Sugar: Myths and truths

Sugar has earned a bad reputation press in our society, but all that is said about him is not true. These are the truths and lies about sugar.

By dint of repeating today's society has ended boycotting the sugar to the point they had to arise different campaigns noting that the sugar is also necessary in a balanced diet, but in perspective. In fact, the problem with sugar is not so much the food itself to the use or rather abuse we make of it.

So, this time we review the most repeated accusations with sugar to know what truth and what simply myths that have been gradually assuming as some are.

The fattening sugar

Fattening sugar course, the question is how and why. The problem here is that excess sugar builds up in the body and ends up becoming fat. In the end, the key is that our body does not need more than 9% or 10% of sugar, in addition to the sugar itself, also taken with other foods.

So this statement is more myth than reality.

Sugar, our brain functions less

A half truth that has more to do with how it works in our body sugar with any other thing. Actually, what happens is that glucose is the main "fuel" of the brain, but this does not mean that without it slower or worse work. In fact, too much glucose can cause the brain to function worse and even cause learning problems.

An excess causes hyperactivity

Anyone with a toddler can realize the effect of sugar on children. However, studies of the World Health Organization pointed in the opposite direction and have shown no such relationship between sugar and hyperactivity.

The sweeteners are bad

There is no evidence that sweeteners in general are carcinogenic.

Sugar causes tooth decay

Starches and sugars can cause tooth decay or at least make a decisive contribution to this. However, there are many factors that determine the appearance of this dental problem.

Brown sugar is healthier

One of the most widespread myths, and closely related to another classic, refined sugar is bad. The truth is that brown sugar is no more vitamins and minerals, but its actual impact is more limited.

In the end, the reality is that sugar is necessary, but always in moderation.

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Foods to Fight Memory Loss

As we get older our brain changes. On the one hand and on the other faculties lose their skills are transformed. The memory is one of the most affected, although there are foods that will help us slow the inexorable process.

Foods to Fight Memory Loss
One of the things that concerns us most as we age is the loss of mental abilities associated with aging. In a study led by Emilio Ros, the Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, ​​it has been observed that olive oil enriched foods or nuts used to combat memory loss in healthy people.
The number of volunteers for this study was 407 of which 223 were women who were divided into three groups for the first selected 115 people who received an extra liter per week of extra virgin olive oil, the second group formed 147 of whom received a ration of 30 grams per day of a mixture of hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts (15 grams). The remaining 145 were recommended only reduce its fat content food.
At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that the groups that had strengthened them as supplements their diet with extra virgin olive oil or nuts, had gotten a cognitive ability better.
For the study a battery of 9 neuropsychological test, a test to measure the preservation of memory consisted of seven words to memorize and remember after three minutes in this test the best answer they got was the group that was used She had given him nuts. Another test involved attaching a stroke 12 issues placed randomly on paper the fastest way in which the group had received the extra olive oil stressed over others. Variables such as gender and age are independent of the improvement of cognitive function.
Emilio Ros emphasizes that these results apply only to the healthy population, and preventive, but it can never be used as a treatment to slow the effects of a process of dementia if they have already begun to present their symptoms. "The analyzed diet slows cognitive decline associated with age, but for now we can not say as to prevent, for example, Alzheimer's, although the pathological condition precedent to Alzheimer's," he says. "The beneficial effects likely to many inflammatory agents and antioxidants of these products must be" indicates Emilio Ros.

This paper shows how a change in as simple as implemented in our diet extra virgin olive oil and a small serving of nuts eating habits can be beneficial to combat memory loss caused naturally by aging. Of course, as the researchers themselves, do not take this as a magic bullet that is, can be a good addition, good help and certainly contribute to a healthy diet, but not a magic solution to possible medical problems.

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Positive psychology does it help improve grades?

Positive Psychology is effective in the transformation of familiar environments, but can also help improve academic achievement?
Positive psychology does it help improve grades?
We are at this time of year in which our children have finished school or college and are on vacation until next year, but this period of vacation is not so good in all cases. If our children have left them unfinished, they will be focused during the summer studying to recover in September, but positive psychology can help to improve their grades?
Currently positive psychology is a branch of psychology increasingly used consisting improve the quality of life of patients.
The difference between positive psychology and clinical is that the latter is to help patients with some psychopathology, positive psychology while you're looking to make the patient well find himself and those around him, learning to use personal success tools so that they will lead to happiness. This can be accomplished through something as simple as changing the way you see things from the patient or what is the same, changed their thinking with the intention of also vary the way they feel and therefore their behavior.
It is shown that a worker who is happy with what he does has a greater efficiency and productivity in the work they perform.
A study by the University of Hittite in Turkey published in the Journal of Advanced Management Science attempts to answer the question we pose in the title. The research was conducted with 229 students aged between 15 and 35 years, of which 53.7% were men and 46.3% women remaining.
The study was based on a standardized population where it was made questionnaire, which was provided to all participants equally. In the Psychological Capital Scale (name of the questionnaire) four factors, resilience, hope, optimism and self-efficacy were evaluated. These factors analyzed by comparing the academic performance of each student.
The results found no differences between resilience and optimism deciding academic success were found. Instead, hope and self-efficacy showed significantly different results between successful and unsuccessful students.
Although the study reveals interesting data on positive psychology, I must say that could have been better raised using a control group. On the other hand, although the number of participants with a relatively high number, are of a very specific population, and it would be very interesting to see if other people the same results or otherwise obtained if these results vary, try to understand what the why they do.

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Ophthalmic testing

We must never neglect the health of our eyes . As in any other part of our body we will always try to choose prevention to enjoy a good state. Then you remember what the most common eye tests are.
Ophthalmic testing

Fundus examination, which also are called ophthalmoscopy and fundoscopy. This is a diagnostic technique in which the posterior pole of the eyeball, including the choroid, retina, and blood vessels optical disk is displayed. It is a painless method that provides information on the alteration of the optic nerve or retina. This test diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension or diabetes, among other diseases that can damage the back of the eye are also performed.

Tonometry: This is the indirect measurement of intraocular pressure with the use of a tonometer. Intraocular pressure refers to the pressure exerted by fluids inside the eyeball on final structures thereof. Tonometry may be flattening, rebound or pneumatic.

Visual acuity: This is the capacity analysis for proper vision of a person through the study of different techniques. The test is performed by an optometrist and must do individually and jointly in both eyes. The most common technique of distance visual acuity test Snellen, where it comes to identifying letters on a chart and forming rows down from largest to smallest size.

Perimetry: The study that deals detect possible defects in the visual field, such as the areas of vision loss or scotomas through the use of a perimeter or campimeter.

Retinal Angiography: This is a diagnostic procedure that deals with the study of the vascularization of the retina. The vascular tree of the same is formed by veins and arteries. The central retinal artery access it through an area called papilla, located in the back of the eyeball.

Optical coherence tomography: We refer to the body that deals with eye vision. This scanning technique is very interesting to study the optic nerve and retina. With it is possible to obtain images of both the surface of the retina and the different layers with high resolution. The result is three-dimensional images of the retina.

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