Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can be experienced by everybody. After a traumatic event, people can develop distress and anxiety. This can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. A new study shows that there might be a way of preventing PTSD.

Tetris And The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This research shows that the game Tetris can help people prevent PTSD. If people play Tetris in the first few hours after the stressful event, they are less likely to develop anxiety. PTDS is caused by intrusive memories from the event that consolidate in a person’s mind.

A game of Tetris can help people remove the intrusive memories from their mind. This study was conducted by Swedish researchers from Krolinska Insitute. The leader of the study, Emily Holmes, mentioned that Tetris needs vision and imagination. Since our brain can do 2 things at the same time, it interrupts the memories from the event.

This “treatment” showed efficiency only before the appearance of the post-traumatic stress disorder appeared. People who already have this problem can’t treat it with this game. The researchers mentioned that, in order to be efficient, the game needs to be played in the first hours after the traumatic event.

The Effectiveness Of The “Treatment”

Scientists tested this game on 70 patients that were involved in motor accidents. All of them were in a UK emergency room seeking care. Half of these people received a psychological intervention in the first 6 hours after the accident. The other half received the standard care.

The people who received the psychological intervention were asked to play the game while they recalled the traumatic event. After that, the patients were tracked for a week to see if they had flashbacks or memories from the event.

Those who played the game mentioned that they had 62% fewer flashbacks over the week. After this research, scientists believe that post-traumatic stress disorder can be prevented if people receive treatment early on. This is the first study that involves a computer game as a preventive method for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Despite the fact that this research showed potential, scientists mentioned that they need to make more tests before they can confirm that Tetris can prevent post-traumatic stress disorder. One limitation of the study is that it was based on so few participants.

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Climate change is one of the biggest problems, worldwide. It has affected everybody and it is going to continue if action is not taken. A new report shows that climate change can increase the risk of deaths caused by extreme heat.

Despite the fact that nations have agreed to limit the global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, extreme heat events are  still going to occur. The 2 degrees limit is approaching and with it, extreme heat is coming. This new analysis shows that the heat stress is going to double in the most populated cities.

More and more people are going to be affected by the warming weather. Due to this fact, heat-related deaths are going to be more numerous by 2050. The number of heat waves is also going to increase. Growing population numbers are one of the factors that affect the weather. The more people the hotter it gets.

The researchers that conducted this study mentioned that even if the global warming doesn’t reach 2 degrees Celsius, extreme heat waves are going to affect many countries. In 2015, the hottest year until now, extreme heat has caused 2000 deaths in India and more than 1000 in Pakistan. These events are going to happen in 2017 too.

The heat waves are going to be expected in megacities, the ones that have a high level of population and a large population. Scientists also said that the numbers of deaths caused by heat waves are still too many, despite the fact that action is taken.

Researchers stated that heat waves are going to be more frequent in the cities that have experienced this phenomenon. Other cities, which haven’t experience extreme heat, are at risk too. The US is also going to be affected by this issue. Despite the fact that many cities in the US have taken action against climate change, they are going to experience extreme weather condition in the next few years.

Scientists are also predicting more deaths caused by heat. This is because our bodies can’t adapt to the climate so easy. More and more people are dying due to the extreme heat waves. The researchers added that this report should be taken into consideration by state officials in order to confront climate change.

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Every day we learn about a new discovery or study that makes us question everything we know about the human body. Now, scientists have managed to develop human heart tissue out of spinach leaves. Apparently, spinach is a superfood.

The spinach leaves have some physical proprieties that helped scientist develop human heart tissue out of them. These leaves have a network of veins. The network of veins is similar to the blood vessels because it goes through the leaves like blood vessels are spread throughout the body.

In order to create human heart tissue, researchers used these leafy veins. Tissue engineers from Massachusetts’s Worcester Polytechnic Institute were the ones that conducted this research. Their study was published in the journal Biomaterials.

They stripped the cells from the leaves. After that, the plant turned translucent. Finally, the researchers seeded human heart tissue in the gaps left behind by the cells. They observed that the human cells were able to beat for almost 3 weeks. Despite the fact that this is not the usual environment for heart tissue, they survived.

