Want To Live a Little Longer? Eating Spicy Food Could Be the Answer!

If you like spicy foods and you know it, clap your hands!

If you like spicy foods and you know it, clap your hands!

If you like spicy foods and you know it then you might just want to know that

Eating spicy foods can help you stay alive! 

OK, so maybe the song was a bad choice... but it was worth a shot, right? 

Over the years, spicy foods are one of the things I've come to love more and more. I find myself sprinkling on a little cayenne here and there, just to give my meals a little extra kick.

If you also love spicy food, then here's a(nother) reason to keep on loving them, other than the flavor, of course: spicy foods might help keep you alive longer--or at least it seems that way, according to a study published by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. 

The study looked at 487, 375 participants, whose medical data was on file in the China Kadoorie Biobank. The participants were between 30 and 79 years old between 2004 and 2008, when the data was collected. By the time of a median check up of those people 7.2 years later, there had been 20,224 deaths.

The researchers found that the people whose diets contained more spicy foods had a lower chance of death. Specifically, people who ate spicy food 1 or 2 days a week had a 10% lower chance, while people who consumed spicy food 6 or 7 days a week had a 14% lower chance of death. 

The consumption of chilies was especially helpful, as they are not only rich in capsaicin, which makes them spicy, as well as vitamin C and other valuable nutrients. The effect was similar in both men and women, although the chance of death was lower in those that did not consume alcohol.

The study also found that regular consumption of spicy foods was linked to a reduced rick of cancer as well as heart and respiratory diseases, and diabetes. This association was greater in women than in men.

The authors are urging more research in this area. So far, they only have a link between spicy foods and reduced risk of death, but do not understand any cause or effect. It could be that chilies and other spicy foods have a direct impact on human health, or they could simply be indicative of other, generally healthier dietary or lifestyle habits. It doesn’t seem like spicy foods are making people live shorter lives though, which is good news for people who prefer their meals with a little extra kick.

So, if you needed an excuse to add a little extra sriracha to your ramen or chili pepper sauce to your eggs, this could be good news for you :) But we'll all have to stay tuned for the finer details once additional research is conducted.

Ladies: Proof that What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger

One study claims women suffer more than men after a breakup.
Image: Shutterstock

Breakups can be hard on people, women and men. According to a new study by researchers at Binghamton University, however, women suffer more pain from breakups than men. The flip side, though, is that women come out of that pain stronger and recover more fully--while men tend to move on without ever truly recovering.

The study was based on 5,705 individuals, across 96 countries, who were asked to rate their emotional and physical pain following breakups, on a scale of 1 to 10. Women averaged 6.84 in emotional pain, and 4.21 in physical pain, while men averaged 6.58 and 3.75, respectively.

Craig Morris, lead author of the study, hypothesizes that this is steeped in biology. Simply put, women have more at stake in a relationship. A quick fling could result in pregnancy, followed by childbirth and child rearing, while a man could just move on and never look back. So women have evolved a deeper emotional connection, and when a particularly good mate ends a relationship, they suffer more for it.

Men, on the other hand, evolved to compete for women’s attention, and following breakups, slowly come to the realization that they have to begin competing again. They don’t seem to take the same kinds of lessons from those breakups though, and seem less likely to learn from previous experiences.

Of course, this speaks simply to biology, and doesn’t much take into account differences between human cultures, or the changes of those cultures over time, though it does provide some very interesting information that historians and other social scientists could make use of.

It is still valuable now though, as some people tend to respond poorly to breakups, and high-risk individuals, who can initiate self-destructive behavior following loss, can be much worse off following a breakup. A stronger understanding of the emotional and physical response to grief could help us develop better systems to help people dealing with grief, especially those that might harm themselves or others.

What do you think--are breakups really harder on women than on men? Or do the two simply rate their pain differently? Leave your thoughts on this study in the comments below!

How Many ZZZs Do You Really Need?

What's the purrrrfect amount of sleep?
Image: Shutterstock

How many hours of sleep do you get each night? How much would you get if you didn’t have to set your alarm clock each morning? As a society, we’ve come to believe the ideal amount of sleep per night is 8 hours for adults. I’ll be the first to say that if I sleep without interruption, I tend to go for nine hours, meaning my sleep cycles are likely each 3 hours long or 4.5 hours long.

