Showing posts with label WellnessJourney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WellnessJourney. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

How Much Do Our Thoughts Shape Our Health?

Jorm Sangsorn/Getty Images

Time heals all wounds, as the saying goes. But any medical professional can tell you that the hours required for recovery after an injury can vary widely. A person’s age, lifestyle and level of social support, for example, are all known influences on how quickly their body heals. Their thoughts can play a remarkably powerful role as well. In a recent experiment, we tested whether expectations about the time it takes to heal can affect how long it actually takes to recover….Story continues…

By: Ellen Langer

Source: How Much Do Our Thoughts Shape Our Health?

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Critics: 

The well-being of a person is what is good for the person. Theories of well-being try to determine which features of a state are responsible for this state contributing to the person’s well-being. Theories of well-being are often classified into hedonistic theories, desire theories, and objective list theories.

Hedonistic theories and desire theories are subjective theories. According to them, the degree of well-being of a person depends on the subjective mental states and attitudes of this person. Objective list theories, on the other hand, allow that things can benefit a person independent of that person’s subjective attitudes towards these things.

For hedonistic theories, the relevant mental states are experiences of pleasure and pain. One example of such an account can be found in Jeremy Bentham’s works, where it is suggested that the value of experiences only depends on their duration and the intensity of pleasure or pain present in them. Various counterexamples have been formulated against this view.

They usually involve cases where lower aggregate pleasure are intuitively preferable, for example, that the intellectual or aesthetic pleasures are superior to sensory pleasures or that it would be unwise to enter Robert Nozick’s experience machine. These counter-examples are not necessarily conclusive, yet the proponent of hedonistic theories faces the challenge of explaining why common-sense misleads us in the problematic cases.

Desire theories can avoid some of the problems of hedonistic theories by holding that well-being consists in desire-satisfaction: the higher the number of satisfied desires, the higher the well-being. One problem for some versions of desire theory is that not all desires are good: some desires may even have terrible consequences for the agent. Desire theorists have tried to avoid this objection by holding that what matters are not actual desires but the desires the agent would have if she was fully informed.

Thus, desire theories can incorporate what is plausible about subjective theories of well-being with the lack of personal bias of objective list theories. Objective list theories state that a person’s well-being depends on many different basic objective goods. These goods often include subjective factors like a pleasure-pain-balance or desire-satisfaction besides factors that are independent of the subject’s attitudes, like friendship or having virtues.

Objective list theories face the problem of explaining how subject-independent factors can determine a person’s well-being even if this person does not care about these factors. Another objection concerns the selection of the specific factors included. Different theorists have provided very different combinations of basic objective goods. These groupings seem to constitute arbitrary selections unless a clear criterion could be provided why all and only the items within their selections are relevant factors.

Three subdisciplines in psychology are critical for the study of psychological well-being:

  1. Developmental psychology, in which psychological well-being may be analyzed in terms of a pattern of growth across the lifespan.
  2. Personality psychology, in which it is possible to apply Maslow’s concept of self-actualization, Rogers’ concept of the fully functioning person, Jung’s concept of individuation, and Allport’s concept of maturity to account for psychological well-being.
  3. Clinical psychology, in which well-being consists of biological, psychological and social needs being met.

According to Corey Keyes’ five-component model, social well-being is constituted by the following factors:

  1. social integration,
  2. social contribution,
  3. social coherence,
  4. social actualization,
  5. social acceptance.

There are two approaches typically taken to understand psychological well-being:

  1. Distinguishing positive and negative effects and defining optimal psychological well-being and happiness as a balance between the two.
  2. Emphasizes life satisfaction as the key indicator of psychological well-being.

According to Guttman and Levy (1982) well-being is “…a special case of attitude”. This approach serves two purposes in the study of well-being: “developing and testing a [systematic] theory for the structure of [interrelationships] among varieties of well-being, and integration of well-being theory with the ongoing cumulative theory development in the fields of attitude of related research”.

Different forms of well-being, such as mental, physical, economic, or emotional are often closely interlinked. For example, improved physical well-being (e.g., by reducing or ceasing an addiction) is associated with improved emotional well-being. And better economic well-being (e.g., possessing more wealth) tends to be associated with better emotional well-being even in adverse situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Well-being plays a central role in ethics since what a person ought to do depends, at least to some degree, on what would make someone’s life get better or worse. According to welfarism, there are no other values besides well-being. The terms well-being, pleasure, and happiness are used in overlapping ways in everyday language, but their meanings tend to come apart in technical contexts like philosophy or psychology.

