Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Research confirms a link between social media use and anxiety among teenagers
Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Kind people are seen as more physically attractive than unkind people
Infographic on the benefits to very ill kids of 'virtual' animal-assisted pen pal intervention
Monday, 9 September 2024
Laughter can speed up recovery from illness. Study of sick kids in an Israeli hospital.
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Clown entertains sick child at hospital which speeds up recovery |
- It boosts the immune system. It's been shown to increase the production of antibodies and activate T-cells which are essential for a healthy immune response.
- Laughter lowers the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. These can weaken the immune system and slowdown recovery.
- Laughter triggers the release of endorphins. These are the body's natural painkillers which make it easier to manage pain and discomfort.
- And further, laughter improves blood flow and cardiovascular function. These are essential for recovery and overall health.
- And finally, laughter can alleviate stress and depression thereby improving mental health which can be common during illness. A positive mental state can promote faster healing.
Thursday, 5 September 2024
Air pollution and noise might make men and women less fertile
Noise
Globally
Mechanism
"Noise pollution does not get enough attention in terms of ameliorating [fertility]; we know it has effects on mental health, hearing and sleep-even when asleep, noise is perceived as a danger signal causing the fight or flight response to occur, resulting in poor sleep quality."
"The mechanism of decreased fertility in women could be related to these, or to a completely unknown mechanism, but the implications of this study, if validated, should require a soundproofing standard for all new bills."
"People trying to conceive should not be unduly concerned by this research and are advised to take proactive, proven steps such as avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol consumption and maintaining a healthy weight."
"It is possible that the real cause of this association lies with something that is not possible to measure. For example, the authors are clear that they did not have information on lifestyle factors such as alcohol use smoking or body mass index."
Cat context
Wednesday, 4 September 2024
Gifted word-learning dogs can remember the names of their toys for years
"After two years, we had a hard time remembering the names of the toys but just the dogs. They did not seem to struggle."
"We know that dogs can remember events for at least 24 hours and odours for up to one year, but this is the first study showing that some talented dogs can remember words for at least two years."
"The findings are our current study cannot be generalised to other dogs because we only tested gifted word-than dogs i.e. individuals that show a special talent for acquiring object words."
Friday, 30 August 2024
Use sounds of nature to de-stress (and connect with nature)
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Listening to the sounds of nature to destress on your daily commute. Image: MikeB using AI - Bing's Copilot. |
Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Measuring the power of different types of love from parent-child to cat lover
- Parents' love of their children
- The love between romantic partners
- The love between close friends
- The love that a pet caregiver has for their companion animal
- The love of a person towards a stranger who needs help and
- The love of nature
- Parents' love their children comes top. This type of love activated more parts of the brain than the other forms of love. In parental love there was a deep activation in the brain's reward system, in the striatum area, while imagining love. This was not seen in any other type of love.
- The second most potent form of love was romantic love which is also strongly activated part of the brain relating to reward, attachment and motivation.
- The third most powerful form of love is found between the love of friends.
- The fourth most powerful type of love is one's love of a companion animal.
- And the fifth is the love of a stranger that requires help in a compassionate act which some participants questioned whether this was indeed an act of love. There was much less brain activity in this kind of love.
- On a par with the love of a stranger requiring help, or higher is the love of nature which activated very different brain regions "that were absent for interpersonal love" causing activity in areas unrelated to social skills. People need to connect with nature to feel healed (my personal viewpoint).
Citation
Pärttyli Rinne, Juha M Lahnakoski, Heini Saarimäki, Mikke Tavast, Mikko Sams, Linda Henriksson, Six types of loves differentially recruit reward and social cognition brain areas, Cerebral Cortex, Volume 34, Issue 8, August 2024, bhae331, https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae331
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Obesity drug Ozempic linked to suicidal thoughts
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Obesity drug Ozempic linked to suicidal thoughts. Image: MikeB |
Potential dangers
Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Cat and human obesity can damage health due to lower production of propionic acid
"When the cats are on the special diet formulated for weight loss, propionic acid goes up and stays high, and then goes back down when they’re put back on the maintenance diet. So it really is a dietary change. This paper highlights that when we calorie-restrict cats that are obese, we can alter their microbial ecosystem and those community shifts that we see likely correlate with some metabolic outcomes.” - Jenessa Winston, assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences at The Ohio State University (Ohio State), US, where the study was conducted.
Propionic Acid: A Key Player in Gut Health
Propionic acid is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by gut bacteria through the fermentation of dietary fibres. It plays a crucial role in maintaining gut health and influencing various bodily functions.
