How often a person has a bowel movement—influenced by what they eat or drink or other lifestyle factors—affects their gut microbiome's overall makeup, ultimately influencing disease risk. A recent study found that infrequent bowel movements drive the accumulation of toxic metabolites that impair kidney function. The study involved more than 1,000 healthy adults. Researchers collected information about the participants' bowel movement frequency and lifestyles. They categorized the participants according to the frequency of their bowel movements: diarrhea, high-normal (one to three daily), low-... gut diet microbiome fiber
Read moreHypertension – high blood pressure – affects more than 1.3 million adults worldwide. However, hypertension is becoming increasingly common in teens, too, raising concerns about the condition's effects. A recent study found that teens with high blood pressure and arterial stiffness exhibit poor cognitive function. The study involved 116 male and female teens (average age, 16 years). Researchers measured their physical activity and sedentary time with a combined accelerometer and heart rate monitor. They assessed their cognitive function through psychomotor function, attention, working memory, ... exercise memory blood pressure
Read moreVagus nerve stimulation promotes the resolution of inflammation. Inflammation is a necessary component of the body's immune response. But unresolved inflammation is harmful to the body and can promote a wide range of chronic diseases (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24899309/). Findings from a recent study suggest that stimulation of the vagus nerve promotes the resolution of inflammation. The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve. Its name, "vagus," comes from the Latin term for "wandering" – a characteristic of the nerve, which arises in the brain and extends to organs in the neck, chest,... brain inflammation
Read moreAging drives an array of physiological, functional, and mental changes in the human body. It is the primary risk factor for many chronic diseases in humans, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular disease. Findings from a 2020 study suggest that exercise reverses some of the harmful effects of aging on the brain. Scientists have identified strong links between regular physical exercise and brain health. Some of the mechanisms that drive the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain include increases in brain volume and connectivity (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25311366... exercise brain aging aerobic
Read more[toc position='left'] Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) include commonly consumed products such as soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks; coffee, tea, and water with added sugars; and some fruit juices, although not all nutrition experts agree on fruit juice’s inclusion as an SSB. While the consumption of SSBs has declined in recent decades, they remain a leading contributor to sugar intake among people living in the United States. While the over-consumption of sugar from any source is harmful for health, SSBs present a physiologically unique risk to health due to a converging set of factors. B... nutrition diet biomarkers triglycerides sugar question cancer obesity diabetes cholesterol testosterone insulin carbohydrates blood sugar metabolic syndrome sugar-sweetened beverages
Read moreEssential oils are a popular alternative medicine therapy. These concentrated plant oils contain many beneficial and harmful compounds, some of which have pro-seizure and antiseizure properties. Findings of a recent study report a relationship between essential oil use and first-time and breakthrough seizures. A 2019 systematic review found that lemongrass, lavender, clove, and dill may have antiseizure properties that should be explored for drug development (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31239862/). The review also found that other essential oils have pro-seizure effects. Consumption of ess...
Read moreEstablishment of the healthy infant gut begins at birth when the infant is exposed to the microbial milieu of the mother's vaginal canal. Consequently, the gut microbial profile of infants delivered by Caesarean section differs markedly from those delivered vaginally and may contribute to greater risk for disease in both early and later life. Evidence from a new study suggests that fecal microbiota transplantation can reset the gut microbial composition of infants born via Caesarean section to a healthier profile. The study involved seven pregnant women (scheduled to deliver infants via Caesa... microbiome pregnancy
Read moreNearly one in five children and adolescents living in the United States has overweight or obesity, placing them at risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. A study presented at the European Endocrine Society's recent conference suggests that probiotics can help manage obesity in young people. Probiotic bacteria are widely defined as live microorganisms that, when consumed in sufficient amounts, confer a health benefit on the consumer. They contain a variety of microorganisms, but Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria are among the most common. Probiotics can... obesity supplements
Read moreThe global influenza pandemic of 1918 was the deadliest in history, claiming the lives of more than 50 million people worldwide (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html). Although the cause of the outbreak has been attributed to infection from the H1N1 virus, a 2008 study co-authored by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggested the primary cause of death among those infected was pneumonia. Fauci and his colleagues conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature detailing the pathological and bacter... virus antibiotics mortality
Read more[toc position='left'] Fasting – the voluntary abstinence from food and drink – is an ancient tradition long believed to be vital to humans' physical and spiritual health. Practiced for millennia by various cultures and religious groups, fasting is now widely appreciated for its beneficial effects on human metabolism and healthspan.[ref doi='10.1194/jlr.P020867'] [ref doi='10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012'] [ref doi='10.1093/cdn/nzz044.P08-053-19'] A growing body of evidence suggests that in the absence of ready supplies of glucose and fats from meals, fasting flips a metabolic "switch," liberating f... obesity fasting nutrition diet aging circadian rhythm autophagy
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