There are parts of the world where centenarians are common. Called blue zones, these areas are known for their high percentage of citizens who live far longer and better than the overwhelming majority of the population.

Centenarians, those that live to at least 100, of course, are not exclusive to blue zones.

Longevity in blue zones is often attributed to lifestyle, diet, and genetics. Many citizens in these areas get daily exercise and eat a diet of mainly whole and fresh foods that encourage health. But could a robust immune system be at play, as well?

A new study that was not focused exclusively on blue zones revealed that centenarians might reach 100 and beyond thanks in part to a more agile and adaptive immune system. Blood tests of centenarians, with an average age of 106, showed that they possess highly functional immune systems that adapt easily to infections and illnesses.

The researchers performed a genetics analysis of several immune cells circulating in the bloodstream; then they compared the centenarian cells with two publicly available databases featuring another seven centenarians as well as 52 people ranging in age from 20 to 89.
Using advanced computational techniques and models, the researchers looked for differences. They found that centenarians had been exposed to multiple infections and sources of harm. However, their immune system was able to mount a response to keep them healthy. This allows them to live longer and continue to build a resilient and effective immune system.

It’s also possible that these cells, which offer enhanced immune strength, occupy other tissues, perhaps providing an overall enhancement in muscles, bones, and other organs.

The researchers also found that centenarians’ immune profiles did not follow the path of what would be considered “normal” aging.

A strong and robust immune system is only one factor that may contribute to extreme longevity. It is also hard to tell if lifestyle, happiness, etc. contributed to immune strength.

Another unique aspect of centenarian health is that they tend to develop disease later in life and do not battle illness, ultimately wearing away at them for decades. Many are healthy right up until the day they die.

According to some experts, 30 percent of centenarians don’t get any disease before death.

You might not live to 100, but doing things that promote a strong immune system, like limiting inflammation through diet and exercise, may reduce the risk of illness.

A lot of people have been talking about how their allergies have been getting way worse in recent years, and I’m one of them. As allergy season has kicked off in parts of North America, let’s take a look at why.

First, it doesn’t just seem like they are getting worse; they are. But what is it? Is it lifestyle? Are stress and poor sleep contributing to it? Is pollen stronger? Is there more pollen? Is climate change responsible for worsening allergies and asthma rates over the past couple of decades?

One of the biggest reasons for worsening allergy symptoms is that there is a longer pollen season. Seasonal allergies tend to be caused disproportionately by trees in the spring, grasses in the summer, and ragweed in the fall. But the growing period of “frost-free days,” the time from the last frost in the spring to the first frost in the fall, allows a longer period for allergens to be in the air.

In many places across the United States, and because of climate change, spring starts later and fall ends later, allowing more plants and trees to grow, flower, and produce pollen. Recent research has shown that rising concentrations of sneeze-inducing pollens and lengthening pollen seasons from 1990-2018 are largely driven by climate change.

Climate change also impacts allergens by increasing the potency of pollen. Plants grow bigger and produce more pollen when they are exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide.
Some research has shown that ragweed pollen, the main culprit of allergies for many people, becomes up to 1.7 times more potent under high carbon dioxide. Warmer climates also expand the area where pollen-producing plants can live.

So what can you do about it?

The first thing is to work with your doctor to find the best approach to treatment. Some symptoms are best treated with medications, whereas some may be best addressed with allergy injections.

Injections expose small amounts of allergens in a controlled manner to help your immune system better respond to allergens.

You can also track pollen counts and manage your activities around them. Wearing a mask outdoors may be helpful, as can keeping your home and car windows and doors closed.

Washing your clothes immediately when you come inside and not leaving them to linger in your bedroom or transfer to furniture can also help.

Are you feeling stressed and don’t even know it? Your body can have all kinds of reactions to stress that move beyond feeling adrenaline or anxiety.

Learning how stress affects the body can be a challenge because it can depend on how stressed you are and for how long. For example, research shows that low-to-moderate stress levels may be good for your ability to learn and apply knowledge. High stress, on the other hand, can negatively impact your working memory.

Much like how stress impacts your brain, short- and long-term stress can affect your body differently.

Daily stressors like forgetting to pay a bill or missing the bus to work tend to cause short-term, low-to-moderate stress on the body. Muscles may tense up, heart rate increases, and more oxygen goes into the lungs to help you prepare for the stressor. After the stressor passes, the body goes back to normal.

