Dear Friends,
Welcome to my July news update with the pick of the most interesting stories in health and wellbeing over the last month. Please explore these new findings and be sure to share them with your friends, families and colleagues.
With warmest good wishes,
Dr Rosy Daniel
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Britain beyond lockdown: can we make more space for nature?
The first post-lockdown crops of the land army have been harvested. The food – chard, spinach, lettuce and radish – is being parcelled out to the local shops, market stalls and those in need. Now the volunteer labour force has its sights on a new goal: a land-use revolution that will make UK farming more nature friendly, plant-based and resilient to future shocks. At Machynlleth, a bucolic town on the southern fringe of Snowdonia, the recently formed Planna Fwyd! (Plant Food!) the movement is encouraging sheep farmers to diversify into vegetable production as their ancestors did.
Read the full Guardian Article:
Vitamin D Benefits
The role of vitamin D and COVID-19 – the latest research
This in-depth and detailed article is provided by Eshani King, a researcher in immunology and health. It is now widely known that a disproportionate number of COVID-19 related mortalities in the UK have been in non-white, BAME populations [2]. The obese, diabetics, hypertensives and the elderly have also been disproportionately affected. BAME doctors account for 94% of total deaths of doctors but comprise 44% of doctors [1]. The suggestion that these deaths result from deprivation does not fit with the high numbers of deaths of doctors and others in higher socio-economic classes; there must be a different and perhaps more comprehensive explanation.
Read the full Cytoplan Article:
A good vitamin D status can protect against cancer
A good vitamin D status is beneficial both in cancer prevention and in the prognosis of several cancers, according to a new research review. The anti-cancer effects of vitamin D are especially pronounced in the prevention and treatment of colon cancer and blood cancers. In addition, high vitamin D responsiveness can be linked to a smaller cancer risk. Vitamin D responsiveness varies between individuals, affecting their need for vitamin D supplementation.
Read the full Guardian article:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200610102728.htm
Loneliness
Loneliness alters your brain’s social network
Social media sites aren’t the only things that keep track of your social network – your brain does, too. But loneliness alters how the brain represents relationships, according to new research published in JNeurosci. A brain region called the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) maintains a structured map of a person’s social circles, based on closeness. People that struggle with loneliness often perceive a gap between themselves and others. This gap is reflected by the activity patterns of the mPFC.
Read the full Science Daily Article:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200615140904.htm
Yoga Mental Health Benefits
International Yoga Day 2020: Yoga may help ease depressive symptoms in people with mental health issues
In today’s scenario, it is important for everyone to realise that mental health is equally as important as physical health. It is something which should never be ignored as it can leads to an unhealthy life. Yoga is one of the key to lead a happy and prospers life.
Read the full Guardian Article:
Vitamin A & Vision Loss
Vitamin A may help treat early vision loss in diabetes
Scientists have recently found that mice with diabetes that received treatment with a vitamin A analog had significantly improved eyesight. New research has shown that a single dose of the chromophore 9-cis-retinal, an analog of vitamin A, can significantly improve reduced visual function in mice with diabetes. The research, which appears in The American Journal of Pathology, may help scientists develop effective treatments for visual loss associated with early diabetic retinopathy.
Read an extract from this Medical News Today Article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vitamin-a-may-help-treat-early-vision-loss-in-diabetes
To see lots more exciting news and evidence go to www.health-e-learning.org.uk and see the health-e-information platform.
Researcher – Sophie Daniel, Health and Wellbeing Trust
Images bought from iStock Getty images – https://www.istockphoto.com