It is amazing to see how the human cells are designed to resist so much. Also, it is interesting how plants can help people in other ways than providing food and medicine. The tissue engineers mentioned that their “inspiration” came over lunch. When they studied the spinach leaves, they wanted to see if heart tissue can be developed with their help.

In previous studies, researchers have tried to solve a medical problem: the lack of donor organs. Many have tried to create artificial hearts, but these organs have a problem. The researchers mentioned that it is hard to get blood flow in the cells.

This is when the researchers used the spinach leaves. The scientists “borrowed” the leafy nerves from the spinach instead of creating tiny blood vessels. Cellulose was the material that was left behind after they cleared the cells of the spinach. This plant material is compatible with mammal tissue. Researchers then seeded the cellulose matrix with heart tissue. After only 5 days, the muscle cells started to beat.

Of course, researchers did not create a muscle out of the spinach. Also, they did not put blood in the nerves of the leaves, they put dye. Despite the fact that this is not an actual heart muscle, it could be the begging for a new way of making organs.

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More and more people are suffering from heart conditions nowadays. These heart problems are usually caused by an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle. People are too busy to work out and they barely have time to prepare meals for the entire day.

These are some of the reasons why the rate of heart diseases is increasing. In order to find out more about how to prevent heart problems, a new study involved an Amazon tribe. The researchers that conducted it discovered that people from this tribe have the healthiest hearts.

This study was conducted by researchers from the Long Beach Memorial center. The research unveiled the fact that primitive-living people in an Amazon tribe have healthier hearts when compared to other individuals. They maintain the health of their hearts with the help of their diet and an active lifestyle.

The Tsimane is the analyzed Amazon tribe.  Researchers were amazed to find that 90% of these primitive people have clear arteries. It means that they have a very low risk of developing heart problems.

When the Tsimane tribe was compared to Americans, it was observed that there is a great difference between these two. First of all, primitive people had a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle. Also, it was observed that a 50-year-old American has the arteries of an 80-year-old Amazonian tribe person. This shows that the risk for heart disease in the US is a lot bigger when compared to the one in Tsimane tribe.

Researchers believe that the reason for which these primitive people have a low rate of heart disease is because of the pre-modern life they have. These people have a primitive life. People from the Tsimane tribe need to hunt for their food. They only eat fresh, unprocessed foods. Scientists also believe that this Amazon tribe could have great genetics that helps them stay away from diseases.

The study managed to show that the modern life is the one that is hurting us. Processed foods, fat, sugar, and a sedentary lifestyle are the reason for which people in developed countries have higher rates of heart issues and health conditions in general.

What is your opinion about this study?

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You probably believed that every part of your body is genetically inherited. Apparently, your nose shape is “designed” by climate, not by your parents. The nose shape is important for helping you condition the air you breathe. This might be the reason why it was made by climate and not genetically inherited.

A new study shows that the nose shape is made in such a way to help us adapt to climate. Despite the fact that sometimes people tell you that you have the same nose as your mother or your father, they are wrong. Your nose shape has an important job in your system and it is made this way to help you adapt to the environment.

This new research was conducted by a team of scientists from Pennsylvania State University. They discovered that the nose shape is different from place to place. People born in cold places have a different nose shape than people who live in warm places.

This is our way to adapt to the climate. The researchers discovered that people who live in warm and humid climates have a wider nose. On the contrary, those who live in cold and dry places have a narrower nose. The findings show that the climate we live in shapes us too, not only genetics do.

“The positive direction of the effects indicates that wider noses are more common in warm-humid climates, while narrower noses are more common in cold-dry climates,” said Mark D. Shriver, Professor at Pennsylvania State University.

The researchers observed that people in cold places need a narrower nose so that they could alter the airflow in order to become warmer and more humidified. Since the air is warmer and more humid there, people who live in warm climates can have a wider nose. They don’t need to alter the air.

Researchers also observed that people who had a narrower nose shape and lived in colder climates were more likely to have more children than those with wider noses. This shows, once again, that every creature on Earth has a way of adapting to the climate.

What is your opinion about this study? Did you know that climate was the one that shaped our noses?

