3 Reasons Our Brains Are Amazing

We have not observed yet in the universe something as complex as the human brain. The brain is composed of 100 billions neurons, each neuron having from a thousand to ten thousands connections allowing it to interact in an incredibly rich network. The more scientists learn about the nervous system, the more they become amazed by it. Recently magnetic imagery has permitted breakthroughs in understanding the brain. Here are 3 of them. 1. Neuroplasticity: the brain never stops learning and evolving Up to 1990, the medical community thought that neurons stopped growing after childhood. Nowadays, we know that neurons keep on growing at...

Read More

Go Easy On That Grande Latte!

The hard truth about Frappuccino, Mochas, and Lattes I am not usually a party pooper, but someone has to push the warning button. Those fancy tall coffee beverages that have invaded coffee shops are bad for your health. There, I said it. Now, here is why and what you should do about it. Let me first reassure coffee lovers. Drinking reasonable quantity of coffee is good for your health. In Harvard’s Dr. Frank Hu’s words, “There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health” (1). Therefore, the problem lies in what is added to the coffee. More of everything I enjoy reading and writing in coffee shops....

Read More

Yoga to Better Manage Stress at Work

YOGA TO BETTER MANAGE STRESS AT WORKOne hour of Yoga session per week can bring marked improvements in feelings of clear-mindedness, composure, energy, and confidence. That’s what a study involving 48 employees (randomized into either a yoga or a wait-list control group) has showed. The employees who did practice one 60 minutes Yoga class per week did have, after 6 weeks of practice, a significant improvement in their well-being and their resilience to stress in the workplace.One session per week is something we should be able to fit in our schedule, right?Source : Hartfiel N, Havenhand J, Khalsa SB, Clarke G, Krayer A. The effectiveness of...

Read More

Sleep Quality and Screens

The electronic glow from the TV, the computer screen, or the cell phone  affect the quality of sleep. It is advised to stop being exposed to screens at least one hour before going to bed. A survey involving 1508 participants aged 13 to 64 revealed that 95% of them were exposed to electronic glow in the last hour before they went to sleep: watching TV, checking emails on laptops, playing video games and texting on cell phones. 63% reported having poor sleep quality. Allison Harvey, a sleep specialist and professor at the University of California Berkeley, noted that exposure to light before sleep can disturb body rhythms and affect the...

Read More

"Text Neck" A Condition on the Rise

 “A new condition dubbed "text neck" is on the rise due to the amount of time people spend hunched over their mobile phone and tablet computer screens, chiropractors have warned.” The Telegraph (British newspaper).  The affliction, caused by flexing the neck for extended periods of time, can be a forerunner of permanent arthritic damage if it goes without treatment. Cases of the repetitive strain injury are on the rise as smart phones and tablet computers such as the iPad become increasingly popular, experts said. In severe cases the muscles can eventually adapt to fit the flexed position, making it painful to straighten...

Read More

Multivitamin

Modern diets often leave our body craving essential vitamins and minerals. Taking a multivitamin complement is good idea as you walk yourself to a healthier diet. Look for a multivitamins that offers a full spectrum of your daily essentials including minerals. Multivitamin should also include extra B vitamins, which are important to metabolize protein, fat and carbs to create energy. Look for a formula with bioflavonoids that will help combat damaging free radica...

Read More

Train your Balance!

Rocker-boar type balance board comes with a fixed fulcrum The balance board is a fitness equipment that offers a fun way to train your balance. It also improves your motor coordination skills, and it strengthens your core. It also has shown to bring a feeling of relaxation after a session. It was originally created for skiers and then surfers so they can practice their skills in the off-season. It is now used in fitness training and in therapeutic setting (knee rehabilitation, children with developmental disorders, proprioceptive training). Athletes continue to use it to improve their performances. You can easily acquire a balance...

Read More

Orthopedic Pillows, Are They Useful?

36 adults suffering from neck pain have participated in a study evaluating the benefits of orthopedic pillows (OP). 17 were put in the placebo group while 19 used the OP. The study that lasted 4 weeks has shown that the people using the OP had a lower intensity of pain mainly in the morning time.  My take on it?OP can be of great help. Nonetheless, the body goes through different cycles, and sometime you may feel more comfortable with a different pillow or even with no pillow at all. It’s a matter of being attentive to your body and to avoid, when possible, going to bed with a tight back. A 5 minutes stretch with deep breathing before...

Read More

Body Scan of Overweight Person

Body scan of a 113kg woman and a 54kg woman. Look at the size of the intestines and stomach; how the knee joints rub together; the enlarged heart; and the fat pockets near the brain. It is interesting to note that the size of the muscles is not that different. This excessive fat is a drain on the body, and we can easily understand how it will become harder on the organism as the person ages. If it may be challenging for many people to loose weight, they need to persevere for their own health and well-being.Thanks to Rick Shepherd, Randy Moe, HealthEnthusiast Dawny and Donna Shephe...

