More Stupid Health News
Posted by VickyC on January 22nd, 2010
I do enjoy writing these, it seems there are SO many stories in the news of what is good/bad for you. Maybe I’ll try to do them daily! 
Ok, so lets see what changed from last week! Well, this week, “Sunshine” and “Blueberries” are good.. Whereas “Rickets” and “The ability to choose” are bad.
Sunshine, lolly-pops and rainbows… Yes, sunshine is amazing. It’s warm, it gives life.. And according to some new studies from France, it cuts the risk of cancer – just like beer. Having high levels of vitamin D in your blood may lower the risks of developing bowel cancer. If you live in a cave – far, far away from sunlight, then 2 alternatives are supplements and eggs! You might get more vitamin D for ordering your eggs “sunny-side up”!!!! Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!!
Next up is the little blueberry. I don’t like blueberries – either by themselves or in muffins etc. yuck. But apparently, they have the power to protect from memory loss! Research conducted in the USA on senior citizens showed that a pint of blueberry juice each day for a 3 month period led to 33% of the subjects doing better at memorizing lists, 40% of the subjects doing better at word association tasks. Supposedly, it is the “anthocyanins” (what makes the blueberries blue) that is responsible for this – and also is said to help ward off things like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Pretty impressive for a little tiny berry! Of course there are more tests to be done, but so far researchers are calling the results “very encouraging”.
You’d think that modern life would mean the end to diseases from nearly two centuries ago.. But no. Poor diets and lack of playing outside is causing a vitamin D deficiency in children and subsequently a lot of kids are developing Rickets. Researchers are saying that children are staying inside and playing their video games and not taking things like cod liver oil. Who took cod liver oil as a kid? I did.. mmm… 
Children who have Rickets suffer from bowed legs and fragile bone structure. The condition is linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune conditions. Someone get these kids outside and give them some eggs!
This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all week. Apparently, when we are given too many things to choose from, we feel depressed. For example, imagine you’re at the market and you’re standing in front of 18 kinds of apples, and you don’t know which one to buy, the uncertainty and confusion will make you miserable. A Professor from Stanford University said that this could lead to increased anxiety, depression, drug abuse and even suicide. What a bloody load of rubbish. According to the specialists, choice is supposed to be a sign of freedom. But in the context of shopping, choice is merely price comparison and branding coupled with pretty packaging – “Same sh*t, different bucket”, if you will… Modern life has turned everything into an anxiety attack waiting to happen: kids picking their major in school, buying appliances for your home – like how the new hot thing is red washing machines.. What happened to simple white appliances?! Too much choice is bad.. but it’s good for people in the marketing field and the pharmaceutical companies as more and more people will need crazy pills for their anxiety and depression resulting in too much choice!!
Check out the “Health” section for more health & wellness related “news”
Tags: Anxiety, Blueberries, Cancer, Choice, Depression, Diet, Eggs, Free Choice, Memory, Mental Health, Nutrition, Rickets, Sunshine, VickyC, VickyC.me, Vitamin D
[...] made me think of that article I wrote that had the section about choices in the grocery store causing us stress. Shopping doesn’t have to be difficult. If you like Red Delicious apples and they have 3 [...]