Mindfully Healing

Supplement found to buffer the body against stress and improve sleep. For a long time probiotics — the so-called ‘good bacteria’ in fermented foods and elsewhere — have been linked to all sorts of physical and psychological benefits. Now the lesser-known prebiotics are getting in on the act. Prebiotics are dietary fibres found in foods such as: Onions, leeks, artichokes, and chicory. Prebiotic fibre — also available as dietary supplements — can improve the health of your gut by helping beneficial bacteria to multiply. New research has found that prebiotics

Studies on both humans and mice have suggested a protective effect. Caffeine — along with 24 other compounds — could help to protect against dementia. The protective effect comes from an enzyme called NMNAT2 that was discovered last year. Professor Hui-Chen Lu, who led the study, said: “This work could help advance efforts to develop drugs that increase levels of this enzyme in the brain, creating a chemical ‘blockade’ against the debilitating effects of neurodegenerative disorders.” NMNAT2 plays a dual role. It guards neurons against stress and helps fight the