HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU: issue 32

Summer 2019

HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4You

How to breathe correctly Why am I tired all the time?

Gobbling food can harm your heart

For good health spend time with nature Five surprising benefits of walking

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CONTENTS Summer 2019, Issue 32 5- Five surprising benefits of walking 6- Exercise improves brain function 7- Gobbling food harms your heart 8- Prevent diabetes with intermittent fasting 9- Why am I tired all the time?

11- How should you breathe 12- Good sleep and good mood leads to good memory 13- Spend two hours a week with nature to improve your health and wellbeing 14- Lowering BP and reducing salt and trans fats may save millions of lives 15- Researchers ask to redefine constipation 16- Are friends better than the family?

17- Spicy diet could be linked to dementia 18 – Health & Happiness in the community

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Five surprising benefits of walking

The next time you have a check-up, don't be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Yes, this simple activity that you've been doing since you were about a year old is now being touted as "the closest thing we have to a wonder drug," in the words of Dr. Thomas Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of course, you probably know that any physical activity, including walking, is a boon to your overall health. But walking in particular comes with a host of benefits. Here's a list of five that may surprise you.

1. It counteracts the effects of weightpromoting genes. Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. They then discovered that, among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.

2. It helps tame a sweet tooth. A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations. And the latest research confirms that walking can reduce cravings and intake of a variety of sugary snacks.

3. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already know that any kind of

physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.

4. It eases joint pain. Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place. Walking protects the joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.

5. It boosts immune function. Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.

To learn more about the numerous benefits of walking please read Walking for Health, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

5 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

A short bout of exercise enhances brain function

Short-term bursts of exercise, the human equivalent of a weekly game of pickup basketball, or 4,000 steps helped to narrow the gap between nerve cells and preparing the brain for better learning.

Most people know that regular exercise is good for your health. New research shows it may make you smarter, too.

Neuroscientists at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, working with mice, have discovered that a short burst of exercise directly boosts the function of a gene that increases connections between neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and memory.

The research is published online in the journal eLife.

“Exercise is cheap, and you don’t necessarily need a fancy gym membership or have to run 10 miles a day,” said co-senior author Gary Westbrook, M.D., senior scientist at the OHSU Vollum Institute and Dixon Professor of Neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Previous research in animals and in people shows that regular exercise promotes general brain health. However, it’s hard to untangle the overall benefits of exercise to the heart, liver and muscles from the specific effect on the brain. For example, a healthy heart oxygenates the whole body, including the brain.

“Previous studies of exercise almost all focus on sustained exercise,” Westbrook said. “As neuroscientists, it’s not that we don’t care about the benefits on the heart and muscles but we wanted to know the brain-specific

benefit of exercise.”

So the scientists designed a study in mice that specifically measured the brain’s response to single bouts of exercise in otherwise sedentary mice that were placed for short periods on running wheels. The mice ran a few kilometers in two hours.

The study found that short-term bursts of exercise – the human equivalent of a weekly game of pickup basketball, or 4,000 steps – promoted an increase in synapses in the hippocampus. Synapses is a junction between two nerve cells or neurones, consisting of a small gap. Information from one neuron flows to another neuron across a synapse. Scientists made the key discovery by analyzing genes that were increased in single neurons activated during exercise. Researchers discovered that when a particular gene, Mtss1L is activated by short bursts of exercise, it promotes small growths on neurons known as dendritic spines – the site at which synapses form.

In effect, the study showed that an acute burst of exercise is enough to prime the brain for learning. In the next stage of research, scientists plan to pair acute bouts of exercise with learning tasks to better understand the impact on learning and memory.

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Gobbling your food may harm your waistline and heart

People who eat slowly are less likely to become obese or develop metabolic syndrome, a cluster of heart disease, diabetes and stroke risk factors, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians.

Metabolic syndrome occurs when someone has any of three risk factors that include abdominal obesity, high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and/or low HDL cholesterol, said Japanese researchers.

The researchers evaluated 642 men and 441 women, average age 51.2 years, who did not have metabolic syndrome in 2008. They divided the participants into three groups depending on how they described their usual eating speed: slow, normal or fast.

