with exercise. But all it took was for Timothy Caulfield to say, “We just don’t need that many calories.”

Cue: light bulb. I had a mental switch that made me realize more exercise isn’t the answer, eating wisely and thoughtfully is.

You’ve heard about the mental struggles weight loss and healthy living can bring. More often than not, those mental and emotional realizations are half the battle in having breakthrougs that lead to finally achieving a healthy lifestyle.

One such moment took place for personal trainer Stephanie Mansour when she got to college and dove into an absolute eating free-for-all. Having no regular sports activity and a deep love for food, Stephanie – founder of Step it Up personal training – found herself overeating often as a result of not being mentally connected to her body. These habits led her to develop intense anxiety, sleeping problems and migraines, all three of which required medication. (more…)

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Dana

Elderly Face Greater Risk of Death When Lonely, Study Finds

We all know that spending time among friends and family is important not only for the sake of being socially active, but also to have that feeling of being relationally fulfilled. A new study has established a new reason to remain connected as it found loneliness among the elderly may put them at a greater risk for death and functional decline – making relationships and personal interaction more important than ever.

A new six-year study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that people over the age of 60 who struggled with loneliness had a 45 percent higher risk of death than those who felt well-surrounded and connected. In fact, researchers found that the risk of death for people who were lonely was 23 percent, as compared to 14 percent for those who weren’t.

So what does this mean? People, social lives, healthy surroundings are important. And that as we age, it becomes increasingly necessary to stay connected as to avoid loneliness and the health risks that come along with it.

To conduct the study, researchers analyzed the relationship between loneliness, functional decline, and death in more than 1,600 participants in the U.S., over the age of 60. An initial assessment was taken in 2002, with follow-up assessments taking place every two years thereafter until 2024.  (more…)

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Dana

Fast Food Can Make Us Depressed

Ever suspected that your food may be affecting the way you feel? Namely, your mood? Well new research out of Spain has confirmed a link between fast food consumption and depression. Even though fatty foods can temporarily boost our mood, the longterm affects are doing more harm than good on our mental – and physical – health.

The study observed 8,964 participants over the course of six months, especially taking into account their eating habits. Researchers found that those who consumed fast food were 51 percent more likely to develop depression. And among that group, those who ate more fast food were at even greater risk for suffering from depression.

The study also revealed the type of person who is most likely to be a junk food eater. Researchers found a trend among single, inactive people with poor eating habits, such as eating minimal fruit, nuts, fish, vegetables and olive oil. This demographic, said researchers, also tended to be smokers who worked more than 45 hours a week. (more…)

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Dana

Why Being Creative is Good for Your Health

It’s been said that a creative life is a healthy life, but how many people actually achieve that? Pursuing our passions can be difficult, but recent research shows that it’s a worthwhile endeavor because it’s good for our health.

Evidence that creative minds are healthy minds is popping up left and right, saying that the act of creating gives us a sense of happiness, can help lessen anxiety, and even make us more resilient and capable of problem solving.

But one of the greatest obstacles in actually following through with the things we’re passionate about is our jobs.

Studies have shown that work stress is killing us, and not just creatively, but also when it comes to our health. This is because workplace stress doesn’t just stay at work; it follows us home and affects our sleep, causes weight gain and elevated glucose levels, and can even promote upper respiratory infections and cardiovascular disease. (more…)

Posted on May 25, 2023 by Dana

Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater Can Apply to Healthy Living

One thing I noticed on my journey to eating a wheat free/gluten-free diet is that consequences matter. For me, the decision to restrict my diet in this way is mostly about health. I do not have celiac disease, and I don’t believe I have a gluten allergy. For some of my mom friends though if their child got ahold of a single Cheerio or Teddy Graham they could have serious health issues as a result. “Cheating” on the gluten-free diet does not even occur to those moms, even if they are away from their children, but the consequences are less severe for me. We see the same thing on the Biggest Loser over and over when someone is motivated to lose weight after a medical professional tells them their weight is killing them. What are the consequences for you for not sticking to your goal?

If you are good at self-talk and rational (REBT) thinking, you can use the consequences to your advantage. Maybe it won’t hurt me to try the famous sugar cream pie, but how will I ever really track the effects of gluten on my body if I don’t eliminate it entirely for at least two to three weeks? If you are tempted to skip a workout, you probably won’t see a reverse in your progress, but you can remind yourself that you could feel guilty or lethargic or even lose the habit entirely since every time we “cheat” we are practicing the opposite of the habit we want to reinforce. (more…)

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

New Study Shows Aerobic Exercise Boosts Brain Power

The idea that all weight lifters are meat heads, is a lie – at least according to a new study that linked exercise with bulked up brain power.

The study, conducted by the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging, was seeking to examine whether changes in muscles induced by exercise may affect and/or improve the brain’s ability to think. And furthermore, whether this reaction starts in the muscles rather than the brain. What they found caused them to think this hypothesis may be correct.

The premise of the study, which was published in the journal Learning and Memory, was that muscles are greatly affected by exercise, as they respond by producing a variety of substances that grow muscles stronger and bigger. But lead scientist Henriette van Praag –  lead investigator at the National Institute on Aging – thinks some of these compounds might be entering the bloodstream and making their way to the brain. (more…)

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Dana

New Study Reveals Why More Women Suffer From Migraines Than Men

I’m one of those people who never gets headaches. I know – how annoying.

But though this seems like a good thing –  as it is –  sometimes I wish I knew what a headache felt like. Then I could better sympathize with headache sufferers around me, like my mother and husband, who frequently endure painful migraines. Watching them agonize is almost as painful as having a headache myself.

While much is still unknown about the cause of headaches, progress is being made, especially in the way of why migraines affect three times more woman than men, and why one in four women has experienced a migraine.

In a recent article from NPR, Dr. Andrew Charles of the Headache Research and Treatment Program at UCLA, explained exactly what happens inside a person’s brain when they experience a headache. (more…)

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Dana