When you need to remember something important, it makes sense to look around for hacks and tricks to maximize your recall. And plenty of those are out there, but do they actually work? One popular tip involves chewing a certain flavor of gum or spraying an specific scent in the air while you study or work, then using the same gum or scent when it’s time to perform, such as when you’re taking a text or presenting the material you went over. The tip relies on the so-called Proust Effect and if you use it, your mileage may vary.
What is the Proust Effect?
Marcel Proust, a 20th-century writer you may already be familiar with, was the man who came up with the term “involuntary memory” to describe being hit with a memory because of a scent, taste, sound, or other sense-based trigger. As a reward for his efforts, he got this effect named after himself.
It’s a real thing that happens to the best of us: A sensory stimuli, like walking by someone wearing the perfume your mom used to wear, can jolt us into a vivid memory of the past. The phenomenon has resulted in a lot of research, because it’s deeply human but also deeply physiological and scientific.
How do people use the Proust Effect to study?
When you search for studying and memory tips, this one comes up a lot. The University of Nebraska Kearney, for instance, recommends using unfamiliar scents as a “brain booster” by spraying a different scent every time you study a unique subject. Before your test in that subject, spray the corresponding scent because, they say, “this can help you recall information.”
Does the Proust Effect really work for studying and recall?
Here’s the thing: Involuntary memories are more emotional than they are practical. Research shows that olfactory cues are much more effective at triggering emotional memories than visual cues are. The scent of a spray or the taste of a gum might transport you back to when you were studying, but it’s not guaranteed to help you remember the details of what you were studying so much as make you feel the way you felt when you were doing that.
It’s similar to the idea of changing into a designated “study outfit” when it’s time to hit the books in that way: Scents can help you compartmentalize and get in the zone, which can have a positive impact on your focus and output, but they aren’t the magic cure-all to make you remember entire passages of text.
Chewing strawberry gum while you study for chemistry and again when taking your chemistry test is more likely to help you feel like you’re in your chemistry zone than anything, which, again, can be helpful. To really remember what you studied, though, make sure to double up on hacks by using a study technique, such as interleaving or the primacy effect.
Give Your Teaching Career a Boost with a Professional Study Graduate Certificate
If you would like to advance your professional career by pursuing additional coursework beyond your degree, a Graduate Certificate of Professional Study within the field of education from Southern New Hampshire University can provide you with the opportunity to engage with a broad range of topics. Earning your graduate certificate is a great way to add to your teaching résumé while enhancing your understanding of important educational concepts and strategies.
This field-based certificate program, available through the SNHU Vermont Campus, is ideal for practicing educators seeking applied learning and professional development opportunities within the course areas of curriculum, assessment and evaluation, education technology, learning and development, and teacher leadership.
Although this program is currently available in a limited number of districts within the state of Vermont, we encourage you to reach out to the SNHU Vermont Campus at info@snhuvt.org if you are interested in participating or learning more.
See Yourself Succeed with a Professional Study Graduate Certificate from SNHU
The field-based Professional Study Graduate Certificate program in education at SNHU allows you to choose from the following five subject areas: Curriculum, Assessment and Evaluation, Education Technology, Learning and Development, and Teacher Leadership. This is a 15-credit program, and you will select five three-credit courses to complete in accordance with your chosen topic.
As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission - to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of enrolling in a field-based graduate program at SNHU include:
- Convenience. Pursue your graduate degree or certificate where you work, and complete international field studies around your teaching schedule.
- Supportive community. We have a deep understanding of how adults learn best, and we know all of our students personally. Our cohort model allows you to learn with colleagues.
- Relevance. All course material and assignments apply directly to your classroom practice.
- Affordability. It’s our mission to make higher education more accessible. That’s why, SNHU is one of the most affordable private, nonprofit universities in New Hampshire.
- Constructivist classrooms. Our instructors design the classroom experience so that it begins with your experiences and builds toward exceptional practice in a collaborative manner.
Careers & Outcomes
The Professional Study program is designed to help educators advance their careers without committing to a full master’s degree program. The goal of this program is to produce teachers who are prepared to impact their schools and their students in meaningful ways, both inside and outside of the classroom. Whether your goal is to develop new curriculum, become familiar with new teaching technology, or learn new leadership skills, SNHU can help you take the next step in your career.
