News by nature – Page 3 – News by Nature

Do You Have a Cold or the Flu? Here’s How to Find Out

16Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Wellness

Do You Have a Cold or the Flu? Here’s How to Find Out

Each year Americans could be hit with an estimated 1 billion colds and 8% of us will get slammed with the flu. That’s a whole lot of cough drops, tissues and sick days. No worries: We’ve got you covered with the info you need to feel better fast, including doctor-approved natural remedies and products that will make riding out symptoms easier — as well as facts about staying one step ahead of germs so these viruses will know better than to mess with you again. The first thing is first though, do you have a cold or the flu? Cold symptoms: Things typically start with a scratchy throat or runny nose and gradually get worse. Symptoms tend to be mild and include sneezing, nasal congestion, a sore throat, slightly swollen glands, and coughing. Treatment: Take it easy, rest up and...

11Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Wellness

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that causes pain in the heel. A thick, strong band of tissue called the plantar fascia supports the arch of the foot. This tissue can become damaged or inflamed, causing pain and difficulty moving the foot. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, plantar fasciitis accounts for about 80% of cases of heel pain. An estimated 10% of people will experience this problem during their lifetime. What causes plantar fasciitis? The function of the plantar fascia is to absorb the impact of standing, walking, and running on the foot. This part of the body gets a lot of use, and too much pressure can damage the plantar fascia. Women are more likely than men to experience plantar fasciitis. It is not clear why, but it may ...

8Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

The Ideal Diet for Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (aka hypertension) affects 1 in 3 Americans. Medication can help control it, but as with most chronic health conditions, having healthy habits is also important. “You should always work with your doctor, but lifestyle can play a huge role in managing hypertension at every age,” says Holly Nicastro, Ph.D., M.P.H., program director in the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. That includes not smoking, controlling stress, exercising, and eating the right kinds of foods. In fact, a healthy diet is one of the most powerful tools for lowering your numbers—and may reduce the need for medication. The DASH Diet The effect of diet on hypertension has been extensively studied. “There are many different diets with purport...

High Blood Pressure: Herbal Remedies May Inspire Future Treatments

3Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Remedies

High Blood Pressure: Herbal Remedies May Inspire Future Treatments

People have used herbs as medicine for thousands of years. Today, with medical researchers continually hunting for better alternative treatments, some are revisiting these remedies. A recent study looks at herbs that people believe can treat hypertension. Antihypertensive medications work well for some people but not for others, and the side effects can be unpleasant. For these reasons, researchers are keen to find innovative ways to tackle the growing issue of hypertension. The fact that people have used these treatments for millennia is certainly not evidenced that they are effective, but they are surely worth a second look. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine recently zeroed in on a group of plants that have, historically, been a treatment for hypertension....

3Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Remedies

High Blood Pressure: Herbal Remedies May Inspire Future Treatments

People have used herbs as medicine for thousands of years. Today, with medical researchers continually hunting for better alternative treatments, some are revisiting these remedies. A recent study looks at herbs that people believe can treat hypertension. For these reasons, researchers are keen to find innovative ways to tackle the growing issue of hypertension. Some scientists are turning back the clock and looking to ancient herbal remedies. Humans have been self-medicating with the herbs that they find since before history began. The fact that people have used these treatments for millennia is certainly not evidenced that they are effective, but they are surely worth a second look. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine recently zeroed in on a group of plants ...

1Oct

By CatherineNo Comments

Genetically Modified Foods

What are GMOs in Australia?

What is GMO food? ‘GMO food’ is food that’s been unnaturally genetically modified to express certain traits that make them more beneficial to us as a species. You might think this sounds scary, but GMO foods are much more common and much safer than you might think. GMO meaning: What is genetically modified food? Genetically modified organisms⁠—known largely as GMOs—are simply living things that undergo the process of genetic engineering. Oftentimes, when people think about GMOs, they think about plants and crops, but that’s not all it’s limited to. GMOs can extend to small organisms such as bacteria or fungi, or even animals such as goats and pigs. Most GMOs these days are indeed food, and a lot of them have been appearing on your supermarket shelves for decades. The first genetic...

28Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Remedies

Home Remedies For Muscle Cramps

What is a muscle cramp? It can happen after intense exercise or in the dead of night when you’re doing nothing at all but sleeping. A muscle — say your calf — seizes up without warning, leaving you wincing in pain. You’re having a muscle cramp. It’s an uncontrolled contraction of a muscle or part of a muscle, which makes it tighten and causes pain, explains Madhuri Kale, a physical therapist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Sometimes also called Charley horses, muscle cramps usually occur in the larger skeletal muscles, such as those in the legs, and are categorized as either non-exercise or exercise-related. The good news is it’s typically temporary and can be soothed with self-care at home. What causes muscle cramps? Various factors can contribute to muscle cramps, ...

A Diet That Is Healthy For You And For The Planet

25Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

A Diet That Is Healthy For You And For The Planet

Here’s a statistic that sticks in the throat: since the advent of agriculture, only 7,000 plant species out of a known 250,000 have been used by humans as food, according to UN biodiversity experts. Today, just 12 crops and five animal species make up 75 percent of global calorie intake. This is just one factor driving a new movement: sustainable healthy eating. It is a new aspiration in dietary circles for two reasons: unhealthy diets put more people at risk from death and disease than unsafe sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined; and global food production is the biggest single driver of environmental degradation. “Taken together, the outcome is dire,” noted a 2019 report by the EAT-Lancet Commission, an influential collective of 37 scientists from 16 countries, tasked with e...

25Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Diet

What Is the Snake Diet, and Is It Safe?

People seeking quick fixes to achieve weight loss might be tempted by the Snake Diet. It promotes prolonged fasts interrupted by a solitary meal. Like most fad diets, it promises quick and drastic results. This article tells you everything you need to know about the Snake Diet, including its safety and whether it works for weight loss. What is the Snake Diet? The Snake Diet promotes itself not as a restrictive diet but rather a lifestyle centered around prolonged fasting. Founded on the belief that humans historically endured periods of famine, it argues that the human body can sustain itself on just one meal a few times a week. It was invented by Cole Robinson, who calls himself a fasting coach but has no qualifications or background in medicine, biology, or nutrition. ...

Could GMO Crops Help Solve The Climate Crisis?

24Sep

By CatherineNo Comments

Genetically Modified Foods

Could GMO Crops Help Solve The Climate Crisis?

Genetically engineered cereals may hold the key to sustainable agriculture Genetic engineering may be anathema to many card-carrying environmentalists, who typically favor organic farming over other forms of agriculture. But to overcome the threat posed by climate change -- while continuing to feed 7.7 billion mouths (and counting) -- many scientists say it’s time to fully embrace the three most controversial letters in the food industry: GMO. Their goal is to radically shrink the carbon footprint of global crop cultivation by doing away with the need for synthetic fertilizers, which account for about 5% of humanity’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Through extensive DNA manipulations, scientists are optimistic they can engineer a self-fertilizing relationship between crop species ...