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One Episode of Binge Drinking Can Alter Genes that Affect Sleep
Just one episode of binge drinking can alter your sleep genes. That was the shocking finding of a study released by the University of Missouri School of Medicine. The study was intended to understand the mechanisms of how sleep deprivation may contribute to alcoholism in humans. It explored how binge drinking effects sleep, which it…
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Relax with Passionflower
Passiflora caerulea, also known as blue passionflower, is one of the most vigorous and tender members the passionflower genus Passiflora. Native to South America, its traditional use has been as an anxiolytic. According to the American Botanical Council, the components of the fruit and flower that confer therapeutic benefits include maltol, chrysin, coumarin derivatives, flavonoids…
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L-Theanine Assists the Transition From Waking to Sleeping
The physiological process of falling asleep does not happen “in a moment.” It is a gradual transition that involves moving from an alert mental state, characterized by beta brain waves, to a relaxed one, signified by alpha brain waves, until finally entering the theta waves of light sleep. Several human clinical studies have shown that…
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Vacation is Good for the Heart
A new medical study from Syracuse University led by Bryce Hruska and Brooks Gump revealed the tangible heart protective effects of going on vacation. We all “feel” the benefits of vacation, but are yet to fully understand the underlying mechanisms behind the health benefits. To assess the health of the participants the researchers monitored markers…
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New Study on Time-Dependent Effects of Exercise
Two new interdependent papers have been released studying time-dependent effects of exercise. The studies show that exercising at different times of the day can modulate the outcomes, showing promise for athletes looking to up their game. Circadian science studies systemic energy homeostasis and metabolic pathways in relation to the body’s in-built circadian rhythm.
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Japanese Researchers Link Omega-3s with Lower Muscle Stiffness Post-Exercise
In a small study on the effects of the omega-3 oils eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), researchers have found that the oils appear to reduce muscle stiffness symptoms after exercise. During the study, sixteen men were asked to perform six sets of 10 arm contractions using a dumbbell. Their range of motion, muscle…
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Increased Mortality Risk with Proton Pump Inhibitors
A recent cohort study published in BMJ on May 30, 2019 has raised some alarming insights into the contraindications of PPIs. This long-term observational study on PPIs was carried out over a ten year period with US veterans. The in-depth study used extensive data from the Department of Veterans Affairs databases. All of the veterans…
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Mapping Brain Connectivity: A New Frontier in Understanding Mental Illness
Data from more than 1,000 brain scans have revealed interesting patterns in the way large-scale systems in the brain interact with each other. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, they performed rest scans on 120 people who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and other conditions, 192 people with affective disorders with no psychosis,…
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Improved Quality of Life with Magnesium
Recent research looked at the disability levels, quality of life, and anxiety and depressive symptoms in 34 children aged 7 – 17 after six months of magnesium prophylaxis for pediatric migraines. According to the researchers, “After 6 months of magnesium prophylaxis, disability due to migraine significantly decreased, whereas physical and psychosocial well-being improved.” Children also…
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The Health Effects of Popular Weed Killer in Second- and Third-Generation Offspring
The health effects of the world’s most popular weed killer glyphosate, or Roundup, are widely disputed. Recently, increasing numbers of scientists have underlined the need for independent research on the effects of this herbicide, whose global use is increasing rapidly, particularly on genetically modified food crops designed to tolerate it. Glyphosate has been argued to…