Professional Study (Post-Master's Graduate Certificate)
In addition to the standard Professional Study Graduate Certificate in education program, SNHU also offers a Professional Study Post-Master's Graduate Certificate option. This program is similar to the standard graduate certificate version, but is designed for educators who have already earned their Master of Education. This program also features Curriculum, Assessment and Evaluation, Education Technology, Learning and Development, and Teacher Leadership as subject areas; however, many of the courses within the post-master's program cover more advanced topics.
Curriculum
With multiple pathways to choose from, the program will help you develop a deeper understanding of responsive, responsible teaching methods. Participants will plan and deliver purposeful learning opportunities that incorporate current research and best practices to engage students in meaningful ways. SNHU will help you learn to create strengths-based, inclusive, and collaborative learning communities in classrooms and schools. The program will also help you understand the need for professional analysis, innovation, and continually evolving professional strategies while evaluating your own personal growth, teaching practice development, and personal leadership.
Graduate Tuition
Our Manchester campus aims to keep tuition and related costs low for our students so that you can pursue your degree and your goals.
Beyond low tuition rates, we help our students save through transfer credits, credit for prior learning, grants and scholarships, tuition assistance and more.
This certificate is not eligible for federal financial aid. Students seeking alternatives to federal financial aid can explore tuition assistance, grants and scholarships, as well as private loans. To learn more about private loans, visit our Funding Your Education with Student Loans page.
AI has gotten a lot of attention lately, especially services like ChatGPT, which can be used for everything from finding a good recipe to writing a blog post. A new study shows that it also might be a powerful tool in helping bad writers Strengthen their skills.
In a study published this week in Science, two MIT researchers examined whether ChatGPT could be used to reduce gaps in writing ability between employees. The duo recruited 453 data analysts, marketers, and college-educated professionals and asked them to perform two different writing tasks normally associated with their jobs—writing press releases or a short report, for instance.
Half of the participants were given the option of using ChapGPT to help them complete the second of the two tasks. Afterward, their work was graded by other professionals who worked in the same field on a scale of one to seven, with seven being the best result.
Overall, the participants who used ChatGPT did better than those who didn’t. ChatGPT users took 40% less time to complete their task than their counterparts, and their completed work scored 18% higher in evaluations than the work of those who didn’t use it.
The researchers note that while ChatGPT is powerful, it can also introduce errors, so people who use it to write for them will need to double-check that everything written by the AI tool is correct.
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That said, the workers who participated in the study said they were more likely to use the tool in the future. "Workers exposed to ChatGPT during the experiment were 2 times as likely to report using it in their real job 2 weeks after the experiment and 1.6 times as likely 2 months after the experiment," the study found.
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Researchers are proposing using artificial intelligence technology to help diagnose autism spectrum disorder.
In a exact article published in Scientific Reports, researchers from Brazil, France and Germany reportedly used magnetic resonance imaging to train a machine learning algorithm.
The work – in which the "quantitative diagnostic method" is proposed – was based on brain imaging data for 500 people, with more than 240 that had been diagnosed with autism.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
Machine learning techniques were applied to the data.
"We began developing our methodology by collecting functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI] and electroencephalogram [EEG] data," Francisco Rodrigues, the last author of the article and a professor at the University of São Paulo’s Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, explained in a statement.
AS AI SHOWS UP IN DOCTORS' OFFICES, MOST PATIENTS ARE GIVING PERMISSION AS EXPERTS ADVISE CAUTION
São Paulo University on November 15, 2015, in São Paulo, Brazil. (Frédéric Soltan/Corbis via Getty Images)
"We compared maps of people with and without ASD and found that diagnosis was possible using this methodology," he added.
The machine learning algorithm was fed with the maps, and the system was able to determine which brain alterations were associated with autism with above 95% mean accuracy.
While previous research proposes methods for diagnosing autism based on machine learning, the article notes it often uses a single statistical parameter that is not brain network organization.
Autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. (iStock)
CALIFORNIA MAN WITH SEVERE AUTISM BEATS RUBIK'S CUBE WORLD RECORD: 'EXUBERANCE IN OUR HEARTS'
Analyzing the fMRI data showed changes in certain brain regions associated with cognitive, emotional, learning and memory processes, and the cortical networks of autism patients showed more segregation, less distribution of information and less connectivity compared to controls.
"Until a few years ago, little was known about the alterations that lead to the symptoms of ASD. Now, however, brain alterations in ASD patients are known to be associated with certain behaviors, although anatomical research shows that the alterations are hard to see, making diagnosis of mild ASD much harder. Our study is an important step in the development of novel methodologies that can help us obtain a deeper understanding of this neurodivergence," Rodrigues said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 14, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The methodology is under development and will take years to implement, according to the São Paulo Research Foundation, which supported the research.
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About one in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Diagnosing the developmental disability can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to do so.
A study published this week could help doctors to identify patients with brain injuries, in seemingly unresponsive states, who are more likely to recover.
In the study, published in the journal Brain on Monday, researchers identified what may be the source of a curious phenomenon known as "hidden consciousness" or cognitive motor dissociation (CMD).
Hidden consciousness is seen in patients with acute brain injury who appear to be in a coma or other unresponsive state.
Patients with CMD seem to be able to hear and comprehend verbal commands even though they cannot carry out those instructions because the body does not respond, study author Jan Claassen, a researcher at Columbia University and critical care neurologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said in a statement.
The CMD phenomenon has only been identified in the past few years and is still poorly understood.
Methods have been developed to detect CMD in unresponsive patients. These include analyzing changes in electrical activity or cerebral blood flow recorded by an electroencephalogram (EEG) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) respectively. But both of these methods currently have their limitations.
Nevertheless, it is thought that around 15 to 20 percent of patients who appear to be in a coma or another unresponsive state display signs of CMD when evaluated with such methods, Claassen told Newsweek. The detection of CMD is reshaping our understanding of patients in comatose or other unresponsive states.
Associated With Recovery of Consciousness
Clinicians define when a patient is in a "coma" purely based on the clinical examination, Claassen said. They apply this label to patients who display a complete absence of arousal (for example, eye opening) and awareness.
Patients with CMD do not seem to be able to follow commands and may in clinical examination appear to be in a coma.
But an analysis of EEG or functional MRI, recorded while patients are given verbal commands, reveals that the brains of these unresponsive patients are being activated in a similar way to conscious patients, Claassen said. This supports the interpretation that patients with CMD are to some degree conscious.
Identifying patients with CMD has important clinical implications for interactions, communication with families and the guidance of therapeutic decisions, according to the study.
Importantly, in prior research, Claassen and colleagues have been able to associate CMD with the recovery of consciousness and long-term recovery of independence in brain-damaged patients.
Researchers have been trying to develop more effective screening methods to identify which patients are likely to be in a state of hidden consciousness. But progress has been hampered by the fact that the brain mechanisms underlying the phenomenon have remained a mystery. This is where the latest study comes in.
In previous research, Claassen and colleagues found that subtle brainwaves detectable with EEG are the strongest predictor of hidden consciousness and eventual recovery for patients with brain injuries.
Many Patients With Hidden Consciousness Remain Undiagnosed.
For the latest study, the scientists used EEG to examine 107 unresponsive patients with acute brain injury. Almost half of the patients appeared comatose, while one quarter were in a vegetative state—i.e. their eyes were open but they could not follow commands.
The remaining patents were in a minimally conscious state—meaning they could track an examiner with their eyes or look at them but were not able to follow any commands.
Using the EEG, scientists can identify when patients are trying, but are unable, to respond to a command such as "keep opening and closing your right hand."
This method detected CMD in 21 of the patients. The scientists then analyzed structural MRI brains scans from all the patients.
Using a special analysis technique, the team were able to identify patterns of brain injury that the patients with CMD shared and contrast those to the individuals who did not display signs of hidden consciousness.
The researchers found that all of the CMD patients had intact brain structures related to arousal and command comprehension. This supports the idea that they were able to hear and understand the verbal commands.
