Whether children will enjoy academic success can be now predicted at birth, a new study suggests. Continue reading “Genes and family are biggest predictor of academic success”
Genes and family are biggest predictor of academic success
Mix of stress and air pollution may lead to cognitive difficulties in children
Children with elevated exposure to early life stress in the home and elevated prenatal exposure to air pollution exhibited heightened symptoms of attention and thought problems, according to researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia Psychiatry. Early life stress is common in youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who also often live in areas with greater exposure to air pollution. Continue reading “Mix of stress and air pollution may lead to cognitive difficulties in children”
Altruistic babies? Infants are willing to give up food, help others
Altruistic helping — the act of giving away something desirable, even at a cost to oneself — is perhaps no more evident than when it comes to food. Continue reading “Altruistic babies? Infants are willing to give up food, help others”
Green leafy vegetables may prevent liver steatosis
A larger portion of green leafy vegetables in the diet may reduce the risk of developing liver steatosis, or fatty liver. In a study published in PNAS researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden show how a larger intake of inorganic nitrate, which occurs naturally in many types of vegetable, reduces accumulation of fat in the liver. There is currently no approved treatment for the disease, which can deteriorate into life-threatening conditions such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Continue reading “Green leafy vegetables may prevent liver steatosis”
Slow, steady increase in exercise intensity is best for heart health
For most people, the benefits of aerobic exercise far outweigh the risks, however, extreme endurance exercise — such as participation in marathons and triathlons for people who aren’t accustomed to high-intensity exercise — can raise the risk of sudden cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder) or heart attacks, according to a new Scientific Statement “Exercise-Related Acute Cardiovascular Events and Potential Deleterious Adaptations Following Long-Term Exercise Training: Placing the Risks Into Perspective-An Update from the American Heart Association,” published in the Association’s premier journal Circulation. Continue reading “Slow, steady increase in exercise intensity is best for heart health”
Spending time in nature reduces stress
Research from an interdisciplinary Cornell team has found that as little as 10 minutes in a natural setting can help college students feel happier and lessen the effects of both physical and mental stress. Continue reading “Spending time in nature reduces stress”
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