Trends to Watch, March 2018

Iodine Deficiency Reduces Chance of Pregnancy

The first study to investigate the link between pregnancy and iodine has found that a mild to moderate deficiency reduces the odds of getting pregnant. “Our findings suggest that women who are thinking of becoming pregnant may need more iodine,” said James Mills, MD, study coauthor at the National Institutes of Health. “Iodine requirements increase during pregnancy,” he added, “and the fetus depends on this mineral to make thyroid hormone and to ensure normal brain development.” Among 467 women in the study, nearly half were either mildly or moderately deficient, and almost 2 percent had a severe deficiency. Sea vegetables, especially kelp, are very rich iodine sources, and iodine is also found in many multivitamins.

300x bacteria

Gym equipment is rife with bugs, according to testing by FitRated Fitness Equipment Reviews. In tests of equipment in 3 different gyms:

• Free weights had 362 times more bacteria than a toilet seat
• Treadmills had 74 times more bacteria than a tap in a public bathroom
• Exercise bikes had 39 times more bacteria than a cafeteria tray

Thoroughly washing hands, keeping them away from your face, and changing out of gym clothes after a workout can help to protect you.

1 Leafy Serving Per Day

Routinely eating about one daily serving of leafy greens can make an older person about 11 years younger in terms of memory and overall mental performance, according to a Memory and Aging Project study at Tufts University in Boston. Researchers found this by testing cognitive skills among 960 people, ages 58–99, during a 5-year period.

Ginkgo Improves Stroke Recovery

Medically supervised recovery from an ischemic stroke, the most common type, can be improved with ginkgo supplements in combination with aspirin, according to a Chinese study of 348 patients published in Stroke and Vascular Neurology. Ischemic stroke is triggered by a blood clot that interrupts blood supply to the brain and damages brain cells. Researchers compared the effects of 100 mg of aspirin daily with the same aspirin dose plus 450 mg of daily of a ginkgo extract; standard medical tests showed significantly better neurological and mental function with ginkgo. Since the herb can increase bleeding risk, researchers caution against using the supplement among people who already face increased risk for bleeding due to medical conditions, or among people who take blood thinners.

Best Fitness Bargain

Streaming online workouts can cost anywhere from $10 to $50 per month, or more, but the BeFit YouTube channel is free and offers a variety of routines. Do a fat-burning program or try kickboxing, ballet-style conditioning, targeted exercises for a fabulous butt or abs, and more. It’s an easy way to explore different types of exercise and find your favorites, at youtube.com/user/BeFit.