The Truth About Protein

ProteinAnyone that works out on a regular basis knows how important it is to maintain a healthy diet for best results. Most people are aware working out requires a diet rich in protein. Even if you don’t work out, odds are you’ve heard of protein shakes. Drinking protein shakes every day may not have the effect you want. Instead of drinking protein shakes or adding protein powders to your drinks, you should try to introduce a variety of different proteins to your diet.

Why is Protein So Important?

Every cell in your body requires protein because protein builds and repairs tissues. Proteins are also used to produce enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals your body needs. They are important building blocks for your muscles, bones, skin, blood, and cartilage.

So why do bodybuilders consume so many protein shakes and bars? It’s because, in order to build muscle, you have to break it down so that the body can repair it (and make it stronger). That process requires a lot of protein.

Why Should You Cut Down on Protein Shakes?

A new study was recently published in Nature Metabolism: Even though BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) can help build muscle, they have their share of drawbacks. For example, not only can consuming BCAAs negatively impact your mood and cause weight gain, but consuming too much can also reduce your lifespan. This is especially true if your diet is high in protein but low in carbohydrates. 

The better course of action is to vary your protein sources to get a variety of amino acids into your diet. For example, red meats, chicken, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, lentils, and more are healthier choices. 

Learn More About Maintaining a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is essential to maintaining good health. For more diet-related advice and to stay up-to-date on the latest health-related news, be sure to keep visiting us at The Benefits Store.

Can Exercise Help Prevent Cartilage Damage?

Individuals who are living with arthritis often experience cartilage damage. Cartilage is a connective tissue that functions as a cushion between the bones of joints. When cartilage damage occurs as a result of arthritis, that cushion disappears, often causing joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent the destruction of cartilage caused by osteoarthritis. A recently published study revealed that exercise may be the key to preventing cartilage damage.

How Exercise Can Prevent Cartilage Damage

The study revealed that exercise causes the cells in one’s joints to experience mechanical forces that help to suppress the action of inflammatory molecules, which is what leads to osteoarthritis. When a person exercises, the cartilage in their joints are squashed. This mechanical distortion is identified by living cells within the cartilage. These cells block the action of inflammatory molecules as a result.

The study revealed that the anti-inflammatory effect caused by exercise is the result of the activation of HDAC6, which is a type of protein. When the HDAC6 is activated, it triggers a change in the proteins that form the primary cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures found on living cells. While there are certain pharmaceutical drugs that block the activation of HDAC6, thereby preventing the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise, there are other treatments available that can have the opposite effect, thereby mimicking the positive effects of exercise.

Anyone living with arthritis should exercise as a way to prevent their cartilage from degenerating, as this recent study, which was published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, has shown.  The study also backs the fact that exercise has anti-inflammatory effects on the arteries’ normal blood flow, helping to prevent arterial diseases, including aneurysms and atherosclerosis.

The results of the recently published study suggest that a new therapeutic approach called mechano-medicine could help treat conditions such as arthritis. Mechano-medicine would involve the use of drugs that simulate the effect of physical activity to help prevent cartilage damage. For all the latest information about advances in arthritis treatment or for health news in general, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Mind-Melding: Facts to Know About the Brain

Parents often complain they have no idea what their kids are thinking; but when their children are born, there’s actually a mental link between the mother and baby. This is because the brain waves of babies “sync” with those of their mother as they are learning about their social environment. In fact, brain research recently presented at the CNS (Cognitive Neuroscience Society) revealed just how much the neural activity of babies sync with their mothers’ and what this means.

Brain Research Involving Neural Activity Syncing

Most neuroscience research that has been done involving the brain has been focused on the brain in isolation. Yet human beings are immensely social creatures. Very little is actually known about how the human brain performs social learning. As a result, scientists are looking for ways to understand brain function in a social context. 

