Disclaimer: Some articles in this section are to primarily serve entertainment purposes implied through scientific evidence, and may contain points that represent a speculative opinion of the author based on related scholarly publications on in vitro animal and human studies.
Autophagy is the eukaryotic cell’s waste management system; it collects and recycles damaged organelles and proteins. Unlike eukaryotic cells, bacteria lack lysosomes—the specialized structures that perform this task—so they rely on simpler methods to manage waste. More memorably, autophagy can be thought of as controlled cannibalism. From Greek, the word translates to “self-eating.” In mammals, it takes three principal forms: micro, macro, and chaperone-mediated (Shu, 2023). Of the three, macroautophagy is the best studied. In a healthy body, autophagy assists [more…]
“To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.” – Benjamin Franklin. For millennia, fasting has been lauded as a path to discipline, purity, longevity, and mental acuity. While Franklin may not have always heeded his own advice, his contention, one shared by many cultures throughout history, is now backed by over eight decades of scientific research. Caloric restriction (CR) is the most thoroughly studied longevity intervention to date. In humans and animals, it consistently increases lifespan and healthspan (McDonald, 2010). Any [more…]
Epigenetics refers to the modifications of DNA by adding chemical tags, which switch genes on and off without altering the underlying DNA sequence. This process, known as epigenetic regulation, occurs in every person and changes throughout their life. Notably, skin aging, health, and beauty are influenced by environmental interactions, and these changes are governed by epigenetics rather than genes alone. Thus, epigenetic regulation is a pivotal factor in controlling one’s skin aging, health, and beauty status, offering dynamic and reversible [more…]
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been around for thousands of years, and for good reason. It’s a holistic approach to health that can help you feel your best, both physically and mentally. But it wasn’t until recently that scientists started to uncover some of the underlying mechanisms behind its effectiveness. One such mechanism is epigenetics, which refers to changes in gene expression that can occur without alterations to the DNA sequence itself. Epigenetic changes can be influenced by a variety [more…]
Oxidative stress and antioxidant interaction determine skin aging Oxidative stress damage of the skin, as a fundamental factor of aging, can occur early at birth and continue through one’s entire life. Skin oxidative damage results from an imbalance between reaction oxidative species (ROS) generation and antioxidant defenses, of which unfavorable consequences, such as aging, increased skin diseases, loss of collagen and elastin, increased DNA damage, high skin sensitivity, and increased skin pigmentation can occur. The symptoms are comprised of wrinkling, sagging, [more…]
Have you ever become aware that you’re in a dream state while you’re dreaming? If so, then chances are you’ve had a lucid dream. Much like Neo plugged into a simulated Matrix, you are cognizant of your altered reality and can even manipulate your dream environment. Lucid dreams can be quite pleasant for some people. For others, especially those with “Reward Deficiency Syndrome” (RDS) behaviors like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder [more…]
When it comes to health, race typically has an impact. Evidence compiled over several decades points out marked differences in morbidity and mortality rates across varying racial and ethnic minority groups. And while these disparities can arise from any number of environmental or social exposures, exactly how they detrimentally affect the human body and why they continue to impact certain minority groups is not entirely understood. Most findings attribute minority health disparities to inequalities in education, socioeconomic status, access to [more…]
Over the past few years, ketogenic diets have become one of the most popular weight loss tools out there. Numerous studies show ketogenic diets are effective for weight loss in obese and overweight individuals and if you do a quick social media search for “Ketogenic diet” or “Keto” you will find countless anecdotes that support these scientific studies (1). The therapeutic benefit of ketogenic diets goes beyond weight loss. These diets have been used for nearly a century for the [more…]
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world, and many countries have been devastated by the fallout. As this virus swept the world, it has not only changed many aspects of the global economy but also has transformed the way we live our everyday lives. The skin is one of the major body parts that have been impacted by the coronavirus. It’s apparent that frequent usage of personal protective equipment and excessive personal hygiene could trigger different skin conditions. These skin conditions [more…]
A scientific look at how certain compounds in foods might epigenetically impact target sites to hinder viral infection by SARS-CoV-2, based on published literature.
