Is Biting Your Nails Really So Bad?

As a child, did you ever get berated for biting your nails? It is a habit many of us have had to overcome at one point or another in our lives. But, apart from the aesthetic consequences of steadily nibbling and gnawing away at your fingertips, is biting your nails really as hygienically harmful as we’ve been told? In short, no.

While biting your nails certainly doesn’t evoke an image of unwavering confidence, it is not going to harm your health. In fact, it may even strengthen it. A recent study publishedin Pediatrics showed that children who bit their nails or sucked their thumbs developed less allergies and had stronger immune systems than children who didn’t shove fingers into their own mouths. The study specifically suggested that children who stuck their hands in their mouths had a lower risk of developing atrophy, asthma and hay fever.

How can this be? Isn’t the world a dirty, dangerous place? Well, yes, but it is nothing to be quaking in your boots about. A little dirt is actually good for you. Exposure to a wider variety of microbes earlier on in life has long been hypothesized to reduce the risk of developing allergies later in life. Known as the ‘hygiene hypothesis’, it has been theorized that the lack of exposure to microorganisms in early childhood actually works to suppress the development of a strong and healthy immune system. Essentially, it is similar to the concept that a lot of poison will kill you, but a little poison makes you stronger.

What other ‘dirty’ things naturally boost your immune system? Well, having a furry pal certainly helps. Children who grew up on farms or around a lot of animals generally have stronger immune systems in both childhood and later life than those who grew up in more sterile households.

Also, people who spend more time in nature, subjecting themselves to the natural diversity of microbes that exist in the wild world, have stronger immunity than those who spend most of their time indoors. They also experience lower rates of depression, obesity and cancers. To put it simply, spend time in nature with natural things and your immune system gets a health-boosting workout.

Does this mean you should start biting your nails? Certainly not. But, it is nothing to stress about if you or your child does. Embrace a little untidiness and dirt in your life, and your body will benefit.

Genes Found That Come Alive After Death

A recent study that looked at the genes of zebrafish and mice after death found that hundreds of their genes became active postmortem. The study does not suggest the living dead may soon walk among us, but it does shed new light on potential ways to help human health.

Surprising Study Results

Researchers at the University of Washington evaluated over 1000 genes of recently deceased mice and zebrafish. They tracked changes in the genes for 4 days in the fish and 2 days in the mice.

Instead of shutting down, as would be expected, the researchers found that hundreds of the genes actually increased their activity within the first 24 hours after death. Most genes gradually decreased activity after that, but some of the zebrafish genes in particular remained active 4 days following death.

Many of these postmortem genes are related to stress responses in the body, such as promoting inflammation, activating the immune system and counteracting stress. This seems somewhat logical as the body has recently expired and could be undergoing a final stress reaction.

But other unexpected genes also became active. The most surprising were genes that assist embryonic development. These genes typically turn off after birth as they are no longer needed. The researchers believe this postmortem reawakening could be because the cellular conditions in a newly dead corpse are similar to those in embryos.

Genes that promote cancer also became more active posthumously. This could help explain why people who receive organ transplants double their risk of developing cancer.

Potential Benefits for Human Health

Zebrafish share 70 percent of the genetic code of humans. They’re often used for genetic research because it’s fairly easy to link what happens on a zebrafish genome to the equivalent activity on a human genome.

The next step for the researchers will be to see how these active postmortem genes match up to humans and how it can benefit our health.

The researchers suggest that our bodies may have evolved this way to allow for possiblehealing or resuscitation after severe injury. For instance, the upregulated inflammation response genes after death will signal that there’s been an injury to the still alive cells in the body.

By looking more closely at the activated cancer genes, there is the potential to find better ways of transplanting organs and tissues without increasing the recipient’s cancer risk. It may also be possible to find a way to stop or reverse the activation of those genes in order to heal cancer in a living person.

In a follow-up study, the researchers showed another use for the upregulated genes can be to accurately predict the time of a person’s death. This could help in the investigation of suspicious deaths or murders. Current forensic science relies on evidence that’s not related to a deceased body, such as when the person was last seen or when they made their last cell phone call. Being able to pinpoint the time of death would benefit investigations.

