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Coffee Helps Prevent Depression

Studies advocate coffee consumption because its positive effects can prevent depression.

Does coffee mean the end of depression?

Coffee is known to have many positive effects on the human body: it acts as a pick-me-up thanks to the stimulating properties of caffeine and is also healthy thanks to its many vital substances. It can also help with slimming. Studies now suggest that coffee can help with depression. According to research, certain ingredients in coffee have a protective effect that prevents depression. But what exactly is supposed to cause this effect?

How coffee prevents depression

Depression is caused by constant, chronic stress. Certain connection points between certain nerve cells (synapses) no longer function properly. As a result, one becomes forgetful and anxious. There are already several studies that have specialized in coffee consumption in depression or chronic stress that leads to depression. The following results came out:

A 2012 study with rats showed that the caffeine in coffee can prevent depression. In this study, the rats were subjected to repeated and unpredictable stress, which caused them to exhibit depressive behavior and increased anxiety, among other things. The rats were given caffeine orally for a long period of time. This caffeine consumption caused an antidepressant and anxiolytic effect similar to the antidepressant. In another study, mice were exposed to stress for three weeks, which also showed corresponding conditions. They were less able to orientate themselves and had more stress hormones in their blood, and they also seemed joyless and helpless. The constant stress meant that more adenosine receptors were formed at the synapses and, especially in the hippocampus (the gateway to memory), the synapses no longer worked properly. If a specific gene was blocked by the caffeine, the mice were protected from depression. Thus, caffeine could be instrumental in preventing depression.

In a first meta-analysis, Chinese researchers recognized that both coffee consumption and caffeine consumption reduce the risk of depression. On average, the risk of depression fell by eight percent per cup of coffee per day in this analysis. The risk was also lower with regular caffeine consumption, but it did not decrease evenly. A second meta-analysis had comparable results. The amounts of coffee consumed were also examined here. Those who drank a lot of coffee had a lower relative risk of developing depression. 400 ml of coffee per day showed the best protective effect against depression. Green tea and caffeine also had some protective effects.

Coffee to prevent depression

Many studies suggest that daily coffee consumption can prevent depression. However, the results differed with regard to the substance responsible for this effect. In some studies, caffeine consumption alone is sufficient. A possible answer could be the adenosine receptors, which are blocked by caffeine. In others, the caffeine only works better in connection with the coffee drink against depression. It can also be other substances or the interaction of several ingredients that have the positive effect against mental disorders caused by constant stress. But one thing is certain: if you consume a certain amount of coffee every day, you build up a protective effect that reduces the risk of depression.

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Sugar Withdrawal: What Effectively Helps Against Sugar Addiction

Too much sugar can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and the so-called metabolic syndrome. Nevertheless, almost everyone likes to grab chocolate, gummy bears or sweet drinks. Is it the sugar addiction?

Sugar is not healthy and we eat far too much of it – everyone knows that by now. Whether sugar can be addictive and whether there is a sugar addiction is discussed in science.

Does Sugar Addiction Exist?

There are already a number of studies that deal with sugar addiction. Prof. Falk Kiefer from the University of Heidelberg used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look inside the brains of overweight people. He found that our brain reacts differently to apples than to sweets: the high-sugar foods activate the reward system. Similar to alcohol or other addictive substances, the brain releases more dopamine. Dopamine is known as a kind of happiness hormone. Nevertheless, Prof. Kiefer does not speak of a sugar addiction. However, there is no question that sugar can trigger addiction-like behavior.

Other studies have tested the link between sugar and addiction in rats. High sugar consumption caused brain changes in the rats. This later led to a craving for sweets. However, it remains unclear whether the result can also be transferred to humans.

Where does sugar addiction come from?

We live in a time when sugar is available anytime, anywhere. That was not the case before. The five tastes of bitter, salty, sour, umami (savory) and sweet were used by our ancestors to judge whether something was edible or poisonous. Poisonous plants are often bitter, unripe ones often sour. A sweet taste, on the other hand, means that something is ripe and edible. No wonder we love sugar and can’t resist it.

