Drinking orange juice and tomato juice while pregnant has been shown to improve infant intelligence

A new study explores in greater depth the effect on infant cognition of drinking fruit juice while pregnant. Results show that infants whose mothers had their diets supplemented with fruit juice – particularly orange juice and tomato juice – performed significantly better on tests of memory. “Our results show that there is significant cognitive benefit… Continue reading Drinking orange juice and tomato juice while pregnant has been shown to improve infant intelligence

Self-control does not mean sacrificing pleasure

Carrot cake or carrot sticks? … sometimes it’s a difficult choice. … sometimes it’s an easy one. If we are trying to reduce our size and change our shape, choosing the cake may feel like a failure of self-control. But not always. Researchers at City University London have discovered that feeling of having “given in… Continue reading Self-control does not mean sacrificing pleasure

Does lack of sleep cause weight gain?

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have discovered that just a few days of sleep deprivation can make us feel less full after eating. After spending a week getting plenty of sleep at home, 15 healthy men in their 20s checked into the sleep lab for the ten-night study. For five of those nights the men… Continue reading Does lack of sleep cause weight gain?

Traditional vegetable diet reduces risk of premature babies

It turns out we should follow our parent’s advice when we’re thinking about becoming parents ourselves, with a study finding eating the traditional ‘three-veggies’ before pregnancy lowers the risk of a premature birth. We analysed the diets of nearly 3500 women and found high consumption of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, green beans and potatoes… Continue reading Traditional vegetable diet reduces risk of premature babies

Throw away the bathroom scales; pick up a tape measure instead

For years, women have been told that weight gain could lead to heart disease. It’s true there is a link between heart disease and the amount of fat on the body. A study by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) indicates it’s the location of the fat that matters most. Not all fat is the… Continue reading Throw away the bathroom scales; pick up a tape measure instead

Japanese doctors found seeds from a Southeast Asian tree may improve obesity and diabetes

Medical researchers have known for a long time that the hormone adiponectin improves obesity and diabetes and that the compound resveratrol increases the production of this beneficial hormone. Researchers from Kumamoto University, Japan who study plants from around the world for useful medicinal properties have found that Melinjo seed extract (MSE) stimulates the production of… Continue reading Japanese doctors found seeds from a Southeast Asian tree may improve obesity and diabetes

Yo-yo dieters’ brains and drug addicts’ brains have similar behaviours

Yo-yo dieters’ brains eventually show “drug-addict” like reactions. Compulsive eater eventually become immune to the reward of pleasurable food, and need a bigger and bigger “hit”, just like drug addicts. Compulsive eaters and drug addicts have similar brain reactions.