Tag: Persuasion

Foods rich in this type of omega-3 fatty acid found to reduce risk of death, especially from coronary heart disease.

Nuts and seeds — due to being rich in an essential omega-3 fatty acid — have been found to improve life expectancy.

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is an omega-3 fatty acid naturally found in foods such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, soybeans, chia seeds, and canola oils.

Consuming a high amount of ALA is linked to a reduced risk of deaths from all causes including heart and blood vessel diseases, a study has found.

In contrast, foods and drinks high in sugar can cause serious health problems quite apart from obesity or diabetes.

The findings are based on an analysis of 41 studies that were carried out from 1991 to 2021 to see if there is any link between ALA intake and various causes, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The research team found that higher consumption of ALA was linked to:

• 11 percent reduced risk of dying from coronary heart disease,
• 10 percent reduced risk of death from any cause,
• and 8 percent reduced risk of dying from CVD.

The higher the intake of ALA, the lower the rates of CVD mortality.

For example, increasing daily intake of ALA by one gram was linked to a 5 percent reduced risk of death from CVD.

One tablespoon of canola oil or a 15 gram serving of walnut oil contains one gram of ALA and a 28 gram serving of walnuts contain 2.5 grams of ALA.

The study adds more evidence to the possible beneficial health effects of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The authors added:

“Further studies should examine the association between ALA and a wider range of causes of death to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the potential health effects of ALA as well as to examine whether specific foods rich in ALA are differentially associated with mortality from cancer and other causes.”

The study was published in the British Medical Journal (Naghshi et al., 2021).

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HDL cholesterol, known as “good” cholesterol, is important in lowering the risk of heart disease.

Eating almonds improves the levels of ‘good’ cholesterol as well as removing ‘bad’ cholesterol, a study reveals.

Good cholesterol, known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol), is important in lowering the risk of heart disease.

Almonds are nutritious and high in vitamins E and B.

They are also a source of minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc as well as providing good levels of fat and fibre.

Almonds can raise the functioning of HDL cholesterol, which gathers ‘bad’ cholesterol from tissues like the arteries and helps to transport it out of the body.

The randomised controlled trial showed that the levels and function of HDL cholesterol were improved in people who had a diet with 43g of unsalted, whole, natural almonds a day for 6 weeks

This group was compared to people who had a similar diet, but instead of almonds ate a muffin.

The researchers found that while participants were on the almond diet, their HDL levels and functionality improved.

Professor Penny Kris-Etherton, an author of the study, said:

“HDL is very small when it gets released into circulation.

It’s like a garbage bag that slowly gets bigger and more spherical as it gathers cholesterol from cells and tissues before depositing them in the liver to be broken down.”

HDL cholesterol is categorised into different subspecies and particle sizes which range from the very small pre-β-1 HDL to the very large α-1 HDL.

High concentrations of pre-β-1 HDL and low concentrations of α-1 HDL, alone or in combination, have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Introducing almonds to a low-fat diet improves HDL subspecies and function and prevents decreases in α-1 HDL, which is caused by the traditional low-fat diet.

Professor Kris-Etherton said:

“We were able to show that there were more larger particles in response to consuming the almonds compared to not consuming almonds.

That would translate to the smaller particles doing what they’re supposed to be doing.

They’re going to tissues and pulling out cholesterol, getting bigger, and taking that cholesterol to the liver for removal from the body.”

The study was published in The Journal of Nutrition (Berryman et al., 2017).

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Episode 1954 Scott Adams PART2: More Twitter Revelations, So Juicy! Russian Arms Dealer Has Some Surprises

Content:

• Rogue attacks on our infrastructure
• Daniel Ellsberg has Chelsea Manning files?
• Wuhan lab’s American whistleblower
• Michael Shellenberger’s Twitter Files report
• Yoel Roth’s Twitter decisions
• Rich Baris elections debate offer
• If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topicsto build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.

 

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Deficiency in this vitamin is very common.

Higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy are linked to higher IQ among children, research finds.

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is common in the general population and especially among Black people.

Around 80 percent of Black pregnant women may be deficient in vitamin D.

Ms Melissa Melough, the study’s first author, explains:

“Melanin pigment protects the skin against sun damage, but by blocking UV rays, melanin also reduces vitamin D production in the skin.

Because of this, we weren’t surprised to see high rates of vitamin D deficiency among Black pregnant women in our study.

Even though many pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin, this may not correct an existing vitamin D deficiency.

I hope our work brings greater awareness to this problem, shows the long-lasting implications of prenatal vitamin D for the child and their neurocognitive development, and highlights that there are certain groups providers should be paying closer attention to.

Widespread testing of vitamin D levels is not generally recommended, but I think health care providers should be looking out for those who are at higher risk, including Black women.”

The study included over 1,500 women and their children, who were tracked over five years.

The results showed that children had higher IQs at 4-6 years old when their mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy.

Ms Melough said:

“Vitamin D deficiency is quite prevalent.

The good news is there is a relatively easy solution. It can be difficult to get adequate vitamin D through diet, and not everyone can make up for this gap through sun exposure, so a good solution is to take a supplement.”

The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is 600 IU.

The average intake in the US is just 200 IU, with the remainder required from exposure to the sun.

Unfortunately, most people do not get enough exposure to the sun, especially in the winter months.

Foods that contain high levels of vitamin D include cow’s milk, breakfast cereals, fatty fish and eggs.

Ms Melough said:

“I want people to know that it’s a common problem and can affect children’s development.

Vitamin D deficiency can occur even if you eat a healthy diet.

Sometimes it’s related to our lifestyles, skin pigmentation or other factors outside of our control.”

The study was published in The Journal of Nutrition (Melough et al., 2020).

