Scientists have found a flaw in the Mediterranean diet. They use more pesticides.
Newcastle University scientists asked students to eat a Western diet for two weeks, then swap it for a Mediterranean diet – full of fruits, vegetables and grains.
Participants were required to submit urine samples for testing. The results showed that four pesticides had been detected in their urine. While the Med diet increased residue by one fifth, organophosphates traces rose fivefold.
These have been shown to cause memory loss, and other problems.
Organic products can reduce pesticide exposure by up to 90% for those who consume them.
Newcastle University researchers have found that organophosphates may make the Mediterranean diet less healthy than once believed.
For moms-to-be, blood tests boost
An older mother could have a blood test that can predict complications in her births.
Manchester University scientists compared the outcomes of 1,000 pregnancies in six UK hospitals. They also compared blood results from 28 to 36 weeks.
Researchers found that babies born to mothers who have low levels (or no) of placental growth factor, a protein known as placental proteins, were more likely be small or prematurely delivered.
Manchester University researchers monitored 1,000 pregnancies in six UK hospitals from 2012 to 2014. They compared the outcomes and blood results after 28 weeks.
A blood test can measure the protein levels and predict complications with 74% accuracy.
Scientists believe this is one of the reasons older mothers may be at greater risk for complications.
Many millennials have taken on responsibility for their parents’ health, according to a new survey. Out of 2,500 respondents between the ages of 25 and 40, three-quarters said the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed them into taking their parents’ medical problems into their own hands.
Millennials said their parents had made ‘poor life choices’ that had put their health at ‘serious risk’, leaving their children with no option but to take the reins, according to the study by vitamin company Vitl.
That meant for 42 per cent it was helping them to access quit-smoking programs. Others were responsible for ensuring that they ate healthy. 15% of those surveyed said that they have a mental illness as a result.
A third of young adults describe their mental health as ‘poor’, according to a poll of 4,500 Britons, confirming previous findings about the effect of the pandemic on young minds.
25% of 16-24 year-olds blame locking down isolation for their pain, while less than 5% of the general population say they suffer from mental illness.
Four out of five respondents said that activities and places to chat would be helpful. Paul Farmer, of mental health charity Mind, said: ‘Connections between people and places matter when it comes to mental health.’
25% of 16-24 year-olds believe that lockdown isolation is to blame for their pain, but just 5% of the general population say they suffer from mental illness.