Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Photo by Jacob Townsend on Unsplash A recent study published in the journal Michigan Pediatrics found that American teenagers sleep patterns are getting increasingly worse over the past two decades. Researchers who analyzed the University of Michigan’s annual Monitoring the Future national surveys of youth …
Photo by Alisha Hieb on Unsplash InVite®’s Reds Hx® formula is a supplement powder that provides a high concentration of fruit extracts and antioxidants. These ultra-healthy fruit extracts comprise the spectrum of oranges, reds, blues and purples that can be found naturally in healthy fruits and …
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are well-known for their wide range of health benefits. But recently, scientists discovered that they may be helpful for the often mysterious symptoms of Autism as well.
According to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a phytochemical derived from broccoli called sulforaphane may improve social behavior, a skill that’s often hindered or non-existent in those with Autism. During the study, scientists at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children’s Lurie Center for Autism gave young men ages 13-30 with moderate to severe autism a dose of sulforaphane for 22 weeks. At the end of those 22 weeks, they found that a variety of social behaviors in the study participants had improved significantly.
Broccoli Compound Inhibits Lung Cancer in Smokers
Interestingly, this research was inspired by a 2007 report that indicated social behavior in those with Autism improved when they had a fever. This previous study noted that there were several chemicals that stimulated changes in the behavior of autistic individuals during fever. One of them was sulforaphane.
Another one of the study participants reported she and her son’s teachers noticed an improvement in his social behavior during the study. What’s more, when this 21-year-old participant had gotten sick with a fever before, his social behavior improved as well. Study author Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a clinical professor of pediatrics and neurology at UMass Memorial Medical Center, said researchers don’t want to imply that sulforaphane is a “cure” for autism – but this study definitely shows promise that there may be an equal or better supplement that could treat autism.
According to InVite Health’s Dr. Millie Lytle, ND, MPH, CNS, “Antioxidants (derived from plants) consumed through daily diet or plant-derived dietary supplements, have been shown to prevent free radical-related diseases by counteracting cell oxidative stress. However, it is now considered that the beneficial effects of these phytochemicals on the body are unlikely to be explained by their antioxidant capability alone. Dozens of plant-based antioxidants exhibit hormetic properties, acting as ‘low-dose stressors’ that prepare cells to resist more severe stress. An organic plant is more medicinally valuable because it has had to fend for itself through cold snaps or when a pest takes a bite of it. These low-level stressors actually stimulate the plant to produce more protection mechanisms. And when we eat them, they do the same for us. In fact, low doses of these phytochemicals activate cell signaling pathways but high doses are cytotoxic, which explains why more is not necessarily better. It is a small amount in the daily diet that is most beneficial. A research study looked into the adaptive responses induced by the most known plant hormetic antioxidants – sulforaphane from broccoli, resveratrol from red grapes, curcumin from turmeric, flavonoids from the healthiest fruits and vegetables, green tea catechins and how they are specifically helpful in preventing degenerative disease and even cancer via activation of endemic antioxidant pathways” Read more here!
It’s a common practice to take aspirin daily for a healthy heart. However, recent research shows that this method may have far more risks than benefits. According to a study published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 11.6% of the nearly …
Photo by A l on Unsplash Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of seasonal depression that usually occurs in individuals during the winter. Experts believe this mental health issue has to do with the lack of sunlight in the winter. It’s normal to …
According to a 2012 study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, about 50-70% of the population spends six or more hours per day sitting. It may not seem like a big deal, but research shows that sitting for prolonged periods of time can take a major toll on your health, and may even lead to increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity and early mortality.
Read More – “Diabetes Risk and A Sedentary Lifestyle” by clicking here!
So if you sit at a desk all day, what can you do about it? Advocates of workplace wellness initiatives are hoping 2015 will be the year that standing desks, which were preferred by great minds from Leonardo da Vinci to Virginia Woolf, will help office workers stay healthy and even get more work done. This is something which all businesses will want to aim for. If a standing desk can help boost productivity, and improve their health then what’s not to love?
“Many people report feeling more energetic. It certainly helps with mental processing,” said Dr. Cedric X. Bryant, chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise. A study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health showed that over an eight-hour day standing at a desk burns an additional 163 calories compared to sitting. However, prolonged standing isn’t good for your health either – the point is to break up the monotony and avoid strains on any particular body part. Experts recommend beginning by standing for about an hour per workday, and increasing the standing time as your body adjusts.
“It’s more of a lifestyle approach: turning the clock back to where life used to be before we engineered movement out of our lifestyle,” says Bryant.