Weekly Health Horoscope For December 8-14, 2024: Concentrate On Mental And Physical Equilibrium, Zodiacs

Updated Dec 9, 2024 | 03:03 PM IST

SummaryThis week's wellness horoscope provides personalized tips for each zodiac sign, offering guidance on maintaining mental, physical, and emotional health. Focus on balanced nutrition, mindful practices, exercise routines, and self-care rituals to support overall well-being and vitality.
Weekly health horoscope

Weekly health horoscope

Aries

Aries, your continuous good eating habits will probably help you this week since they improve your mood, concentration, and general energy. Following this schedule will help you to keep your mental and physical health in good condition for long. Your positive attitude motivates you to keep active and is a great time to create new habits that maintain your sensation of renewal.

Taurus

Taurus, pay special attention to the signals your body sends this week; neglecting little health concerns might cause more major difficulties. A compromised immune system could disrupt things, hence give physical fitness and overall well-being first priority. Being proactive—that is, eating well and working out consistently—will help you keep on target.

Gemini

Gemini, your health becomes better this week as lifestyle choices include better eating and physical activity help to ease minor ailments. This is the right moment to start a spiritual practice since it will help one to find inner peace and quiet. A balanced body and mind guarantees you will remain energetic and effective.

Cancer

Cancer, your health is still steady as consistent exercise and disciplined habits help to maintain a balanced condition of well-being. Including stress-reducing practices like yoga and meditation improves your energy even more. Emphasize on keeping this balance since it opens the path for a happy and stress-free way of life.

Leo

Leo, thanks to dietary supplements and meditation techniques that maintain your energy levels high, your health is in good state. To prevent lifestyle-related diseases, though, avoid protracted inactivity. Maintaining constant wellness depends on keeping aware of your food patterns and doing moderate physical exercise.

Virgo

Virgo, as you welcome physical and mental fitness, your health is improving. Regular physical exercises and yoga help you reach harmony in your everyday life. Enjoy this time of wellness, but keep strict about following your routines to guarantee long-term advantages.

Libra

Libra, this week your health might call for little changes. If you have minor illnesses, give medication top priority and focus on nutritional balance with regard for proteins and fiber. A great tool to assist you reach a condition of peace and stability is yoga since it can promote mental clarity and relaxation.

Scorpio

Though you can have minor allergic responses, swimming or cycling will help you stay in shape. To calm your senses, relaxation activities are vital; hence, think about include them into your daily schedule to maintain your general health.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius, your health is still good as consistent sports and physical exercise help to increase fitness. Yoga and aromatherapy help you to improve your core strength and relaxation even more. This is a perfect week to concentrate on mental and physical equilibrium.

Capricorn

Staying active with consistent exercise and eating wholesome meals in moderation would help you greatly improve your health if Capricorn. Though overindulgence might have negative consequences, pay close attention to your body's requirements. Your energy will remain constant if you approach wellness holistically.

Aquarius

Aquarius, giving an active lifestyle first priority helps you keep your physical fitness this week. Your general well-being is improved by your happy attitude, hence this is a perfect moment to create reasonable medical objectives. Keep constant in your attempts to get long-lasting advantages.

Pisces

This week Pisces provides advances in your physical and mental health; tiny illnesses and allergies could throw off your balance. Take quick care of these little problems to protect your health. Emphasize on keeping balance between your body and mind for best health.

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This US County Has The Highest Rates Of Dementia - Here Is The Reason Why

Updated May 13, 2025 | 04:07 PM IST

SummaryAlzheimer’s devastates many people throughout the world. It is one of the most common causes of dementia. While there are particular people who are more likely to develop this condition, this is the county that data shows to have the highest rates of dementia patients.

(Credit-Canva)

Being the most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memories, thinking skills and behavioral abilities. These symptoms eventually grow enough to interfere with daily tasks. According to the Alzheimer’s Association over seven million Americans live with Alzheimer’s and that number is said to increase to 13 million by 2050. Nearly 12 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementia issues.

However, are there certain places that have more people affected by Alzheimer’s? According to the South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Texas has the fourth highest number of Alzheimer’s and second highest number of deaths from Alzheimer’s in the US. The Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation states that the Starr County is where 26% of Medicare beneficiaries come from. It is a rural Hispanic centric county in the Rio Grande City.

What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?

National Institute on Aging explains that one of the biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s is aging, most people develop Alzheimer’s when they are 65 or older with less than 10% cases happening before this. Other things include genetics, and research has shown conditions such as heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure could also be risk factors.