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We all know that some drugs can do more harm than good. This is why people should not take pills without the approval of a doctor. A new research shows that common painkillers might increase the risk of cardiac arrest.

Ibuprofen, for instance, is one of the most common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Studies have shown that this drug can increase our chances of having a cardiac arrest by almost 50%. This means that people who usually take painkillers are more likely to have a cardiac arrest.

Doctors are advising people who have heart problems to avoid common painkillers. They have a higher risk of suffering cardiac arrests when compared to those without heart conditions. There are some drugs that might increase the risk more than others.

“Diclofenac and ibuprofen, both commonly used drugs, were associated with significantly increased risk of cardiac arrest,” mentioned Professor Gunnar Gislason.

NSAIDs are the most common pills people use worldwide. Many of these drugs don’t even need a prescription. Ibuprofen is one of the drugs that can be purchased without a prescription and it is also one of the most dangerous ones.

Doctors mentioned that all these drugs need to be purchased with a prescription. This is because many people believe they are safe if they don’t need a prescription to buy them. Once people believe they are safe, they buy them frequently.

In order to show the effects of common painkillers, researchers analyzed all patients who have suffered a cardiac arrest between 2001 and 2010, in Denmark. They observed that people who used painkillers regularly were more likely to experience cardiac arrest. This shows that NSAIDs are not safe at all and they should be avoided.

People who take diclofenac or ibuprofen are advised to go to their doctor and review the treatment. There are safer painkillers on the market that have almost the same effects without causing so much harm. Also, people who need to take these painkillers should never take more than the daily recommended dosage. All in all, people should use these drugs only when necessary and in small dosage.

What is your opinion about this study? Did you know that common painkillers can increase the risk of cardiac arrest?

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Tea is one of the healthiest drinks that you can consume. Many people drink tea on a regular basis in order to treat their diseases. Apparently, tea can actually make you ill. This is the case for two people in San Francisco.

After consuming toxic tea both of them were admitted to the hospital in critical condition. San Francisco Department of Public Health mentioned that these people consumed the same herbal tea that was purchased from a seller in Grant Avenue in Chinatown.

The people that are in critical condition drank this toxic tea in February and March. A woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s were the ones that became ill soon after drinking this herbal tea. The symptoms started to show after less than an hour.

Their symptoms consisted in irregular heartbeats and severe weakness. Due to these severe symptoms, both of them were admitted to the hospital. The leaves for the tea were sold by Sun Wing Wo Trading Co.

What did the Toxic Tea Contain?

After these people were admitted to the hospital, tests were run on the toxic tea. It was discovered that the poison was aconite. This plant-based poison is dangerous because it affects the heart. This substance can be deadly, especially when it is consumed in large quantities.

Normally, the aconite is used in Asian herbal medicine. This can treat many medical conditions. The problem is that it was not processed properly. When this happens the plant is poisonous. There is not cure for aconite contamination. This is why it is so dangerous.

What is going to happen to the toxic tea?

The health department in San Francisco decided to withdraw the products that were consumed by these victims. They also want the shop to help them find the source of the contamination. The health department wants to avoid any other contaminations caused by the toxic tea.

“Anyone who has purchased tea from this location should not consume it and should throw it away immediately,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, health Officer for the City & County of San Francisco.

Despite the fact that some people might not experience the symptoms of the contamination immediately, they have to go to the hospital, if they start appearing. People are asked to stop consuming this tea, even if they don’t experience any symptoms.

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When you are young and foolish you tend to make a lot of not-so-smart decisions. Many college students want to experiment more and that is why they start drinking more. Some of them try out smoking pot while others smoke it regularly.

The consumption of pot and booze is known for making students care less about studying. A new research shows there is a connection between the high use of pot and booze and lower college grades. This study analyzed US students that had similar academic potential.

In order to find out if the use of booze and pot affected their academic potential, researchers compared the GPAs of the sober students with the GPAs of those who consume booze and pot. When they made the comparison they observed that the differences are huge. They were expecting to see some differences, but not that big.

Students who did not smoke pot but drank a lot had lower college grades in the first semester. As the year went on, they tended to achieve similar GPAs as sober students. This means that they realized that they needed to get better grades.

