Obesity + aging linked to Alzheimer's markers in the brain

A new study suggests that when a high-fat, high-sugar diet that leads to obesity is paired with normal aging, it may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, researchers discovered that certain areas of the brain respond differently to risk factors associated with Alzheimer's.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2yVI84f

New promise in search for simple, early test for Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have found early evidence that tiny snippets of genetic material called microRNA may help with early detection of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KBdC47

Man is Hailed as Hero in China After Rare Organ Donation Changes Five Lives

Phillip Hancock was only 27 years-old when he passed away two months ago – but the compassionate young man’s death made history in Chongqing, China. Hancock had been working as an English teacher there for four years until he fell ill from complications with type 1 diabetes. When he was rushed to the hospital in […]

The post Man is Hailed as Hero in China After Rare Organ Donation Changes Five Lives appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2KxKYkd

Beer. Soup. Barley's next great use? A medical imaging drink

Roasted barley, when struck by a common laser beam, can illuminate the throat and the gastrointestinal track. The discovery could improve our ability to diagnose swallowing disorders, which affect more than 15 million Americans, as well as gut disorders. What's more, because many human diets already include barley, it could be fast-tracked for medical use.

from Alternative Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KBaa6x

His Love for Her is Deep–So He Proposed to Her Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef

What could be a dreamier place to get engaged than surrounded by exotic fish at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia?

The post His Love for Her is Deep–So He Proposed to Her Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2MA4ytK

Mystery Person Spends $1 Million at Toys ‘R’ Us So They Can Donate All of the Goodies to Kids

An anonymous donor spent $1 million on the last of the goodies at a Toys ‘R’ Us store so it could all be donated to local children.

The post Mystery Person Spends $1 Million at Toys ‘R’ Us So They Can Donate All of the Goodies to Kids appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2yVVv4n

Cop May Not Have Survived Near-Fatal Accident if This Stranger Had Not Rushed to His Aid

An anonymous stranger is being credited for saving the life of a California police officer who was in very grave danger earlier this month.

The post Cop May Not Have Survived Near-Fatal Accident if This Stranger Had Not Rushed to His Aid appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2yUaNGF

Watch the Emotional Moment When Students Surprise Janitor With Enough Money to See His Family

Dozens of college students pitched in so they could give their beloved custodian the chance to finally see his family.

The post Watch the Emotional Moment When Students Surprise Janitor With Enough Money to See His Family appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2lEbZ7J

When Pizza Driver Gets into Accident, Firefighters Deliver the Hot Pizza Themselves

These firefighters went above and beyond for a pizza delivery driver who had gotten into a car collision before being able to finish the job.

The post When Pizza Driver Gets into Accident, Firefighters Deliver the Hot Pizza Themselves appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2KdQwRS

Hundreds of People Bring Backpacks Instead of Flowers to Woman’s Funeral

The unusual gesture was considered a fitting final act for Tammy Waddell – a devoted teacher and compassionate mentor.

The post Hundreds of People Bring Backpacks Instead of Flowers to Woman’s Funeral appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2tFT1Bn

Family Was Filling Up Swimming Pool Using Only Pots and Pans Until These Firemen Came Along

These firefighters did not hesitate to help a young family who was struggling to enjoy themselves on a swelteringly hot day.

The post Family Was Filling Up Swimming Pool Using Only Pots and Pans Until These Firemen Came Along appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2Ksp3eA

Young Man Praised for Pushing Woman Home in a 360-Pound Wheelchair After Battery Dies

This young boxer was not about to leave this woman on the side of her road in a broken down wheelchair – instead, he offered to push her all the way home.

The post Young Man Praised for Pushing Woman Home in a 360-Pound Wheelchair After Battery Dies appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2MY3vF1

As Wife Loses Eyesight, Husband Learns to Do Her Makeup and Impresses Kardashian Fashionista

The love story between Mona and Des Manahan is definitely one for the history books.

The post As Wife Loses Eyesight, Husband Learns to Do Her Makeup and Impresses Kardashian Fashionista appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2KjCoWo

Kind Cop Replaces Stolen Groceries for Man Who Fainted From Diabetes in the Parking Lot

When a “groggy-looking” customer walked up to Koryciak in a Walmart, she did not hesitate to help the man, even if it required opening up her own wallet.

