Cut Down Your Risk of Dementia by Eating This Fruit

Strawberry consumption may significantly reduce the risk of dementia, a recent study found. The research focused on overweight individuals experiencing mild cognitive impairment, directing half to refrain from consuming any berries while the other half incorporated a daily intake equivalent to a cup of strawberries. eating strawberries 

 

After a 12-week period, people who consumed strawberry powder performed better on memory tests testing word recall, according to the findings of the study. The study builds on the team's prior research on blueberries, blackberries, and other berries that have been found to lower the incidence of dementia. This is because blueberries and strawberries are packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which combat free radicals, which cause chronic inflammation and are a risk factor for dementia.

Dr Robert Krikorian, lead study author and professor emeritus in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, said: 'There is epidemiological data suggesting that people who consume strawberries or blueberries regularly have a slower rate of cognitive decline with aging.' 

 

The researchers studied 30 overweight people, aged 50 to 65, with mild cognitive impairment due to their elevated risk of dementia. Over a 12-week period, participants were advised to avoid berries in favor of a daily supplement powder mixed with water at breakfast, which provided the nutritional equivalent of a cup of whole strawberries. 

 

The powder was given to half of the participants, while the remaining participants were provided with a placebo. Following this, they underwent memory tests, and researchers monitored their mood, level of depressive symptoms, and metabolic activity.

Participants who consumed strawberry powder performed better on memory tests and had a significant reduction in depressive symptoms.

Strawberries also have ellagitannins and ellagic acid, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. Professor Krikorian claims that the strawberries studied in his study may improve cognitive performance by reducing brain inflammation.

 

As executive functions are prone to frequent deterioration during middle age, it is crucial to note that diseases like insulin resistance and obesity, which are characterized by surplus belly fat, are highly likely to aggravate inflammation, thus magnifying its impact on the brain. 

 

Given the middle-aged, overweight, and prediabetic makeup of their group, Krikorian believes that higher inflammation levels may have played a role in minor executive function impairment. As a result, the positive results they saw may be linked to the strawberry group's putative anti-inflammatory properties. 

 

Krikorian stressed the importance of future studies including a bigger participant pool and examining different strawberry dosage levels. 

 

The study was published in the journal Nutrients.

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Possible Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Research: ‘Love Drug’ Oxytocin Found to Reverse Damage in Mice Brains

Scientists are hopeful that their discovery might be a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, after experiments with oxytocin showed it might be useful in treating, and maybe even reversing, degenerative disorders.

The research, published on July 20, has revealed for the first time that the chemical oxytocin, also known as the ‘cuddle hormone,’ could have therapeutic benefits for cognitive disorders, including dementia.

Oxytocin is released by the pituitary gland and is known for its role in the female reproductive system and in inducing feelings of love and happiness. It can also can boost learning and memory, scientists found.

The study suggests that signals in the brain that become blocked, leading to dementia, may be able to be unblocked.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder in which the nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain and the connections among them degenerate slowly, causing severe memory loss and deterioration in motor skills and communication. One of the main causes is the accumulation of a protein called amyloid beta (Aβ) in clusters around the brain neurons, which hampers their activity and triggers their degeneration.

This deterioration affects a specific trait of the neurons, called “synaptic plasticity”, which is the ability of synapses—where neurons swap signals—to adapt to an increase or decrease in brain activity.

Synaptic plasticity is crucial to the development of learning and cognitive functions in the hippocampus—the area of the brain where new memories are formed and skills are learned.

Love is the drug

When oxytocin was added to the brains of mice, scientists found the signaling abilities increased, which researchers say suggests that oxytocin can reverse the impairment of synaptic plasticity caused by the amyloid beta protein.

Scientists also artificially “blocked” oxytocin receptors in the brain samples from mice to show that the hormone needs these receptors to still be effective in boosting the synapses.

Researchers also found that oxytocin itself does not have any effect on synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but it is somehow able to reverse the ill-effects of amyloid beta.

Oxytocin is known to facilitate certain cellular chemical activities that are important in strengthening neuronal signaling and formation of memories.

Professor Akiyoshi Saitoh, who led a team of scientists from Japan at the Tokyo University of Science, says, “This is the first study in the world that has shown that oxytocin can reverse Aβ-induced impairments in the mouse hippocampus.”

“Oxytocin was recently found to be involved in regulating learning and memory performance, but so far, no previous study deals with the effect of oxytocin on Aβ-induced cognitive impairment.”

This is only a first step and further research needs to be carried out in living animals and then humans before sufficient knowledge can be gathered to use oxytocin as a drug for Alzheimer’s, the team said.

But, Prof. Saitoh remains hopeful their new study could be the start of a breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

“At present, there are no sufficiently satisfactory drugs to treat dementia, and new therapies with novel mechanisms of action are desired.

“Our study puts forth the interesting possibility that oxytocin could be a novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of memory loss associated with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“We expect that our findings will open up a new pathway to the creation of new drugs for the treatment of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease.”

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Master these 3 Mudras to soothe symptoms of migraine, anxiety and depression

Yoga is one of the most popular physical, mental and spiritual practices and people throughout the globe do it on a regular basis and reap its health benefits. When done on a regular basis, yoga is known to enhance the activity of parasympathetic nervous system.

This is the system, also known as the rest and digest mode, and helps us feel more relaxed by minimizing stress. According to the experts, when compared with other types of exercise, yoga was found to be as potent as or better than traditional exercises, both in healthy individuals and people with a disease.

Is yoga the right choice for you?

In addition to the physical health advantages, it has to offer, yoga is also highly effective in addressing problems such as poor focus and memory problems, depression an anxiety. When talking about yoga, it is pivotal to mention that it is never about the acrobatic looking positions and putting your body in impossible shapes. It is more about the journey, about the breath, meditation and poses and gestures that put you in the present moment by increasing your awareness.

Knowing the benefits of yoga, 3 different hand mudras or poses with the hands that can be done at any time. You can do them with your regular yoga workout or any other time.

What is Mudra?

Mudra is a hand and finger gesture which is usually done during breathing exercises or meditation. They’re thought to be ritual gestures because they’re often seen in ancient scripts and images from Hinduism or Buddhism. In the yogic tradition, mudras help direct the energy flow in the body and to enhance the functioning of different brain parts. Each of the fingers corresponds to a natural element, i.e., water, air, earth, fire and space.

1.       Mudra of knowledge= this gesture is believed to enhance the knowledge by boosting our memory and focus. It is helpful for people suffering from insomnia and it also betters the functioning of the endocrine and pituitary glands. Touch the tip of the thumb against the index finger’s tip. Stretch the other 3 fingers or keep them slightly bent.

2.       Mudra of air= This mudra is good for releasing surplus air from the stomach and it can be of aid for people suffering from gout, arthritis, Parkinson’s paralysis, rheumatic problems and cervical spondylitis. To perform it, fold the index finger and put the base of the thumb against the bone close to the tip of the finger. Place the thumb over the index finger. Maintain the other 3 fingers as stretched as you can.

3.       Mudra of earth-  This mudra is recommendable for when you’re feeling tired and stressed out. It will boost the blood flow, lower weakness and better the digestive processes. Hold the tip of the ring finger and thumb together and apply slight pressure. Keep the other 3 fingers as extended as you can.

 This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Sources- The hearty soul, Yoga journal