Lingonberry moderates high-salt diet inflammation
University of Helsinki (Finland), March 7, 2022
Lingonberry juice slightly lowers low-grade inflammation in rats fed on a high-salt diet, according to scientists. The rats were fed on 8% sodium chloride enriched pellets and given tap water or diluted lingonberry juice for ten weeks. The research, published in the Journal of Functional Foods, sought to test whether lingonberry juice could beneficially affect salt-induced inflammation a...
Lingonberry moderates high-salt diet inflammation
University of Helsinki (Finland), March 7, 2022
Lingonberry juice slightly lowers low-grade inflammation in rats fed on a high-salt diet, according to scientists. The rats were fed on 8% sodium chloride enriched pellets and given tap water or diluted lingonberry juice for ten weeks. The research, published in the Journal of Functional Foods, sought to test whether lingonberry juice could beneficially affect salt-induced inflammation and hypertension. The scientists saw that the salt-loaded diet impaired kidney function of rats without clear effect on blood pressure or vascular function. Within this, lingonberry juice was shown to moderately reduce biomarkers of low-grade inflammation. The researchers said the anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols could explain positive cardiovascular effects. “We have found that lingonberry, a northern berry rich in polyphenols, improves vascular endothelium-dependent relaxation and decreases blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats,” the researchers said.
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Physical activity may protect your brain as you age
University of Georgia, March 8, 2022
We all know we should exercise and eat healthy. But doing that isn't just good for maintaining your figure as you age. New research from the University of Georgia shows that physical activity could help protect your cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn't have to be intense exercise to make an impact. Published in Sport Sciences for Health, the study followed 51 older adults, tracking their physical activity and fitness measurements. The participants performed tests specifically designed to measure cognitive functioning and underwent MRIs to assess brain functioning.
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Beta-Glucans Boost Natural Killer Cells to Fight Cancer, Boost Immunity
Université de la Méditerranée (France), March 10, 2022
Often used as medicine, beta-glucans are naturally occurring, biologically active polysaccharides that are found in the cell walls of mushrooms, algae, lichens, plants, and some bacteria. This matters because beta-glucans are also immunostimulating and boost the effectiveness of your body’s own cancer-eradicating natural killer cells, or NK cells. Natural killer cells are effector lymphocytes of the innate immune system that control several types of tumors and microbial infections by limiting their spread and subsequent tissue damage. Recent research highlights the fact that NK cells are also regulatory cells engaged in reciprocal interactions with dendritic cells, macrophages, T cells and endothelial cells. NK cell manipulation seems to hold promise in efforts to improve hematopoietic and solid organ transplantation, promote antitumor immunotherapy and control inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.” Oyster mushrooms and shitake are especially anti-carcinogenic for their high levels of beta-glucans. These mushrooms have also been shown to help destroy cancer cells, specifically. While different mushrooms have different levels of these healthy polysaccharides, most have been proven to boost immunity and also to have cytotoxic effects on cancer cells (meaning they help to kill them).
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Telling kids they're special may foster narcissism
Ohio State University, March 9, 2022
Children who are told they are special by their parents are more likely to become narcissists, according to a study that aimed to uncover the origins of extreme selfishness The research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is based on 565 children in the Netherlands who were surveyed over the course of a year and a half, along with their parents. Children whose parents described them as "more special than other children" and as kids who "deserve something extra in life" were more likely to score higher on tests of narcissism than peers who were not lauded in this way. Researchers also measured how much parents overvalued their children by asking how much they agreed with statements like: "My child is a great example for other children to follow." The children were between seven and 11 when they entered the study. Parental warmth and encouragement may be a better strategy than inflating the ego, the study found. Youths who said they were often told they were loved by their parents were more likely to show high self-esteem but not narcissism. Children with high self-esteem did not see themselves as more special than others, but agreed with statements that they were happy with themselves and liked themselves as they were.
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DHA improves children’s sleep
Oxford University March 10 2022.
The results of a study described in an article published in the Journal of Sleep Research reveal an association between higher levels of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and better sleep in children. In a pilot study of 362 primary school students aged seven to nine years, Oxford University found that supplementation with 600 milligrams DHA per day for 16 weeks improved sleep in a sampling of participants who were rated by their parents as sleeping poorly. Those who received DHA experienced seven fewer waking episodes and nearly an hour more sleep than those who received placebos. When blood fatty acid levels were evaluated, the researchers found an association with higher levels of DHA and less bedtime resistance, parasomnias and total sleep disturbances. Having a higher ratio of DHA to arachidonic acid was also associated with better sleep.