The post Kind Cop Replaces Stolen Groceries for Man Who Fainted From Diabetes in the Parking Lot appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2lr0K2f

Her 107th Birthday Wish Was to Participate in a Parade, So the Town Threw One Just for Her

This hospice patient wanted to be in a parade for her 107th birthday – but instead, the town orchestrated an entire parade in her honor.

The post Her 107th Birthday Wish Was to Participate in a Parade, So the Town Threw One Just for Her appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2Mh3PgC

Watch the Tender Moment When Elvis Reaches Out His Hand to Sing Duet With Senior in a Walmart

This woman had never met the Presley impersonator before, but their touching moment had customers spellbound.

The post Watch the Tender Moment When Elvis Reaches Out His Hand to Sing Duet With Senior in a Walmart appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2K9ldH4

Cells stop dividing when this gene kicks into high gear

Scientists seeking to unlock secrets of cellular aging have identified a gene that triggers senescence, a phenomenon in which cells stop dividing. The gene, called CD36, is unusually active in older, senescent cells. Heightening CD36 activity also caused young, healthy cells to stop dividing, with the effect also spreading to nearby cells in the same petri dish.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2I9CVoI

More evidence for controversial theory that herpesviruses play role in Alzheimer's disease

In a large-scale analysis, researchers use data from three different brain banks to suggest that human herpesviruses are more abundant in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and may play a role in regulatory genetic networks that are believed to lead to the disease. This work lends support to the controversial hypothesis that viruses are involved in Alzheimer's disease and offers potential new paths for treatment.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MJSkiY

Delivery Man Goes Above and Beyond With a Simple Box to Make Boy’s Dream Come True

This Lowe's driver could not bear to see a kid without the tools of imagination that everyone else enjoyed in their youth.

The post Delivery Man Goes Above and Beyond With a Simple Box to Make Boy’s Dream Come True appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2M8E5Dk

Alzheimer's breakthrough: Brain metals that may drive disease progression revealed

Alzheimer's disease could be better treated, thanks to a breakthrough discovery of the properties of the metals in the brain involved in the progression of the neurodegenerative condition.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2lmOJLl

If You Are A Banana Lover Read These 10 Shocking Facts (No. 4 Is Very Important)

By Emilyn Gil  Bananas are number one on the list of most popular item produced and consumed around the world. That means that people purchase and eat bananas more than any other fruit! If you’re a banana lover yourself, this fact may not come as a surprise to you at all. I mean, talk about... View Article

The post If You Are A Banana Lover Read These 10 Shocking Facts (No. 4 Is Very Important) appeared first on Healthy Holistic Living.

from Health Ailments – Healthy Holistic Living https://ift.tt/2K84u6F

New screening tool could help diagnose early cognitive decline in dementia from home

An international team of scientists have developed a new way to screen for age-related cognitive decline at home using a test which asks people to detect sounds and flashes on their laptop or phone.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JVdEnZ

Key molecule of aging discovered

Every cell and every organism ages sooner or later. But why is this so? Scientists have now discovered for the first time a protein that represents a central switching point in the aging process. It controls the life span of an individual -- from the fly to the human being. This opens up new possibilities for developing therapies against age-related diseases.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JSalOm

He Rescued a Dazed Woman From Her Car Minutes Before It Explodes

Donald Carson leapt into action when he saw a woman sitting in her smoking car – and it's a good thing that he did, too.

The post He Rescued a Dazed Woman From Her Car Minutes Before It Explodes appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2JYBuhZ

Not Wanting Anyone to Be Left Out, Teacher Carries 60-Pound Student on Her Back for Camping Trip

Not only that, the teacher shelled out $300 of her own money so she could carry the student for the entirety of the weekend trip.

The post Not Wanting Anyone to Be Left Out, Teacher Carries 60-Pound Student on Her Back for Camping Trip appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2K0NVqb

Routine Traffic Stop Reveals Major Connection Between Driver and Officer From 27 Years Ago

It was just a routine traffic stop when a state trooper pulled over Matthew Bailly on a New Jersey highway earlier this month. The violation was minor, but as they talked for a few minutes they discovered a connection between them that was major. Probably hoping for mercy, Bailly quickly brought up the fact that […]

The post Routine Traffic Stop Reveals Major Connection Between Driver and Officer From 27 Years Ago appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2HXcenc

Quality of diet still poor for SNAP participants

A new study finds persistent nutritional disparities within the food choices of those receiving assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) compared to those not receiving SNAP assistance.

