How exercise can enhance memory and learning

Science has proven how exercise can improve weight loss results as well as reduce the risk of developing some chronic diseases, but could working out also improve the health of your brain and make you smarter?

“We know exercise can stimulate the growth of brand-new brain cells in the hippocampus, and because we know that the hippocampus is important for long-term memory and imagination, this suggests that exercise can improve not only memory function but our creativity as well,” Dr. Wendy Suzuki, a neuroscientist and professor at New York University and author of “Healthy Brain, Happy Life,” told FoxNews.com.

“It helps parts of the brain important for attention, for memory and for mood, and it does this by doing things like changing the anatomical structure of the brain— it actually increases the size of some of these areas, and enhances the physiological responses of these areas.”

Most studies on the effects of exercise have been done in the elderly, but Suzuki wanted to see if exercise could change the brains of young and healthy adults. She set out to learn whether that was possible by studying her students at NYU.

After getting certified as a group fitness instructor, Suzuki told her students they would be actively participating in the research process. She would teach ‘intentional exercise,’ a type of class similar to intenSati, where you make exercise aerobic and mental by yelling positive affirmations or mantras like “I am strong” or “I am powerful” while exercising.

“Each class was one hour of me teaching them aerobic exercise, followed by an hour and a half lecture discussion talking about and telling them about what exercise was doing to their brain,” she said.

Suzuki would also test her young participants with a memory-encoding task at the beginning and end of the course. The task was designed to clearly show the function of one section of the hippocampus.

“I tested students on a challenging memory task that required them to differentiate between similar-looking objects in memory. I found that one semester of increased exercise in my class improved their response times for correctly answered questions. In other words, they answered correctly more quickly if they were in my exercise class compared to if they were not in the exercise class,” Suzuki said.

“Improvements in response times have been reported before, but this was unique because it was shown in a group of healthy young university students with just once a week of increased exercise. This suggests that if significant effects can be seen with this modest amount of exercise, then we might see even more striking effects if we got up to two to four times a week of increased exercise.”

Even though her research was on young students, exercising can improve the health of your brain at any age, Suzuki said.

“You don’t have to be a triathlete to get the benefits of exercise on your brain. No matter what age you are, no matter what health status you are, you can get these benefits of exercise.”

Like in most types of chronic disease, stress can have detrimental effects on the brain. Long-term stress can affect several areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex— which is essential for cognitive abilities like the working memory, decision making and flexible thinking— and the amygdala, which is responsible for the response and memory of emotions, especially fear.

“It [stress] actually makes certain brain areas smaller,” Suzuki said. “People that have chronic stress have smaller parts of the brain that are important for memory. That part of the brain is called the hippocampus.”

To protect yourself from brain cell-killing stress, Suzuki refers to exercise.

“We know if you put animals on exercise, you can help protect their brains from lots of stress that you can give them, but not only that— if animals are already stressed and you put them on an exercise program, you can regrow these brain areas that are being attacked by stress hormones in the blood stream,” she said.

Aside from exercise, Suzuki believes we can exercise our brain with what she calls simple brain hacks that can enhance certain functions.

Source: Foxnews


Could too much green tea be harmful to health?

For centuries, green tea has been hailed for its numerous health benefits. But according to a new study, the beverage could do more harm than good if consumed in large amounts.

In a new study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, researchers reveal how exposure to excessive amounts of green tea impaired the reproductive function of fruit flies, as well as the development of their offspring.

While it is unclear whether the beverage has the same impact on humans, the team says their findings warrant caution against consuming large amounts of green tea and other nutraceuticals.

 

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Green tea is made from fresh leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Because green tea is one of the least processed forms of tea, it retains the majority of its antioxidants and polyphenols, which are known to be largely beneficial for health.

Previous research has suggested green tea can aid weight loss, reduce cholesterol and protect against numerous illnesses, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

However, some studies have reported negative health effects if the beverage is consumed in large doses; animal studies have linked excessive green tea consumption to dramatic weight loss and impaired embryonic development.