Researchers do not fully understand what causes Alzheimer's. They think it's due to clumps of proteins in the brain that damage brain cells. It's likely a mix of genes, how people live, and what's around them. However, one common factor that has been observed by the researchers is that many of these families come from poor economic backgrounds.

Being poor might play a big role because people in poorer areas often have worse air, drive more instead of walking, have more stress, and don't see people as much. She also mentioned that there might be bad things in the water, like arsenic, that can hurt the brain. The very hot weather in Texas could also be a problem, adding stress to the body. Finally, she noted that the large Hispanic population in the area might be more likely to get dementia for reasons we don't yet know.

How Socioeconomic Background of People Affects Alzheimer's

To understand how financial backgrounds could affect Alzheimer's, a 2018 study done by the International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease showed that the number of people without jobs in a region didn't seem to change how much Alzheimer's affected lifespan. This study looked at different areas in Slovakia to see if things like how much money people have, how many people have jobs, and how much education people get affect how long people might live if no one ever got Alzheimer's disease.

However, they found that the amount of money a region had (GDP), the average pay people got, and how educated people were, did have an impact.

More education seemed to indirectly lead to a bigger impact from Alzheimer's on lifespan, which matches what other studies have found. Surprisingly, they also found that when wages and the overall wealth of a region were higher, Alzheimer's seemed to have a bigger effect on shortening lifespan. This is different from what other studies have suggested, where more money usually means less Alzheimer's.

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Gardening Helps Slow Down Cognitive Decline

Updated May 13, 2025 | 06:00 PM IST

SummaryThe study stated that nature can significantly increase physical activity and social connection while reducing stress, which has multiple positive knock-on effects such as blood pressure, blood sugar control and healthy weight.
Gardening Helps Slow Down Cognitive Decline

Gardening Helps Slow Down Cognitive Decline

Gardening preserves cognitive function and may also help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, among others. A new study, which was conducted by researchers in the UK, showed that those who grew and nurtured plants as well as lived in greener environments slowed down their cognitive decline. Intrestingly, there is already enough empirical evidence that shows plants reduce stress and improve memory and recall.

It is because of this that many countries have care farms, which get their name from the way they serve people's impulses to work and connect with others. Speaking to the BBC, Henreitte Bringsjord, whose parents founded one of such farms, said, "My mum and dad loved farm work, and they thought about how hard it is for people with dementia to stop working and lose their social life. So, they wanted to help people with dementia become a part of life again."

How Do Plants Help You Boost Neurological Pathways?

The study, which was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, stated that nature can significantly increase physical activity and social connection while reducing stress, which has multiple positive knock-on effects such as blood pressure, blood sugar control and healthy weight. According to health experts, physical activities really have immense health benefits, but gardening surcharges those.

To test the same, researchers from the University of Edinburgh investigated if there might be a link between gardening and changes in our intelligence over our lifetimes. The study compared the intelligence test scores of participants at age 11 and age 79. All the participants in the study were residents of Edinburgh and were traced throughout their lifetimes. Of the 467 people tested, almost 31 per cent had never gardened, but 43 per cent regularly did. The results showed that those who spent time gardening showed greater lifetime improvement in their cognitive ability than those who never or rarely did. "Between the ages of 79 and 90, cognitive ability, including memory, problem solving, and word fluency, generally declined across the board, but the earlier advantage of gardeners endured", researchers of the study said.

Besides gardening, these are the activities that can also help you boost cognitive health.

1. Physical Exercise: Improves blood flow to the brain and promotes neurogenesis.

2. Mental Exercises: Engaging in puzzles, chess, and memory games enhances problem-solving skills and memory.

3. Reading and Learning: Reading diverse materials or learning a new language strengthens neural connections.

4. Playing Musical Instruments: Enhances cognitive processing and coordination.

5. Social Interactions: Meaningful conversations and group activities stimulate cognitive and emotional processing.

6. Mindfulness and Meditation: Reduces stress and improves focus and attention span.

7. Adequate Sleep: Supports memory consolidation and cognitive function.

8. Healthy Diet: Consuming foods rich in omega-3s, antioxidants, and vitamins promotes brain health.

9. Hobbies and New Skills: Learning new skills or hobbies keeps the brain active and engaged.

10. Cognitive Training Apps: Apps designed for memory and focus training can provide structured mental workouts.

ALSO READ: 6 Tips To Take Care Of Your Gut Health By Celebrity Doctor Steven Grundy

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Should You Turn Off Your Wifi Router Before Sleep?