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After five years, the researchers found: Fast eaters were more likely (11.6 percent) to have developed metabolic syndrome than normal eaters (6.5 percent) or slow eaters (2.3 percent); Faster eating speed was associated with more weight gain, higher blood glucose and larger waistline.

"Eating more slowly may be a crucial lifestyle change to help prevent metabolic syndrome," said Takayuki Yamaji, M.D., study author and cardiologist at Hiroshima University in Japan. "When people eat fast they tend not to feel full and are more likely to overeat. Eating fast causes bigger glucose fluctuation, which can lead to insulin resistance. We also believe our research would apply to a U.S. population."

Identify fall hazards inside your home Recovering from a serious fall can take a while. Rearranging the house is an easy way to prevent falls. Top causes of falls at home include floor clutter, slippery bathrooms, throw rugs, and electrical cords. Fixing these issues can go a long way to avoiding falls.

Prevent diabetes with intermittent fasting Intermittent

of scientists divided the overweight fasting is known to animals, which improve sensitivity were prone to to the blood diabetes, into two glucose-lowering groups: The first hormone insulin group was allowed and to protect to eat as much as against fatty liver. they wanted Scientists from the whenever they German Center for wanted. The second Diabetes Research group underwent an (DZD) have now intermittent fasting discovered that regimen: one day mice on an the rodents received intermittent fasting unlimited chow and regimen also the next day they exhibited lower were not fed at all. pancreatic fat. In After five weeks, their current study the researchers published in the observed journal differences in the Metabolism, the Intermittent fasting means not eating during certain time slots. pancreas of the researchers showed However, water, unsweetened tea and black coffee are allowed mice: Fat cells the mechanism by around the clock. Depending on the method, the fasting lasts accumulated in which pancreatic between 16 and 24 hours or, alternatively, a maximum of 500 to 600 calories are consumed on two days within a week.

The bestgroup one. The fat could contribute known form of intermittent fasting is the 16:8 method which animals in group to the development involves eating only during an eight-hour window during the two, on the other of type 2 diabetes. day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.

One meal – usually hand, had hardly Fatty liver has breakfast – is omitted. any fat deposits in been thoroughly the pancreas. investigated as a In order to find out how fat cells might impair the known and frequently occurring disease. However, little function of the pancreas, researchers led by Schürmann is known about excess weight-induced fat accumulation and Schulz isolated fat cells from the pancreas of mice in the pancreas and its effects on the onset of type 2 for the first time. "We suspect that…fat accumulation in diabetes. The research team led by Professor Annette the pancreas could contribute to the development of type Schürmann and Professor Tim J. Schulz of the German 2 diabetes," said Schürmann.

Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) has now found that Current data suggest that not only liver fat should be overweight mice prone to diabetes have a high reduced to prevent type 2 diabetes. "Under certain accumulation of fat cells in the pancreas. "Fat genetic conditions, the accumulation of fat in the accumulations outside the fat tissue, e.g. in the liver, pancreas may play a decisive role in the development of muscles or even bones, have a negative effect on these type 2 diabetes," said Schulz, head of the Department of organs and the entire body. What impact fat cells have Adipocyte Development and Nutrition. Intermittent within the pancreas has not been clear until now," said fasting could be a promising therapeutic approach in the Schürmann, head of the Department of Experimental future. The advantages: it is non-invasive, easy to Diabetology at DIfE and speaker of the German Center integrate into everyday life and does not require drugs. for Diabetes Research (DZD).

8 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU Intermittent fasting reduces pancreatic fat: The team

Intermittent Fasting

Why am I tired all the time?

Feeling exhausted is so common that it has its own acronym, TATT, which stands for "tired all the time".

We all feel tired from time to time. The reasons are usually obvious and the include, 1. too many late nights, 2. long hours spent at work, and 3. a baby keeping you up at night.

But tiredness or exhaustion that goes on for a long time is not normal. It can affect your ability to get on and enjoy your life.

