PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  BRAIN AGING FACTORS SEEN BY RESEARCHERS Most extensive studies on brain aging point to possible connections between diet, inflammation, and brain health         Scientists at the Allen Institute have identified specific cell types in the brains of mice that undergo significant changes as they age, along with one particular  hot spot  where many of those changes occur. The discoveries, published in  Nature , could pave the way for future therapies to slow or manage the brain's aging process. Key findings Sensitive cells:  Scientists discovered dozens of specific cell types, primarily glial cells, known as brain support cells, that underwent significant gene expression changes with age. Those strongly affected included microglia and border-associated macrophages, oligodendrocytes, tanycytes, and ependymal cells. Inflammation and neuron protection:  In aging brains, inflammation-related genes increased activity, while those related to neu...

  Estrogen May Trigger Binge Drinking, Prelim Study Suggests By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Dec. 31, 2024 -- A woman’s  binge drinking  might be related to her hormones. The female hormone estrogen appears to promote binge drinking in women, a new mouse  study  published recently in the journal  Nature Communications  shows. Specifically, estrogen causes women to “pre-game,” or consume large quantities of alcohol within the first half-hour after it’s offered, results show. This study provides what could be the first explanation for sex-related differences in binge drinking, said senior researcher Kristen Pleil, an assistant professor of pharmacology with Weill Cornell Medicine. “Estrogen has such powerful effects on so many behaviors, particularly in females,” Pleil said in a university news release. “So, it makes sense that it would also modulate drinking.” During the pandemic lockdown, women increased their heavy alcohol consump...

  ADOLESCENTS' BRAIN STRUCTURE MAY PREDISPOSE THEM TO DRUG ABUSE Many differences appeared to exist before any substance use, pointing to the role brain structure may play in substance use risk.         A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified distinct differences in the brain structures of those who used substances before age 15 compared to those who did not. Many of these structural brain differences appeared to exist in childhood before any substance use, suggesting they may play a role in the risk of substance use initiation later in life, in tandem with genetic, environmental, and other neurological factors. "This adds to some emerging evidence that an individual's brain structure, alongside their unique genetics, environmental exposures, and interactions among these factors, may impact their level of risk and resilience for substance use and addiction," said Nora Volko,w M.D., director of NIDA. "...

  RUNNERS MAY BENEFIT FROM CHECKING OUTSIDE AIR QUALITY FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE         Runners don't usually think much about air quality when preparing for a marathon. But maybe they should, according to findings from a new study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health. When the research team assessed the association between delicate particulate matter in the air and marathon finish times, they found that more significant race-day pollution is associated with slower average marathon finish times. Their findings were published in the journal  Sports Medicine . The difference seems small, said study author Elvira Fleury, who led the research while a Brown graduate student. However, every second matters for marathon runners trying to achieve a personal record. "Think of all the effort, time and money that a professional runner like Eliud Kipchoge put into trying to break the world record and run a marathon in less than two hours," said...

  Odds of Metabolic Disease Lower With Fast Subjective Walking Speed in Patients With Obesity By Elana Gotkine, HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Dec. 30, 2024 -- Fast subjective walking speed is associated with lower odds of metabolic diseases among individuals with obesity, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in  Scientific Reports . Yuiko Yamamoto, from Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, and colleagues examined the association between walking speed and metabolic diseases in a cross-sectional analysis involving 8,578 individuals with a body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m 2 , 9,626 individuals with waist circumference ≥85 cm in men and ≥90 cm in women, and 6,742 individuals who met both criteria of body mass index and waist circumference. The researchers found that individuals with obesity based on body mass index and fast subjective walking speed showed a significantly lower risk for diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia in the model adjusted for age and sex (risk ratios [95 percen...

 MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH REQUIRES HOLISTIC APPROACHES Scientists call for holistic mental health care that combines physical and psychological well-being.         Clinicians often default to treating mental health conditions with a variety of medications. This approach, however, largely ignores the role of environment, lifestyle, and social factors. Mental health professionals must work toward a more holistic management picture, Sidarta Ribeiro, Ana Paula Pimentel, Paulo Amarante, and colleagues at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and FIOCRUZ in Brazil argue in the new open-access journal PLOS Mental Health. More people than ever are being diagnosed with mental health conditions—particularly children and young adults. The World Health Organization estimates that mental health conditions affect at least one in eight people around the world. While pharmaceutical treatments are improving, Ribeiro and colleagues...

  Proposed FDA Rule Targets Asbestos in Talc Cosmetic Products By India Edwards, HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, Dec. 27, 2024 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule to require standardized testing of talc-containing cosmetics for asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to serious illnesses such as lung and ovarian cancers. According to an FDA report, the proposed rule would require manufacturers to test each batch of talc-containing cosmetic products using advanced microscopy techniques, such as polarized light and transmission electron microscopy. Failure to comply with these testing or record-keeping requirements would result in the products being classified as adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Asbestos contamination in talc-based cosmetics has been a long-standing health concern. The FDA emphasized there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, and this rule aims to reduce harmful exposure and protect consumers from poten...