PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  Hydroxychloroquine does not counter SARS-CoV-2 in hamsters, a high dose of favipiravir does: study. Virologists from the KU Leuven Rega Institute in Belgium have shown that treatment with the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine does not limit SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus replication in hamsters. A high dose of the anti-flu drug favipiravir, by contrast, has an antiviral effect in the hamsters. The team published their findings in the  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) . Virologists at the KU Leuven Rega Institute have been working on two lines of SARS-CoV-2 research: searching for a vaccine to prevent infection, and testing existing drugs to see which one can reduce the amount of virus in infected people. To test the efficacy of the vaccine and antivirals preclinically, the researchers use hamsters. The rodents are particularly suitable for SARS-CoV-2 research because the virus replicates itself strongly in hamsters after infection. Moreover, hamsters develop...

  Drinking more water associated with numerous dietary benefits; study finds For people who want to control their weight or reduce their intake of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, tap water may be what the doctor ordered. A new study that examined the dietary habits of more than 18,300 U.S. adults found the majority of people who increased their consumption of plain water -- tap water or from a cooler, drinking fountain, or bottle -- by 1 percent reduced their total daily calorie intake as well as their consumption of saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol. According to a paper by the University of Illinois, people who increased their water consumption by one, two, or three cups daily decreased their total energy intake by 68 to 205 calories and their sodium intake by 78 to 235 milligrams kinesiology and community health professor Ruopeng An. They also consumed 5 grams to nearly 18 grams less sugar and decreased their cholesterol consumption by 7 to 21 milligrams daily. "T...

  Can the common cold help protect you from COVID-19? Seasonal colds are no fun by all accounts, but new research suggests the colds you've had in the past may provide some protection from COVID-19. The study, authored by infectious disease experts at the University of Rochester Medical Center, also suggests that immunity to COVID-19 is likely to last a long time -- maybe even a lifetime. The study, published in  mBio , is the first to show that the COVID-19-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, induces memory B cells, long-lived immune cells that detect pathogens, create antibodies to destroy them and remember them for the future. The next time that pathogen tries to enter the body, those memory B cells can hop into action even faster to clear the infection before it starts. Because memory B cells can survive for decades, they could protect COVID-19 survivors from subsequent infections for a long time, but further research will have to bear that out. The study is also the first to repor...

  Insomnia treatment offers relief. New evidence CBT can help treat sleep, depression cycle Insomnia causing sleepless nights, daytime fatigue, and poor health outcomes is a cycle worth busting, experts say, with depression, anxiety, and stress a common co-occurrence. A study of more than 450 insomnia patients in Australia has confirmed some positive results for such patients with insomnia. Flinders University researchers found that a targeted cognitive behavioral therapy program for insomnia helps relieve insomnia and positively affects symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. "With COVID-19 and many other stressors in life, treating the worst effects of insomnia may have a transformative effect on a person's wellbeing, mental health, and lifestyle," says lead researcher Dr. Alexander Sweetman, from Flinders University's sleep research clinic, the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health. "We studied the impact of depression, anxiety, and stress on response to CB...

  Identical signs of brain damage in sleep apnea and Alzheimer's New research has confirmed long-suspected links between sleep apnea and Alzheimer's disease, finding identical brain damage signs in both conditions. While the cause of Alzheimer's disease remains a mystery, amyloid plaques that are toxic to brain cells are known indicators of the disease. The new research showed these plaques start in the same place and spread in the same way in the brains of people with obstructive sleep apnea, as in those with Alzheimer's. The clinical study by Australian and Icelandic researchers, led by RMIT University, is published in the journal  Sleep . Lead investigator Professor Stephen Robinson said scientists have known the two diseases are related, but what drives the connection is still unclear. "We know that if you have sleep apnea in mid-life, you're more likely to develop Alzheimer's when you're older, and if you have Alzheimer's, you are more likely t...

  Getting Back Pain While Working From Home? An Ergonomics Expert Offers Advice IDEAS BY  ALAN HEDGE   APRIL 15, 2020 2:13 PM EDT Alan Hedge is a professor emeritus at Cornell University and president of Humanuse, a leading-edge ergonomics company. E ven before the  COVID-19 pandemic   struck, roughly 1 in 6 U.S. workers, some 26 million people,  worked either partly or fully from home . Now that number has grown significantly, as states are requiring non-essential employees to  stay home . If you’re one of these people, you may be noticing new aches and pains that you did not experience at the office. That’s because even though it isn’t mandated, many companies follow an ANSI-HFS standard in the design of their computer workstations, furnishing the office with the ergonomic furniture and accessories. However, most residential settings simply don’t have the space to accommodate today’s ergonomic office furniture, nor do most people invest in it, especi...

  How much physical activity do adults need? Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. According to the 2018  Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans , 2 nd  edition, adults need to do two physical activity types each week to improve their health–aerobic activity and muscle strengthening. Some Activity is Better than None We know 150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but it’s not. That could be 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The good news is that you can spread your activity out during the week, so you don’t have to do it all at once. You can even break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. Learn more about finding a balance that works for you. Move More and Sit Less Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day. Some physical activity is better than none. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity gain some health benefits. Recommended Levels For Health Benefits Adults sh...