Monday, December 24, 2007

Stress Can Increase Body Fat

While we have long suspected a connection between stress and weight gain, the relationship was thought to be psychological, as emotional overeating is one of the major causes of weight gain. For many people, the first response to feeling overwhelmed is to reach for food, particularly comfort foods that tend to be high in sugar or fat. However, the link between stress and weight gain is much stronger than originally thought. New research suggests an actual physiological reason that people under stress tend to gain weight. A recent study by the Georgetown University Medical Center showed that mice under stress gain extra weight even if their calorie intake doesn't increase. Stress appears to release a chemical reaction that triggers fat cells to grow and multiply in number.

The extra pounds caused by stress tend to be stored around the belly, as stress may stimulate an enzyme present in particularly high amounts in abdominal fat. This is the most dangerous place for fat to build up, as it increases the risk of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

The bottom line is that mental and physical relaxation techniques should be incorporated into a weight-loss program.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Coffee May Prevent Cognitive Decline in Older Women

According to a recent study from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, which was published in the August 7, 2007 issue of Neurology, caffeine may help safeguard the cognitive skills of older women. Researchers discovered that women who drank 3 or more cups of coffee per day were 30% less likely to experience a decine in memory than those who drank 1 cup or less. They also found that the benefits appear to increase with age, as women over age 80 who drank 3 or more cups of coffee were 70% less likely to experience memory decline. The protective effect was not found in men.

The researchers believe that caffeine is a cognitive stimulant that may help to reduce thelevels of the protein beta amyloid in the brain. Accumulation of beta amyloid contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Over 7000 men and women in 3 cities in France who were free of dementia when the research began were studied.

(Before consuming 3 or more cups of coffee per day, keep in mind that caffeine consumption can lead to symptoms of anxiety.)