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Global and Health Briefs

Take Cordyceps to Enhance Immunity

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Cordyceps, a fungus that grows on caterpillars high in the Himalayas, has been shown to boost the immune system by detecting and killing virus-infected cells, tumor cells and abnormal cells.

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Boot the Bottle for Mental Well-Being

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Study finds that men and women who have abstained from alcohol during their lives have the highest levels of mental well-being.

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Take Rosemary to Boost Memory, Mood and Sleep

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Rosemary herbal supplements can help to improve memory and sleep, reduce anxiety and lessen depression.

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Panther Power: Texas Pumas Counter Inbreeding

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

The endangered Florida panther has been saved from extinction thanks to the introduction of female Texan pumas.

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Other-Worldly Rock: Extraterrestrial Matter Found on Earth

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

A 3.3 billion-year-old layer of rock has been found in South Africa that contains two types of insoluble organic matter, suggesting extraterrestrial origins.

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Diplomatic Freeze: Conflicts Heating Up Over Arctic Reserves

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Scientists warn that the Arctic is heating up much faster than the world average because of rising greenhouse gas emissions.

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Humanitarian Plea: Environmental Destruction Tapped as War Crime

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

A group of 24 scientists is urging that environmental destruction in conflict zones be treated as war crimes by establishing a new protocol in the Geneva Conventions.

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Tiny Scrubbers: Nanoparticles Purify Water

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

A chemical engineer who grew up in Tanzania has designed a water purification system based on nanomaterials that is being put into use throughout the country.

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Runoff Results: Gulf Dead Zone Keeps Growing

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Agricultural fertilizer runoffs from the Midwest are resulting in an algae-choked “dead zone” the size of Massachusetts at the mouth of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Fertile Fish: Unexpected Aquatic Rebound

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Overfished and struggling widow rockfish are returning to the Pacific coast faster than expected, thanks to legal protections.

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Mushrooming Problem: Climate Crisis May Promote Superbugs

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

A new analysis links climate change to the recent global rise of a multidrug-resistant fungal superbug, Candida auris.

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Superfund Success Story: Toxic Site Now Welcomes Walkers

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

A 47-acre contaminated Superfund site in Bellingham, Washington, has been cleaned up and now holds restored wetlands, walking paths, new trees and returning bird life.

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Melted Memorial: Vanished Ice Immortalized

Sep 30, 2019 08:30AM

Icelanders unveiled a plaque in an official ceremony in memory of Okjokull Glacier, or Ok Glacier, the first of its kind officially lost to climate change.

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Stop the Amazon Fires: Pressure the United Nations to Act

Sep 18, 2019 01:42PM

The Amazon rainforest is in a critical state of near-collapse with a record number of fires in Brazil this year—twice as many as in 2018—as the Brazilian government allows it to happen.

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Eat Vegan Without Compromising Stamina

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

A new study shows that eating a vegan diet does not compromise endurance in runners.

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Be a ‘Warm’ Parent to Extend Kids’ Lives

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Researchers have discovered that cold or unsupportive mothering styles can harm a child’s health into adulthood.

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Soak Up Rays for a Healthier Bowel

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Regular exposure to sunlight can decrease the incidence of irritable bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, in children.

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Sleep Tight to Keep Ulcers at Bay

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Sleep quality, including taking longer to fall asleep and waking more during the night, may be linked to the development of peptic ulcers.

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Try Maqui Berry for Dry Eyes

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Maqui, black berries that grow wild in the rain forests of Chile and Argentina, show promise for relieving dry eyes and eye fatigue from excessive screen time.

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Lower Anxiety to Ease Allergies

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Those suffering from anxiety or depression are more likely to have seasonal or chronic allergies.

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Be Wary of Dental Antibiotics

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

It has been found that preventative antibiotics prescribed by dentists for senior patients with specific heart conditions are unnecessary 81 percent of the time.

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Deathly Air Pollution: More Deadly Than Cigarettes

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

New research finds that toxic air is killing more people in Europe than tobacco smoking.

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Breathing Risk: Pollution Rises Across the U.S.

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Air pollution in general worsened markedly across America between 2015 and 2017, likely due to raising temperatures from climate change.

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Brainy Beasts: Elephants Never Forget—What They Smell

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Elephants have such sensitive olfactory discrimination that they can determine different amounts of food just by sniffing it.