Updated May 14, 2025 | 02:00 AM IST

SummaryWi-Fi routers emit non-ionising radiation — a low-level form of electromagnetic radiation, but does it really bother when you sleep? Let us find out.
Should You Turn Off Your Wifi Router Before Sleep?

Credits: Canva

A wave of social media posts has sparked curiosity around a simple bedtime habit: switching off your Wi-Fi router at night. Some claim it boosts sleep quality, reduces headaches, and even improves mental clarity. But is there any science to back this? Here's what experts say happens when you turn off your Wi-Fi for seven nights in a row.

Does Wi-Fi Radiation Affect Your Body?

Wi-Fi routers emit non-ionising radiation — a low-level form of electromagnetic radiation (EMF) — that is widely considered safe under normal household exposure. Dr Hiran S. Reddy, consultant physician, diabetologist, and critical care specialist at Gleneagles Hospital, Hyderabad, who spoke to Indian Express said that for most people, turning off the router is unlikely to cause any physiological changes.

“WiFi devices emit low-level, non-ionising radiation, which current scientific consensus deems safe at everyday exposure levels,” he explained.

However, Dr Reddy noted that people who report heightened sensitivity to electromagnetic fields — a condition known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity — may experience perceived relief from symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. But clinical evidence for this condition remains inconclusive.

Is Sleep Impacted by Wi-Fi Signals?

Dr Sudhir Kumar, consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, speaking to Indian Express told that most studies on Wi-Fi radiation have been conducted on animals. “There’s no conclusive evidence that Wi-Fi disrupts melatonin production from the pineal gland or interferes with human sleep,” he says.

He explains that Wi-Fi routers typically operate at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequencies, which emit far less energy than a mobile phone held close to the head. At common indoor distances (1–2 metres), the signal strength drops significantly, making it unlikely to influence melatonin or sleep in any measurable way.

The Real Sleep Disruptor: Screen Time

Interestingly, both doctors agree that if anything is affecting sleep, it’s likely the screen time, not the router itself. Blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and laptops interferes with the pineal gland and suppresses melatonin — the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

“Disabling Wi-Fi might reduce digital engagement, particularly screen exposure late at night. That can indirectly improve melatonin production and sleep quality,” says Dr Reddy.

Better Sleep Hygiene, Not Less Radiation

While switching off your Wi-Fi router for seven nights won’t likely cause direct changes in your brain or body, it may lead to better bedtime routines. Less internet access could mean fewer late-night scrolls, reduced digital distractions, and an earlier wind-down — all of which support better sleep hygiene.

“Quality sleep enhances everything from mood and cognitive function to immune health,” Dr Reddy noted.

What Does The Study Say?

As per the 2020 study published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, titled: Spending the night next to a router – Results from the first human experimental study investigating the impact of Wi-Fi exposure on sleep, a night of Wi-Fi exposure doesn’t seem to cause sleep problems for healthy young men — but it might make very subtle changes in brain activity that scientists are still trying to understand.

How Was The Study Conducted?

Researchers studied how Wi-Fi exposure might affect sleep. They invited 34 healthy young men (average age around 24) to stay in a sleep lab for five nights. The first night helped them get used to the lab. Then, they had two test nights — each one following a “normal” night to compare results.

During the test nights, some participants were exposed to Wi-Fi signals (at 2.45 GHz, like your home router), while others got fake (sham) signals. The researchers didn’t tell the participants which one they were getting. Sleep was measured in two ways:

Subjective sleep: How well participants felt they slept (through a questionnaire).

Objective sleep: What actually happened in their brains and bodies during sleep (measured using special equipment called polysomnography).

What They Found

The Wi-Fi signals did not cause any major or noticeable effects on:

  • How well participants thought they slept
  • The general structure and stages of their sleep (called sleep macrostructure)

However, a detailed look at brain activity showed a small change:

There was a slight decrease in brain wave activity in the alpha frequency range (8–11.75 Hz) during deep (non-REM) sleep when Wi-Fi was on. This change is called a reduction in EEG alpha power.

What It Means

Wi-Fi signals didn’t seem to change how people felt they slept or the main parts of their sleep.

There was a small, measurable brain activity change, but it’s unclear if this has any real impact on health or sleep quality.

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