subject: What's Science Found Out About Us Now? [print this page] A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found out that women who eat lots of high-glycemic carbohydrates have a higher heart disease risk. High-glycemic carbohydrates include white bread, doughnuts, pretzels, watermelon and ice cream. Such foods increase glucose and triglycerides levels and decrease HDL cholesterol levels. The study of approximately 48,000 adults found that the 25% of women who ate the most high-glycemic foods had 2.24 times the risk of heart disease than the 25% who ate the least. However, no connection was found between carbohydrates and heart disease in men. Even in the 21st century men are still the "breadwinners".
A UCLA study found out that the obesity gene doesn't just increase obesity risk. It also causes those who have it - about half the U.S. population with European ancestors - to lose more brain tissue as they age. The study examined brain scans of about 200 healthy people over age 55. Researchers found people with the obesity gene had 8% less frontal lobe tissue, affecting decision making and 12% less occipital lobe tissue, affecting vision and perception. Loss of brain tissue increases risk of functional decline. However, people who stayed slim didn't lose brain tissue and weren't "weighed down" by this study.
A plastic surgeon and a medical resident at the University of Rochester found out that it's not just skin that sags with age - bones do too. After grouping about 60 CT scans of adult skulls by age, they measured various dimensions of the faces. As we age, the check bones under the eye sockets sag, decreasing support for the lower eyelids. Also, as the jawbone thins, the chin recedes. Facial bone loss can't be prevented. However, keeping our teeth slows facial bone sagging. That is information we should try to sink our teeth into.
Finally, Samsung found out that 3-D television can cause health concerns. Three-D tries to fool the brain by presenting 2 slightly different images of the same object. When the brain processes both images simultaneously, the perception of depth is created. Because this causes the eyes to move unnaturally, side effects like eyestrain, dizziness, nausea and fatigue can occur. In children the connections between eyes and brain aren't fully developed until ages 8-10, making children more susceptible to abnormal stimuli. Because of the side effects, doctors recommend watching 3-D television in moderation. That reduces the negative effects of the "stimuleye".
