First for Women – August 26, 2019

quick bits

The health news that

matters to you

34 First for women 8/26/19

Next time you take an ibuprofen

to ease an ache or sprain, tr y also

cueing up some classical music:

Doing so could enhance the

pain-relieving effects, according

to investigators reporting in the

journal Frontiers in Neurology. In an

animal study, mice given ibuprofen

for inflammation-related pain while

listening to Mozart had a 93%

greater reduction in pain response

compared to mice not exposed to

the music. The study authors say

listening to music may boost the

production of a protein in the brain

that inhibits pain sensitivity (called

BDNF), and they note standard

anti-inflammatories alone do not

produce such a quick response.

Music boosts pain

relief by 93%

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D e c re a se in s t re s s h o r m o n e s

that’s provided by just

6 minutes of reading

SOURCE: University of Sussex, U.K.

health

Deep sleep is key to preserving mental agility,

report researchers in Science Advances. In an ani-

mal study, mice that spent the most time in slow-

wave sleep had up to 63% greater activity in the

brain’s unique waste-cleaning system. The study

authors say the front-to-back patterns of deep

slow-wave sleep are essential to remove harmful

proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease from brain

tissue. Experts recommend at least seven hours of

sleep and say inhaling lavender oil and keeping a

cool room are proven to promote slow-wave sleep.

“Slow wave” deep sleep

reduces dementia risk

Scientists at Nor t hwestern Universit y in Chicago

analyzed data from 1,564 osteoarthritis patients

and found that just one hour of weekly exercise

lowered the risk of developing a mobility-related

disability over the four-year study period by

85%. For study participants, moderate activities

like brisk walking proved effective. The study

authors say even small amounts of exercise

increase f lexibility and keep joints lubricated.

9 minutes of walking a day

cuts disability risk by 85%

Staying hydrated lowers

heart disease risk by 40%

That’s the word from Japanese researchers in Public

Health Nutrition. In a 19-year study including 35,362

women, those with the highest water intake (from liq-

uids and foods) were 40% less likely to die from heart

disease and 30% less likely to die from stroke. The study

authors reason that higher fluid intake helps thin the

blood, preventing the formation of dangerous clots. To

be “super hydrated,” experts recommend sipping a large

glass of water (16 oz.) every three waking hours and

stocking up on water-rich foods like watermelon, straw-

berries, cucumbers and lettuce throughout the day.

Peppermint oil can help ease
the abdominal pain, constipa-
tion and diarrhea of irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS),
report researchers in BMC
Complementary & Alternative
Medicine. In a review of data
from 835 IBS patients, those
who took peppermint oil cap-
sules were more than twice
as likely to see an improve-
ment in IBS symptoms than
those who took a placebo,
and 78% more likely to have
reduced abdominal pain.
The researchers say pep-
permint oil contains antimi-
crobial, anti-inflammatory
and anti oxidant properties,
which help regulate the
immune system and prevent
muscle spasms.

Peppermint

oil eases IBS

symptoms

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