Nutrition: In a new study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with a lower risk of the disease. The researchers estimate that replacing 50 grams of white rice (just one third of a typical daily serving) with the same amount of brown rice would lover risk of type 2 diabetes by 16%. The same replacement with other whole grains, such as whole wheat and barley, was associated with a 36% reduced risk. The researchers also found that consuming white rice was associated to ethnicity and diabetes risk, while eating brown rice was not associated with ethnicity but with a more health-conscious diet and lifestyle instead. The study is the first to examine the difference between white and brown rice. It was published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Recovery: New guidelines have been issued regarding exercise for cancer patients. According to Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, a member of the Cancer Center at UPenn, cancer patients and survivors should strive to get the same 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise that is recommended for the general public. According to Schmitz, “We now have a compelling body of high quality evidence that exercise during and after treatment is safe and beneficial for these patients, even those undergoing complex procedures such as stem cell transplants.” Swimming, yoga and strength training were cited as productive, but patients with weakened ability to fight infection were advised to avoid exercise in public gyms. The guidelines were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2010 meeting.

Supplements: Too much of a good thing can hurt when it comes to calcium supplements says an article appearing in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology. Taking too much supplemental calcium can give rise to a condition called milk-alkali or calcium-alkali syndrome, in which a person develops dangerously high levels of calcium in the blood, causing high blood pressure and possible kidney failure. The authors of the study caution that calcium supplements should be taken in their recommended amounts, no more than 1.2 to 1.5 grams per day, no more. We say you get your calcium naturally, not in supplements but from vegetable sources in foods such as broccoli, spinach, hijiki and sesame seeds – and let your body take what it needs and get rid of the rest.

Parenting: Here’s another reason to breastfeed your baby: Canadian researchers have discovered that a probiotic found in breast milk reduces or eliminates painful cramping in the gut. In a new study published online in the FASEB Journal, the scientists show that a specific strain of Lactobacillus reuteri decreases the force of muscle contractions in the gut of mice within minutes of exposure. This bacteria naturally occurs in the gut of many mammals and can be found in human breast milk. This discovery suggests that increasing intake of this bacteria could help with many tummy-related disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and constipation.

Cancer: Here’s a delicious idea to fight cancer. A new study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that breast cancer cells – even the most aggressive type – died after treatments with peach and plum extracts in lab tests. In the experiments conducted at Texs AgriLife Research, not only did the cancer cells keel over, but the normal cells remained unharmed in the process. The scientists say two phenolic compounds are responsible for the cancer cell deaths, and they are organic compounds that occur in fruits. They are slightly acidic and may be associated with traits such as aroma, taste or color. Dr. David Byrne and Dr. Luis Cisneros-Zevallos also studied the antioxidants and phytonutrients in plums and found them to match or exceed those in the blueberry, which had been considered superior to other fruits in these categories. The two compounds that killed the cancer cells – cholorogenic and neochlorogenic – are very common in fruits, but stone fruits such as plums and peaches have especially high levels of the chemicals.

Pain: People who meditate regularly find pain less unpleasant because their brains anticipate the pain less, a new study has found. Scientists from The University of Manchester studied individuals who had diverse range of experience with meditation, spanning from months to decades. It was only the more advanced meditators whose anticipation and experience of pain differed from non-meditators. The study, to be published in the journal Pain, found that particular areas of the brain were less active as meditators anticipated pain, as induced by a laser device. The authors of the study concluded that mindful meditation trains the brain to be more present-focused and therefore to spend less time anticipating future negative events, and that this was a possible reason for meditation to be so effective at reducing the recurrence of depression, which makes chronic pain considerably worse.

Media: TV or gaming a pain in the neck? Possible, says new research. A large study of more than 30,000 teenagers published in the journal BMC Public Health has shown that TV viewing, computer use and computer gaming were consistently associated with back pain and recurrent headaches. The researchers found that there was little connection between specific types of screen-based activity and specific physical complains – it’s not like watching a TV screen was the cause of headaches, for example – but there is a relationship between the duration and the ergonomic aspect of the activity. Screen time is a contributing factor, but not a primary causal factor in headache and backache in this population, which may mean that shorter periods of screen time and better ergonomic conditions may be beneficial for the correlated conditions.

Fertility: It’s not you, it’s your personality, says a study when it comes to fertility. The reproductive success of both men and women is influenced by our personality traits, according to new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study found that women with higher levels of neuroticism and men who are more extroverted are likely to give birth to a larger number of children in societies with traditionally high birth rates. Women with above-average levels of neuroticism, prone to be anxious, depressive, and moody, had 12% more children than those with below average. Men with above-average levels of extroversion, prone to be sociable and outgoing, had 14% more children than men with below average extroversion. There had to be an upside to neuroticism, didn’t there?

Relationships: No talking and driving, for the sake of your relationship, a study says. While cell phone usage has been condemned for making driving more hazardous, the same factors that make this activity dangerous (longer reaction times and impaired attention) can also make family communication more risky, according to research in Family Science Review. Delayed reaction to conversation due to divided attention can be misinterpreted by the other party, which may lead to upsetting the partner or be read as suspicious of hiding something. Cell phone usage while driving may lead to conflict, hurt feelings, misunderstandings and possibly even serious damage to the relationship, says Paul Rosenblatt, professor at the University of Minnesota and author of the article. In addition to all this, lack of visual cues like gestures, facial expressions and posture creates challenges. While most stable relationships can manage the added difficulties related to cell phone use, couples in which things have been difficult may find these things push their relationship to the tipping point.

