Image by Jesse Wight
Pain: Meditation can help with pain management, according to a study published in the current issue of The Journal of Pain. The idea is not new, but the researchers discovered that, contrary to previous assumptions, just a single hour of training spread out over a three-day period (20 mins a day) can produce the same analgesic effect than a long time commitment. More on pain control: Another study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that emotions – or mood – can alter how we react to pain. The researcher Mathieu Roy noted: “Our findings show that non-pharmaceutical interventions – mood enhancers such as photography or music – could be used in healthcare to help alleviate pain.” Crank up that Mozart.
Relationships: Fight – but choose your words. Couples who bring thoughtful words to a fight release lower amounts of stress-related proteins, according to a study published in Health Psychology. Researchers found that rational communication between partners – using words like ‘think’, ‘because’, ‘reason’, and ‘why’ – can ease the impact of marital conflict on the immune system. These words suggest people are either making sense of the conflict or at least thinking about it in a deep way. Interesting side note: women, typically better at communication, were more likely to use cognitive words than husbands. Come on, guys – use your words!
Motherhood: Low-level exercise up to the end of pregnancy has no harmful effect on the weight or size of the fetus and is actually good, says a study published in the International Journal of Obesity. The researchers observed that sedentary mothers who had higher pre-pregnancy weight gave birth to heavier babies. This was not the case with mommies who exercised during pregnancy. Besides possible birth complications, babies with excess weight are more at risk of developing diabetes and certain types of cancer as adults. Work it, momma!
Decision-making: To do or not to do is up to…dopamine. Researchers found that when it comes to complex decisions like which job to take, where to vacation, and whether to start a family, the brain chemical dopamine plays an important role. The study, published in Current Biology, showed that when we consider alternatives while making real life decision, the “happy drug” plays a part in signaling the pleasure that we can expect from each choice, and we then use that “potential future happiness” to make our choice.
Alcohol: Authors of a highly publicized 2008 study that showed alcohol-industry sponsorship of elite and community sport was associated with hazardous drinking are calling on changes. In a letter published in the international journal Addiction, the researchers call for a ban on alcohol-industry sponsorship of sport and say that the sports administrators remain in denial of alcohol-related problems in sports and are sending mixed messages to participants and fans when they embrace and peddle alcohol via their sport while also punishing individual sport stars and fans when they display bad behavior while intoxicated. Alcohol, sports and hazardous behavior? You don’t say…
Cardio: Yoga boosts heart health, says a study to be published in the next issue of the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics. The researchers tested 84 healthy males, half non-yogic practitioners and half experienced practitioners, between 18 and 48 years of age. The yogi group – which routinely practiced breathing exercises, stretching, postures, relaxation and meditation – showed strengthening of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for regulating heart rate. Namaste that.
Very nice Blog, I will tell my friends about it.
Thanks