Pleasure refers to experience that feels good and is usually seen as one constituent of well-being. But there may be other factors, such as health, virtue, knowledge or the fulfillment of desires. Happiness for example, often seen either as “the individual’s balance of pleasant over unpleasant experience” or as the state of being satisfied with one’s life as a whole, is also commonly taken to be a constituent of well-being.

Theories of well-being try to determine what is essential to all forms of well-being. Hedonistic theories equate well-being with the balance of pleasure over pain. Desire theories hold that well-being consists in desire-satisfaction: the higher the number of satisfied desires, the higher the well-being. Objective list theories state that a person’s well-being depends on a list of factors that may include both subjective and objective elements.

Well-being is also scientifically dependent on endogenous molecules that impact feelings of happiness such as dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin, cortisol and more “Well-being related markers” or “Well-being bio markers”play an important role in the regulation of an organism’s metabolism, and when not working in proper order can lead to malfunction.

In the last half hour

Mental Health Awareness Week: New HSE campaign partners in construction and entertainment Health and Safety Executive (Press Release) 15:54 

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MentalWellbeing ,WellnessJourney ,MindfulLiving ,MentalHealthMatters ,SelfCareTips ,PositiveMindset ,MentalHealthAwareness ,EmotionalWellness ,StressRelief ,MindfulnessPractice ,HealthyMind ,MentalFitness ,MentalHealthSupport ,InnerPeace ,SelfLoveJourney ,HolisticHealth ,MentalClarity ,MentalHealthCommunity ,ThriveNotSurvive

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Sunday, October 25, 2026

Scientists May Have Discovered Why Men’s Prostates Enlarge With Age

(Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library RF/Getty Images)

Scientists have discovered a distinct subtype of cell in the prostate, and it could help solve the mystery of why the gland enlarges with age. This natural phenomenon is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and it tends to occur in just one region of the prostate. But scientists still don’t understand why. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found a possible culprit hiding around the urethra. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, the team has identified a population of prostate cells that are particularly abundant in this region, especially in cases of BPH………Continue reading…

By Carly Cassella

Source:  ScienceAlert

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Critics:

With early diagnosis and treatment, prostate cancer is often highly curable. Many people diagnosed when the cancer hasn’t spread beyond their prostate go on to live normal, cancer-free lives for several years following treatment. Almost 100% of those who have local or regional prostate cancer will survive more than 5 years after diagnosis. Metastatic prostate cancer survival rate.

Fewer people (about 7%) have more advanced prostate cancer at the time of diagnosis. Prostate cancer is among the most successfully treated types of cancer, especially when it’s detected and treated in the early stages. Based on a definition of “cure” that refers to how long a patient treated for prostate cancer remains disease-free, some physicians may tell individuals they’re cured.

Hormone therapy is often used to treat advanced prostate cancer to shrink the cancer and slow its growth. Hormone therapy is sometimes used before radiation therapy to treat cancer that hasn’t spread beyond the prostate. It helps shrink the cancer and increases the effectiveness of radiation therapy. Stage IVB cancers have spread to distant organs such as the bones when the cancer is found. Most stage IVB cancers can’t be cured, but they are treatable.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. About 1 in 44 men will die of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. Other possible early signs of prostate cancer include unusually weak urine flow and unexplained pain around the prostate while sitting.

If cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland, men may experience swelling in the lower body, back, hip or bone pain, abnormal bowel or urinary habits or unexplained weight loss. Switzerland is synonymous with quality healthcare. Prostate cancer patients in Switzerland can expect personalized treatment plans and access to the latest advancements in medical technology.

For men in their 40s and 50s: A PSA score greater than 2.5 ng/ml is considered abnormal. The median PSA for this age range is 0.6 to 0.7 ng/ml. For men in their 60s: A PSA score greater than 4.0 ng/ml is considered abnormal. The normal range is between 1.0 and 1.5 ng/ml. One to 3 coffee cups a day can lower your odds of aggressive prostate cancer by nearly a third — no matter what your health condition is. If you have or used to have prostate cancer, the news could be good for you, too.

Researchers also found that 4 or more cups of coffee a day may help delay the disease’s progression. Allium vegetables: This group includes garlic, onions, leeks, and chives, have been shown to help kill prostate cancer cells. Tomatoes: Contain lycopene, which slows prostate cancer growth and metastasis. Your body absorbs more lycopene from cooked tomatoes and those consumed with oils.

Generally speaking, many patients with prostate cancer undergo surgery to remove tumors or the entire prostate. Surgery may also be performed with radiation therapy to eliminate cancer cells. In other cases, men with early-stage cancer may opt for an “active surveillance” approach. Of men in this study who died of prostate cancer, 54.6% were diagnosed at high (>10 ng/mL) PSA levels, and 39.0% were diagnosed at very high PSA levels (>20 ng/mL).

