healthbriefs
More Sleep Helps Shed Pounds
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njoying more zzz’s is not usually associated with weight loss, but a growing number of epidemiological studies suggest that insufficient sleep may be linked to a greater risk of weight gain. The latest results from a study presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior points out that sleep behavior influences body weight by affecting not only how many calories we consume, but also how much energy we expend. When researchers at Tübingen and Lübeck universities, in Germany, and Uppsala University, in Sweden, investigated the effect of short-term sleep deprivation on hunger, physical activity and energy levels, they discovered that insufficient sleep increased the participants’ sensations of hunger by raising the level of the “hunger hormone”, ghrelin. The less sleep a person had, the hungrier they felt. After only one night of disrupted sleep, the volunteers moved around less and burned off fewer calories in their resting state than their counterparts that enjoyed a good night’s sleep.
Functional Training Protects Against Falls
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eniors that integrate strength and balance training into everyday activities experience nearly one-third fewer falls, according to a new study published online by BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal). A team of researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia, designed and tested the Lifestyle Integrated Functional Exercise program to reduce the risk of falls in people over 70. For example, a prescribed activity for improving balance was to stand on one leg while working, and for strength training, squatting to close a drawer. The study found that the average rate of falls per year for those in the program was 1.66, compared with 2.28 in a control group.
Working Out Hot Flashes
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ne of the most common and uncomfortable symptoms of menopause may respond positively to a simple, no-cost measure. Health researchers at Penn State report that menopausal women that exercise may experience fewer hot flashes in the 24 hours following physical activity. In this first-time study of objective versus subjective, or self-reported, hot flashes, the Pennsylvania researchers studied 92 menopausal women for 15 days.
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West Michigan Edition
NaturalWestMichigan.com
May is Asparagus Month
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ometimes referred to as the aristocrat of vegetables, asparagus has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. It was prized by ancient Greeks and Romans for its taste and reputed medicinal qualities, and 19th-century French bridegrooms, believing it was an aphrodisiac, frequently ate several helpings on the eve of their nuptials. The crop reaches its peak during April and May. Packing a fiber-filled punch of vitamins A and C, this princely veggie also delivers significant helpings of folate and rutin, which help to strengthen blood vessels. Its delicate flavor is best preserved by stir-frying or light steaming. Source: FruitsAndVeggiesMatter.gov
The Exercise Advantage
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aking a brisk walk or bike ride may stave off cognitive decline better than reaching for the daily crossword puzzle, says a new study published in the journal Neurology. Researchers at Scotland’s University of Edinburgh reviewed the medical records of more than 600 Scots born in 1936 that were given MRI scans at age 73. “People in their 70s that participated in more physical exercise, including walking several times a week, had less brain shrinkage and other signs of aging in the brain than those that were less physically active,” says study author Alan J. Gow, Ph.D. Surprisingly, the study showed that participating in mentally and socially stimulating activities, such as visiting family and friends, reading or even learning a new language, did little to ward off the symptoms of an aging brain. Study participants will undergo a second MRI scan at age 76, and researchers plan to compare the two scans to see if the links between exercise and better brain health hold up.