The study recently presented at the CNS focused on how mothers responded toward novel toys in an emotional manner, and how those responses affected how their infants reacted to the toys. Both the mothers and their infants wore wireless EEG technology. Scientists would then record the brainwaves from each device as mothers reacted emotionally to one toy and how the infants reacted in response.

For example, a mother would pick up a toy, frown, and state she didn’t like the toy. The infant would then be allowed to choose what toy to play with. According to the data collected, the infants would be more likely to respond based on how their mothers reacted.

The study shows the neural activity of infants and their mothers are connected and how important it is to begin looking at the brain in a more social context. Learn more about the human brain and stay up to date on all health news by visiting us at The Benefits Store.

A Dog’s Nose: Sniffing out Seizures

Seizure Alert DogsSeizures can be caused by many different types of ailments. Epilepsy is one of the more common illnesses that causes seizures. It’s a neurological disorder that one out of 26 Americans will be diagnosed with over a lifetime. It’s estimated that roughly 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with epilepsy every year. Seizures are dangerous; they can cause a wide range of symptoms, including a loss of awareness and uncontrollable twitching, which can also lead to physical injuries.

Although there is no cure, a recent advancement in the study of seizures was made when it was found that dogs could identify the odor of a seizure. The potential use of seizure alert dogs could help researchers figure out ways to prevent seizures before they happen.

The Potential of Seizure Alert Dogs

There is enough evidence to indicate dogs have the ability to sniff out seizures before they happen; however, it’s unclear what exactly dogs are smelling. It could mean the subtle changes in how a person is behaving triggers a dog’s response. Whatever it is could lead to more knowledge about the seizures themselves and how to prevent them. At the very least, a person with epilepsy could seek a safe place when alerted by a seizure alert dog. 

A Study on Dogs and Seizures

Scientists recently conducted a study. They took body fluid samples from several subjects with epilepsy, using subjects not experiencing a seizure, exercising, and in the midst of a seizure. They gave these samples to five different dogs trained to identify a range of diseases.

All five dogs were able to identify the sample that was taken from a subject in the midst of a seizure. The study shows that there is something specific that dogs are able to sniff out that indicates a seizure is occurring or about to occur.

Seizure alert dogs can help scientists identify a specific chemical signature which could lead to important advancements in treating epilepsy. For more health news, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Diet Versus Exercise for Maintaining Weight Loss

Diet Versus ExerciseMaintaining a healthy weight is essential to the health of an individual. Being overweight can result in all kinds of health complications down the line. Losing weight is often done through a specific diet in addition to exercise. Unfortunately, keeping that weight off can be a real challenge. It’s why there’s been a regular debate as to what is more effective between diet versus exercise. However, a recent study revealed that the best way to maintain weight loss is not through one’s diet, but through regular exercise.

Study Focused on Diet Versus Exercise

People who lose weight often have a difficult time keeping it off for a long period of time. The study, which was conducted at the AHWC (Anschutz Health and Wealth Center) at the University of Colorado, was published in Obesity. The study found that physical activity helped people maintain weight loss much more effectively than chronically restricting their energy intake through a diet.

The study involved subjects who had maintained the loss of 30 pounds or more for more than a year. It revealed some of the following information about diet versus exercise:

  • Weight loss maintainers burned more calories every day than those who had normal body weight controls.
  • Weight loss maintainers burned more calories in physical activity than overweight/obese individuals or individuals who had normal body weight.
  • Weight loss maintainers consumed a similar amount of calories every day compared to overweight/obese individuals.

The study was performed by measuring the total daily energy expenditure by collecting urine samples after providing subjects with water in which the hydrogen and the oxygen atoms are removed. An uncommon isotope of these elements is then added in their place. The resting metabolic rate of the subjects was also measured to figure out how much energy was used at rest compared to how much was used up as a result of physical activity.

Both Diet and Exercise Are Important

Maintaining a healthy diet is still important when it comes to maintaining one’s health; however, the recently published study revealed that exercise, in particular, will help keep off the weight a person has lost. For more weight loss related news, visit us at The Benefits Store today.