But our problem today is that we can hardly avoid sugar. It is omnipresent and available at all times. If you want to try avoiding sugar and reducing your cravings, Utopia shows you a number of helpful tricks.

Sugar withdrawal tip 1: Eat sensible food

Sounds banal, but it is important: try to eat as wholesome and healthy as possible. Dietary fibers from green vegetables or whole grain bread and proteins from legumes keep you full for longer. And you’ll get cravings less quickly.

Also watch out for hidden sugar in food: Sugar can be added to convenience products, bread, yoghurt or supposedly healthy fruit bars. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be called “sugar”: Sugar is also hidden behind sucrose, lactose, fructose (sirup), fructose, glucose (syrup), dextrose, invert sugar (syrup), dextrose or (malto)dextrins .

Sugar withdrawal tip 2: Eat regularly

Breakfast, lunch, dinner: These three meals should definitely be included. The longer you go without a meal, the more likely you are to crave sweets. And if you get hungry in the meantime: try fruit. Of course, fruit also contains sugar, which you want to avoid during sugar withdrawal. However, fruit is not as sweet as table sugar and also contains many important vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Sugar withdrawal, tip 3: Sweetener as a sugar substitute?

D rather not. Sweeteners are at least as sweet as sugar. So you won’t be able to get rid of the sweet taste from the sugar substitute. In addition, some sweeteners are not recommended: the sweeteners aspartame, acesulfame and cyclamate are suspected of having an appetizing effect and the consumer centers advise against consuming larger quantities. It is better to gradually reduce the amount of sugar as you withdraw from it.

Sugar withdrawal, tip 4: Sport against sugar addiction

The next time you get cravings, lace up your sneakers. Because when you exercise, your body releases the same feelings of happiness as it does with sugar. Especially when you go to your limits and it gets really exhausting, feelings of elation set in. In addition, the feelings of happiness last longer. You’ll still feel energetic and happy hours later, unless you’ve completely exhausted yourself by exercising.

Which sport you choose is up to you. The main thing is to exercise and have fun.

Sugar withdrawal tip 5: Get enough sleep

After a good workout you can sometimes sleep like a baby. And that’s a good thing: those who have had a good night’s sleep have less of a need for sweets to keep themselves awake and active.

The subject of sleep is often underestimated in everyday life. Not getting enough sleep can lead to a vicious circle: You are tired, so you eat sweets, you wake up for a short time, your blood sugar level takes a roller coaster ride. Then you won’t be able to fall asleep at night and the fun starts all over again.

Better get seven to eight hours of sleep, and you might not even think about your cravings, and the sugar withdrawal will go just fine.

Sugar withdrawal, tip 6: risk factor stress

Many people eat sweets because they are stressed. But chocolate & co. are not conducive to relaxation and sugar withdrawal quickly turns into a failure. After a stressful day, you should rather go out into the fresh air or get your mind off things when you talk to friends on the phone.

Or you try to counteract the causes of stress: For example, try to manage your working hours more efficiently so that you don’t drown in tasks. Or talk about it with the people who are causing you problems – for example, if someone in the family or close friends is the trigger of your stress.

Sugar withdrawal tip 7: Drink water if you are addicted to sugar

When cravings get you and you don’t have trainers handy, what then? Sugar attacks are often not as bad as we think. Try it with a large glass of water (or two or three…).

You can also feel really full of it, it will pass quickly. And? Still craving sweets?

Sugar withdrawal tip 8: Ban sweets from your reach

No matter how disciplined you are with sugar withdrawal, do you clear out all the cupboards when you get addicted to sugar? Then banish the seductive content elsewhere. Hide the candy in a place that’s hard to get to and doesn’t always catch your eye—like way back on a large closet. In the long run, however, only helps to get rid of the sweetness completely. Give it away to family or neighbors, or share it on foodsharing.