“Everyone is different,” is the phrase I generally go to when talking about how much sleep people “need” to get on average each night. But there’s some interesting new research being done that is suggesting the “eight hours” rule might not actually be the ideal amount of sleep.

In general, Americans these days are getting fewer hours of shuteye than in the past, and several studies over the past few decades have suggested that seven hours is the optimal amount of sleep for cognitive and physical health.

For example, the University of California San Diego conducted a six-year-long study involving over a million people and concluded that the optimal amount of sleep per night is between 6.5 and 7.4 hours. The researchers say that those who tended to sleep between those amounts had a lower mortality rate than those who got either more or less sleep on average. The study controlled for 32 different health factors and was published in 2002.

Of course, many experts have pointed out potential flaws in the research, such as whether it factored in illnesses, human error in self-monitoring for sleep times, and genetic differences and predispositions. One study found that skipping out on even a little extra sleep (20 minutes) could impair memory and overall performance. Too much sleep, however, has been associated with a wide variety of health problems—like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and higher mortality rates.

“The problem with these studies is that they give you good information about association but not causation,” says Timothy Morgenthaler, who is president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He recommends seven to eight hours of sleep per night, with an evaluation of how you feel individually—because optimal sleep times can vary largely.

One thing is for sure: there’s certainly more research to be done. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has agreed to fund a panel to review and report on all existing sleep research. The panel will be made up of researchers and medical specialists, who are to deliver new recommendations on sleep by 2015.

What do you think about this new research? Are you a tried-and-true 8-hours believer, or do you have a different optimal sleep time? 

The Nose Knows: Detecting Fat in Food

Our bodies are amazing organisms. Did you know that our noses might actually b able to smell differences in dietary fat levels in foods—as in, we can smell which milk is skim, 2% and whole?

New research out of the Monell Chemical Sences Center recently conducted a small study, in which participants smelled different samples of milk and tried to distinguish between them. PLoS ONE published the study in January, which found that the participants really could distinguish the milk based on smell.

Can you smell the difference between full fat ice cream and fat-free? Lunström's study says yes.
Image: Shutterstock

How is that even possible? The study’s lead author, psychologist Johan Lunström, says that he believes it comes down to evolution. We “need energy to survive,” he says. And, back when we didn’t have those helpful nutritional charts available, “detecting fat would have been very valuable to us.”

Fat, though it’s gotten a bad reputation over the years, is actually an essential part of the human diet. We need energy to survive, and foods that are naturally fatty (like nuts and fresh milk) are perfect for sating that appetite. One reason I actually prefer whole milk over skim is because the fat keeps me feeling full longer—so even though it has more calories, I don’t get hungry again as soon.

The study isolated the fat in milk by using powdered milk, and all the samples had the same concentration of powder. “The only thing that these powders differed in was the amount of fat,” Lundström says. “Otherwise, the samples are identical.”  

Previous studies had found that humans could smell fatty acids in their purest form. Next, Lundström says he hopes to find out how we can smell the fat, if we can recognize it in more complex foods, and in what ways this ability affects human behavior.

One More Reason for a Daily Cup O’ Joe

Coffee may help improve memory, in addition to a wide variety of other health benefits.
Image: Shutterstock

If you keep up with news, perhaps you’ll have heard this little tidbit: drinking coffee may be a boon to memory, according to a study out of Johns Hopkins University. You know how I love my coffee (one of the many reasons I love living in Seattle)—and now, I can love it even more.

Researchers showed study participants a series of images and then either gave participants 200 milligrams of caffeine or a placebo. Twenty-four hours later, the participants were asked to identify the images during a similar lineup. Those that had been given caffeine were better able to identify the images.

