Neurotransmitters, HP Diet, Herbicided Kids, Slimming Selfies, Low-Carb & Muscles, and Much, Much More

Good afternoon Nikkola Newsletterers!

A recent poll of 2000 Americans over the age of 65 found that two-thirds wish they would have taken care of their health when they were younger. That’s a lot of people who choose to live differently than they knew they should have.

For those who are in this group, it doesn’t help to wallow in despair about the past. There’s nothing that can be done to change it. But, you’re never too old to dramatically shift your health.

For those who are under 65 years old, use this as a lesson for your future. Take action today so that you don’t regret your past in your future. Start exercising, eating right, and getting to bed on time today.

Enjoy today’s carefully curated newsletter!

Unlock Your Brain’s Potential: How To Optimize Your Neurotransmitters. When writing about health and fitness, I often weave hormones into the discussion. I’m asked more about hormones than most other topics, as well. But there’s another crucial category of communicators that deserves equal attention: neurotransmitters. These chemicals have a massive influence on how you feel, think, and even how you perform. They’re often overlooked in mainstream health discussions, but understanding them can be a game-changer for your well-being. In this guide, we will dig deep into neurotransmitters: what they are, how they’re different from hormones, and why you should care about them for your overall health. Keep reading…

More Research Support for a High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss. Another study adds to the evidence that a high-protein diet is best for weight loss. I’ve been promoting the health benefits of a high-protein diet for years. During that time, research and experience have only added evidence to the idea that a high-protein diet is ideal for weight management. A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition adds further evidence to protein’s impact on body fat. Keep reading…

Herbicided Kids. Researchers at the University of California San Diego's Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health have raised concerns over the effects of widely-used herbicides on adolescent brain function. The study, recently published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal, evaluated the impact of herbicides glyphosate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4D) on 519 adolescents in Ecuador. An alarming 98% of participants showed detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine, with 66% testing positive for 2,4D. Higher levels of 2,4D were linked to reduced neurobehavioral performance in attention, memory, and language. Meanwhile, glyphosate was associated with diminished social perception.

This is a pretty alarming find, so I thought I’d take this topic a little deeper.

Glyphosate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (often referred to as 2,4-D) are two commonly used herbicides in agriculture.

Glyphosate: Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, a widely used herbicide. Its use has surged since the introduction of genetically modified (GM) glyphosate-resistant crops. Here are some common sources:

1. Genetically Modified Crops: This includes soybeans, corn, canola, alfalfa, sugar beets, and cotton. These crops are sprayed with glyphosate to eliminate weeds without harming the actual crop.

2. Non-GM Crops: Even non-GM crops can be affected. Some farmers use glyphosate as a desiccant, meaning it's sprayed on the crops shortly before harvest to dry out the plants and make harvesting easier. This practice is common with wheat, oats, barley, and lentils, among others.

3. Processed Foods: Given that GM crops like corn and soy are frequently used as ingredients in processed foods, many products on grocery store shelves contain some level of glyphosate. Examples include cereals, snack bars, and chips.

2,4-D: 2,4-D has been used since the 1940s and is one of the most widely used herbicides globally. Here's where you might encounter it:

1. Grain Crops: 2,4-D is frequently used on wheat, corn, rice, barley, and oats. These are not only consumed directly but also used as ingredients in a wide range of processed foods.

2. Pastures and Rangeland: 2,4-D is also used on pastures and rangeland to control broadleaf weeds, which could indirectly introduce the herbicide into our diet through meat and dairy products.

3. Lawns and Turf: While not a direct food source, it's worth noting that 2,4-D is widely used on lawns and golf courses. As a result, there's potential for contamination of nearby garden crops or for animals grazing nearby to ingest it.

4. Fruits and Vegetables: Some fruits and vegetables may be treated with 2,4-D. However, these instances are less common than its use on grain crops.

Does this selfie make me look thin? Researchers delved into how the angle of photos, including the ever-popular selfies, impacts our judgments about body attractiveness and weight. The findings are eye-opening. Selfies were consistently judged as making subjects look slimmer compared to other types of images. While you might think slimmer automatically equals more attractive, that wasn't necessarily the case. The study also found that people with disordered eating thoughts were more likely to view selfies as more favorable, underscoring the potential dangers of these images on social media. The takeaway? Next time you're scrolling through Instagram, remember that what you're seeing might not be an accurate reflection of reality, and that can mess with your head in more ways than one. That’s also true if you’re the one looking at your own selfie. It’s better for your health to face reality than try to distort it with filters and camera angles.

