Catherine – News by Nature

Tokyo Lab Study Finds Mint, Eucalyptus and Chili Compounds Work Better Together in Immune Cells

3Nov

By CatherineNo Comments

Botanicals

Tokyo Lab Study Finds Mint, Eucalyptus and Chili Compounds Work Better Together in Immune Cells

Compounds from familiar plants may work better together than alone, according to a laboratory study published January 23, 2026 in Nutrients by researchers at Tokyo University of Science. The team tested menthol (mint), 1,8-cineole (eucalyptus), β-eudesmol (hops and ginger) and capsaicin (chili peppers), alone and in combination, in mouse immune cells stimulated to mimic inflammation. Capsaicin had the strongest effect alone, and pairing it with menthol or 1,8-cineole increased the anti-inflammatory effect several hundred-fold compared with each compound by itself, the researchers reported. Menthol and cineole acted through TRP channels and calcium signaling, while capsaicin appeared to act through a separate pathway, which the authors suggest may explain the synergy. This was a cell ...

Small Study Explores Hinoki Root Oil Aroma and Sleep in Middle-Aged Women

27Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Remedies

Small Study Explores Hinoki Root Oil Aroma and Sleep in Middle-Aged Women

Researchers at Kyushu University report that sleeping near the scent of Hinoki, or Japanese cypress, root essential oil was linked to fewer nighttime awakenings in a small home-based study, according to a university release carried by ScienceDaily. Twelve women aged 35 to 60 used the oil for two weeks and an unscented control for another two, placing three drops in a paper cup near the bed. They reported feeling less sleepy and more recovered in the morning, and recordings showed brain-wave changes associated with a smoother transition into sleep. The study, published in the Journal of Wood Science, was small and does not establish that the oil treats sleep problems. The release says more research is needed on doses and which products work best.

Review Explores How Mulberry Leaves and Fruit May Influence Gut Bacteria

20Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Botanicals, Diet

Review Explores How Mulberry Leaves and Fruit May Influence Gut Bacteria

Mulberry leaves and fruit contain compounds that may encourage beneficial gut bacteria, according to a review from Wroclaw Medical University reported by ScienceDaily. Published in the journal Biomolecules, the review brought together animal and laboratory research on white and black mulberry, covering leaf compounds such as 1-deoxynojirimycin as well as fruit polyphenols, anthocyanins and polysaccharides. Across those studies, mulberry preparations shifted gut microbes toward beneficial species and increased production of short-chain fatty acids, changes some studies linked to better glucose and lipid markers. In mice fed a high-fat diet, a combined white mulberry fruit fraction of polyphenols and polysaccharides produced more favourable changes than either component alone. The rese...

Study Links Tea Drinking to Slightly Higher Hip Bone Density in Older Women

14Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Study Links Tea Drinking to Slightly Higher Hip Bone Density in Older Women

Older women who drank tea had slightly higher hip bone density than those who did not, according to a Flinders University study reported by ScienceDaily in September 2026. The research, published in the journal Nutrients, drew on the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, following nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older for 10 years with repeated measures of beverage intake and bone mineral density at the total hip and femoral neck. The difference for tea drinkers was small but statistically significant, and appeared somewhat more pronounced among women with obesity. Moderate coffee intake, about two to three cups a day, was not associated with harm to bone health. The researchers stressed that the differences were modest and not large enough to justify major changes to daily habits. As an ...

Everyday Movement Linked to Higher Energy and Better Mood in Large Analysis

6Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Wellness

Everyday Movement Linked to Higher Energy and Better Mood in Large Analysis

People tended to feel more energetic and positive in moments when they were more physically active than usual, according to an individual participant data meta-analysis in Nature Human Behaviour. The research, led by Johanna Rehder of the University of Salzburg, pooled 67 datasets from 14 countries covering 8,223 participants, who wore movement sensors and answered smartphone prompts about how they felt, producing more than 320,000 well-being ratings. Activity was most strongly linked with feeling energized, followed by more positive feelings and pleasantness, while it showed no consistent link with negative feelings such as sadness or anxiety. People also tended to feel less calm when active. As PsyPost reported, physical activity here covers everyday movement such as walking, househol...