Unexplained tiredness is one of the most common reasons for people to see their GP. Why you might be tired all the time.

Before you see a GP, you may want to work out how you became tired in the first place.

It can be helpful to think about - parts of your life, such as work and family, that might be particularly tiring; any events that may have triggered your tiredness, such as bereavement or a relationship break-up; and how your lifestyle may be making you tired A GP will look at the psychological, physical and lifestyle causes of tiredness.

Psychological causes of tiredness: Psychological causes of tiredness are much more common than physical causes. Most psychological causes lead to poor sleep or insomnia, both of which cause daytime tiredness. Psychological causes of tiredness include stress, emotional shock, depression and anxiety.

The strains of daily life can worry most of us at some point. It's also worth remembering that even positive events, such as moving house or getting married, can cause stress. Emotional shock such as a bereavement, redundancy or a relationship break-up can make you feel tired and exhausted. If you feel sad, low and lacking in energy, and you also wake up tired, you may have depression. If you have constant uncontrollable feelings of anxiety, you may have what doctors call generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

Physical causes of tiredness: There are several health conditions that can make you feel tired or exhausted. These include anaemia, underactive thyroid and sleep apnea. Tiredness can also be the result of pregnancy – particularly in the first 12 weeks. If you are overweight your body has to work harder to do everyday

activities. Also if you are underweight your poor muscle strength can make you tire more easily. Cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy also make people extremely tired. Some of the medicines and herbal remedies can also induce tiredness.

If you have been feeling constantly tired for more than 4 weeks, it's a good idea to see your GP so they can confirm or rule out a medical condition that could be causing your tiredness.

Lifestyle causes of tiredness: In today's 24/7 "always on" world, we often try to cram too much into our daily lives. And to try to stay on top of things, we sometimes consume too much alcohol or caffeine, or eat sugary and high-fat snacks on the go rather than sitting down for a proper meal.

Drinking too much alcohol interferes with the quality of your sleep. Stick to the guidelines of no more than 14 units a week for both men and women. Too much or too little exercise can affect how tired you feel.

Too much of caffeine night act as a stimulant. It is often found in tea, coffee, colas and energy drinks and can upset sleep and make you feel wound-up as well as tired. Try decaffeinated tea and coffee, or gradually cut out caffeine altogether.

Night shift work often find they get tired more easily.

This is more likely if the timing of the shifts keeps changing. Also, if you're tired, you may have a daytime nap, which can make it more difficult to get a good night's sleep.

How should you breathe?

Breathe from the belly, not the chest You take up to 23,000 breaths per day, so make sure you do it right. How should you breathe? Like a sleeping child, says Dr. Katherine Rosa of the Harvardaffiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. “If you ever watch children sleep, they all breathe from the belly and not the chest. This relaxed state is the more normal way to breathe.”

Yet most people are chest breathers, which is how we react to stress. When we sense a threat, our fight-or-flight response automatically kicks in.

We breathe at a rapid pace to suck in extra oxygen, to fuel our heart and muscles so we can flee the danger. Of course, we don’t need our fightor-flight response to escape predators anymore. Our threats now come from the stress of emails, personal confrontations, daily news, and traffic jams.

“Your fight-orflight response is meant to be a shortterm reaction that comes and goes,” says Dr. Rosa. “But today, we are surrounded by so many stressors that we constantly stay in this state of tension. It doesn’t turn off, and we often don’t even notice it.” The result: we have become a nation of chest breathers.

One way to change our reaction to modern stress is to learn how to belly breathe instead of chest breathe. Belly breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs from the head down the neck, through the chest, and to the colon. This activates your relaxation response, reducing your heart rate and blood pressure and lowering stress levels.

If you are not familiar with belly breathing, try this

exercise: sit in a chair, lean forward, and place your elbows on your knees. Then breathe naturally. “This position forces you to breathe from the belly, so you know what the sensation feels like,” says Dr. Rosa.

