Can The Cold Be Good For You?

Can The Cold Be Good For You?

Despite romantic ideas of long walks in the snow or being curled up by a roaring fire with a good book, being cold is rarely fun. It can be bad for you too, as statistics show that cold weather is 20 times more likely to kill you than hot weather[1]. It’s no wonder, then, that so many of us crave the summertime when the weather is warm and people seem instinctively happier. Nevertheless, there is a growing group of people who believe that, despite the dangers, braving the cold can actually be very good for you.

Do You Dare?

Dutch dare-devil Wim Hof is one of these people and is, in fact, the founder of a whole school of thought when it comes to the cold. Nicknamed ‘The Iceman’, it seems that Hof has always had an affinity to the cold weather. Even in his teenage years, he was running barefoot in the snow. Since then, he has broken no less than 21 world records in relation to the cold, including the record for the longest time spent immersed in an ice-bath, running a marathon above the Arctic Circle wearing only sandals and shorts, and unofficially, swimming under ice for a huge 120 meters having taken only one breath[2]. Rather impressive, undoubtedly, but Hof claims that through all his experiences, he has developed a technique that control his own autonomic nervous system – something that science has, up until recently, said simply cannot be done[3].

 

 

DNA Fitness Tests: Are They Worth It?

DNA Fitness Tests: Are They Worth It?

Genetics is amazing. It tells us so much about humanity and it’s a minefield of information. Admittedly, it’s a minefield that has only just been touched upon, but scientists argue that genetics is the answer to everything – so does that include diet and fitness? Companies like DNAFit say yes. They argue that the results of a DNA test will allow you to develop a personal gene-based diet and fitness plan that works for you – and that brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘tailor-made’. It may sound like a futuristic way to develop a fitness plan, and the possibilities are nothing if not intriguing, but there are some questions of the efficacy of these tests. So can they really help you improve your diet and fitness? And are they worth the money?

What They Do

At a very basic level, our genes dictate everything. Like a computer code written into us before we’re even born, our genes influence everything we do in life and how we respond to different external stimuli – and that, of course, includes how we respond to different foods and exercises. It makes sense, then, that a DNA test could tell us what foods are best for us to eat and which exercises will have the best results. Companies like DNAFit are now branching out from working with only professional athletes to providing home-testing kits and the results can provide information about your sensitivity to carbohydrates, salt, saturated fats, lactose, and gluten. You can find out about your specific requirements when it comes to anti-oxidants and vitamins, and your ability to process things like caffeine and alcohol. Not only that, but you can discover which sports suit you best – endurance sports or power sports? These tests even claim to tell you how likely you are to injure yourself during training and how long it will take you to recover[1].

 

 

Highly Sensitive People

Highly Sensitive People

Do you often get told to toughen up or stop being so sensitive? Do you cry easily at movies or even sad commercials? Do you shy away from noisy, busy places? If so, you might be a Highly Sensitive Person or HSP. It’s not an illness or disorder, but rather a character trait that is estimated to affect around 20% of the population, equally affecting both men and women[1]. It’s a trait that is only recently being recognized, although it has likely existed for much longer, and both the term and an acceptance of the trait are becoming more mainstream. There has even been on a documentary on the subject (Sensitive: The Movie), and there are several books available. But what exactly is it? Are you a HSP? And if you are, what can you do to protect yourself?

What is HSP?                            

Dr. Elaine Aron, scientist and author of The Highly Sensitive Person, is one of the leading researchers into HSP, says that it’s a genetic trait rather than something that is learned and that it affects more people than we might think. Some famous HSPs include singer Alanis Morisette[2], Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, and Steve Jobs[3], so being HS doesn’t necessarily mean being shy and retiring. There are, however, certain traits that lead to HSPs to being overstimulated or easily upset. It’s defined as having a hyper sensitive nervous system, and HSPs can both become overwhelmed emotionally and be very sensitive to external stimuli such as lights, noise, temperatures, and smells[4].

