Did you know that breast milk trains your brain to crave junk food? Or that making mistakes can make you better? DW brings you this week's health news, all in one handy guide!
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Airio
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Why do we crave chips?
We know they're unhealthy and make us fat, but still, we can't stay away from them: chips, french fries, candy bars, cake. These foods are full of carbohydrates and fats that have a strong influence on our brain's reward system. In nature, there are no foods that contain high proportions of both. Some are high in carbohydrates, like potatoes and cereals, or rich in fats, such as nuts. The only natural food containing both is breast milk.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne, Germany, believe that breast milk trains our brains at a young age to respond to carbohydrate and fat-rich foods more intensely. Today, this has become a huge problem, resulting in the rise of obesity and type 2 diabetes. On top of that, the researchers found that we are just terrible at estimating the nutritional value of high-fat and carbohydrate-rich foods.
Either way, you should stay away from processed foods altogether – or at the very least, be very aware that your brain's reward system will make you want to eat not just one chip, but the entire pack.
An egg a day keeps the doctor away... well, something like thatImage: Colourbox/K. Ruslan
What are your muscles missing?
Do you exercise frequently, but feel like your muscles aren't getting much stronger? You might be suffering from a lack of choline. Researchers at the University of Houston, Texas, discovered that the strength of people who lacked choline in their diet didn't improve after 12 weeks of regular exercises, whereas the people who consumed enough choline had stronger muscles after the trial period.
Choline is a micronutrient involved in neurotransmission and muscle contraction, and a lack of it often occurs in people over the age of 50. Although your body can produce choline by itself, you have to first consume about 500 mg of choline as part of your diet every day. So, how to do it? Include eggs in your diet when training regularly. After all, the egg yolk of one egg contains more choline than your daily need.
Making mistakes can allow you to study even better. So don't give up hope! And good luck on that exam ;)Image: Colourbox
Mistakes make you better
Exam season is upon us, and thousands and thousands of students are pouring over their books with their heads smoking, trying desperately to cram more information into their brains before the final exam. Who doesn't know that feeling? But don't give up hope if you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world.
In fact, researchers have now discovered that errors can sometimes make you study better. But only if the mistake was close to the correct answer. "Our research found evidence that mistakes that are a 'near miss' can help a person learn information better than if no errors were made at all," explains Dr. Nicole Anderson, senior author of the study.
As a tip, the researchers suggest that people studying for an exam should only take practice tests once they have reviewed the material. Otherwise they could end up guessing wildly, and that could make learning the correct information much harder later on.
The top 10 fat fighters
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) some 2.3 billion people are overweight – the result of unhealthy diets and insufficient exercise. We have 10 tips for battling body fat and losing weight.
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Avoid crash diets!
Crash diets can help you lose weight quickly, but most of it comprises water and muscle mass. The little fat that is actually broken down will be replenished by the body once you’ve finished dieting – as a reserve for extreme situations. Crash diets also have side-effects such as headaches, nausea and bad breath. For a long-term solution, the only way is to completely reform your eating habits.
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Yes to slimming agents!
People determined to keep their weight low after shedding the pounds should have fruit and vegetables dominating their daily intake. Most varieties contain a lot of minerals and vitamins, are largely comprised of water, and have a very low calorie content. You should also drink plenty of water to stimulate digestion. The same applies for spicy food.
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No to calorific concoctions!
The worst culprits include not only fat but also refined carbohydrates such as processed flour products, instant meals, and all foods with a high level of regular supermarket sugar or fructose – not forgetting sweet drinks and fast food. Plus: avoid alcohol, because it has twice as many calories as protein or sugar.
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Change your eating habits!
There are various steps of action that will help your dieting … Eat three regular meals a day, with breakfast optionally the biggest. The slower you eat, the faster you will feel sated. Stop eating well before you are 100% full. And use smaller plates, as this gives you the feeling of having eaten enough.
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Exercise!
Regular physical exercise is crucial for losing weight. Sporting activity increases our energy consumption and burns off fat. Power walking or aqua aerobics are sound options to start off with, as they take the load off your spine and joints. Later you can move on to endurance sports such as running, cycling and swimming – in 30-minute sessions at least three times a week.
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Sleep sufficiently!
Sleeping badly will leave you hungrier the next day. Getting insufficient rest leads to a hormone malfunction that causes sudden cravings, while your metabolism rate plummets because you’re eating more. Your leptin level that triggers that full feeling decreases, while the appetite-producing hormones ghrelin and orexin increase. Losing weight therefore means sleeping enough as well.
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Take cold baths!
Cold baths stimulate fat combustion, and help you lose weight. In particular, cold water boosts our metabolism by activating the brown fat on the thighs, hips and behind. The water temperature should begin at 20° Celsius and drop to 15° C (but no lower) by the end. Taking a cold bath for 15 minutes a day will give you a turbocharged metabolism all day long.
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Build up your muscles!
Muscle mass makes up around 40% of your body weight, and even without activity burns up three times more calories than fat tissue. Muscles consume calories day and night, and are a major fat killer. Trained muscles are far more efficient fat combustion engines than untrained ones. The more muscle mass, the higher the burning of energy and fat!
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Reduce stress!
Stress is among the most significant mental factors promoting excess weight. Relieving stress is therefore helpful. Stress hormones play a big role in our hunger and eating behavior, and can lead to uncontrolled cravings – even when the body does not in fact need any food. A stress-free life is among the best fat fighters.
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Never go shopping while hungry!
If you’re feeling peckish when out shopping, you are bound to end up with items in your basket or trolley that have no place on a diet menu. It’s best to do your groceries after eating. With a full stomach you are less likely to succumb to the countless temptations on display.