Cleaning up May Lead to Depression

The passion for cleanness may lead to depression. It has been declared by the scientists from Atlanta, Georgia State.

 In an effort to have frequent cleaning in the house, we impose our immune system to the aggressive influence of bacteria and infections which are contained in particles of dust and dirt, and therefore weaken the immune system. The weakened immune system overreacts to dust and dirt causing allergies.

 This slows down the production in the brain of some important chemicals, including serotonin (the hormone of happiness), which promotes the development of depression. It is therefore recommended to clean the apartment not more than once a week and to do the general cleaning once in three or four months.

5 Reasons to Eat Apples

Scientists urge us to eat more apples – this is the best remedy for muscle atrophy! Muscle atrophy involves a number of serious problems, but no medications have been found so far to heal it.


The researchers from the University of Iowa have started to study the activity of genes associated with muscles in order to find a substance that can interfere with the illness. They have identified the necessary component in the apple peel. This substance is ursolic acid. The experiments on mice have shown that it leads to a 15-percent increase of the muscle mass. However, the total weight of the rodents fed with this acid remained the same, while the amount of fat reduced by more than a half, according to the study published in the Cell Metabolism journal. The scientists believe that the role of ursolic acid consists in reprogramming the genes that are responsible for the loss of muscle mass and its replacement with fat.

As for the apples, they can also lower blood sugar levels, the level of harmful fatty acids and cholesterol. In addition, according to the scientists, this fruit helps with diabetes due to its natural properties.

YSL Promotes Smoking among Women

Despite the fact that advertising of tobacco products, as well as smoking in public places, is banned in virtually all European countries and in the United States, the experts note that this bad habit has recently become fashionable as never before, especially among women.


For example, the designers of the Yves Saint Laurent fashion brand do not seem to be bothered by the threat of cancer and other fatal diseases. It does not prevent them from being engaged in the active promotion of their cigarettes.

The products, placed in stylish black packages with gold lettering and logo design, are marketed primarily in Asia and Russia and are oriented namely on women. The focus, however, is on the desire of manufacturers to follow the classical traditions of the exquisite style and chic. As claimed by the psychologists, the authors of the campaign appeal to women’s vanity by making them believe that by choosing this brand of cigarettes they become associated with a certain elite.

How to Protect Yourself from Skin Cancer?

A lot of time has been spent by FDA to formulate new demands for sunscreens. Their review was announced back in 1978. What does a good sunscreen mean from the point of view of the most rigorous organization in the world?

Protection from UVA and UVB

Firstly, it must protect from UVA and UVB. At the same time, the well-known today SPF provides a good degree of protection only from B-rays. Since 2012 (and many manufacturers are already doing this) SPF will have to demonstrate a good level of protection from A-rays as well. The already known numbers will not change, but the higher the SPF-index is, the stronger the protection from both types of rays should be. And that is what the producers will have to prove.

What’s the Difference between UVA and UVB?

B-rays lead to sunburn and may cause skin cancer. But they affect only the skin surface, while A-rays penetrate deeper. They are less intense, but we get 50 times more rays of this spectrum. They provide a nice tan and – ugly skin aging. In addition, it has been proved that A-rays can damage the DNA of the skin and may also cause cancer.

SPF 15 and Below Doesn’t Protect from Sun Rays

Secondly, SPF 15 and below, which we got used to see on a huge number of regular day care creams, provides no protection from sun rays as such. According to the FDA representative Dr. Jill Lindstrom, people need to realize that SPF 15 and below does not reduce the risk of melanoma and does not protect from premature aging which is associated with the sun. By the way, American dermatologists are even more demanding as for the sunscreen and consider SPF 30 minimally acceptable and really effective.

The Protection Period of Anti-Sun Creams

Thirdly, the manufacturers of waterproof creams are required to indicate how long-lasting the protection period of their anti-sun creams is – 40 or 80 minutes. If the product is not waterproof, this must be reported on the label in big enough letters. If the manufacturer claims that the effect of the anti-sun cream lasts for two hours and more, it is necessary to prove it with clinical tests. In any case, the words like “blocking the sun rays” are not allowed. Since none of the modern sunscreens is capable of doing that.