Dr. Aron explains the trait using the acronym DOES: depth of processing, meaning HSPs process information longer and deeper; overstimulation due to depth of processing; emotional reactivity and increased empathy; and sensitivity to external stimuli. In general, HSPs:

 

Breast Cancer: An Increasingly Male Issue

Breast Cancer: An Increasingly Male Issue

Breast cancer is often considered a women’s issue. It evokes images of pink ribbons and women championing their bodies and checking their breasts. What it doesn’t evoke is an image of the men suffering from the very same disease but actually, breast cancer can affect both genders. The American Cancer Society states that by the end of 2015, there will have been 231,840 new cases of breast cancer amongst women and 2,350 cases of male breast cancer. Of those 2,350, 440 will die[1]. Whilst the number of women suffering from the disease is substantially higher than the rate amongst men, male breast cancer is generally diagnosed and is often more dangerous.

Male Breast Cancer

Invasive ductal breast cancer is the most common form of breast cancer in men, and it affects hormonal receptors. Around 85% of male breast cancers is found in estrogen receptors in cell membranes which allow estrogen molecules to bind to the cancer. This stimulates growth and multiplication. This means that those with higher levels of estrogen, such as men with Klinefelter’s Syndrome, are more likely to develop breast cancer[2]. It’s also closely linked to family ties too, and around one in five male breast cancer sufferers have a first degree male relative (such as a father or brother) with a history of breast cancer[3].

Janell Seeger MD, an oncologist at the Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, KY, suggests that the lack of breast tissue on men is both a blessing and a curse. The smaller amount of tissue means that lumps are more likely to be noticed but it also means that the cancer can grow much faster and travel to the nipple, skin, and lymph nodes. By time that it is detected, then, the cancer has already spread and has begun to affect other parts of the body[4]. 

On the whole, male breast cancer is treated in the same way as female breast cancer. A mastectomy will remove all the breast tissue and hormone therapy is used to block estrogen so that it is unable to enter, and hence aid, the cancerous cells[5]. Lynda Weeks, the executive director at the Susan G. Komen Institute claims that male breast cancer affects around “one in 1,000 men […] but typically, men are diagnosed at a later stage,” meaning that the diagnosis can be more serious. To make matters worse, it’s on the rise.

 

Designer Babies: Is Gene Selection Ever Acceptable?

Designer Babies: Is Gene Selection Ever Acceptable?

The term ‘designer babies’ has been bandied around for some years now, and refers to babies whose genetic make-up has been selected or altered. This could be to eradicate a disease or defect, or it could be to ensure that particular genes are present. The idea has been discussed in science for many years and in science fiction, the concept has been around for much, much longer. The issue, however, is extremely controversial and as science races to meet science-fiction, the debate is becoming a serious one.  

Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis

Actually, the concept of ‘designer babies’ is not that far-fetched and already, doctors and scientists use some form of gene-selection during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, refers to the practice of screening IVF embryos both for disease and for gender selection. Using this process, scientists can remove the defective mitochondria (the ‘powerhouse’ of cells) from an embryo and replace it with healthy mitochondria from a donor egg, and in this way they can effectively ‘design’ babies without certain diseases. Of course, the process doesn’t work for all diseases, and they can actually use this process for non-medical preferences too, such as the gender of the resulting child. Both forms of PGD are currently legal in the US, although the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists frowns upon the latter use, arguing that by allowing parents to choose the gender of their child, we run the risk of increasing sex discrimination[1].

DNA Editing

There is more to come though. Dr. Tony Perry of the University of Bath in the UK was one of the first scientists to clone mice and pigs, and he claims that more in-depth DNA editing is on its way. It won’t be long, he says, until we can pick and choose which parts of our baby’s DNA that we want to cut out and potentially replace with new pieces of gene-code[2]. In fact, it’s already begun. Earlier this year, scientists in China took discarded IVF embryos and began experiments to correct the abnormal gene that causes the blood disorder beta thalassemia[3]. Even though these embryos were due to be destroyed, the experiments incited much controversy. Whilst few would argue against potential disease eradication, this technique could be used to alter healthy genes too and the real question is how far would be too far?