But they also found that the CMD patients had damage to brain regions responsible for integrating and carrying out motor commands, which is why they were unable to take action.
"Our study suggests that patients with hidden consciousness can hear and comprehend verbal commands, but they cannot carry out those commands because of injuries in brain circuits that relay instructions from the brain to the muscles," Claassen said in the statement.
The findings could lead to more frequent and earlier diagnosis of CMD. This, in turn, could help better predict which brain-injured individuals are more likely to recover with rehabilitation, according to the scientists.
More research is required before the approaches documented in the study can be applied to clinical practice. But the latest study shows that it may be possible to screen for CMD using widely available structural brain-imaging techniques.
Due to the technical complexity of CMD detection, at this time it is only available in a few academic centers. As a result, the vast majority of patients with hidden consciousness in the United States and around the world remain undiagnosed.
"Not every critical care unit may have resources and staff that is trained in using EEG to detect hidden consciousness, so MRI may offer a simple way to identify patients who require further screening and diagnosis," Claassen said in the statement.
Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and certain antioxidants may help promote day loss. Certain beverages, including coffee, also have metabolism-boosting properties.
Boosting your metabolic rate can help you lose body fat.
However, most “fat-burning” supplements on the market are either unsafe, ineffective, or both.
Fortunately, several natural foods and beverages have been shown to increase your metabolism and promote fat loss.
Here are 11 healthy foods that help you burn fat.
Fatty fish is delicious and incredibly good for you.
Salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, and other oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and decrease heart disease risk (1, 2, 3).
In addition, omega-3 fatty acids may help you lose body fat.
In a 6-week controlled study of 44 adults, those who took fish oil supplements lost an average of 1.1 pounds (0.5 kilograms) of fat and experienced a drop in cortisol, a stress hormone that’s associated with fat storage (4).
What’s more, fish is an excellent source of high quality protein. Digesting protein leads to greater feelings of fullness and increases metabolic rate significantly more than digesting fat or carbs (5).
Most organizations recommend consuming two servings (3 ounces each) of fatty fish per week to see the health benefits (6).
Summary:
Fatty fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that may promote fat loss. Fish is also rich in protein, which helps you feel full and boosts your metabolic rate during digestion.
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil is made by extracting MCTs from palm oil. It is available online and at natural grocery stores.
MCTs are a type of fat that’s metabolized differently than the long-chain fatty acids found in most foods.
Due to their shorter length, MCTs are rapidly absorbed by the body and go straight to the liver, where they can be used immediately for energy or converted into ketones for use as an alternative fuel source.
MCTs have been shown to increase metabolic rate in several studies (7, 8).
One study in eight healthy men found adding 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 grams) of MCTs per day to the men’s usual diets increased their metabolic rate by 5% over a 24-hour period, meaning they burned an average of 120 extra calories per day (9).
In addition, MCTs may reduce hunger and promote better retention of muscle mass during weight loss (10, 11, 12, 13).
Replacing some of the fat in your diet with 2 tablespoons of MCT oil per day may optimize fat burning.
However, it’s best to start with 1 teaspoon daily and gradually increase the dosage to minimize potential digestive side effects like cramping, nausea, and diarrhea.
MCTs are high in calories and usually only make up about 5–10% of your total calorie intake. If you’re trying to maintain or lose weight, you should consume MCT oil as part of your total amount of fat intake and not as an additional amount of fat.
Summary:
MCTs are rapidly absorbed for immediate use as an energy source. MCT oil may increase fat burning, decrease hunger, and protect muscle mass during weight loss.
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide.
It’s a great source of caffeine, which can enhance mood and Strengthen mental and physical performance (14).
Moreover, it can help you burn fat.
In a small study including nine people, those who took caffeine an hour before exercise burned nearly twice as much fat and were able to exercise 17% longer than the non-caffeine group (15).
Research has shown that caffeine increases metabolic rate by an impressive 3–13%, depending on the amount consumed and individual response (16, 17, 18, 19).
In one study, people took 100 mg of caffeine every two hours for 12 hours. Lean adults burned an average of 150 extra calories and formerly obese adults burned 79 extra calories during the study time period (20).
