PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

BARIATRIC SURGERY: CONSIDERATIONS   Bariatric surgery is generally considered when other weight loss strategies, such as lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy, have not resulted in significant or sustained weight loss, especially in individuals with severe obesity or serious obesity-related health conditions. Established guidelines and clinical studies outline the following primary indications: 1. Body Mass Index (BMI) Criteria: Bariatric surgery is typically recommended for adults with a BMI ≥40 kg/m², regardless of other health issues. It is also considered for those with a BMI ≥35 kg/m² who have at least one significant obesity-related comorbidity, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, or severe joint disease. In some cases, individuals with a BMI of 30–34.9 kg/m² and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome may also be assessed for surgery. However, this is less common and often depends on regional or institutional guidelines (see BMC Medicine , Jou...

BACK PAIN AND NATURE'S REMEDY   Spending time in nature can help people with chronic lower back pain find some relief, according to a recent study from the University of Plymouth. Researchers interviewed people who had struggled with lower back pain for anywhere from five to nearly forty years, asking how being in natural settings affected their ability to cope. The results were precise: Those who enjoyed time in their gardens noticed improved health and general well-being. However, the most significant benefits came from people entering bigger green spaces like parks and forests. Participants said that immersing themselves in these environments let them focus on something other than their pain. The natural world became a welcome distraction, offering moments of escape from discomfort and isolation. Participants also discussed connecting with others more easily outdoors and preferred exercising outside to working out in a gym. Simple pleasures—fresh air, the sound of running water,...

  LONGER LIFE: MINDFUL EATING A recent study suggests regularly enjoying foods like tea, berries, dark chocolate, and apples might help you live longer. Researchers from Queen's University Belfast, Edith Cowan University, and the Medical University of Vienna tracked over 120,000 people between the ages of 40 and 70 for more than ten years. Their focus? Flavonoids—natural compounds found in plant-based foods. The results, published in Nature Food, reveal that people who ate a wide variety of flavonoid-rich foods had a lower risk of developing serious illnesses like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological disorders. While previous studies have shown that eating plenty of flavonoids is good for you, this one is the first to show that the diversity of flavonoids in your diet matters as much as the total amount. Dr. Benjamin Parmenter, the study’s first author, explained that consuming about 500 mg of flavonoids daily—roughly what you’d get from two cups of tea...

 Proinflammatory Foods: CANCER RISKS The food you choose after a colon cancer diagnosis might be more important than you think. It’s not just about feeling better day-to-day — your diet could influence your odds of survival. A new study followed over 1,600 people with stage 3 colon cancer and found a striking difference: those who regularly ate the most proinflammatory foods faced an 87% higher risk of death than those who ate the least. Proinflammatory foods can trigger chronic inflammation—think swelling, irritation, and a body always on high alert. Over time, chronic inflammation is tied to a host of health problems, including cancer, according to a report by The Independent (London). “One of the most common questions patients ask is what they should do after treatment to lower their risk of recurrence and improve survival,” said Dr. Sara Char, lead author and clinical fellow at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. “These findings reinforce how much dietary habits and physica...

     Neuromuscular Disease Patients: Benefit From Fitness Coaching A new study, published June 4 in Neurology, suggests that tailored aerobic exercise routines and ongoing coaching at home can improve physical fitness in people with neuromuscular diseases. Sander Oorschot and a team at the University of Amsterdam led the research. In this randomized controlled trial, participants with various neuromuscular conditions were assigned to either a six-month program featuring customized home-based aerobic workouts and coaching or a usual care group. The study included 91 people, and fitness and health assessments were conducted at the start, after six months, and again a year later. The results showed that those in the exercise and coaching group had better improvements in physical fitness, measured by peak oxygen uptake, than those receiving standard care. Specifically, the intervention group’s fitness levels increased by an average of 2.2 mL/min/kg after the program and 1.7 m...

  HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE INJECTION REMEDY A recent clinical trial led by Queen Mary University of London has found that a twice-yearly injection could make a real difference for people struggling to control their blood pressure. The study, published in JAMA, shows that administering an infusion every six months results in a significant and lasting drop in blood pressure for patients whose condition isn’t well-managed with standard treatments. The trial, known as KARDIA-2, enrolled 663 participants from around the world, all living with high blood pressure that wasn’t responding well to their usual medications. Researchers tested a new drug called zilebesiran, given as an injection alongside patients’ regular blood pressure pills. Those who received zilebesiran saw better blood pressure control than those who stayed on standard therapy alone. This could be a game-changer for the millions of adults affected by high blood pressure—about one in three people in the UK alone. Uncontrolled h...

  BRAIN REWIRING: SOUND MAGIC Ever wonder what’s happening in your Brain when you listen to a steady beat or a musical note? A new study from Aarhus University and the University of Oxford says it’s not just a matter of hearing—the Brain is reorganizing itself on the fly. When a sound enters your ear, it’s more than just a signal traveling to your Brain. Brain researchers have shown that the Brain can rapidly reshape its networks, creating a complex dance between brainwaves in different areas. This work, published in Advanced Science, was led by Dr. Mattia Rosso and Associate Professor Leonardo Bonetti from the Center for Music in the Brain, in partnership with Oxford. Their team developed a new neuroimaging tool called FREQ-NESS (Frequency-resolved Network Estimation via Source Separation). This technique uses sophisticated algorithms to separate overlapping brain networks based on their dominant frequencies. Once a network’s frequency “signature” is found, FREQ-NESS can map how t...