Read More

Cranberry Juice to Prevent Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infections also called cystitis are caused by bacteria that travel from the urethra up into the urinary bladder. It can be quite painful. Women may have burning pain while urinating and feel like they need to urinate frequently. Some women tend to develop recurrent cystitis. In that case, drinking cranberry juice is very helpful as a preventive measure because a substance present in that fruit prevents bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder decreasing the chance to develop an infection. 
Putting it into action: 
It is advised to drink about 20 cl (7 ounces) of cranberry juice daily. Make sure it’s 100 % juice....

Read More

Green Tea and Weight Loss

In addition to exercising and a healthy diet, drinking green tea seems to help regaining a proper weight. A study3 conducted at the Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh observed the effects of green tea consumption. A group of students between the ages of 19-37 were asked to drink 4 cups of green tea per day without changing their usual diet. After 14 days, the students showed a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, in total cholesterol, in body fat and body weight. This may be explained by the high levels of polyphenols and other antioxidants contained in green tea. Try jasmine green tea and let me know what you think. You...

Read More

Vitamin C for Smokers

A daily supplement of vitamin C helps limit the oxidative stress inflicted by smoking. In the US one person in five is a smoker and in Europe it is one in three. Due to the toxins contained in cigarettes, the oxidative stress (causes cancers but also premature skin aging and hair thinning) levels on smokers are significantly higher than in non-smokers. In smokers, healthy antioxidants such as vitamin C and E, are quickly depleted. A study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine (Vol. 40) reveals that taking 500mg of vitamin C twice per day helped maintain healthy levels of this vitamin and also helped protect the vitamin E...

Read More

Cold or Heat? Which Therapy Do I Use, and When?

 I often hear this question. Most people know that applying heat or cold can be beneficial but they are not sure when to use what. In this post I will try to answer this question. Let’s start with cold therapies. Hot or cold?  One simple thing to remember:  Touch the area of pain or injury.  If it is warmer than the rest of  your body don’t put heat on it. Use cold. Using cold Cold therapy is commonly used during the first 48 hours of an injury (presence of inflammation). The application of cold can take many forms: cold packs, cold cloth, crushed ice compress, and ice baths. When cold therapy (also...

Read More

Is Stress Contagious?

Stress in others appears to affect our own emotions. And it doesn’t just happen with direct interaction like when a family member shares his worries with us, or our stressed out boss pressures us to get things done. It can happen by just seeing someone manifesting signs of stress. It often takes place under the radar of our consciousness. You have a glimpse of a colleague who is frowning his eyebrows, you hear him sigh, and you start feeling some of his distress. Why is that? Seeing and feeling Our nervous system has the ability to pick up in others very subtle clues: facial expression, body movements, breathing patterns, etc. It happens...

Read More

10 Great Foods For Men

According to the Canadian publication Alive, these 10 foods offer great benefits to men’s health. Needless to say that they are also great food for women. 1. Almonds They are rich in calcium, fibre, iron and magnesium; they help lower cholesterol. 2. Bananas A good source in potassium, bananas help regulate blood pressure. 3. Blueberries They are loaded with vitamin C. They also contain phytonutrients that promote healthy aging and improve short-term memory. 4. Broccoli Eating apples help to lower blood cholesterol and glucose Rich in phytonutrients and vitamins A and C, broccoli may help prevent heart disease and diabetes. 5....

Read More

Welcome!

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable ...

Read More

Teen Breast-Fed as Infants Have Stronger Muscles

A Spanish research conducted on 2,567 adolescents revealed that those who were breast fed as infants had stronger leg muscles and “explosive strength” than those who didn’t. The study showed that the teens who were breast fed as infants did better on a horizontal jump test which is an indication for stronger leg muscles. It was true for both male and females adolescents and independently of their fat mass or height. The researchers noted that that this benefit of breast feeding adds to many other benefits including protection against allergies, skin diseases, obesity and diabetes.SOURCE: University of Granada, news release, Jan. 5, 2011...

Read More

Take Your Headset Out of the Drawers

The World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that using your mobile 30 minutes per day for 10 years, would increase by 40% the risk to get a benign brain cancer. That confirm what many studies had suggested: regular usage of mobile phones can be dangerous for our health. The WHO finally decided to make that statement following the review of hundreds or research paper on the subject. One major study – the interphone study – motivated the WHO to make that declaration. Further research is needed to see the possible consequence of mobile use on the short term. Until that, we, the users, are advised to use our heads...

Read More