Large whey protein breakfast may help manage type 2 diabetes

Senior man with glass of smoothieA large breakfast containing whey protein may help manage Type 2 diabetes, new research from Israel reports. 

“A high-calorie protein breakfast, medium-sized lunch and small dinner is a proven successful strategy for weight loss, improved satiety and reduced glucose spikes throughout the day in people with obesity and Type 2 diabetes,” said lead study author Daniela Jakubowicz, MD, professor of medicine at Tel Aviv University.

“However, the benefits of high protein content at breakfast also depend on the protein source and quality,” Jakubowicz said. “Whey protein powder, which is a byproduct of milk during cheese production, induced greater satiety and reduction of glucose spikes after meals compared to other protein sources, such as eggs, soy or tuna.”

read more

Link between gum disease and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s

Senior woman brushing teethA new study jointly led by King’s College London and the University of Southampton has found a link between gum disease and greater rates of cognitive decline in people with early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Periodontitis or gum disease is common in older people and may become more common in Alzheimer’s disease because of a reduced ability to take care of oral hygiene as the disease progresses. Higher levels of antibodies to periodontal bacteria are associated with an increase in levels of inflammatory molecules elsewhere in the body, which in turn has been linked to greater rates of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease in previous studies.

read more

Breakthrough in cybersecurity is no phish story

“If the Internet were the real world it would be the most dangerous city on earth.” Arun Vishwanath, associate professor of communication University at Buffalo

“If the Internet were the real world it would be the most dangerous city on earth.”
Arun Vishwanath, associate professor of communication
University at Buffalo

Corporations, small businesses and public sector entities have tried unsuccessfully for years to educate consumers and employees on how to recognize phishing emails, those authentic-looking messages that encourage users to open a cloaked, though malicious, hyperlink or attachment that appears harmless.

In casual conversation, the problem sounds like a nuisance; on balance sheets, however, it’s monstrous. The estimated financial tally from information loss, identity theft, service disruptions and additional security costs related to phishing exceeds $1 trillion. In fact, phishing accounts for more than one-third of the nearly 800 percent increase in cybercrimes since 2007, according to the Government Accountability Office.

read more

Preference for dating smarter partners negatively affects women’s attitudes toward STEM

Lora Park Professor of Psychology With Students in Her Park Hall Lab

Lora Park

Women with a preference for more intelligent partners are less likely to show interest in male-dominated fields such as math and science, according to a newly published study from the University at Buffalo.

The research, published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, builds upon previous findings that found that thinking about romantic goals affected women’s attitudes toward careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

In particular, previous research suggested an incompatibility between romantic goal pursuits and intelligence goal pursuits for women, but not men. The current paper suggests that the incompatibility may be most pronounced for women who prefer partners of greater intelligence.

read more

Smokers may have a tougher time finding a job, earn less money

SmokingSmoking may cost more than the money smokers spend on cigarettes. A new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine suggests unemployed smokers were less likely to get new jobs and when they did they earned an average of $5 less an hour.

Previous research shows consistent associations between tobacco smoking and unemployment. Employees who smoke cost private employers more money and employers are increasingly taking steps to reduce smoking in the workforce. However, research has not quantified the economic burden of tobacco use for job seekers.

read more

Losing weight with a high-protein diet can help adults sleep better

Overweight and obese adults who are losing weight with a high-protein diet are more likely to sleep better, according to new research from Purdue University's Wayne Campbell, a professor of nutrition science. CREDIT: Purdue University

Overweight and obese adults who are losing weight with a high-protein diet are more likely to sleep better, according to new research from Purdue University’s Wayne Campbell, a professor of nutrition science.
CREDIT: Purdue University

Overweight and obese adults who are losing weight with a high-protein diet are more likely to sleep better, according to new research from Purdue University.

“Most research looks at the effects of sleep on diet and weight control, and our research flipped that question to ask what are the effects of weight loss and diet — specifically the amount of protein – on sleep,” said Wayne Campbell, a professor of nutrition science. “We found that while consuming a lower calorie diet with a higher amount of protein, sleep quality improves for middle-age adults. This sleep quality is better compared to those who lost the same amount of weight while consuming a normal amount of protein.”

read more

Is a popular painkiller hampering our ability to notice errors?

Paracetamol molecule structureIt’s been known for more than a century that acetaminophen is an effective painkiller, but according to a new U of T study it could also be impeding error-detection in the brain.

The research, authored by a team including postdoctoral fellow Dan Randles and researchers from the University of British Columbia, is the first neurological study to look at how acetaminophen could be inhibiting the brain response associated with making errors.

“Past research tells us physical pain and social rejection share a neural process that we experience as distress, and both have been traced to same part of the brain,” says Randles.

read more

Choir singing boosts immune system activity in cancer patients and carers, study shows

Singing in a choir for just one hour boosts levels of immune proteins in people affected by cancer, reduces stress and improves mood, which in turn could have a positive impact on overall health, a new study by Tenovus Cancer Care and the Royal College of Music published today in ecancermedicalscience has found.

The research raises the possibility that singing in choir rehearsals could help to put people in the best possible position to receive treatment, maintain remission and support cancer patients.

read more

Psychologists pinpoint change in weight required to look healthier and more attractive

A good poker face might prevent others knowing what cards you’re holding but it won’t prevent them from knowing if you’ve gained or lost weight. That’s because our faces reveal many things, including whether our weight has changed. Now, researchers in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto have determined the amount of weight people need to gain or lose before others notice or find them more attractive.

“Women and men of average height need to gain or lose about three and a half and four kilograms, or about eight and nine pounds, respectively, for anyone to see it in their face,” said Nicholas Rule, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Social Perception and Cognition at U of T, “but they need to lose about twice as much for anyone to find them more attractive.”

read more

FOMO: It’s your life you’re missing out on

Handsome stylish man in elegant black suit using mobile phone.“You missed out.” Is there another sentence that could strike such anxiety in the hearts of young people? Other than “We need to talk,” of course. It’s true, though, and we need to talk about fear of missing out. Known as FOMO in millennial-speak, fear of missing out is quickly taking a toll on Generation Y—and it’s probably causing damage to your own life writes Lauren Thompson

Do you have trouble sitting through a movie without obsessively checking your phone? Does your family complain about your constant social media habit? If you panic at the thought of not having a window to the world, you may be experiencing FOMO—which was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013.Living our lives through this virtual filter isn’t really living at all—it only fuels an anxious mindset that we must be ‘missing out.’

read more