ADHD - Diagnosis, Treatment and Careful Management

ADHD - Diagnosis, Treatment and Careful Management

In recent years, ADHD has received more and more public attention. Rates of diagnosis have increased in children nationwide – 11% of all American children had been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011, compared to 7.8% in 2003 and 9.5% in 2007.[i] Understandably, such an increase has provoked skepticism and concern about the validity of the diagnosis, particularly as treatment for the disorder usually involves stimulant medications that can be easily abused. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why, in 2011 CDC data, statistics showed that less than a third of all US children over 6 with ADHD were receiving both medication and behavioral therapy as is generally recommended, and nearly 20% of children with the disorder were receiving neither.[ii] Plenty of people are skeptical about whether ADHD is all that serious a problem, when many of the symptoms seem to be simply magnified versions of normal behavior for children.

 

The Benefits of a Good Scare

The Benefits of a Good Scare

It is around this time of year that scaring becomes a big deal. Houses are strung with Halloween decorations from spiders to ghosts and ghouls, and then often splashed with ‘blood’ as well. Families and friends play tricks on each other or gather together in dark rooms to watch scary movies or tell terrifying tales. Haunted houses make a killing too – if you’ll excuse the pun! Of course, it’s not just in October that we liked to be scared either. In fact, all year round, people partake in extreme sports or adrenaline pumping activities and the scare industry is big business. We make an event of being scared, eagerly anticipating it and taking a thrill from it afterwards. In short: we love it!

What’s odd about this is that should any of these activities have a genuine, real-life affect, we’d be terrified – and not in a good way, as intended. Most people would not want to be put into a genuinely life threatening situation and fear is our brain’s way of protecting us from that. It warns us of a threat and helps us to react accordingly, but when it comes to thrill seeking, a lot of people thrive on a good scare. So we know that some people enjoy it. The question is, though, can a scare actually be good for you?

The answer? Absolutely it can, and this is why:

 The High

The first and perhaps most obvious benefit of being scared is the natural high that comes with it. When faced with a potentially threatening situation, our bodies go into what is known as the fight or flight response. At its base, this is a release of adrenaline that allows us to either flee from the situation or act quickly and efficiently to fight it. At a more complex level, it’s a physiological change. Our heart rate increases, our breath quickens, we begin to sweat, our muscle tense, and our concentration focuses narrowly on the perceived threat. Our brains are also flooded with chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins – yes, the same ones that give you a buzz after exercising[1].

It’s not fight or flight that is, in itself, enjoyable. In a genuinely threatening situation, we wouldn’t get a buzz from this response, but rather would be able to react in a way that better suited the circumstances. Dr. Margee Kerr, a scare specialist at Robert Morris University says the response becomes enjoyable when we know that we are away from harm. Once we accept that we are safe, we are free to enjoy the chemical rush and enjoy that sense of relief – or even of achievement – that we feel once we get through a haunted house or scary movie[2].

 

 

Modafinil and Neuro-enhancement: Delightful or Dangerous?

Modafinil and Neuro-enhancement: Delightful or Dangerous?

What Is It?

Science fiction is abound with neuro-enhancement technologies and medications.  The Bradley Cooper film Limitless is just one example, in which characters discover a street drug that allows them to unleash 100% of their brain power, becoming not just more productive but more charming, cleaner, and more energetic.  But could such a drug ever exist?  Perhaps.  Whilst not on the same level as the drug in Limitless, Modafinil is tipped to be the first true neuro-enhancement drug suitable for healthy people. 

The FDA approved drug, which is marketed as Provigil in the US and the UK is a schedule IV drug, meaning that you must have a doctor’s prescription in order to legally buy it or possess it[1], although there are plenty of off-label versions of the drug being sold on illegal, overseas websites.  At its base, it’s a stimulant that is prescribed to people suffering from sleep disorders such as narcolepsy and is used to increase the cognitive functions of people with neuropsychiatric disorders and shift-work related sleep deprivation[2].  It has later become a nootropic, or ‘smart drug’, taken by healthy people to increase concentration, memory, alertness, energy, and motor skill as well as reducing sleepiness[3]. 