from Vegetarian News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JSh0UD

Woman‘s Publicly Thanks Friends For How They Risked Stepping Up During Her Bout With Depression

Not many people know how to help a friend who is suffering from depression – which is why film critic and writer Sheila O’Malley felt compelled to publicly praise her friends for how they helped her when she needed it most. On the Twitter thread she published last week, O’Malley explained how the death of her […]

The post Woman‘s Publicly Thanks Friends For How They Risked Stepping Up During Her Bout With Depression appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2HUFYkC

Watch Powerball Winner’s Amusingly Endearing Retelling of How and Why He Won $183 Million

Tayeb Soumani is a good man who will go back to the grocery store just so he can return some expensive orange juice for his wife – and because of that, he was rewarded with $183 million. Soumani is a naturalized US citizen who has lived in New Jersey since the 90’s. Up until last […]

The post Watch Powerball Winner’s Amusingly Endearing Retelling of How and Why He Won $183 Million appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2HTIYxj

Watch Sweet Reaction to Son Surprising Dad With ‘Final Trip’ for Father’s Day

When Billy Lea saw his son walk through his door and present him with a special Father's Day gift, he was almost entirely speechless with love.

The post Watch Sweet Reaction to Son Surprising Dad With ‘Final Trip’ for Father’s Day appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2JLLxUc

Autistic Teen Stuns Crowd as He Breaks His Silence and Gives Awe-Inspiring Commencement Speech

Because of his social communication disorder, Sef rarely speaks – but he eventually broke his silence so he could deliver an amazing commencement speech.

The post Autistic Teen Stuns Crowd as He Breaks His Silence and Gives Awe-Inspiring Commencement Speech appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2LO0xkU

New mechanism by which Alzheimer's disease spreads through the brain discovered

The waste-disposal system in a cell can spread harmful protein aggregates between neurons in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. The spread can be reduced in experiments in cultivated cells. The discovery may help the development of new diagnostic methods, and may eventually lead to new drugs that can stop or reduce the progression of disease.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JDZCXT

Dementia can be caused by hypertension

A new study indicates that patients with high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing dementia. This research also shows (for the first time) that an MRI can be used to detect very early signatures of neurological damage in people with high blood pressure, before any symptoms of dementia occur.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2y8eKHx

Better physical fitness and lower aortic stiffness key to slower brain aging

The rate of decline in certain aspects of memory may be explained by a combination of overall physical fitness and the stiffness of the central arteries.

from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JILsAk

How Much Money Do I Need to Retire? Find Your Answer Here

It is never too early nor is it ever too late to start planning for retirement. It ultimately depends on your way of life, where are you living, and whether you need to let go of anything. A successful retirement strategy is to have enough pay to cover your expenses with a little cash going [...]

Read More...

from Lifehack - Feed https://ift.tt/2HGzN3x

Key difference between humans and other mammals is skin deep

While humans and other species share some of the same genetic information, new research found that humans are unique among mammals when it comes to the types and diversity of microorganisms on our skin. This difference could have implications for our health and immune systems.

from Skin Care News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2y2PbHT

Special Ed Teacher Makes Good On Her Promise to Give $1 Million to Her Students

No one ever thought that Genevieve Via Cava would actually follow up on her vow to give $1 million to her special education students.

The post Special Ed Teacher Makes Good On Her Promise to Give $1 Million to Her Students appeared first on Good News Network.

from Good News Network https://ift.tt/2sQVqsh

Signs Your Lack of Sleep Is Slowly Killing You (And How to Turn Around)

You hear it over and over again like a broken record: get good sleep on a daily basis, or you’ll suffer the consequences.

Genetically, there are the lucky few who can get away with a lack of sleep and still function at a high level. Let’s face it though — that isn’t you.

Getting great (or at least good) sleep requires a proactive approach and naturally, we’re not exactly the best at this whole strategized approach to sleeping well.

Waking up tired isn’t just about a crappy feeling; it affects your health, your mood and your cognitive function. It’s safe to say we aren’t at our peak performance under the influence of lack of sleep. As much as we love coffee or any source of caffeine, the solution lies in your ability to change your patterns.

The good news is that it’s completely within your control. I’ll show you several strategies you can implement to gain the upper hand in your quest to obtain a proper night’s sleep.

Signs you’re lack of sleep

The alarm yells and you hit the snooze button, hoping for a small window of reprieve. It works until you’re jolted awake by the consistent efficiency of the alarm clock again. So much for hoping it suddenly breaks so you can get an excuse to sleep in.

