Scientific breakthroughs, new medical revelations, latest surgery techniques, new takes on tried-and-true remedies. In every issue of the Harvard Health Letter, you’ll get practical, instructive health information to keep you active, independent and vibrant as you age. Readers recently read about:
Fatty food may feel like a friend during these troubled times, but new research suggests that eating just one meal high in saturated fat can hinder our ability to concentrate — not great news for people whose diets have gone south while they’re working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study compared how 51 women performed on a test of their attention after they ate either a meal high in saturated fat or the same meal made with sunflower oil, which is high in unsaturated fat.
Their performance on the test was worse after eating the high-saturated-fat meal than after they ate the meal containing a healthier fat, signaling a link between that fatty food and the brain.
Being lonely or socially isolated can negatively affect your wellbeing. There is even research showing that it increase the risk of illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, dementia and depression.
Some researchers suggest that loneliness and social isolation lead to poorer health because they increase inflammation. Inflammation is when your body tells your immune system to produce chemicals to fight off infection or injury. It can also occur when you experience psychological or social stress.
Short-term, local inflammation – such as when you accidentally cut your finger – can be helpful, but having slightly elevated long-term inflammation is associated with poor health. Researchers propose that loneliness and social isolation are linked to this elevated long-term inflammation.
O narguilé é um tipo de cachimbo de origem oriental à base de água e tabaco aromatizado que, nos últimos anos, se popularizou muito no Brasil. No entanto, apesar do sabor adocicado e leveza do fumo, ele é um perigo ainda maior que o cigarro. Entenda o porquê a seguir.
Hasta 2013 Stephen Storey era una persona tremendamente enérgica: corría maratones, hacía surf, montañismo y el submarinismo era una de sus grandes pasiones.
Pero en cuestión de nueve meses pasó a estar permanentemente en silla de ruedas, no podía estar de pie ni caminar y pasó a depender de ayuda las 24 horas del día para hacer las actividades más básicas, como comer o asearse.
“Fue un deterioro bastante dramático”, resume ahora con una sonrisa.
El inicio fue muy repentino. “Como mejor puedo describirlo es así: es como si mi cuerpo se rindiera, se disipó la fuerza que tenía y me desplomé en el suelo”.
“Ahí me di cuenta de que algo iba mal”, le contó a la BBC.
The first time I tried an LED treatment in my aesthetician’s office, I was sure I’d been “Punk’d” (that’s an old Ashton Kutcher show — look it up). During the course of my 20-minute session, I was subjected to a total of zero burning chemicals, painful injections, and/or blinding lasers.