Green tea ‘should be consumed in moderation’

To reach their findings, lead investigator Mahtab Jafari, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California-Irvine, and colleagues exposed embryos and larvae of fruit flies, or Drosophila melanogaster, to varying doses of green tea.

Fruit flies are often used to study human disease because they share 75% of the same genes that cause disease in humans.
The team found that 10 milligrams (mg) of green tea led to slower development of larvae. There was also a significant reduction in the number and size of offspring that emerged.

Female offspring exposed to 10 mg of the beverage showed a reduction in reproductive output, as well as a 17% reduction in lifespan.

In addition, the researchers found 10 mg of green tea led to morphological abnormalities in reproductive organs of the fruit flies, including atrophy in the testicles and ovaries.

Green tea was found to protect the flies against dehydration, but it also increased susceptibility to heat stress and starvation.

While the study did not assess the mechanisms by which green tea affected the development and reproduction of the fruit flies, they hypothesize that high doses of the beverage may trigger excessive apoptosis, or programmed cell death, to produce such effects.

Source: Medical News Today


Weight Loss Tip – Get sufficient sleep to lose weight

If you want to lose weight, get enough sleep. Sleep is crucial for weight loss as it allows you to perform physical activities properly and improves metabolism. Sleep also significantly affects the hormones of your body that influence your appetite. When you do not get enough sleep, the
hormone, ghrehlin, can enhance your appetite leading to weight gain. It has also been observed that sleep-deprived people crave for sugary and junk foods and even experience tiredness, dizziness and lack of concentration.

Further, people who work for late night shifts or have irregular sleep patterns have been found more prone to obesity and diabetes. You can follow this weight loss diet by expert dietician.

Sleep for at least 7-8 hours in a day is a must as a proper sleep will make you feel energetic and put a check on cravings for high-calorie food, hence preventing you from being a victim of obesity. Avoid eating anything before going to bed as it may interfere with your sleep. Also avoid watching the television before sleep as you may face difficulty in getting sleeping.  Combining sleep with thirty minutes of exercise and a balanced diet can set you on the path of better health and slimmer waistline.

Source: the health site


9 fantastic properties of hot water and honey

Did you know that the combination of warm water and honey has multiple beneficial effects on your health?

1. Helps you with weight loss.
Sugar found in honey is natural and is a healthy source of calories. Not only that, but this combination will reduce the increased desire for sweets.

2. Improves digestion.
Honey and water can regulate the work of digestion system. Antiseptic effects of honey has favorable impact on your digestion, and the combination with water softens the stool.

3. Strengthens the immune system.
Honey has an amazing ability of neutralizing bacterias. Especially recommended is organic honey that has the most enzymes, minerals and vitamins that fight bacteria. Honey is an excellent antioxidant that helps fight free radicals.

4. Reduces allergies.
Natural honey from your region can help your body to get used to the pollen. In this case water is not required, but additional hydration cant do any harm.

5. Boosts energy.
No need to reach for coffee anymore for waking up – stir a little honey in warm water. This healthy combination can also restore enthusiasm and energy.

6. Soothes sore throat and soothes cough. According to the recommendation of the famous Mayo Clinic, hot water and honey can alleviate throat irritation and soothe the cough.

7. Detoxification.
Honey and water will help your body get rid of toxins. Good digestion, to which honey also affects, is responsible for the detoxification of the body. You will even have better results if you add lemon. The acid in lemon juice positively affects the function of enzymes and stimulates the liver.

8. Reduces gases.
Do you feel bloated and have gases? Find help in the mix warm water and lemon.

9. Improves health.
Not only that warm water and honey improve hydration in you’re body, but will also increase the level of good cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.


Five health benefits of rope skipping

Skipping is one of the simplest, easiest and zero-cost workouts. It can be done anytime, anywhere even in the comfort and convenience of your home. Besides being an effective aerobic exercise it is fun too.So grab that rope and give it a shot. The following reasons are sure to motivate you:

Young Woman Preparing to Jump Rope

Major health benefits of jumping rope:

Aids weight loss: Skipping can help you shed up to 450 calories in just 30 minutes.The effort it takes to jump rope for 10 minutes is the equivalent of running a mile in eight minutes. So, you see how effective is skipping rope for losing weight.