A mini strategy to ease anxiety and stress

A strategy to teach yourself mindful belly breathing is to practice what Dr. Rosa calls “the mini.” Here’s what you do: every time you feel stressed, simply

take three slow and controlled deep belly breaths. “It’s a simple act, but this interrupts the fightor-flight response and puts it on pause,” says Dr. Rosa.

“Over time, belly breathing can buffer your resistance to

your fight-or-flight response, so you are not as sensitive to stress triggers.”

To help you be more mindful about your breathing pattern, place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. “You want the chest hand to be still and the belly hand to move out like you are blowing up a balloon,” says Dr. Rosa.

She suggests practicing belly breathing throughout the day, like once every hour or up to 10 to 15 times per day.

“As it becomes more of a habit, you can automatically engage belly breathing whenever you face a stressful event.”

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Good sleep and good mood lead to good working memory “For the mind to work at its best, it is important that senior citizens ensure they have good sleep quality and be in a good mood," Dr Weiwei Zhang, University of California A team of psychologists has found strong associations between working memory -- a fundamental building block of a functioning mind -- and three health-related factors: sleep, age, and depressed mood. The team also reports that each of these factors is associated with different aspects of working memory.

Working memory is the part of short-term memory that temporarily stores and manages information required for cognitive tasks such as learning, reasoning, and comprehension.

Working memory is critically involved in many higher cognitive functions, including intelligence, creative problem-solving, language, and action-planning. It plays a major role in how we process, use, and remember information.

The researchers, led by Weiwei Zhang, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, found that age is negatively related to the "qualitative" aspect of working memory -- that is, how strong or how accurate the memory is. In other words, the older the person, the weaker and less precise the person's memory. In contrast, poor sleep quality and depressed mood are linked to a reduced likelihood of remembering a previously experienced event -- the "quantitative" aspect of working memory.

"Other researchers have already linked each of these factors separately to overall working memory function, but our work looked at how these factors are associated with memory quality and quantity -- the first time this has been done," Zhang said. "All three factors are interrelated. For example, seniors are more likely to experience negative mood than younger adults. Poor sleep quality is also often associated with depressed mood. The piecemeal approach used in previous investigations on these relationships -- examining the relationship between one of these health-related factors

and working memory -- could open up the possibility that an observed effect may be influenced by other factors."

The researchers are the first to statistically isolate the effects of the three factors on working memory quantity and quality. Although all three factors contribute to a common complaint about foggy memory, they seem to behave in different ways and may result from potentially independent mechanisms in the brain. These findings could lead to future interventions and treatments to counteract the negative impacts of these factors on working memory. Research results appear in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

The researchers performed two studies. In the first study, they sampled 110 college students for selfreported measures of sleep quality and depressed mood and their independent relationship to experimental measures of working memory. In the second study, the researchers sampled 31 members of a community ranging in age from 21 to 77 years. In this study, the researchers investigated age and its relationship to working memory.

"We are more confident now about how each one of these factors impacts working memory," Zhang said.

"This could give us a better understanding of the underlying mechanism in age-related dementia. For the mind to work at its best, it is important that senior citizens ensure they have good sleep quality and be in a good mood."

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Spend two hours a week with nature for health and wellbeing

Research led by the University of Exeter, published in Scientific Reports and funded by NIHR, found that people who spend at least 120 minutes in nature a week are significantly more likely to report good health and higher psychological wellbeing than those who don't visit nature at all during an average week. However, no such benefits were found for people who visited natural settings such as town parks, woodlands, country parks and beaches for less than 120 minutes a week.

The study used data from nearly 20,000 people in England and found that it didn't matter whether the 120 minutes was achieved in a single visit or over several shorter visits.

It also found the 120 minute threshold applied to both men and women, to older and younger adults, across different occupational and ethnic groups, among those living in both rich and poor areas, and even among people with long term illnesses or disabilities.

Dr Mat White, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the study, said: "It's well known that getting outdoors in nature can be good for people's health and wellbeing but until now we've not been able to say how much is enough. The majority of nature visits in this

research took place within just two miles of home so even visiting local urban greenspaces seems to be a good thing.

Two hours a week is hopefully a realistic target for many people, especially given that it can be spread over an entire week to get the benefit."