Short-term stress can also be “acute” if it involves an unexpected crisis, like a car accident. In these cases, the stress response may last for up to three days.

You’ll likely feel the same symptoms as you would for short-term, low-to-moderate stress, as well as:
• abdominal pain
• nausea
• headaches
• anxiety
• irritability or moodiness
• chest pain
• wanting to isolate
• sleep issues
• difficulty breathing
• fatigue
• trouble concentrating
• detachment
Chronic, or long-term stressors, are things like financial issues or conflicts with family members. Your body will get stuck in overdrive in the fight-or-flight response and can not settle back down; it becomes continuously flooded with cortisol. This can lead to inflammation and increase the risk of disease,

Long-term stress can enhance the risk of:
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• stroke
• heart disease
• anxiety disorder
• type-2 diabetes
• arthritis
• obesity
• metabolic syndrome
• addictions
• dementia

Thankfully, there are a host of ways to manage stress. One of them is spending more time in nature. Being around trees in parks, rivers, lakes, or oceans can help relieve stress. Research suggests that spending at least 120 minutes per week, or 2 hours, can elevate the sense of good health and well-being.

Other ways to manage stress include eating “the rainbow,” meaning having a diet high in colourful fruits and vegetables. Taking time to rest and unwind, logging off social and traditional media occasionally, and knowing when to ask for help, can also help take the load off.

Older adults who struggle with memory loss, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer’s disease can find hope in the power of sleep. Recent research suggests that deep, non-REM sleep may provide protection against Alzheimer’s disease, an all too common form of dementia. Those results could prove to be a beacon of hope for sufferers and their families as they look for ways to stave off symptoms and live fuller lives.

Deep sleep, known as non-REM slow wave sleep, has been found to increase resilience against a protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that has been linked to dementia and other brain disease. While disrupted sleep has previously been associated with the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain, a new study from UC Berkeley suggests that significant amounts of deep, slow-wave sleep can help protect against memory decline in those with high amounts of Alzheimer’s disease pathology.

Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. This form of dementia is the most prevalent and destructive, causing gradual destruction of the brain’s memory pathways. As the disease advances, it becomes increasingly challenging for people to perform basic daily tasks that many of us take for granted.

Unfortunately, the number of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease is only expected to grow as the baby boomer generation ages. Statistics show that roughly one in nine people over the age of 65 currently have this progressive disease. In light of these sobering statistics, there is an urgent need for more research and support to help those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

For this new study, researchers examined data from 62 older adults who were not diagnosed with dementia. All participants slept in a lab while researchers monitored their sleep waves with an electroencephalography (EEG) machine. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans were also used to measure the amount of beta-amyloid deposits in the participants’ brains. Half of the participants had high amounts of amyloid deposits, while the other half did not.

After waking in the morning, all participants were required to complete a memory task involving matching names to faces.

Researchers found that those with high amounts of beta-amyloid deposits in their brains who also had higher levels of deep sleep performed better on the memory test than those with the same amount of deposits but who didn’t get proper sleep. This boost was only found in those with amyloid plaque deposits.

In the group with no pathology, deep sleep was not found to add any additional supportive effect on memory. This meant that deep sleep could help blunt some of the detrimental impacts of beta-amyloid pathology on memory.
“Think of deep sleep almost like a life raft that keeps memory afloat, rather than memory getting dragged down by the weight of Alzheimer’s disease pathology,” said Matthew Walker, senior author of the study. “It now seems that deep NREM sleep may be a new, missing piece in the explanatory puzzle of cognitive reserve. This is especially exciting because we can do something about it. There are ways we can improve sleep, even in older adults.”

Promoting Sleep and Brain Health

While some degree of cognitive decline is nearly inevitable as you age, this study shows how other factors can take a toll on the ability of the brain to function at peak potential. This can affect memory, concentration, and overall brain function. The Smart Pill can help to enhance cognitive function and memory through 9 ingredients that help to support, nourish, and maximize brain health. These include ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. The formulation of these ingredients is an excellent way to help fight free radicals, boost circulation, and provide nutritional support to assist with cognitive function.

Sleep Sure Plus can help you get the rest your body needs to help reduce the risk of illness and disease. It is designed to help promote optimal sleep and restfulness through a variety of ingredients. One of the most important ingredients included in this unique formula is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone essential for regulating the circadian rhythm (the internal clock of the body). Sleep Sure Plus also contains valerian, one of the best natural ingredients for promoting rest and relaxation. These two essential ingredients are joined by another 6, which all work together to provide a better quality of sleep.

