PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  EXERCISE AND BRAIN HEALTH CONNECTION         A fascinating link between regular exercise and better brain health has been revealed, according to an international study that included a team of clinical researchers from Pacific Neuroscience Institute's Brain Health Center, located at Providence Saint John's Health Center. The research, detailed in the paper "Exercise-Related Physical Activity Relates to Brain Volumes in 10,125 Individuals," was published this week in the  Journal of Alzheimer's Disease  and shows being physically active is related to the increased size of brain areas important for memory and learning. The study looked at MRI brain scans from 10,125 people done at Prenuvo Imaging Centers, a key collaborator in the research. It found those who regularly engaged in physical activities such as walking, running, or sports had larger brain volumes in key areas. This includes the gray matter, which helps process information; the white matter,...

  WHAT CAUSES ITCHING, AND WHAT STOPS IT?         It can be a relief to scratch the occasional itch, but when itch gets out of control, it can become a severe health problem. How does the body know when to stop? Scientists at UC San Francisco are getting close to an answer. In a breakthrough that could transform how doctors treat conditions from eczema to allergies, they have discovered a feedback loop centered on a single immune protein called IL-31 that causes the urge to itch and dials back nearby inflammation. The findings, published on October 13th in  Science Immunology , lay the groundwork for a new generation of drugs that interact more intelligently with the body's innate self-regulating ability. Previous approaches suggested that IL-31 signals itch and promotes skin inflammation. However, the UCSF team discovered that nerve cells, or neurons, that respond to IL-31, triggering a scratch, also prevent immune cells from overreacting and causing more ...

  STUBBORN HIGH CHOLESTEROL REDUCED WITH NEW INJECTABLE MEDICATION     A new PCSK9 inhibitor (recaticimab) injected every one to three months may work safely and provide more flexible dosing to lower cholesterol, according to late-breaking science presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023. The Philadelphia meeting is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research, and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science. "Previous studies found that 30% to 40% of people discontinued their current PCSK9 therapies, given every two to four weeks, during or after six months of beginning treatment. More flexible dosing with recaticimab, given up to every 12 weeks, might increase the proportion of people with high levels of bad cholesterol to stick with their recommended treatment to lower bad cholesterol levels and reduce risk of heart disease," said lead study author Xin Du, Ph.D., a professor of card...

  Reliable research and evidence-based recommendations are scarce for women who exercise according to the menstrual cycle.         There is plenty of advice for women on what to eat, how to train, or what supplements to take during their menstrual cycles. However, a new review by an international team of scientists has yet to find evidence to support such recommendations. In fact, they found sparse research on women and exercise and even less on the effect of their periods on sports performance, physiology, or physical fitness. The paper's authors, from McMaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, call for much more high-quality, standardized research on women. A key finding from the review was that hormonal levels vary substantially between women during their menstrual periods and between the cycles of individual women. Virtually no woman has a standard version of a menstrual cycle, which is typic...

  PEOPLE WITH OBESITY BURN LESS CALORIES DURING THE DAY Building on prior studies with healthy-weight participants, the new research includes different body sizes.         New research indicates that weight influences how and when bodies burn energy. An Oregon Health & Science University study published in the journal  Obesity  found people who have a healthy weight use more energy during the day, when most people are active and eat, while those who are obese spend more energy during the night when most people sleep. The study also found that during the day, those with obesity have higher levels of the hormone insulin -- a sign that the body is working harder to use glucose, an energy-packed sugar. "It was surprising to learn how dramatically the timing of when our bodies burn energy differed in those with obesity," said the study's first author, Andrew McHill, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the OHSU School of Nursing and the Oregon Institute of ...

  PREGNANT WOMEN MAY BE MISSING OUT ON ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS Pregnant women are not getting the essential nutrients they and their babies need from modern diets, say scientists, who have warned that the situation will likely worsen as more people turn to plant-based foods. A study looking at the health of expecting mothers from high-income countries, including the UK, New Zealand, and Singapore, found that 90 percent were lacking essential vitamins necessary for healthy pregnancies and the well-being of unborn infants. Scientists from the University of Southampton, working with experts worldwide, surveyed more than 1,700 women and found abundant essential nutrients in meat and dairy products. These included vitamins B12, B6, and D, folic acid, and riboflavin, which are essential for developing fetuses in the womb. Lead author and Professor of Epidemiology Keith Godfrey, from the University of Southampton, said the prevalence of vitamin deficiencies among women attempting to become pr...

  A VEGAN DIET IMPROVES CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY         In a study with 22 pairs of identical twins, Stanford Medicine researchers and their colleagues have found that a vegan diet improves cardiovascular health in as little as eight weeks. Although it's well-known that eating less meat improves cardiovascular health, diet studies often need to be enhanced by genetic differences, upbringing, and lifestyle choices. By studying identical twins, however, the researchers were able to control for genetics and limit the other factors, as the twins grew up in the same households and reported similar lifestyles. "Not only did this study provide a groundbreaking way to assert that a vegan diet is healthier than the conventional omnivore diet, but the twins were also a riot to work with," said Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., the Rehnborg Farquhar Professor and a professor of medicine. "They dressed the same, they talked the same, and they had a banter ...