How to Live to 100: Researchers Find New Genetic Clues

If you live to be 100, you’re in a special group, one that longevity scientists are eagerly studying for clues to battling aging. But are these centenarians long-lived because they don’t get the diseases that fell the rest of us—heart problems, diabetes, dementia, arthritis and more—or because they are protected somehow against the effects of aging? Based on the data so far, most experts have concluded that centenarians get to where they are because they have some anti-aging secret that shields them against the effects of aging. That’s because studies found that centenarians had just as many genes that contribute to disease as those with more average life spans.

RELATED: The Cure for Aging

But in a paper published in PLOS Genetics, researchers led by Stuart Kim, professor of developmental biology and genetics at Stanford University, questions that dogma. He found that on the contrary, centenarians may have fewer of the genes that contribute to major chronic diseases. That doesn’t mean that people who live to their 100s also don’t possess some protective anti-aging genes as well, but Kim’s study shows that they don’t experience as much disease as people who are shorter-lived.

Kim’s team came to that conclusion after conducting a novel type of genetic analysis. Most attempts to look for genes related to aging compare the genomes of centenarians and people with average life spans and pick out the regions where the maps differ. Those are potential targets for aging, but, as Kim notes, they could also be red herrings. “Because you search through hundreds of thousands, and now millions of variants, there is a lot of noise. So it makes it difficult to see the signal amidst all the noise.”

RELATED: How to Live Longer

To purify the signal, Kim layered another piece of information on this comparison. He made the assumption that disease genes can reduce the chances of someone reaching their 100s, and focused just on known disease-causing genes in his analysis. “With that, we can make better guesses about what is really bad for becoming a centenarian,” he says.

The filtered analysis pumped out five major regions of interest for longevity. Four are familiar; they involve the gene connected to Alzheimer’s, an area involved with heart disease, the genes responsible for the A-B-O blood type and the immune system’s HLA region that needs to be matched for organ transplants to avoid rejection. These four have known connections to longevity. The Alzheimer’s gene, ApoE, for example, is linked to shorter life span, while the heart disease variants are involved in directing a cell’s life span and the O blood type is known to be connected to better health outcomes and survival.

RELATED: How to Live 100 Years

The fifth region was one that had never been linked to longevity before, and Kim admits that not much is known about how it might contribute to longer life, except that mutations in the gene region can contribute to neurological diseases such as ALS and that in fruit flies, other mutations help the insects to live longer.

“It seems intuitively obvious, that avoiding disease is part of the strategy of becoming a centenarian,” says Kim. “But there is a really, really strong dogma in the field that there was no depletion of disease genes in centenarians, and that all of their survival benefit was coming from protection from anti-aging genes. I think they were wrong.”

Those previous studies that pointed to this anti-aging effect over the effect of fewer disease-causing genes were generally smaller, and might not have isolated the signal from the noise.

Kim’s team shows that the way centenarians reach their second century may involve more than just being blessed with anti-aging genes. “We found that, at least in part, they live longer because they don’t get sick,” he says. He also readily admits that they may also benefit from some anti-aging factor that researchers haven’t uncovered—yet.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

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FDA Proposes Tanning Bed Ban for Minors

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed that American teenagers be banned from using tanning beds.

“Today’s action is intended to help protect young people from a known and preventable cause of skin cancer and other harms,” acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Ostroff said in a statement. “Individuals under 18 are at greatest risk of the adverse health consequences of indoor tanning.”

The proposal also would require users 18 and older to sign a document that says they are aware of the health risks posed by tanning beds. They would have to sign the document before their first indoor tanning session and every six months after that, the agency said.

“The FDA understands that some adults may decide to continue to use sunlamp products,” Ostroff said. “These proposed rules are meant to help adults make their decisions based on truthful information, and to ensure manufacturers and tanning facilities take additional steps to improve the safety of these devices.”

Additional safety proposals that are aimed at tanning bed makers and facilities include:

• Making warnings on the devices more prominent and easier to read.
• A mandatory emergency shut-off switch, or “panic button.”
• Limiting the amount of light allowed through protective eyewear.
• Ensuring the use of proper replacement bulbs to reduce the risk of accidental burns.
• Prohibiting dangerous modifications, such as installing stronger light bulbs, without FDA approval.

