Caving to cravings? Indulging in junk food linked to lapses in brain function Overindulging in high-calorie snacks is partly caused by lapses in a very specific part of the brain, according to a new University of Waterloo study. The study, published in Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, is the first to conclusively link reduced operation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with self-restraint in the dietary context. “It has long been thought that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex helps to keep automatic, or knee-jerk, reactions in check,” said Professor Peter Hall, senior author on the study. “We discovered that when you temporarily dampen the operation of this particular part of the brain, strongly engrained—and quite universal—preferences for high calorie foods start to hijack people’s thought patterns and even their eating patterns.” The prefrontal cortex is known to be implicated in the brain’s executive functions, which typically allow people to engage in voluntary control over their behavior. Media Contact
In paralysis, finding freedom via brain-wave tech All of a sudden, Eric Valor struggled to surf. His left foot started dragging while he tried to pop up on his board, causing more wipeouts than normal for the avid wave rider. What started as a visit to the foot doctor resulted in an eventual diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, an incurable neurodegenerative condition with few known causes that bit by bit takes away a person's ability to control muscle movements and leads to death. "The gravity of that day," he said of when he was diagnosed, "of the terrifying fear, volcanic anger, the inconsolable sorrow for the loss of the perfect life my wife and I had built -- still remains as a stark and adrenaline-inducing memory." Valor -- a 45-year-old former information technology professional living outside Santa Cruz, Calif., who is now paralyzed -- built a new life as an advocate for the ALS community. Valor and ALS His first symptoms were visible muscle twitches. Using Insight
Fruits and vegetables could make you more attractive to others THE vernacular of today's beauty buzz is riddled with words and phrases about staying young, but the idea of "carotenoid coloration" means little to most people, although it's exactly what you're probably looking for. It's that sexy, healthy glow that comes from eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and an innovative study says it has a more powerful effect on attractiveness than a sun tan, also called "melanin coloration." "Skin coloration can arise as a result of two distinct processes: Through tanning (melanisation) or the assimilation of fruit and vegetables (carotenoid ingestion)," say the researchers, who conducted three separate internet studies comparing people's responses to the aforementioned. In the first two studies, researchers worked with a group of 60 participants who were shown 27 composite faces whose skin tones spanned the axis of carotenoid or melanin-associated derma colors.
ESH #76 | Rod-Cone Dystrophy What is Rod-Cone Dystrophy? This hereditary vision condition is explained pretty well in it’s title. Dystrophy is the medical term for degeneration, to waste away. In Muscular Dystrophy the muscles degenerate; whereas in Rod-Cone Dystrophy it is the rods and cones that degenerate. What Are Rods and Cones? In the retina (the part of the eye that turns light into visual signals) the rods are responsible for seeing in dim light and for seeing motion. What Can I Do About This Condition? So far this is pretty straight-forward. However, we would like to suggest that the “Use It Or Lose It” Rule applies here too. Strengthen Rod Cells If you don’t use your rod cells because you are never in the dark, how can we expect them to fully function when we need them to? The second technique for strengthening the rods is performing eye exercises in the dark with flashing lights. Straighten Cone Cells We can explain this visual process by using a solar panel as an analogy. Did this help? Audio Version Join us:
Darwin’s theory of evolution challenged by University of Adelaide genetic memory research, published in journal Science THEORY CHOMPED: Caitlin O'Connell, 19, with her daughter Zara. Picture Dean Martin Source: News Corp Australia A NEW BEGINNING: A human embryo ... LANDMARK Adelaide research showing that sperm and eggs appear to carry genetic memories of events well before conception, may force a rethink of the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin, scientists say. It also suggests the bad habits developed through a parent’s lifetime could be passed on genetically to their children. The University of Adelaide research, published internationally today, shows that babies may be prone to their parents’ youthful behaviour, from gorging as obese teenagers to a preference for fruit or even dislike of smells. The work by the university’s Robinson Research Institute appears on Friday in the international journal Science after being put through scrupulous peer review. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Source: News Limited Charles Dawin Source: The Advertiser Professor Sarah Robertson Source: Supplied
Unleashing the Power of the Bilingual Mind Guest post by Anna M. Beres, Bangor University Writing or talking about my research in English is relatively easy. I do it everyday, even though my native language is Polish and I work in Wales, where I am constantly switching between English and Welsh. But whenever I try to explain my work to my family in Polish, it requires a lot more effort. It’s not that I do not know the right words; it is that I need to understand the material at a much deeper level if I am to be accurate. My experience of using – and mixing – multiple languages on a regular basis resonates in my research on bilingualism. Historically, using two languages in the same lesson has been considered an “academic deficiency,” a lack of control over students’ language skills; inserting words in the second language was seen as a gap in knowledge, an unwelcome interference. “Translanguaging essentially forces students to fully engage in the topic and understand it at a much deeper level.” Comments are closed.
How Long To Nap For The Biggest Brain Benefits Napping can be great! But sometimes when you wake up after a nap, you feel groggy, almost as if you are more tired than you were before taking the nap. Why does this happen? Benefits of Naps So what are the most ideal ways to nap? Sleep experts suggest that taking a 10-to-20-minute power nap can give you a quick burst of alterness and mental clarity when you don’t have much time. When I was interested in trying to maximize my time awake (which I still am, but haven’t tried much lately) I did some research into sleeping cycles and how to minimize the amount of sleep you need while still being able to function well. I found though, that near the beginning of my experiment with cycles, I would start to lose cognitive clarity as I got closer to the end of the day. Naps Summarized If you are looking for a quick recharge: nap for 5 – 20 minutes. If you are looking for deeper sleep rejuvenation: nap for 60 – 90 minutes. The Scientific Power of Naps: Sources: Find Out What Your Risk Of Cancer Is
Which yoghurt is best? Whey better: The pressure is on yoghurt producers to lighten carb and sugar contents. There are literally hundreds of yoghurts available in supermarkets, and the tiny labels on the back, along with differing serving sizes makes it almost impossible to determine which is the "best" or "healthier" choice. The biggest difference between yoghurts is that there is an emerging range of Greek style yoghurts, along with a reduction in "diet" yoghurts that have traditionally used sweetener to lower their kJ and sugar content. Overall, the results from this review are unlikely to surprise you, but it is always nice to see the numbers summarised, which is also likely to make a trip to the yoghurt section of the supermarket a lot quicker. Black Swan Vanilla Bean Greek Style Natural Advertisement Per 100g 410kJ / 7.7g protein / 13g carbs/ 6.5g sugars / 1.5g fat / 233mg calcium With No Added Sugar, probiotics, lactose free and a massive 230mg calcium per serve Black Swan is a great choice in yoghurt.
One-armed model Rebekah Marine takes modelling Model Rebekah Marine was born with a missing forearm. Source: New York Post REBEKAH Marine may have been one of the most beautiful girls in her high school, but cruel bullies still targeted her because she was born with a missing forearm. Plagued by insecurities, the then-14-year-old withdrew from sports and social activities, blaming her lack of confidence with boys on her deformity. Thirteen years on, however, Marine has had the last laugh with a new career as a fashion model. “My mission is to show that models of all shapes and sizes are becoming mainstream,” she said. Rebekah Marine was persuaded by a friend to become a model after she was fitted with a prosthetic arm at the age of 22. The New Jersey woman was persuaded by a friend to enter the competitive world of modelling after she was fitted with a prosthetic arm at the age of 22. At first she posed exclusively with her fake limb, but a photographer later suggested taking some shots without it. As for the time she was bullied?