There is growing evidence that merely living in a greener neighbourhood can be good for health, for instance by reducing air pollution. The data for the current research came from Natural England's Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment Survey, the world's largest study collecting data on people's weekly contact with the natural world.

Co-author of the research, Professor Terry Hartig of Uppsala University in Sweden said: "There are many reasons why spending time in nature may be good for health and wellbeing, including getting perspective on life circumstances, reducing stress, and enjoying quality time with friends and family.

The current findings offer valuable support to health practitioners in making recommendations about spending time in nature to promote basic health and wellbeing, similar to guidelines for weekly physical.�

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Lowering blood pressure, reducing salt and avoiding trans fats could prevent 94 million early deaths

A worldwide effort to lower people's blood pressure, cut their sodium intake, and eliminate trans-fat from their diet could dramatically reduce the incidence of premature death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) over a quarter century, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

"Focusing our resources on the combination of these three interventions can have a huge potential impact on cardiovascular health through 2040," said lead author Goodarz Danaei, associate professor of global health at Harvard Chan School.

The study was published online in June, 2019 in the journal Circulation. Researchers used global data from multiple studies and estimates from the World Health Organization in making their calculations.

They estimated that scaling up treatment of high blood pressure to 70% of the world's population could extend the lives of 39.4 million people. Cutting sodium intake by 30% could stave off another 40 million deaths and could also help decrease high blood pressure, a major risk factor for CVD. And eliminating trans-fat could prevent 14.8 million early deaths.

More than half of all delayed deaths, and two-thirds of deaths delayed before age 70, are projected to be among men, who have the highest numbers of noncommunicable disease deaths globally, researchers found.

Regions expected to benefit most from the interventions include East Asia, the Pacific, and South Asia, as well as countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The authors said that a variety of programs and policies would be necessary to reduce premature CVDrelated deaths. One important strategy would be to increase the use of blood pressure medications, many of which are safe and affordable.

The researchers acknowledged that scaling up the three interventions would be a "huge challenge," requiring countries to commit additional resources to boost health care capacity and quality.

But they added that previous analyses have shown that the interventions are achievable and affordable. For example, a Kaiser Permanente program in Northern California increased control of hypertension to 90% among thousands of the health system's patients between 2001 and 2013, using strategies such as improved treatment protocols, patient-friendly services, and healthcare information systems that facilitate tracking people with hypertension.

Similar approaches have been adapted and tested in some low- and middle-income countries, leading to notable improvements in hypertension treatment and control, the authors said.

"These are realistic goals that have been shown to be attainable on smaller scales," said Danaei. "We need the commitment to scale up the programs to achieve them globally."

Yoga can improve knee osteoarthritis

 In a 2014 study of 36 women with knee osteoarthritis, those who did yoga experienced significant improvements in their symptoms compared with women who didn’t do yoga. The yoga group had a 60-minute class one day a week and then practiced at home for several other days. Averaging 112 minutes of yoga a week on their own. After eight weeks, they reported 398% reduction in pain and a 35% reduction in stiffness, while the no yoga group reported worsening of symptoms.

New research says need to redefine constipation New research by King's College London, published today in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, finds that the public's perception of constipation differs drastically from that of doctors' and from the formal diagnosis guidelines.

Researchers also identified six key sets of symptoms common to both that in the future could form the basis of a new medical definition for constipation.

Constipation is a very common condition. Although most people with chronic constipation do not visit a doctor, it is still diagnosed in more than one million GP consultations and 63,000 hospital admissions in the UK every year. The way it is detected, however, varies considerably. Some patients self-diagnose, some doctors diagnose pragmatically, and others use formal criteria (such as Rome IV) which specify combinations of symptoms experienced over defined periods of time.

Lead author Dr Eirini Dimidi, Research Associate at King's College London said: "Previous studies have tried to estimate how many people suffer from constipation, but their results vary between 3% and 35%. One potential reason for this range is the lack of a consistent way to diagnose it. Accurately identifying a condition is at the root of good care. Currently prescription medication for constipation fails in nearly 60% of patients and almost half report not being satisfied with their treatment.

