PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  HYPOTHALAMIC MENIN LOSS ASSOCIATED WITH AGING Cognition, bone mass, skin thickness, and lifespan are all affected by Menin's decline. Decline in the hypothalamic Menin may play a key role in aging, according to a new study published on March 16 in the open-access journal  PLOS Biology  by Lige Leng of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, and colleagues. The findings reveal a previously unknown driver of physiological aging and suggest that supplementation with a simple amino acid may mitigate some age-related changes. The hypothalamus has been recognized as a critical mediator of physiological aging through increased neuroinflammatory signaling. In turn, inflammation promotes multiple age-related processes in the brain and periphery. Recently, Leng and colleagues showed that Menin, a hypothalamic protein, is a crucial inhibitor of hypothalamic neuroinflammation, leading them to ask what role Menin may play in aging. Here, they observed that the level of Menin in the hypoth...

  MENOPAUSE, INSOMNIA, AND STRESS INCREASE THE RISKS OF  AFIB         After menopause, an estimated 1 in 4 women may develop irregular heart rhythms -- known as atrial fibrillation -- in their lifetime, with stressful life events and insomnia being major contributing factors, according to new research published today in the  Journal of the American Heart Association , an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. Atrial fibrillation may lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, or other cardiovascular complications. According to the American Heart Association, it primarily affects older adults, and more than 12 million people in the U.S. are expected to develop atrial fibrillation by 2030. "In my general cardiology practice, I see many postmenopausal women with picture-perfect physical health who struggle with poor sleep and negative psychological and emotional feelings or experiences, which we now know may put them at risk...

  FEED YOUR GUT MICROBIOME WITH FIBER TO PROTECT AGAINST DISEASE The human gut evolved to thrive on fermentable fibers.         That vast array of dietary fiber supplements in the drugstore or grocery aisle can overwhelm a consumer. They also make all health claims without FDA review and approval. So, how do you know which supplement works and would be best for you? A rigorous examination of the gut microbes of study participants fed three different kinds of supplements in different sequences concludes that people who had been eating the least amount of fiber before the study showed the most significant benefit from supplements, regardless of which ones they consumed. "The people who responded the best had been eating the least fiber to start with," said study leader Lawrence David, an associate professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke University. The benefit of dietary fiber isn't just the easier pooping that advertisers tout. Fermentable fiber ...

  INCREASED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED HEART HEALTH AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT         People at increased risk for cardiovascular disease who participated in produce prescription programs increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables, which was associated with improved body mass index (BMI), blood sugar and blood pressure levels, as well as a decrease in food insecurity. This new research was published today in  Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes , a peer-reviewed American Heart Association journal. Produce prescription programs enable doctors to prescribe fruits and vegetables in addition to medications. Patients receive electronic cards or vouchers to access free or discounted produce of their choice at retail grocery or farmers' markets, explained study lead author Kurt Hager, Ph.D., M.S., an instructor at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. Although previous research has examined the effe...

  HERBS AND SPICES ARE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO SALT AND SATURATED FATS         In response to the low-fat craze of the 1990s, many food companies removed saturated fats from their products, only to replace them with sugars to maintain their palatability. Unfortunately, the resulting products were no healthier than the originals, and the average person consumes too much-saturated fat today. Now, a team of Penn State researchers has figured out how to remove some saturated fat, sugar, and salt from popular American foods while maintaining their tastiness. The trick? Replacing these overconsumed nutrients with a dose of healthy herbs and spices. "Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, and limiting saturated fat and sodium intake are key recommendations for reducing the risk of developing this disease," said Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State. "Yet, we know that one of the key barriers to reducing int...

  WORM IN WOMAN'S BRAIN COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH HAND WASHING AND FOOD AND UTENSIL WASHING Researchers made world-first detection of roundworms common to snakes in a human patient.   The world's first case of a new parasitic infection in humans has been discovered by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) and the Canberra Hospital after they detected a live eight-centimeter roundworm from a carpet python in the brain of a 64- year-old Australian woman. The  Ophidascaris Roberts  roundworm was pulled from the patient after brain surgery -- still alive and wriggling. It is suspected larvae, or juveniles, were also present in other organs in the woman's body, including the lungs and liver. "This is the first-ever human case of  Ophidascaris  to be described in the world," leading ANU and Canberra Hospital infectious disease expert and co-author of the study Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake said. "To our knowledge, this is also the ...

  IMPROVE YOUR MOOD WITH KINDNESS We all have a remedy -- a glass of wine or a piece of chocolate -- for lifting our spirits when we're in a bad mood. Rather than focusing on ways to make ourselves feel better, a team of Iowa State University researchers suggests wishing others well. "Walking around and offering kindness to others in the world reduces anxiety and increases happiness and feelings of social connection," said Douglas Gentile, professor of psychology. "It's a simple strategy that doesn't take a lot of time that you can incorporate into your daily activities." Gentile, Dawn Sweet, senior lecturer in psychology, and Lanmiao He, graduate student in psychology, tested the benefits of three different techniques intended to reduce anxiety and increase happiness or well-being. They did this by having college students walk around a building for 12 minutes and practice one of the following strategies: Loving-kindness: Looking at the people they see a...