Tag Archives: Good Health

We Can’t Blame Our Metabolism For Weight Gain As We Get Older.

It’s always been assumed that as we start to approach our 30’s and 40’s our metabolism slows down and we gain weight a lot quicker. Well, science has now proven that to be untrue. Our metabolism hardy changes in the speed it works. It’s our speed that changes, as in the fact we become less active as we get older.

Our metabolism works by the rate it burns off calories as we go about our activities. It also works when we are resting as well. However, our metabolic rate and the speed it works at is determined by our height, sex and the genes we got from our parents.

There are also many myths that certain things can speed the metabolism up. But they are just that, myths. The effects that green tea, spicy food and caffeine laden drinks may slightly speed up your metabolism but nowhere near enough to make a change to your weight. The only thing that will speed up your metabolism and burn calories is activity.

This is depressing, right? Not necessarily, because forewarned is forearmed, so now we know why we are more susceptible to weight gain as we creep towards our 30’s we can put a plan into action and combat it.


Get Active

There are many simple things you can do during your daily routine to get more active. For example, take the stairs instead of the lift, walk to work instead of driving or taking the bus, power walk instead of strolling. After a vigorous workout when the heart gets pumping and your body temperature increases your metabolic rate will continue working faster even when you have finished exercising. It does not work at this faster rate while you are sat down resting, so, exercise first, then rest, knowing your metabolism is still burning off calories while you are chilling out in front of the TV.


Watch What You Eat

This might sound a bit obvious, but you should only eat what the body requires, not more. Some tips are to only eat when you are hungry, eat smaller portions but eat often and eat a balanced healthy diet. By reducing portion sizes and only eating when you are hungry plus engaging in activity of some kind will all help ward off weight gain as we get older.

New Breast Cancer Treatment Claims To Wipe Out Tumours In 11 Days

According to new reports, a breakthrough new treatment for breast cancer has been shown to wipe out tumours in as little as 11 days.

Doctors working on the trial have described the results as “staggering,” and claim a new, two-pronged approach could pave the way for unprecedented breast cancer treatment options.

The discovery was announced at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam, with the UK team of doctors saying the fast-acting treatment could spare thousands of women from intensive chemotherapy sessions.

The 257 participants in the study were all women newly diagnosed with an aggressive stage of breast cancer.

Trials were carried out at 23 participating hospitals around the UK, with doctors prescribed a combination of two existing drugs, Tyverb and Herceptin, as soon as the women were diagnosed.

However, by the end of the trial, 87% of patients showed improvement thanks to the treatment, while 17% of the tumours shrunk considerably, and 11% had disappeared altogether.

The leader of the study, Professor Nigel Bundred, a cancer surgeon in Manchester, said,

For solid tumours to disappear in 11 days is unheard of. These are mind-boggling results.”

While this clearly marks a major breakthrough in breast cancer treatment, Dr. Bundred expressed he wants to stay cautious before it’s been proven.

These results are so staggering that we will have to run another trial to prove that they are generalisable. But it is clear what has happened – we are pretty certain that we are not only getting tumour disappearance – we are getting an immune response as well.

Now that sounds like something we can all get excited about.

According To New Study Friendships Are Just As Important To Your Health As Exercise

New research from the University of North Carolina has concluded a solid social network throughout your life is very important to your health — as important as getting enough exercise, in fact.

Researchers found being socially isolated is pretty much equal to being physically inactive in terms of obesity risk, and not having a social network was linked with other health problems like inflammation, high blood pressure and more.

Interestingly, different types of relationships matter at different stages of life. As an adolescent, it’s more important for your health to have a large social network, while in middle adulthood, quality of relationships matters more than quantity.

Researcher Kathleen Mullan Harris said,

Based on these findings, it should be as important to encourage adolescents and young adults to build broad social relationships and social skills for interacting with others as it is to eat healthy and be physically active.”

This isn’t the first time social isolation was studied. In fact, previous research suggested feelings of loneliness are twice as likely to kill you as being overweight, which is pretty terrifying.


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Science Says Red Wine Can Actually Help You Lose Weight

It’s the news many of us have been waiting for – red wine can help you lose weight.

Yes, my dear, drunk friends, you read that correctly.

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According to recent research, the resveratrol (an antioxidant) found in your favourite red can help turn bad “yellow” fat to healthy “brown” fat; the latter helps burn off the former.

Of course this ingredient, can be ingested without downing the claret. The compound is also found in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and apples.

In a study conducted by researchers at Washington State University, mice were fed high-fat diets and split into two groups: one was given resveratrol and the other wasn’t.

The researchers found the group of mice given resveratrol gained about 40 percent less weight than the other group over the course of the study.

Lead researcher Professor Min Du explained,

Polyphenols in fruit, including resveratrol, increase gene expression that enhances the oxidation of dietary fats so the body won’t be overloaded.

They convert white fat into beige fat which burns lipids (fats) off as heat, helping to keep the body in balance and prevent obesity and metabolic dysfunction

Of course, red wine is pretty caloric, and you’re probably better off getting your antioxidants from low-calorie fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries or even apples.

We think it’s time to celebrate, and now you can crack open a bottle of wine (enjoyed responsibly) and have a solid excuse to skip the gym today.

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6 Scientific Reasons Why Cuddling Is Good For Your Health

We all crave human touch. From the early and controversial primate studies of Harry Harlow to 21st century cuddle therapy clinics, science has proven that a warm embrace is not only comforting; it can be essential for your mental and physical wellbeing.  A simple hug triggers a boost of your brain’s feel-good chemicals like endorphins and oxytocin, which can do wonders for a range of common health concerns. In case you needed another reason to snuggle up, here are six real health issues that can be combatted with a cuddle:

  1. High blood pressure – A hug or an affectionate handholding session has been shown to regulate blood pressure, even under anxiety-inducing circumstances. In one study at the University of North Carolina, couples were asked to speak publically about an upsetting event. Beforehand, half of the couples were told to hold hands with their partners for several minutes and then embrace for 20 seconds. The other couples were separated from their partners. While they spoke, the heart rate and blood pressure of the no-contact couples was double that of the hand-holders.
  2. Heart disease – The cuddle-induced oxytocin release linked to calming anxious feelings and lowering blood pressure, means your heart is under less stress, keeping it healthier, longer.
  3. Depression – A comforting cuddle is sometimes the best cure for a bad day. That’s why scientists are looking into oxytocin as a treatment for clinical depression. “A hug or a touch that causes a release of this hormone might somehow change brain signals,” say Dr. Kai MacDonald, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “We want to see if we can harness this response to help patients who suffer from depression.”
  4. Stress – A big hug not only makes you feel warm and fuzzy, it also has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol, commonly known as the “stress hormone”. Dr. Tiffany Field, director of the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute explains: “The gentle pressure of a hug can stimulate nerve endings under the skin that send calming messages to the brain and slow the release of cortisol.”
  5. Low immune system – A high level of stress-induced cortisol can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to illness and viruses. While a relaxing cuddle session might not cure the common cold, it could keep you from catching one in the first place.
  6. Minor aches and pains – A cosy cuddle noticeably relaxes your muscles, relieving tension that causes chronic pain. Hugging has also been shown to release endorphins, creating a feel-good rush similar to the one enjoyed by long-distance runners.

So perhaps in a way Bryan Ferry got it right: Love is a Drug. Here’s to hugging your way to good health.