healthbriefs
Ashwagandha Herb Mutes Bipolar Disorder, Lowers Stress T
PREVENT BONE LOSS C
DRIED PLUMS
onsuming dried plums, Prunus domestica, appears to reduce bone
loss and may increase bone mass. Studying 236 post-menopausal women for one year, Florida State University researchers gave half of the women 100 grams of dried plums per day, while the other group received 100 grams of dried apples. Bone scans done at three, six and 12 months found signifi cantly greater bone mineral density among the group that ate dried plums. A study from Oklahoma State
University showed similar results with post-menopausal mice put on a diet supplemented with dried plums or other dried fruits for two months. Only the diet with dried plums prevented bone loss among the mice. Another study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found increased bone mass among both elderly and adult male mice that ate a diet comprising 25 percent dried plums, while those that did not eat dried plums lost bone mass.
he ancient ayurvedic herb ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) shows promise in reducing the symptoms of bipolar disorder, according to two recent studies. For eight weeks, scientists from the University of Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute gave 500 milligrams per day of ashwagandha extract or a placebo to 53 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The researchers used a series of bipolar tests to gauge
cognition, response time, social cognition response and other processes. After the eight weeks, the group given ashwagandha showed signifi cant improvements in auditory-verbal working memory, reaction time and social cognition. In a study published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatric Medicine, among a group of 64 men and women with chronic stress, after two months of ashwagandha treatment, standardized test scores revealed stress reduced by 44 percent, anxiety and insomnia by 68 percent and severe depression by 79 percent. Depression and anxiety are hallmarks of bipolar disorder.
Fruits and Veggies Boost Kids’ Learning and Social Skills A
study published in the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association fi nds that increased fruit and vegetable consumption among school-age children may increase learning skills related to interacting with others, as identifi ed in social cognitive theory. Researchers divided 138 students into two groups, with one group consuming more fruits and vegetables than the other. After three months, the group on the healthier diet tested higher in social cognitive learning skills. They also scored better in self-effi cacy (belief they could succeed) in diffi cult situations, social support and observational learning.
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Central Florida natural awakenings
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