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Trees Please: Rain Forest Dwindling

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

The Amazon Rain Forest continues to lose habitat for animals and plants by clear cutting practices that add to the burden of climate change.

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Whale Wipe-Out: Record Numbers Starving to Death

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

More than 160 dead gray whales have washed up on the Pacific Coast this year, and scientists estimate that they represent just 10 percent of the total number of the dead.

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Cola Quandary: Companies Urge Vietnam Recycling Plans

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Suntory Holdings, a giant Japanese beverage company, has joined its rivals Coca-Cola and Nestlé to encourage new recycling strategies to fend off outlawing single-use plastic items.

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Growing Pains: Climate Changes Upend Farming

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Cultivation throughout the U.S. is becoming more difficult because of unpredictable weather patterns, leading to higher prices and lowered productivity.

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Cetacean Liberation: Canada Bans Captive Sea Mammals

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Canada’s Parliament recently passed legislation banning the practice of breeding and keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity.

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Sustainable Scrubbing: Tips for Toxin-Free House Cleaning

Aug 30, 2019 08:30AM

Safe and effective non-toxic, green cleaning solutions using natural ingredients that are good for our health and the planet.

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Eco-Camping: Keeping It Earth-Friendly

Aug 15, 2019 11:21PM

We can minimize our impact on nature while still enjoying it by using such strategies as buying tents made of recycled materials, forgoing single-use plastics, and packing our trash out instead of burning it.

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Quit Smoking to Avoid Rheumatoid Arthritis: Another Reason to Stop

Aug 15, 2019 11:21PM

In a 30-year study, women that quit smoking sharply reduced their risk of developing seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, which can cause joint deformities and disability.

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Take It Easy on the Eggs: High Intake Increases Mortality

Aug 15, 2019 11:21PM

Eating three to four eggs a week increases heart disease mortality by 6 percent and all-cause mortality by 8 percent, a new study found.

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Use Probiotics to Shed Pounds: Reduces Body Weight and Fat Mass

Aug 15, 2019 11:20PM

Probiotics significantly reduce body weight and fat mass, concluded a Chinese meta-review of 821 obese and overweight people.

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Walk or Run to Keep Blood Vessels and Brains Young: Benefits of Cardio Activity

Aug 15, 2019 11:20PM

After six months of marathon training, running novices reversed the aging of major blood vessels; in another study, heart failure patients that walked fast were less likely to have cognitive impairment.

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Savor Cherries to Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk: Reduces Health Threats

Aug 15, 2019 11:20PM

Montmorency tart cherries in juice or capsules lower systolic blood pressure and insulin levels within hours, reducing factors that lead to metabolic syndrome.

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Eat Plants to Live Longer: Diets High in Vegetables Increase Longevity

Aug 15, 2019 11:20PM

At least one-third of early deaths globally could be prevented if people moved to a largely plant-based diet, Harvard scientists have calculated.

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Fluorescent Findings: Artificial Light Tied to Inflammation

Aug 15, 2019 11:19PM

A new study found that fluorescent lights increase inflammation in the tissues and organs of animals.

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Tiny Flossers: Miniature Robots May Become Dental Technicians

Aug 15, 2019 11:19PM

A University of Pennsylvania scientific team has designed microscopic robots that can precisely and non-invasively remove teeth plaque.

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Floating Solar: Catching Some Rays on the Water

Aug 15, 2019 11:19PM

Installing floating solar panels on only a quarter of U.S. manmade reservoirs could generate about 10 percent of national energy needs.

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Bad Air: Pollution Harms Mental and Physical Health

Aug 15, 2019 11:19PM

Air pollution not only shortens lives, it makes psychotic experiences during adolescence more likely, new research shows.

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Moon Rocks: Tectonic Activity Shakes Geologists

Aug 15, 2019 11:18PM

Seismometers deployed by NASA astronauts half a century ago have picked up surprising “moonquakes” on our 4.6-billion-year-old moon.

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Copper Conflict: Opponents Fight Mine in Arizona Desert

Aug 15, 2019 11:18PM

Strong opposition is building against the federal approval of a massive copper mine in the midst of sacred indigenous land in Arizona that would have severe environmental impacts.