SPF 50 and More

Fourthly, FDA suggests cancelling SPF-indices 50 and more, since such indexing is considered ungrounded. The present-day evidence shows that sunscreens with the index ranging from 30 to 50 are quite sufficient for children and adults with any peculiarities of skin.

Anti-Sun Sprays

Fifthly, the manufacturers of anti-sun sprays should prove that their products are really capable of providing the level of protection designated on the label. And it concerns the quantity rather than quality. The experts believe that sprays which are a convenient form of a sunscreen product have a major disadvantage: it is very likely that one can use too little spray, and no matter how high its quality is, it will not provide enough protection.
Head of the American Academy of Dermatology, Ronald Moy claims that the amount of sunscreen sufficient for an adult person should be not less than the size of a ping-pong ball, and this dose should be applied every two hours. But still, the best way to protect your skin from sun rays is to spend more time in a shady place.

How Much Red Meat Is Harmless?

According to a new report released by World Wide Fund for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Institute, excessive consumption of red meat may lead to cancer and increase the risk of abdominal tumors in particular


According to the recommendations of the scientists, people should eat not more than 500 grams of pork, beef or lamb per week.

The scientists recommend to replace red meat with food rich in fiber. It is contained in raw vegetables, fruits, legumes and some cereals.

Cellulose is not digested in human body. But it creates the feeling of satiety and prevents overeating. In addition, it improves the activity of our bowels and helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. Fiber reduces the activity of producing “new fat”. In addition, it has a slight diuretic effect, promoting the excretion of sodium and water. And, on the other hand, fiber is the source of potassium and vitamins.

Wearing Baseball Caps and Sandals Leads to Skin Cancer

The experts from the medical center at the University of Loyola, Ill., guided by Professor of Dermatology Rebecca Tung have found that the women who regularly wear baseball caps and sandals expose themselves to a much higher risk of skin cancer.


In her opinion, this is due to the fact that these items of clothing leave certain areas of the body open, such as the tips of the ears and the surface of the feet, which are the most vulnerable to the disease.

As pointed out by Dr. Tung, despite the popularity of baseball caps and outdoor slippers, women should preferably select running shoes and wide-brimmed hats, which fully protect feet and head from dangerous sun rays and provide the skin with sufficient protection. The professor also notes that this risk increases when taking into account the fact that most of the girls, even among those who use sunscreen, give little attention to ears and legs.

The danger of tanning under natural sunlight and artificial tanning lamps is constantly discussed by the experts, but, as noted by doctors, this tendency and the fashion for chocolate tint of the skin become no less wide-spread. In order to reduce the likelihood of cancer caused by ultraviolet rays to a minimum, the doctors strongly recommend avoiding exposure to the sun at lunch time and necessarily applying sunscreen with high protection factor on the skin, including, as it turns out, feet and tips of ears.

Plaster to Help Get Rid of Scars

There has been developed a new plaster for wounds and post-operative incisions which can help avoid unsightly scars on the skin.



The new product has been created by the doctors from Stanford University (USA). In fact, it is a cross between a plaster and ointment: the drug is a special kind of silicone. It is applied on the wound immediately after the removal of stitches. The material tightens the skin, fixing the edges of the wound firmly. As a result, the scar is reduced by 6 times on average if to compare it with the usual one. It has been proved by tests on animals and volunteers.

 With the help of the invention, one can even get rid of old ugly scars – it is enough to have a cosmetic surgery on their excision and put a silicone dressing on a fresh wound. The scientists suppose that the new product will be available on sale in 3-5 years.

Too Much Sex Is Harmful

There is a well-known myth that if a man is too often engaged in masturbation, it can lead to impotence. However, this opinion is only a stereotype. As for another assumption, which establishes a connection between the men watching a lot of porn and their erectile dysfunction, the doctors admit that it has some reasonable background.


It primarily concerns the Internet resources with such content which have recently become accessible to practically all users. According to a recent study conducted by the experts from the University of Padua and led by Professor of Urology Carlo Foresta, about 70% of young men, who come to medical institutions asking for help because of sexual disorders, have the habit of watching too much pornography.

