A HOlIDAY WIll BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY
Going on a two-week holiday could boost our immune system and help fight infection, suggest scientists, who found that alterations to living space of mice dramatically changed their white blood cells and made them more prone to having a protective inflammatory effect. The research at Queen Mary University of london provides the first evidence that an enriched environment influences the function of T-cells, a type of white blood cell essential for immunity , and involved in HIV, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic diseases. For the study, mice were first housed in normal environment, that consisted of a standard cage filled with sawdust and nesting material. Then they were shifted to a wider cage with wood shavings and toys, including a coloured nest-box and swing. “After only two weeks in an enriched environment, the mice’s immune systems were completely different and better prepared for fighting infections,” said lead researcher Professor Fulvio D’Acquisto.
STUDY: PUBERTY SHAPES FACIAl RECOGNITION
Puberty shapes our ability to recognise and remember faces as we grow into adults, according to a new study that may explain how adolescents begin to think about each other as romantic partners for the first time. Faces are as unique as fingerprints and can show a great deal of information about our health, personalities, age and feelings. Scientists at Pennsylvania State University in the US have discovered that adolescents begin to view faces differently as they prepare for the transition to adulthood. “Faces convey different social information, and the ability to perceive and interpret this information changes through development,” said Suzy Scherf, assistant professor at Penn State.
MEDITATION CAN HElP CONTROl EMOTIONS
Anyone looking for a way to control their negative emotions might benefit from meditation, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. The University of California-Berkeley define mindfulness as: “Maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.” A Harvard Help Guide tells us that: “Above all, mindfulness practice involves accepting whatever arising in your awareness at each moment.” Mindfulness has gained popularity in recent years. Rooted in religious practice and prayer, and especially in Buddhism, proponents claim that it can benefit the immune system, improve attention and memory, and increase the density of gray matter in the brain. It is said to enhance compassion, to ease relationship behaviours, to help people overcome addiction, and reduce stress.