PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

 SUGAR SUBSTITUTE MAY HARM THE BRAIN A new study from the University of Colorado Boulder is raising concerns about erythritol, a sugar substitute found in products ranging from low-carb ice cream to “sugar-free” sodas. Once marketed as a safe choice for people with obesity and diabetes, erythritol may pose unexpected dangers to brain health—even in small amounts. Researchers discovered that exposing brain blood vessel cells to levels of erythritol similar to those found in a typical sugar-free beverage resulted in several harmful changes. The treated cells produced less nitric oxide, a compound that helps keep blood vessels relaxed and open. At the same time, they made more endothelin-1, a protein that tightens blood vessels. When researchers introduced a substance that would usually trigger a clot, cells exposed to erythritol were less able to produce t-PA, a natural enzyme that helps break down clots. The cells also generated more reactive oxygen species—free radicals that can da...

  SHARK ENCOUNTERS:  A SURVIVAL GUIDE Swimming in the ocean carries a slight chance of running into a shark, but you can make that risk even smaller—and boost your odds of getting out safely if you ever do see one. Most shark attacks happen close to shore, and they’re almost always unprovoked. People swimming alone, far from the beach, or in areas where sharks are known to feed or travel, are more at risk. The same goes for anyone swimming at dawn or dusk, when sharks are more active, or those with open wounds—sharks can smell blood from a surprisingly long distance (apps.dtic.mil). To stack the odds in your favor, stay close to shore—less than 82 feet is a good rule. Avoid swimming at dawn, dusk, or night, as these are prime shark feeding times. Leave the shiny jewelry and neon swimsuits at home; flashy colors and glinting metal can look like fish scales to a shark. Avoid areas where people are fishing, as bait and fish scraps can attract sharks. And if you’re bleeding, get o...

 RIP CURRENTS: STAYING SAFE IN THE OCEAN Rip currents—sometimes called riptides—are among the most dangerous threats at the beach. But knowing how to spot them, avoid them, and survive if you’re caught can make all the difference. Here’s what the science says, and what you need to know before you hit the water. How to Avoid Rip Currents Your best defense is to swim at a beach with lifeguards and stick between the safety flags. These flagged zones are checked for hazards, and lifeguards are on hand in case of an emergency (Bradstreet & Brander, 2014). Keep an eye out for signs of rip currents: water that looks darker or deeper than the surrounding areas, spots where waves aren’t breaking, or any visible stream of water heading away from the shore. These are classic signals of a rip current (Leatherman, 2012). A lot of drowning incidents happen simply because people don’t realize the danger or can’t spot a rip current. That’s why paying attention to posted warnings and learning w...

 MUSCLE LOSS AND AGING: CAUSES, IMPACT, AND MANAGEMENT Muscle loss, or sarcopenia, doesn’t just show up in your eighties—it starts quietly as early as your thirties and tends to speed up after sixty. It’s a combination of factors that cause this decline. As we age, our bodies naturally produce less growth hormone and testosterone, and low-level inflammation begins to take hold. Additionally, our muscles become less efficient at building new protein, our mitochondria—the powerhouses of our cells—don’t function as well, and we lose some of the motor neurons that instruct our muscles to move. All these factors combine to make it more challenging to maintain or rebuild muscle (Physiological Reviews; Revista Ciencias de la Salud; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). Losing muscle isn’t just about feeling weaker. Sarcopenia makes everyday tasks, such as walking or standing up from a chair, significantly more challenging. It raises the risk of falls and fractures, which can threat...

  EMOTIONAL EATING: CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS Emotional eating occurs when people use food to cope with stress or challenging emotions, rather than eating because they're hungry. It's complex, involving psychology, biology, and sometimes patterns learned in childhood. Maybe you grew up in a house where sweets were used as a fix for a bad day, or you notice cravings spike when your hormones are out of whack. For some, genetics may also play a role. If you want to break the cycle of emotional eating, you have to get to the heart of what's driving it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective tools available. It helps you identify the thoughts and triggers that lead you to eat for comfort, and then teaches you ways to respond differently. Studies show that CBT can help people manage their emotional connection—it's more effective at improving emotional control than at delivering significant, fast weight changes. Mappss is another app that's gaining trac...

  WALNUTS HELP LOWER LDL         Eating about ½ cup of walnuts every day for two years modestly lowered levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, commonly referred to as "bad cholesterol." It reduced the  total number of LDL particles and small LDL particles in healthy, older adults, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal, Circulation. Healthy older adults who consumed a handful of walnuts (approximately ½ cup) daily for two years modestly reduced their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Consuming walnuts daily also reduced the number of LDL particles, a predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. Walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid), which have been shown to benefit cardiovascular health. "Prior studies have shown that nuts in general, and walnuts in particular, are associated with lower rates of heart disease and stroke. One of the reasons is...

  CHRONIC PAIN: UTRASOUND MAY HELP :         Pain’s supposed to be the body’s fire alarm. Stub your toe, cut your finger, and it shouts, “Hey! Something’s wrong!” But for people living with chronic pain, the alarm system breaks down. Their brains keep crying emergency—even for injuries that have healed, limbs that are long gone, or aches no doctor can easily explain. For these folks, relief is always just out of reach. But a group at the University of Utah might have finally found something that actually works. Researchers from the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering and the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine have been working on an experimental therapy that does some pretty wild things—and it’s already helping people after just one session. Now, they’re moving into the final phase of clinical trials and are looking for volunteers. At the heart of this research is a device called Diadem. Instead of medicine or surgery, Diadem uses ultrasound—like the...