Body Weekly - August 2014 Archives

Playing hunger games: Are gamified health apps putting odds in your favor? (8/31/2014)

For many people, finding motivation to exercise is a challenge. Thankfully, there are Zombies chasing you.At least that's the approach of Zombies, Run! -- one of more than 31,000 health and fitness apps on the market today, and one of the growing number of apps that use games to increase physical activity.Gamification is currently the popular trend for mobile fitness apps, but whether or not it's the best way to exercise remains to be seen. ...> Full Article

Feeling bad at work can be a good thing (and vice versa) (8/30/2014)

Research by the University of Liverpool suggests that, contrary to popular opinion, it can be good to feel bad at work, whilst feeling good in the workplace can also lead to negative outcomes. ...> Full Article

Adherence to diet can be measured from blood (8/29/2014)

New results from the Nordic SYSDIET study show that it's possible to assess dietary compliance from a blood sample. This is especially useful in controlled dietary intervention studies investigating the health benefits of specific diets. So far, such studies have mainly relied on the participants' self-reported dietary intake, which is often biased, making it more difficult to assess the real health benefits. ...> Full Article

Treating pain by blocking the 'chili-pepper receptor' (8/28/2014)

Biting into a chili pepper causes a burning spiciness that is irresistible to some, but intolerable to others. Scientists exploring the chili pepper's effect are using their findings to develop a new drug candidate for many kinds of pain, which can be caused by inflammation or other problems. They reported their progress on the compound, which is being tested in clinical trials, in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. ...> Full Article

'Tickling' your ear could be good for your heart (8/27/2014)

Stimulating nerves in your ear could improve the health of your heart, researchers have discovered. ...> Full Article

Antibacterial soap exposes health workers to high triclosan levels (8/26/2014)

Handwashing with antibacterial soap exposes hospital workers to significant and potentially unsafe levels of triclosan, a widely-used chemical currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a study led by researchers from University of California San Francisco. ...> Full Article

What's in your gut? Certain bacteria may influence susceptibility to infection (8/25/2014)

The specific composition of bacterial species in a person's gut may protect against or increase susceptibility to Campylobacter, the most common cause of human bacterial intestinal inflammation, according research published this week in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. The study also found that Campylobacter infection can yield lasting changes to one's gut bacteria composition. ...> Full Article

Study reveals sex differences in experiencing orgasms (8/24/2014)

Among single adults in the US, women, regardless of sexual orientation, have less predictable, more varied orgasm experiences than do men, new research indicates. The study revealed that men experience orgasm during sexual activity with a familiar partner 85 percent of the time on average, compared with 63 percent of the time for women. ...> Full Article

New technology offers insight into cholesterol (8/23/2014)

With new advanced techniques developed by the Copenhagen Center for Glycomics at the University of Copenhagen it is possible to study cells in greater detail than ever before. The findings have just been published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry and may, in the long term, improve the treatment of high cholesterol. ...> Full Article

Common household chemicals decrease reproduction in mice, study finds (8/22/2014)

Virginia Tech researchers who were using a disinfectant when handling mice have discovered that two active ingredients in it cause declines in mouse reproduction. Although the chemicals responsible for the declines are common in household cleaning products and disinfectants used in medical and food preparation settings, including hand sanitizers, academic scientists have never published a rigorous study, until now, on their safety or toxicity. ...> Full Article

Contrary to popular belief, more exercise is not always better (8/21/2014)

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends about 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise or about 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise. But there is clear evidence of an increase in cardiovascular deaths in heart attack survivors who exercise to excess, according to a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. ...> Full Article

New global research reveals significant shortfall in fruit and vegetable consumption (8/20/2014)

New research published in the September issue of the British Journal of Nutrition highlights a significant shortfall in fruit and vegetable consumption in people's diets around the world. Commissioned by the Nutrilite Health Institute of Amway and conducted by Exponent, the research finds the majority of adults worldwide would have to at least double their current consumption of fruits and vegetables to meet the World Health Organization's minimum recommendation of five servings (400 grams) per day. ...> Full Article

