Author: admin
Data from the Rejuvenating the Aging Microbiota with Prebiotics (RAMP) study found that six weeks of supplementation with five grams per day of 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) improved levels of HDL cholesterol, insulin levels and FGF21, a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism, energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity. Writing in Cell Reports Medicine, the researchers noted that not all of the participants responded to the prebiotic treatment. Interestingly, the Bifidobacterium responders were also found to have improved performance on a cognitive test compared to non-responders, a result the study called “speculative”.“These results demonstrate a potential impact of 2′-FL supplementation…
Surgically severing part of the brain can send the area into a deep sleep.Credit: Peter Cade/GettySlow, sleep-like brain waves persist in part of the brain that has been surgically disconnected from the rest of the organ even though the person is awake. The findings1, published in PLoS Biology, add to researchers’ understanding of what conscious and unconscious brain states look like.Children with severe epilepsy who do not respond to medication can undergo a surgical procedure called a hemispherotomy. During surgery, clinicians disconnect the part of the brain in which seizures originate from the rest of the brain, stopping them from…
A polarized debate in biomedical research is pitting those who favour ‘traditional animal models’ — meaning living non-human mammals, such as mice, that are used to investigate human disease mechanisms, responses to treatments and so on — against proponents of various experimental approaches collectively termed NAMs.NAMs, short for ‘new approach methodologies’ or ‘novel alternative methods’, include in vitro models, such as organoids grown from stem cells or other cells, that are designed to mimic the properties of human organs or tissues1; computational (in silico) modelling approaches that predict how biological systems respond to drugs or other perturbations2; and chemical (in…
A common kitchen spice may yield a new class of cannabidiol (CBD)-like medicines with powerful seizure-reducing effects, according to a new study. Caraway seeds, also called meridian fennel, could produce safer, more affordable, and more effective treatments for childhood seizure disorders than existing frontline therapies. The researchers discovered they could enhance CBD’s most favorable therapeutic properties by changing the shape of the seeds’ main chemical component.“Advancing this new class of therapeutics holds significant promise for patients who have exhausted existing treatment options, whether due to debilitating side effects or a lack of response to currently available therapies,” says study co-author…
You’re not imagining that irresistible allure of something sweet, salty, or fatty. Multiple hormones make it nearly impossible to say no to foods that we know aren’t nourishing. Let’s break down the top three hormones that sway your cravings, and what you can do to get them in check.
Researchers explored how a story is told can influence how a person forms a memory of the described events.Image credit:©iStock, RidofranzA person’s storytelling can be so captivating that the details linger long after they’re told. What is it that makes these stories so memorable? Research suggests that the hippocampus plays a key role in turning experiences into lasting memories. But could the way one tells a story affect how the audience remembers it?Psychologist Signy Sheldon from McGill University aimed to find this out. She and her colleagues spun narratives that described everyday events and created two versions that focused on…
Sweet potatoes are nutrient-packed, with beta-carotene and vitamin A offering unique benefits.Regular potatoes deserve more credit—they’re loaded with fiber, potassium and resistant starch. Both types of potatoes offer many health benefits, including supporting your heart and gut health. Whether you boil them, mash them or stick them in a stew, there’s no denying potatoes are a versatile and delicious vegetable. But it’s potatoes’ orange counterpart, the sweet potato, that seems to get the limelight. “Many people think sweet potatoes are healthier than white ones, but that’s not necessarily true,” says Elizabeth Harris, RDN. “Both are nutrient-dense foods, although they offer slightly…
Eat a balanced meal before your COVID shot to prevent dizziness or fainting.Stay hydrated before and after vaccination to help your body recover smoothly.Focus on anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, veggies, nuts and fatty fish. These days, getting a COVID shot is a personal decision you make with a health care provider. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older talk with a health professional about whether and when to get the latest vaccine, depending on age, health conditions and risk factors. The possible side effects of the COVID vaccine are fairly well known. A sore arm, feeling achy, or…
As a registered dietitian, I’m committed to helping people make informed decisions on what they eat. Below, you’ll find my full Green Chef review, with details on the meal selection process, how the meals arrive, every meal we tried, who should try it, and who should skip it.
Els Torreele, independent researcher and adviser, founding director1, Martin McKee, professor of European public health21æqua a Think Space for Equity and Economic Justice for Health, Geneva, Switzerland2London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UKPharmaceutical pricing policies must prioritise patients and public interest over industry profits, say Els Torreele and Martin McKeePharmaceutical companies are intensifying pressure on the UK government to relax the long standing drug pricing controls that underpin the NHS.1 Their central demand is for higher prices on branded medicines. This domestic dispute is unfolding within a broader international context, with US policies seeking to impose higher prices…