Media: Don’t be fooled by that sexy commercial – making food choices based on television advertising results in a very imbalanced diet according to a new study comparing the nutritional content of food choices influenced by television to nutritional guidelines published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Investigators found that a 2,000-calorie diet consisting entirely of advertised foods would contain 25 times the recommended servings of sugars and 20 times the recommended servings of fat, but less than half of the recommended servings of vegetables and fruits. In fact, the excess of servings in sugars and fat is so large that, on average, eating just one of the observed food items would provide more than three times the recommended daily servings for sugars and two and a half times for fat – for the entire day. “The foods advertised on television tend to oversupply nutrients associated with chronic illness, (for example, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium) and undersupply nutrients that help protect against illness (fiber, vitamins A, E and D, and calcium and potassium),” said Michael Mink, PhD, lead investigator in the study. Luckily, we know that’s not how YOU make your food choices.

Behavior: Reality TV is much higher in aggression than regular television, says a new study. Researchers looked at five reality shows and five non-reality shows and found 52 acts of aggression – gossip, insults, dirty looks, etc… – per hour on reality TV compared to 33 per hour for the non-reality programs. Which show topped the list? Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice”, with 85 acts of verbal or relational aggression per hour. Second best was Simon Cowell and “American Idol” with 57 aggressive acts per hour, but the scientists did comment that this may be because it is harder to backbite while you’re singing. One interesting point the researchers made was that the actual aggression was not so much of a reality, but seemed more induced by the producers via the common tactic of putting participants in a booth and baiting them to say something nasty about their competitors. No big deal, you say? Think again. Plenty of other studies have confirmed that meanness rubs off on viewers (monkey see, monkey do). The study was published in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media.

Parenting: Want “smarter” kids? Scheduled sleep time can help. According to a study published in the journal Sleep, consistent bedtimes are linked to better language, reading and math skills in preschool children. Results of the research indicate that among sleep habits, having a regular bedtime was the most consistent predictor of positive development outcomes at 4 years of age. Scores for receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, literacy and early math abilities were higher in children whose parents reported having rules about what time their child goes to bed. Having an earlier bedtime was also found to be predictive of higher scores for most developmental measures. Another tip: According to the research on optimal sleep patterns, preschool children should get a minimum of 11 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep: Nighttime noise from nearby road traffic, passing trains and overhead planes disturbs sleep and impairs morning performance, according to research presented at the annual conference Sleep 2010. Results of the study show that exposure to traffic noise during sleep contributed to slower reaction times the following day, among other markers of neurobehavioral performance. Special care should be taken with risk groups, people who are more susceptible to sleep disturbances, such as children, shift workers, the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions.

Skin: New research published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention definitively links indoor tanning to increased risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. The study, the largest of its kind, found that people who use any type of tanning bed for any amount of time are 74% more likely to develop melanoma, while frequent users of indoor tanning beds are 2.5 to 3 times more likely to develop melanoma than people who never use tanning devices. The increased risk applies to all ages and genders. “We found that it didn’t matter the type of tanning device used; there was no safe tanning device,” said DeAnn Lazovich, Ph.D., lead author of the study. Before this study, indoor tanning had been only weakly associated with melanoma risk, she added. Risk also increased with increased use.

Gender: Macho men are not the safest behind the wheel, a study says. “Catch that car!” was the instruction given to 22 men sitting in a driving simulator during the research; the results indicated that the more “macho” the man, the more risks he took on the road. “Some men develop a passion for driving that can verge on the obsessive,” said Julie Langlois, author of the study. “They consider the cars to be an extension of themselves and they become extremely aggressive if they are honked at or cut off.” Speed was directly related to the stereotype – during testing, some participants caught the car within five minutes, while others caught the car in 12 minutes and were much less dangerous on the road. Langlois’ says that cars are often a vehicle by which character traits are expressed and this overly risky behavior for this particular male stereotype is an issue of public safety.

Nutrition: For centuries, ginger root has been used as a folk remedy for things like colds and upset tummies. Now, researchers at the University of Georgia have found that daily ginger consumption also reduces muscle pain caused by exercise (sports or recreation). Ginger had been showed to exert anti-inflammatory effects in rodents before, and this study has concluded that the root can reduce muscle pain in humans by as much as 25%; it is also believed that heating ginger, as it happens when it is cooked in a soup or sauté, might increase its pain-relieving benefits. The study will be published in the September issue of the Journal of Pain.

Pollution: Anger, fat and many other factors have been linked to heart disease and now there is another less controllable one: Air. Breathing polluted air increases stress on the heart’s regulation capacity, up to six hours after inhalation of combustion-related small particles, according to researchers. High exposure to these particles called particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) may contribute to cardiovascular disease, says a study published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology as well as Environmental Health Prospective. The particular effect of polluted air was to the heart’s electrophysiology, its ability to properly regulate electrical activity, something on which the body’s circulatory system depends for proper amounts of blood being pumped throughout. “Air pollution is associated with cardiopulmonary mortality and morbidity, and it is generally accepted that impaired heart electrophysiology is one of the underlying mechanisms,” said Fran He, from the Penn State Department of PUblic Health Sciences.

Exercise: Tai Chi, a low impact martial art, has been associated with reduced stress, anxiety and depression, and enhanced mood, in both healthy people and those with chronic conditions. A systemic review of the literature on the subject, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that although Tai Chi does appear to have positive psychological effects, more high quality, randomized research is needed to establish its exact benefits. Still, the data showed that practicing Tai Chi was associated with reduced stress, anxiety, depression and mood disturbance, and increased self-esteem.