Your gut is probably more important and responsible for much more than you might think.

In addition to breaking down food and absorbing vital nutrients, it is an important immune system component. A healthy, diverse microbiome may prevent pathogens from entering the body and assist in fighting infections.

Your gut also plays an important role in how you feel emotionally. The gut/brain connection is a growing area of research and could help explain why you may feel queasy when you’re stressed.

In any event, there are things you can be doing – and many gut experts are – to help support your gut. Here are some of them.

Get Serious about Fibre: Fibre serves as food for probiotics (healthy gut bacteria) to keep the population fed and functional. It also helps keep the digestive process moving along. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the best sources, and using the Mediterranean diet as a blueprint can help you get enough fibre.

Avoid Highly Processed Foods: Although they are convenient, highly processed foods like breakfast cereal, chips, baked goods, frozen meals, and fast foods are full of chemicals and ingredients that can be detrimental to the gut and overall health. They also lack fibre.

Exercise Regularly: Regular exercise can benefit gut health, and some research has shown that it can increase “good” bacteria, improving microbiome (the population of gut bacteria) diversity that is a part of overall wellness.

Find Ways to Manage Stress: Stress may be the strongest illustration of the gut-brain connection. You can typically feel mental stress in your gut. Exercise, meditation, or yoga can all help.

Incorporate Probiotics: There is still much to be learned about how eating probiotics impacts gut health, like how many and which ones do what, but eating foods with them may help. Incorporating foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi into your diet may help improve diversity.

Don’t Ignore Symptoms: Never ignore unpleasant symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, flatulence, or unexplained weight gain or weight loss. These are typically the early symptoms that can alert you to an issue with your gut health and digestive system.

Do you really understand what your blood pressure numbers mean and why they’re so important for your overall health?

While most of us go to the doctor’s office or measure our own blood pressure, many people aren’t clear on how to interpret the results or why we need to monitor them. If you want an in-depth understanding of what your blood pressure numbers mean and their significance, then this is the article for you.

In it, we will break down all aspects of blood pressure readings, from what’s normal and how high is too high to lifestyle changes that can help lower an elevated reading, as well as advice on when further medical intervention is needed. So, let’s take a closer look at the world of blood pressure.

Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels as it flows through them. It’s an important indicator of our cardiovascular health.

In blood pressure readings, two numbers are recorded: systolic and diastolic. Systolic blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the arterial walls when the heart is not contracting. Rather, it is resting in between beats.
An ideal blood pressure reading is considered to be around 120/80 mm Hg, but this can vary based on age, physical activity, and other factors. Therefore, monitoring your blood pressure regularly is essential to ensure that it stays within a healthy range.

“When either number is too high for too long, “it causes all kinds of bad things,” Dr. Niteesh Choudhry, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. That can include stroke, heart attacks, kidney disease and other chronic illness. “High blood pressure is a major cardiovascular risk factor, leading to bad outcomes in the heart and brain, and that’s why it’s gotten so much attention for so long.”

A Common Condition

High blood pressure is a common condition among U.S. adults, affecting nearly half of the population. Although hypertension can lead to serious health issues, many people remain unaware they have it due to the lack of symptoms.

Regular check-ups and monitoring of blood pressure levels are crucial to identifying and managing the condition. By taking preventative measures and ensuring early detection, we can work towards reducing the negative impacts of hypertension on our health and well-being.

How High?

According to the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, normal blood pressure for adults is a systolic measurement of less than 120 mmHg and a diastolic reading under 80 mmHg.

Stage 1 hypertension is when systolic blood pressure consistently hits 130-139 mmHg or if diastolic reaches 80-89 mmHg. Stage 2 hypertension is when readings consistently reach 140 mmHg or 90 mmHg or higher, respectively.

Readings that suddenly exceed 180 systolic and/or 120 diastolic require immediate medical attention and are considered a hypertensive crisis.

High blood pressure will develop over time and can be caused by various things. Some of the most common risk factors include being overweight, not getting enough physical activity, eating a poor diet or too much sodium, smoking, or not getting good sleep. Family history, increasing age, diabetes, and gender can also affect hypertension risk.