This research may not be able to answer any of our larger questions about what awaits us after death, but it has the potential to enhance our lives while we’re still here.

5 foods that may make you feel happier now — and even better later

Some foods taste so good while we're eating them, but can leave us feeling blah, bloated and feeling guilty just moments after we've brushed away the crumbs. But other foods are scientifically shown to lift our spirits. Here are five foods that will make you feel good right away!

1. Raw walnuts and cashews 

An ounce of walnuts has four grams of protein (which fills you up and helps keep blood-sugar levels steady) and two grams of fiber (also helps fill you up), according to New York nutritionist Elisa Zied, registered dietitian and author of "Younger Next Week."

 They're also a good source of magnesium and phosophorus: Having low levels of magnesium has beenlinked to increased risk of depression, while high levels of magnesium have been linked to reduced symptoms of depression.

Walnuts also contain cell-protecting antioxidants and are low in carbohydrates, which means they won't cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin. "Insulin spikes are a reason people's moods crap out, particularly in late afternoon," said Dr. Drew Ramsey, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and co-author of "The Happiness Diet."

Suggested serving: One handful

 2. Kale 

One cup of kale is an an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K and magnesium, and a good source of fiber, said Zied. Kale is also high in copper, a trace mineral that works to support many vital functions.

"[Kale] is one of the healthiest foods on the planet," said Ramsay.

Suggested serving: For salads, shoot for one to two cups of raw kale. For juicing, about the same. For kale chips, homemade is best and shoot for five to 10 chips.

3. Oysters 

"Oysters are incredibly low in calories and decrease inflammation," says New York nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D. and author of "Read It before You Eat It."

Taub-Dix says oysters are heart-healthy and contribute to that great feeling after eating because they improve overall circulation. Oysters are also very high in essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. And, of course, they've long been considered an aphrodisiac.

"Oysters are always on the menu around Valentine's Day," says Taub-Dix.

 Oysters are also a great source of zinc — an undervalued mineral, said Ramsey — and vitamin B12. Zinc has a role in helping our bodies fight off stress and is essential to the part of the brain that regulates mood and memory.

Ramsey calls oysters the "perfect brain food."

 4. Coffee 

Coffee is practically a magic bean when it comes to mood lifting: The caffeine in coffee can boost mental focus and alertness and athletic performance. Coffee consumption may also protect against Type 2 diabetes and decrease the risk of depression. But the less you consume, the better it works.

 Ramsey recommends avoiding very sugary coffee drinks, which cause bloating.

Suggested serving: Coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine per cup. Limit consumption to about 300 mg caffeine per day and consume it once a day, at the time you want to be most alert, TODAY nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom said.

 5. Dark chocolate 

"Dark chocolate is one of the biggest mood boosters," said Ramsey. Dark chocolate not only provides immediate eating pleasure, but it has a high percentage of cacao, which has more antioxidant power than many other foods.

10 Foods to Avoid If You Have Anxiety

1. Caffeine
A known stimulant and psychoactive drug, it has long had a reputation for triggering the body's fight or flight response. Very similar to the symptoms associated with anxiety, caffeine can also make its users feel nervous, nauseous, light headed, jittery and yes, even anxious. If you're suffering through anxiety, I recommend you reconsider that morning cup of joe and instead opt for an herbal tea or green juice.

2. Artificial and refined sugars
This is one that seems hard to ignore simply due to the fact that sugar hides in everything! Studies have shown that although sugar does not cause anxiety, it does create changes in your body which can exacerbate anxiety symptoms and impairs the body's ability to effectively cope with stress.

A sugar crash is very similar to that of a caffeine crash, and can also cause mood changes, heart palpitations, difficulty concentrating and fatigue—all of which can be interpreted as the beginning stages of an anxiety or panic attack.

3. Gluten
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye products. For many anxiety sufferers, gluten can also be a huge trigger for anxiety symptoms. Research has now confirmed that people with Celiac disease and gluten intolerances (like myself) are at higher risk for anxiety, depression and mood disorders. Talk to your doctor about getting tested for Celiac or a gluten intolerance. Cutting out gluten could be the difference between living with anxiety and managing it for the better.

