~ Conan O'Brien
Mental Attitude: Insomniacs' Brains are Busier.
New research suggests that the brains of people with insomnia are busier when they are awake than the brains of good sleepers. Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine used a type of noninvasive electromagnetic stimulation to monitor the brain's ability to remake itself as we learn new things. They thought they would find a sluggish brain associated with people who have sleep problems but instead discovered the opposite. According to a press release from Johns Hopkins Medicine, the brains of insomniacs are in "a constant state of heightened information processing that may interfere with sleep." This notion seems to fit with common statements of insomniacs that they can’t sleep because their brains are "revved up."
Sleep, March 2014
Health Alert: Birth Control Pills May Increase Multiple Sclerosis Risk!
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that can cause muscle weakness and hinder coordination and balance. In severe cases, it can result in complete paralysis. According to a new study conducted by Kaiser Permanente Southern California, the hormones used in birth control pills may increase a woman's risk for MS by 35%.
The American Academy of Neurology, February 2014
Diet: Dark Chocolate Good for the Heart.
Researchers have recently discovered why dark chocolate may be beneficial for the heart. They found that eating 70 grams of dark chocolate a day reduced the risk of atherosclerosis by restoring flexibility in the arteries and preventing white blood cells from sticking to the arterial walls.
The FASEB Journal, December 2013
Exercise: Live Longer!
Using two decades of data on more than 3,600 older men and women, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles found that participants with greater muscle mass at the start of the study were less likely to have died from natural causes during the following 20 years. According to the authors of the study, "We conclude that measurement of muscle mass relative to body height should be added to the toolbox of clinicians caring for older adults. Future research should determine the type and duration of exercise interventions that improve muscle mass and potentially increase survival in (healthy) older adults."
The American Journal of Medicine, February 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Poor Hand Hygiene in Many US Health Care Facilities.
One in five healthcare facilities in the United States (US) do not make alcohol-based hand sanitizer available where needed. Each year, healthcare-associated infections in the US cost about $33 billion to treat and unfortunately kill about 100,000 people annually. Study co-leader Dr. Laurie Conway adds, "When hospitals don't focus heavily on hand hygiene that puts patients at unnecessary risk for preventable health care-associated infections."
American Journal of Infection Control, February 2014