PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: THE SCIENCE OF MUSCLE BUILDING   Proteins play a central role in building muscle through a process known as muscle protein synthesis (MPS). When you consume protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids , which are then used as the building blocks to repair and grow muscle tissue—especially after resistance exercise or weight training . The combination of resistance exercise and increased protein intake is the most effective strategy for promoting muscle hypertrophy , or growth in muscle size (Nutrients, 2020) [ https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/2023 ]. Research has shown that muscle protein synthesis is maximized in young adults with an intake of about 20–25 grams of high-quality protein per meal (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018)[ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1 ]. Spreading protein intake evenly across meals throughout the day stimulates greater 24-hour muscle protein synthesis compare...

  MANGOS HELP MANAGE DIABETES A new study out of George Mason University found that eating one mango every day led to better blood sugar control and less body fat compared to supposedly “healthier” low-sugar snacks. Nutrition researcher Raedeh Basiri and her team conducted a six-month clinical trial, dividing volunteers with prediabetes into two groups: one group snacked on a fresh mango daily. At the same time, the other reached for a low-sugar granola bar. At the end of the study, those in the mango group weren’t just enjoying a sweet treat—they had improved their blood glucose, increased their insulin sensitivity, and trimmed down their body fat. The granola bar group? Not so much. What’s going on here? It turns out that sugar isn’t just sugar—at least, not when it comes in a whole food package. Mangos, like other fruits, deliver their natural sugars alongside fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. That combination seems to make all the difference, helping the body process sugar more e...

STRESS IMPROVEMENT WITH PROPER HYDRATION Ever noticed how you can feel frazzled for no apparent reason? It might be something as simple as not drinking enough water. A new study from Liverpool John Moores University suggests that even mild dehydration can cause your body to react to stress more intensely—raising cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone, by over 50% during challenging moments. The kicker? People in the study who didn’t drink enough didn’t even feel thirstier—yet their bodies were already showing clear signs of strain. They weren’t just more stressed in the moment; the spike in cortisol puts them at higher risk for long-term problems like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Here’s what the researchers did: They split healthy young adults into two groups. One group drank less than 1.5 liters of fluid a day (that’s about seven cups of tea or coffee—less than the recommended amount). The other group met the daily guidelines: 2 liters for women, 2.5 liters for men. B...

EXERCISE: HOW IT CURBS HUNGER Here’s something to ruminate on: Scientists have uncovered the real reason why a good workout leaves you less hungry. A newly discovered molecule, called Lac-Phe, is produced in your body during intense Exercise—and it’s got a direct line to your brain’s hunger controls. When Lac-Phe shows up, it dials down the neurons that make you want to eat, while turning up those that help you feel full. In recent studies, mice with higher Lac-Phe levels in their system ate less, lost weight, and experienced no unpleasant side effects. This natural appetite-taming trick could be a game-changer for how we approach weight loss and overall health. The research, led by Baylor College of Medicine and Stanford University School of Medicine, along with their partners, has just been published in Nature Metabolism. Their findings add a new layer to what we know about Exercise and weight management. It’s not just that working out burns calories—your body is also making molecul...

ACETAMINOPHEN AND AUTISM: WHAT'S THE LINK? A central review by Harvard scientists has found that taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy could be linked to a higher risk of autism and ADHD in children. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects how a person thinks, communicates, and interacts with others. It often leads to differences in social behavior, communication, and can come with unique strengths and challenges. The research, published in BMC Environmental Health, pulled together data from 46 different studies worldwide. The team, led by Andrea Baccarelli at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and researchers from Mount Sinai, used a rigorous review process to examine whether exposure to acetaminophen in the womb might influence a child’s brain development. Their findings suggest that when Tylenol is used for extended periods during pregnancy, the odds of a child developing autism or ADHD go up. Still, experts are caref...

  RUNNING SHOES: HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST FOR YOU Picking the right running shoe isn’t about chasing the latest trend or sticking with a familiar brand. It’s one of the smartest moves you can make for comfort, performance, and keeping your body injury-free in the long run. Here’s what really matters when you’re shoe shopping, what can go wrong if you get it wrong, and why arch support insoles are more than just an afterthought. How to Find Your Perfect Running Shoe Start with your own feet. There’s no “one shoe fits all”—everyone’s stride, arch, and comfort level are different. Research shows that most runners pick shoes based on how they feel, experience, and most importantly, their unique arch type. That’s why specialty running stores are so valuable: they’ll look at your gait , analyze your foot shape, and help you try on a bunch of styles and brands until you find the one that feels like it was made for you. Two approaches can really make a difference: The “comfort filter”: I...

CANNABIS USE MAY INCREASE DIABETES RISK A sweeping new study from Europe and the U.S. has found that people who use cannabis face nearly four times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years compared to those who don’t. The research, presented at this year’s European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting, analyzed health records from over 4 million adults and uncovered a surprising connection between cannabis and metabolic health. Despite earlier speculation that cannabis might help with inflammation or weight, this massive analysis found the opposite: diabetes rates were significantly higher among cannabis users, even after accounting for factors like cholesterol, blood pressure, and other lifestyle risks. The study took a close look at nearly 97,000 adults with cannabis-related diagnoses and compared them to over 4 million healthy individuals of similar age and health profiles. More than five decades, 2.2% of cannabis users developed diabetes, compared to...

