In the know
Want the latest health intel? We’ve combed the science journals so you don’t have to
60 The number of seconds you need to raise your heart rate to prolong your life. Research from the University of Sydney found that doing minute-long bursts of activity three to four times a day was associated with significant reductions in the risk of premature death. Stopwatch at the ready.
PIERCING HEADACHE
-Migraine sufferers, researchers are trying to prove what some have been saying for years: a daith piercing (the fold of your ear above the tragus) can ease symptoms. A trial is underway to measure the effect on migraine sufferers over a year. Experts suspect it offers relief by stimulating the vagus nerve, which runs between your brain and gut.
ROBO CAP
-News for the 400,000 Brits living with type 1 diabetes: daily insulin injections could soon become redundant. A new drug capsule, developed by Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, has been shown to deliver insulin to the small intestine via a robotic cap that tunnels through the mucus barrier – much like a machine tunnels into rock.
NET GAINS
-A study* involving volunteers in their forties and fifties has found a link between a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and a larger hippocampus, the part of the brain integral to learning. Consuming more omega-3s was found to enhance ability to understand complex concepts using logical thinking. Choose cold-water fatty fish, such as mackerel and salmon.
HIIT the clock
Riddle us this: what do you get if you combine two interventions previously shown to improve cardiometabolic health? A super-intervention, that’s what. A randomised control trial* showed that combining high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with timerestricted eating (TRE) for seven weeks led to a reduction in fat mass and visceral fat in overweight participants who were also at risk of disease. The fat loss was two times greater than either intervention in isolation.