Relationships: Gratitude, it seems, is key for a fulfilling long-term relationship. A new article in Personal Relationships points the way to the methods of thankfulness we can use to give a boost to our romantic relationships, and help us achieve and maintain satisfaction with our partners. Events such as one partner planning a celebratory meal when the other partner gets a promotion, taking the children somewhere fun so the other partner can have some quiet time, or stopping to pick up the other partner’s favorite treat are each examples of gratuitous behavior that could strengthen romantic relationships, if the recipient feels grateful in response. In the study, a feeling of gratitude by one of the two partners in the relationship made the difference, even the day after the gratitude had been expressed. The effect was also especially pronounced when a person showed that they cared about their partner’s needs and preferences.

Heart: There is another reason to control your sugary liquid intake. According to a study conducted on 810 adults ages 25-79, drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages – a leading source of added sugar in the USA – may lower blood pressure. The research, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that reducing sugary drinks by an average of 2 servings per day would reduce systolic blood pressure by as much as 3 millimeters of mercury, which would in turn reduce stroke mortality by 8% and coronary heart disease mortality by 5%. This adds to previous research regarding sugar-sweetened beverages, in which findings concluded that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been associated with an elevated risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes

Mind: Food cravings are a very complex issue, but researchers may have found a way to deal. Scientists at Flinders University in Australia reviewed the latest research on food cravings and how they may be controlled and published their findings in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science. Turns out, imaging food has a lot to do with it. Mental imagery may be a key component of food cravings, because when people crave a specific food, they have vivid images of that food. The strength of the cravings was also linked to how vividly people imagined the food in question. Because mental imagery takes up resources in the mind, which helped the researchers devise a possible aid to counteract cravings: Using cognitive tasks to reduce food cravings. In other words, if it imagining food makes you crave it more, and imagination takes brain power, using that brain power to imagine different things can help control or reduce the cravings as well. “Engaging in a simple visual task seems to hold real promise as a method for curbing food cravings,” said the study authors, and added that the technique might extend to other types of cravings, like alcohol.

Men: Postpartum depression is not just for mommies, says a study. According to research published in Journal of the American Medical Association, about 10% of fathers experience prenatal or postpartum depression too, with rates being highest in the 3-6 month period after birth. The highest rates were reported in the United States – almost twice as internationally – and the study also found that there is a moderate correlation between depression in fathers and mothers. Because there is not enough research on the subject, it is unclear what the risk factors and effects of depression among  new fathers are, but it is well established that maternal depression has negative personal, family, and child developmental outcomes, and the researchers encourage new fathers to explore this possibility, especially if there are symptoms being shown by their spouses.

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Psychology: Looks like washing your hands has more than a physical benefit. A recent study concludes that the activity “wipes the slate clean,” affecting us psychologically by removing doubts about recent choices, in addition to the feeling of being clean of germs as well as the already established link to feeling morally restored. “It’s not just that washing your hands contributes to moral cleanliness as well as physical cleanliness, as seen in earlier research” said Spike W. S. Lee, a doctoral candidate in social psychology. “Our studies show that washing also reduces the influence of past behaviors and decisions that have no moral implications whatsoever.” The researchers say that the “clean slate” effect may be relevant to many choices and decisions in life, not just the complex ones where ‘good behavior’ is implicated (for example, cheating) but also with simple choices like whether to buy one car over another (buyer’s remorse). The study was published in the May 7th issue of Science.

Sleep: According to a new study to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, just one night of short sleep duration can induce insulin resistance, a component of type 2 diabetes.  “Sleep duration has shortened considerably in western societies in the past decade,” said Esther Donga, MD, lead author of the study. “And simultaneously, there has been an increase in the prevalence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.”  The researcher says that the co-ocurring rises in both situations may not be a coincidence. “Our findings show a short night of sleep has more profound effects on metabolic regulation than previously appreciated.” Previous studies found that multiple nights of less sleep than normal resulted in impaired glucose tolerance, but this is the first to examine the effects of only a single night of partial sleep restriction on insulin sensitivity. The data indicated that the sensitivity depends, not on the health of the person (all volunteers in the study were healthy and had no sugar problems) but on the amount of sleep you actually get the night before.

Cancer: In the race to find answers about ovarian cancer, researchers now have something to cluck about.  Researchers have been using the chicken as a model to study this disease and have discovered that a diet enriched with flaxseed decreases the severity of ovarian cancer and increases survival in hens. “The chicken is the only animal that spontaneously develops ovarian cancer on the surface of the ovaries like humans,” explained Janice Bahr, professor emerita at the University Illinois Department of Animal Sciences. Several studies have already shown that flaxseed inhibits the formation of colon, breast, skin and lung tumors. The results showed that hens fed a flaxseed-enriched diet for one year experienced significant reduction in late-stage ovarian tumors. Though hens fed the flaxseed diet did not have a decreased incidence of ovarian cancer overall, they did experience fewer late-stage tumors, which translated into higher survival rates. Also, hens with the flaxseed diet had better weight control, which is important because obesity increases cancer risk. Ultimately, the flaxseed-enriched diet helped the birds maintain a healthy weight and resulted in less sickness and death, which Bahr says may provide the basis for trials that evaluate how effective this can be for women.