4. Processed foods
Generally, processed foods are high in the previous two items mentioned on this list, including a bunch of additional additives and preservatives. Refined flours and sugars are said to feed the harmful bacteria and microbes in the gut. With more research being conducted, the general consensus is that gut health is a major contributor to chronic anxiety, and many mood disorders can be treated by proliferating good bacteria in your gut. So the next time you're at a family BBQ, bypass the grilled hot dogs and go straight for the fruit salad.

5. Alcohol
We all enjoy an occasional drink, right? But what happens when that one glass of wine at dinner turns into three glasses of wine and dessert? Alcohol in excess or at all (for some), is said to induce the symptoms of anxiety. Alcohol is a toxin that leads to improper mental and physical functioning, by negatively impacting the levels of serotonin (the feel good chemical) in the brain.

Alcohol also affects the body and nervous system and can cause hypersensitivity, increased heart rate, lowered blood sugar levels and acute dehydration. If you're going out to dinner with a few colleagues, you may want to skip the drink menu this time around.

6. Dairy
I'm sure we all remember those Got Milk ads that popped up during the commercial break of our favorite television shows. Well research shows that people who have anxiety say that they've noticed an increase in anxiety symptoms within minutes of consuming dairy products. Approximately 10 percent of adults are lactose intolerant, with even more having difficulty digesting casein, found in cow's milk. Have I mentioned it's impact on children?

Truth is, dairy is inflammatory. It wreaks havoc on the digestive system causing, bloating, diarrhea and constipation, among other things. So if you're looking for ways to manage your anxiety, I guess the answer to the question Got Milk?, should be a big, fat, NO!

7. Soda
Don't think for a second because you started a sugar cleanse a week ago that you can still indulge in America's favorite soft drink. In addition to the artificial food coloring and additives found in soda, Aspartame is one of the most common (and dangerous) ingredients found in things like diet soda and chewing gum. In addition to blocking the production of serotonin in our brains (like sugar), Aspartame is also responsible for headaches, insomnia, anxiety, mood swings and has been linked to certain forms of cancer. Still thirsty?

8. Fried foods
Not only are fried foods difficult to digest, they also have very little nutrition. Combining poor food choices with unhealthy cooking processes is a surefire way to exacerbate your anxiety symptoms. Most fried foods like french fries, chicken, onion rings, etc. are cooked in hydrogenated oil. It not only does a number on your waistline, but it's also terrible for your heart.

Fried foods are not only linked to anxiety, but also lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Moderation is the key. The next time you find yourself at Five Guys, try the kiddie size fry instead of the large.

9. Fruit juice
Fruit juice, just like soda and other store bought beverages is packed with sugar. There are three different types of sugar: sucrose, glucose and fructose. Fructose is the sugar naturally found in fruits and vegetables, and is usually added to fruit juice and fruit flavored drinks. The problem is that the body only processed fructose in the liver and is not the body's preferred energy source. What protects us from absorbing too much fructose when we eat fruits and vegetables is the fiber. When we get rid of the fiber, we put our bodies at risk of overconsumption.

So if you want fruit juice, make it at home, and if you're an avid juicer (like me), I recommend limiting the amount of fruit you put into your green juices. Stick to the 80/20 rule and you'll be good to go.

10. Foods high in sodium
By now we should all be aware of the fat-free craze of the past few decades. The sad reality of this fad is that most foods that are fat free, are actually high in sugar and/or sodium. Researchers have concluded that too much sodium in our diets can have a negative effect on the body's neurological system, causing fatigue and damaging the immune system. A restful sleep is a major key to a healthy mind, mood and body. Not to mention, the overconsumption of sodium leads to weight gain, high blood pressure and water retention.

Salt is essential in maintaining good health and a balanced diet, however too much can trigger panic episodes and send you down a slippery slope of anxiety, panic and depression. 

17 Positive Habits That Will Change Your Life

Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." That old Greek understood how important positive habits are to overcoming adversity and enduring the quest to become a champion. I have learned that champions aren’t just born; champions can be made when they embrace and commit to life-changing positive habits.