This suggests that some men were unscreened prior to diagnosis, which is consistent with national screening rates at VA hospitals and clinics (25). This data suggests that men up to the age of 80 are being advised appropriately to receive radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Men older than 80 may still benefit from radical radiation treatment if they have non-indolent prostate cancer. Doctors can often cure early stage prostate cancer.

The 5-year relative survival rate for local or regional prostate cancer is nearly 100% . If the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, or bones, the 5-year relative survival rate can drop to 31%. Natural remedies, such as soy, green tea, pygeum, grass pollen, and saw palmetto, may help to naturally shrink the prostate in some people. Other strategies, such as behavioral changes may also help to shrink the prostate naturally.

Absolute and relative change in serum PSA concentration, as well as the time to return to baseline PSA concentration following ejaculation, were assessed. Results: The serum PSA concentration increased following ejaculation in 87% of the subjects. People without prostates can live full and healthy lives. However, there are side effects to be aware of. Prostate removal surgery is sometimes done to treat prostate cancer.

Removing the prostate can cure prostate cancer and dramatically improve survival odds. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest rate of survival once diagnosed, claiming the lives of over 80 percent of those diagnosed, making it the most fatal type of cancer. This is in part due to delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of this type of cancer.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2026

The Extraordinary Influence of The Lymphatic System On Our Health

Eiko Ojala

I placed the cold, jade rolling pin under my cheekbone and gently glided it to the edge of my face. To be honest, I felt a bit like a piece of pastry. But my grandma assured me that I was engaging in a serious traditional Chinese practice that would make my skin glow and my face less puffy. It would be more than a decade before face rolling became the next big beauty fad on social media – and several years more before I realised its supposed benefits may hinge on the lymphatic system, a network spanning the entire body, consisting largely of thread-like vessels and bean-shaped nodes……..Continue reading…..

By Carissa Wong

Source: New Scientist

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Critics:

Unlike the circulatory system, which is a closed system, the lymphatic system is open. Lymph originates in the interstitial fluid that leaks from blood in the circulatory system into the tissues of the body. This fluid carries nutrients to the cells and collects waste products, bacteria, and damaged cells, before draining into the lymphatic vessels as lymph.

The circulatory system processes an average of 20 litres (5.3 US gal) of blood per day through capillary filtration, which removes plasma from the blood. Roughly 17 litres (4.5 US gal) of the filtered blood is reabsorbed directly into the blood vessels, while the remaining 3 litres (0.79 US gal) are left in the interstitial fluid. The lymphatic system provides an accessory return route to the blood for this remainder.

 

The other main function is that of immune defense. Lymph is very similar to blood plasma, in that it contains waste products and cellular debris, together with bacteria and proteins. The cells of the lymph are mostly lymphocytes. Associated lymphoid organs are composed of lymphoid tissue, and are the sites either of lymphocyte production or of lymphocyte activation. These include the lymph nodes (where the highest lymphocyte concentration is found), the spleen, the thymus, and the tonsils. Lymphocytes are initially generated in the bone marrow.

The lymphoid organs also contain other types of cells such as stromal cells for support. Lymphoid tissue is also associated with mucosas such as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). These vessels carry the lymph throughout the body, passing through numerous lymph nodes which filter out unwanted materials such as bacteria and damaged cells. Lymph then passes into much larger lymph vessels known as lymph ducts.

The right lymphatic duct drains the right side of the region and the much larger left lymphatic duct, known as the thoracic duct, drains the left side of the body. The ducts empty into the subclavian veins to return to the blood circulation. Lymph is moved through the system by muscle contractions. In some vertebrates, a lymph heart is present that pumps the lymph to the veins.

The lymphatic system was first described in the 17th century independently by Olaus Rudbeck and Thomas Bartholin. The lymphatic system consists of a conducting network of lymphatic vessels, lymphoid organs, lymphoid tissues, and the circulating lymph. The primary (or central) lymphoid organs, including the thymus, bone marrow, fetal liver and yolk sac, are responsible for generating lymphocytes from immature progenitor cells in the absence of antigens.

The thymus and the bone marrow constitute the primary lymphoid organs involved in the production and early clonal selection of lymphocyte tissues.Bird species’ primary lymphoid organs include the bone marrow, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, and yolk sac. Bone marrow is responsible for both the creation of T cell precursors and the production and maturation of B cells, which are important cell types of the immune system. From the bone marrow, B cells immediately join the circulatory system and travel to secondary lymphoid organs in search of pathogens.

