When I first started looking at posts to comment on I came across quite a few about drinking, considering we are in college I feel it's a perfect topic that most of us can relate to. I always enjoy reading articles and different studies that show moderate drinking can benefit our health, but unfortunately I came across one that changed my mind.
As we grow, our brain volume decreases naturally at about 2% per decade and that's disregarding any damage or harm that may have been done. In relation to alcohol effects, studies performed by Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, basically blatantly recorded that consumption of alcohol causes our brains to shrink more than normal. Although that wasn't too much of a surprising let down, all the supposed benefits of drinking were proved false, no matter the amount of alcohol consumed, it causes the brain to shrink. To find out more about this particular study you can look up the October issue of Archives of Neurology.
In recent studies, moderation in alcohol has shown to eliminate cardiovascular disease and also helps humans function cognitively, but the most recent study performed by Wellesley College, proved the benefits to be false. http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100217998 This experiment consisted of classifying men and women according to the amount they drink; abstainers, former drinkers, low drinkers (1-7 a week), moderate drinkers (8-14 a week), or high consumers of alcohol (more than 14 drinks a week). The study showed absolutely zero benefits of alcohol drinking in any category and as they experimenters guessed, the more a person drank the more their brain volume was decreased.
Although I drink occasionally and probably won't ever completely stop, I learn something new everyday and after reading this article and learning more side affects of alcohol, I'll definitely think before drinking another glass of wine.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Why Does Overeating Cause So Many Illnesses?
It happens to all of us doesn't it? Sometimes we eat too much, too little, or the wrong things but what we eat and how much may affect us more than we know. Obviously eating too much leads to obesity, but why? A recent study done at the University of Wisconsin showed that excessive eating affects the brain to the point where it can't function properly. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26995427/
The study was performed in mice in quest to find out why obesity causes the body to swell to the point of illness such as diabetes or heart disease. Through experimenting, they found that from feeding these mice excessive calorie and fat filled foods, it caused their brains to send out immune cells to attack intruders that really weren't present. Specifically it was a compound called IKKbeta/NK-kappaB, something the immune system uses if needed. This compound is also located in the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that controls metabolism and energy) but usually remains inactive. However, after the mice were fed this specific high fat diet, abnormal and uncommon active levels of the same compound were found in this part of the brain. Due to the active levels, the body ignored any signals from a hormone called leptin which helps regulate appetite and transform food to energy. All in all, eating too much causes our body to ignore the "I'm full" signals and allows our body to keep taking in food.
After the study was done, they concluded that "hypothalamic IKKb/NF-kB" could be the explanation for all diseases caused by overeating. Although the group who performed the study doesn't know why the compound would be in the brain and immune system, they assume it evolved years ago in primitive animals. All we know now is that its a pathway to "overnutriton." Removing this gene sounds like a good idea but cannot be done as of now.
I found this research to be very interesting considering I always say "I never get full, I could eat everything," and next time I find myself eating more than I should, I'll tell myself its just my brain playing tricks on me.
The study was performed in mice in quest to find out why obesity causes the body to swell to the point of illness such as diabetes or heart disease. Through experimenting, they found that from feeding these mice excessive calorie and fat filled foods, it caused their brains to send out immune cells to attack intruders that really weren't present. Specifically it was a compound called IKKbeta/NK-kappaB, something the immune system uses if needed. This compound is also located in the hypothalamus (a part of the brain that controls metabolism and energy) but usually remains inactive. However, after the mice were fed this specific high fat diet, abnormal and uncommon active levels of the same compound were found in this part of the brain. Due to the active levels, the body ignored any signals from a hormone called leptin which helps regulate appetite and transform food to energy. All in all, eating too much causes our body to ignore the "I'm full" signals and allows our body to keep taking in food.
After the study was done, they concluded that "hypothalamic IKKb/NF-kB" could be the explanation for all diseases caused by overeating. Although the group who performed the study doesn't know why the compound would be in the brain and immune system, they assume it evolved years ago in primitive animals. All we know now is that its a pathway to "overnutriton." Removing this gene sounds like a good idea but cannot be done as of now.
I found this research to be very interesting considering I always say "I never get full, I could eat everything," and next time I find myself eating more than I should, I'll tell myself its just my brain playing tricks on me.
Monday, October 6, 2008
How to Improve Strength and Endurance
I like to exercise regularly, however, I usually stick to the same routine; fourty five minutes doing cardio and around a half hour doing strength training, but is that good? After doing some research on it, I realized I wasn't improving my strength and enurance, I was maintaining it. I've never been the type of person whose been into sprints or short interval training but apparently if I want to continue improving the shape I'm in, I should. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8407349/
The whole point of the article was to prove that practicing short interval training is more effective in improving one's strength and endurance as opposed to a normal hour a day routine. I read up on a study that was performed on two groups of people; one group practiced intense sprint interval training for around 30 minutes each session and did this 3 times a week. The other group went on doing there usual 5 hour a week exercises. The results proved the theory correct, the grop who practiced the short interval training improved there endurance by 50% and also improved their ability to use oxygen. The group who did their normal routine showed no change. If you want to improve your fitness, you want to use all your muscle fibers which froms tears in the fibers that allow you to continue improving. On the other hand, doing slow and long training, you only use some of your muscle fibers which gives you little to no improvement, just consistency.
Although, the short intervals are a good method to make improvements in strength or endurance, it's also a lot more difficult. Proving this study further, coaches for teams such as football always have their team participate in regular sprints to up their physical strength and endurance, whereas people who like to maintain their physical fitness level have a usual slow and longer routine to stay seady and constant. Depending on the force put upon the muscle fibers determines whether or not there will be a change. The more intense the force, the more deterioration in the fibers which is a good thing if it results in improvment, as long as you don't overdo it.
The whole point of the article was to prove that practicing short interval training is more effective in improving one's strength and endurance as opposed to a normal hour a day routine. I read up on a study that was performed on two groups of people; one group practiced intense sprint interval training for around 30 minutes each session and did this 3 times a week. The other group went on doing there usual 5 hour a week exercises. The results proved the theory correct, the grop who practiced the short interval training improved there endurance by 50% and also improved their ability to use oxygen. The group who did their normal routine showed no change. If you want to improve your fitness, you want to use all your muscle fibers which froms tears in the fibers that allow you to continue improving. On the other hand, doing slow and long training, you only use some of your muscle fibers which gives you little to no improvement, just consistency.
Although, the short intervals are a good method to make improvements in strength or endurance, it's also a lot more difficult. Proving this study further, coaches for teams such as football always have their team participate in regular sprints to up their physical strength and endurance, whereas people who like to maintain their physical fitness level have a usual slow and longer routine to stay seady and constant. Depending on the force put upon the muscle fibers determines whether or not there will be a change. The more intense the force, the more deterioration in the fibers which is a good thing if it results in improvment, as long as you don't overdo it.
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