Sex: A new study suggests that it may not help older men and women with sexual problems to talk to a doctor, but men who talk to their partner about their issues report greater happiness, while those who talked with friends felt less depressed. The research, to be published in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, shows that the way men and women deal with sexual health and stress in their later years varies greatly and that there is not one solution that can help ease unhappiness caused by sexual problems. “Older adults are advised to talk to their doctors about sexual health issues, but not all people do so and talking with a physician is not as helpful as you might expect,” said Ryo Hirayama, Ph.D. However, confiding in a partner or with friends was found to be effective for many men in reducing stress and unhappiness related to sex. Unfortunately for women, this same benefit was not reported. “In fact, women with higher levels of sexual stress who confided in their close friends reported lower happiness,” said Hirayama. Researcher Alexis Walker said that, “what this tells us is that women’s sexual issues are complex,” adding, “a woman with a great deal of sexual concerns could feel threatened by talking to her spouse about it, or perhaps simply confiding in a friend is not enough.” Most importantly, the researches say the findings show that men, who are typically considered to be less conversational or sharing than women, can greatly benefit from social networks and confiding in their mates.

Parenting: Want your kids to eat more veggies? Serve those first, says a study. Researchers at Penn State University found that when serving meals in various combinations and proportions to preschool children, the earlier the vegetables were served, the more were consumed. “We gave children carrots first without other competing foods,” explained Barbara J. Rolls, Chair of Nutritional Sciences at the university. “When they are hungry at the start of the meal, it presents us with an opportunity to get them to eat more vegetables.” Rolls explained that this challenged the conventional belief that children simply won’t eat vegetables, because they don’t have a taste for them, for example. It also provides parents a simple strategy to get their children eating a more healthy and nutritious diet. Putting out veggie snacks when children are hungry is a good idea, while setting an example by eating vegetables yourself as the parent while your kids are still young and impressionable also helps. The study was published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Exercise: Apoptosis, the natural ‘programmed’ death of cells, is arrested in the aftermath of strenuous exercise, says a new study. Researchers studied blood samples taken from people finishing a marathon and found that the mechanism that drives this cell death shifted after the race. “Apoptosis is a normal physiological function dependent on a variety of signals, many of which can be modulated by strenuous exercise. Here, we’ve shown for the first time that exercise modulates expression of the sirtuin family of proteins,” explained Gabriella Marge, lead author of the study. Sirtuin proteins may play the crucial role of mediators in the maintenance of skeletal and cardiac muscle tissues as well as neurons, which explains the protective effects of physical exercise for survival and aging. The findings appear in the journal BMC Physiology.

Nutrition: Consuming more nuts appears to be associated with improvements in blood cholesterol levels, according to analysis of data from 25 trials reported in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Nuts have been the focus of intense research recently because of their potential to reduce coronary heart disease risk and to lower blood lipid (fat and cholesterol) levels based on their unique nutritional attributes, said the authors of the study. “The effects of nut consumption were does related, and different types of nuts had similar effects on blood lipid levels,” the authors write.

As women get older, we go through major changes, like menopause. We are all aware  of the physical alterations our moms go through with age, but today we want to generate awareness about something deeper that is also taking place and is not discussed as much: the emotional implications of aging.

It’s a very difficult thing to look in the mirror one day and see a face that you don’t recognize. Crow’s feet, wrinkles around the mouth, spots, gray hair – all of these physical modifications replace previously flawless skin, bright eyes and lusciously thick hair. At the same time, you feel limited, because your mind remains intact (if you’re healthy) or even improves with age as you accumulate more knowledge and self-understanding, yet your body deteriorates as matter must. Even if you are aware of this happening, it is still a frustrating thing to go through.

With age comes wisdom, and you realize just then that life was made to be lived, enjoyed, not as society dictates for you, but as you decide is best for you. With age also comes experience, and lessons learned from past mistakes that allow you to know how to lead your life now. Another thing that comes with age is the idea of death. When you get older, you understand why death has to take place, as you begin to feel like perhaps you are a burden for society and maybe even for your children, who no longer depend on you, are busy, and have other things to talk about.  All of these thoughts and feelings usually occur in silence, as you don’t want to tell anyone that you are becoming aware of what aging means and don’t want to worry those you love.

Maybe it’s not even your own physical state that affects you; instead, it is others’ reactions to you that make you feel old. You’re in a conversation with younger people and you have the answers to their questions, but nobody pays attention to you because “you’re old, what do you know of the things we go through in our generation, at our age.”

With all of this in mind, we wanted to offer a few suggestions on this Mother’s Day week, for you to understand your parent and what they are feeling as one more year of life reminds them of their aging process. Here are also some recommendations for you, on what to keep in mind to prepare for this inevitable process,  and to make it a graceful and most enjoyable one.

For Mom:

- It’s really important to hang out with people your same age. You know and like the same music, same jokes of your generation, are going through similar experiences, and will find comfort in sharing and being understood.

- Financial security is crucial. You don’t want to have to deal with the added stress of having to generate income when the motivation and ability for this is dwindling. This is a time for stability and enjoying the fruits of your labor.

- Develop a spiritual foundation. Dive into the world of what is beyond the physical, explore what the eye cannot see. Read what different philosophies or schools of thought have to say about your internal world and cosmic realities. Focusing on your inner being will take focus away from the external, material things that don’t last, and will help you deal with their deterioration. If you know that there is such a thing as reincarnation, than death is not a daunting thing but a transition, not an end but a new beginning.

- Take care of your temple.  Eat antioxidant-rich foods, moisturize your face and body, wear a hat when in the sun, and exercise to maintain flexibility and especially strength of bones and muscles. Aging gracefully requires caring for your mind and body so that you can enjoy both longer.

- Continue to find ways to be useful. Maybe your kids don’t need as much care now, but perhaps someone else is in need of teachings/talents/skills you have to offer. Having purpose and a reason to wake up in the morning will help you feel energized and motivated.

