Physic
ally Fit Kids Have Better Learning Capacity
It's not exactly a well guarded secret that the benefits of regular physical activity extend far beyond just being fit. In fact, there is a great deal of evidence to support the use of exercise to help fight off the effects of cognitive decline in the elderly. However, a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois has found that not only does being physically fit improve children's ability to learn, they've also discovered how. Researchers found that children who were more physically fit actually have more white matter in their brains then do children who tend to be more sedentary. White matter is critical for sending nerve signals from one area of the brain to another, and having more white matter is identified as being a market for memory and attention. The study shows that living a healthy, active lifestyle is a critical element for the improving the overall health of children, and that too much sedentary behavior may have an unforeseen long term impact on their development
Testosterone Cues the Brain To Respond To Threats
Although idea of high testosterone levels causing increased a
ggression has been repeatedly shown to be a fallacy, the association still exists none-the-less in the general public. Much to the chagrin of what many would lead you to believe, testosterone does play an important role in mediating a number of biological functions - including our body's response to threats according to a new study published in the journal Biological Psychology. In the study men were given supplemental testosterone to restore their body to normal physiological levels. After treatment the men were asked to view pictures of facial expressions while their brains were monitored to measure activity in response to the images. The data showed that the men who were on supplemental testosterone showed a greater stress response to angry faces than did men who were not receiving treatment. This lead researchers to believe that testosterone plays a critical role in our body's fight or flight response - and also proves that having high testosterone levels actually may not be such a bad thing after all.
Unprocessed R
ed Meat Does Not Cause Hypertension
Although the dietary fat-heart health hypothesis has been proven to be false for decades, there is still some cause for concern when it comes to red meat consumption. Modern commercial feed lot farming of cattle that have been fed poor diets and administered untold numbers of drugs have led many to believe that the consumption of commercially farmed, processed red meat is deleterious to our health. New information being released by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that although eating five s servings per more of proceeded red meat weekly did increase chances for the development of hypertension, consuming unprocessed red meat actually showed no increased risk for hypertension or other markers of cardiovascular disease. The study tracked over 44,000 healthy women over a 15 year period. During that time the researchers tacked the women's health and dietary practices among other things. After analyzing the data the researchers concluded that the regular consumption of unprocessed red meat had no impact on the development of cardiovascular disease. By simply forgoing highly processed meats, and consuming grass feed meats as an alternative if possible, you could alleviate at least some of the risk of developing a form of CVD in the future.
http://m.ajcn.nutrition.org/content/100/3/948.short
Eating Fis
h Boosts Your Brain
Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oils have been tied to a wide range of health benefits, and have been proven to have a significant impact on everything from Alzheimer’s to inflammation. However, according to a new study eating fish may actually have a greater impact on cognitive function than previously thought. A study from The American Journal of Preventive Medicine had found that eating fish just once per week might actually increase the gray matter in our brains. Gray matter in the brain is associated with higher levels of memory and cognition, but as we age gray matter tends to decline. Researchers found that elderly individuals who reported regularly consuming fish showed higher levels of gray matter in their brains according to data collected by magnetic resonance imaging. In addition to being an abundant source of essential fatty acids fish also are an excellent source of protein that can serve as a functional food that simultaneously serves to improve both your health and your physique.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2014/08/20/fish-as-brain-food/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Genes D
etermine Our Sleep Needs
The value of getting adequate test in a regular basis cannot be over stated in terms of the impact that it has on both our health and our physiques. However it does airways seem that absolutely, unequivocally need their eight hours of beauty rest, while others appear to be like machines who can manage to be fully functional and active with far less. Now it appears science has finally figured out the reason why. According to a collective effort from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, San Francisco or genres are the determining factor in how much sleep we need on a fault basis. Researchers have uncovered a gene that explains why there can be such a dramatic variance in our sleep needs. The researchers are now planning to sequence the genes that control or circadian rhythms to see if there are deeper underlying factors that play into the way our bodies react to sleep and sleep deprivation.
http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/a-gene-makes-you-need-less-sleep
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