To get the fat-burning benefits of caffeine without the potential side effects, such as anxiousness or insomnia, aim for no more than 400 mg per day. This is the amount found in about 4–5 cups of coffee, depending on its strength. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine’s effects and may need to limit their intake (21).
Summary:
Coffee contains caffeine, which has been shown to Strengthen mental and physical performance, in addition to boosting metabolism.
Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse.
Although egg yolks used to be avoided due to their high cholesterol content, whole eggs have actually been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease in some studies (22, 23, 24, 25, 26).
Additionally, eggs may help with weight loss.
Studies have shown that egg-based breakfasts reduce hunger and promote feelings of fullness for several hours in overweight and obese individuals (27, 28).
In a controlled 8-week study in 21 men who ate 1,000 calories less than usual per day, those who ate three eggs for breakfast had a 16% greater reduction in body fat, compared to the group who ate a bagel breakfast (29).
Eggs are also a great source of high quality protein, which increases metabolic rate by about 20–35% for several hours after eating, based on several studies (5).
One of the reasons eggs are so filling may be due to the boost in calorie burning that occurs during protein digestion (30).
Eating three eggs several times a week can help you burn fat while keeping you full and satisfied.
Summary:
Eggs are a high protein food that may help reduce hunger, increase fullness, boost fat burning, and protect heart health.
Green tea is an excellent beverage choice for good health.
Studies suggest that it may help reduce heart disease risk and protect against certain types of cancer (31, 32, 33, 34).
In addition to providing a moderate amount of caffeine, green tea is an excellent source of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant that promotes fat burning and the loss of belly fat (35, 36, 37, 38).
In a study of 12 healthy men, fat burning during bicycling increased by 17% in those who took green tea extract, compared to those who took a placebo (39).
On the other hand, some studies have found that green tea or green tea extract has little to no effect on metabolism or weight loss (40, 41).
Given the difference in study outcomes, green tea’s effects likely vary from person to person and may also depend on the amount consumed.
Drinking up to 4 cups of green tea daily may provide a number of health benefits, including potentially increasing the number of calories you burn.
Summary:
Green tea contains caffeine and EGCG, both of which may boost metabolism, promote weight loss, protect heart health, and reduce the risk of cancer.
Whey protein is pretty impressive.
It’s been shown to promote muscle growth when combined with exercise and may help preserve muscle during weight loss (42, 43).
In addition, whey protein seems to be even more effective at suppressing appetite than other protein sources.
This is because it stimulates the release of “fullness hormones,” such as PYY and GLP-1, to a greater extent (44, 45).
One study had 22 men consume different protein drinks on four separate days. They experienced significantly lower hunger levels and ate fewer calories at the next meal after drinking the whey protein drink, compared to the other protein meals (46).
Moreover, whey appears to boost fat burning and promote weight loss in lean people and those who are overweight or obese (47).
In one study of 23 healthy adults, a whey protein meal was found to increase metabolic rate and fat burning more than casein or soy protein meals (48).
A whey protein shake is a quick meal or snack option that promotes fat loss and may help Strengthen your body composition.
Summary:
Whey protein appears to increase muscle growth, reduce appetite, increase fullness and boost metabolism more effectively than other protein sources.
Apple cider vinegar is an ancient folk remedy with evidence-based health benefits.
It’s been credited with reducing appetite and lowering blood sugar and insulin levels in people with diabetes (49, 50).
What’s more, vinegar’s main component, acetic acid, has been found to increase fat burning and reduce belly fat storage in several animal studies (51, 52, 53).
Although there isn’t much research on vinegar’s effect on fat loss in humans, the results from one study are pretty encouraging.
In this study, 144 obese men who added 2 tablespoons of vinegar to their usual diets every day for 12 weeks lost 3.7 pounds (1.7 kilograms) and experienced a 0.9% reduction in body fat (54).
Including apple cider vinegar in your diet may help you lose body fat. Start with 1 teaspoon per day diluted in water and gradually work up to 1–2 tablespoons per day to minimize potential digestive discomfort.
Summary:
Apple cider vinegar may help suppress appetite, promote loss of belly fat, and reduce blood sugar and insulin levels.