Since most causes of high blood pressure are lifestyle-related, the good news is that they can be changed. Making simple lifestyle changes such as reducing processed foods, getting recommended exercise, and getting plenty of sleep can help reduce the risk of hypertension.

Healthy Blood Pressure Support

By maintaining healthy blood pressure, you can help to support cardiovascular health and promote overall heart health. Healthy Blood Pressure Support can help to support healthy blood pressure making it an excellent choice for those looking to help maintain cardiovascular health. In addition, Healthy Blood Pressure Support also supports healthy cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health.

It’s a tale as old as time: bunny rabbits like carrots. But humans do too. And guess what, doc? They can offer plenty of nutrition to help your body function well.

Carrots are a significant source of several crucial nutrients. Even better, there isn’t just one way to eat them. They are convenient and versatile; you could pull them straight from the ground, wash them, and eat them if you wanted to. You could also peel them and cut them up, slice, dice, add to foods, or even juice. They’re even great cooked.

They offer a range of nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin K and potassium, but it’s vitamin A may be the biggest benefit. Vitamin A helps support the immune system, heart, lungs, and perhaps most famously, eye health.

British propaganda in the World War II era insinuated that carrots (vitamin A) improved eyesight, but it does not. That said, a deficiency in vitamin A can lead to night blindness.
There are two forms of vitamin A: preformed and provitamin A. Preformed is found in animal foods like dairy and meat. When taken in excess, like in supplements, it can be toxic.

Provitamin A comes from plant-based chemicals called carotenoids. Not all carotenoids can be converted into vitamin A, but orange carrots are loaded with some that do, like alpha and beta carotene. One regular raw carrot (2 oz. or 60 grams) has about 75 percent of the vitamin A needed for an adult woman and 56 percent for an adult man.

Carrots are also available in various colours and have slightly different nutrient profiles. Purple carrots have anthocyanin, which is linked to better gut health, improved cognition, and heart health.

Yellow carrots have lutein, which may help with vision and brain health. Red carrots contain lycopene, like red tomatoes and watermelon, which may help reduce stroke risk.

Whether you eat carrots raw or cooked, fresh or frozen, all the nutrients will be there. There is one caveat: if you’re eating raw carrots, you’ll want to have them with a fat source. If not, you’ll miss out on the benefits of carotenoids. So, put olive oil on your salad, peanut butter in your smoothies, meat in your stew, or dip them in hummus for a snack.

Are you looking for a simple way to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease? If so, look no further: performing deep breathing exercises may be the answer.

Studies have shown that regular practice of certain breathing techniques can interact with the nervous system to help bolster mental resilience and maintain an ideal level of cognizance in adults, which could lower your chances of developing one of the most severe age-related conditions known to man. Read on to uncover how something as easy as deep breaths has been proven to sharpen cognitive abilities in aging adults and contribute significantly towards achieving a healthier life!

As we age, our bodies have a harder time sliding between the sympathetic nervous system and its partner, the parasympathetic nervous system. Often referred to as the “rest and digest” part of our system, the parasympathetic nervous system allows us to calm down, digest food easily, and sleep soundly. When the body is in this state, the variation of heartbeats is greater.

This is the information that is helping researchers learn about our ability to access our parasympathetic nervous system and, thus, our heart rate variation.

The First to Discover

A new study published last month in the journal Scientific Reports was one of the first to discover how amyloid beta levels can be reduced through breathing exercises. By following simple breath work, researchers believe the peptides in the blood associated with Alzheimer’s disease can be lowered.

For the study, participants were asked to do biofeedback exercises twice a day for 20 minutes at a time. Heart monitors were attached to participants’ ears and connected to a laptop provided by researchers. Half of the group was instructed to think of calm images such as a beach scene, a park walk, or music they liked. While they relaxed, they were told to keep an eye on their heart rate, as displayed on the laptop screen and try to make it as steady as possible.

The other group was told to follow a breathing rhythm with a pacer on the laptop screen. They also monitored their heart rates, which rose in peaks as they inhaled and dipped down to baseline as they exhaled. Their goal was to increase the breathing-induced oscillations in their heart rate.

Researchers took blood samples from all participants before the experiment and again after four weeks of biofeedback training. The plasma of participants from both groups was examined for amyloid beta peptides.

Accumulation of amyloid beta in the brain due to increased production and/or decreased clearance is believed to be the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease. This protein clumps together and forms plaques, disrupting communication between brain cells and causing them to die. As more plaque accumulates, cognitive function declines, leading to memory loss, difficulty with language and reasoning, and an inability to perform even simple tasks.