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Bagging It: New York State Bans Plastic Bags

Aug 15, 2019 11:18PM

The use of plastic bags in the Empire State—23 billion a year that mostly end up in landfills and waterways—will become illegal in March.

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Coral Care: Reefs to Get Their Day in Court

Aug 15, 2019 11:13PM

To fight the rapid decline of coral species, the Center for Biological Diversity is filing a lawsuit seeking protective action by the federal government under the Endangered Species Act.

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Hot Topic: Farmers Responding to Climate Change

Aug 15, 2019 11:13PM

Interest in regenerative agriculture, which stores more carbon dioxide in the soil, is growing so fast that 250 soil health bills have been introduced in legislative bodies in the last two years.

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Omega-3 and Cognitive Function

Jul 28, 2019 12:16AM ● By Alina Hornfeldt

Children ages 2 to 6 with high levels of omega-3 in their blood, and especially high levels of DHA, have improved brain function, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

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Taj Kinesiotherapy

Jun 30, 2019 07:23PM

Theodore Rick, owner of Healing Taj–Holistic Stretching and Massage, has added a new therapy he developed called Taj Kinesiotherapy (Taj K), This therapeutic and relaxing technique integrates the body's most powerful energy centers, reflex points and fascia with the central nervous system.

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Eco-Friendly Outdoor Eating: Save Resources, Reduce Food Waste and More

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

It’s eco-wise to fill our picnic basket with bamboo utensils, plant-based bug repellents, sustainable fish and glass containers.

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Eat Mostly Plants to Ease Gum Inflammation: Oral Health Benefits

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Germans that ate a diet low in meat and carbs and high in plants and vitamins for four weeks had significantly less gum inflammation and bleeding that subjects that did not change their eating habits.

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Dangerous Dozen: Produce to Avoid

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Strawberries head the latest list of the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residues; avocados top the clean list.

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Wonder Weed: Hemp to the Rescue at Detox Sites

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Hemp, the no-buzz industrial variety of cannabis, is cleaning nuclear radiation, cadmium, lead and mercury from toxic sites.

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Get Eyes Checked to Detect Early Alzheimer’s: Optometry's Link to Brain Health

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

New infrared technology allows doctors to detect the weakened blood vessels at the back of the eye associated with early Alzheimer’s.

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Action Alert: Greenhouse Gases Hit Landmark

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

When carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit the highest levels ever recorded in human history in May, the networks’ nightly news devoted less than two minutes to climate change versus almost 18 minutes to the birth of the royal baby.

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Sunny Solution: Wastewater Turned into Hydrogen Fuel

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

A Princeton University team has designed a device that uses sunlight to pull hydrogen from industrial wastewater, which could allow factories to simultaneously treat wastewater and generate fuel.

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Take B12 to Help With Parkinson’s: Vitamin Slows Progression

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

The common vitamin B12 may help slow the progression of both hereditary and non-hereditary Parkinson’s Disease, new studies show.

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Munch Nuts for a Healthy Brain: Improves Cognitive Functions

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Chinese seniors that ate more than two teaspoons of nuts a day were found to have better thinking, reasoning and memory than those that didn’t eat nuts.

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Try Cordyceps to Strengthen the Lungs: Medicinal Fungus Helps COPD Patients

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

The Chinese medicinal fungus cordyceps improved lung function, exercise endurance and quality of life in people with chronic lung diseases.

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Alarm Sounded: Ireland Declares Climate Emergency

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Following the UK governments of Wales and Scotland, the Republic of Ireland has declared a climate emergency that may lead to limits on oil and gas exploration and other measures.

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Sleep Better and Feel Happier With Probiotics: Healthy Bacteria Helps with Mood and Rest

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Italian students that took probiotics for six weeks were less depressed, angry and tired than those in a control group.

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Snack on Walnuts to Slow Growth of Breast Tumors: Nut Helps Cancer Patients

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Women with breast cancer that ate a handful of walnuts daily for two weeks experienced a change in gene expression that suppressed the tumor growth.

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Pastoral Pollution: Drugs Found in Rural Rivers

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

Cocaine, pharmaceuticals and pesticides have been found in freshwater shrimp captured from rural rivers in the U.K.

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Too Blue: Algae Loss Colors Ocean

Jun 28, 2019 11:38AM

More than half of the surface area of the planet’s oceans may turn slightly bluer as marine phytoplankton disappear due to seawater warming.

