Dear Friends,
Welcome to my September 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
Further Reaches of Consciousness
Beyond The Brain 2021 – Further Reaches of Consciousness Research
Beyond the Brain is the world’s premier conference series exploring new research on whether and how consciousness and mind extend beyond the physical brain and body. This year’s event covers the limitations of scientific materialism, parapsychological research, implications of NDEs, savant syndrome, indigenous gateways to the soul and the nature of universal love. There will also be an experiential session on each day.
Read an extract from this Scientific and Medical Article
Nutrition
Why Migraine Sufferers May Want to Eat More Fish
For most of her life, Tanya Kamka suffered migraine headaches on a weekly basis. The headaches would usually come on gradually and then build, causing excruciating pain and pressure behind her left eye that would culminate in her vomiting or visiting the emergency room. The ordeal would often leave her feeling weak and exhausted for days afterward. “Anytime I had a migraine I’d be wiped out for three or four days,” said Ms. Kamka, 58, a post office clerk who lives near Fort Bragg, N.C. “I missed a lot of work because of migraines.”
Read the full NY Times article
Flavonoid-rich food could improve your gut microbiome and lower your blood pressure
A diet rich in flavonoid compounds is linked to lower blood pressure, a study has found, and the association is partly explained by an improved gut microbiome. Flavonoids are compounds found in plants. Foods rich in flavonoids include vegetables, fruits such as apples, pears and berries, and chocolate, tea and wine. In the body, they act as antioxidants, and provide protection from ultraviolet rays. They are broken down by the gut microbiome. “Our gut microbiome plays a key role in metabolising flavonoids to enhance their cardioprotective effects, and this study provides evidence to suggest these blood pressure-lowering effects are achievable with simple changes to the daily diet,” said Prof Aedín Cassidy at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, lead investigator of the study.
Click here to read the full Science Focus Article
Pain Management
NIH-funded study suggests a single skills-based session on pain management packs a punch
A single two-hour session of a pain management skills class could offer as much benefit as eight sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients experiencing chronic low-back pain (CLBP), suggests a study published in JAMA Network Open. Supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, both part of the National Institutes of Health, the study explored whether a compressed intervention could lead to the same benefits as a longer-course of CBT.
Cancer Stories
Wind Catching Systems designs giant floating wind farm with 117 turbines
Norwegian company Wind Catching Systems is developing a floating offshore wind power generator that could produce renewable energy for 80,000 homes at prices comparable to traditional fossil fuels. Named the Windcatcher, the structure would contain more than a hundred rotors stacked vertically within a 300-metre-high framework. According to the company, one Windcatcher could produce as much energy as five of the strongest floating turbines in existence while halving the price of the energy generated in the process. Wind Catching Systems aims to deploy the first structure within the next three years. “Our goal is to enable offshore wind operators and developers to produce electricity at a cost that competes with other energy sources, without subsidies,” Wind Catching Systems CEO Ole Heggheim told Dezeen.
‘It’s a miracle crop’: the pioneers pushing the powers of seaweed
In his new venture, Barrett has been mindful of the Indigenous uses of seaweed as a fertilizer, and devised a kelp-based soil amendment that home gardeners and golf courses can use on their plants rather than chemical-laden fertilizers. Describing kelp as the “ocean’s first regenerative crop”, Barrett believes that by localizing seaweed production in New York he can revive the stymied maritime industry. “Seafood import rates in the US are around 90%. Seaweed is more than 94%. We try to bring it all back to being more local,” said Barrett. He adds that most seafood and seaweed products go through upwards of 15 purveyors, and that he is trying “to get that chain of custody down to three hands: a farmer, the company and a consumer”.
Read the full Guardian Article
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