102 MAY 2017
Keys to success
A University College
London study of more
than 8000 people has
found five qualities key
to achieving health
and wealth: emotional
stability, determination,
control, optimism and
conscientiousness.
Those in their 50s and
60s who scored highly in
at least four of these were
generally wealthier, less
depressed, healthy and
had a large social circle.
Starting from scratch
Health update
From itching to attributes for health and wealth,
Thérèse Henkin looks at recent research findings.
[ Wellbeing ]
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAMY AND GETTY IMAGES.Scientists have discovered why we start feeling itchy when the person next to
us is scratching. A recent study found that when we see someone scratching,
the brain releases a chemical substance called GRP (gastrin-releasing peptide).
GRP is a key chemical transmitter of itch signals between the spinal cord and the
skin. The study, which was conducted on mice, showed that when a mouse saw
another scratching, GRP was released and they started scratching as well. When
GRP was blocked, the mice didn’t have the scratch response. The lead researcher
says mimicking socially contagious behaviour such as scratching and yawning is
not a choice or psychological response but rather it is hardwired into the brain.
“A new Swedish study shows that
mindfulness group therapy may be
just as effective as individual cognitive
behavioural therapy for the treatment
of a wide range of psychiatric
symptoms, including depression, anxiety,
and obsessive compulsive disorder.”Breast cancer link
Your office job could be wreaking
havoc on your heart and waistline.
A study by the Warwick Medical School in the UK
found a distinct link between sedentary work and
a bigger waist circumference and higher risk of
cardiovascular disease. The research suggests
waist circumference increases by 2cm, and the
risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent,
for every additional hour of sitting on top of five
hours. The participants who showed zero risk were
walking more than 15,000 steps per day, which
equates to around 12km.On your feet
Teenage girls with a taste for fast food are at
higher risk of getting pre-menopausal breast cancer,
research from the United States suggests. While a
diet high in sugar, carbohydrates, processed meats and
margarine is not good for anyone and can increase the risk
of cancer and heart disease at any age, it is now thought
these foods are particularly damaging for young girls
whose breasts are still developing. A 22-year study of
data from 45,204 women about their eating habits
during high school and into adulthood found
those who ate large amounts of fast food
during adolescence had a 35 per cent
higher risk of pre-menopausal
breast cancer.