When a person is stressed, the adrenal glands release the steroid hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone, and it plays a role in many bodily functions, including controlling blood sugar levels. The level of cortisol in the blood is usually higher in the morning and gradually decreases throughout the day. Cortisol also plays a...
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How to start exercising when you’re out of shape
(HealthDay)—Though you may face challenges if you’re carrying excess weight or haven’t been active in a long time, you can still get fit and gain all the benefits that exercise has to offer. The easiest way to get started is with walking because it’s low-impact and low-risk, and all you need is a pair of...
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Building an Antidepressant Diet
Researchers find that eating these foods can reduce depression. A recent study in BMC Medicine has found that changing your diet could significantly improve your mood. The link between food and mood is part of an emerging field of psychiatry called “nutritional psychiatry.” There is growing scientific evidence that what we eat significantly impacts our emotions and well-being. The randomized controlled study of 67 participants examined the...
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Ditching the doctor? What to know about home health tests before trying them
Medical tests save lives. Discovering diseases before they become more serious can mean the difference between life and death. But many Americans say they don’t have time to see a doctor, live too far from a medical facility or are so uncomfortable with examinations that they avoid tests altogether. These challenges have created a demand...
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Do YOU suffer from insomnia? You may be lacking in MAGNESIUM: Mineral can boost sleep time if applied directly to the skin as expert reveals the 12 signs you are deficient
If you can’t sleep, then chances are you’ve racked your brains numerous times Consuming too much caffeine in the evening and stress are the usual culprits But an array of recent trials have pointed the blame at a magnesium deficiency Studies have shown magnesium supplements can actually increase sleep time And new research suggests applying...
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Staring at smartphones and tablets is to blame for the rise of dry eye disease in children, say experts
Dry eye disease is more common in older people, but growing among the young The increasing amount of time spent staring at screens is making more suffer The syndrome can make eyes sore, red and swollen, and cause blurred vision Experts at Aston University have made an app to test people for the condition More...
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Maintain Healthy Eyesight May Protect Against Mental Decline In Old Age
Findings of a new study, which involved more than 2,500 adults in the United States, have found a link between worsening vision and declining cognitive function. Vision Loss Linked To Decline In Mental Function In the new study, which was published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology on June 28, D. Diane Zheng, from the University of Miami,...
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A Brief Look at FOCI: The Wearable That Helps You Stay Calm and Focused
At the ITF Conference in Belgium in May, imec director Chris Van Hoof shared with us how mental health is an area of medicine that is underserved and ripe for innovation with medical technology. While they might be more for general wellness, we’re slowly starting to see a new wave of technologies in the form of apps...
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When mentors do this one thing, it can help reduce teen delinquency
When educators and coaches make kids feel like they matter, it reduces delinquency and destructive behavior. A new study led by a University of Kansas researcher reveals the importance of non-family adults in mentoring youth. “If you are made to feel useful and important to others, especially in this case by a non-kin and education-based mentor,...
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Flu lasts for more than an hour in air and on surfaces – why cleaning can really help
Influenza, or flu, viruses cause about 200,000 hospitalizations every year in the U.S. Annual seasonal vaccination is our best line of defense, but in recent years, it has become clear that mismatches in the vaccine can limit its effectiveness. Cleaning counters and keyboards can remove flu virus, which can survive well there, a study suggests. Credit: AVAVA/ShutterstockWe study how the flu...