Indoor tanning is known to increase the risk of skin cancer, but 1.6 million Americans under the age of 18 indoor tan each year, according to 2013 federal government data.

And people exposed to UV radiation from indoor tanning are 59 percent more likely to develop deadly melanomas than those who never used indoor tanning, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

“This risk increases with each use of tanning devices,” Dr. Mark Lebwohl, president of the academy, said in a statement Friday. “Therefore, dermatologists are extremely pleased that the federal government has recognized the inherent dangers of indoor tanning and is following the lead of the 42 states that have already enacted tanning bed restrictions to potentially reduce this risk,” he added.

“Restricting teens’ access to indoor tanning and educating all users about the dangers of tanning devices are critical steps to preventing skin cancer,” Lebwohl said.

“As medical doctors who diagnose and treat skin cancer, dermatologists are committed to reducing its incidence and saving lives,” he said. “We encourage the FDA to finalize this proposed rule, as it would be a historic victory in our nation’s fight to eradicate skin cancer.”

Another expert also applauded the FDA proposal.

“These are important first steps and, if passed, will be a great help in deterring teens from using tanning beds and other artificial sources for tanning,” said Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

“My hope is that these proposals will move forward in a timely manner, and will be put into effect within the next year,” Day added.

Between 2003 and 2012, the number of tanning bed-related visits to U.S. emergency departments averaged 3,000 a year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the United States, there are as many as 19,000 indoor tanning salons and 20,000 other facilities — such as health clubs and spas — that offer indoor tanning, according to the FDA.

The proposed safety measures are available online for public comment for 90 days, the agency said.

More information

The Skin Cancer Foundation has more about indoor tanning and skin cancer risk.

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To Help Your Kids Get Better Grades, Feed Them Breakfast: Study

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new study provides more evidence that a good breakfast helps kids do better in school.

Researchers looked at 5,000 students in Great Britain between the ages of 9 and 11. They found that those who ate a healthy breakfast were up to two times more likely to achieve at least average grades than those who did not eat breakfast.

The Cardiff University study was published recently in the journal Public Health Nutrition.

“While breakfast consumption has been consistently associated with general health outcomes and acute measures of concentration and cognitive function, evidence regarding links to concrete educational outcomes has until now been unclear,” lead author Hannah Littlecott said in a university news release.

“This study therefore offers the strongest evidence yet of links between aspects of what pupils eat and how well they do at school, which has significant implications for education and public health policy,” she added.

She said schools sometimes regard the dedication of resources to improving child health as an unwelcome distraction from their mission of educating children.

“But this resistance to delivery of health improvement interventions overlooks the clear synergy between health and education,” she said. “Clearly, embedding health improvements into the core business of the school might also deliver educational improvements as well.”

Chris Bonell, a professor of sociology and social policy at the University College London Institute of Education, said this study adds to “a growing body of international evidence indicating that investing resources in effective interventions to improve young people’s health is also likely to improve their educational performance.”

More information

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has more about nutrition and learning.

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Hormones Tied to Uterine Fibroid Risk in Study

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Having high levels of the hormones testosterone and estrogen in mid-life may boost a woman’s risk of benign tumors in the uterus called uterine fibroids, a new study suggests.

“Our findings are particularly interesting because testosterone was previously unrecognized as a factor in the development of uterine fibroids,” study co-author Dr. Jennifer Lee, from Stanford University School of Medicine, said in a news release from the Endocrine Society.

The study included nearly 1,400 women who had their testosterone and estrogen levels checked nearly every year for 13 years.

Those with high levels of testosterone in their blood were 1.3 times more likely to develop uterine fibroids than those with low levels, and the risk was even greater in those with high levels of testosterone and estrogen, the investigators found.

But while women with high levels of both hormones were more likely to have one case of uterine fibroids, they were less likely to develop them again than those with low levels of the hormones, according to the study published Dec. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

While testosterone is often called a male sex hormone, women also naturally produce small amounts of it, the study authors explained.

