© AP
Though there may be little evidence specifically of muscle recovery, there is plenty of evidence of benefit for the type of musculoskeletal pain that athletes can experience.
Health & Wellness
Though there may be little evidence specifically of muscle recovery, there is plenty of evidence of benefit for the type of musculoskeletal pain that athletes can experience.
They were promoted by Joel Sugarman who is actually a friend of mine and regular reader of this newsletter.
However, many are not aware that these glasses were originally designed for the NASA space program. Astronauts need powerful eye protection in outer space, where ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun are incredibly strong.
A sunglass manufacturer developed a special design that blocked not only the UV rays but also blue rays.1 The glasses had the desirable "side effect" of making objects appear sharper, but the real benefits of blocking blue light are only beginning to be understood.
Far beyond the benefits to your visual clarity, blocking blue light serves an important biological purpose, helping to regulate your internal clock to control sleep patterns and other body functions. Quite simply, avoiding blue light at night is crucial to protecting your health.
Why Exposure to Artificial Blue Light Needs to Be Avoided
Exposure to artificial light is one of the largest often-overlooked health risks of living in the 21st century. Your early ancestors had no such worries, as their day started and ended with the rise and fall of the sun, which synchronized perfectly with their circadian rhythm.
Today, your body is still attuned to this internal clock. In the morning, bright, blue-light-rich sunlight signals to your body that it's time to wake up. At night, as the sun sets, darkness should signal to your body that it's time to sleep.
The problem is that most people living in developed countries no longer go to sleep when the sun sets.
© Julio Cortez / AP
Dr. Wayne Aldredge, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, demonstrates how dental floss should be used in Holmdel, N.J.
Dr. Wayne Aldredge, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, demonstrates how dental floss should be used in Holmdel, N.J.
Running Time: 01:18:53
Download: MP3
Here's the transcript of the show:
The ability to correctly identify odors may prove to be a more functional approach to identifying people at risk for early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Currently, physicians have to rely on expensive medical imaging (CT, MRI, or PET scans) to look for changes in the brain that are characteristic of AD. However, one of the problems with brain imaging beyond their cost is that it simply like taking a picture of the brain. Although sometimes these pictures provide valuable information, they do not evaluate the actual function of the brain.
Research has suggested that simple smell tests evaluating a person's ability to identify odors may prove to be a practical screening tool for AD and age-related mental decline. Now a new study from Columbia University researchers has shown that a simple, inexpensive scratch and sniff test was shown to be better than an MRI measurement in predicting the early stages of AD.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham believe that the study could help explain the reported significant decline in human semen quality.
The work, published in Scientific Reports, highlights a potential link to environmental contaminants, after they were able to demonstrate that chemicals found in the sperm and testes of adult dogs-- and in some commercially available pet foods -- had a detrimental effect on sperm function at the concentrations detected.
Comment: More on phthalates and PCBs:
- Phthalate exposure in pregnancy adversely affects masculinization of male genitals in babies
- Phthalate Warning: Medications Contain Chemicals that "Feminize" Unborn Baby Boys
- Toxic PCB contamination effectively sterilizing marine animals, populations at risk of extinction
- PCB Exposure Linked to Increased Abdominal Fat, Increased Risk of Diabetes
Unfortunately, estimates suggest about 6 billion people worldwide are deficient in this basic micronutrient.
According to a recent review presented at the World Congress of Public Health Nutrition, more than 90 percent of Americans fail to reach the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E.2
An earlier review3 published in 2012 found that over 75 percent of Americans and Britons failed to meet minimum RDA levels for vitamin E. The RDA for people over the age of 14 is 15 milligrams (mg) of vitamin E per day, but most Americans get only half that amount.4
According to the article titled "We are pissed off" [1],
The Biocheck lab in Leipzig that carried out the 'Elisa test' concluded: "All participants excreted glyphosate by urine. This means that glyphosate could be also a health problem of EU-parliament members." [....}
On average, the MEPs had 1.7 micrograms/litre of glyphosate in their urine, 17 times higher than the European drinking water norm (0.1 microgram/litre). This means that everyone we tested was way above the limit for residues of pesticides in drinking water.
Additionally, No less than 99.6% of all citizens who took part in this survey had higher residue levels. This means that virtually all citizens are contaminated with glyphosate. [....]
Fearful beachgoers in China are trading their suncreen and hats for facekinis.
It is a common sight these days to come across girls riding their two-wheelers and scooties, all covered up to avoid the sun's rays on their person. They even wrap a stole around their faces, such that not an inch of their face is seen, and wear gloves to keep the sun away from their skin.
Experts say that despite living in a tropical climate, it is unfortunate that many don't expose themselves to the sun to get the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of vitamin D.
Comment: More on the benefits of sunlight and Vitamin D:
- Avoiding the sun is deadlier than basking in it
- The importance of sunlight exposure for overall health
- Research From 100+ Countries Proves Sunlight Prevents Cancer
- Don't believe your dermatologist -- sunlight prevents cancer
- The Health & Wellness Show: Vitamin D and Sun Exposure
© Serge/Getty Images
Men today are weaker than they were 30 years ago, research in the Journal of Hand Therapy found.
In the study, men aged 20-34 have lower grip and pinch strength - which measures how strong your hand and upper extremities are - than the same aged guys did three decades ago.
In fact, the average grip strength for men ages 25-29 is nearly 12 kilograms lower today than it was before.
Your grip may not seem super important unless you're a competitive arm wrestler, but it actually serves as a good proxy of your overall strength.
© Unknown
When it comes to DNA, the way it is packaged is as important as the code.
When it comes to DNA, the way it is packaged is as important as the code.
Over the last few decades, epigenetics has become a hot scientific topic.
With potential roles in cancer, neuropsychiatric disorders, and immune disorders, it is no surprise that epigenetics is garnering such intense attention.
The way in which genes are expressed is incredibly complex; it requires the infinitely detailed coordination of multiple molecular players.
Epigenetics creates an additional layer of complexity that researchers are only now beginning to understand.
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