As noted by Dr. Foresta, despite the fact that at first such perspectives cause only irony among the majority of young people, later many of them can no longer enjoy an intimate relationship with real girls. According to the scientists, these consequences are triggered by the irregularities in the process of developing dopamine, a brain hormone which, among other things, is directly involved in the formation of addictions, and drug addiction in particular. At the same time, if men reduce the watching of erotic video, their sexual performance will gradually be restored.

Nature and Woman’s Health

As the scientists have found, life in the countryside, among nature and greenery, can make women healthier, more sociable, more generous, and more peaceful if to compare with living in large cities.


According to Professor Frances Kuo who studies the nature and human health, people living in the suburbs are more open, ready to help and have much higher standards of living than their urban counterparts.

Professor Kuo believes that nature is needed for maintaining human health, and as soon as the human being loses green space, his/her health suffers greatly.

The professor also noted that spending time in the nature helps develop people’s cognitive functions, cultivate self-discipline, control their emotions, and enhance mental health. The study has shown that the environment affects post-operation recovery and helps maintain a higher level of physical activity, improve the functioning of the immune system and achieve normal glucose levels in blood in the case of diabetes.

Vice versa, the farther a woman is from nature, the more likely worsening of health can be, which results in the syndrome of hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder and can raise anxiety level and cause clinical depression. It is worth noting that places with few green areas, also lead to the risk of childhood obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and even may increase mortality in both young and old age.

Ad Photos Retouching Dangerous to Health

The American Medical Association (AMA) has decided to take a strong stand in the question of using ad photos retouching. According to them, incredibly thin models on the posters could form misconceptions among young people about the female figure.


The American Medical Association has determined to issue some principles as to how far retouching can go. The guidelines were published last week. The AMA announces their determination to resist the incorrect use of Photoshop and encourages the owners of fashionable brands not to use retouching, since such changes in the female figure can contribute to unrealistic expectations connected with the inability to reach retouched body proportions. This is especially true of impressionable children and adolescents whose psychic is primarily affected by retouched advertising, as the doctors say.

The AMA has adopted a new policy that encourages advertising agencies in case their work meets the new requirements.

The press immediately recollected the most famous cases of retouching. For example, there was a 2009 poster of the Ralph Lauren brand, in which the waist circumference of the model is even smaller than the circumference of the head, and it by no means happens in anatomy, as the experts insist. The management of the Ralph Lauren brand had to apologize for the defective sample of retouching.

Cell Phone Declared a Carcinogen

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, WHO (IARC) announced on May 31 that a mobile phone is a potential carcinogen. Its active use increases the risk of malignant brain tumor, glioma, by 40%.


The active use in this case presupposes 30 minutes a day for 10 years. Before announcing the mobile phone a potential carcinogen, the working group of IARC had reviewed hundreds of scientific publications on this topic. According to the leader of the researchers, Jonathan Samet (USA), they continue to gather information, but they have already obtained enough data for the conclusion they have made.

It is very simple to reduce the risk to near zero – it means to remove the phone from the head during a phone call, that is to use a headset or to use SMS-correspondence.

Frequent Business Trips Lead to Obesity

U.S. doctors have found that frequent business trips threaten with premature aging and obesity, as the Science journal suggests in its review of the news.


The scientists have discovered that business trips lead to a sharp deterioration of health if a person spends more than two weeks a month elsewhere. It is reflected in the rapid gain of weight, increasing the lower indices of blood pressure and other violations of well-being.

The experts have come to this conclusion having studied the medical records of thirteen thousand working Americans, 80% of whom spend at least one day a month in a business trip, and 1% – spend up to 20 days a month. The analysis shows that the health of those, who spend half a month in trips, is much worse than that of their more “settled” colleagues, who spend from 1 to 6 days per month travelling on business.

The link between business trips and overweight is explained by two arguments: firstly, 81% of business trips are in cars, which are associated with the need to sit for a long time, and secondly, travelling by car is most often characterized by malnutrition: business travelers often have to eat what God has sent, as the Science journal informs.