“Our research suggests women undergoing the menopausal transition who have higher testosterone levels have an increased risk of developing fibroids, particularly if they also have higher estrogen levels,” study co-author Jason Wong, from Stanford University School of Medicine in California, said in the news release.

Three-quarters of women develop uterine fibroids by age 50, according to Wong.

Lee added that “the research opens up new lines of inquiry regarding how fibroids develop and how they are treated. Given that managing uterine fibroids costs an estimated $34.4 billion in annual medical expenditures nationwide, it is important to identify new ways to better treat this common condition,” she said.

Problems related to uterine fibroids include irregular bleeding, pelvic pain, infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss and other reproductive complications.

While the study found an association between hormone levels and risk of uterine fibroids, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

More information

The U.S. Office on Women’s Health has more about uterine fibroids.

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Hormones Tied to Uterine Fibroid Risk in Study

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Having high levels of the hormones testosterone and estrogen in mid-life may boost a woman’s risk of benign tumors in the uterus called uterine fibroids, a new study suggests.

“Our findings are particularly interesting because testosterone was previously unrecognized as a factor in the development of uterine fibroids,” study co-author Dr. Jennifer Lee, from Stanford University School of Medicine, said in a news release from the Endocrine Society.

The study included nearly 1,400 women who had their testosterone and estrogen levels checked nearly every year for 13 years.

Those with high levels of testosterone in their blood were 1.3 times more likely to develop uterine fibroids than those with low levels, and the risk was even greater in those with high levels of testosterone and estrogen, the investigators found.

But while women with high levels of both hormones were more likely to have one case of uterine fibroids, they were less likely to develop them again than those with low levels of the hormones, according to the study published Dec. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

While testosterone is often called a male sex hormone, women also naturally produce small amounts of it, the study authors explained.

“Our research suggests women undergoing the menopausal transition who have higher testosterone levels have an increased risk of developing fibroids, particularly if they also have higher estrogen levels,” study co-author Jason Wong, from Stanford University School of Medicine in California, said in the news release.

Three-quarters of women develop uterine fibroids by age 50, according to Wong.

Lee added that “the research opens up new lines of inquiry regarding how fibroids develop and how they are treated. Given that managing uterine fibroids costs an estimated $34.4 billion in annual medical expenditures nationwide, it is important to identify new ways to better treat this common condition,” she said.

Problems related to uterine fibroids include irregular bleeding, pelvic pain, infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss and other reproductive complications.

While the study found an association between hormone levels and risk of uterine fibroids, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

More information

The U.S. Office on Women’s Health has more about uterine fibroids.

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Study Maps Areas of Brain Linked to PTSD

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Heightened fear responses occur in certain areas of the brain in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study reports.

The research included 67 U.S. military veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001. All had been involved in traumatic events, and 32 of the veterans had been diagnosed with PTSD.

The veterans underwent a series of tests, and had MRI brain scans during those tests. The tests revealed that veterans with PTSD had heightened activity in certain brain regions when shown images only vaguely similar to the event that triggered their PTSD.

For example, the researchers saw heightened activity in an area called the visual cortex. This is significant because along with visual processing, that area of the brain also assesses threats, study leader Dr. Rajendra Morey, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University, said in a school news release.

Another area that was activated in vets with PTSD is a region that triggers the release of adrenaline in response to stress or serious threats, added Morey, who’s also director of the neuroimaging lab at the Durham VA Medical Center, in North Carolina.

These findings may lead to new ways to treat PTSD, according to the researchers.

The study was published Dec. 15 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

“We know that PTSD patients tend to generalize their fear in response to cues that merely resemble the feared object but are still distinct from it,” Morey said.

“This generalization process leads to a proliferation of symptoms over time as patients generalize to a variety of new triggers. Our research maps this in the brain, identifying the regions of the brain involved with these behavioral changes,” he said.

Morey said current therapies for a fear condition repeatedly use the same cues to trigger the initial trauma. “But, [this therapy] might be enhanced by including cues that resemble, but are not identical to, cues in the original trauma,” he said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about PTSD.