Caffeine has been the focus of many health and wellness studies. These studies have suggested that drinking coffee can have some incredible benefits:

Coffee can…

• Raise our energy levels (duh)
• Make us smarter
• Help us burn fat
• Improve physical performance
• Give us several important nutrients
• Lower our risk of Type II Diabetes
• Protect us from Alzheimer’s and dementia
• Lower our risk of Parkinson’s
• Keep our liver from developing cirrhosis
• Improve our mood and fight depression
• Lower our risk of certain kinds of cancer
• Reduce the risk of stroke
• Improve longevity
• Give us much-needed antioxidants

I never used to drink coffee, but over the years it became an acquired taste. It’s funny how our taste sometimes changes over the years. In this case, I’m so glad it did. I love my morning cup of coffee on taste along, but all these added benefits are great, too.

Are you a coffee drinker? What keeps you coming back to it every day?

Fall’s Here… Prepare for Allergies!

This, finally. Well, almost.
Image: Shutterstock

Fall has sauntered into our lives sneakily, and with the weather changes comes another, not so pleasant thing for many: allergies. My body doesn’t seem to be bothered too much by pollen count and potential allergens, but many of my friends and acquaintances would say just the opposite. Changing seasons mean at least a few weeks of sneezy, sniffly doom.

With that in mind, I was intrigued when I saw that there’s actually a report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) on the worst cities for those who suffer from allergies. And number one on the “2013 Fall Allergy Capitals” report was Wichita, KS.

The report says that global weather conditions could make this fall particularly ragweed-heavy, and that the potential fall storms and tornadoes could also “disperse allergens” and cause more outdoor mold problems. The list of the top 100 allergy capitals took into account pollen levels, OTC and prescription medication usage, and the number or Board Certified allergists for each city.

Wichita had a score or 100, boosting it to first place over last year’s second place. Last year, Louisville, KY, was number one. Check out other top cities on the report this year:

Unfortunately, fall is also a time of high allergies for some.
Image: Shutterstock

1. Wichita, KS—100.00
2. Jackson, MS—96.44
3. Knoxville, TN—94.32
4. Louisville, KY—89.12
5. Memphis, TN—88.72
6. McAllen, TX—88.37
7. Baton Rouge, LA—87.87
8. Dayton, OH—86.91
9. Chattanooga, TNN—85.76
10. Oklahoma City, OK—85.65
11. New Orleans, LA—84.54
12. Madison, WI—83.67
13. Omaha, NE—82.64
14. Little Rock, AR—80.02
15. Tulsa, OK—77.50
16. Buffalo, NY—77.10
17. Grand Rapids, MI—76.88
18. Dallas, TX—76.63
19. Detroit, MI—76.27
20. Toledo, OH—75.59

For a look at more of the top 100 cities, check out Allergy Capitals’ interactive map, which helpfully color-codes all of the cities’ regional locations (Midwest, Northeast, South, West), shows last year’s rank, and provides more information on its factor scores. The South and Midwest largely dominate the top of the list, with the West and Northeast bringing up the rear.

Where does your city "fall" on the list? :)

Beware the Full Moon?

One study indicates the full moon may have an effect on
our sleep cycles.
Image: Shutterstock

Are you someone who believes in the power of the moon? Can it transform werewolves? Does it mean “big changes” are coming in life? Will it make people act strangely?

Even if those things seem a bit silly to you, there’s one thing that could still be affected by the full moon—whether you believe it or not. Scientists studying the effect of the full moon on our sleep cycles have found evidence that we have a harder time sleeping when the moon is at its brightest.

The researchers studied 33 participants, who slept in a darkened room where the moon was not visible. On the nights when the moon was full, the participants took longer to fall asleep and slept, on average, 20 minutes less than during a new moon.

When there was a full moon, there were lower levels of the Dracula of Hormones, melatonin. As I’ve talked about in previous blog posts, melatonin affects our body’s natural clock and is produced in larger amounts when it is dark. During the full moons of the study, researchers reported lower levels of melatonin in the subjects—despite the fact that the moon wasn’t visible to participants.

Participants had more trouble falling asleep and
staying asleep during the full moon.
Image: Shutterstock

As always, studies should be taken with a grain of salt. This one had a very small test group, and at this point the findings are interesting but inconclusive. Does the moon really mess with our sleep cycles? It’s possible, but more research will need to be done with larger test groups and more targeted testing.