Women Suffer from Food Addiction

According to leading dietitians, there has developed a very popular tendency, according to which women fall into a real dependence on food.


However, it is not just that some ladies eat too much. Their thoughts about food become a major source of stress and anxiety among girls. As noted by one of the leading authors of a recent study, Professor Francis Largeman-Roth, the severity of these effects in many ways depends on specific characteristics of the diet.
So, the doctor recommends that women refuse products with caffeine and wheat flour (white bread and biscuits), as they cause drastic fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which in turn has a significant impact on a woman’s mood. On the contrary, the researchers claim that red meat or white meat rich in iron will bring benefit, particularly to those ladies who regularly feel tired at the end of the day.

According to Professor Largeman-Roth, food products with sedative properties also include brown rice, macaroni made of durum flour, and whole-grain bread. Despite a large number of various vitamins, legumes as well as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are recommended at a minimum. The nutritionists warn that eating them in large quantities may cause bloating. Of course, sugary fizzy drinks are not useful for the body as well.

Plaster to Treat Nut Allergy

French scientists have suggested treating allergy to peanuts by using plaster. The new treatment was developed by Pierre-Henri Benhamou and Christophe Dupont.


At present time, desensitization (reduced sensitivity) of the body to allergens is used to treat different types of allergy. With this approach, small doses of substances that cause allergies are regularly introduced into the patient’s blood. Gradually, the immune system “gets used” to the effects of the allergen and causes no excessive reaction as it enters the body.

Created by the French scientists, the plaster contains peanut allergens, which after the application of small doses penetrates the skin. According to the developers, this method of application, unlike injections, is able to reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions, whose most terrible case is an anaphylactic shock. The tests aimed at evaluating the safety of a new plaster have started in the U.S. and Europe.

During the next stage of the research, the scientists intend to determine the dose of allergens which will be contained in one plaster and the time of its use. Dupont believes that to prevent the development of an anaphylactic shock one will have to use tha plaster for about a year. According to the assumptions of the researchers, the medical product will be released onto the market in a matter of three to four years. In a similar way, the developers have suggested treating allergy with dairy products.

Normal Foods vs. Organic Foods

In recent years, the majority of people have become so selective in food that they prefer organic products because they are healthier and less harmful to the environment. But now this statement is doubted greatly.


 The research conducted on organic and normal foods grown by the farmers in Minnesota, has revealed that there was 19 times more E. Coli infection on the farms growing organic products and using new organic

fertilizers (received less than a year before) if to compare with the farms that use older stuff. The scientists attribute this to the fact that many pathogens are able to remain active up to 60 days or more in the compost and soil. One more dangerous thing is that antifungal agents are not used when growing organic foods. Hence, the risk of mold growth and mycotoxin produced by fungi. So, going to a farm or buying food in a bio-supermarket, think twice, what is indeed less harmful to your health.

Hair Extensions Harm Woman’s Health

The experts call on women to give up hair extensions. In their opinion, there is no surer way to aggravate one’s health than a suchlike procedure.


Meanwhile, the demand for false hair has grown over the past few years by 40%. At the same time, more and more people began to ask doctors for help because of the negative effects of hair extensions, as the expert on health of hair and scalp from the Institute of Trichologists Steve O’bryan claims.

The fact is that hair follicles are affected by extra locks and experience stress. This can cause inflammation and hair loss. The experts emphasize that the longer the false locks are, the more it harms the hair. And glue, wax and other methods used to secure the extra hair on the head lead to breakage and thinning.

Depression Starts in the Bowels

Canadian researchers from McMaster University have demonstrated for the first time the effect of intestinal microflora on the chemical processes in the brain that govern the behavior and mood. Human bowels are inhabited by billions of bacteria that perform various functions and are important for sustaining life: they accumulate energy from food, protect against infections, and deliver nourishment to the cells of the intestine. Any disbalance can lead to serious consequences.


