Health 08 (Oct 14 - Jun 15)

[winston]

A Good Night's Sleep is Not Rocket Science

While we wait for science to (maybe) save us, there are more banal techniques that can help the rest of us become more efficient sleepers.

We can turn off glowing devices such as phones and TVs an hour before bed (their blue light can mess up your body's production of the hormone melatonin, which makes you sleepy).

We can avoid caffeine in the afternoon. And we can keep a consistent sleep schedule — even on the weekends.

If you're not a short sleeper, these tricks won't let you get by with four hours of slumber and feel fine. But they might let you feel a bit better in the morning.

Source: ETR

[winston]

The Billionaires Who Want to Live Forever

We all want to live forever, but some of us have the means to actually do something about it.

Adam Gollner, author of The Book of Immortality, profiles five billionaires pouring money into longevity research.

http://www.mindpowernews.com/ImmortalBillionaires.htm

[winston]

Why We Feel "Old" After 35 By Craig Ballantyne

When I turned 35, two of my fingers on my right hand started swelling up each winter. By mid-December they would be cracked from the cold. But then in March, when the weather turned warmer, the fingers would return to normal size.

After a couple of years in this cycle, I asked my doctor to look at my hand. The hypochondriac in me was worried I was developing some type of flesh-eating disease.

My doc took one look at them and immediately said, "Oh, you have Reynaud's". It's a syndrome, not a disease, that is characterized by poor blood flow in the extremities. You know someone that always has cold hands? They have Raynaud's.

Why the onset in my mid-30's? It's possibly a response to accumulating inflammation in my body. Genetic testing has shown that I am positive for the HLA-DQ genes, the alleles for gluten sensitivity.

All those years of beer and pizza might explain the onset of the finger swelling. Here's gluten-free nutrition expert Dr. Peter Osborne with more details on why we feel old and breakdown after age 35...

Dr. Peter Osborne says, "The average autoimmune condition won’t really be diagnosed until about the mid-third decade, so somewhere around the age of 35 to 40 is when we get an average diagnosis.

Everything you have done to that point contributed to an overwhelming burden on the immune system and the body as a whole.

A lot of that inflammation comes from things that we do that destroy, hinder or basically break down the intestinal lining.

The intestinal lining is so crucial in all of this. Drugs, antacid medications, gluten, and antibiotic use damage the GI tract."

http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/expert ... 06147f065d

[winston]

5 Weird Things That Make You Bloated

Feeling bloated doesn't just happen by accident. In fact there are certain healthy foods that can actually trigger bloating. Here are a few to watch out for:

Plums - This fruit is actually packed with sugar alcohols. These sugars are fermented by gut bacteria and when this happens, you get some major bloat.

Gum - When you chew gum, you’re inhaling excess air, which gets trapped in your stomach and intestines, causing you to burp and release gas. In addition, sugar-free gum is usually sweetened by sugar alcohols, which result in belly bloat.

Broccoli - Green veggies are so important in a healthy diet, but if you have digestion issues, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or even just a sensitive stomach, you could find certain fibrous foods such as broccoli to be too much to handle. If you find (even after drinking a substantial amount of water) that you can’t do broccoli, safer bets are spinach and green beans, which are easier on the gut.

Source: ETR

[winston]

How Regular Exercise Affects Your Work

When you think about exercise you think about the numerous health benefits associated: lower blood pressure, slimmer waist line, increased strength and stamina. But what impact does exercise have on our minds?

Recent research has proven that regular exercise offers several cognitive benefits that relate to improved work performance.

These benefits include:
Improved concentration
Sharper memory
Faster learning
Prolonged mental stamina
Enhanced creativity
Lower stress

There is also evidence suggesting that exercise during regular work hours may boost performance. The results of a Leeds Metropolitan University study, found that on days when employees visited the gym, their experience at work changed.

They reported managing their time more effectively, being more productive, and having smoother interactions with their colleagues. Just as important: They went home feeling more satisfied at the end of the day.

Source: ETR

[behappyalways]

Most cancers are caused by bad luck not genes or lifestyle, say scientists
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science ... tists.html

[winston]

Too Much of This Can Age You Prematurely By Lauren Gordon

“Caffeine, when applied topically to the skin, can help to reduce eye bag puffiness. However, when ingested a lot, it causes dehydration of the skin leading to a loss of luster and increased appearance of fine lines…

Coffee contains a lot of caffeine which causes dehydration. Also the hot temperatures, for some, cause flushing and broken blood vessels.

I suggest caffeinated green tea instead for those coffee drinkers; less caffeine, but a lot of antioxidants.”

Source: The Daily Meal

[behappyalways]

Meet Russia's medicinal leeches
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/featur ... 79717.html

[behappyalways]

Fasting for three days can regenerate entire immune system, study finds
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... finds.html

[winston]

How Stress Affects Your Eating Habits

According to a new British survey, the majority of people are likely to let their diets slide at lunch when they encounter on-the-job stressors.

77 percent of the 2,000 British adults polled claimed their mood was definitely a factor in their lunch decisions during the work week. Half said they ate “super-healthy” when they experienced smooth sailing, but 54 percent said their lunch choices went the way of pizza and burgers when they had a stressful day.

On top of that, a bad day on the job was the most popular excuse to indulge in comfort food, with 72 percent claiming to do just that.

When you're stressed it’s easy to reach for a candy bar instead of a healthy snack. But always remember: 1) your work is still going to be there when you get back in five minutes, and 2) you will feel a hundred times worse functioning on the fast food over the healthy.

Source: ETR