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Molecular Hydrogen: A Key Player in Brain Health

Jun 04, 2019 11:43PM ● By Dori Trossen

In 2007, a group of scientists from Japan had a breakthrough in the understanding of hydrogen gas. They were able to show that hydrogen could neutralize free radicals. Since then, there have been over 400 additional studies on hydrogen and its effects on overall health.

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Neurofeedback: An Opportunity to Regain Brain Health

Jun 04, 2019 11:43PM

Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health suggest that an average of 17.3 million (7.1 percent) adults and 3.2 million (13.3 percent) teenagers experience Major Depressive Disorder each year. Many people struggle with depression year-round. Neurofeedback (brain training) can be used to address these abnormalities and, subsequently, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

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Green Surfing: Search Engine Company Plants Trees

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

Ecosia, a German Internet search engine, has planted more than 52 million trees in the last 10 years by diverting its advertising revenue to funding new trees worldwide.

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Aqua Breakthrough: Clean Water Solution in the Pipeline

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

Chinese scientists have used ultraviolet light and graphitic carbon nitride to purify two and a half gallons of water in one hour.

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Far Out: Earth’s Atmosphere Extends Past Moon

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

The outermost region of the Earth’s atmosphere has been newly determined to reach out much farther than the moon.

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Baby Balking: Climate Change Discourages Childbearing

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

The U.S. birthrate has been falling steadily, partly because prospective parents are worried about the increased frequency and intensity of storm, drought and wildfires, as well as about growing geopolitical unrest and resource scarcity.

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Revamping Recycling: China Forces U.S. Cities to Change Specs

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

China, a major importer of recycled waste, is rejecting shipments contaminated by greasy pizza boxes, polyethylene-lined disposable coffee cups, and plastics like yogurt cups and butter tubs.

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Action Alert: Banish Toxic Air in Plane Cabins

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

The Cabin Air Safety Act seeks to protect airline passengers and crew from toxic fumes that can occur when engine exhaust, fuel fumes, de-icing fluids or ozone is sucked through jet engines into the aircraft cabin.

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Hopper Stopper: Endangered Frogs Keep Millions of Acres as Habitat

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

Almost two million acres of California mountain habitat will remain a protected area for endangered frogs and toads after a federal court dismissed a cattlemen’s lawsuit challenging the designation.

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Mold Matters: Kill It Naturally

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

Toxic mold caused by heavy rains, leaky pipes, and high humidity can be removed with natural products like vinegar and tea tree oil, but extensive mold growth is best remediated by professionals using “green” cleaning methods.

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3-D Meat: Printer Produces Plant-Based Substitute

Jun 04, 2019 07:29PM

A researcher has developed a synthetic meat substitute using vegetable proteins that imitate protein complexes found in real meat and can be produced using a 3-D printer to mimic the texture of beef or chicken.

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Sit Less to Live Longer: Increasing Movement Adds to Longevity

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

Replacing a half hour of sitting or lying around with brisk walking and other moderate physical activities reduces the risk of dying over 14 years by 45 percent.

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Eat More Carbs to Lower Heart Risk: Popular Diets Can Impact Cardiovascular Health

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

Low-carb diets such as Atkins, ketogenic and paleo, which emphasize protein instead of fruits, vegetable and grains, significantly increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, a new study shows.

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Eat Med Diet to Boost Performance: Increases Running Speeds

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

Eleven athletes ran five kilometers a good six percent faster after four days on a Mediterranean diet compared to four days on a Western diet.

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Imbibe Less to Lower Blood Pressure: Link to Alcohol Consumption

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

Consuming as few as seven to 13 alcoholic drinks a week increases the risk of high blood pressure, say researchers.

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Find a Green Space and Make a Friend: Outdoor Colors Increase Trust and Happiness

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

Green spaces and colorful design elements like rainbow-painted crosswalks in a Vancouver, Canada neighborhood made people happier and more trusting of strangers.

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Take Magnesium to Optimize Vitamin D: Levels Out Absorption

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

Magnesium increases Vitamin D absorption in people with low levels and lowers absorption in people with excessive amounts.

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Legal Pot Lifts Junk Food Sales: Recreational Marijuana Increases Unhealthy Snacking

May 31, 2019 10:47AM

After three states legalized recreational marijuana, sales of potato chips, cookies and ice cream rose.