When it came to heavy users of booze and marijuana, the grades were a lot lower. These students had bad grades in the first semester and they did not do anything to improve them. Sober students, in general, had higher grades than those who drank or consumed pot.

The researchers did mention that they were surprised about one fact. Those who drank a lot were able to get similar GPAs as sober students. This means that heavy consumption of marijuana is much worse for college grades than drinking alcohol.

Although students who drank tended to repair their grades by the end of the year, this doesn’t mean that it is ok to drink regularly. Scientists mentioned that they did this study to show, once again, that alcohol and pot can make students have lower college grades.

Both marijuana and booze can impair attention, memory, the ability to identify differences, and executive functions. This can cause students to be less efficient at retaining information in class and at studying. All of these cause students to have lower grades and even quit college.

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Some love the mountains while others enjoy a hot day at the beach. A new report shows that the healthiest and happiest cities in the US are near the beach. If you want to live longer and have a better life, now it’s the time to pack your swimsuit and move in one of these cities.

The Gallup-Healthways State of American Well-Being 2016 Community Rankings shows that the cities that are near the ocean have a higher chance of pleasing their residents. For the second year in a row, Naples was the happiest and healthiest city in the US.

In order to conduct this study, researchers measured the physical health, financial security, sense of purpose, and social ties of residents from 189 cities in the US. They wanted to see if the city they live in has any effect on the well-being of the residents. The results showed that people are influenced by the city and the environment they reside in.

Naples, Florida, Provo-Orem, Utah, and Boulder, Colorado are the only cities that reached the first spot more than once. These reports began in 2008 and they showed the healthiest and happiest cities in the US since then. The researchers used the same method every year in order for their findings to be consistent.

Although the top spots changed from year to year, the statistics show that cities that are near the beach have a higher chance of ranking top positions when compared to cities in the center of the US. Besides the fact that the beach can be a factor that influences out happiness, the researchers mentioned that there are other factors that should be taken into consideration as well.

The scientists mentioned that the happiest cities are sometimes located near the beach due to the fact that clinical depression is less likely to hit people that live in such areas. They also mentioned that people who live near the beach eat healthier when compared to other people.

Despite the fact that the beach has some advantages, the happiest cities are ranked this way due to the fact that their residents enjoy financial stability and a sense of purpose. It is important to notice that these rankings change every year. Before 2018 begins, we should move to Naples, Florida, if we want to live in the healthiest city in the US.

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Social media is the new way to communicate nowadays. No matter if you talk, post photos, or comment on other people’s post, you are communicating. The problem is that using social media too much can make you feel isolated from the real world.

Social isolation is a health concern that affects more and more people these days. All of us are too busy checking up on Facebook or posting photos on Instagram to really stop and talk to one another, face to face. Since social media became a popular trend, face to face communication between people has declined.

Despite the fact that many people might believe that using social media means they are integrated into society, a new research shows the opposite. Studies show that people who spend a lot of their time on social media platforms tend to feel isolated when compared to those who don’t have an account on social media sites.

Another problem besides feeling isolated is that they might actually have a tendency to self-harm. Many previous studies have shown that there is a strong connection between loneliness and an increased risk of mortality. People who feel isolated might have suicidal thoughts as well.

A new research focuses on finding out the link between social media and the feeling of isolation. Despite the fact that these two contradict themselves, the research shows that spending too much time on social media can make people feel isolated.

This study was led by Dr. Brian A. Primack. When he was asked why he chose this topic, he mentioned that mental health problems are concerning and they are becoming more and more frequent among young adults.

In order to conduct this study, Dr. Primack and his team investigated the behavior of 1,780 adults on social media. All of the participants were aged between 19 and 32. They are from the US. In order to see how much time they spent on these platforms and how they behaved, all of the participants were asked a series of questions.

The findings showed that people who spend more than 2 hours on social media sites were twice more likely to feel isolated when compared to those who spend an hour or less. Despite the fact that the researchers were able to find the link between social media and the feeling of isolation, they mentioned that they did not find a cause and effect relation.

What is your opinion about this study? Do you think that social media can make us feel isolated?

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