The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health |
- To look better, you need to sleep better
- Copper and magnetic bracelets don’t help with rheumatoid arthritis
- Blueberries and red grapes may boost immunity
| To look better, you need to sleep better Posted: US researchers confirm that good quality sleep can boost your physical attractiveness. PERHAPS it comes as no surprise but now we've got the research to prove it: you look more attractive when you sleep well. In a small new study published September 15 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, scientists have found that several months of quality sleep – that is, sleep not interrupted by sleep apnoea, heaving snoring, or other breathing issues – made participants look younger and more attractive. Researchers at the University of Michigan say that they are the first to use a scientific face-measuring system dubbed photogrammetry to objectively measure the youthfulness and attractiveness of 20 subjects who were being treated for sleep apnoea. Digital photos of the subjects' faces were taken with a high-precision three-dimensional camera before and after at least two months of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, the gold standard treatment for sleep apnoea involving wearing a sleep mask to help keep the breathing airway opening. Then, 22 volunteers – a mix of medical professionals and regular folks – viewed the images paired side-by-side in random order and rated them for alertness, youthfulness and attractiveness. For the majority of subjects, the judges ranked the "after" image more attractive and younger than the "before" shot. "Image analysis also found post-treatment decreases in forehead surface volume, which may reflect changes in nightly fluid shift, and decreased redness under the eyes and over the cheeks," the researchers wrote. Head researcher Dr Ronald Chervin said the study results could be motivational for the millions of people who have sleep apnoea. In the US alone, it is estimated that up to 18 million adults suffer from untreated obstructive sleep apnoea, a serious illness that can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other ailments. "This may help convince patients to use their CPAP machines on a nightly basis," he said. A separate Swedish study announced earlier this month found that sleep-deprived people do in fact look rough, with redder, more swollen eyes, darker under-eye circles, more wrinkles and droopier eyelids and mouths than their well-rested selves. People also looked sadder when sleep-deprived than after a normal sleep, and this apparent sadness was related to looking fatigued, said the University of Stockholm researchers. – AFP Relaxnews |
| Copper and magnetic bracelets don’t help with rheumatoid arthritis Posted: The study showed that such devices had no therapeutic effects. COPPER bracelets and magnet wrist straps have no real effect on pain, swelling, or disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis, according to new findings from a study conducted at the University of York in the UK. Wearing copper bracelets to fend off symptoms of rheumatism has been popular since the 1970s. Devices, including bracelets and insoles, are widely sold and promoted for their pain-relieving abilities, as well as controlling the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Despite little scientific evidence of their value, it's estimated that more than US$1bil (RM3.3bil) worth of copper and magnetic devices are sold annually around the world. The researchers say that their study is the first randomised controlled trial to study the effects of copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps on the chronic inflammatory disease. Seventy patients each wore four different devices over a five-month period, reporting on their pain, disability, and medication use throughout the study. To monitor changes in inflammation, subjects also provided blood samples after wearing each device for five weeks. Findings, published online September 16 in PLOS One, showed that none of the devices provided any more therapeutic effects than a placebo. "It's a shame that these devices don't seem to have any genuine benefit," said head researcher Dr Stewart Richmond. "They're so simple and generally safe to use. But what these findings do tell us is that people who suffer with rheumatoid arthritis may be better off saving their money, or spending it on other complementary interventions, such as dietary fish oils for example, which have far better evidence for effectiveness. "Warning people who suspect they may have rheumatoid arthritis to consult their GP and seek early medical treatment, rather than placing faith in such devices, is also important in helping to avoid long-term joint damage resulting from uncontrolled inflammation," he added. – AFP Relaxnews |
| Blueberries and red grapes may boost immunity Posted: Researchers say that chemicals in red wine and blueberries may boost your body's immune system. A STUDY announced yesterday has found that chemicals in red grapes and blueberries may boost your body's immune system. Researchers from Oregon State University looked at the impact of 446 different chemicals on the human immune system. Findings published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research showed that two compounds, resveratrol found in red grapes and pterostilbene found in blueberries, when combined with vitamin D, could boost the body's ability to fend off illness. Resveratrol has been the subject of dozens of studies for a range of possible benefits, from improving cardiovascular health to fighting cancer and reducing inflammation. "Out of a study of hundreds of compounds, just these two popped right out," said lead researcher Adrian Gombart. "Their synergy with vitamin D... was significant and intriguing. It's a pretty interesting interaction." These compounds, which are called stilbenoids, worked in synergy with vitamin D and had a significant impact in raising the expression of the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, or CAMP gene, that is involved in immune function, the researchers explained. Still, the scientists point out, the study was done using laboratory cell cultures and more research needs to be done before they offer dietary recommendations. In prior research this year, blueberries were also found to boost brain power in that they contain high levels of compounds called polyphenolics, which researchers say can help the brain to carry out vital "housekeeping" functions. Scientists from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and University of Maryland Baltimore County studied the effects of berries on the brains of rats, looking specifically at the berries' effect on clearing toxic accumulation from the brain. – AFP Relaxnews |
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