You begrudgingly get up after the third snooze cycle, haphazardly making your way into the kitchen to start brewing that cup of coffee you so desperately need. All the while you’re swearing at yourself, decrying that this is in fact the last time you’re going to go to bed late this late and wake up.

With the liquid injection of caffeine taking effect, it’s smooth sailing in the morning but before you know it, lunch is around the corner and you’re downing some carb-heavy meal with your colleagues. With a belly full, you settle back in to focus and like clockwork, your eyes shut and your head nods as you fight a losing battle with the nap gods.

You somehow weather this storm, wondering why companies don’t allow siestas that you always hear so many positive things about from your Spanish friends.

It’s now time to head home and after fighting some traffic that routinely rears its ugly head, you’re back at your place. You’re exhausted mentally and physically. Besides playing with the kids and talking with your significant other, you’ve got just enough energy to eat dinner. But of course you conveniently forgot to pick up the dry cleaning on the way home.

Does this sound like you?

If you paid attention to the hypothetical and quite common situation above, you’ll notice a number of areas that sleep affects: your career, personal life, physical state, and mental state.

Dark eye circles, wrinkles, brain fog, a lack of focus and forgetting things are some examples of far-reaching effects low sleep has in almost every area of your life.

How lack of sleep affects your brain performance

In today’s fast-paced and overly-stimulating society, it’s a full time job in itself trying to stay on track and keep your focus on the task at hand. We’re the masters of multi-tasking and that’s not always a good thing.

When you’re tired, your cognitive function decreases as a result of neurons (the basic building block cells of the brain) having trouble communicating properly. This leads to temporary mental lapses that affect both memory and your personal visual perception.

In other words, you become more forgetful. You get distracted more easily and lose focus. You can’t think straight, better known as brain fog.

How long does it take for all this to happen? Just one bad night of sleep.

How lack of sleep affects your health

While battling the brain, you’re also at severe risk of affecting your overall health if you can’t manage enough sleep.

Here are some of the effects you could experience:^[1]

• Heart disease – You have a 48% increased chance of heart disease, including an elevated risk of a heart attack.^[2]
• High blood pressure -Your blood pressure could skyrocket, induced by both stress and low sleep.
• Stroke – With your brain constantly fatigued and not able to properly repair itself overnight, your chances of stroke increase.
• Diabetes – You’re at nearly three times the risk for Type II diabetes.
• Lower sex drive – Your partner probably won’t be a fan of this and neither will you. Your sex drive plummets when you’re groggy and for good reason: you just don’t have the energy to accomplish simple tasks, let alone get frisky.
• Higher chance of depression – Your energy levels go down and in turn your outlook on life can take a hit. In fact, getting too much or too little sleep is usually the first sign of mental health issues.^[3]
• Weight gain – Weight gain is another side effect of lack of sleep. Your glucose metabolism takes a beating along with the hormones that regulate your overall metabolism, shown through decreased leptin levels and increased ghrelin levels.^[4] Leptin acts as an appetite suppressant and is released when you’re full, while ghrelin is released from the stomach in response to fasting and promotes the feeling of hunger.
• Decreased immune function – The immune system takes a big hit when you’re consistently running low on a good night’s rest. In fact, you’re three times more likely to catch a cold according to John Hopkins Medicine.

And the list goes on.

How to get sufficient sleep (The essential tips)

With all the things that can potentially go wrong with a lack of sleep, it’s no surprise we struggle when we’re tired. Lucky we can actively combat our fatigued ways through a variety of time-tested methods, hacks and tips:

Establish a (short) nightly routine

Our brain loves habits and routines. In fact, our brain loves them so much it’s a good and a bad thing. The brain doesn’t know the difference between what’s considered productive and what’s a waste of time, so it’s up to you to establish the difference between the good and the bad.

One excellent habit is to create a sort of nighttime routine, which effectively tricks the brain into bedtime mode by starting a process of chemical reactions that signal you’re about to lay down soon.

Don’t worry; this is nothing that requires some elaborate, long process. It ideally should be something short.

What do you include in this routine then?

Your options are fairly vast, anything from:

• meditating for a few minutes
• sitting down and thinking about how the day went
• thinking about some things you’re grateful for, journaling or writing
• reading for 15-30 minutes
• getting involved in a relaxing hobby
• countless other things.