- Develop hobbies and talents. It is never too late to be creative or crafty, and learning new things has the added benefit of generating dopamine in the brain (the “happy” chemical) as well as keeping the mind sharp. This is a time of less responsibility and more freedom to write that book you always wanted to write or paint that sunset. Rediscover yourself.

For Daughter/Son:

- Communication is key. Mom is going through something, and allowing her to discuss it with you is an important part of the support process. If it is too difficult to begin a conversation about the topic of aging, do it indirectly. “Interviewing” mom for a work or school project, or asking for her advice on this for a friend, can help her open up because she won’t feel like it is personal between you and her (Moms always want to avoid making us feel bad for them, sad, or “worry” us.)

- Give her the place she deserves as an elder. Our society has lost respect for the value of wisdom, something that comes with knowledge and experience, and hence, with age. Our mothers have gone through the same things we are going through now. Everyone loves, loses, wins, fails, laughs, cries, gives up, gets back up, etc…However you want to dress it up, it’s still this thing called Life. Come to her for advice. Listen to her with an open mind and interest. Allow her to impart her two cents. She will feel like she is still useful, and you will reap all of the benefits of years of experience from someone who loves you and therefore has your best interest in mind.

- See her as a human being, not an old person. Approaching someone for what you have in common (we’re all human beings) rather than what you have that is different (age, race, beliefs) makes for a completely different attitude and dynamic in relationships.

- Love your Mom. Be kind, soft, tender, nurturing, patient with her and her changes, sensitive to her needs. This is a time when we begin to parent our parents in a way, and this is a tricky balancing act. Remember that someday this will be you – how would you like your own children to treat you? As you do to others, so will be done to you.

Speaking of your own children, a note on values: The respect and loving treatment of an aging parent is something that is instilled in us as children. The fundaments of respect and love are set by example, by anecdotes that you tell and fables that you read to your children that illustrate these values, the behaviors that accompany them, and the results of this good behavior.  They may not understand ‘why’ yet, but the idea, the mold, the pattern of treatment will be there, to unfold later when it is needed.

We’ll leave you with a little anecdote our Mom told us one day:

There once was a little boy who was carving a wooden dish His parents saw this and, curious, asked him, “Son, what are you doing?”  The boy replied, “I’m carving a plate for you for when you get older and start dropping things and I need to make you eat dinner in the kitchen, in this wooden plate that won’t break. You know, just like you did with grandma.”

One day, we will be “older”. And, hopefully, we will reap the cause-and-effect rewards of a life lived respecting, loving and understanding our own mothers.  Happy Mother’s Day to all of you wonderful Moms, young, older, potential, and future – it is you that make this world what it is by raising your children to be decent and noble contributors to the human race.

Sex: Hooking up or dating? According to research done at a university campus, where ‘hooking up’ is a mainstream means of interaction, both genders showed a preference for traditional dating over hooking up, but when it came to assessing the benefits and risks of these two different ways of relating, there were marked distinctions. Women seemed to want a relationship more than men, and they feared that they will become more emotionally attached to a partner who is not interested in them, while more men seemed to value independence and feared that even in hooking up type of relationships that are supposed to be free of commitment, a woman might seek to establish a relationship. The study was published in the journal Sex Roles.

Nutrition: Individuals whose diet includes more salad dressing, nuts, fish, poultry and certain fruits and cruciferous and dark green leafy vegetables as well as fewer high-fat dairy products, red meats, organ meats and butter appear less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, says a new study. The report, to be published in the June issue of the Archives of Neurology, focused on food combinations rather than single nutrients to identify a dietary link to the degenerative disease. The combination of nutrients in the low-risk dietary pattern impact the development of the disease in multiple ways, some, like fatty acids (found in nuts, and fish, for example), for example, may help improve cognitive function and offset dementia. Lack of omega fatty acids has been implicated in  Alzheimer’s development before but not as an overall part of a meal combination.

Technology: As if there was nothing your iPhone couldn’t do already, there is now a new initiative to get your cell phone to protect you against deadly chemicals. The Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has established Cell-All, which aims to equip cell phones with a sensor capable of detecting deadly chemicals in the area. The technology involves a chip programmed to either alert the cell phone carrier to the presence of toxic chemical in the air, and/or a central station that can monitor how many alerts in an area are being received. S&T is pursuing development agreements with Qualcomm, LG, Apple and Samsung to help accelerate the process and have a prototype in a year, with the first one having the ability to sniff out carbon monoxide and fire. Yep, our smartphones may very well replace even our own noses.

Ecology: The number of sea turtles inadvertently snared by commercial fishing gear over the past 20 years may reach into the millions, according to a worldwide study. Six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles are currently listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Fisheries bycatch is the most acute threat to worldwide sea turtle populations today,” said Bryan Wallace, lead author of the research published in the journal Conservation Letters. “Many animals die or are injured as a result of these interactions. But our message is not a lost cause. Managers and fishers have tools they can use to reduce bycatch, and preserve marine biodiversity,” he said.

Parenting: Taking vitamin C and E supplements in early pregnancy does not reduce the risk for the hypertensive disorders and their complications during pregnancy, says a study. Previous small studies suggested that the vitamins could reduce the risk of preeclampsia, a potentially fatal form of hypertension in pregnant women, but this research, conducted by the National Institutes of health, is the largest to date and it showed no reduction in these types of conditions. The findings appear in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Geology: The Age of Aquarius? Not quite – it’s the Anthropocene Epoch, say the scientists and Nobel prize winner who suggest that the Earth has entered a new age of geological time. The term Anthropocene (New Man) Epoch, proposed by the researchers, comes from the interaction between humans and their environment and the changes that this has brought to the world in the past two centuries. Recent human activity, including stunning population growth, sprawling megacities and increased use of fossil fuels, have changed the planet to such an extent that we are entering a new era, says the article published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. “The Anthropocene represents a new phase in the history of both humankind and of the Earth, when natural forces and human forces became intertwined, so that the fate of one determines the fate of the other. Geologically, this is a remarkable episode in the history of this planet,” explain the scientists. They also warn that the dawning of this new era may include the sixth largest mass extinction in the Earth’s history, due to consequences from human activity, such as global climate change and plant and animal extinctions. Looks like the fate of the world is, indeed, in our hands.