Chili peppers do more than add heat to your food.
Their powerful antioxidants may reduce inflammation and help protect your cells from damage (55).
In addition, research suggests that one antioxidant in chili peppers called capsaicin may help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
It does this by promoting fullness and preventing overeating (56).
What’s more, this compound may also help you burn more calories and lose body fat (57, 58).
In a study of 19 healthy adults, when calorie intake was restricted by 25%, capsaicin was found to counteract the slowdown in metabolic rate that typically occurs with decreased calorie intake (59).
One large review of 20 studies concluded that taking capsaicin helps reduce appetite and can increase the number of calories you burn by about 50 calories per day (60).
Consider eating chili peppers or using powdered cayenne pepper to spice up your meals several times a week.
Summary:
Compounds in cayenne pepper have been found to reduce inflammation, help control hunger, and boost metabolic rate.
Oolong tea is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink.
Although it receives less press than green tea, it has many of the same health benefits, thanks to its content of caffeine and catechins.
A review of several studies found that the combination of catechins and caffeine in tea increased calorie burning by an impressive 102 calories per day, on average (61).
Small studies in men and women suggest that drinking oolong tea increases metabolic rate and promotes weight loss. What’s more, one study found that oolong tea increased calorie burning twice as much as green tea did (62, 63, 64).
Drinking a few cups of green tea, oolong tea, or a combination of the two on a regular basis may promote fat loss and provide other beneficial health effects.
Summary:
Oolong tea contains caffeine and catechins, both of which have been found to increase metabolic rate and promote fat loss.
Full-fat Greek yogurt is extremely nutritious.
First, it’s an excellent source of protein, potassium, and calcium (65).
Research suggests that high protein dairy products can boost fat loss, protect muscle during weight loss, and help you feel full and satisfied (66, 67).
Also, yogurt that contains probiotics can help keep your gut healthy and may reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, such as constipation and bloating (68).
Full-fat Greek yogurt also contains conjugated linoleic acid, which seems to promote weight loss and fat burning in overweight and people with obesity, according to research that includes a large review of 18 studies (69, 70, 71, 72).
Eating Greek yogurt on a regular basis may provide a number of health benefits. But make sure to choose plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, as non-fat and low fat dairy products contain little to no conjugated linoleic acid (73).
Summary:
Full-fat Greek yogurt may increase fat burning, reduce appetite, protect muscle mass during weight loss, and Strengthen gut health.
Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats on earth.
Olive oil has been shown to lower triglycerides, increase HDL cholesterol, and stimulate the release of GLP-1, one of the hormones that helps keep you full (74).
What’s more, some studies have shown that olive oil may boost metabolic rate and promote fat loss (75, 76, 77).
In a small study of 12 postmenopausal women, eating extra virgin olive oil as part of a meal led to an increase in the number of calories burned in the 8 women who had abdominal obesity (78).
To incorporate olive oil into your daily diet, drizzle a couple of tablespoons on your salad or add it to cooked food.
Summary:
Olive oil appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, promote feelings of fullness, and boost metabolic rate.
Despite what certain supplement manufacturers may suggest, there isn’t a safe “magic pill” that can help you burn hundreds of extra calories per day.
However, a number of foods and beverages may modestly increase your metabolic rate in addition to providing other health benefits.
Including several of them in your daily diet may have effects that ultimately lead to fat loss and better overall health.
Puzzles, chess and writing journals may be more than pure amusements to pass the time. These brain activities could help reduce the risk of dementia.
According to a exact study in JAMA Network Open, activities related to adult literacy, such as taking classes, using a computer or writing journals, as well as active mental tasks like games, cards, or crossword puzzles, were related to a reduced dementia risk over 10 years.
The study looked at 10,318 adults in Australia who were 70 years old or older, who were generally healthy and without major cognitive impairment at enrollment.
Read: Having friends isn’t just good for your social life — it can also ward off dementia
The participants who engaged in literacy activities and active mental activities had an 11% and 9% lower, respectively, risk of dementia.