By establishing a routine and following through on it consistently, you’ve successfully associated that routine with sleep. You can take a look at the night routine of Lifehack’s CEO as reference: The Ultimate Night Routine Guide: Sleep Better and Wake Up Productive

If you notice, none of the above habits involve technology. It’s been studied extensively that blue light emitted by our screens can potentially disrupt your sleep cycle.

If you happen to find yourself on the computer in the evenings, do yourself a favor and install a program called Flux. As the night wears on, Flux continually erases the blue light more and more until it’s virtually eliminated from your screen, helping you avoid the sleep-blocking blue light.

Don’t go to bed hungry (And do eat carbs)

Most sources will agree that eating super late lends itself to a disaster — your body is allocating resources trying to digest a heavy meal and you’ll have trouble falling asleep. That heavy, pressing feeling on your stomach as you try to turn out the lights just doesn’t work for many people.

As a result, you’ll read about how staying away from food for a few hours before bed is the smart choice, especially when it involves carbs.

But studies have shown that eating carbs at night (especially starchy carbs) can actually help you fall asleep faster.^[5] Tryptophan and serotonin, two brain chemicals involved in sleep, are naturally boosted after eating carbs. Ever felt like taking a nap after a big, starchy meal? You get the idea behind it now.

Now, that doesn’t mean you should eat a pepperoni pizza two hours before bed. But swearing off carbs after 3 PM isn’t the solution either. Don’t be afraid of them and make sure you aren’t going to bed hungry. Be reasonable.

Reserve bed for sleeping and sex only

Your bed should only be used for sleeping and aside from that, a little friskiness. Anything else has no place there.

Trying to study or read in bed is a disaster for your sleep cycle. When your head hits that pillow, your brain needs to know that it’s sleep time, not social media time or reading time or even studying time.

Remember how earlier I suggested that executing on a relaxed nighttime routine or habit tricks your brain into starting the process of releasing sleep inducing hormones and chemicals since it expects to shut down soon for some slumber?

One of those habits is getting the brain to believe that sleep is right around the corner once you lay in your bed. If you begin to associate your bed with activities such as reading or studying, your brain may fail to make the right association. It’s only science.

Listen to a podcast or audiobook

Not a fan of reading actual books? Soak it in through your ears and there’s no better time before bed. It’s a chance to kick back, relax and potentially even close your eyes as you listen to an audiobook of your choice.

If you’d prefer not to pay for the audio version of a book, there’s also thousands of podcasts available for free. Ranging from storytelling to personal development and anything in between, there’s never been a better selection of tools at your disposal.

Keep your schedule consistent

Whatever you do, keep consistency. Implementing a good routine or habit for a week and then falling off won’t do you much good. If you’re confused why something isn’t working, focus on your execution.

Things like this take time — you can’t expect a 180 turnaround after a week or two. This is especially true when you’ve already tricked your brain into association with a bad habit that you’re trying to undo.

Neuroplasticity, the ability for the brain cells to form connections based on repetition is a real thing. Like anything, it can be good or bad — if you’ve implemented great habits, neuroplasticity is an awesome thing. If you’ve implemented bad habits, it’s a bad thing.

But lucky for you, it’s completely possible to undo bad connections and form good ones with a little bit of patience and grit. Here’s how you can learn to break a bad habit: How I Broke 3 Bad Habits in Less Than 2 Months

Don’t wait to start

If you could start making changes today to help you get better sleep, what would you do? If you’re consistently not getting enough sleep, it’s time to implement some great habits into your lifestyle to bring yourself to peak performance.

Developing a routine, listening to audiobooks or podcasts, keeping a consistent schedule, reserving the bed for sleeping only and staying satiated are just a few of the choices at your disposal.

It’s time to go out and get the sleep you deserve.

Featured photo credit: Sarah Diniz Outeiro on Unsplash via unsplash.com

Reference

[1]	^	WebMD: 10 Things to Hate About Sleep Loss
[2]	^	Johns Hopkins Medicine: The Effects of Sleep Deprivation
[3]	^	National Sleep Foundation: The Complex Relationship Between Sleep, Depression & Anxiety
[4]	^	NCBI: Sleep and Metabolism: An Overview
[5]	^	WebMD: Carbs May Help You Fall Asleep Faster

The post Signs Your Lack of Sleep Is Slowly Killing You (And How to Turn Around) appeared first on Lifehack.

from Lifehack https://ift.tt/2JqdyQJ