Behavior: Small sales taxes on soft drinks are not enough to stop kids from buying them, says a study. According to the study’s lead author, Roland Sturm, who compared children from various states that taxed sodas differently, “If the goal is to noticeably reduce soda consumption among children, then it would have to be a very substantial tax. A small sales tax on soda does not appear to lead to a noticeable drop in consumption, let alone reduction in obesity.” The higher sales tax on soda in some states did seem to reduce soda consumption and curb weight gain among children at higher risk for obesity – those who were heavier, children from low-income families, African-American children and those who watched a lot of television. Researchers said an excise tax – such as one based on the amount of sugar the drink contained – would be most effective. The research was published in the journal Health Affairs.

Mind: Self-esteem favors the middle aged, says a study. The elusive goal of the young (and many women) was the subject of research that compared individuals from ages 25-104 to find which age had more of the coveted mind-set. “Self-esteem is related to better health, less criminal behavior, lower levels of depression and, overall, greater success in life,” said the study’s lead researcher, Ulrich Orth, PhD. “Therefore, it’s important to learn more about how the average person’s self-esteem changes over time.” The results: Self-esteem was lowest among young adults but increased throughout adulthood, peaking at age 60. On average, women had lower self-esteem than did men throughout most of adulthood, but self-esteem levels converged as men and women reached their 80s and 90s. Those with higher incomes and better health in later life tended to maintain their self-esteem as they aged. The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Exercise: Attitude is everything, and that’s the case when it comes to physical activity as well. According to a study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, unintentional exercise that helps you burn those extra calories – like taking the stairs instead of the elevator – may be influenced by non-conscious attitudes. The research focused on the little things rather than major external contributors – parking far and walking instead of scheduling a major workout routine – and It turns out that individuals who have a positive attitude about physical activity in general also perform more of these types of unintentional exercises. This is an important find as efforts to increase physical activity are at the forefront of public health research because the benefits of a healthy lifestyle go beyond physical and mental well-being. The good news is, you can always change your attitude.

Parenting: Mommies, take note. According to a study published in the journal Physical Therapy, postnatal women enrolled in a physiotherapist-led exercise and education program on well-being reduced their risk of postpartum depression significantly. The program included specialized exercises and parenting education. Even better, the positive effect continued four weeks after completion of the program.

Nutrition: According to research done at Kansas State University, Chinese wolfberries may be a potential aid in improving vision deficiencies that are common for type-2 diabetics. Dingho Lin, research assistant professor of human nutrition at the university, has found that the fruit can lower the oxidative stress that the eye undergoes as a result of this condition, improving damage to the retina. “I would not say wolfberries are a medicine, but they can be used as a dietary supplement to traditional treatments to improve vision,” Lin said. “Wolfberries have a high antioxidant activity and are very beneficial to protect against oxidative stress caused by environmental stimuli and genetic mutations.” In China, the wolfberry is known to help rebalance homeostasis, boost the immune system, nourish the liver and kidneys and improve vision.

Nutrition: We now know that spices have antioxidants – oregano and others typically used in the Mediterranean diet – but who’s got the most? According to research published in the Flavour and Fragrance Journal, cloves are king when it comes to these benefits. “Out of the five antioxidant properties tested, cloves had the highest capacity to give off hydrogen, reduced lipid peroxidation well, and was the best iron reducer”, said Juana Fernandez-Lopez, one of the authors of the study. The researchers hope that the high antioxidant properties of this and other spices will make the food industry consider them for usage in preserving food, instead of using synthetic chemicals that cause toxicity and other side effects. But, until then, you can just make some clove tea for yourself and enjoy the taste as well as the benefits.

Love: To thine own self be true, said Shakespeare – and it turns out he was right, if you want a good relationship. A new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences examined how dating relationships were affected by the ability of people to see themselves clearly and objectively, act in ways consistent with their beliefs, and interact honestly and truthfully with others. The conclusion: If you’re true to you, better romantic relationships will follow. “If you’re true to yourself, it is easier to act in ways that build intimacy in relationships, and that’s going to make your relationship more fulfilling,” said Amy Brunell, lead author of the study. Authenticity also leads to acting less destructively with your partner, feeling like your relationship is more positive, and a sense of general personal well-being – for both men and women. Sign us up, Sherlock.

Parenting: Put those dancing shoes on…on the baby, that is. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition, researchers have discovered that infants respond to rhythm and tempo of music and find it more engaging that speech at an early age, suggesting babies may be born to dance. “Our research suggests that it is the beat rather than other features of the music, such as the melody, that produces the response in infants,” said Dr. Marcel Zentner, “We also found that the better the children were able to synchronize their movements with the music, the more they smiled.” Guess you better play that funky music for your baby, white boy.

Diabetes: Men, good news for you. According to research published the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, selenium may be a key nutrient in protecting you against diabetes. The study that included both men and women found that men whose plasma selenium concentrations were highest had a significantly lower risk of developing dysglycemia over the following years. The same did not happen for women, which may be due to many factors like possible differences in how men and women’s bodies process this trace mineral. Looking for a selenium source? Brazil nuts are the highest by far, containing almost ten times the amount found in either tuna or beef.

