Boost Brain Power with this Simple Drink

Green tea is known to have several health benefits including decreasing anxiety, fighting off cancer cells, lowering blood pressure and weight loss. So it's probably safe to say that it's one of the healthiest drinks there is. Its track record goes all the way back to ancient China where they use the beverage to relieve ailments.

Scientists today were completely baffled of green tea's magic and decided that they find out the reason for its healing properties. They extracted a particular compound from the tea, Epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG , and found out that it could improve the performance of the brain by enhancing working memory.

So what is working memory ? Our working memory is the one involved in remembering and processing information so that we may use them during our immediate need of them. Working memory is important in carrying out everyday tasks that require reasoning and comprehension.

In the study they did, subjects were given drinks that contain extracts of EGCG. After four weeks of dosing them with beverages, the researchers saw increased connectivity in regions of the brain that is associated with working memory. They found that it increases neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change and neurons making new connections with other neurons.

With the findings of this study, the scientists say, they see a greater potential of green tea in helping with the future treatment of Alzheimer's. 

Pasta: The secret to a lower BMI and small waistline

Good news, pasta lovers! Thanks to a recently published study by (I think you know who) Italians in Nutritionand Diabetes that found out eating pasta does not contribute to obesity and instead is linked to a lower body mass index or BMI.

For years, diet researchers in Italy have worried about the fattening reputation of pasta all over the diet world, especially with the rise of low carb, high protein diet. So they set out to prove otherwise, with their study that comprised of 23,000 participants, surveying their eating habits. The results are definitely enough to repair pasta’s reputation—finding no link to pasta consumption and weight gain.

“Our data shows that enjoying pasta according to individuals' needs contributes to a healthy body mass index, lower waist circumference and better waist-hip ratio.”, says lead author of the paper George Pounis. And they recommend eating pasta as part of a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables and olive oil, for healthier results.

Thanks to this recent evidence that says pasta helps fight obesity and maintain a small waistline, we can now definitely take ‘pasta’ off our no-no list. 

Coffee for Longer Life

Telomere length and cell death

Ok, let’s first understand the biology behind why cells age and die. A lot of evidence now backs up the theory that telomere length strongly affects the pace of aging of our cells. So what are telomeres? These are the end strands of our chromosomes. They are basically the lengthy ‘caps’ that protect our DNA from stress and deterioration.

Every time our cells multiply (for cell repair and growth), our telomeres shorten and this shortening is a sign of cell aging. When these telomeres become too short, the cell dies. And it was found that shorter telomeres are often associated with poor health and increased risk of premature death.

Coffee, good health and long life

A study found that coffee helps boost longevity. Along with other potential health benefits: (1) reduced risk of stroke and (2) decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.

To support this, another recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition found a link between coffee consumption and telomere length; the subjects that consumed a higher amount of coffee had longer telomeres in their leukocytes (white blood cells).
Is this a good sign? Most likely, since we know that shorter telomeres and poor health are somehow linked.

But before you overdo your caffeine for a longer life, here’s an important fact to know: a Harvard study in 2015 found that only MODERATE coffee consumption lowers the risk of an early death. Yes, it is recommended to drink coffee, same with alcohol, in moderate amounts. "There is not enough evidence that you should drink more coffee for the sake of longer life expectancy," says Dr. Ding, first author of the Harvard study.

Benefits of Running: Why You Should Start Now

It’s the first Wednesday of June and the US is celebrating National Running Day. So to honour this and the life-changing exercise (that most likely made me a healthier person), here are some of the benefits of running that I hope will convince a lot of you to start a commitment to it.

1. Strengthens your lungs

When you run, the muscle cells you’re using need more oxygen and nutrients in order to sustain your movement. This makes your heart compensate by beating faster and harder. Your lungs, on the other hand, increase its capacity to keep up with the oxygen demands of your cells by increasing blood flow, gas exchange and number of capillaries used in your lung tissues.

2. Is good for your heart

Running is a kind of cardio and even though it stresses your heart (to beat faster and harder), it’s the good kind of stress that eventually makes it stronger. According to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, running for even just 10 minutes a day can drastically reduce your risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease. So when you keep a habit of running, your heart eventually does not need to work as hard as before. 