Like cling wrap, new biomaterial can coat tricky burn wounds and block out infection (8/19/2014)

Wrapping wound dressings around fingers and toes can be tricky, but for burn victims, guarding them against infection is critical. Today, scientists are reporting the development of novel, ultrathin coatings called nanosheets that can cling to the body's most difficult-to-protect contours and keep bacteria at bay. They're speaking about their materials, which they've tested on mice, at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. ...> Full Article

Pistachios may lower vascular response to stress in type 2 diabetes (8/18/2014)

Among people with type 2 diabetes, eating pistachios may reduce the body's response to the stresses of everyday life, according to Penn State researchers. ...> Full Article

Healthy diet set early in life (8/18/2014)

Promoting a healthy diet from infancy is important to prevent childhood obesity and the onset of chronic disease.This is the finding from a study published in the latest issue of Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. ...> Full Article

Should you add enzyme supplements to your shopping list? Expert explains pros & cons (8/17/2014)

Enzyme supplements available without a prescription are becoming increasingly popular, but should everyone add them to their shopping list? Brent Bauer, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program, is co-author of a new paper in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings on the pros and cons of over-the-counter enzymes. ...> Full Article

Clues to the ageing of tendons unlocked for the first time (8/16/2014)

University of Liverpool scientists have examined the mechanisms that cause ageing in the tendons of horses, opening up the possibility of better treatment for humans. ...> Full Article

A new 'whey' to control diabetes (8/16/2014)

Blood sugar surges -- after-meal glucose 'spikes' -- can be life threatening for the 29 million Americans with diabetes. Now a new Tel Aviv University study suggests a novel way to suppress these deadly post-meal glucose surges: the consumption of whey protein concentrate, found in the watery portion of milk separated from cheese curds, before breakfast. ...> Full Article

Making sense of scents (8/15/2014)

Exactly how animals separate the smells of objects of interest, such as food sources or the scent of predators, from background information has remained largely unknown. Even the extent to which animals can make such distinctions, and how differences between scents might affect the process were largely a mystery -- until now. ...> Full Article

Pepper and halt: Spicy chemical may inhibit gut tumors (8/14/2014)

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that dietary capsaicin -- the active ingredient in chili peppers -- produces chronic activation of a receptor on cells lining the intestines of mice, triggering a reaction that ultimately reduces the risk of colorectal tumors. ...> Full Article

'Normal' bacteria vital for keeping intestinal lining intact (8/13/2014)

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that bacteria that aid in digestion help keep the intestinal lining intact. The findings, reported online in the journal Immunity, could yield new therapies for inflammatory bowel disease and a wide range of other disorders. ...> Full Article

scientists find new calorie-burning switch in brown fat (8/13/2014)

Biologists at the Scripps Research Institute have identified a signaling pathway that switches on a powerful calorie-burning process in brown fat cells. ...> Full Article

Scientists find growing consensus: Political attitudes derive from body and mind (8/12/2014)

Neither conscious decision-making or parental upbringing fully explain why some people lean left and others lean right, researchers say. A mix of deep-seated psychology and physiological responses are at the core of political differences. ...> Full Article

Toward a home test for detecting potentially dangerous levels of caffeine (8/11/2014)

The shocking news of an Ohio teen who died of a caffeine overdose in May highlighted the potential dangers of the normally well-tolerated and mass-consumed substance. To help prevent serious health problems that can arise from consuming too much caffeine, scientists are reporting progress toward a rapid, at-home test to detect even low levels of the stimulant in most beverages and even breast milk. Their report appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. ...> Full Article

Pesticide DDT linked to slow metabolism, obesity and diabetes (8/11/2014)

UC Davis study is the first to show that developmental exposure to DDT increases the risk of females later developing metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of conditions that include increased body fat, blood glucose, and cholesterol. ...> Full Article