Being controlled by those around you can also help. Let co-workers, friends and family know that you are on sugar withdrawal. Who wants to be caught giving in to sugar addiction and emptying the pantry …

Positive support from those around you has an even more lasting effect: find someone who can tackle sugar withdrawal with you. In pairs or threes, you can motivate each other, praise each other – and sometimes stop yourself from giving in to sugar addiction “when you get hungry”.

Sugar withdrawal tip 9: Distract yourself

If you are about to give in to sugar addiction again: go for a walk, draw a picture, write down nice things, call a friend, read a good book or meditate a bit. Objectively, these are far more pleasant things than crushing a bag of gummy bears. It only takes you a few clear seconds to think about anything other than sugar, your sugar withdrawal, your sugar addiction. Withdrawal will take care of itself and you will be happy. Worth it.

Sugar Withdrawal Tip 10: Hold on to your success

There are always low points when you can’t take it anymore, when you want to throw everything away. Of course, also during a sugar withdrawal. It’s best to write down everything you’ve done. Then you can use it to motivate yourself again in low phases when sugar addiction strikes from behind.

For example, you could write down all the foods you want to avoid (chocolate, jelly beans, cake,…). For each day you’ve done that, put a tick next to it. Or you mark every day without sugary in the calendar. Once you have a small series of ticks on the paper, you probably won’t want to break the series.

Conclusion

Whether sugar addiction really exists has not been finally clarified – but sugar seems to have an addictive effect. In any case, it makes sense not to eat too much sugar. There are many small things that can help you with sugar withdrawal. It is important not to set your goals too high at the beginning and then gradually increase them. Here’s how you can tackle sugar withdrawal and reduce your cravings for sweets.

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Diarrhea in Dogs and Cats: What Helps Now

Pets can get diarrhea too. If this happens, it is important to act correctly so that the dog and cat get better as quickly as possible.

How to recognize and treat diarrhea

Basically, a distinction is made between two different types of diarrhea:
Colonic diarrhea: You can recognize diarrhea by the fact that your cat or dog has very frequent bowel movements. A smaller amount of faeces than usual is produced, and it is not uncommon for mucus and/or blood to be mixed in. Your pet may seem to be constantly straining as swelling around the anus makes them feel like they need to defecate constantly. The swelling often shows up as redness.
Diarrhea in the small intestine: In contrast to diarrhea in the large intestine, your animal does not usually have to defecate much more often than usual. Common symptoms include a growl in the abdomen, gas, and very loose and sluggish stools.

It doesn’t matter what type of diarrhea it is: You can take action against acute diarrhea. One option is to choose a dietary supplement: this thickens the stool and allows harmful substances to be removed. Due to the disturbed intestinal function, the dog or cat usually consumes fewer nutrients, which also speaks in favor of using a dietary supplement. Make sure you use the product correctly and read the package leaflet beforehand.

Be sure to give your dog or cat enough to drink: Due to the frequent bowel movements, he or she loses more liquid than usual. Accordingly, the fluid intake should also be increased. This is the only way to prevent the animal from drying out. The right diet is also particularly important: the intestine loses many nutrients, which is why it is advisable to give the animal smaller amounts of easily digestible food several times a day. A tip, for example, can be the so-called Moro’sche carrot soup: You boil half a kilo of peeled carrots in twice the amount of water for at least 90 minutes and then puree everything into a homogeneous soup. You fill up the soup with hot water to the amount of one liter and add 3 grams of salt.

You should definitely see a veterinarian if the diarrhea persists despite these measures, your pet has other symptoms, or stops eating. Do not hesitate to consult a doctor if the animal is suddenly aggressive, screams when defecation, the diarrhea shows traces of blood or the animal withdraws very strongly. The veterinarian can quickly clarify the cause and thus eliminate uncertainties. In special cases, he*she can also set an infusion and carry out other examinations, such as an X-ray or an ultrasound. This will prevent the animal from emerging from the disease very weak.

