The benefits of Milk Thistle
Studies have long showed the benefits of milk thistle in helping support the liver, spleen and gall bladder. And now a recent Bulgarian review attributes these effects to the natural antioxidant properties of plant chemicals found in the shiny black seeds[i]. These are thought to help scavenge free radicals – rogue molecules that can cause untold damage to cells. Milk Thistle is a sturdy daisy-like plant with pale purple flowers found in southern Europe, North Africa and South America.
Learning a new language can improve your brain activity
Looking for a quick brain boost? A recent study from Tokyo of first-time learners of Japanese reveals that studying a new language boosts brain activity after just a few months,[ii]. The reason? It seems that learning a language uses four different parts of the brain – grammar centre, comprehension area, auditory processing and vocabulary areas – and boosts connectivity between them. This in turn leads to better mental function.
But this activity declines as language skills improve. It seems that brain activation goes down after successfully learning a language because it doesn’t require so much energy or effort to understand, suggest the researchers.
Experience nature this Mental Health Awareness week
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week which runs May 10th – 17th is nature and the environment and how spending time outside can benefit our mental wellbeing. Here are some ideas from the organisers on how to get involved:
Experience nature:
Take time to recognise and grow your connection with nature during the week. Take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in your daily life. You might be surprised by what you notice!
Share nature:
Take a photo, video or sound recording and share the connections you’ve made during the week, to inspire others. Join the discussion on how you’re connecting with nature by using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Talk about nature:
Use their tips, school packs, research and policy guides to discuss in your family, school, workplace and community how you can help encourage people to find new ways to connect with nature in your local environment.
For more information visit their website or join the conversation on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
[i] http://tru.uni-sz.bg/tsj/Volume%2019,%202021,%20Number%201,%20Series%20Biomedical%20Sciences/1_V.Ivanov.pdf
[ii] https://blog.frontiersin.org/2021/03/26/measurable-changes-in-brain-activity-during-first-few-months-of-studying-a-new-language-improvements-in-reading-and-listening-skills-of-first-time-japanese-language-students/
Add comment