Promotes cardio-vascular fitness: Skipping rope leads to better cardio-respiratory improvements, making the heart stronger and allowing it to pump more blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients to your tissues.

Improves muscle tone : Regular skipping improves the muscle tone in the legs and lower body and also in the upper body as your shoulders and arms work the rope.

Fights osteoporosis: Skipping boosts a person’s bone density, helping to keep off osteoporosis.

Improves balance and coordination: Skipping regularly improves body flexibility and also aids your coordination and balance.It also helps you gain better concentration as both sides of your brain remain active while skipping.

Source: zee news


Ginger – The Amazing Healing Herb

Ginger is a very good antioxidant and has anti-bacterial, antiseptic, sedative and antipyretic effect. Fresh ginger submerged in warm water, deeply penetrates the tissue, brakes down and melts accumulated mucus, initiate circulation, relieves pain, inflammation and swellings, accelerates detoxification it is very useful in the case of muscle inflammation and chronic back pain.

Ginger – The Amazing Healing Herb

Melts fatty deposits

This healing root speeds up the muscle metabolism, lowers cholesterol, helps in secretion of saliva and ingested food starch, reduces bloating and constipation, all of which contributes to weight loss.
If you want to loose weight fast, add to yo meals fresh or dried ginger or drink tea made from this beneficial root.

Improves mental capacities

Ginger relieves headaches and contribute to a better brain function. If it in any way we use it during the day, we will be fresher and will have more strength and energy, and if in the evening we eat hot vegetable soup with an addition of ginger, we will provide our self a good rest and sleep.

Lowers Stress

Ginger is rich in antioxidant, which helps in harmful chemicals removal, that our body produces when we are under worries, and thus affects the reduction of psychological stress. During this depression treatment it also impairs and the digestion process followed by occurrence of nausea, for which ginger is the ideal cure for these problems too.

Fights against colds and flu

If you regularly use ginger, you can easily prevent and fight the flu or colds, as well as the potential complications from these diseases. Ginger will strengthen our immune system, facilitate breathing and relieve headaches. It encourages sweating, so that`s why it`s excellent for lowering high body temperatures.

Cures Arthritis

Since ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, it is highly effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthiritis, osteoarthritis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal and connective tissue. Some studies show that in the case of arthritis, ginger is even more effective than other conventional drugs and medications.

Cure for cold hands and feet

Herb ginger is a powerful tool for engaging of the circulatory system.
If you suffer from cold hands and feet you should drink tea from this medicinal herb.

Source: only pure nature


Food That Helps In Weight Loss

There is no single eating regimen food that serves as the ideal weight loss diet regardless of what you may hear on TV or read in magazines, but if you know the distinction between which food that helps in weight loss, and which food makes you overweight, you will begin on working for the perfect weight that you always wanted.

Food That Helps In Weight Loss

The challenge is discovering and setting up the right collection and share size of food that helps in weight loss, particularly if you are on the go often. or have a busy lifestyle.

No-calories or Low beverages:

When you are having dessert or cold beverage, it offers you a smooth and moderate impact that continuously catches your level of satisfaction; then again, it offers a radical expand in your body mass.

It is constantly prudent that you ought to drink liquids as much as you could . For that, you might basically rely on having plentiful measure of water. Separated from that you may take a few health drinks that never makes you gain weight .these may include tart lemon pom spritzer, white wine spritzer, root beer and many others, For the most part these drinks are make by lemon juice, and drinking water. If there should be an occurrence of white wine spritzer, you have to include white wine. To have a tart lemon pom spritzer, everything you need to blend ice sprinkle and pomegranate juice in the mixture.

Fruit Desserts

The majority of us feel that without eating a Desserts at the end of meals, the meals appears incomplete. But desserts may have a high risk for increasing fat and cholesterol in our body.you can add, food that helps in weight loss, just by making them with natural fruits, for example honey mixed with grilled white peaches and blackberries, it will unquestionably add no additional calories to your eating regimen and offer you a very healthy natural Fruit dessert.

