PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

COMBATING LONELINESS A new study co-authored by Patrick Hill, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences, offers an essential message for our times: A sense of purpose in life -- whether it's a high-minded quest to make a difference or a simple hobby with personal meaning -- can offer potent protection against loneliness. "Loneliness is known to be one of the biggest psychological predictors for health problems, cognitive decline, and early mortality," Hill said. "Studies show that it can be as harmful for health as smoking or having a poor diet." The new study, based on surveys of more than 2,300 adults in Switzerland, found that feelings of loneliness were less common in people who reported a purposeful life, regardless of age. It was co-authored by Mathias Allemand of the University of Zurich in Switzerland and Gabriel Olaru of Tilburg University in the Netherlands. Respondents were asked to score their feelings on a lack of companionship, isolat

    HOW DOES   LIGHT-TO-MODERATE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IMPROVE HEART HEALTH? Recent findings could help identify new interventions that reduce the brain's stress activity without the adverse health effects of alcohol. A new study led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, explains why light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease. For the first time, researchers found that alcohol, in light to moderate quantities, was associated with long-term reductions in stress signaling in the brain. This impact on the brain's stress systems accounted for the declines in cardiovascular events seen in light to moderate drinkers participating in the study. Findings are published in the  Journal of the American College of Cardiology. "We are not advocating the use of alcohol to reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes because of other concerning effects of alcohol

  TREATMENT-RESISTANT HYPERTENSION AND WHAT RESEARCHERS HAVE LEARNED Medication keeps the condition at bay for many patients with Hypertension- an elevated blood pressure that can lead to stroke or heart attack. But what happens when the medication that physicians usually prescribe doesn't work? Known as apparent resistant Hypertension (aRH), this form of high blood pressure requires more medicine and medical management. Novel research from investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, published today in the peer-reviewed journal  Hypertension , found that aRH prevalence was lower in a real-world sample than previously reported but still relatively frequent -- affecting nearly 1 in 10 hypertensive patients. Through their analysis, investigators also learned that patients with well-managed aRH were more likely to be treated with a commonplace medication called mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, or MRA. These MRA treatments were used in 34% of patients with controll

  OSTEOARTHRITIS PREVALENCE AMONG RETIRED ELITE ATHLETES One in four retired Olympians reported a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, the form of arthritis that causes changes in the joint and can lead to discomfort, pain, and disability, the research found. Elite retired sportspeople who had experienced a sports-related injury had a higher chance of knee and hip osteoarthritis when compared with the general population. The athletes -- who had competed at an Olympic level in 57 sports, including athletics, rowing, and skiing -- also had an increased risk of lower back pain overall and shoulder osteoarthritis after a shoulder injury. Researchers hope the findings will help develop new approaches in injury prevention for the benefit of athletes now and in retirement. The study -- led by a University of Edinburgh-based researcher -- is the largest international survey of its kind and the first to observe the consequences of osteoarthritis and pain in different joints from retired elite athletes

  Wildfire smoke is a clear and present danger to your health. According to new research, smoke particulates from wildfires could cause between 4,000 and 9,000 premature deaths and cost between $36 to $82 billion annually in the United States. The study, "Quantifying the Premature Mortality and Economic Loss From Wildfire-Induced PM2.5 in the Contiguous U.S.," was published in  Science of the Total Environment. "We think of automobile tailpipes and factory emissions polluting our air," said Oliver Gao, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Cornell University and a senior study author. "We don't necessarily think about air pollution from natural sources like wildfires. "Climate change is leading to weather extremes like more storms and hurricanes, but it can also lead to more wildfires," Gao said. "The Quebec wildfires in early June affected human health hundreds of miles away in the distant cities New York, Philadelphia, Baltimo

  NOISE CAN INCREASE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE Study shows the sound of traffic is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and calls for public health measures to reduce noise exposure. If you live near a busy road, you might feel like the constant sound of roaring engines, honking horns, and wailing sirens makes your blood pressure rise. A new study published today in  JACC: Advances  confirms it can do that. Previous studies have shown a connection between noisy road traffic and an increased risk of hypertension. However, strong evidence needed to be included, and it was unclear whether noise or air pollution played a more significant role. The new research shows that it is exposure to road traffic noise itself that can elevate hypertension risk. "We were a little surprised that the association between road traffic noise and hypertension was robust even after adjustment for air pollution," said Jing Huang, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational and Enviro

  RSV, A MOSTLY UNKNOWN PUBLIC HEALTH MENACE As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determines whether to approve a vaccine against RSV for adults 60 and older, a new survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center finds that the American public is ill-informed about the virus, unfamiliar with its most common symptoms, and more hesitant to recommend the vaccine to pregnant people than to older adults. RSV is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in babies worldwide. Though its symptoms are typically mild, the highly contagious RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, can cause serious illness, hospitalization, and even death among infants and the elderly. By age 2, nearly all children get sick from RSV, one of three illnesses -- with the flu and Covid-19 -- contributing to last winter's "tripledemic" that overwhelmed some healthcare facilities. The CDC estimates that 58,000 to 80,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized annually because of i