Posted March 6th, 2012 by John C. Oconnor 
If you knew that the food on your plate was awash with bacteria, would you eat it? At one time the answer would be a resounding no. Nowadays, people are actually ready to pay more to eat food with a healthy dose of bacteria — because these happen to be friendly bacteria or “probiotics”. Foods such as yoghurt, fermented milk, cottage cheese, buttermilk, dhokla, idli, snack bars, energy drinks and even baby food can contain probiotics. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: absorption of food, Amul, beneficial bacteria, Dairy, goat milk, kashi vive cereal, placebo controls, snack bars, steady inroads, yoghurt
Posted March 6th, 2012 by John C. Oconnor 
Exercise is not just about toned abs and weight loss it also makes you smarter, claims a new study. Previous studies have established that regular work-outs spur the number of mitochondria in muscle cells, which enhance strength and fitness endurance. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: brain cells, endurance, endurance test, experiment lab, j mark davis, lab mice, mitochondria, muscle, regular physical activity, signs of fatigue
Posted March 5th, 2012 by John C. Oconnor 
Aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, stevia: From yogurt to diet pop, artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes are everywhere, appealing to the growing number of consumers who want to watch their weight. Despite the sweeteners’ ubiquity in the grocery aisles, however, there’s no end to the confusion about their safety.
Companies that sell artificial sweeteners, or foods made with them, assert they are harmless. Advocacy groups, such as the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, cite studies that link some of them to cancer. The sugar lobby (yes, such a thing exists) argues artificial sweeteners are inferior to the real article. Then there’s the conspiracy theorists who liken sugar substitutes to poison. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: acesulfame potassium, artificial sweeteners, body, center for science in the public interest, conspiracy theorists, grocery aisles, obesity issues, stevia, sweet tastes, weight
Posted March 3rd, 2012 by John C. Oconnor 
We all have “senior moments” – more and more as we age – but if your forgetfulness is having an impact on your daily life you should see your GP. Otherwise, whatever your age, the following measures may kick-start your memory:
1 Use memory techniques. Popular ones include “chunking” – breaking up information into bite-sized chunks that are easier to remember (for instance, break down a phone number into batches of smaller numbers), “self-reference” – refer new information to yourself (if introduced to a Bob, think of other Bobs you know). Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: function of neurotransmitters, hormone cortisol, human nutrition research, information, life, low glycaemic index, Memory, omega 3 fatty acids, stress hormones, ways to improve your memory