Eat Water-Rich, High-Fiber Foods :

Consuming healthy food that helps in weight loss, high in fiber and water substance fills your tummy without increasing the calories that’s mean a few pounds less. Fiber not just controls hunger by making your stomach feel full, it has numerous healthy qualities like bringing down cholesterol and keeping bowel movements steady. dried fruit, Whole grains and many vegetables also contain dietary fiber.

food that helps in weight loss with high water content are important because it will keep you hydrated and fill the tummy, makes you to consume less food. if you want to read more about : food that helps you lose weight

Source: top weight loss tricks


Healthy breakfast for losing weight

Eat melon for breakfast to lose weight!!!

In the eternal struggle against excess pounds we have a new ally! Take advantage of melon season and add this fruit in your morning ritual. But it’s important that melon to be completely ripe, soft and juicy, instead than hard and dry

Healthy breakfast for losing weight.

Here’s why this summer fruit will help you lose weight if you eat breakfast. It contains few calories. A medium-sized melon contains 275 calories. Thus, for breakfast you can eat without fear even 2 melons!

Calorific value of a melon is even as if you ate 2 boiled eggs and 2 slices of whole grain cereals toast. But this fruit will give you 3 more grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of fat.

Healthy breakfast for losing weight.3

Very nutritious.

Apart from just 275 calories that you will consume, that will satisfy 34% of the daily requirement of the body for omega 3 fatty acids. Melon contains protein – about 7 grams, the equivalent of an egg, but advantage of that is that you wont intake any cholesterol. It will provide even more than double of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, and will satisfy the daily need for vitamin C.

Melon is excellent source of copper, magnesium, potassium, vitamin K, zinc and vitamins of group B. It will keep you satiated for a long time. 1 melon contains about 7.3 grams of fiber, which is a quarter of the recommended daily intake. But dietary fiber is not the only thing that will satiate you.

The human body is designed to ask for food until they meet the body’s need for essential nutrients. So, with consumption 1 melon you will easily satisfy that need.

Healthy breakfast for losing weight.2

Accelerates the digestion of food.

Melon disintegrates in your body in 15 to 30 min. To accelerate digestion and prevent constipation, eat a melon on an empty stomach along with some other fruit that slowly dissolves.

Excellent choice are nuts that require a period of up to 4 hours to decompose.

Perhaps you think that melon can cause bloating and gas occurrence, but that only happens if eaten in combination with the wrong foods. To check whether melon fits for your digestive system, eat it on an empty stomach without consuming anything with it.

source: secretly healthy


Hibiscus may enhance weight control

There is no end to the things people will try to control weight, and no end to claims of weight loss for products. And as obesity becomes an ever greater health concern globally, anything that may help to control weight attracts attention.

Hibiscus may enhance weight control

Once in a while, something comes along that actually does in fact demonstrate efficacy. Now, a specific variety of hibiscus, a common flower, appears to be such a bright star. Also known as roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa is native to west Africa, yet is cultivated throughout many parts of the world, including southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and throughout Latin America.

The bright red Hibiscus sabdariffa blossom has thick, leathery leaves and a pleasant astringent flavor. The flowers enjoy popularity as both a beverage and a food. Roselle calyses are typically prepared as an herbal tea, though in southeast Asia some juice drinks are also made with the flower. Jams are also made from the blossoms, and the blossoms are sometimes cooked with lentils or with fish and spices.

As a traditional medicine, Hibiscus sabdariffa demonstrates benefits for reducing high blood pressure. The flowers also show anti-diabetic and anti-cancer activity. Rich in the purple antioxidant pigments called anthocyanins, the hibiscus blossoms are also anti-inflammatory, due to their concentration of protocatechuic acid. Additionally, the presence of a sub group of anthocyanins called delphinidins may be key to the weight-controlling properties of the plant.

This gets us back to possible anti-obesity activity. A recent report in the April 2014 Food & Function Journal revealed the results of a human clinical study in which approximately half of obese participants were given tablets made from extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa and half given a placebo. The study, which recruited obese patients between ages 18 – 65, was conducted in Taiwan at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital over the course of twelve weeks.