The team from King's collected data from 2,557 members of the public (of which 934 had self-reported constipation), 411 GPs and 365 gastroenterology specialists. They found that of those who self-reported constipation, 94% met the formal diagnostic criteria (Rome IV). Surprisingly, however, of the 1,623 who did not self-report constipation, 29% met these criteria too.

Nearly one in three "healthy" patients were, therefore, clinically constipated but did not recognise it.

Using case studies, the rates of correct diagnosis of constipation ranged from 99% down to 39%, depending

upon the symptoms present. Infrequent bowel movements, for example, were perceived as important for diagnosing constipation by less than a third of the constipated general population, compared to 41% of GPs and as many as 65% of specialist doctors.

The study also highlighted six key symptom clusters which were commonly agreed upon across the study groups: abdominal discomfort, pain and bloating; rectal discomfort; infrequent bowel movements and hard stools; sensory dysfunction; flatulence and bloating; fecal incontinence.

Professor Kevin Whelan, Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King's College London said: "Our study has revealed that numerous symptoms are considered important for a diagnosis of constipation by the general population that are not part of any current diagnostic criteria or assessment tools, with significant differences between patients and doctors.

Dr Dimidi said,"This is important as patients who seek medical care for their constipation-related symptoms may not have their symptoms recognised as constipation by the doctor and, therefore, may not be managed as such.

This could significantly impact patients' access to care and treatment. Our findings emphasise the need to redefine the current universally accepted diagnostic criteria so they reflect both patients' and doctors' perceptions.

The six symptom clusters we have identified seem a logical place to start."

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Are friends better for us than family?

The power of friendship gets stronger with age and may even be more important than family relationships, indicates new research by a Michigan State University scholar.

In a pair of studies involving nearly 280,000 people, William Chopik found that friendships become increasingly important to one’s happiness and health across the lifespan. Not only that, but in older adults, friendships are actually a stronger predictor of health and happiness than relationships with family members.

“Friendships become even more important as we age,” said Chopik, assistant professor of psychology. “Keeping a few really good friends around can make a world of difference for our health and well-being. So, it’s smart to invest in the friendships that make you happiest.”

For the first study, Chopik analyzed survey information about relationships and self-rated health and happiness from 271,053 participants of all ages from nearly 100 countries. The second study looked at data from a separate survey about relationship support/strain and chronic illness from 7,481 older adults in the United States.

According to the first study, both family and friend relationships were linked to better health and happiness overall, but only friendships became a stronger predictor of health and happiness at advanced ages.

The second study also showed that friendships were very influential – when friends were the source of strain, participants reported more chronic illnesses; when friends were the source of support, participants were happier.

Chopik said that may be because of the optional nature of relationships – that over time, we keep the friends we like and make us feel good and discard the rest. Friends also can provide a source of support for people who don’t have spouses or for those who don’t lean on family in times of need. Friends can also help prevent loneliness in older adults who may experience bereavement and often rediscover their social lives after they retire.

Family relationships are often enjoyable too, Chopik said, but sometimes they involve serious, negative and monotonous interactions. Friendships often take a “back seat” in relationships research, Chopik added, which is strange, especially considering that they might be more influential for our happiness and health than other relationships. “Friendships help us stave off loneliness but are often harder to maintain across the lifespan,” he said.

“If a friendship has survived the test of time, you know it must be a good one – a person you turn to for help and advice often and a person you wanted in your life.” The study appears online in the journal Personal Relationships.

Spicy diet could be linked to dementia

Think twice before adding that extra kick of chili sauce or chopped jalapeno to your meal. New research involving the University of South Australia shows a spicy diet could be linked to dementia.

A 15-year study of 4582 Chinese adults aged over 55 found evidence of faster cognitive decline in those who consistently ate more than 50 grams of chili a day.

Memory decline was even more significant if the chili lovers were slim.

The study, led by Dr Zumin Shi from Qatar University, showed that those who consumed in excess of 50 grams of chili a day had almost double the risk of memory decline and poor cognition.