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Nasal Spray May Give Diabetics Faster Treatment for Low Blood Sugar

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Dec. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new nasal spray might make rescue care easier for diabetics who are woozy or even unconscious due to severe low blood sugar, a new clinical trial suggests.

The nasal spray contains powdered glucagon, a hormone that causes a prompt increase in blood sugar levels.

The trial results showed that the nasal spray is nearly as effective in treating hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) as the only option currently available, a glucagon powder that must be mixed with water, drawn into a syringe and then injected into muscle.

Because it is almost as effective but much easier to administer to an ailing person, the nasal spray could become the go-to treatment for severe hypoglycemia, said Dr. George Grunberger, a clinical professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit and president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. He was not involved in the study.

“This intranasal spray is a big deal,” Grunberger said. “This is something which people have been crying for, for years. It was only a matter of time before something more practical came onto the market.”

People with diabetes trying to walk the tightrope of precise blood sugar control sometimes take too much insulin, which causes their blood sugar levels to drop drastically, the researchers said in background notes.

In mild or moderate cases, diabetics can correct their blood sugar by drinking some orange juice or sucking on hard candy. But the most severe episodes might require treatment using glucagon.

The only FDA-approved glucagon on the market is not shelf-stable, so it has to be sold in powder form. “Somebody has to have the vial of glucagon on hand, then they have to add water, shake it up and inject it into muscle,” Grunberger said. “This is a problem, because by definition the ones who need it are the ones who can’t inject it because they’re unconscious.”

The nasal spray needs no mixing. Either the diabetic or a bystander can shoot it up the person’s nose, where the glucagon is absorbed by the mucous membranes in the nasal passages, said Dr. Deena Adimoolam, an assistant professor of endocrinology and diabetes with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. She was also not involved with the trial.

To test whether the new nasal spray is as effective as the injection, researchers recruited 75 adults with type 1 diabetes at eight clinics in the United States.

All participants underwent induced hypoglycemia twice, and then received treatment once using the injection and once with the nasal spray.

The nasal spray worked about 99 percent of the time, while the injection was 100 percent effective, according to the trial results.

It took slightly longer for the nasal spray to suitably increase blood sugar levels — about 16 minutes, on average — compared with 13 minutes for the injection.

However, the researchers noted that an earlier study showed that it takes just 16 to 26 seconds to administer the nasal spray, versus 1.9 to 2.4 minutes to give the injection, depending on the training of the caregiver.

“It took a bit longer for intranasal glucagon to work, but given the situation it’s probably not clinically significant,” Grunberger said.

Adimoolam expressed more concern about the delayed reaction to the nasal glucagon.

“We don’t really know if clinically that delay matters,” she said. “In that time, you can have a seizure. You can lose consciousness. There could be catastrophic events. So it’s hard to tell whether the delay would be significant.”

The clinical trial also examined people who are much younger than those most at-risk for severe hypoglycemia, Adimoolam added.

The average age of trial participants was 33 years old. But, earlier studies have shown that people 80 years or older are twice as likely to wind up in the emergency room due to insulin-induced hypoglycemia and nearly five times as likely to require hospitalization than younger people, she said.

“I think it would have been even more interesting if this study looked at how this medication could help the elderly who are at even higher risk for insulin-related hypoglycemia than the age group evaluated in this study,” Adimoolam said.

Both forms of glucagon produced nausea in a little more than a third of users. People using the nasal spray were more likely to report head and facial discomfort.

The clinical trial received funding from Locemia Solutions, the original developer of the nasal spray. Locemia has since sold worldwide rights for the product to Eli Lilly and Co., which has announced that it plans to bring the nasal spray to market.

Grunberger couldn’t say how long it might take the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the nasal spray.

The trial results were published online Dec. 17 in the journal Diabetes Care.

More information

Visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health for more on hypoglycemia.

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4 Steps You Can Take to Avoid Thyroid Problems

If you don’t have a thyroid problem, you probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about that butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, which helps regulate metabolism and body temperature (among other things). But thyroid disorders are pretty common—some experts believe 30% of women will develop one in their lifetime.