For this study, researchers found that plasma levels in the group who breathed slowly with a pacer decreased.

“Now researchers want to figure out why the peptides decrease when HRV increases,” said Jungwon Min, lead author of the study. “Is it because fewer peptides are being produced? Or because the body clears them out better? Or some combination of both?”
Although more research is needed to understand this connection between breathing and amyloid plaque fully, this study adds to the mounting evidence that there may be alternative therapies for reducing cognitive decline. Regularly practicing slow-paced breathing may be a low-cost and low-risk way to reduce plasma levels and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Previous studies have found that sleep deprivation and stress can increase amyloid beta levels, but that it is more challenging to decrease amyloid beta with behavioral interventions.

While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, understanding the relationship between amyloid beta and the disease process is crucial in developing effective treatments and prevention strategies.

Reducing the Risk of Cognitive Decline

While some degree of cognitive decline is nearly inevitable as you age, other numerous factors can take a toll on the ability of the brain to function at peak potential. This can affect memory, concentration, and overall brain function. The Smart Pill can help to enhance cognitive function and memory through 9 ingredients that help to support, nourish, and maximize brain health.

These include ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. This unique formula helps to boost circulation, fight free radicals, and provide nutritional support to assist with cognitive function.

Can talk therapy help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke? While it may seem unlikely, evidence suggests that psychological treatments for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress are associated with improved cardiovascular health.

New research recently published in the European Heart Journal suggests that improving mental health could also help physical health, especially in those under 60. This was the first study to examine the association between depression symptoms with psychological therapy and whether it can help lower the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.

For the study, researchers analyzed information from 636,955 adults over 45 years old with depression who had completed a course of psychological therapy and did not have cardiovascular disease or dementia. The information was obtained from national electronic health record databases in England.

Depression levels were assessed before and after therapy using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which gives a score of 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day) for nine items. These included little interest or pleasure in doing things; feeling down, depressed, or hopeless; trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much; feeling tired or having little energy; poor appetite or overeating; feeling you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down; trouble concentrating on things; moving or speaking slowly or being fidgety or restless; thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way.

Researchers determined that depression was defined as a score of 10 or more. Patients were followed for at least 365 after their last therapy session, and new onset all-cause cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality was recorded.

Researchers found that during a median follow-up of 3.1 years in those who engaged in talk therapy, depression symptoms improved in 59% of participants. This improvement in depression was associated with 12%, 11%, 12%, and 19% lower risks of any cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality, respectively, versus no improvement. It was noted that all associations were stronger in 45 to 60-year-olds.
Study author El Baou said, “Our findings emphasize the importance of making psychological treatments more widely available and accessible to enhance mental and physical health. This is especially relevant for certain groups who face barriers to accessing psychological therapies and are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Collaborative care systems where specialists from both disciplines work together could be one way to make treatment more accessible and obtain better outcomes overall.”

Maintaining Heart Health

Keeping the heart strong and healthy is vital for enjoying a high quality of life as you age. Heart Rescue was designed to help support and promote cardiovascular health using a variety of ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, magnesium, and hawthorn extract. This formula’s health benefits can help strengthen the heart muscle, support circulation, and help reduce the risk of heart disease.

CoQ10 is a vital nutrient needed to promote healthy cardiovascular function. However, research has shown that CoQ10 levels can decline with stress, age, and cholesterol-lowering statin use. Due to this decline, it’s essential to help support and maintain CoQ10 levels.

The major issue with standard CoQ10 supplementation is that it is a large, fat-soluble molecule that is poorly absorbed in the body. However, CoQ10 Premium Gold gets around this issue by supplying a water-soluble form of CoQ10 for superior absorption by the body. This gives the body the CoQ10 it needs to support energy production and help maintain cardiovascular health.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets at least a little bit happy when a study reveals that a glass of wine or beer per day can have some health benefits.

But the fact is that a daily drink or two isn’t doing anything for your health from a physical standpoint. At least those are the findings from an extensive new evidence review.

The new report suggests previous work linking alcohol consumption and the potential health benefits of moderate drinking are flawed, and that any observed positives go away when these flaws are taken into account.

The research team noted that previous studies on alcohol’s benefits tended to place former drinkers in the same group as lifetime abstainers, essentially classifying them all as non-drinkers. But many former drinkers typically cut down on alcohol because of health problems.

