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Dear all,
⛱ I hope you’ve had a smooth week so far and are enjoying the summertime whether you’re still working or already on a beach!
We’ll also pass into “holiday mode” with a special format of my newsletter over the next 3 weeks, we won’t forget about the science but will focus more on fun, joy and happiness! Are you ready to boost your happiness this summer?
🎧 And if you missed the latest episodes of my Podcasts, about "stress and disease", you have the quick access here; stay tuned, a new episode will be released by the end of the week about how stress affects our brain.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please remember that this Newsletter is NOT by any means a medical advice, if you have any medical problem you should consult your medical doctor.
💡 Here is what we’ll talk about in this newsletter:
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INSPIRATIONAL STORY
Meeting ESTHER PEREL
I must confess that I didn’t know Esther Perel until just one week ago, but when I met her at a friend’s brunch I immediately knew she had “something”, the kind of person that you look forward to talking with more. Of course, the brunch was such a success that I didn’t see the time flying by - the food was delicious (thanks again, Greg!), the people were amazing, we had interesting conversations and a lot of fun (we danced a lot, even at 2:00 pm with temperatures of at least 30°C). Anyway, going back to Esther, I understood that she’s a couple’s therapist in New York, which I found interesting; but maybe because I recently had a breakup, I unconsciously avoided the topic although I wanted to know more about her work (that classic ambivalence that can often trick our minds). When it was time to leave, I was convinced that I couldn’t go without talking a little bit more with this extraordinary woman (in the meantime, I found out more from her husband, Jack, a trauma psychologist and researcher, with who I had a fascinating conversation). Once I got home, I read every single article of Esther I could find, I watched her TED talks (along with 25 million others!) and joined her online course! I can’t help but smile thinking about the coincidence: breaking up and then randomly meeting one of the most famous couple’s therapists in the world (of course, I’m sure that many people who meet her could say the same thing!).
Anyway, life is really funny!
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ARE THE SUNSCREENS SAFE?
A study, published few weeks ago in the Journal of the American Medical Association evaluated the systemic absorption of four commercially available sunscreens, randomly assigned 24 healthy people. Two of them were sprays, the third was a lotion, and the fourth was a cream. Participants were instructed to apply the sunscreens to 75 percent of their bodies four times a day for four days, and 30 blood samples were drawn over a week.
The study examined four common sunscreen components: avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule. For all four, the levels were higher than the limit for the entire week for all the products except the cream. They also increased from Day 1 to Day 4, meaning that there was accumulation of the chemical in the body with continued use.
However, more studies are needed, andin the meantime FDA proposed rule, which is still open for public comment, suggests that sunscreens with para-aminobenzoic acid (an association with allergies) and trolamine salicylate (an association with bleeding) should not be given the designation “ generally regarded as safe and effective.”
The rule also proposes that sunscreens that rely on zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide should be “generally regarded as safe and effective.” These inorganic compounds are not absorbed into the body, and sit on the skin reflecting or absorbing the sun’s harmful rays.
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SPENDING TIME IN NATURE- 2 HOURS/WEEK
It was already knew that spedning time in nature is not only pleasant but also good for our health, like for example reducing anxiety, depression, high blood presssion, obesity, diabetes as this study from 2017 had shown.
A new study published in Scientific Reports, a peer-review journal from Nature Research, found that the optimal amount of time for our health to spend in green spaces (i.e., urban parks, the woods or beaches) is two hours per week.
Researchers looked at a government survey that asked 20,000 U.K.-based participants to track their activities for a week. Those who spent at least two hours in nature reported better health and well-being compared to those who didn’t.
Interestingly, the data also showed that after about 200 to 300 minutes of exposure to nature, the positive health benefits peaked, but spending more than five hours per week in nature had no further benefits.
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STRESS RELEIF FROM LAUGHTER? IS NOT A JOKE :)
Who doesn't know how pleasant and funny is to share a good laugh, but now research is beginning to prove more and more that this adage might be truer than we think. Laughter has long been known to make people happier, but research has shown that even anticipating a good laugh is good for your health.
When stressed out, the body constricts blood vessels, elevates the production of potentially damaging stress hormones, and raises blood pressure. Short periods of stress are normal and not dangerous, but over long periods of time stress weakens the immune system and makes heart problems more likely.
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
- Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
- Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
- Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
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MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
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Dancing - I must say that I realised I haven’t danced enough in the past years, although I remember that besides going dancing every week when I was a student, I also liked to dance around my room when I got too tired of my medical studies :) Last weekend, I danced with new friends during a brunch, in the middle of the day and we had so much fun! I definitely want to do it more often! On my agenda, I’ll organise a “dancing brunch” soon :)
PS: What's your book list for the summer?
Looking forward to hearing from you! lavinia@drionita.com
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Want to know more?
Just give me a signal, I’m happy to talk :)
Have a nice summer and stay healthy!
Lavinia ❤️
Medical Doctor | Dr Ionita
Founder | Akesio
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