The 16:8 Diet
WorksIn a small study,
researchers at the
University of Illinois
at Chicago recruited
23 obese participants
to spend 12 weeks
following a type of in-
termittent fasting called
the 16:8 diet. In the
eight hours between
10 a.m. and 6 p.m., par-
ticipants could eat as
much as they wanted of
any food. However, for
the remaining 16 hours
of the day, they were
allowed to have only
water and other calorie-
free drinks. Compared
with a control group,
the 16:8 dieters con-
sumed an average of
300 fewer calories per
day, lost 3 percent of
their weight, and saw
a significant drop in
their systolic blood
pressure. One reason
may simply be that
the 16:8 diet is easier
for most people to
maintain than other
types of intermittent
fasting.Treat Glaucoma
While You SleepScientists have
long known that
cannabigerolic acid,
a compound from the
cannabis (aka mari-
juana) plant, can relieve
glaucoma symptoms,
but the key elements
don’t easily dissolve
and therefore can’t be
turned into effective
eye drops. Researchers
at the University of
British Columbia may
have solved that prob-
lem with a compound
called a hydrogel. The
hydrogel is adminis-
tered as drops that then
form a sort of lens upon
contact with the eye,
allowing the cannabig-
erolic acid to dissolve
during the night and
penetrate the cornea.
In pig corneas, which
are similar to human
corneas, the gel was
absorbed quickly; the
next step is to test
the gel in human eyes.“SENSITIVE”
TOOTHPASTE
ISN’T ENOUGHMany toothpastes claim
to treat sensitive teeth,
but researchers re-
cently found they don’t
help much. A tooth
grows sensitive when
its protective enamel
erodes, exposing den-
tin, a layer with tubules
that lead to the nerves.
The researchers tested
nine “antierosive”
and/or “desensitizing”
products and found
that they all caused
enamel wear, just like
regular toothpastes.
Some desensitizing
toothpastes might help
to block pain, but you
likely also need to see
your dentist for other
treatment options.rd.com 33vladimir konstantinov/shutterstock