Towards the end of 2019 the appearance of the very contagious novel virus SARS-CoV-2, spreading around the world like wildfire, has resulted in a medical condition called COVID-19, which was found to affect individuals differently. In most infected individuals, the disease did not cause serious illness, but in a minority
The functioning of the human body can be compared to a chemical factory, where many individual chemical processes are integrated into a single unit with a common purpose – to keep us alive. Just like any factory, the body needs raw materials to fuel these chemical production processes. The body’s
The three macronutrients that we need in our diets are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. During digestion, enzymes in the gut break down the most plentiful fat in our diet, triglycerides, into fatty acids and a molecule called glycerol. Once absorbed these molecules reassemble into triglycerides, and as they cannot move
The first few weeks of breastfeeding are an amazing period of bonding time for mother and baby. Just as amazing is the essential composition of nutrients contained in breast milk – the most complete food imaginable, cleverly adapting to the needs of the growing infant. However, the most spectacular part
Less intense than cocaine and heroin, but nonetheless addictive for some people, sugar activates the same region in the brain that makes you experience a high and feelings of pleasure. Like using hard drugs, bingeing on sugar blunts the “pleasure” response over time, making you want the sugar fix more
Besides the unique human brain, the liver is the next most complex organ in the human body. The liver is a workhorse and is involved in a magnitude of functions, such as the processing of nutrients from all we ingest; converting them into fuel, storing energy, while making essential proteins,
The body’s natural response to a stressful situation is to increase the heart rate and blood pressure, by initially releasing adrenalin to prime the body for immediate action, followed by the release of the stress hormone cortisol. A highly stressful event activates neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and emotional responses, which may not
Stress is not a disease, but prolonged exposure to intensive work-related pressure can reduce effectiveness at work, and affect people’s physical and psychological health. Research has shown that the work environment is a major – and in many cases the primary – source of chronic stress in the lives of
The power of the mind is of extreme importance when dealing with high levels of stress. Instead of succumbing to the dire effects of stress, the mind can be conditioned to channel stress into a positive experience. The general perception that stress negatively affects health, contributes to a higher mortality
When faced with stressful situations, the body develops a stress response, which involves interaction between different body systems to cope with the stressors. The stress response starts in the brain, where cognitive appraisal of perceived threats and stressors in the environment is mediated by the brain, to activate the responding
