By April McCarthy Humans can get by in the most basic of shelters, can scratch together a meal from the most humble of ingredients. But we can’t survive without clean water. And in places where water is scarce–the world’s deserts, for example–getting water to people…
By April McCarthy Prepared sashimi products are where you’re likely to find genetically modified salmon, the CEO of AquaBounty Technologies, a Massachusetts-based biotechnology company that produces the fish, told investors, but they won’t say who they’re selling to. Aquaculture, once a fledgling industry, now accounts…
By April McCarthy Tricking the brain into eating less by serving food on a smaller plate doesn’t necessarily work, according a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers, who found that when people are food-deprived, they’re more likely to identify a portion…
By April McCarthy The foods we eat play a significant role in our health. Scientists are discovering how eggs, nuts, fermented dairy, vegetables and even coffee can help protect against health problems. Nutrition 2018 will feature the latest research into how adding certain foods to…
By April McCarthy While calories from any food have the potential to increase the risk of obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases, 22 nutrition researchers agree that sugar-sweetened beverages play a unique role in chronic health problems. The disease risk increases even when the beverages are…
By April McCarthy It’s common for women to report feeling cold, partly as a result of physiology, hormones and a greater susceptibility to factors within the body that play with our internal thermostat. Our body relies on various chemical reactions to keep its warmth and…
By April McCarthy Teens who consume too many energy drinks are also known to suffer from dehydration, tremors, heat stroke and heart attacks. Now the focus is on behavior. Are energy drinks turning teens into hyperactive, unhealthy, disobedient delinquents? Public perceptions seem to be shifting…
By April McCarthy Wisdom is typically considered to be the fruit of a long life, the accumulation of experiences lived and lessons learned. In recent years, scientists have created a consensus definition of wisdom as a complex trait with several inter-related components, such as compassion,…
By April McCarthy Lovers of Indian food, give yourselves a second helping: Daily consumption of a certain form of curcumin — the substance that gives Indian curry its bright color — improved memory and mood in people with mild, age-related memory loss, according to the…
By April McCarthy Eating out has been shown to be generally associated with poor food choices, bad health and fewer family meals. A new Canadian study shows that children who routinely eat their meals together with their family are more likely to experience long-term physical…
By April McCarthy During the past 20 years researchers have learned that people with apple-shaped bodies (fattest in the abdomen) have a greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke than those with pear shapes (fattest in the hips, buttocks, and thighs). The current study…
By April McCarthy Mushrooms may contain unusually high amounts of two antioxidants that some scientists suggest could help fight aging and bolster health, according to a team of Penn State researchers. Mushrooms are known for their immune system boosting properties as well as treatments for anxiety and anti-cancer capabilities. In…
By April McCarthy Specific aspects of speech, such as intonation and frequent pauses, may serve as cues that humanize the people who are speaking, making them seem more intellectual and emotionally warm than those whose opinions are written. People attribute more humanlike qualities to those expressing…
By April McCarthy The quality of the father’s nutrition prior to mating affects the survival rate of embryos, according to a new study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Medical researchers have previously shown links between a father’s weight and diet at the time…
By April McCarthy New research at the University of Adelaide has found that a specific combination of techniques will increase people’s chances of having lucid dreams, in which the dreamer is aware they’re dreaming while it’s still happening and can control the experience. Dreams have…
By April McCarthy Specific compounds within cocoa promote the release of insulin and help protect against the onset of type-2 diabetes (T2D), reports a new study in Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. Strong evidence from several studies have shown that individuals consuming foods rich in different…
By April McCarthy In a nine-day experiment, researchers from Touro University and UC San Francisco found that a diet with reduced sugar cut liver fat by more than 20 percent. Cutting out the sort of sugar commonly found in soft drinks, fruit juices and processed…
By April McCarthy Studies of human populations suggest that our health and longevity could be affected by the diets and experiences of our grandparents. For example, studies of a small community in northern Sweden where detailed historical records were kept found correlations between food availability…
By April McCarthy Seventy per cent of readings from home blood pressure monitors are unacceptably inaccurate, which could cause serious implications for people who rely on them to make informed health decisions, new UAlberta research reveals. “High blood pressure is the number one cause of…
By April McCarthy Gentle sound stimulation — such as the rush of a waterfall — synchronized to the rhythm of brain waves significantly enhanced deep sleep in older adults and improved their ability to recall words, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. Deep sleep is…
