How the “Black Death” Can
Make You Healthier
It might seem strange to think that something like the “Black Death” (also called bubonic plague) can make you healthier, especially since it was one of the most devastating epidemics in human history.
In fact, the bubonic plague is estimated to have killed nearly one hundred million people between 1347 and 1351. For a better understanding of the devastation, the plague wiped out approximately 30% of all Europeans and almost 50% of Londoners in just four years.
But, a new study sheds a different light on the Black Death, and it is not all bad.
The study published in the journal PLOS ONE suggests that, “people who survived the medieval mass killing plague known as the Black Death lived significantly longer and were healthier than people who lived before the epidemic struck in 1347.”
The article indicates that, “the disease targeted elderly adults and individuals who had been previously exposed to physiological stressors.”
A key point here is that the disease did not just target “older” people. In fact…
The 14th-century Black Death was not an indiscriminate killer, but instead targeted frail people of all ages.
Survivors of the plague experienced improvements in health and longevity with many people living to ages of 70 or 80 years, as compared with pre-Black Death populations.
Improvements in survival post-Black Death didn’t necessarily equate to good health over a lifespan, but revealed a hardiness to endure disease, including repeated bouts of plague.
The Black Death, either directly or indirectly, shaped mortality patterns for generations after the epidemic ended.
This is All Very Interesting Information… but…
Why is Any of This Important to YOU Now?
Good question. This study, like just about all studies, is not “the answer.” It shows interesting correlations and raises even more interesting questions.
One such question is, since the Black Death only seemed to kill people with weakened immune systems (the frail), wouldn’t it be wise to do everything possible to strengthen your immune system to its full genetic potential by eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and keeping your nervous system functioning optimally as possible?
How the “Black Death” Helped the Human Race.
14 AugNew Study Finds Nagging by a Spouse Can Shorten Their Partner’s Lifespan!
14 AugSometimes reality sounds more unbelievable than fiction, and this is one of those times. According to a new study, nagging by a spouse can actually kill you. That’s right, researchers have finally given anti-naggers some good amunnition to end the badgering. According to CBS News, “Danish researchers from the University of Copenhagen said having a nagging partner can significantly shorten one’s life, and could result in three extra deaths per 100 people per year.” The study also said people nagged by their spouses are more likely to develop heart disease and cancer and men are at greater risk than women, if only slightly. Researchers always like to say, “more research needs to be done” but it appears that nagging someone, even if your intentions are good, may be doing more harm than good.
One Ridiculously Simple Thing You Can Do Right Now to Decrease Pain & Feel Great. Radio Interview Part 6.
13 Aug
The Surprising Difference Between Medical Doctors & Chiropractors. Radio Interview Part 5.
12 Aug
Want to be More Creative? Do This…
11 AugA new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition claims to have made a remarkable discovery. As reported by Business Insider, “Participants who went for a walk saw an 81% increase in tests measuring divergent thinking, a thought process associated with creativity in which you generate a lot of ideas.”
Walking has been practiced by top thinkers to generate ideas and solve problems for centuries, perhaps even millennia. The list of “walkers” is like a who’s who in the intellectual and business world. Aristotle, Friedrich Nietzsche, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg were/are all walkers, and there are plenty more. Walking tends to stimulate your creative senses in many ways. One way is that walking simply “activates” or “awakens” your body and brain. Sitting around tends to deaden your senses. In other words, sitting slows you down and almost makes you numb to new thoughts and ideas. Walking (even if it’s just around a little room) gets the blood flowing and gets both your body and brain in thinking-mode, ready to produce and/or receive fantastic new ideas. The walk also gives you a new perspective. Perspective is extremely important to creative thinking and problem solving.
Walks do one more very important thing: They keep your spine moving and help reduce back pain. Sitting for long periods of time not only kills creativity, it slowly destroys your back. Bad posture and the forces of gravity cause joint “creep” that can cause serious problems over time. If you want to be even less creative, try thinking while you suffer from chronic back pain. Staying physically active is one of the best things you can do for both your mental and physical health.
And it’s not good enough to simply exercise at night after you sit all day at a desk. It is best to take frequent breaks and go for a walk, even if it is just in a little circle next to a tiny cubicle. Doing this little activity several times a day can pay huge dividends and help you avoid many health problems over the next 10, 20, or 30 years.
An Apple a Day… Will Surprise You!
7 AugStudies are constantly proving that food can be a powerful medicine. Such is definitely the case where apples are concerned. Recently, research has shown that the presence of fresh apples in your diet can improve your memory. Apples are becoming increasingly associated with brain health, as studies have proven that the antioxidants and flavonoids present in apples can reduce the brain-cell inflammation and oxidation that occurs naturally due to the presence of free radicals.
Scientists have also observed that levels of acetylcholine – a specific neurotransmitter that greatly influences brain signals responsible for movement and sensory perception – increase with the regular consumption of as few as two apples a day. Not only that, but regular apple consumption appears to hinder the accumulations of toxins in the brain, particularly one type of toxin called beta-amyloid, which is thought to be one of the main culprits that cause Alzheimer’s disease.
It is no surprise that the popular saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This saying is actually an adaptation to an older proverb – “to eat an apple before bed will make the doctor beg for his bread.”
While apples are now being shown to potentially halt and reverse Alzheimer’s disease, enhance cognitive functions, prevent memory loss, and help in other brain-related matters, there are still a multitude of studies being conducted to prove that apples are the perfect food for diabetics, patients with heart disease, cholesterol, obesity, and even constipation. While the old proverb says one apple a day is enough, studies suggest increasing that dosage to two apples is a good idea for optimal health benefits.
