It turns out all those dinner parties might actually be good for your health. A recent study reveled that good friends impact your health as you age. The study, conducted at Northwestern University found that some elderly people credited their longevity and good health to fulfilling social lives — and they could be right. Researchers, found a notable link between brain health and positive relationships. The study looked at 50 elderly participants, periodically, over the course of nine years. The study looked at 31 “SuperAgers” — men and women over 80 who have memories comparable of those two to three decades younger then them — and 19 elderly folks with average cognitive abilities for their age. Every few years, the participants were asked to fill out surveys, take neuropsychological tests, brain scans and neurological examinations, among other evaluations. Of the 42-item survey on their psychological well-being, the greatest difference between SuperAgers and their…
Diet Sodas Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia and Stroke, Study Finds
Given everything we’ve been told about sugar being bad for us, you might think reaching for the “diet” or “sugar-free” option is the smarter choice. But you’d be wrong. According to a new research published in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) journal Stroke, the sweeteners used in these alternative beverages are linked to higher rates of stroke and a risk of developing dementia among consumers. The April 2017 study asked more than 4,000 participants, three times each over a span of seven years, about their eating and drinking habits during that time. Over the next 10 years, the researchers continued to follow the participants’ health records and tracked which among them had strokes or developed dementia. Researches found that those participants who consumed at least one artificially sweetened “diet” or “sugar-free” drink per day — whether soda or juice — were nearly three times more liked to suffer a stroke…