by Elizabeth Barker
Lift Your Spirits
Spirituality may shield you from depression, recent research from Temple University suggests. In a study of 918 people, scientists found that those with high levels of “existential well-being” (or a solid sense of purpose in life) were 70 per cent less likely to have had depression than those who lacked existential well-being. On the other hand, people who attended religious services were only 30 per cent less likely to have experienced depression than those who didn’t go to church. “People with high levels of existential well-being tend to have a good base, which makes them very centred emotionally,” explains study author Joanna Maselko, Sc.D. “People who don’t have those things are at a greater risk for depression, and those same people might also turn to religion to cope.” Indeed, the study also showed that participants with higher levels of “religious well-being” (characterized as a strong relationship with a higher power) were 1.5 times more likely to have had depression than those with lower levels.
Chicken Soup for the Heart
Chicken legs—a soup staple in certain cultures—may be packed with proteins that help ease high blood pressure, according to new research from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Working with rats, scientists found that collagen sourced from chicken legs had effects similar to ACE inhibitors (medications commonly used to treat hypertension) and delivered a significant, prolonged reduction in blood pressure.
Açai’s Antioxidant Power
After years of being touted as an anti-aging and cancer-fighting natural remedy, açai has proven successful at pumping up antioxidant activity in humans. In a study recently published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists showed for the first time that, when consumed in pulp or juice form, the Brazilian berry can raise levels of anthocyanins (pigments with powerful antioxidant effects) in the blood.