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Natural Awakenings Twin Cities
Norwegian Nudge: Countries Learn from Recycling Strategy

May 31, 2019 10:46AM

Norway recycles a whopping 97 percent of its plastic bottles by making bottle deposit returns simpler, and rewarding participating companies with lower taxes.

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Dancing Prevents Senior Decline: Improves Daily Living

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Elderly Japanese women who danced for exercise were 73 percent less likely to be impaired eight years later doing “activities of daily living” such as walking, cooking, dressing and bathing.

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U.S. Heart Disease on the Rise: News Numbers on Americans With Cardiovascular Disease

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

An estimated 48 percent of American adults have cardiovascular disease, but about 80 percent of the time the disease can be prevented with precautionary medical care and lifestyle changes.

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Mindfulness May Ease Menopausal Symptoms: Reduces Irritability, Anxiety and Depression

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Women in menopause that are mindful and nonjudgmental of their thoughts are less irritable, anxious and depressed, says the Mayo Clinic.

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Prenatal Yoga Reduces Caesareans and Labor Pain: Helps With Smoother Deliveries

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Mothers-to-be that practiced yoga had fewer C-sections, fewer low-weight newborns, and milder and briefer labor pains.

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Post-Coal Cash: Miners Becoming Beekeepers

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Displaced coal miners in the struggling Appalachians are learning beekeeping under a program funded by lawsuits for violations of the Clean Water Act.

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Poisoned Pastures: Nuclear Testing Linked to Radioactive Milk

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Airborne radiation from nuclear bomb testing in Nevada during the Cold War contaminated pastures throughout the country, leading to 340,000 to 690,000 human deaths from radioactive milk, estimates an economist.

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Hatching a Record: Avian Senior Citizen Astounds Again

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

At age 68, Wisdom, a Laysan Albatross in a Hawaiian wildlife refuge, gave birth to at least her 30th chick.

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Bear Blitz: Climate-Challenged Polar Bears Invade Town

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Confronted with melting ice, about 50 polar bears are roaming the streets and eating from the garbage dumps of a remote military town in Russia.

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Skip the Slip: Digital Receipts Gain Momentum

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Proposed legislation in California would mandate digital receipts as a way to lower the carbon footprint and endocrine-disrupting effects of paper receipts.

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On the Brink: Monarchs Need Species Protections

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Being listed as part of the Endangered Species Act would protect monarch butterflies, the numbers of which have plunged by roughly 97 percent in 20 years.

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Dim Prospects: Light Bulb Standards Weakened

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

A proposed rollback of stricter federal standards for energy-efficient light bulbs could cost each household about $100 a year on electric bills.

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Exercise Improves Young Brains, Too: Not Just Seniors Who Can Benefit

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Aerobic activities improve the executive thinking skills of both young and old people, report Columbia University researchers.

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Fruits and Veggies Boost Moods: Eating Produce Heightens Mental Well-Being

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Based on health data of 40,000 people, British researchers found that simply eating more produce measurably heightens mental well-being.

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Beyond Green Burial: Human Composting at the End of Life

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

It is now legal to compost human remains in the State of Washington, a pioneering process that can lower the carbon footprint of cremation and casket burial.

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Selenium and CoQ10 Provide Lasting Benefits: Reduced Cardiovascular Mortality Risk

Apr 30, 2019 10:46AM

Twelve years after a study ended, senior participants that had taken CoQ10 and selenium had lowered their cardiovascular mortality risk more than 40 percent.

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Household Cleaning Products Affect Babies’ Guts and Weight: Disinfectants Linked to Health Concerns

Mar 29, 2019 10:54AM

Canadian toddlers in households that used chemical disinfectants at least once a week had disturbed gut microbes and higher body mass index scores than toddlers in households that used vinegar or other eco-friendly cleaners.

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Smoking Bans Lower Blood Pressure: Local Restrictions Improve Health for Citizens

Mar 29, 2019 10:54AM

Non-smokers in areas that have banned smoking in public space have lower systolic blood pressure.

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Curcumin Boosts Fertility in Men: Increases Sperm Count and Motility

Mar 29, 2019 10:54AM

In a 10-week study, infertile Iranian men that took curcumin experienced a significant increase in sperm count, concentration and motility.

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