Psychology: Bullies can be shy, too, says a study. According to research published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, there is a subset of adults diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder who, rather than manifest their anxiety with inhibitive or submissive behavior, act out violently. Parents and teachers might think their kid is a bully because he has a conduct disorder but it may actually be extreme fears of being judged that is the cause, says researcher Todd Kashdan. “In the adult world, the same can be said for managers, co-workers, romantic partners and friends. It is easy to misunderstand why people are behaving the way we do and far too often we assume that the aggressive, impulsive behaviors are the problem. What we’re finding is that for a large minority of people, social anxiety underlies the problem,” said Kashdan. He also said training people to be more self-disciplined in all aspects of their lives improves will power and may be a technique to modify this behavior.

Sex: Cat calls hurt everyone, says a new study. Research published in the journal Sex Roles found that the actions of one sexist man affects not just the woman he is making remarks to, but also female bystanders, whose feelings and behavior toward men in general are greatly impacted by this indirect action. “Women are obviously implicated because they suffer direct negative consequences as targets of prejudice and, as the current work demonstrates, indirect consequences as bystanders. But sexism also harms men as well. Whenever a single man’s prejudiced actions are attributed to his gender identity, male perpetrators impact how women view and react to men more generally,” said Stephanie Chaudoir and Diane Quinn, authors of the study.  In other words, sexist remarks ruin it for the offended woman, other women witnessing, and the men who will then be judged by these women according to one sexist man. Help a sister – and a brother – out and keep it respectful.

Green Living: The latest survey of existing data about the hazards of plastic to human health and the ecosystems we depend on are sobering. According to research published in the Annual Review of Public Health, the annual production of plastic would fill a series of train cars encircling the globe. Adverse effects to human health remain unclear and controversial, though BPA and phthalates used in making stuff like water bottles and food packaging can leach out over time and are known to be toxic. As recently as this January, the FDA has expressed concern for potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. The author of the study said that we are at a critical time to change into more healthy and sustainable materials to replace plastic and its harm to us and the environment.

Exercise: Poor air quality apparently affects the running times of women marathoners, according to a study. Higher levels of particles in the air were associated with slower running times for women, while men were not significantly affected. The differences, according to researcher Linsey Marr of Virginia Tech, may be due to the smaller size of women’s tracheas, which makes it easier for certain particles to deposit there and possibly cause irritation. “Although pollution levels in these marathons rarely exceeded national standards for air quality, performance was still affected,” Marr said. Her studies were conducted where major USA marathons are located, such as New York, Boston, and Los Angeles, where pollution tends to be highest. Although the regular person might not be significantly impacted by low-yet-still-acceptable air quality, marathoners typically inhale and exhale about the same amount of air as a sedentary person would over the course of two full days. This means they are exposed to much greater amounts of pollutants than under typical breathing conditions. Interestingly, the performances of female marathoners appeared to only be affected by particulate matter, and not other pollutants like carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide or sulfur dioxide. The research was published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise.

Parenting: The final results are in – violent video games make kids more aggressive. According to research published in the Psychological Bulletin, “We can now say with utmost confidence that regardless of research method — and regardless of the cultures tested in this study, you get the same effects. And the effects are that exposure to violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior in both short-term and long-term contexts. Such exposure also increases aggressive thinking and aggressive affect, and decreases prosocial behavior,” said Craig Anderson, author of the analysis that includes 130 research reports. Anderson also said that while this doesn’t mean that video gamers will go out and join gangs, these effects are conclusive and not trivial, and determine not only future aggression but also other sort of negative outcomes. More importantly: This is one risk factor that is within parental control.

Pesticides: According to evidence in male frogs, Atrazine wreaks havoc with hormonal balance. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Atrazine (one of the world’s most widely used pesticides) has been found to be a potent endocrine disruptor to the point that it left many male frogs in the lab “chemically castrated” (unable to reproduce) and turned others into females. “Atrazine has caused a hormonal imbalance that has made them develop into the wrong sex,” said Tyrone B. Hayes, author of the study. Some 80 million pounds of the herbicide atrazine are applied in the USA on corn and sorghum to control weeds and increase crop yield. More and more research, however, is showing that atrazine interferes with endocrine hormones such as estrogen and testosterone – in fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, laboratory rodents and even human cell lines, with a possible link to human birth defects and low birth weight after exposure in the womb. As a result, the EPA is reviewing its regulations on use of this pesticide, with several states considering banning it, and the European Union already barring its use. Syngenta, which manufactures atrazine, disputes many of the studies, but Hayes says, “when you have studies all over the world showing problems with atrazine in every vertebrate that has been looked at – all of them can’t be wrong.”

Nutrition: The fluorescent lighting in supermarkets can boost the nutritional value of fresh spinach, scientists report. A simulation of a grocery store scenario in which researchers exposed spinach to light and darkness cycles similar to those of retail stores for three to nine days yielded a surprisingly positive effect: Significantly higher levels of vitamins C, K, E and folate (a B vitamin). They also had higher levels of the healthful carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. The more light exposure, the more the levels of folate and vitamins increased. By contrast, spinach leaves stored under continuous darkness tended to have declining or unchanged levels of nutrients, scientists say. The research was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Stress: Stress takes you back to the grind – of your teeth, that is. Research published in the journal Head & Face Medicine indicates that people who are stressed by daily problems or trouble at work seem to be more likely to grind their teeth at night, a condition known as ‘sleep bruxism’. This was especially common in those who try to cope with stress by escaping from difficult situations. Bruxing can lead to tooth wear, looseness and sensitivity of teeth, as well as pain in the muscles responsible for chewing. The best way to stop: Find a way positive coping strategy to deal with stress and relax before you get to bed.

