Caffeine could offset health risks from a high-fat high-sugar diet

A group from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) reported that caffeine may offset some of the negative effects of high fat diet by reducing the storage of lipids in fat cells, limiting weight gain and controlling the production of triglycerides.  The study was published in the Journal of Functional Foods. The study exploring the effect […]

Higher coffee consumption associated with lower risk of early death

Higher coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of death, according to research presented by researchers from Hospital de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain at ESC Congress. The observational study in nearly 20,000 participants suggests that coffee can be part of a healthy diet in healthy people. The study was conducted to examine the association between […]

How you rest matters: squatting or kneeling are healthier resting position than sitting

Boost your energy while running

Sitting for hours a day is linked to many health risks, including cardiovascular disease, likely because it involves low muscle activity and low muscle metabolism.  A USC-led team has shown that resting postures such as squatting and kneeling involve higher levels of muscle activity then chair-sitting, and these more active rest postures may help protect people […]

Caffeine boosts enzyme that could protect against dementia

Caffeine boosts enzyme

What do the research studies reveal about caffeine and dementia? Caffeine has well-known short-term stimulating effects on central nervous system, but the long-term impacts on cognition have been less clear. Scientists from Indiana University (IU) just gave those of us, who live on coffee and tea, another reason to enjoy that steaming cup of mocha. […]

Cocoa flavanols improve symptoms for coronary artery disease

A study published on the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) found that high concentrations of cocoa flavanols decrease blood pressure, improve the health of blood vessels and increase the number of circulating blood-vessel-forming cells in patients with heart disease. The findings indicate that foods rich in flavanols — such as cocoa products, blueberry, and […]

Exercise not only makes you stronger, it makes you smarter too

run happy

Exercise not only makes you stronger, it makes you smarter too

How Dark Chocolate May Ward Off Depression (And Improve Mood)

How Dark Chocolate May Ward Off Depression

Depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and is the leading global cause of disability.  Eating dark chocolate may positively affect mood and relieve depressive symptoms, according to a study published in Depression and Anxiety. The study looked at whether different types of chocolate are associated with mood disorders.  A collaborative […]

Meditation showed lasting cognitive gains even seven-year later

Women resting her eyes from no sleep

A study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, Center for Mind and Brain reported that gains in the ability to sustain attention developed through intensive meditation training are maintained up to seven years later.  The results of the study were published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.  The Shamatha Project examines the effects of […]

Caffeine may reduce the risk of dementia in women

A group of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW) reported that women who consumed high amount caffeine per day may have a reduced risk of dementia.  The results were published in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. The study examined the relationships between caffeine intake and dementia incidence in a large […]

Higher coffee consumption associated with lower risk of early death

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world.  Volumes of previous studies have suggested that drinking coffee might be inversely associated with all-cause mortality.  To confirm, an observational study in nearly 20,000 participants was carried out to examine the association between coffee consumption and the risk of mortality in a middle-aged Mediterranean cohort. […]