Mental Attitude: Amino Acid Deficiency Associated with Severe Depression.
Individuals with severe depression may have low blood levels of an amino acid involved in brain function called acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC). In this study, researchers found that participants with depression have lower serum levels of LAC than those without a history of depression and that patients with more severe depression had even lower LAC levels. The research team also observed a link between lower LAC levels and both depression that starts earlier in life and depression that is treatment-resistant.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, July 2018
Health Alert: Reduce the Risk of Early Cardiovascular Death…
In this study, researchers measured the fitness levels of 2,014 apparently healthy men at age 50 and monitored their health status for the next three decades. The research team found that participants in better shape at midlife had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease before age 60.
European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, August 2018
Diet: Eating More Fish During Pregnancy May Reduce Premature Births.
Expectant mothers may want to consume more fish to help avoid delivering too early. In a new study, researchers monitored over 700 pregnancies and found that the women who had the lowest omega-3 fatty acid serum levels during their first and second trimester were ten times more likely to have a preterm delivery than those with the highest omega-3 fatty acid readings.
EBioMedicine, August 2018
Exercise: How Much Exercise Do We Need?
If you do not have any medical restrictions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends engaging in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, and at least two strength training sessions per week. Examples of moderate-intensity exercises include brisk walking, water aerobics, cycling on mostly level ground, and doubles tennis. Vigorous-intensity exercise examples include jogging or running, swimming laps, singles tennis, basketball, and cycling fast or on hills.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 2018
Chiropractic: Risk Factors for Back Pain.
According to an analysis of data from an eleven-year study involving over 3,000 Finnish adults, researchers observed the following with regards to low back pain (LBP) and radicular pain: the risk of LBP declines slightly with age, while the risk of lumbar radicular pain increases over time; abdominal obesity increases the risk of LBP, while general obesity raises the risk of both LBP and lumbar radicular pain; the use of vibratory tools increases the risk of lumbar radicular pain; smoking and strenuous physical work both increase the risk for LBP and lumbar radicular pain; and walking or cycling to work reduces the risk of LBP.
Arthritis Care & Research, July 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Do You Have a Urinary Tract Infection?
The urinary tract is a common site for an infection, especially among women. The National Institutes of Health lists the following warning signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI): pain or burning during urination; fever, tiredness, or shakiness; the urge to urinate often; pressure in the lower belly; urine that smells bad or looks cloudy or reddish; and pain in the back or side below the ribs.
National Institutes of Health, July 2018