Low-carb diets aren’t good for muscle growth. I’ve been saying this for years, but a new study adds further research support. A low-carb diet is not a good idea for those who want to maximize muscle growth or perform well in high-intensity activities. You can use it in the short-term to lean out, or to resolve health problems like diabetes, but for those who are generally healthy, including some carbs in your diet is essential for building or maintaining muscle, and being able to strength train to do just that. Are there exceptions? Yes. But in general, you need some carbs periodically, though certainly not at the level the federal government recommends.

Does exercising before eating make you more or less likely to eat healthy foods? It’s often believed that a pre-meal workout leads people to make poor choices when they eat, mainly because they use the meal to reward themselves for working out. Recent research has delved deeper into the concept of compensatory eating after exercise over a 28-day period, discovering intriguing patterns. Surprisingly, participants didn't resort to less healthy eating after exercising; in fact, their post-exercise meals tended to be healthier than meals on non-exercise days. Another fascinating find was that while post-exercise meals tended to be larger in portion, they usually comprised healthier foods. Perhaps, by making one good choice (to workout), you’re more likely to make more good choices (choosing healthier options for meals).

Coffee might help you lose weight. It turns out that unsweetened coffee is associated with weight loss, but sweetened coffee is associated with weight gain. That’s not good news for those who can’t get enough of the pumpkin spice latte.

SaiLuoTong has a significant impact on early-stage Alzheimer’s patients. A groundbreaking study has unveiled the positive effects of SaiLuoTong (SLT) on memory and cognitive function in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The 12-week treatment demonstrated significant enhancements in memory retrieval and executive functions, such as multitasking and attention. This aligns with previous studies showcasing cognitive improvements in vascular dementia patients using SLT. The compounds within SLT, derived from Panax ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, and Crocus sativa L, hold therapeutic potential against conditions like MCI and Alzheimer's. Despite the positive outcomes, the study emphasizes the need for more extensive research to fully understand SLT's clinical significance and mechanisms. SaiLuoTong (SLT) is a herbal formulation used in traditional medicine, often available through specialized health stores or practitioners.

Is resistance training more effective for pre-menopausal women or post-menopausal women? Ok, that’s a trick question. A new study shows that weight training with free weights helps both groups of women improve body composition. A 20-week study was conducted to examine the impact of resistance training (RT) using free weights on strength and body composition in middle-aged women. The findings highlighted a difference in body composition for PreMenopausal (PreMeno) and PostMenopausal (PostMeno) women, particularly in fat-free mass (FFM) and muscle mass (MM). Both groups experienced similar strength gains regardless of hormone levels. Before blaming your hormones, consider checking your lifestyle choices.

Yes, Treating COVID Patients With Hydroxychloroquine Can Save Lives. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) alone, or HCQ plus the antibiotic azithromycin, had significantly lower mortality than those not receiving the drugs, according to a study released this month in New Microbes and New Infections. Researchers in Belgium that just 16.7% of COVID-19 patients given HCQ, with or without azithromycin, died within 28 days compared to 25.9% among those not taking HCQ — a 35% lower mortality. Keep reading…

What Is Christian Nationalism? The subject of Christian nationalism generates little light but much heat. Since at least the publication of Michelle Goldberg’s Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in 2006, the ruling class has used the term as a club to bludgeon evangelicals—especially in the wake of their prodigious support for Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Christian nationalists, the mainstream press tells us, are racist, QAnon-addled election deniers. Keep reading…

The Propaganda Is Off the Charts. Since the unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend, the propaganda machine has been working overtime to cover up the atrocities committed by Hamas (and its proxy, Iran), trying to make you believe that the terrorists are merely hapless victims of a simple power struggle and Israel is the aggressor. Christianity teaches that we are to “weep with those who weep,” and, indeed, your humble correspondents at PJ Media have been devastated by the attacks and mourn with those who have lost homes, loved ones, and their sense of security. Devastated isn’t a strong enough word. Perhaps no word accurately captures the horror we’ve seen in recent days. Keep reading…