By taking this into account, the researchers found that former drinkers actually have a 22 percent higher risk of early death than never-drinkers. Their presence in a non-drinker group biases results, creating the illusion that moderate drinking is healthy.

But not all drinking is bad. It just might not have any benefits.

For example, at best, a standard-sized drink or two per day may have no ill effects. But going higher than that, say three to four, can significantly increase the risk of early death.

A standard drink in the United States contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, according to the US National Institutes of Health. That is the equivalent of 12 ounces of 5 percent beer, 5 ounces of 13 percent wine, and 1.5 ounces of a distilled spirit.

Overall, it appears that neither occasional drinkers (less than 1.3 grams, or one drink every two weeks) nor low-volume drinkers (up to 24 grams per day, or about 2 drinks) had a significantly lower risk of death. It also seems that there is a slightly increased risk of death for people drinking around 3 per day.

The risk of death jumped when people had four drinks per day or 45 or more grams of alcohol.

Researchers also noted that alcohol has a more dramatic effect in lower amounts on women than on men. This is likely due to biological factors.

It’s known that alcohol use can increase the risk of liver disease, heart disease, and more.

If you like to enjoy a few drinks from time to time to relax or enjoy the company of friends, it can be good for you from a mental and social standpoint. But no alcohol is best when you’re thinking about heart health.

It’s no secret to most of us that a good night’s sleep helps us feel more rested, energetic, and able to take on the day. However, recent research has revealed that environmental pollutants such as air pollution, heat, carbon dioxide, and noise can all detrimentally affect our quality of sleep, especially for those living in urban areas where these factors tend to be at much higher levels than rural locations.

By understanding how air pollution and other factors influence our sleeping patterns, we can develop strategies and solutions to help minimize the negative impact they may have.

The new study published in Sleep Health was one of the first to measure multiple environmental variables in the bedroom and examine the association with sleep efficiency. Researchers compared sleep efficiency during exposures to environmental variables and measured from the highest 20 percent of levels versus the lowest 20 percent of levels.

It was found that high noise was associated with a 4.7 percent decrease in sleep efficiency compared to low noise plus high carbon dioxide with a 4.0 percent decline, Low levels with high temperature with a 3.4 percent decline compared to low temperature, and high air pollution with a 3.2 percent decline compared to low air pollution.

Due to these findings, researchers suggest that more studies may be needed to help build interventions to improve sleep efficiency by reducing exposure to sleep-disrupting factors.

“This could be as simple as leaving a bedroom door open to lower carbon dioxide levels, and using triple-pane windows to reduce noise,” Bhatnagar said study author, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ph.D.. “We also applied for funding that will allow us to investigate whether planting trees can improve sleep and cardiovascular health through improving health behaviors and the bedroom environment.”
In today’s environment, many people are suffering from poor sleep efficiency. This lack of proper sleep has previously been linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and dementia, so it is vital that we find resources to help people get the sleep they need.

As this study shows, many factors can play into poor sleep. However, with proper knowledge and a few lifestyle changes, everyone can benefit from a good night’s sleep.

Promoting Optimal Sleep

Sleep Sure Plus is designed to help promote optimal sleep and restfulness through a variety of ingredients. One of the most important ingredients included in this unique formula is melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone essential for regulating the circadian rhythm (the internal clock of the body). Sleep Sure Plus also contains valerian, one of the best natural ingredients for promoting rest and relaxation. These two essential ingredients are joined by another 6, which all work together to provide a better quality of sleep.

Some things happen when you get older; that’s just the way it is. A part of it can be a gradual change in memory and thinking skills. Sometimes it may take a bit longer to focus or pick up on new information.

This slowdown doesn’t necessarily indicate anything serious but can be frustrating. The bottleneck processing speed may be due to too much info coming into your short-term memory, which lessens what you’ll pick up and ultimately remember.

Thankfully, there are things you can do to help improve focus, so you’ll end up remembering more of what you learn.

Really do your best to focus when someone is speaking to you. Look directly at them and listen closely. If you miss something that they said, ask them to repeat it or speak more slowly.
Paraphrasing what was said can also help you retain information. This not only helps you remember, but it can ensure you correctly heard what was said. So if someone says, “Would you like to go to the park at 3:30 or the movies at 4:30?” say, “Which your you prefer, the park at 3:30 or the movies at 4:30?”