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Episode 1955 Scott Adams PART1: Fusion Energy, Here At Last? And Everything Twitter Did Was Illegal Or Not

Content:

• Hunter’s laptop indexed, made public
• Twitter crowdfunded debates
• Fusion energy might be economical
• Another reason to ban TikTok
• Elon Musk on wokeness & pronouns
• Whiteboard: How The World Works
• 
• If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topicsto build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.

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Episode 1955 Scott Adams PART2: Fusion Energy, Here At Last? And Everything Twitter Did Was Illegal Or Not

Content:

• Hunter’s laptop indexed, made public
• Twitter crowdfunded debates
• Fusion energy might be economical
• Another reason to ban TikTok
• Elon Musk on wokeness & pronouns
• Whiteboard: How The World Works
• 
• If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topicsto build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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The drugs increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and intestinal infections by altering gut bacteria.

Eighteen of the 41 most common drugs, including antibiotics, antidepressants and steroids can cause chaos in the gut microbiome, scientists warn.

The microbiome is a collection of different microorganisms including good bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract (GI).

The gut microbiome contains more than 1000 different species of bacteria.

Past studies have shown that changes in gut microbiota can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson, cancer, liver diseases, obesity and diabetes.

The new study provides evidence that certain medications can alter bacteria in the gut and puts the population at the risk of obesity, intestinal infections and more.

Antibiotics, laxatives, metformin, and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) seem to have the largest impact on the gut bacteria.

• Antibiotics are prescribed widely. Only in Europe, 34 percent of the population take this medication each year.
• Laxatives can easily be purchased over-the-counter or as medical prescriptions to prevent or treat constipation.
• Metformin is a common medication for treating Type 2 diabetes, but those on this drug have higher levels of E. coli, a bacterial infection that can cause bloody diarrhoea, severe stomach pain, kidney failure and death.
• PPI is the most commonly prescribed medicine used for heartburn and acid-related disorders and symptoms such as dyspepsia, which affects nearly 24 percent of Europeans. PPI users in this study had higher fatty acid production and a larger number of upper gastrointestinal tract bacteria.

The researcher also found that IBS patients who were taking antidepressants (SSRIs) had a large number of potentially harmful bacteria called Eubacterium ramulus.

Those who were on oral steroids had large amounts of methanogenic bacteria which is linked to an increase in body fat and obesity.

In addition, the study identified eight different types of medications that increased resistance to antibiotics treatment.

Mr Arnau Vich Vila, the study’s lead researcher, said:

“We already know that the efficiency and the toxicity of certain drugs are influenced by the bacterial composition of the gastrointestinal tract and that the gut microbiota has been related to multiple health conditions; therefore, it is crucial to understand which are the consequences of medication use in the gut microbiome.

Our work highlights the importance of considering the role of the gut microbiota when designing treatments and also points to new hypotheses that could explain certain side-effects associated with medication use.

The study was presented at UEG Week Barcelona (Vich Vila et al., 2019).

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Episode 1924 Scott Adams: Trump Alienates His Base, And Elon Musk Tries To Turn Twitter Around

Content:

• A breathing reframe
• Georgia runoff
• Twitter peer-to-peer payment system
• Student loan forgiveness
• President Trump vs. Governor DeSantis
• Arizona election rules delaying results
• If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topicsto build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.

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Episode 1925 Scott Adams PART1: How Much Should You Trust The Arizona Election? Can Trump Get Elected Now?

Content:

• Arizona voting system
• President Trump, Ivanka & Jared
• GOP getting a beating over midterm results
• Did Trump’s influence help or hurt midterms?
• What group is most hurt by democrat policies?
• Safer alternatives for drug users?
• If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topicsto build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Low levels of an omega-3 fatty acid can cause this problem.

Poor sleep can be a sign of omega-3 deficiency, research finds.

Poor sleep can also cause cognitive and behavioural problems and general poor health.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega‐3 fatty acids found in algae, fish and other seafoods and it is a major structural fat in the brain and retina of the eye.

Higher blood levels of DHA are associated with better sleep, fewer sleep disturbances and less parasomnias, including abnormal movements during sleep, nightmares and sleepwalking.

A study on a group of children with poor sleep shows that 16 weeks daily supplementation with 600 mg of DHA from algal sources had considerably restored their sleep.

It also lowered problems like sleep anxiety, resistance to bedtime, and continual waking through the night.

Children who were supplemented with omega-3 DHA had one hour more sleep and seven fewer wake episodes each night.

Low levels of DHA are associated with lower levels of melatonin, a hormone mainly produced in the brain, which regulates the sleep–wake cycle.

The sleep–wake cycle maintains sleep rhythm: leading to going to sleep regularly each night and waking up at a regular time every morning.

Professor Paul Montgomery, lead author of the study,said:

“To find clinical level sleep problems in four in ten of this general population sample is a cause for concern.

Various substances made within the body from omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have long been known to play key roles in the regulation of sleep.

For example, lower ratios of DHA have been linked with lower levels of melatonin, and that would fit with our finding that sleep problems are greater in children with lower levels of DHA in their blood.”

The balance of omega-3 DHA and omega-6 fatty acid AA (arachidonic acid) in the pineal gland of our brain is important for the regulation of melatonin production.

Increased DHA to omega-6 fatty acid AA ratios increase the secretion of melatonin and so can reduce sleep problems.

Dr Alex Richardson, study co-author, said:

“Previous studies we have published showed that blood levels of omega-3 DHA in this general population sample of 7-9 year olds were alarmingly low overall, and this could be directly related to the children’s behavior and learning.

Poor sleep could well help to explain some of those associations.”

The study was published in the Journal of Sleep Research (Montgomery et al., 2014).

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