drink Cocoa daily to boost memory
Research on pensioners found that drinking cocoa improved blood flow, which has been linked to healthier brains and improved cognition. The study led by Harvard researchers examined 60 people with an average age of 73, who did not have dementia. Participants drank two cups of hot cocoa per day for 30 days and did not eat any other chocolate.
They were given memory and thinking skills tests, as well as ultrasound tests to measure the amount of blood flow to the brain. Of the 60 participants, 18 had impaired blood flow at the start of the study. The results of the study showed that for those participants, there were improvements in blood flow to the brain and in tests of their working memory.
Raw garlic halves lung cancer risk
Eating raw garlic twice a week can nearly halve the risk of lung cancer, even reducing the danger for smokers, a study has found. Adults regularly consuming raw garlic as part of their diet were 44 per cent less likely to suffer the disease. Even in the case of smokers, the study found that garlic still seemed to reduce the dangers by around 30 per cent. It has been used to treat a range of ailments, and is credited with lowering the risk of heart disease and strokes.
The popular herb has been credited with impacting upon stomach cancer and colon cancer, and a study at the University of South Australia suggested that it could reduce the risk of bowel tumours by nearly a third. Previous studies have also suggested garlic can protect the lungs against various conditions, leading to speculation that it is nature’s best medicine.
Anxiety has womb hormone links
Children who are deprived of a key hormone while they are in the womb are more vulnerable to anxiety in later life. Scientists have found that levels of a hormone that controls the supply of nutrients from the mother plays a key role in how their offspring respond to anxiety in later life.
low levels of the hormone, called Insulin-like growth factor 2, leaves the youngsters more prone to anxious behaviour and stress when they reach adulthood. losing weight and stress during pregnancy have both been found to lower the levels of this hormone in the past. Now the scientists behind the latest study at Cardiff University and the University of Cambridge claim their findings may help to explain why some people respond badly to stressful and anxious situations compared to others.