Natural South Jersey February 2021

HEALTH BRIEFS

Consider Melatonin to Lower Finding Exercise That COVID-19 Risk Brings Joy

The only journey is the journey within. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

“Have you ever had a workout all planned out, but woke up and would rather do anything but that?” asks Mary Weiss, of Sprinkling of Health. “Instead of looking at exercise as punishment and something we need to do to change our bodies, what if we could look at it as something that’s enjoyable?” adds Weiss, who shares tips and recipes on Instagram and on her website.

“It has been engrained that for a workout to ‘count,’ you need to be a sweaty mess. In my opinion, the workout that really counts is the one that leaves you feeling energized, strong and happy,” shares Weiss.

With so many forms of movement available—including high-intensity interval training, weight training, yoga, barre, Pilates, kickboxing and CrossFit—Weiss points out that there’s something for everyone.

“There is no set rule that says you need to workout for 45 minutes a day, break a sweat, or follow a specific routine to have the health benefits of exercise,” notes Weiss. “Even walking 30 minutes a day can benefit your cardiovascular health, improve mood, regulate sleep and decrease anxiety. Any movement will benefit your overall health. The best one you can do is the one that brings you joy.”

Image by feelgoodjunkie from Pixabay

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Melatonin, a hormonal sleep aid that can be purchased for a few dollars at local pharmacies, appears to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 30 percent, report researchers from the Cleveland Clinic. Among African Americans, a group disproportionately impacted by the virus, the risk was reduced by 52 percent. For the study, published in PLOS Biology, researchers used artificial intelligence to compare the host genes and proteins of the novel coronavirus to those of 64 other diseases across a range of categories. They found 34 drugs for possible repurposing, then combed through 27,000 patient records to find which drugs had in fact lowered the risk of contracting the virus.

“We’re excited about these results and to study that connection more, but large-scale observational studies and randomized controlled trials are essential to confirm what we’ve found here,” says lead researcher Feixiong Cheng.

For more tips and recipes, follow Mary Weiss on Instagram @ SprinklingOfHealth and visit her website, SprinklingOfHealth.com.

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Use Glass Baby Bottles to Avoid Microplastic Particles

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Polypropylene baby bottles­—which comprise 82 percent of the global baby bottle market—release an “extraordinary” number of microplastic particles, reports a new study by Trinity College Dublin. In a study published in Nature Food, which covered 48 regions worldwide, researchers found that flexible plastic baby bottles release as many as 16.2 million particles per liter. “A study last year by the World Health Organization estimated adults would consume between 300 and 600 microplastics a day—our average values were on the order of a million or millions,” study co-author John Boland told The Guardian. He called for more studies to understand the implications, saying the researchers were “absolutely gobsmacked” by the numbers. The microplastics are released when heated liquid is used to sterilize the bottles and to dissolve powdered formula and when the bottle is shaken to dissolve the powder. The higher the water temperature, the greater the release of particles. Polypropylene bottles have a “5” on the recycling symbol on the bottom.

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