Breathe. Exhale. Repeat: The Benefits of Controlled Breathing

https://nyti.ms/2ekot2Z

Take a deep breath, expanding your belly. Pause. Exhale slowly to the count of five. Repeat four times.  Congratulations. You’ve just calmed your nervous system.

Controlled breathing, like what you just practiced, has been shown to reduce stress, increase alertness and boost your immune system. For centuries yogis have used breath control, or pranayama, to promote concentration and improve vitality.

1. Sitting upright or lying down, place your hands on your belly.

2. Slowly breathe in, expanding your belly, to the count of five.

3. Pause.

4. Slowly breathe out to the count of six.

5. Work your way up to practicing this pattern for 10 to 20 minutes a day.

What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.?

The European Union prohibits many food additives and various drugs that are widely used in American foods.

 https://nyti.ms/2RodS9S

 

Confused by Nutrition Research? Sloppy Science May Be to Blame

According to a new book by Marion Nestle, the unstated goal of most company-sponsored studies is to increase the bottom line.

 https://nyti.ms/2CNnKCv

Is There an Optimal Diet for Humans?

A study of modern hunter-gatherer groups found that they exhibit generally excellent metabolic health while consuming a wide range of diets.

 Nutrition experts have long debated whether there is an optimal diet that humans evolved to eat. But a study published this month adds a twist. It found that there is likely no single natural diet that is best for human health.

https://nyti.ms/2GzyPuG

 

He Got Schizophrenia. He Got Cancer. And Then He Got Cured.

A bone-marrow transplant treated a patient’s leukemia — and his delusions, too. Some doctors think they know why. 

 https://nyti.ms/2QkTZN8