Wellness

Did you over-indulge in too many high-calorie foods over the holidays? Put on a few extra pounds? Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and a few extra pounds add up to health risks. However, drinking green tea may help fight body fat and also lower cholesterol levels.

Green tea is lower in caffeine than coffee, so it makes a great coffee substitute. A high intake of caffeine can cause nervousness, dependence, and sleep problems.

A recent, small study on green tea in Japan showed that taking green tea extract was associated with losing body fat and weight. The more green tea extract the study participants took, the bigger the effect. The subjects also had lower LDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure (to counteract hypertension).
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Does the idea of flying out to spend the holidays with family and friends make your eyes mist up?

Good! You’re going to need the moisture!

One of the biggest challenges with air travel is to prevent dry eyes. Why?

Low Humidity

You are probably used to a relative humidity above 40%. If you have a hygrometer or humidity sensor in your house, you are in the habit of monitoring your home’s relative humidity.
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The rise of myopia, also known as shortsightedness, has increased significantly in the past 30 years in the United States. Time spent outdoors has dropped off in this time period. Researchers at the National Eye Institute conducted a study of children and teens that shows a possible link between less time spent in outdoor activity and myopia.

In the early 1970’s, 25% of 12 to 54 year olds in the United States had myopia. In 1999-2004, that figure was 42%, a huge increase.
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Don’t just take it from us that glaucoma risk increases in those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and who are overweight.  Researchers publishing in the journal Ophthalmology have found that these conditions, which together are labeled “metabolic syndrome” are all linked to the development of open-angle glaucoma.

A staggering 20% of people in America are said to have metabolic syndrome.  Both metabolic syndrome and glaucoma are associated with aging, so, as the US population gets older, scientists believe that both conditions with become more prevalent.
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Preliminary research shows that a regular yoga practice can help stroke patients recover more effectively.

A study of 20 stroke survivors of an average age of 66 engaged in twice weekly yoga classes for two months.  It was found that the participants balance improved.  Researchers also found that a practice of yoga could help prevent potentially dangerous falls.

On the whole, balance scores increased by 17% on the Berg Balance Scale and by 34% on the Fullerton Balance Scale.  It is important to not that the average score was upped from 40 to 47 on the Berg Balance Scale, which means that the individuals were no longer on the “high risk” list when it comes to falls.
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A new study confirms earlier findings that indicate that consuming red and processed meats increases one’s risk of developing colorectal cancer.  The study also strengthens previous assertions that fiber rich foods help protect people from colorectal cancer.

This evidence underlines the preventable nature of colorectal cancer, since it is so attributable to diet.  According to Elisa Bandera, MD, PhD, who served on the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research’s Continuous Update Project (CUP) Expert Panel that authored the report “About 45 percent of colorectal cancer cases could be prevented if we all ate more fiber-rich plant foods and less meat, drank less alcohol, moved more and stayed lean.”
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There seems to be a common misconception out there that material written in bold font will be easier to remember

New research actually finds that heavy typeface doesn’t help people retain material.  Instead, researchers find that unusual or difficult to read fonts actually help increase the likelihood that you will remember what you read.

A study published in the journal Cognition found that trial participants who studied material in the familiar and easy to read 16-point Arial font only retained about 73% of the facts when tested later.  The rest of the group that read the material in 12-point Comic Sans MS or 12-point Bodoni MT remembered 85.5% of the things they read.
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In addition to significantly compromising vision, glaucoma is a disease that also takes an emotional toll, according to a new study in the April issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

This study of 24 Chinese individuals with glaucoma showed that there are many fears associated with the disease including concerns about blindness and how the condition may effect other family members.  Many who were on medication, such as eye drops, were found to be self-administering them incorrectly.
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