The placebo group of the study was given two sugar tablets three times daily, while the active group was given 450 milligrams of hibiscus extract in tablet form, two tablets three times daily. At the beginning and end of the study, various parameters were analyzed, including waist circumference, percent body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, serum lipase, blood glucose and more.

Results of the study were not spectacular, but they were encouraging. The patients who took the hibiscus supplements showed reduced waist circumference, reduced body fat percentage, and reduced hip-to-waist ratio over the course of the study. Actual weight loss itself was moderate, despite these changes.

Does this mean that hibiscus is the new miracle weight loss agent? No. But it does mean that hibiscus can be part of a program that helps people to steadily reduce weight. We have seen in various studies that coffee (without the sugar and cream), green tea and hibiscus all help with various dimensions of weight control and blood sugar modification. Drinking these beverages on a daily basis can help with steady weight control. Switching from a high-fat to a low-fat diet is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce weight, and reducing overall caloric intake is key. Getting onto your feet and walking, running, bicycling, swimming, dancing, skipping rope or doing practically anything physically active, will help you to burn calories and reduce weight.

The recent study shows that hibiscus is a good aid, but just that, an aid. In and of itself, hibiscus tablets or teas will not take you from rotund to svelte. That will never happen. But as an additional safe, healthy, beneficial agent loaded with protective compounds, hibiscus in various forms can help you to achieve your weight target

Source: rtnz


The Same 10 Weight Loss Mistakes All Women Make

The biggest weight loss mistakes
by Alyssa ShafferDropping pounds boils down to a simple-sounding formula: burn more calories than you take in; eat less and move more. But anybody who has ever cut calories and ramped up an exercise plan in an effort to slim down knows it’s a lot harder than it sounds. All dieters inevitably make mistakes along the way—and most of the time they don’t even realize it. Here are the 10 flubs that everyone makes when they’re trying to shed fat.

The Same 10 Weight Loss Mistakes All Women Make

OD’ing on protein
“Protein is important, but if you have too much, the excess gets stored as fat,” says Felicia Stoler, RD. “And high-protein shakes and bars tend to be sugary and fatty.” Women need about 46 grams a day, per the CDC.

Skimping on veggies
Many of us fall short of the recommended 2.5 cups daily, Stoler says. A no-brainer: Work some into every meal, whether it’s sliced tomato on your morning toast or spinach on your turkey sandwich.

Having just a big glass of juice for breakfast
“Most juice raises blood sugar, so your body produces more insulin. You’ll get hungry and overeat later,” says Louis Aronne, MD. Get in protein and fiber, such as eggs and whole-grain toast.

Overestimating weight-loss rate
Most people shed a lot of pounds in the first couple of weeks of a program, a combo of carbs and water. It’s an artificially high drop, so don’t get discouraged when progress peters out.

Slacking on shut-eye
“Appetite and hunger hormones are greatly influenced by how much sleep you get,” says Pamela Peeke, MD. “Skimp and you’re more likely to eat everything that’s not tacked down.”

Considering workouts license to binge
One recent study in Marketing Letters found that people who were told a one-mile walk was for exercise ate about twice as much afterward as those informed the outing was for fun.

Underestimating how much time you have
Some weeks, finding that extra half hour to slip in a workout isn’t easy—why it’s good to have a backup plan. “Even a 10-minute cardio video on YouTube can keep you on track,” Stoler says

Always doing the same routine
“You can’t perform the same exercises over and over and expect the same benefits,” Stoler says. To get better results, follow the FIT principle: Vary the frequency, intensity or time.

Ignoring weights
Women who are getting started on an exercise program often think they should stick with just cardio, Stoler notes—but you need strength training to keep your metabolism revved up.

Giving in to your energy drain
A top excuse for not exercising: “I’m too tired.” Fake yourself out, urges Holly Wyatt, MD: “Say you’ll walk for only 10 minutes and you’ll likely go longer. Exercise energizes you!”

Source: Health