“Chili consumption was found to be beneficial for body weight and blood pressure in our previous studies.

However, in this study, we found adverse effects on cognition among older adults,” Dr Zumin says.

UniSA epidemiologist Dr Ming Li, one of five researchers involved in the study, says chili intake included both fresh and dried chili peppers but not sweet capsicum or black pepper.

“Chili is one of the most commonly used spices in the world and particularly popular in Asia compared to European countries,” Dr Li says. “In certain regions of China, such as Sichuan and Hunan, almost one in three adults consume spicy food every day.”

Capsaicin is the active component in chili which reportedly speeds up metabolism, fat loss and inhibits vascular disorders but this is the first longitudinal study to investigate the association between chili intake and cognitive function.

Those who ate a lot of chili had a lower income and body mass index (BMI) and were more physically active compared to non-consumers. Researchers say people of normal body weight may be more sensitive to chili intake than overweight people, hence the impact on memory and weight. Education levels may also play a role in cognitive decline and this link requires further research.

The China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) is an ongoing household-based cohort study conducted in nine provinces in China between 1989 and 2011. Cognitive screen tests were conducted among those aged 55 and above in regular intervals between 1991 to 2006. The participants were asked to recall a 10-word list, counting backwards from 20 and doing some basic subtractions.

It is estimated that dementia affects about 50 million people globally. In 2017, approximately 9.5 million Chinese adults aged 60 years and above had dementia. The paper is published in Nutrients.

17 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

HEALTH & HAPPINESS IN THE COMMUNITY

‘Your thoughts create your health and happiness,’ BK Shivani Brahma Kumaris is a worldwide spiritual movement dedicated to personal transformation and world renewal. BK Shivani, one of the most popular leaders of the movement, addressed a large gathering in Wembley Arena on June 23.

In an inspirational address, she said digital technology and social media could create an emotional vacuum and social wasteland around you.

It is important that we take charge of our thoughts. “Your thoughts create your happiness, harmony, health and relationships”, she said.

Expression of negative thoughts in negative vocabulary could easily lead a person downhill. “Never say, I am busy and I have no time.

Always say, I am easy. I am light. I have a lot of time and I have lots of things to do.” Let’s use, she advised, “the power of our thoughts.”

She also offered some practical suggestions for personal transformation. Your food has a direct link to your mind. “Your destiny could be changed by what happens in your kitchen”, she said.

Keep away from bluescreens, mobile phones or iPad, first thing in the morning. Remind yourself that you are a peaceful being and energise the people around you with your positive energy. Charge your mind with positive and peaceful ideas for one hour of self-care.

Photo: Prakash Radhakrishnan Develop a beautiful relationship with the self, she concluded.

Founded in India in 1937, Brahma Kumaris has spread to over 110 countries on all continents and has had an extensive impact in many sectors as an international NGO.

Creating a mindset for positivity in Banaras Hindu University During my last visit to India, Prof AR Tripathi, the head of Malviya Institute of Ethics and Human Values at the Banaras Hindu University, invited me to deliver a lecture on positivity and optimism. This was the third consecutive year that the university has invited me to interact with a very bright set of university students.

I emphasized that a decade of research proved that happiness could raise nearly every business and educational outcome: raising sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%. It also substantially improves health and quality of life of the employees.

The presentation was based on the latest scholarly research in the field of positive psychology and drew from the latest experiences of global companies like Google, Microsoft and KPMG. Interestingly, many of these western ideas of mindfulness meditation were rooted in the Bhagwad Gita which makes profound observations about the unity of body and mind.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of editing this magazine is to have an opportunity to lecture and inspire groups of professionals, university students and senior citizens, both in India and the UK. It's about how to bring personal change to optimise potential, to make enhanced contribution at the workplace and to lead a positive and successful lifestyle.

Health & Happiness community news If you are promoting health and wellbeing in the community, if you are organising yoga and exercise classes or involved in any other kind of wellbeing or charitable activity, we would like to hear from you.

Send us your news copy to: community@healthandhappiness4you.com

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