  VEGAN AND VEGETARIANS: AVOIDING NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES   A vegan or vegetarian diet isn’t just good for the planet—it’s a smart move for your health, too. Studies show plant-based diets can lower your risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation, and help you feel lighter and more energetic. But here’s the catch: eating plant-based food isn’t as simple as “just load up on veggies.” To really thrive, you need thoughtful meal planning and the right supplements. What Nutrients Do Plant-Based Eaters Need to Watch? Vitamin B12 This is the big one. B12 keeps your nerves healthy and helps make red blood cells. Plants don’t make it, so if you’re vegan—or even a vegetarian who skips eggs and dairy—you’ll need B12-fortified foods or a supplement. Most health experts recommend regular B12 supplementation, since deficiency is common and sneaky. Iron Plant-based diets only provide non-heme iron, which is harder for the body to absorb than the heme iron found in meat. To keep your energy up,...

  SEMAGLUTIDE: MOST PEOPLE QUIT USING IT WITHIN A YEAR  A new Danish study has thrown some cold water on the hype around semaglutide, the weight-loss drug that’s been all over the headlines the past few years. Despite its reputation for helping people shed serious pounds, the reality is that more than half of adults without diabetes who start taking the drug in Denmark end up quitting within a year. The main culprits? High costs, nasty side effects, and existing medical or mental health conditions. The numbers are even starker for younger adults and men, who are especially likely to drop out—and unfortunately, stopping the drug often leads to weight gain creeping right back. GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide are being praised as a new era in obesity treatment, but the data suggest a different story in the real world. Researchers looked at health records across Denmark and tracked nearly 80,000 adults who started semaglutide for weight loss between December 2022 and Octo...

HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT: HOW TO ACHIEVE IT   Keeping your body at a healthy weight isn’t just about looking good—it’s one of the smartest moves you can make for your long-term health. There’s a mountain of evidence showing that staying at a healthy weight can lower your risk of chronic diseases, help you live longer, and boost your quality of life. On the other hand, carrying extra weight increases your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and can even shorten your life. The connection is so strong that losing even a small amount of weight can make a real difference, improving things like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar control ( JAMA Internal Medicine ). Why Does Healthy Weight Matter So Much? Excess body fat isn’t harmless. It raises your risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and joint problems. Overweight and obesity are linked to higher rates of death from all causes, for both men and women ( Journal of Women's Healt...

  SQUATS AND LUNGES: A DYNAMIC DUO Squats and lunges are cornerstones of lower-body training, and for good reason: both have been closely studied for their roles in building leg strength and power. Sports scientists and strength coaches have spent years testing, comparing, and fine-tuning these classic moves to see how they stack up—and what each one brings to the table. Squats: The Foundation of Lower-Body Strength Squats are famous for a reason. Research consistently shows that heavy squats, including variations like jump squats, are some of the best ways to develop both maximal strength and explosive power in the legs, especially in the quadriceps and hip extensors (McBride et al., Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research ). In fact, back squats have outperformed even the leg press when it comes to gains in strength and short-term power output (Wirth et al., Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research ). Another study found that just six weeks of squat training—compar...

  BACK PAIN PREVENTION STEPS If you want to dodge chronic back pain, it might be time to lace up your sneakers and make walking a non-negotiable part of your day. A massive study out of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology tracked over 11,000 people and found something refreshingly simple: walking more — not faster — can slash your risk of developing nagging lower back issues. It’s not about power-walking or racking up steps at lightning speed. The big difference came from people who walked at least 100 minutes a day, even at a relaxed pace. They saw a 23% lower risk of developing chronic back pain compared to those who walked less. Just moving more, every day, made all the difference. These results, published in JAMA Network Open, are a wake-up call. Back pain is widespread — up to 80% of us will deal with it at some point, and one in five Norwegians is struggling with it right now. It’s a problem that costs health systems billions and drains your quality of life. Bu...

  PULL-UPS: A SIMPLE, TRANSFORMATIVE EXERCISE Pull-ups stand out as one of the most effective exercises for building upper body strength and power in both men and women, engaging multiple major muscle groups, improving muscular endurance, and enhancing functional fitness . At their core, pull-ups primarily activate the latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, brachialis, and muscles around the shoulder girdle. Electromyographic studies confirm that pull-ups produce high to very high muscle activation levels, making them ideal for strength training. Variations in grip (pronated, supinated, neutral) subtly shift muscle recruitment; for instance, a pronated grip increases brachialis activation, while supinated grips emphasize the biceps more. This versatility allows tailored emphasis depending on training goals [Dickie et al., 2017; Youdas et al., 2010]. From a mechanical perspective, pull-ups require lifting the entire bodyweight, providing a challenging resistance that promotes strength ga...

 Rats Regain Mobility After Spinal Cord Repair. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have achieved a remarkable step forward in spinal cord injury treatment by merging 3D printing, stem cell science, and lab-grown tissues. Their new method, recently published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, enabled rats with completely severed spinal cords to regain the ability to walk. The team developed a special 3D-printed scaffold—think of it as a tiny framework laced with microscopic channels—that guides stem cells to become functional nerve cells. These scaffolds, known as organoid scaffolds, are seeded with spinal neural progenitor cells (sNPCs), which are derived from human adult stem cells. These cells possess a unique ability to multiply and differentiate into the specific nerve cells required for spinal cord repair. “We use the 3D printed channels of the scaffold to direct the growth of the stem cells, which ensures the new nerve fibers grow in the desired way,” explained Guebum ...