Mindfully Healing

For the research 166 people carried out cognitive tasks while the blood flow in their brains was measured. Higher omega-3 fatty acids levels are linked to greater blood flow in memory and learning areas of the brain, new research finds. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to fight changes in the brain linked to dementia. Dr Daniel G. Amen, the study’s first author, said: “This is very important research because it shows a correlation between lower omega-3 fatty acid levels and reduced brain blood flow to regions important for learning,

Smiling is associated with positive values, but does it make you look younger? A neutral facial expression makes you look two years younger than if you smile, a new study finds. However, a surprised expression can make you look even younger, the researchers also found. The findings with regard to smiling are the total opposite of what people expect. Dr Melvyn Goodale, a study author, said: “We associate smiling with positive values and youth. Think of all the skin-care and toothpaste companies that sell the same idea every day.” Surprisingly,

Afterwards people reported greater motivation to work and more energy. Walking up the stairs for 10 minutes beats a cup of coffee for increasing energy and motivation, new research finds. Researchers compared the effects of 10 minutes low-to-moderate intensity exercise with a 50mg of caffeine (around a cup of coffee or can of cola) and a placebo condition. Professor Patrick J. O’Connor, study co-author, said: “We found, in both the caffeine and the placebo conditions, that there was not much change in how they felt. But with exercise they did

It can feel really good but it is reducing productivity by up to 40%. Multitasking can reduce productivity by up to 40%, research finds. And now brain scans show why. Changing from one activity to another interferes with brain activity. This makes the end result much worse than if we focus on one thing at a time. Dr Iiro Jääskeläinen, a neuroscientist and one of the study’s authors, said: “We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure different brain areas of our research subjects while they watched short segments of

The three dietary supplements that are most effective for treating anxiety. Dietary supplements which contain passionflower, kava or combinations of L-lysine and L-arginine can help reduce anxiety, according to a review published in the Nutrition Journal. The supplements generally had mild to moderate effects without producing any serious side-effects. The review included results from 24 separate studies with over 2,000 participants. The researchers also concluded that St John’s Wort and magnesium were not effective in treating anxiety (Lakhan & Vieira, 2010). Dr Shaheen Lakhan, the study’s first author, said: “Our

If pushed to choose, would you say this image contains a circle or not? People who tend towards saying the shape above is a circle are generally more liberal, a new study finds. People in the study who tended to say this was a circle were also: for the legalisation of cannabis, for gay marriage, for a government-funded welfare state. Those who said the shape above was not a circle tended to be more politically conservative. Naturally, they were also more likely to be for strengthening drug laws and ‘small’

Those who had played the game had 62% fewer intrusive memories in the following week. Playing Tetris — a retro tile-matching puzzle game — can help reduce the formation of intrusive memories after a traumatic event, new research finds. Participants in the study had all been involved in a car accident in the last six hours. They were waiting in the E.R. in Oxford, England. While waiting to be seen, some were encouraged to play Tetris. A comparison group just filled in an activity log of what had happened since

One in five admitted using their sport as cover for an affair. Football, rugby and golf are the sports most likely to be used as cover for an affair by men, according to a new survey. Men playing team sports, in general were more likely to use practice as cover for an affair. The results come from a British survey conducted by a golf equipment retailer. Top of the lists of sports that men admitted to using as an excuse to be away was rugby. Here is the full list

Resistance and aerobic exercise were tested alongside tai chi and yoga. Aerobic and resistance exercise together is the best combination for boosting brain power, new research finds. The results come from a review of 39 studies of people over 50-years-old doing all different types of exercise and activities, including: aerobic and resistance training, tai chi, and yoga. The results showed that all types of exercise improved the brain power of those over 50. Aerobic exercise boosts cognitive abilities, while resistance training was particularly good at boosting memory and executive function.