An autoimmune disorder can throw your gland out of whack, but it’s thought that lifestyle factors (like stress or diet) also can play a role. Hyperthyroidism (aka an overactive thyroid) can cause rapid weight loss, an unusually fast heartbeat, and anxiety; while hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) can trigger constipation, weight gain, and extreme fatigue.

If you suspect you have a thyroid problem, consult your doctor about potential treatment options. But in addition to medical treatment, there are a few lifestyle changes that can help keep your thyroid on track. We spoke to Ashita Gupta, MD, an integrative endocrinologist at Mount Sinai West in New York City, about how to maintain a healthy thyroid. Here, her four big recommendations.

RELATED: 19 Signs Your Thyroid Isn’t Working Right

Go Mediterranean

One of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy thyroid is eat a well-balanced diet. “Seventy percent of our autoimmune system is found in our intestines, known as GALT, or gut-associated lymphoid tissue,” Dr. Gupta explains. “When the intestinal lining becomes inflamed, it can trigger an immune response. Studies show that this plays a role in the development of thyroid disease.”

To help keep inflammation in check, Dr. Gupta recommends following a Mediterranean diet. She suggests aiming for four to five servings of vegetables and three to four servings of fruit each day, along with plenty of lean proteins and fatty fish, such as salmon, herring, anchovies, and mackerel. For other healthy fats, Dr. Gupta likes extra-virgin olive oil, expeller-pressed organic canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, nuts, nut butters, and avocados.

Be wary of certain foods

No surprise here: Dr. Gupta says you should steer clear of processed foods packed with sugar and preservatives, dyes, or fat- and sugar-free substitutes. “Processed foods including trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, and refined sugar can cause intestinal inflammation and in turn, trigger autoimmune flare-ups,” she says. “This is not specific to the thyroid, but the autoimmune system can affect various parts of the body.”

RELATED: 15 Thyroid Cancer Facts Everyone Should Know

A less obvious culprit? Cruciferous veggies such as cauliflower, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, watercress, Bok choy, and Brussels sprouts. They may be packed with good-for-you nutrients like vitamin C and folate, but eating them raw in high doses could mess with your thyroid. “Uncooked cruciferous vegetables contain natural chemicals called goitrogens (goiter producers) that can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis,” she says. But don’t panic just yet, kale lovers: “The goitrogens in these foods are inactivated by cooking, or even by light steaming, so you can still consume them for their valuable antioxidant and cancer-protective effects.” (Phew!)

Consider supplements… But talk to your doctor first

You’ve probably heard that there’s a connection between thyroid health and iodine, which is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. “Worldwide, iodine deficiency is one of the causes of an enlarged thyroid gland and hypothyroidism,” Dr. Gupta says. “However, iodine deficiency is rare in developed countries due to supplementation in table salt and certain foods such as dairy and bread.” In other words, you’re probably already getting enough iodine in your diet as is. In fact, too much iodine can trigger hyperthyroidism in susceptible individuals, so Dr. Gupta doesn’t recommend taking iodine pills without consulting your doctor.

On the other hand, if you suspect your thyroid may need a boost, speak to your doctor about taking selenium or vitamin D, both of which have been linked to improved thyroid health. “Clinical research shows that taking 200 mcg daily of the mineral selenium can reduce anti-thyroid antibodies,” says Dr. Gupta. “Alternatively, you can get the mineral by eating one to two Brazil nuts each day.” (Yup, it’s that simple!)

RELATED: After a Viewer Diagnosed His Thyroid Cancer, HGTV Star Is Now in Remission

As for vitamin D, some research suggests it could be important in regulating the immune system: “Severe deficiency of vitamin D may be associated with autoimmune disease, so have your physician check your vitamin D levels and advise you about supplementation if the level is below normal,” she says.

Dr. Gupta also recommends taking probiotics, which offer a whole host of health benefits. “Probiotics can help modulate the immune system, enhance gut motility, and improve intestinal permeability,” she says. She suggests looking for over-the-counter blends that contain the active cultures Saccahromyces boulardii and Lactobacillus acidophilus or eating natural sources like yogurt and kefir.

