a2z Health Expo

Articles of Interest

Meditation Promotes Mindfulness

The Default Mode Network (DMN) involves regions of the brain associated with mind-wandering – namely, the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate corticies, that may cause lapses in attention and anxiety. To assess whether mindfulness-based meditation can reduce activity along this brain axis, Judson Brewer, from Yale University School of Medicine (Connecticut, USA), and colleagues analyzed 12 experienced mindfulness meditation practitioners, and a group of 13 control subjects … [Read More...]

Is Soup Toxic to Your Health?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plasticizer that is regarded as an endocrine disruptor that may be linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver abnormalities. Commonly used in food can linings, Karin B. Michels, from Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues assessed the urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels of 75 healthy men and women, ages 18 years and older, who consumed homemade soup for five consecutive days, and then ate canned soup for another five days in a … [Read More...]

Good for the Heart, Guard Against Cancer

As an American Heart Association Strategic 2020 Goal, “ideal" cardiovascular health is one of elements that aim to improve Americans' heart health by 20% and reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke by 20%. Laura J Rasmussen-Torvik, from Northwestern University (Illinois, USA), and colleagues followed more than 13,000 healthy individuals for 13 years, measuring seven "metrics" of heart health at the start and tracking any cancer that developed. Those seven factors are: not smoking, … [Read More...]

Active Lifestyle Reduces Risk of Depression

Previous studies have reported an inverse association between physical activity and depression. Michel Lucas, from Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues studied data co0llected on 49,821 US women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, all of whom did not experience symptoms of depression in 1996. Surveying for physical activity a total of five times during the study period, and following subjects for 10 years to assess for clinical depression, the team found … [Read More...]

A Golfer’s Worst Nightmare Rehabilitated Through Massage

For many golfers, the only meaningful way to spend a sunny day is out on the links. With 18 holes to look forward to — the sun's rays caressing the greens, blue skies inviting deep breathes, and the warm leather grip of a favored club in hand — nothing much can break their joy of being alive. Until, that is, pain strikes. Pain in the physical sense such as a muscle tear or unstable joint, or the pain they feel from a continually declining game performance. For a die-hard golfer, the two … [Read More...]

Massage Education’s Future

Education is a sensitive and divisive topic within the massage therapy profession. On one side of the argument are those who believe that today's non-degree vocational school system is both egalitarian and in line with traditional massage therapy practices. On the other are those who believe the current system penalizes those who want to become full participants in the health care industry. They advocate for an educational spectrum that also includes bachelors and advanced degrees. But … [Read More...]

Neural-Muscle Connection Discovery Could Help People with Muscle Fatigue

Motivation. Strength. Will power. Physical condition. Stamina. All of these have long been known to contribute the extent to which humans are able to voluntarily activate muscles. But for the first time, investigators have discovered neuronal processes that are responsible for reducing muscle activity during muscle-fatiguing exercise. The investigators say their discovery opens up new areas of research to help people who experience muscle fatigue related to illness. "The findings are an … [Read More...]

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