Dear Friends,
Welcome to our July update with our pick of the most interesting stories in health and wellbeing over the last month. Enjoy these great new findings and be sure to share them with your friends, families and colleagues.
With warmest good wishes,
Dr Rosy Daniel.
Health and the Digital World
WHO warnings over children’s screen time disputed by UK experts
Children under the age of three should not watch TV or sit playing games on a tablet, while those aged three and four should not have more than an hour of screen time a day, according to disputed guidelines on physical activity and sleep by the World Health Organization.
Read the full Guardian Article:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/24/who-warning-children-screen-time
Virtual reality may help stimulate memory in people with dementia
The results of a new study suggest that virtual reality could make life easier 
for people with dementia. The authors conclude that virtual reality helped the participants recall memories and contributed to an improvement in patients’ relationships with caregivers.
Read the full Medical News Today Article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325166.php
Food and Health
Nutritional psychiatry: can you eat yourself happier?
Felice Jacka is the head of the Food and Mood Centre at Deakin University in Australia, and president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry – a relatively new field of research, applying a rare scientific rigour to the link between diet and mental health.
Read the full Guardian article:
Association of Western and Traditional Diets With Depression and Anxiety in Women
Key biological factors that influence the development of depression are modified by diet. This study examined the extent to which the high-prevalence mental disorders are related to habitual diet in 1,046 women ages 20–93 years randomly selected from the population.
Read the full American Journal of Psychiatry article:
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09060881
Essential Oils Found To Have Antibacterial Effects Comparable To Antibiotics
Certain combinations of essential oils were found to exhibit antibacterial effects similar to modern antibiotics in research from Kotebe Metropolitan University, as published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Blepharis cuspidata, Boswellia ogadensis, and Thymus schimper essential oils were investigated for their antibacterial effects, efficacy was tested against multidrug resistance Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Read the full World Health article:
Supplement for joint pain linked to lower heart disease risk
Glucosamine, a dietary supplement that people commonly take to ease joint pain and reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, may lower the risk of cardiovascular problems, according to a study analyzing health data from over 400,000 participants.
Read the full Medical News Today article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325185.php
A Holistic Approach to Naturally Lowering Anxiety
Lavender really does help you relax and could even treat anxiety, scientists reveal
The famous relaxing effects of lavender are real and could even be used medically to treat anxiety, new research suggests. From blooming gardens to aromatherapy oils and bubble baths, people have long claimed that lavender has calming and relaxing benefits.
Read the full Independent Article:
A Holistic Approach to Naturally Lowering Anxiety
While there are many causes for anxiety, general health and wellness may be one of the best ways to counter negative feelings. The following are simple tools and practices that can be used to encourage physical and emotional health in a natural way.
Read the full Psychology Today Article:
Nurturing mind & body to prevent illness
Mind and Body Approaches for Cancer Symptoms and Treatment Side Effects
Many people who have been diagnosed with cancer use complementary health approaches. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey on the use of complementary health approaches by Americans, 65 percent of respondents who had ever been diagnosed with cancer had used complementary health approaches.
Read the full National Center for Complementary & Integrative Health News Article:
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/cancer
Adopting a healthy lifestyle helps reduce the risk of dementia
New WHO Guidelines recommend specific interventions for reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. 14 May 2019 – People can reduce their risk of dementia by getting regular exercise, not smoking, avoiding harmful use of alcohol, controlling their weight, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) today. .
Read the full World Health Organisation News Article:
What does science say about the effects of meditation?
Meditation “keeps our minds and hearts calm, peaceful, and loving,
i.e. “in the right place”, a casual practice of mindfulness and meditation told Medical News Today. Indeed, most people who become interested in meditation are drawn to it thanks to the widespread notion that it will help them feel calmer, more balanced, and less exposed to the effects of daily stress.
Read the full Medical News Today News Article:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324839.php
Complementary Therapies
One-third of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine
A stunning one-third of people with a cancer diagnosis use complementary and alternative medicines such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and supplements. UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Dr. Nina Sanford made the discovery that’s now drawing renewed attention to habits she said cancer patients must disclose during treatment. Dr. Sanford is an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology who specializes in and treats cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
Read the full Science Daily News Article:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190411172529.htm
Acupuncture Better Than Pills For Insomnia
An estimated 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women fail to get a good night’s sleep. This situation gets worse as we age. If you suffer from depression, you might be more likely to have problems sleeping. Consider there are over eight million doctors’ visits per year are for insomnia.
Read the full Oriental Medcare Article:
Personalised Wellness: How to Access the Ancient Science of Ayurveda
The ancient healing system of Ayurveda is suddenly flourishing across Europe, as more people look to manage their health holistically instead of via modern medicine. We investigate why this is and reveal how to get in on the trend that claims to balance mind, body and spirit. Ayurvedic medicine was developed around 3,000 years ago in India. It focuses on treating the root cause of health concerns through deep-cleansing processes, diet, lifestyle, natural medicines, breathing and yoga.
Read the full Living It 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