If you’re one of the many battling back pain, you might perk up at this news: Esther Gokhale, an acupuncturist known as the “posture guru” in Silicon Valley, thinks she’s found the solution to back pain—and it’s all in the shape of the spine. While struggling with her own back pain, Gokhale studied several indigenous cultures that didn’t seem to experience back pain. She found that, in contrast to a typical American's spine which curves like an S, many indigenous peoples’ spines are shaped like a J, resulting in straighter posture and little to no back pain. Upon this discovery, Gokhale developed a series of exercises that helped reshape her spine into a J-shape and relieved her back pain. She now teaches others these exercises at her studio in Palo Alto, CA.

However, not everyone agrees that back pain stems from which letter of the alphabet your spine resembles. Dr. Praveen Mummaneni, a neurosurgeon at the University of California, San Francisco's Spine Center believes that we need to investigate why Americans’ spines have adopted the S-shape in the first place. One reason, he speculates, may be that Americans tend to be more sedentary and are heavier around the mid-section than indigenous people, which can both contribute to spine curvature. He also states that it’s commonly known that strong core muscles increase postural stability and can help decrease back pain—which may be the real secret to Gokhale’s exercises. If you’d like to see if Gokhale’s method can help relieve your back pain, try these simple exercises throughout the day:

• Roll your shoulders. Pull your shoulders up, roll them back, and let them drop to get rid of your hunch; your arms should now dangle by your side with your thumbs pointing out.
• Lengthen your spine. Stretch up as you take a deep breath and maintain that height as you exhale.
• Engage those gluts. Keep your gluteus medius tight when you walk; these muscles support your lower back.
• Stretch your neck. Balance a light object on the crown of your head and push upwards, angling your chin down to lengthen your neck.
• Don’t arch your back. Follow the above tips to ensure that you don’t arch your back when trying to attain proper posture.

Source: NPR

Hemp products have become popular items in food and supplement aisles, but have you ever wondered where hemp comes from? A recent report on the website, New Hope 360, revealed some of the secrets behind hemp production. To start, hemp seeds come from industrial hemp plants. The seeds are shelled and cold-pressed to produce hemp oil; the remaining parts of the seed then become the basis for protein powders. Of course, people also consume the whole shelled hemp seed (or “heart”) as a food. While hemp is related to the marijuana plant, you don’t have to worry—hemp contains less than .3% of THC (an active compound in marijuana); most tests have shown that consuming hemp seeds or oil does not produce psychological effects, and won’t result in a positive drug test. Despite the fact that consumers and manufacturers currently use industrial hemp for a variety of purposes, the US only allows the plant to be grown for research, which is why hemp typically comes from countries like Canada where it is legal to cultivate.

A few reasons why people are using hemp products:

• Hemp protein is vegan and lactose-free, perfect for vegetarians and people with allergies and sensitivities to dairy and eggs.
• Hemp seeds contain oil that is rich in essential fatty acids; just one tablespoon of hemp seeds contains around 20% of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

Source: New Hope 360

A study found that a high intake of dietary flavonoids—found in citrus and other food and drinks—is associated with a reduced risk of depression in women. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and included data from 82,643 women, ages 36 to 80, without a history of depression and who were participating in the Nurses’ Health Study I and the Nurses’ Health Study II. During a ten-year follow-up period, participants answered food-frequency questionnaires every two to four years, which researchers analyzed for total flavonoid intake and for intake of specific flavonoids, including flavones and proanthocyanidins, among others. Participants also reported any episodes of depression, defined as clinically diagnosed depression or antidepressant use. At the end of ten years, a total of 10,752 cases of depression were reported. After comparing the incidence of depression with total and specific flavonoid intake, researchers found that:

• Participants with the highest flavonoid intakes had a 7 to 10% reduced risk of depression compared with those with the lowest intakes.
• High intake of particularly rich sources of flavonoids—citrus fruits and juices—yielded an even higher risk-reduction: participants who consumed two or more weekly servings of citrus fruits or juices had an 18% reduced risk of depression compared with those who consumed less than one weekly serving.
• Participants aged 75 or older with high intakes of flavones and proanthocyanidins had a 17% reduced risk of depression compared with those with low intakes.

Along with the possible mood-enhancing effects found in this study, flavonoids may provide other health benefits to be happy about. Research has associated them with improved heart health, healthy aging, and a reduced risk of diabetes. And more good news—flavonoids are found in a large variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, legumes, herbs, teas, wines, nuts, and seeds, so getting your flavonoid fix is as easy as a trip to the grocery store.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

With so many products touted as superfoods, it can be tricky to separate health claim-hype from reality. And with outsized price tags for many of these foods, it can seem like a gamble to spend extra cash on an item you don’t know will deliver any health benefits. To help shoppers sort out superfood fact from fiction, the Washington Post enlisted the help of Lauren Fowler—a registered dietitian and nutritionist—to provide a cost-benefit analysis of a few popular superfoods:

• Acai berries. Noted for high antioxidant levels, there’s limited research to support recommending them over other berries. Plus, acai berries tend to be hard to find and may be more expensive than fresh blueberries or blackberries, which also contain antioxidants. The verdict? If you just can’t do without acai, try to find whole, frozen acai berries to get the most antioxidant bang for your buck—however, berries found fresh in your produce section might be your best bet.
• Ancient grains. These grains include amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat, which are also naturally gluten-free. This makes them a good choice for people with dietary restrictions (although not every grain considered “ancient” is gluten-free). Many ancient grains are also excellent sources of fiber, and rich in various vitamins and minerals. And although these grains can be pricier, studies point towards the health benefits of including whole grains generally in your diet. Be sure to buy in bulk to spend less.
• Chia seeds. These tend to be affordable and last a while—keep them in the fridge or freezer to prevent them from going rancid. They are worth it if you want a convenient fiber-source to add to smoothies or oatmeal, but other seeds, such as flaxseeds and hemp hearts, have similar benefits. If you’re looking for omega-3s, fish-based sources are probably the better way to go.
• Spirulina. Often recommended as a vegan source of vitamin B12 and protein, an average dose of spirulina doesn’t provide much protein, and the form of B12 found in spirulina isn’t absorbable by the body. Spirulina can also be expensive. So, if you eat a plant-based diet, a B12 supplement is likely a better choice.

Source: Washington Post

According to a study published in Psychiatry Research, yogurt and pickles (both fermented, probiotic-containing foods), when eaten together, may play a protective role against social anxiety. The study surveyed over 700 young adults about their fermented food consumption, neuroticism (a personality trait that refers to the tendency to respond negatively to threat, frustration, or loss), and social anxiety. Researchers also controlled for other factors that may have influenced the participants' social anxiety such as exercise frequency, healthy eating habits, and demographics. Here’s what the researchers found:

• Participants who ate more fermented foods reported less social anxiety compared with those who ate fewer fermented foods; this relationship was strongest among participants who reported high neuroticism (which was a predictor for higher social anxiety).

While more research is needed to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between fermented foods and lower social anxiety, this study does suggest that fermented foods may help people at high genetic risk for social anxiety. And as the study authors point out, “the fix” is relatively low-impact—and tasty. In addition to yogurt and pickles, kefir, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut are other fermented foods that contain probiotics.

Source: Psychiatry Research