No Sour Grapes Here

You use products that contain grapeseed extract for their antioxidant qualities, but researchers from the University of Kentucky have found another potential use for the compound—fighting cancer. In the January 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal produced by the American Association for Cancer Research, lead author Xianglin Shi, Ph.D., discussed his team's efforts with exposing leukemia cancer cells to sequentially higher doses of a commercially available grapeseed extract. Within 24 hours of exposure, 76% of the cancer cells experienced "cell death"—also called apoptosis—after the grapeseed extract activated JNK, a protein that affects the apoptotic pathway. Shi cautioned that these findings are not conclusive enough to crown grapeseed extract as a cancer cure-all, but eating a full day's dose of fruits and vegetables is still linked to lower cancer rates, and something you and your clients can easily do in the meantime.

Sleepless in...Everywhere

Burning the midnight oil is often a way of life among young adults—pulling all-nighters in college can be a rite of passage. But that behavior may be leading to a troubling lifestyle change, according to information firm Thomson Reuters. After examining data from 24 million insured workers and their families, it concluded that people under the age of 35 are seeking prescription sleep aids at staggering levels. For those aged 18 to 24, use nearly tripled between 1998 and 2006, from .5% to 1.5%. Adults aged 25 to 34 didn't experience quite as dramatic of an increase, but prescriptions almost doubled—from 1.3% in 1998 to 2.5% in 2006. Meanwhile, sleep aid usage among those between ages 35 and 45—typically the most medicated group—only rose 30% over that same time period. Drugs were also prescribed for an average of 93 days of usage, a 40% increase over the previous 64-day average. The study did not touch upon drug-free ways to cure insomnia, such as massage treatments, which are often less addictive—and cheaper—than pills.

A Libido Lifter?

Yoga and other aspects of wellness are certainly known for their health benefits, but recent research also suggests that they may indirectly lead to a better sex life. An article in The Journal of Sexual Medicine reported late last year that women who labeled themselves as sexually unsatisfied and then practiced Eastern techniques of meditation, mindfulness and yoga discovered heightened levels of desire and arousal. Authors Lori A. Brotto of the University of British Columbia, Michael Krychman of the Southern California Center for Sexual Health and Survivorship Medicine, and Pamela Jacobson of Tustin, California-based The Healing Sanctuary also point to an earlier study that found that women who focused their minds on remembering one penny out of a large group could then redirect that brain power on sexual body-awareness goals. To researchers, this demonstrates that the mind-body connection promoted by pursuits such as yoga refines the brain to better handle sensual activity.

Photos ©istockphoto.com

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