T cells, on the other hand, travel from the bone marrow to the thymus, where they develop further and mature. Mature T cells then join B cells in search of pathogens. The other 95% of T cells begin a process of apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death: T cells that cannot interact strongly enough with self-antigens are eliminated during T cell § Positive selection, and T cells that attack the body’s own proteins are eliminated during § Negative selection.

The thymus increases in size from birth in response to postnatal antigen stimulation. It is most active during the neonatal and pre-adolescent periods. The thymus is located between the inferior neck and the superior thorax. At puberty, by the early teens, the thymus begins to atrophy and regress, with adipose tissue mostly replacing the thymic stroma. However, residual T cell lymphopoiesis continues throughout adulthood, providing some immune response.

The thymus is where the T lymphocytes mature and become immunocompetent. The loss or lack of the thymus results in severe immunodeficiency and subsequent high susceptibility to infection. In most species, the thymus consists of lobules divided by septa, which are made up of epithelium, which is often considered an epithelial organ. T cells mature from thymocytes, proliferate, and undergo a selection process in the thymic cortex before entering the medulla to interact with epithelial cells.

Research on bony fish showed a buildup of T cells in the thymus and spleen of lymphoid tissues in salmon and showed that there are not many T cells in non-lymphoid tissues. The thymus provides an inductive environment for developing T cells from hematopoietic progenitor cells. In addition, thymic stromal cells allow for the selection of a functional and self-tolerant T cell repertoire. Therefore, one of the most important roles of the thymus is the induction of central tolerance.

However, the thymus is not where the infection is fought, as the T cells have yet to become immunocompetent. The secondary (or peripheral) lymphoid organs, which include lymph nodes and the spleen, maintain mature naive lymphocytes and initiate an adaptive immune response. The secondary lymphoid organs are the sites of lymphocyte activation by antigens. Activation leads to clonal selection and affinity maturation. Mature lymphocytes recirculate between the blood and the secondary lymphoid organs until they encounter their specific antigen.

The lymphatic vessels, also called lymph vessels, are thin-walled vessels that conduct lymph between different parts of the body. They include the tubular vessels of the lymph capillaries, and the larger collecting vessels – the right lymphatic duct and the thoracic duct (the left lymphatic duct). The lymph capillaries are mainly responsible for the absorption of interstitial fluid from the tissues, while lymph vessels propel the absorbed fluid forward into the larger collecting ducts, where it ultimately returns to the bloodstream via one of the subclavian veins.

The tissues of the lymphatic system are responsible for maintaining the balance of the body fluids. Its network of capillaries and collecting lymphatic vessels efficiently drain and transport extravasated fluid, along with proteins and antigens, back to the circulatory system. Numerous intraluminal valves in the vessels ensure a unidirectional flow of lymph without reflux. Two valve systems, a primary and a secondary valve system, are used to achieve this unidirectional flow.

The capillaries are blind-ended, and the valves at the ends of capillaries use specialised junctions together with anchoring filaments to allow a unidirectional flow to the primary vessels. When interstitial fluid increases, it causes swelling that stretches collagen fibers anchored to adjacent connective tissue, opening the unidirectional valves at the ends of these capillaries and facilitating the entry and subsequent drainage of excess lymph fluid.

The collecting lymphatics, however, propel the lymph by the combined actions of the intraluminal valves and lymphatic muscle cells. The development of the lymphatic vascular system is a highly coordinated process essential for maintaining fluid homeostasis, immune surveillance, and lipid absorption. Lymphangiogenesis, the formation of lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones, is primarily driven by the migration and differentiation of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) under the influence of molecular signals such as vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C).

The maturation and specialization of lymphatic vessels involve complex interactions with surrounding tissues, ensuring the proper function of lymphatic drainage and Immune cell trafficking. Recent advances in vitro and in vivo studies have provided deeper insights into the mechanisms regulating lymphatic vascular development, as well as the processes governing its maintenance and aging. Understanding these pathways is critical, as disruptions in lymphatic development are implicated in congenital disorders, inflammatory diseases, and cancer metastasis.

Lymphatic tissues begin to develop by the end of the fifth week of embryonic development. Lymphatic vessels develop from lymph sacs that arise from developing veins, which are derived from mesoderm. The first lymph sacs to appear are the paired jugular lymph sacs at the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins. From the jugular lymph sacs, lymphatic capillary plexuses spread to the thorax, upper limbs, neck, and head.

Some of the plexuses enlarge and form lymphatic vessels in their respective regions. Each jugular lymph sac retains at least one connection with its jugular vein, the left one developing into the superior portion of the thoracic duct. The spleen develops from mesenchymal cells between layers of the dorsal mesentery of the stomach. The thymus arises as an outgrowth of the third pharyngeal pouch.

Patrick Helfer: lymphatic drainage as an inner journey

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