Doctor Peter Morgan from Yale University explains that it is effective because it acts on several different neurotransmitters at once.  It affects your dopamine levels, making you more alert and more interested in things.  It affects your norepinephrine, again improving alertness and focus.  It affects histamine too, which keeps you awake.  It is also believed to enhance short-term memory by as much as ten per cent by influencing the neurotransmitter glutamate[4].  It could affect other transmitters too, meaning that the reaction is different for different people. 

That’s a lot of cognitive improvement from one little pill, and the list of people taking it is impressive.  It’s prescribed to surgeons who need the boost to get them through long surgical procedures whilst maintaining a steady hand.  It’s prescribed to long-haul airline pilots and shift workers.  There are also many famous people who reportedly take it to help with day-to-day living.  Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek is one, comedian and actor Joe Rogan is another.  Even President Obama is rumored to have taken it[5].  For those not so famous, the internet is littered with case studies and personal proclamations regarding the greatness of this drug and its potential for the future of neuro-enhancement.  All this though, makes it easy to wonder: is it just too good to be true?

Does Modern Life Cause Early-Onset Dementia?

Does Modern Life Cause Early-Onset Dementia?

     Dementia affects millions of people worldwide and in the US, there are presently an estimated five million people suffering from age-related dementia.  If you are in America and you are over the age of 85, you have a one in two chance of developing some sort of dementia[1].  It is the sixth leading cause of death[2].  In 2015, nearly one in five Medicare dollars will be spent on dementia and Alzheimer’s will cost $226 billion.  By 2050, that cost is expected to rise to $1.1 trillion[3].  It’s a terrifying fact. 

     Dementia is an umbrella term for disorders of mental processes caused by brain diseases or injury.  There are a number of different types of dementia but by far the most prevalent and most well-known is Alzheimer’s, which currently accounts for around 70% of all dementia diagnoses[4].  What’s worrying is that dementia diagnoses are increasing as the population ages, as are deaths from neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.  What’s more worrying, though, is that dementia is affecting individuals at a younger and younger age. 

 Dementia and the Youth of Today

     Whilst previously, ‘early-onset dementia’ referred to people in their mid to late 60s, it is now starting to refer to people diagnosed as young as 30 and 40.  That’s a frightening concept, and whilst some claim that it’s the result of living longer and being better at curing other diseases (because, they claim, everybody has to die of something), Colin Pritchard of Bournemouth University in the UK is not so sure.  Pritchard and his team of researchers examined the mortality data from the World Health Organization and looked at the changing pattern of neurological deaths across 21 western countries, from as far back as 1979[5].  What they discovered was startling. 

 

Gender Expression and the Umbrella of Terms

Gender Expression and the Umbrella of Terms

     Transgender Americans and their struggles have become much more prominent in recent times. Last year, an article about the transgender rights movement focusing on actress Laverne Cox made the cover of TIME magazine;[i] and earlier this year, Caitlyn Jenner made her transition from male to female public, discussing it in interviews with 20/20[ii] and Vanity Fair.[iii] It would be fair to say, then, that there is a fair amount of public interest and discussion on the subject of transgender people and the life they experience at present. However, most of the public discourse appears to focus on a clearly delineated change: male to female, female to male. But for many people, gender can actually a much more complicated issue than simply being one or the other.

     People who do not feel they fit in the world as either male or female will often refer to themselves as “genderqueer” or “nonbinary” rather than simply transgender.[iv] Both are umbrella terms used to cover many ranges of gender expression. Some people will use both terms interchangeably; others feel they have slightly different connotations. For the purposes of this article, I will be using the term “nonbinary” to refer to this group of people, as it came into use for this purpose more recently than “genderqueer,” and I have seen it used more often in recent discussions of gender. The word nonbinary refers to the fact that these people consider themselves as living outside of the gender binary, which is to say, the male/female dichotomy we usually think of when describing a person’s gender.

 

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