Soy may help women's hearts if they start early (8/10/2014)

A diet rich in soy may help feminine hearts, but timing matters, finds a new study published online today in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society. ...> Full Article

Eating tree nuts results in 'modest decreases' in blood fats and sugars, survey finds (8/9/2014)

Eating tree nuts appears to help reduce two of the five markers for metabolic syndrome, a group of factors that raise the risk for heart disease and other health problems such as diabetes and strokes, a new research paper says. ...> Full Article

Research shows impact of soft drinks in meal planning (8/9/2014)

New research by academics in the University of Bristol's Nutrition and Behaviour Unit has looked into whether we take liquid calories into account when planning meals. ...> Full Article

Vision-correcting display makes reading glasses so yesterday (8/8/2014)

Researchers at UC Berkeley are developing vision-correcting displays that can compensate for a viewer's visual impairments to create sharp images without the need for glasses or contact lenses. The technology could potentially help those who currently need corrective lenses to use their smartphones, tablets and computers, and could one day aid people with more complex visual problems. ...> Full Article

Problem drinking in midlife doubles chance of memory problems in later life (8/8/2014)

A study published Wednesday, July 30, in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, indicates that middle-aged adults with a history of problem drinking are more than twice as likely to suffer from severe memory impairment in later life. The study highlights the hitherto largely unknown link between harmful patterns of alcohol consumption and problems with memory later in life -- problems which may place people at a high risk of developing dementia. ...> Full Article

Menu secrets that can make you slim by design (8/7/2014)

If you've ever ordered the wrong food at a restaurant, don't blame yourself; blame the menu. What you order may have less to do with what you want and more to do with a menu's layout and descriptions. ...> Full Article

Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages during adolescence impairs memory (8/7/2014)

Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, finds that daily consumption of beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose can impair the ability to learn and remember information, particularly when consumption occurs during adolescence. ...> Full Article

Study suggests both high physical activity and less sitting in leisure time may be required to substantially reduce risk of obesity (8/6/2014)

New research published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, suggests that both higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of sitting in leisure time may be required to substantially reduce the risk of obesity. ...> Full Article

Diet affects men's and women's gut microbes differently (8/6/2014)

The microbes living in the guts of males and females react differently to diet, even when the diets are identical, according to a study by scientists from The University of Texas at Austin and six other institutions published this week in the journal Nature Communications. These results suggest that therapies designed to improve human health and treat diseases through nutrition might need to be tailored for each sex. ...> Full Article

Many people never grow out of their growing pains (8/5/2014)

A new research project from Aarhus University shows that many adolescents suffer from knee pain for several years. The pain impacts both sporting activities and quality of life. ...> Full Article

Why do men prefer nice women? (8/4/2014)

Does responsiveness increase sexual desire in the other person? Do men perceive responsive women as more attractive, and does the same hold true for women's perceptions of men? A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin seeks to answer those questions. ...> Full Article

New EMS system in Arizona dramatically improves survival from cardiac arrest (8/3/2014)

A new emergency medicine system that sent patients to designated cardiac receiving centers dramatically increased the survival rate of victims of sudden cardiac arrest in Arizona, according to a study published online in Annals of Emergency Medicine. ...> Full Article

The heart of an astronaut, five years on (8/2/2014)

The Cardio Ox investigation will look at how oxidative stress and inflammation caused by conditions of spaceflight affect astronaut hearts for up to five years after astronauts fly on the International Space Station. ...> Full Article

Eating probiotics regularly may improve your blood pressure (8/1/2014)

Probiotics -- a bacteria in yogurt and supplements -- appear to modestly lower blood pressure, according to a review of nine studies. The blood pressure-lowering effect from probiotics was greatest among people with elevated blood pressure. Additional studies are needed before doctors can confidently recommend probiotics for high blood pressure control and prevention. ...> Full Article