You can also try getting together with people in quieter settings if you’ve been having trouble being distracted by background sounds.

For example, hosting a dinner at your place instead of a noisy restaurant. Or, if you are at a restaurant that can impede hearing, sit at a table near the wall. Have your partners sit with their backs to the wall so you can focus on them and not the other action around you.

Doing one thing at a time is one of the best ways to focus and rub out distractions. So if someone asks you for something when you’re in the middle of reading or working, ask if they’ll wait until you’re finished. And remember, you don’t have to pick up your phone every time you get a call, text, or email!

Spring is here, and there are signs of life beginning to bud and bloom. And if you’re one of the millions of people with seasonal allergies, it also means sneezing, congestion, and a bunch of bothersome symptoms.

Seasonal allergies, also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis, can make you miserable. No one wants to spend their spring indoors for fear of an allergy attack.

There are things you can do to prevent symptoms and breathe easier so you can feel better and still enjoy some of the season. Here are a few strategies that may make your allergies less miserable.

Reduce exposure to allergy triggers
The less exposure, the better, so try…
• Staying indoors on windy days. The best time to go outside is right after a rain, which helps to clear pollen from the air.
• Avoiding tasks like lawn mowing, weed pulling, and other gardening chores that can stir up allergies. Call your kids.
• Remove clothes you’ve worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.
• Wearing a facemask if you have to do outdoor chores.
• Avoid hanging laundry outside (pollen will stick to your sheets, towels, etc.)

Take extra steps when pollen counts are high
• Check TV, radio, and apps for pollen forecasts and levels to help you prepare your day
• If high pollen is forecasted, start taking allergy medications before symptoms start
• Close windows and doors
• Avoid outdoor activity early in the morning when pollen counts are typically the highest
Keep indoor space clean
Allergens can get inside and make it hard to breathe inside. Although there are no miracle products that can fully eliminate allergens from the air in your home, you can …
• Use air conditioning in your home and car
• If you have forced heating or air conditioning, use high-efficiency filters and follow regular maintenance schedules
• Keep indoor air dry with a dehumidifier
• Use a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in the bedroom
• Clean floors often with a HEPA filter vacuum

You can prevent and treat symptoms with a variety of medications, ranging from antihistamines to nasal sprays. One natural and effective method to relieve congestion is to rinse the sinuses.

Rinsing the nasal passage with a saline solution is a quick, inexpensive, and effective way to relieve congestion; it directly flushes mucus and allergens from your nose.

You can purchase a ready-made nasal flush or a kit that just needs water. If you use a kit, use bottled water to lower the risk of infection. You can also make your own solution with 1 quart (1 litre) of water, 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 ml) of canning salt, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda. Be sure to rinse after each use with clean water and allow it to dry in the open air.

E. coli bacteria are always caught up in food poisoning stories, but a new study suggests they could make you sick in other ways.

Brand new research has revealed that these same microbes may be responsible for causing millions of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

UTIs are a very common illness that affects more than half of women at least once in their lives. The vast majority of them are caused by E. coli.

Symptoms of a UTI include a frequent urge to urinate, burning while urinating, and lower belly pain.

Most strains of E. coli exist naturally in the gut as part of a diverse microbiome. They are completely harmless and even possess benefits. Sometimes when it is shed in stool, however, it can migrate to the urinary tract and cause a UTI.

The prevalence of UTIs in women all comes down to anatomy. The opening to the urethra is situated close to the anus, making it much easier for bacteria to find their way to the urinary tract. Women are 30 times more likely than men to get one.
But now new evidence suggests that at least a portion of UTIs may be caused by food. The research team found genetic evidence that some UTIs are caused by E. coli in chicken, turkey, and pork that people buy from the grocery store. The bacteria find their way into the urinary tract like other UTI-causing E. coli do, but the source is different.

The researchers estimated that about 8 percent of UTIs caused by E. coli could be traced to a food source, accounting for a half million infections per year.

The team analyzed genomes of E. coli from meat and from UTI patients, focusing on segments of bacterial DNA that are unique strains that colonize in animals that people eat but not people. From there, they modelled the likelihood of whether or not the infection came from food.

These findings do not prove that UTIs can come from undercooked meats, but they further reinforce safe cooking methods and adequate food hygiene. Be adamant about cooking meat properly as well as cross-contamination. Wash your hands and cooking surfaces well and often when handling raw meat and packaging.