To a lesser extent, participating in creative artistic activities, such as crafts, woodwork, and painting or drawing, and in passive mental activities such as reading, watching TV or listening to the radio was also associated with reduced dementia risk, the study found. Creative artistic and passive mental activities both conferred a 7% decrease, according to the study.
“These results suggest that engagement in adult literacy, creative art, and active and passive mental activities may help reduce dementia risk in late life,” the study said.
The people in the study who developed dementia were older, more likely to be men and have lower levels of physical activity and to be in poorer health than individuals without dementia, the study said.
Read: Opinion: This is now the No. 1 preventable cause of Alzheimer’s in America
In 2022, there were 55 million individuals worldwide living with dementia, with 10 million new cases emerging annually, the study said. There’s no cure for dementia. As a result, “identifying new strategies to prevent or delay dementia onset among older individuals is a priority,” the study said.
These findings can help inform strategies for dementia prevention later life in terms of modifying daily routines and activities, the study said.
Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
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Adding more olive oil to your diet could reduce the risk of dying from dementia, new research shows.
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Replacing just one teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil each day was associated with an 8–14% lower risk of dementia-related death.
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Though the study is preliminary and does not prove causation, the findings are in line with dietary recommendations of using olive oil in place of margarine or mayonnaise for a healthier diet.
fcafotodigital/Getty Images
Replacing some fats like margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil in your diet could help reduce the risk of dying from dementia—a particularly important finding as many countries face rising rates of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The claim comes from a new study presented Monday at NUTRITION 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nutrition. It’s the first study to investigate the relationship between diet and dementia-related death.
“Our study reinforces dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils such as olive oil and suggests that these recommendations not only support heart health but potentially brain health, as well,” presenting study author Anne-Julie Tessier, RD, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a news release. “Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia.”
Dementia is not a specific condition but an umbrella term for a range of conditions that involve losing the ability to think and remember enough to interfere with daily life and activities. Alzheimer’s disease, which affects more than 6 million Americans, is the most common form of dementia. It’s also considered fatal because it has no cure.
Related: How to Tell the Difference Between Normal Age-Related Memory Changes and Dementia
Olive Oil May Be Beneficial for Brain Health
For the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal, scientists analyzed data from more than 90,000 Americans over the course of three decades—60,582 participants were women; 31,801 were men. Over the course of the study, 4,749 participants died from dementia.
Researchers found that participants who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil each day had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia, compared to those who never or rarely consumed olive oil.
Further, replacing 5 grams or about one teaspoon of margarine or mayonnaise a day with olive oil was associated with an 8–14% lower risk of fatal dementia. This was independent of overall diet quality, researchers said.
It’s also important to note that the individuals who died of dementia were more likely to be APOe4 carriers, a gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and causes their bodies to make more cholesterol. Results were still consistent after adjusting for APOe4.
Though the research is observational and doesn’t prove that olive oil causes a reduced risk of fatal dementia, it does suggest that olive oil may have properties that are beneficial for brain health in addition to its heart health benefits.
“Some antioxidant compounds in olive oil can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially having a direct effect on the brain,” Tessier said in the news release. “It is also possible that olive oil has an indirect effect on brain health by benefitting cardiovascular health.”
Related: A New Study Links Olive Oil Intake to Lower Risks of Heart Disease and Alzheimer's
Other Health Benefits of Olive Oil
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans already recommend limiting saturated fats and replacing them with unsaturated fats like olive oil to help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A 2021 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the same olive oil measurement used in the new study—more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day—was associated with a 14% lower risk of heart disease, compared to no olive oil consumption.
Olive oil has also been shown to help reduce inflammation and lessen the risk of type 2 diabetes. Replacing other fats like mayonnaise, butter, and margarine with olive oil has been associated with an 8–34% lower risk of death from all causes—including cancer-related mortality, neurodegenerative disease-related mortality, and respiratory disease-related mortality—as well.
While the new study has promising results and supports current research for the addition of olive oil as part of a healthy diet, more research needs to be done on olive oil’s impact on brain health and dementia-related death, and potentially determine optimal olive oil measurements.
Overall, the new research is in line with current dietary recommendations and adds even more evidence for using olive oil in place of other less-healthy fats like mayonnaise and margarine. It also offers hope that adopting healthy eating patterns that incorporate olive oil can help to prevent or slow down the progression of dementia.