Role in the Gut:
- Energy Source: Propionic acid is absorbed through the colon wall and transported to the liver where it's used as an energy source.
- Gut Barrier Function: It helps maintain the integrity of the gut lining, preventing the leakage of harmful substances into the bloodstream.
- Anti-inflammatory Effects: Propionic acid has anti-inflammatory properties, contributing to overall gut health and potentially reducing inflammation in other parts of the body.
- Gut Microbiome Balance: It influences the composition of the gut microbiota, promoting a healthy balance of bacteria.
- Appetite Regulation: Some studies suggest that propionic acid may play a role in appetite regulation by signalling to the brain.
Beyond the Gut:
- Liver Function: As mentioned, the liver utilizes propionic acid for energy production. It's also involved in gluconeogenesis, the process of creating glucose from non-carbohydrate sources.
- Potential Systemic Effects: Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, propionic acid has been studied for its potential role in various conditions beyond gut health, such as metabolic disorders and neurological diseases. However, more research is needed to fully understand these effects.
In summary, propionic acid is a vital component of gut health and has far-reaching implications for overall well-being. Consuming a diet rich in fibre can promote the production of this beneficial SCFA.
Would you like to know more about how diet can influence SCFA production?
Yes,
Diet and SCFA Production
Fiber is the key ingredient when it comes to boosting SCFA production. It's the preferred food source for gut bacteria. Different types of fiber influence the production of different SCFAs.
- Resistant starch: Found in unripe bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, and green bananas, it promotes butyrate production.
- Inulin and fructans: Present in garlic, onions, asparagus, and chicory root, these fibers increase the levels of propionate.
- Pectin: Found in fruits like apples and citrus, it can also contribute to SCFA production.
Other factors influencing SCFA production include:
- Overall diet: A diet rich in processed foods and low in fiber can hinder SCFA production.
- Gut microbiome: A diverse and healthy gut microbiome is essential for efficient SCFA production.
- Antibiotics: These can disrupt the gut microbiome and negatively impact SCFA levels.
It's important to note that while fiber is crucial, consuming a balanced diet with a variety of plant-based foods is generally recommended for optimal gut health and SCFA production.
Does obesity limit the production of propionic acid? Yes.
Obesity and Propionic Acid Production
Yes, obesity can indeed limit the production of propionic acid.
Here's a breakdown of how:
- Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis: Obesity is often associated with alterations in the gut microbiome, a condition known as dysbiosis. These changes can lead to a decrease in the abundance of bacteria that produce propionic acid.
- Reduced Fiber Intake: Individuals with obesity often have lower fiber intake, which is a primary substrate for propionic acid production.
- Increased Inflammation: Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, which can negatively impact the gut environment and hinder the production of beneficial SCFAs like propionic acid.
Therefore, restoring a healthy gut microbiome, increasing fiber intake, and reducing inflammation are essential steps in potentially increasing propionic acid levels in individuals with obesity.
Improving Gut Health in Obesity
Improving gut health is crucial for individuals with obesity. Here are some key strategies:
Diet
- High-fiber diet: Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. These provide the necessary fuel for beneficial gut bacteria.
- Limit processed foods: These often contain harmful additives and lack essential nutrients.
- Consider a Mediterranean-style diet: Rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, this diet has been linked to improved gut health and overall well-being.
Lifestyle
- Regular exercise: Physical activity can help reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and support a healthy gut microbiome.
- Weight management: Gradual weight loss can positively impact gut health by reducing inflammation and improving gut bacteria diversity.
- Stress management: Chronic stress can negatively affect the gut microbiome. Incorporate relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga into your routine.
- Adequate sleep: Sufficient sleep is essential for overall health, including gut health.
Supplements
- Probiotics: These contain live bacteria that can benefit gut health. However, their effectiveness varies, and it's essential to choose reputable brands.
- Prebiotics: These are non-digestible fibers that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. They are found naturally in many foods but can also be supplemented.
It's important to note that while these strategies can be beneficial, individual responses may vary.
Important note: diet cats slowly. Consult with your vet.
Monday, 15 July 2024
Personality is the key to finding your happiness
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Image: MikeB |
"Broadly speaking, more satisfied people were more emotionally stable, extroverted and conscientious. But more specifically those satisfied with their life felt understood, excited and decisive, while less satisfied people felt envious, bored, used and unrewarded.... ..Personality tends to be stable, gradually shaped by a mix of thousands of experiences and genetic factors so the more satisfaction is about personality, the less it is expected to react to life's ebb and flow."