Theoretically, we can assume that the mood of a person with impaired intestinal microflora may be flawed by knowing this fact by itself and having the unpleasant sensations associated with it. But with laboratory mice the psychological aspect cannot be of great importance. Nevertheless, the researchers have observed that the effect of the antibiotic on a healthy microflora of bowels leads to changes in the behavior of mice! They become less cautious and prudent, and have elevated level of anxiety. These changes are accompanied by an increased amount of neurotrophic factor in the brain that is associated with depression and anxiety. Once the antibiotic is terminated and the intestinal microflora recovers, the chemical processes in one’s brain also come back to the normal level, as well as behavior.

To confirm that it is the bacteria that play a decisive role, the researchers used the mice which did not have enough intestinal bacteria and provided them with a microflora of mice with different “tempers”. It was discovered that when genetically passive mice received the microflora of more active individuals, they themselves became much more active and brave. Conversely, the mice which were more active by nature, became lazy and less mobile after the introduction of the microflora of their slow and passive relatives.
Of course, the behavior is determined by many factors, but in cases of its frustration (perhaps up to autism (!), the scientists recommend that eveyone pay attention to the balance of intestinal microflora. However, the bacterial factor in the behavior needs further study.

Water Deficit and Depression

WHO predicts that by 2020 depression will have taken the first place in the world among all diseases, ahead of today’s leaders – infectious and cardiovascular diseases. Today it is the most common disease that affects women. U.S. scientists believe that this tendency may be connected with water deficit in the diet of a modern man.


The researchers from Tufts University have conducted an experiment during which some participants received water in the desired and in limited amounts. As a result, the representatives of the second group had a depressed mood, fatigue, and the signs of anger and confusion as well. It is not so obvious, but the experts have noted the reduction of their ability to think.

The experts claim that the amount of water necessary for the normal functioning of the body is individual and depends on the weight, physical activity of a person and weather. In any case, an average person needs 8-9 cups of plain water a day.

Pole Dancers Risk to Develop Osteoporosis

It has long been known that female athletes experience hormonal dysfunction. Recently, a group of scientists from the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, have proved the connection between pole dancing and the development of osteoporosis in women.


Pole dancers suffer from thinning bones due to the poor diet and strenuous exercise for their limbs, Dr. Anne Hoch says. Exhausting diets do not compensate for energy loss.
As a result, there is a violation of the menstrual function, eating disorders, and there also appear early signs of cardiovascular disease. As a result, the density of the tissue decreases, and the pole dancer’s bones get thinner.

Osteoporosis used to affect women just before the period of a menopause, however, the disease is now increasingly recorded in young girls who are actively involved in dancing. The doctors examined more than 300 pole dancers at the age of 20 to 30 years with an average weight of 55 kilograms.

About 80% of the girls had problems with the gastrointestinal tract due to poor eating and demonstrated a tendency to have thinning bones. 27% of women had no menstrual periods, and 36% demonstrated a significant change in the density of bone tissue. According to the ultrasound examinations, the symptoms of atherosclerosis of blood vessels have been diagnosed in 64% of the pole dancers. The researchers recommend that the dancers review their diet and exercise.

Longevity Secret Revealed

Is it possible that the next generation will have good opportunities and prospects to help develop new life-prolonging technologies? Could our children live up to 150 years, and their grandchildren – be able to celebrate a millennium?


According to a British research, the director of which is Aubrey de Grey, such an opportunity will appear, but only in prospect. The scientist believes that the first step towards this goal has already been made, as for the past 25 years many technologies have been developed to help slow down the aging process.

A case was recorded when a man lived till 150. Now he is, of course, no longer alive. But this shows that nothing is impossible. According to the forecasts that experts make, already in the next two decades a man could be born who will be able to live till 1000. Alongside with the development of medicine in such areas as gene therapy and stem cell research, as well as the search for tools to better stimulate the immune system, other methods of prolonging life are being developed.

The researchers hope that soon health service will be much more simplified. We will need to visit just one doctor who will make the necessary conclusions about our health; hence, the problem of aging will be solved. The forecast by de Grey, of course, might seem a little dubious. Life expectancy increases by three months each year, and many experts claim that by 2030 there will be many people over 100 years old. For example, in Japan in 2010, there were 4400 centenarian people. Experts define aging as a life-long accumulation of cellular and molecular damage in the body, which can – from a practical point of view – give doctors an opportunity to correct flaws.