Bubble tea can contain carcinogens, researchers claim
Bubble tea — that sweet, tea-based drink filled with giant tapioca balls — may be a hazard to your health.
A new German study finds the starchy balls can contain cancer-causing PCBs, a group of of industrial chemicals that have been linked to a long list of health hazards. Meanwhile, a German government group is warning the drinks could pose a choking hazard.
German researchers from the University Hospital Aachen tell the German newspaper the Rheinische Post that they conducted a study on bubble teas, using samples from an unnamed bubble tea chain in Germany.
They say all the tapioca bubbles used in the teas were manufactured in Taiwan and many contained traces of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls.
Sexual activity has numerous benefits for your health
We all know there are many benefits of sexual intimacy so let me examine the major health benefits. Many studies have looked at the real health benefits and have found persistently the positive effects. Sexual activity (simple hugs as well as intercourse) lowers blood pressure and is overall heart healthy.
Another benefit is improved immunity. It is known that antibodies to the common cold and other infections increase with sexual activity, leading to an overall increase in resistance.
Sexual activity also burns calories anywhere from 85-150 per 30-minute session. Self-esteem also improves and being naked often in front of another person seems to be a motivating factor to staying in shape.
Deeper intimacy also has many positive hormone effects. Oxytocin is called the love hormone and this is released not only with sexual intimacy but again with simple hugging and cuddling. Oxytocin releases endorphins, the body’s natural morphine chemical, which helps improve pain tolerance. The release of oxytocin and then endorphins helps to control headaches, cramps and other pain situations. Oxytocin also helps improve sleep, overall fitness levels and body image.
Cranberry juice may beat kids’ bladder infections
Cranberry juice rich in certain antibacterial substances may help prevent repeat urinary tract infections in kids, a small study suggests.
Researchers found that cranberry juice made with high concentrations of proanthocyanidins (PACs) cut kids’ risk of repeat urinary tract infections by two-thirds, versus a comparison juice.
Since the juice on your supermarket’s shelves may not have that PAC level, the researchers say their findings are not an endorsement of any product.
But the results, published in the Journal of Urology, do give support to cranberry as a UTI fighter, according to a pediatric urologist not connected to the study.
Coffee may ease your neck pain
If your job is a literal pain in the neck, drinking coffee may help, a new study from Norway says.
People who drank coffee before sitting down to work at a computer for 90 minutes reported less pain in their necks and shoulders than those who didn’t drink coffee, according to the study. Some in the study had previously suffered chronic neck and shoulder pain
, while other participants hadn’t — but people in both groups who drank coffee reported less pain, the researchers said.
Among people whose daily work involves low levels of muscle activity, such as sitting at a computer all day, about 10 percent report shoulder and neck pain, according to the study.
High Intensity Interval Training
Reasons to Love the Unsung Superfood Buckwheat
Unrelated to wheat, buckwheat is actually not a grain at all, but a seed of a plant related to rhubarb. As is often the case with seeds, buckwheat’s nutritional value surpasses grains. Here are 10 reasons to explore and love this unsung superfood.
1. It is low on the glycemic index, preventing rapid spikes in blood sugar which causes inflammation, mood swings, and weight gain.
2. Buckwheat has more protein than corn, millet, rice, or wheat and is high in the amino acids lysine and arginine, both of which tend to be deficient in grains and are essential for a healthy heart and strong immunity to illness.
3. It is naturally gluten-free, making it an excellent option for celiacs, those with gluten allergies, or anyone trying to avoid gluten.
4. Because of its amino acid content, it can boost the protein content of beans and grains eaten in the same day.
5. Buckwheat is unsurpassed in its ability to normalize cholesterol levels.
Non-Alcoholic Red Wine May Boost Heart Health
Much research has touted the health benefits that come from drinking moderate amounts of red wine.
Now, a new study may extend some of these benefits to teetotalers. Non-alcoholic red wine may be even more effective at lowering blood pressure in men who are high risk for heart attack. The study findings appear in Circulation Research.
The study included 67 men who had diabetes or three or more heart disease risk factors. When the men drank red wine with alcohol, their blood pressure went down a little, and there was no change in blood pressure levels when they drank gin.
When the men drank non-alcoholic red wine, their blood pressure went down enough to lower their risk of heart disease by 14% and stroke by as much as 20%.
Coffee may offer bowel cancer protection
Consumption of four or more cups of coffee per day may be associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer, suggests new data.
The study – published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – analyses data from almost half a million people, finding that drinking several cups of coffee a day could help protect against colon cancer by between 15% and 25%.
Led by Rashmi Sinha from the US National Cancer Research Institute in Rockville, the team evaluated coffee and tea intakes of participants from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study included – taking into account both caffeinated and decaffeinated consumption – in relation to colon (proximal and distal) and rectal cancers.
“In this large US cohort, coffee was inversely associated with colon cancer, particularly proximal tumors,” said Sinha and her team. “Additional investigations of coffee intake and its components in the prevention of colorectal cancer by sub-sites are warranted.”
Commenting on the research, the UK’s NHS Choices service noted that the study was ‘well conducted’ and “does suggest a link between coffee consumption and reduced bowel cancer risk.”
Microgreens Have More Nutrients Than Mature Vegetables, Study Suggests
Have you eaten your microgreens today?
As good-for-you as full-grown veggies are, a new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests microgreens may contain even more nutrients and vitamins than their more mature versions.
Wondering what a microgreen is? The researchers from the University of Maryland explained that they are immature greens that are harvested anywhere from a week to two weeks after germination.
Researchers examined how many phytochemicals — the name for plant compounds — were in 25 kinds of microgreens, including cilantro, celery, red cabbage, green basil and arugula.
On a whole, the microgreens contained more nutrients than their fully-grown selves.
“Maximum values of vitamin C, viamin K1, and vitamin E were found in red cabbage, garnet amaranth, and green daikon radish microgreens, respectively,” researchers wrote in the study. “In terms of carotenoids, cilantro microgreens showed the highest concentration of lutein/zeaxanthin and violaxanthin and ranked second in beta-carotene concentration.”
How Fruits and Vegetables Are Crucial to Post-Menopausal Women
Post-menopausal women often have a hard time losing weight. But, promising new research shows that there may be simple dietary considerations that may help shed pounds – and keep them off for good.
What’s on the list of foods to avoid and items to chow down on? It’s relatively simple: Eating less sugar, meats and cheeses and consuming more fruits and vegetables were shown to help long-term weight loss.
“With more than one-third of all Americans considered obese, it’s clear that standard behavioral obesity treatment is producing poor long-term results,” lead investigator Bethany Barone Gibbs, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s department of health and physical activity, said in the university press release. “We found that some important behaviors differ for long-term versus short-term weight control among women in their 50s and 60s, who are already at higher risk for weight gain.”