University “Root-to-Tip” Menu Pilot Finds Diners Willing to Try Peels, Stalks and Seeds

29Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

University “Root-to-Tip” Menu Pilot Finds Diners Willing to Try Peels, Stalks and Seeds

A nine-week pilot at King's College London found that diners were willing to order dishes made with parts of fruit and vegetables usually thrown away in the kitchen, according to a study in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. Chefs designed 32 "root-to-tip" dishes, using items such as watermelon rind and unpeeled butternut squash with its seeds, for five campus outlets, where they made up 36.6% of hot-menu sales. The researchers estimated that preparing dishes this way cut food waste by about 6.5% per serving and raised fibre by about 5.1%. Survey respondents rated the dishes higher for healthiness and similar for taste. The authors caution that this was a pilot using convenience sampling and self-reported plate waste, and that few diners noticed the labelling, so ...

Four to Six Daily Servings of Whole Grains Linked to Better Heart-Health Markers

23Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

Four to Six Daily Servings of Whole Grains Linked to Better Heart-Health Markers

Eating 60 to 100 grams of whole grains a day, roughly four to six servings, was linked to improvements in several heart-health risk factors in a new analysis published in the European Heart Journal, according to the European Society of Cardiology. The research, led by Dr. Helda Tutunchi of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, pooled 87 clinical trials involving more than 6,500 people across Asia, Europe, North America, Australia, and Brazil. Whole-grain intake was associated with lower body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glucose, as well as reduced insulin resistance and a marker of inflammation. Benefits began at 30 to 40 grams a day. A bowl of oatmeal, a wholegrain bread sandwich, or a serving of brown rice ...

Study Ties a 6.4-to-7.8-Hour Sleep Window to Slower Biological Aging

8Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Wellness

Study Ties a 6.4-to-7.8-Hour Sleep Window to Slower Biological Aging

Adults who sleep between roughly 6.4 and 7.8 hours a night show the slowest signs of biological aging, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, published in Nature. The findings, drawn from about 500,000 UK Biobank participants, applied 23 biological "aging clocks" covering 17 organ systems, built from imaging data, organ-specific proteins, and blood markers. Sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours a night was linked to faster aging across nearly all organs measured, following a U-shaped pattern with the healthiest range in the middle. Short sleep tracked most closely with depression, anxiety, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, while both short and long sleep were linked to conditions such as COPD, asthma, an...

Ancient Chinese Herbal Root Draws Fresh Scientific Interest for Hair Loss

1Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Remedies

Ancient Chinese Herbal Root Draws Fresh Scientific Interest for Hair Loss

A traditional Chinese herbal root used for centuries to "blacken hair and nourish essence" is drawing fresh scientific interest for hair loss, according to a review published in the Journal of Holistic Integrative Pharmacy and covered by ScienceDaily. The review of laboratory research, clinical reports, and historical herbal records on Polygonum multiflorum, also known as he shou wu, points to several possible mechanisms, including blocking the hormone most associated with pattern hair loss, protecting hair follicle cells, activating growth-signaling pathways, and improving scalp circulation. The authors are careful to note that stronger clinical evidence is still needed, since large human trials haven't been conducted and much of the current support comes from laboratory and historical so...

Research Says Moving Through Joint Pain, Not Resting It, Protects Aging Joints

25Aug

By CatherineNo Comments

Wellness

Research Says Moving Through Joint Pain, Not Resting It, Protects Aging Joints

Avoiding movement because of aching joints may make matters worse, according to a review by University of Canberra sports medicine researcher Gordon Waddington, published via ScienceDaily. A Cochrane review cited in the piece found exercise reduces pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis about as well as anti-inflammatory medication, without the side effects. Low-impact options like swimming, cycling, tai chi, and walking on varied terrain help nourish cartilage and strengthen supporting muscles, with gradual progression and proper form recommended.