Brain: A new EEG study found that Transcendental Meditation activates the brain’s natural “ground state”.  The research, published in a special issue of Cognitive Processing dedicated to the neuroscience of meditation and consciousness, discovered that TM technique specifically produced a unique state of “restful alertness” as seen in the much higher alpha power in the frontal cortex and lower beta and gamma waves in the same frontal areas during TM practice, and that it also created a greater alpha coherence between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, suggesting that it was working as a whole. Most importantly, the study concluded that TM practice enhances an individual’s sense of “self” by activating what neuroscientists call the “default mode network”, the natural ground state of the brain often seen during eyes-closed rest.

Immunity: A new study touts the benefits of soluble fiber saying that it reduces inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system. According to the researchers, soluble fiber changes the personality of the immune cells – from pro-inflammatory angry cells to anti-inflammatory healing cells that help us recover faster from infection. This happens because soluble fiber causes increased production of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-4. Good sources of soluble fiber are oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, lentils, citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, and carrots. Insoluble fiber, found in whole wheat and whole-grain products and green leafy vegetables, is also valuable for providing bulk and helping food move through the digestive system, but it doesn’t provide the boost to the immune system that soluble fiber provides. The study will appear in the May 2010 issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

Parenting: Time to make some changes, minority mommies. Efforts to prevent childhood obesity should begin far earlier than currently thought – perhaps even before birth for some populations, according to a study. Research that tracked 1,826 women from pregnancy through their children’s first five years of life found that this was a key period for childhood obesity prevention, especially for minority children. “Almost every single risk factor in that period before age 2, including the prenatal period, was disproportionately higher among children,” said Elsie Taveras, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School. Looking at risk factors, researchers found that African-American and Hispanic infants were more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to be born small, gain excess weight after birth, begin eating solid foods before 4 months of age and sleep less. The good news: most of these can be modified by getting updated information, not just “wisdom” handed down through generations. The study was published in the online edition of the journal Pediatrics.

Hearing: According to a new study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Medicine, regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of hearing loss in men. This is particularly the case for younger men, below age 60, say a group of investigators from Harvard University, Bringham and Women’s Hospital, Vanderbilt University and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the US, affecting over 36 million people. Even mild hearing loss can compromise the ability to understand speech in noisy environments or with multiple participants in a conversation, leading to social isolation, depression, and poorer quality of life. “Given the high prevalence of regular analgesic use and health and social implications of hearing impairment, this represents an important public health issue,” said the researchers.

Weight-loss: A low-carb diet, a low-fat diet and the Mediterranean diet were equally effective in helping obese people to reverse carotid atherosclerosis, reports a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. To reverse atherosclerosis – a slow, progressive condition in which the arteries thicken with plaque buildup, increasing risk of heart attack and strokes – the key is a diet that supports sustained, moderate weight loss. “Long-term adherence to weight-loss diets is effective for reversing carotid atherosclerosis as long as we stick to one of the current options of healthy diet strategy,” said the lead author of the study. A lifestyle change to a vegan diet is our favorite long-term weight-control diet option here at HLife.

Brain: Find your purpose and preserve your mind. According to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, individuals who say they have greater purpose in their lives are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.  “Purpose in life, the psychological tendency to derive meaning from life’s experiences and to possess a sense of intentionality and goal directedness that guides behavior, has long been hypothesized to protect agains adverse health outcomes,” said the researchers. Fortunately, purpose in life is a factor that can potentially be modified, through effort and specific tasks. Identifying purposeful behavior and a specific goal on which to work on a consistent basis is important, as well as reinforcing thoughts like “I feel good when I think of what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future.” Another brain-booster: service.  Doing things that benefit others has been shown to generate feel-good chemicals in the brain.  Find your purpose – and share it with others.

Obesity: Obesity and depression are birds of a feather. According to a meta-analysis of various studies, obese individuals have a higher risk of developing depression, and depressed individuals have a higher risk of becoming obese. As to why this is, the theories are: Obesity may be considered an inflammatory state, and inflammation is associated with the risk of depression. Because thinness is considered a beauty ideal in both the United States and Europe, being overweight or obese may contribute to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem that places individuals at risk for depression. Conversely, depression may increase weight over time through interference with the endocrine system or the adverse effects of antidepressant medication. The study appears in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Psychology: Looks like if we’re going to lose weight as a nation, instead of helping us buy broccoli we should be penalized for buying junk. The results research published in the journal Psychological Science demonstrated that taxes imposed on unhealthy foods were more effective in reducing calories purchased over subsidies offered to buy healthy foods. For the study, consumers were given “lab dollars” to buy groceries and feed their family on a specific budget. When faced with a tax for food like chips and soda, they opted for healthier purchases. But when the store offered incentives like a subsidy for healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables, more consumers used the money they saved to buy more junk food instead.  A much better idea? Being conscious of how much junk food will cost you later on – in health care dollars.

Men: Bachelors beware. According to a large study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference, single men may have an elevated risk of fatal stroke in the coming decades.  But you’re not alone: The same goes for unhappily married men. The research reports that single men had a 64% higher risk of fatal stroke than did married men, compared to the risk of fatal stroke faced by men with diabetes. The same goes for men who reported dissatisfaction in their marriage, 64% higher risk compared to men who considered their marriages very successful. The best case scenario: Being happily married.