Inspired by others, I decided to examine my own habits. I saw how quickly positive habits built strength and resulted in a deeper sense of belief—in myself, in my vision, and even spiritually. This process wasn't easy at first. I never got into any of the obvious things we think of when we talk about bad habits—drugs, drinking, or smoking—because from an early age I saw what they did to my brother and realized I didn't want to make those same mistakes. I wasn't perfect by any stretch (and achieving greatness isn't about being perfect anyway), but my bad habits were less clear. 

It took a lot of time and constant feedback to realize what wasn't working in my life, and it will be an ongoing journey until the day I die. Over the years, I began adding positive habits and noticed a dramatic change in my results and the way I felt internally as well. Some of these include:

• Constantly expressing gratitude
• Smiling at as many people as possible
• Going to bed early
• Getting 7 to 8 hours of committed sleep
• Making my bed in the morning
• Staying organized
• Acknowledging myself and others
• Loving people wherever they are on their personal journey
• Eating clean
• Training my body
• Saving and investing my money wisely
• Meditating
• Visualizing my results and creating a game plan
• Respecting others
• Investing in my personal growth
• Preparing before big moments
• Surrounding myself with inspiring people

Staying consistent with positive habits can be a challenge. I still go back and forth on them. There have been many times where I was working out intensely and in the best shape of my life, and then for whatever reason, I got off track. Before I knew it, 3 or 4 months would go by, and all of a sudden, I’d find myself exhausted halfway up a flight of stairs! The key to surviving and then thriving after these moments is to not beat yourself up when you do break a habit. Rather, you need to reconnect to your vision to refamiliarize yourself with why it’s important to stay true to your positive habits in the first place.

The tricky part about habits is that any one of them (good or bad), when you look at them individually, doesn’t seem all that critical. It’s when you take them in combination or as a whole that they become incredibly powerful. They can easily and shockingly thwart the same amount of progress that they can create. This is why we admire people with great self-discipline. It’s not because they were born great. It’s because they learned the power of habits and applied that power to create a lifestyle that supports the best version of themselves.

Life Can Be Healthy Past 90: Study

What if you could live well into your 90s and still be in good health?

A new study suggests that may be possible, particularly if you have good genes.

"Chronic disease is not an inevitable part of aging," said Dr. Sofiya Milman, an assistant professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. "An extended period of good health can accompany a long life span and is an achievable goal."

Milman is one of the authors of a U.S. National Institutes of Health-funded study on aging.

Americans are living longer than ever. In 2014, the average life expectancy at birth had reached nearly 79 years, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. A century earlier, it was just slightly over 54 years.

But gains in "health span -- the period of time that people live in good health -- have not kept pace with longevity, the study authors noted. Rather, longer life expectancy has been associated with greater disability.

Of course, some people are beating the odds, outliving their average life expectancy, surviving near the limit of the human life span, and spending fewer years sick and disabled.

How do they do it?

Using data from two previous studies, researchers from Albert Einstein and Boston University examined whether people experienced similar delays in the onset of disease and disability before death.

One study, the Longevity Genes Project, included Ashkenazi Jewish people who at age 95 were living independently. For comparison, the study also included a group of somewhat younger Ashkenazi Jews with no parental history of longevity.

The research team also drew data from the New England Centenarian Study, which included 100 year olds living in eight towns in the Boston area, as well as in England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It also included people without a family predisposition of exceptional longevity for comparison.

Researchers then compared the health of 439 long-lived people and their 696 somewhat younger counterparts, aged 53 to 93, from the Longevity Genes Program with the health of 1,498 long-lived participants and 302 comparison participants, aged 49 to 89, from the New England Centenarian Study.

Special:

For both sets of comparisons, researchers tracked people's ages at the onset of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and stroke. Alzheimer's disease, however, was not included because the Longevity Genes Project does not collect that data, Milman explained.

Remarkably, the long-lived participants in each study experienced disease and disability later in life, resulting in a shorter period of illness before death, compared with the younger adult groups.