Saturday, 25 May 2024
Dog owners do not know what is in their dogs' food
Saturday, 11 May 2024
Obesity link to 22 types of cancer in humans should concern cat caregivers
Thursday, 9 May 2024
For LONGEVITY adopt a perfect weight crossbred, spayed female cat
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Females live longer on average. Click on the image to see the original and to download it if you want to. |
- Sphynx cat breed has the shortest life expectancy of 6.68 years - the cause? HCM (heart disease)
- Burmese and Birman cats have the longest life expectancy of purebred cats (2024) - the reason? Less serious inherited genetic diseases.
Data on lifespan of over 11 million cats and dogs (Banfield Hospitals USA)
Companion animal | Life expectancy |
All dogs | 12.69 years |
Mixed-breed dogs | 12.71 |
All cats | 11.18 |
Mixed-breed cats | 11.12 |
Female dogs | 12.76 |
Male dogs | 12.63 |
Female cats | 11.68 |
Male cats | 10.72 |
Obese dogs | 11.71 |
Overweight dogs | 13.14 |
Ideal weight dogs | 13.18 |
Overweight cats | 13.67 |
Obese cats | 12.56 |
Ideal weight cats | 12.18 |
Thursday, 2 May 2024
Orangutan successfully self-treated a large facial wound through plant medicine
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Photos: Armas and the BBC. |
Dr. Laumer said: "He repeatedly applied the paste, and he later also applied more solid plant matter. The entire process lasted really a considerable time. That's why we think that he intentionally applied it."
It is known that the great apes use medicine to try to heal themselves. Jane Goodall, the 1960s biologist who is very well known, saw whole leaves in chimpanzee faeces indicating that they had been eaten for medicinal purposes. Other scientists have observed orangutans swallowing leaves which were known to have medicinal qualities.
But as mentioned it is the first time that a wild animal has been seen applying self-made medicine to a wound and successfully killing himself.
They even think that it might have been the first time that this individual had tried this kind of treatment. Perhaps he had learned watching others or perhaps they had told him how to do it.
The researchers will observe other orangutans to see if they have the same knowledge in treating themselves for disease or wounds. They expect to discover even more behaviours of a similar quality and more abilities which are very human-like.
Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Almost 50% of cats and dogs have their own dedicated room
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Cat caregiver enjoying the company of their cat. Image believed to be in the public domain. |
- 48% of cat and dog owners allocate a certain space in their home, a dedicated room often or a space in the garden for their pets.
- Just over half, 55%, wanted their cats and dogs to have their own area where they can chill out.
- 34% of the respondents of which there were 2000, wanted to ensure maximum comfort for their companion animal.
- 30% wanted all their possessions kept in one place. By this I mean cat and dog products of various sorts.
- 80% of the respondents dedicated a certain space in their home so that their companion animal's things and toys et cetera don't take up space in the rest of the home.
- 46% of respondents designed a home around their cat or dog.
- 21% admitted they were unlikely to buy items just to please their companion animal if those items didn't match with the interior of their home.
- 16% of the respondents replaced carpets with hard floors.
- 11% bought scratch-proof furniture.
- 9% chose dark furnishings to disguise cat and dog fur.
- 17% installed baby gates to stop wondering cats and dogs.
- 19% used blankets to cover up damage to furniture and household items.
- 75% of respondents struggled to find pet products that were of good enough quality and reasonably priced.
- They also found that 41% of the respondents had discovered that owning a companion animal is more expensive than expected. The cost of food and insurers being the expenses that surprised them the most.
- 15% claimed that they spent more on their cat or dog than they do on their children. The same percentage said that they spent more on their cat and dog than their car or holidays.
- The average cat and dog owner spent £708 annually.
- 59% said that they compromised on buying pet products because of the expense.
Tuesday, 9 April 2024
Touch your cat and let them touch you for health benefits both ways
Overall, touch interventions were beneficial for both physical and mental health, with a medium effect size. Our work illustrates that touch interventions are best suited for reducing pain, depression and anxiety in adults and children as well as for increasing weight gain in newborns.
Citation
Monday, 1 April 2024
Dogs and toddlers understand humans pointing to objects but apes don't
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Dogs understand the meaning of pointing unlike apes and cats but like 2-year-old toddlers. |
"When his father points [the toddler] makes an inference. When kids his age start understanding pointing it is right when the foundations of what leads to language and culture start to develop."
"That's really hard for a lot of animals. That's what really special about dogs. They are similar to human toddlers."
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