“There is such a strong cultural story around the full moo n that it would not be surprising if it has an effect,” said one expert, according to USA Today. “It’s one of these folk things that you would suspect has a germ of truth.”

What do you think?

Fast Food Accounts for 11% of American Diet

Fast food accounts for 11% of the American diet

Image: Shutterstock

We try to eat healthy as much as possible at home. We consume far more fresh produce than I ever did in my youth (when most of my veggies came from cans) and most of our meals consist of about 75% veggies and 25% meat. Sugar, salt, butter, cream, and all those delicious but overly-used additions are used sparingly. And while we might order the occasional pizza on a Saturday night, I honestly can’t remember the last time we made our way through a fast food drive-thru.

I count myself lucky in that fast food has never settled well with me. My stomach is especially sensitive and I’m a picky eater, so even as a teen I didn’t usually find fast food all that appetizing. But we still ate it from time to time because it was cheap and easy to come by.

Image from impawards.com
We are still a "Fast Food Nation"

But the sad truth is that many don’t feel the same, or they can’t afford to. Fast food accounts for more than 11% of the total American diet, according to federal health officials. And though that’s down two percent from a few years ago, that’s still a frightening amount, especially for young people.

The decisions we make as young adults can affect our health for the rest of our lives, and struggling with obesity in our 20s can put us at a high risk for metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and abdominal fat), diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, among others.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), people aged 20 to 39 got 15% of their daily calories from fast food, while those older than 60 came in at just 6%. Young black people aged 20-39 were even higher, with 21% of their daily calories coming from fast food.

Image from livingachangedlife.blogspot.com
FRUIT is fast food!

And it seems that obesity only compounds the issue, as a survey of weight groups revealed that obese young adults got the highest percentage of calories from fast food—18%. For the most part, income didn’t seem to have much effect on how much fast food people ate. That means at this point it’s more a battle with bad habits and ease of obtainment than anything else.

I’m all for having food that’s available quickly, especially since sometimes I’m on the road or in a hurry and need a quick bite. I’ve been happy to see some fast food establishments offering more healthy options in the past few years, and I hope that trend continues. Obesity is a dangerous problem that should be addressed, particularly by those establishments that are largely responsible for the issue.

Do you eat fast food? If you do, do you choose to do so because it is 1) inexpensive, 2) quick, 3) easily obtained, or 4) because you enjoy it?

Vitamin Sunshine: Reducing Arthritis Risk

The sunshine vitamin, or vitamin D, might help prevent rheumatoid arthritis

Image: Shutterstock

My favorite things to read about in the health world are natural remedies. It’s like eating chicken soup and drinking hot tea when you’re sick—it just leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I’m lucky enough that I don’t suffer from arthritis (yet), but I do know plenty of people who have. Rheumatoid arthritis is particularly scary, especially for women. It can be incredibly painful and happens when the body’s immune system begins attacking the joints. We do not yet know why this happens.

But a new study brings light—literally—to the situation. There’s a chance that the “sunshine vitamin,” or Vitamin D, may reduce the risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted two separate surveys of over 100,000 women. The first group was monitored beginning in 1976 and the second in 1989.

Image from webMD.com
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body attacks its own joints

Researchers estimated the women’s UV-B radiation exposure based on where they had lived and then compared it to their overall health. Their findings were mixed, but researchers remain optimistic. In the 1976 group, women who got more sunlight were up to 21% less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. There seemed to be no affect on the 1989 group.

“Our study adds to the growing evidence that exposure to UV-B light is associated with decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis,” the report reads, continuing on to suggest that “differences in sun protective behaviors” might be the reason for the discrepancy between the two groups of women.

But Dr. Chris Deighton, President of the British Society for Rheumatology cautions, “We cannot advocate everybody sitting in the sunshine all day to protect from rheumatoid arthritis, because UV-B burns people and increases the risk of skin cancer.”

Another professor in the UK, Alan Simlan echoed Deighton’s sentiment, but with a peppering of encouragement. In lieu of additional studies, he recommended that people “go out in the sunshine for up to 15 minutes in the summer months and expose their face and arms to the sun to top up their vitamin D levels.”