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Researchers conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of qigong on biopsychosocial outcomes in veterans with chronic low back pain. Qigong (pronounced "chee-gong") is a traditional Chinese practice that combines gentle movements, controlled breathing and meditation to cultivate and balance the body's energy, often referred to as "qi" or "life force." The research team designed a novel qigong program for this research specifically applicable to managing chronic low back pain in veterans. The purpose of the eight-week longitudinal study was to evaluate the effects of the qigong intervention. Specifically, researchers assessed how the intervention impacted physical function, sleep disturbance, PTSD,...

Insulin resistance may not be on your radar, but it should be. This often-overlooked condition is a precursor to a host of metabolic conditions, especially prediabetes and diabetes.1 ,2 The good news is there are ways to protect against and even reverse insulin resistance. That’s important because cells rely on insulin all day, every day, to effectively use glucose for fuel. Plus, it can reduce your long-term risk of many chronic illnesses. How can you protect against insulin resistance? Read on to learn all about insulin resistance, how it impacts your blood sugar levels, and the best ways to naturally...

Many FReepers have knowledge to share about improving and maintaining health and would like to share it and learn from others; and others may not know much yet but want to learn. Some of us don't have much money for good insurance or doctors, some want to try other methods besides prescription meds, and some have experience in treating and solving health problems. More and more "regular" doctors have accepted treatment methods such as the benefits of acupuncture, massage for many conditions, better diet, use of herbs and so on. There are limits, and often side effects, to some standard...

Annual health checkups regularly include urine tests that serve several purposes, including checking for symptoms of kidney disease. The presence of albumin in the urine is one indicator, as is glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In diabetic nephropathy, albuminuria first appears, leading to excessive filtration and eventually a decrease in GFR. In the elderly, however, excessive filtration cannot be detected due to age-related GFR decline. To accurately assess GFR, researchers have come up with a new calculation method. The group led by Dr. Akihiro Tsuda, a lecturer, assessed 180 kidney transplant donor candidates to define a new formula for determining the...

Ketone bodies, produced by the body to provide fuel during fasting, have roles in regulating cellular processes and aging mechanisms beyond energy production. Research shows that ketone bodies can best be understood as powerful signaling metabolites affecting brain function in aging and Alzheimer's disease. A new study demonstrates that ketone bodies and similar metabolites have profound effects on the proteome and protein quality control in the brain. Scientists, working on mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and aging, and in the nematode C. elegans, reveal the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate interacts directly with misfolded proteins, altering their solubility and structure so they...

Kimchi, a traditional fermented Korean food. Credit: World Institute of Kimchi (WiKim) Kimchi has been shown to reduce body fat and improve gut health, supporting its potential as a dietary strategy to address global obesity, based on various studies and clinical trials. Obesity has become a global epidemic, with approximately 16% of the world’s population, or about 890 million people, suffering from this condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized obesity as a significant health issue, emphasizing its detrimental effects on individuals’ quality of life and overall health. In response, the World Institute of Kimchi in South Korea has...

A study reveals that bowel movement frequency significantly influences physiology and long-term health, with the best outcomes linked with passing stools once or twice a day. Previous research has suggested associations between constipation and diarrhea with higher risks of infections and neurodegenerative conditions, respectively. Gibbons and his team collected clinical, lifestyle, and biological data—including blood chemistry, gut microbiome, genetics and more—from over 1,400 healthy adult volunteers with no signs of active disease. When stools linger too long in the gut, microbes exhaust the available fiber—which they ferment into beneficial short-chain fatty acids—and instead ferment proteins, producing toxins like p-cresol sulfate...

The American Cancer Society reports lower overall cancer death rates, yet incidence is increasing for many common cancers, including 6 of the top 10. ... What might be most striking about the rising incidence is that it’s affecting increasingly younger people. Cancer patients are getting younger. Cancer risk increases with age, and people most likely to be diagnosed with cancer are adults age 65 and older. But this trend is beginning to change. People age 65 and older (sometimes referred to as older adults) represent a growing proportion of the overall population, but their numbers are shrinking in the proportion...