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Aug. 1, 2023 – People with type 2 diabetes who drank the fermented tea beverage kombucha for a month lowered their blood sugar from dangerous to safe levels, a small new pilot study from Georgetown University shows.
Kombucha is made from tea fermented with bacteria and yeasts. The drink’s history dates back to 200 B.C. in China, and it has become so popular in exact years that it is stocked in major grocery stores and quick marts. This latest study, published Monday in Frontiers in Nutrition, logged the blood sugar levels of 12 people who drank 8 ounces of ginger-flavored kombucha daily for 4 weeks. It compared that data with their blood sugar levels during another 4-week period of drinking a similar-tasting placebo drink.
The average age of people in the study was 57 years old. Nine were women, six of the people were Black, and the other six were White. Nine were on insulin therapy.
On average, their fasting blood glucose levels decreased from 164 milligrams to 116 milligrams per deciliter after drinking kombucha. The American Diabetes Association recommends blood sugar levels before meals between 70 and 130 milligrams per deciliter, according to a summary of the research published by the university.
“Some laboratory and rodent studies of kombucha have shown promise, and one small study in people without diabetes showed kombucha lowered blood sugar, but to our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial examining effects of kombucha in people with diabetes,” researcher Dan Merenstein, MD, a Georgetown professor of human science and family medicine, said in a statement. “A lot more research needs to be done, but this is very promising.”
A strength of the research was that people were not told to change their diets during the study, Merenstein said.
The kombucha used in the study was made by Washington, DC-based maker Craft Kombucha, which is being rebranded as Brindle Boxer Kombucha. The researchers said the major bacteria and yeasts in kombucha are likely to be similar between varying brands and batches.
More than 33 million people in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC. If it's not managed, the condition results in high blood sugar levels that can lead to heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.
A SCOBY may look pretty gross, but new research suggests the bacteria and yeast glob could help Type 2 diabetics lower their blood sugar levels.
The study found participants who consumed 8 ounces of kombucha for four weeks saw their blood sugar levels decrease from 164 to 116 milligrams per deciliter.
Scientists from Georgetown University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the nonprofit MedStar Health reported the findings Tuesday in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal.
Kombucha, a fermented, sweetened black tea drink produced from a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, has long been touted as healthy, based on claims it enhances immunity and energy levels, reduces food cravings and alleviates gut inflammation.
“Some laboratory and rodent studies of kombucha have shown promise, and one small study in people without diabetes showed kombucha lowered blood sugar,” study co-author Dr. Dan Merenstein, a professor at Georgetown’s School of Health, said in a statement.
“But to our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial examining effects of kombucha in people with diabetes,” he continued. “A lot more research needs to be done, but this is very promising.”
In the study, one group drank the kombucha while another downed a placebo beverage.
No one was told which drink they were receiving.
After a two-month period to “wash out” the biological effects of the beverages, the mixtures were swapped between the groups, who were directed to drink their new concoction for four weeks.
The placebo beverage didn’t seem to have any effect on blood sugar levels.
The American Diabetes Association advises that fasting blood sugar levels should be between 80 to 130 milligrams per deciliter.
Participants drank kombucha produced by Craft Kombucha, a commercial manufacturer in the D.C. area.
The study authors noted different brands of kombucha have slightly varying microbial mixtures.
“However, the major bacteria and yeasts are highly reproducible and likely to be functionally similar between brands and batches, which was reassuring for our trial,” said Dr. Robert Hutkins, the study’s senior author.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 90% to 95% of them have Type 2 diabetes.
Approximately 96 million American adults — more than 1 in 3 — have prediabetes.
“Diabetes itself is the eighth leading cause of death in the US as well as being a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney failure,” lead study author Dr. Chagai Mendelson said.
Mendelson said further studies are needed to assess kombucha’s effect on diabetes.
“We hope that a much larger trial, using the lessons we learned in this trial, could be undertaken to supply a more definitive answer to the effectiveness of kombucha in reducing blood glucose levels, and hence prevent or help treat Type 2 diabetes,” he added.