RELATED: 12 Ways to Get Your Daily Vitamin D

Try your best to avoid these environmental toxins

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, long-term exposure to endocrine disruptors—chemicals that interfere with your body’s endocrine system—may trigger endocrine problems in humans. A few to be aware of are perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in some carpets, flame-resistant and waterproof clothing, and non-stick cookware, all of which were linked to thyroid disease in a 2010 study. Similarly, in 2011 researchers found that exposure to phthalates (found in fragranced products and soft plastics) and bisphenol-A (found in some hard plastics and canned food linings, although many manufacturers are removing them) could cause disruptions in thyroid hormone levels.

Dr. Gupta also recommends avoiding antibacterial soaps that contain triclosan, an ingredient that has altered hormone regulation in studies of animals (human studies are still ongoing), according to the FDA.

RELATED: What It’s Really Like to Have Thyroid Cancer

Although it would be impossible to avoid these completely, the key is to reduce your exposure as much as you can, especially if you’re pregnant or have little ones in the house—developing fetuses, infants, and children are more vulnerable to any effects of environmental chemicals.

Following some general guidelines can go a long way. “Just use [regular] soap and water to wash your hands instead,” she says. “Use essential oils when fragrance is needed.”

Other things you can do include, choosing more fresh or frozen foods over canned, storing food in porcelain or glass rather than plastics, and keeping your home well-ventilated.

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Superberry Choc Tarts

 

With chocolate ganache engineered from nourishing avocado and a host of wholefood ingredients, these dairy- and gluten-free Superberry Choc Tarts are a clean twist on Christmas dessert.

What you’ll need (makes 6)

• 2 cups (200 g) desiccated coconut
• 1 cup (150 g) raw almonds
• 14 pitted medjool dates
• 1⁄3 cup (65 g) coconut oil
• Pinch of salt

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 avocados
• ½ cup (60 g) cacao powder
• ½ cup (125 ml) pure maple syrup
• 4 pitted medjool dates
• 1 tbsp maca powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings

• 1 ½ cups (180 g) raspberries
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 pitted medjool dates
• 1 tbsp beetroot powder
• 1 tbsp acai berry powder

What you'll do

Put coconut, almonds, dates, coconut oil, dates and salt in a food processor. Process well until combined. Firmly press mixture onto base and sides of six small tart tins. Place in fridge to set.

To make the topping, blend raspberries, chia seeds and dates in a high-powered blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir through beetroot powder and acai berry powder. Set aside to thicken for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the chocolate ganache, scoop avocado flesh into cleaned blender with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Spoon ganache into tart shells and add topping. Place in fridge to set for at least one hour. Enjoy!

Recipe and words by Kristy Celoni from The SuperFoods Kitchen.

 

 

 

 

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The Truth About 7 Old Wives’ Tales About Food

Photo: Getty Images

Throughout my years as a sports nutritionist several athletes have asked whether they should avoid eating turkey on game days because it might make them sleepy. I’m also regularly asked things, like, “Do spicy foods really boost metabolism?” or “Do I really need eight glasses of water a day?” It seems there are a number of eating and drinking wives tales many people still wonder about, including some that are particularly relevant this time of year, like those dealing with colds and hangovers. To set the record straight on seven food-focused notions check out my roundup below. You may be surprised by which beliefs are solid, which are rooted in truth but often exaggerated, and which are just flat-out false.

RELATED: 10 Winter Health Myths Busted

Myth: Turkey makes you sleepy

This myth stems from the fact that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that ups the brain chemical serotonin, used to make melatonin, which are both helpful for sleep. But the truth is the connection isn’t quite that simple or direct. First, turkey isn’t unique in its tryptophan content. The amino acid is also found in chicken, as long with other meats, fish, dairy, and eggs (and you probably haven’t felt sleepy after an omelet).

Without a hefty helping of carbohydrates, which make tryptophan more available to your brain, you probably won’t feel sleepy.

The real reason turkey has been tagged as a snooze inducer is because Thanksgiving (aka Turkey day) is a day of overeating for most people. Stuffing yourself with too much food diverts blood flow to your gut, which is the real brain drainer and energy zapper. So if you want to feel alert go ahead and eat some lean turkey, as long as it’s part of a balanced meal and not super-sized.

