Author Archives: Christine Buske

Violent Games Causes Emotional Arousal in Teens

A new study has shown that violent video games cause emotional arousal in teens, more so than nonviolent games. Although not proven, this could have an impact on your child’s health and well-being in the long run. This study was presented yesterday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Violent video games are thought to have a different type of short term effect on brain function compared to non violent games. The kids in the study were subjected to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which is a technology used to map the brain and determine … Continue reading →

Job Burnout can Kill Your Health

It’s no secret that stress and burnout don’t exactly make you feel your best. Being tired and resenting your work place can make you truly miserable, and also make you sick. Stress has been linked to various diseases, from cancer to stroke and now also to type II diabetes. A new study published in Psychosomatic Medicine studied the effects of burnout and the risk of developing type II diabetes in almost seven hundred people in the work force. The subjects studied appeared healthy and were employed in senior and middle management, self employed, professionals and nonprofessionals. Each worker was evaluated … Continue reading →

Easy Ways to Get Moving at the (Home) Office

Reducing stress helps you focus better on your job, become more productive and most importantly: improve your overall health. Here are some easy ways to get moving at the office, without losing time! Multitask at your desk: while taking a call why not pump some iron? Store small hand weights in your desk, or use water bottles or soup cans as resistance. While you take a call, you can use your other hand to exercise your arms, just don’t forget to switch arms though! Try a few simple leg lifts while you are on the phone, reading emails or memos … Continue reading →

Reduce Stress with Office Mini-Breaks

Stress is a common cause for serious diseases and general loss of productivity due to burn out. Whether you are a work-at-home mom, a professional with a hectic schedule or manage your kids and household for a living, nobody is immune to stress. Reducing stress even a little bit though can have an immense impact on your energy levels, well being and overall health. One easy way of doing this without changing anything about your life is to take “mini breaks”. When stuck on a problem at work, or stuck in a rut at home, look away from the computer … Continue reading →

Preventing Type 1 Diabetes in Children

The prevalence of type 1 diabetes in European children has been increasing significantly over the past decades. Now, a ten year study is being conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland, to try and determine whether modifications in early nutrition can help prevent type 1 diabetes from developing in at risk groups. A focus of the study is to determine if removing cow’s milk from the infants diet will have an influence on developing diabetes in the future. Because they are examining the effect of nutrition at a young age having an impact on the percentage of children developing type … Continue reading →

The Health Problem with Cooking Shows

You may be surprised I am going into food issues on a health blog, however so much of our health depends on the way we fuel our bodies. It is no secret that we are eating worse than ever, and more of it than any other generation has in the past. Home cooked meals are becoming more rare, but when they do occur even the home cook can make crucial mistakes when trying to prepare a healthy meal. Cooking shows can inspire these mistakes by labeling something “healthy”, when indeed it is not! Cooking shows have been out there for … Continue reading →

The Health Benefits of Massage

We’ve known for ages that massages feel good, and it is also a well-known fact that massage therapy can help those of us suffering from tension and stress related ailments. New studies have found though, that our babies will benefit from massages as well! Apparently massage may help small children and infants relax, sleep better and as a result cry less. Babies that are massaged regularly show lower levels of stress-related hormones in their urine compared to babies who are not massaged. This also calls up for another important consideration: infants benefit from a stable environment in which stress is … Continue reading →

Quality of Life not Improved by Hormone Therapy

A study done in Estonia seems to show hormone therapy does not significantly improve the quality of life of postmenopausal women. The interesting thing is that this study was performed on women who have, and don’t have, hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Women who experienced hot flashes and night-sweats reported an improved general quality of life. I am not sure what part of this should be a surprise, but the study looked at more than just that. The study investigated the effect of hormone therapy on the use of health care services, illnesses and well-being. The reason why this … Continue reading →

KFC Finally Trans Fat Free

KFC has announced it is making the switch to trans-fat free cooking oil. My question then is: what took them so long? Trans fats have since long been known for their harmful effects. For one, trans fat raise bad cholesterol levels while also lowering good cholesterol in the process. This fact has been known for a number of years now, and it is interesting that KFC only made the switch now. Only after their own customers pressed for it, may I add. Just requesting a change from KFC was apparently not enough; the Center for Science in the Public Interest, … Continue reading →

Fat Cells May Prevent Cancer Fighting Mechanism

We have known for a long time now that obesity increases our cancer risk. New studies have found though that fatty tissue actually decreases the body’s ability to fight cancer. This study was performed in mice, and by decreasing their percentage body fat (with surgery or by running three to five km a day on training wheels) made them more able to fight skin cancer. Researchers at Rutgers University performing this study on mice suggest that fat cells could potentially be secreting compounds that counteract the body’s main anti-tumour defense systems. This system is called apoptosis and is pretty much … Continue reading →