Weekly health horoscope
Aries
This week, you may experience slight discomfort in your neck and shoulders, which can be alleviated with light stretching and physiotherapy. Paying attention to your posture during work or activities will help prevent further strain. Incorporate deep breathing exercises and meditation to keep mental stress at bay and maintain overall energy balance. Prioritizing rest and hydration will support your physical and mental well-being.
Taurus
Your health may face minor fluctuations this week, with seasonal ailments possibly affecting you. Be vigilant with your diet and ensure a good intake of vitamins to boost your immune system. Regular light exercise like walking and yoga can help maintain balance in your body. Proper hydration and rest will play crucial roles in keeping you feeling strong and resilient.
Gemini
Your health will likely remain stable this week, but taking extra care of your skin is recommended. Increase your water intake and maintain a skincare routine to keep your skin healthy. Include short meditation sessions to ensure mental clarity and reduce stress. Maintaining a balanced lifestyle will help you stay in top shape throughout the week.
Cancer
This week brings a boost of energy that will inspire you to engage in physical activities. Participate in light sports or workouts to keep your energy levels high. Incorporate leafy greens and protein into your diet for added strength. Adequate rest and mindful relaxation techniques will complement your active routine, helping you feel revitalized.
Leo
Your physical strength will be good this week, but be cautious during intense physical activities or sports to avoid minor injuries. Take breaks when needed and focus on maintaining safety while being active. Light exercises and a balanced diet will support your body’s overall health. Stay mindful of your body’s signals to ensure steady energy levels.
Virgo
This week promises good health and stability. Enhancing your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables will support your digestive health. Engage in moderate exercise and make time for rest to sustain your energy. Mindfulness and meditation practices will help keep your mind calm and centered, supporting your overall well-being as the week progresses.
Libra
You will feel improvements in both your physical and mental health this week. Regular meditation and positive thinking will help reduce any mental stress. Trying new physical activities can be beneficial and energize your routine. Spending time with friends and family will also uplift your spirits and support emotional health, contributing to overall well-being.
Scorpio
This week calls for small adjustments to your daily routine to enhance your health. Pay attention to minor health concerns and don’t ignore any physical discomforts. Incorporate balanced meals and light exercise to maintain your vitality. This is a good time to build consistency in your wellness habits to strengthen your body and mind.
Sagittarius
Your health will be robust this week, providing you with ample energy to stay active. Continue with light physical activities like walking or jogging to keep your body engaged. Meditation and yoga will contribute to your mental balance. By maintaining healthy habits, you’ll set yourself up for sustained energy and positivity throughout the week.
Capricorn
You may need to monitor your blood pressure and overall stress levels this week. Ensure your diet is balanced, and include mild physical activities to support circulation and well-being. Regular breaks during work and relaxation techniques like breathing exercises will help keep your stress levels in check and maintain mental peace.
Aquarius
This week, pay attention to potential muscle stiffness or joint discomfort. Light stretching exercises and regular movement can alleviate these issues. A nutrient-rich diet and consistent hydration are key to maintaining energy levels. Take time to care for your physical health, which will enhance your overall stamina and vitality.
Pisces
Positive changes in your health are likely this week, especially if you’ve been working on weight management or fitness goals. Stick to a nutritious diet and continue regular exercise routines. Meditation will help keep your mind calm and free from stress, contributing to improved overall health. Embrace new healthy practices to reinforce your well-being.
(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.
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.
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.
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."
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
The Wi-Fi signals did not cause any major or noticeable effects on:
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.
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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