Fact: Chicken soups helps with a cold

This one has science on its side. A famous 2000 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that chicken soup has an anti-inflammatory effect, which may help ease pain or discomfort.

Chicken soup can also speed up the movement of mucus through the nose to relieve congestion. While cold beverages can slow the draining of mucous secretions, hot liquids thin them, so they’ll drain faster, which provides some relief. In addition, you tend to lose more fluid when you’re sick, from perspiration, or coughing, and the salt from soup can help keep you hydrated because it triggers water retention. If you don’t eat chicken, a veggie soup will do nicely, and either way adding veggies is a smart way to boost your nutrient intake and bolster immunity.

RELATED: 22 Ways to Survive Cold and Flu Season

Myth: Alcohol helps you sleep

There have been more than 25 studies published about alcohol’s impact on sleep, and while it’s true that alcohol tends to reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, it also disrupts overall sleep, particularly important REM sleep, which is mentally restorative.

And the more you drink, the worse the impact.

If you have trouble sleeping be sure to cut off caffeine at least six hours before bed, keep your room cool, dark, and quiet, and instead of a glass of wine try even five minutes of meditation, deep breathing, or progressive relaxation (focusing on relaxing your body, starting with the tips of your toes, up to the top of your head), either before bed, or after you’ve tucked in.

Myth: Hair of the dog helps a hangover

While imbibing in the a.m. may help temporarily, you’ll rebound right back to hangover symptoms, and probably even intensify them. Having another drink forces your body to prioritize metabolizing the new alcohol, so you get a brief reprieve from the chemical aftermath of the previous night’s cocktails. But as soon as the new alcohol gets processed, you’re back where you started, except this time with even more toxins in your system. While preventing a hangover is your best bet, if you’ve already done the damage the true remedies are time, rest, and lots of H2O. Adding some electrolytes may also help with hydration, which is why pickle juice and coconut water are often cited as hangover helpers.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol From Ruining Your Diet

Fact: A spoonful of honey is good for coughs

Honey contains natural anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial substances. In fact, in one study, more than 100 children with upper respiratory tract infections were given either a honey flavored cough suppressant, nothing, or up to two teaspoons of pure honey before bed. The real honey not only reduced nighttime coughing and improved sleep, but it was just as effective as the over the counter medication.

Next time your throat hurts, ease the discomfort by mixing a little honey with warm water and lemon, or simply swallow honey straight from the spoon. (Note: Due to the risk of infant botulism, never give honey to a child younger than age of one.)

RELATED: 10 Ways to Soothe a Sore Throat

Myth: Spicy foods cause ulcers

We now know that ulcers aren’t caused by worrying, or eating spicy foods that “burn holes” in your stomach. Eighty to 90% of ulcers are caused by H. pylori bacteria, and as a result are treated with antibiotics.

That said, if you’re currently being treated for an ulcer avoiding spicy foods is a good idea until it has healed. But in general, having chili peppers in your diet may offer a number of health benefits, including boosting metabolism, thinning the blood, which lowers the risk of stroke, reducing the risk of certain cancers, supporting immunity, and reducing inflammation, a known trigger of premature aging and chronic disease.

RELATED: 14 Foods That Make You Look Older

Fact: Drinking water helps you lose weight

While it’s not true that you lose weight with every sip of water you drink there have been published studies to support the connection between water and weight management. One found that when adults downed two cups of water right before eating a meal they ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories. A second study, conducted by the same researchers, found that when two groups of people followed the same calorie-controlled plan for 12 weeks, those who drank two cups of water before meals lost about 15.5 pounds, compared to about 11 pounds in the non-water drinking group.

Plus, there is some research to show that water offers a slight metabolic boost. One German study found that drinking 16 ounces (2 cups) of water upped calorie burning by 30%. The effect was triggered within 10 minutes and sustained for over an hour. And while the impact was small, in terms of the total extra number of calories burned, day after day those little boosts can add up.

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Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master’s degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she’s Health’s contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Yankees, previously consulted for three other professional sports teams, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Sass is a three-time New York Times best-selling author, and her brand new book is Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches with Real Food, Real Fast. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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