The researchers assessed disease-free survival years by approximating the prevalence for each disease in older adults. Take cancer, as an example. Cancer prevalence is 20 percent for people aged 65 to 80, the study authors said.

For people in the Longevity Genes Project, the age at which 20 percent of the long-lived individuals had developed cancer was delayed to 96 for both men and women. Twenty percent of their younger counterparts, however, experienced cancer by age 78 for men and by age 74 for women, the findings showed.

Likewise, for people in the centenarian study, cancer did not strike 20 percent of men until age 97 and women until age 99. But 20 percent of their younger counterparts were afflicted by age 67 in men and by age 74 in women.

"A lot of concern is that, well, if you live a long time, you're just going to be bedridden. And what they're showing is that's not true. The people who are living longer are living healthier," said Dr. Anne Newman, director of the Center for Aging and Population Health at the University of Pittsburgh.

"Their health span was longer, and that's the important piece of it," added Newman, a professor and chair of population health sciences and epidemiology.

So what's their secret?

According to Milman, "Genetic factors are thought to be the main reason. We have identified several genetic factors that appear to slow aging and/or protect from diseases."

Environment factors -- at least among these long-lived people -- seem to be less important, she noted.

"Our centenarians were not practicing particularly healthy behaviors: 60 percent of men and 30 percent of women were smokers, less than half exercised regularly, and approximately 50 percent were overweight or obese," Milman noted.

Is Coffee Good For You? Look at Your DNA

It’s three o’clock. You’ve still got a long day ahead. You grab an afternoon coffee. Do you end up tossing and turning all night, paying the price for your indulgence? Or do you sleep like a baby as if caffeine was never in your system at all. It turns out, what happens to you is predetermined by your DNA.

There are dozens of reasons to drink or not drink coffee. Is it good for you? Is it harmful? Why can your friend drink six shots of espresso while you get the shakes if you have more than one?

Research on caffeine and coffee consumption is conflicting and confusing at best. But it seems that the reason some of us tolerate coffee better than others may lie in our genes. Certain variations in DNA allow caffeine to be processed differently by each body. Those who process caffeine very slowly are usually the ones who experience adverse side effects such as disturbed sleep when consuming too much coffee. Those who are genetically quick metabolizers are the ones who can guzzle a few shots, kick butt for a few hours and then hit the pillow, snug and serene.

According to recent research, genetics may explain the reason that coffee research is conflicting. When you separate slow metabolizers from fast metabolizers, it becomes clear that many of the adverse effects of coffee are experienced by slow metabolizerswhile fast metabolizers actually reap benefits.

For instance, coffee has long been associated with heart attack risk in conflicting ways. Recent research showed that four or more cups of coffee a day was associated with a 36 percent increased risk of heart attack. However, when looking at that data through genetics, separating the fast metabolizers from the slow, it seems that the likelihood of heart attack increased only in slow metabolizers. Those who were genetically predetermined to process caffeine quickly did not experience a significant rise in heart attack risk with increased coffee consumption. Coffee is actually healthy for some people while it is more harmful for others, which is why massive studies can yield confusing results.

This only goes to shed light on how important individuality and genetics are becoming in health and wellness research. Knowing your genetics might be the key to tailoring your diet and lifestyle to suit your individual, inherent needs. While genetics are only a part of the picture that includes environmental and lifestyle factors, they can help to round out a complete picture to help you achieve your ideal health.

So is coffee healthy? In short, some people can handle coffee, some people can’t. Knowing more about yourself means you can regulate your caffeine intake to best suit your health. The thing is, you don’t need a DNA test to understand how well you tolerate caffeine. Jut taper off your caffeine consumption for a month (I know that’s blasphemous, but it is in the name of prolonged health!) and slowly add it back in.

How do you react? Are you jittery? Are you anxious? If you experience any unpleasant symptoms, it’s probably time to tighten the belt of your coffee addiction. I know coffee is a beautiful thing, but you’ll feel a whole lot better if you drink it only occasionally. If you are a fast metabolizer and thrive on caffeine, congratulations. Just be sure not to overdo it.