3. Prevents disease

A study in 2014 from the National Journal of Cancer found out that running beats walking in fighting off breast cancer. Although both running and walking can potentially reduce the risk of cancer, they have confirmed that running may be more effective in the fight. It can also reduce the risk of having a stroke and heart attack. How? Running, along with other forms of exercise, strengthen the heart and help arteries maintain their elasticity.

Doctors often recommend running for people in the early stages of diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.

4. Helps in losing or maintaining weight

Running is one of the most successful ways of shedding those extra pounds. It is the second most effective in terms of burning calories. And they found out that there is a direct correlation to the amount of fats that are being burned off to the time of your run. Meaning the longer you run, the more fats are degraded by your body.

5. Boosts memory

Believe it or not, running actually helps in boosting your memory. How? Regular exercise increases the blood flow to the brain which also means an increase of oxygen and nutrients for your brain cells. These events can adversely affect brain function. Also, regular exercise has been proven to beat age-related mental decline such as in your working memory.

6. Makes you happier

Ever heard of runners high? Well, they’re real. Scientists found out that when we run, our brain releases two feel-good chemicals: endorphins and endocannabinoids. Endorphins are proven to relieve pain and induce the feeling of euphoria or great pleasure. Endocannabinoids have effects that are quite similar to the compounds found in cannabis. Some mental health experts also use running to help treat clinical depression and some psychological disorders (like alcohol and drug addiction).

What to Eat (and Drink) for a Radiant Looking Skin

Ever want a beautiful and young looking skin but don’t want to spend too much for beauty pills? Well, I have scoured the internet and found foods (and a drink) that can make it easier to have a radiant-looking skin without spending too much. All of these are easily acquired and some are even part of our everyday meal and we just don’t notice them. So here they are:

EGGS

When I was in college, my breakfast wasn’t complete without a sunny side up or scrambled egg. What’s in it? Basically  all the essential proteins that our body needs. But of these, two are vital for our skin: choline and lutein.

Choline is needed for the build-up of our cell membranes and regulates B vitamins needed to produce other proteins, collagen and elastin, that are needed for firm, smooth skin. Lutein, along with another protein zeaxanthin, is an antioxidant that protects our skin from the damage of UV rays that can cause wrinkling and sometimes even cancer.

BROWN RICE

One secret to a young looking skin is keeping it moisturized. Don’t want the hassle of applying moisturizer for the day? Then just include brown rice in your meal. It is loaded with lipid molecules called ceramides that maintain skin moisture. These molecules are incorporated in the outer layer of our skin and help in maintaining it well hydrated.

TOMATOES

Ever wonder what gives tomatoes their color? Carotenoids are plant pigments which are responsible for yellow, orange and red colors in fruits and vegetables. In tomatoes is one carotenoid called Lycopene. This Lycopene has been proven to lower the hormones that promote acne development, for a clear and smooth skin, and is also an antioxidant

 If you are not quite the fan of fresh tomatoes in your plate, then we suggest you consume other tomato-based foods such as sauces (in pastas and pizzas, yum!) and tomato juice. Nutritionists recommend that we include these in our diets for 3-5 times a week.

FISH AND OTHER SEAFOOD

Fact: not all fats are bad for you. Ever heard of omega-3 fatty acids? They’re one of the good cops in fatty acids world. They have been proven to lower the bad fats in our body and fight off the risk for heart diseases. As for our skin, however, a study found out that it can slow down wrinkling or skin ageing by delaying the production of certain bad chemicals. Not only this, they can also combat acne which is acne sufferers are recommended to consume four to five serving of oily fish per week.

GREEN TEA

Not only does a warm cup of green tea gives you a kick start for the day, it is also proven to be packed with antioxidants! Like the tomatoes and seafood, green tea also fights acne development by lowering a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is responsible for acne-production.

WHOLE GRAINS

One thing that comes to mind when I hear whole grain is the word ‘fiber’. Yes, it’s proven that these foods are high in fiber and significantly important in reducing belly fat. Another major benefit that we can acquire them is a radiant-looking skin. Niacin in whole grains fight inflammatory agents in our body which can lead to reducing the redness in pimples and acne.

Pastas and bread from whole grains contain high amounts of antioxidants (same amount with vegetables) which reduce free radicals that damage our cells.