Dirty Learning

The benefits of soil bacteria, part II. The same naturally occurring soil bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae that was mentioned a few posts ago is back in the news. This time, it looks as if it is linked to memory and behavior. Mice feed the bacteria were able to navigate a maze from memory almost twice as fast as mice that were not feed the bacteria. These effects were temporary, and decreased three weeks after the bacteria was removed from the mice's diet.

These results suggest two things:
1) Go somewhere outside where you can get your hands dirty (e.g. garden, park) to benefit your memory
2) Do it often

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524143416.htm

6 Winnable Battles, At what cost

CDC Director DR. Thomas Frieden announced today that the CDC will be focusing on 6 "winnable" health conditions: smoking, AIDS, obesity/nutrition, teen pregnancy, auto injuries, and health care infections.
http://www.cdc.gov/about/winnablebattles.htm

While these conditions are certainly important in changing the health landscape of our country, this list is surprisingly narrow in scope. It appears on first glance that this list was devised on the basis of cost-benefit analysis for short-term game. A "low hanging fruit/best bang for your buck" approach.

While such an approach will undoubtedly save lives and reduce healthcare expenditures, it leaves many people in the healthcare system, on both the patient side and the clinical side, without much support or assistance. Where is the concern for children with autism? Or the growing baby-boomers with Alzheimers? What about cancer patients, or those exposed to environmental pollutants? What about any number of other diseases and conditions? What is going to happen to all of them?

Naps and Health

This is an old article, but a conversation with a friend reminded me of it. Taking a naps during the day not only feels good, but is protective of our health.

In a six-year study of 23,000 people, those that regularly took 30-minutes naps were 37% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease than other people that did not nap regularly. The greatest benefits were in working men.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/health/13iht-nap.4578721.html?_r=1

Most likely mechanism-of-action for this health-promoting activity is the regulation of cortisol and promotion of the parasympathetic nervous system function, both of which are known to be related to stress-reduction.

There are other studies out there that demonstrate the benefits of naps on worker productivity as well. If i wasn't so busy, i would go look those up. Of course, if i didn't have so much to do I'd probably go and prevent some heart disease of my own by taking a nap myself!

State of the World

Okay so this is pretty much just a venting rant. I was reading "Approaches to an ecological base for public health" (Kickbusch 1989), and it mentioned the reciprocal relationship between sustainability and health. That's important to me, because 1) I did a survey a few years ago about this topic, while I was doing concurrent Master's programs in public health and sustainability, and 2) I have been looking for a cohesive joining of PH & Sustainability using the ecological model for some time.

Anyway, that got me thinking (as I frequently do) about the direction that we are going in the world right now, both environmentally/ecologically and in our approach to health and disease. Of course, as i said, both are reciprocal and interdependent, but for some reason some people choose to ignore that obvious reality in favor of...being willfully ignorant, i suppose. (I don't know how else to explain it, which isn't true but that's not the point). Anyway, that made me think of the flooding in Pakistan right now, the (again, obvious) environmental causes of the flooding, and the human health impacts.



Aside from the immediately realized health concerns of water-borne disease (cholera, hep A, typhoid, leptospirosis, etc...), what jumps to my mind are the social unrest, upheaval and violence that will result from dwindling food, water and medical supplies. There are reports of this already. It brings to my mind "Environment, Scarcity and Violence" by Thomas Homer-Dixon, and the rest of the work that he has done in this area. I have not yet heard his name in any contemporary news outlet about any topic, but i have a feeling that is going to change very quickly in the coming years.

Neuroscience looking into the mental restoration of nature

This is an article published in the Sunday NYTimes about a group of neuroscientists that went on a 3-day rafting trip to look at how they experienced immersion in nature and simultaneous withdrawl from modern technological devices like cell-phones and the Internet. The story doesn't say much about the results, or the underlying theory of Attention Restoration (i.e. the University of Michigan study that is referenced in the article) that is being examined. Still, it is exciting that the separation from nature is being investigated on a serious level, and that it is being reported on by the NYTimes. Lots more work to be done in this area, and lots more to be written. Looking forward to helping advance this concept in the scientific community and the mainstream contemporary culture (which is ultimately more important).

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/technology/16brain.html?_r=2&hp

Soil bacteria and Feeling good

Here is a link to an amazing article about a harmless bacteria that lives in the soil, and alters a person's neurochemisrty (in a good way). Though it doesn't cause sickness or disease, this bacteria prompts the immune system to release chemicals that affect the parts of the brain that regulate mood. People with exposure to the bacteria have less depression and an improved quality of life. Being connected to the Earth can make you feel better!

http://www.livescience.com/health/070411_happy_bacteria.html

The Spirit Level

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsEZr3s1aBA
http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/
Right. 'cause i don't want to forget about this.