Possible causes of diarrhea

The cause of diarrhea in our favorite pets is usually in the small or large intestine. If there is diarrhea in the small intestine, infections caused by worms, bacteria or viruses can be the main reason for the diarrhoea. Another likely cause is intestinal irritation, which may be due to a change in diet or improper diet. Maybe your dog or cat just ate something on the street that wasn’t good for him/her.

If you think it could be due to worms, you should definitely consult a veterinarian: They can examine a sample of your pet’s stool and, after confirming the suspicion, can then professionally deworm the animal. Young animals in particular often have to struggle with worms; you can usually recognize the worm infestation by a bloated stomach (also called “worm belly”). Many vets will also advise you on alternative treatment regimens, such as a dewormer.

Viruses are also a common cause, so remember to have your dog or cat vaccinated against the most common viruses. However, some viruses cannot be vaccinated against: In this case, it is important that you actively try to fight your pet’s diarrhea yourself.

However, if there are other symptoms, in rare cases it can also be an indication of a more serious illness, such as pancreatitis: do not hesitate to ask a specialist for advice.

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Glasses are Dull and Milky: What Helps With “Blind Glasses” Through The Dishwasher?

If you use your dishwasher every day, it can happen that glasses remain dull and milky. You can counteract this phenomenon with a few tips.

Why glasses become milky

Nobody likes to see cloudy or “blind” glasses after rinsing. It is not possible to give a general answer to the cause of this. According to the Industry Association for Personal Care and Detergents, there are three different causes that could be behind it. A first option is regeneration salt: This consists of pure sodium chloride and ensures that the water is softened. It is also called “ion exchanger”. If this container is not closed properly, a layer of salt can form on the glasses.

Limescale deposits can also occur. These occur when the water hardness is not set correctly or there is no more regeneration salt in the dishwasher. The lime layer is not water-soluble; so you have to treat the glass with mild acids.

A third possible cause of cloudy glasses is glass corrosion. Once this has taken place, you can no longer undo it; this is because the fine glass structure was broken by water with a low degree of hardness and a high temperature. You can often see small cracks in the glass.

This is how you get matt glasses shiny

If it is the regeneration salt, the problem can be solved quickly and easily. You have to close the salt container correctly for the next wash cycle so that no salt residue can be deposited on the glasses. If there is already a layer on the glasses, you can simply wash it off by hand or start a new rinse cycle, this time with the container closed.

If there is a layer of limescale on the glasses, you cannot wash it off with water; however, acid treatment can help. For example, you can use dishwasher tabs with a water softening function, rinse aid or an aqueous citric acid solution. If the water is already very hard, for example at more than 21° dH, you usually need additional regeneration salt.

To protect the glasses, it makes sense to use dishwasher products with zinc salt; These include, for example, dishwashing detergents with integrated glass protection. To prevent glass corrosion, you should pay attention to high-quality glasses when buying them and set the water temperature as low as possible. So that the high temperature does not attack the glass for an unnecessarily long time, you should

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Does Muscle Burn More Calories Than Fat? This Really Helps With Weight Loss

Those who want to burn calories and lose weight often start a diet. But sport is also important for success, which is due to the high calorie consumption of the muscles. Building muscle can help with weight loss.

Muscles have a higher energy requirement

Appropriate nutrition after training is crucial for building muscle. In particular, in addition to proteins, the calorie requirement must also be considered – “muscles need 100 to 200 kilocalories more energy per day in order to guarantee the build-up at all

Interesting is the high consumption of kilocalories of muscle mass. However, this is necessary, because the muscles have to be “supplied with blood, supplied, warmed up and ultimately also activated by the metabolic process all day long and that costs energy.” A kilo of muscle mass requires about 50 to 100 kilocalories per day, explains the Froböse.

Muscle also differs from fat in terms of weight: muscle is about 13 percent heavier and therefore requires significantly more energy. The big difference: “Fat is a passive organization.”

Burn Calories: Weight Loss by Building Muscle

The high calorie consumption of the muscles can be taken advantage of. Building muscle is also crucial for losing weight. Froboese explains this in a separate blog post

In it he describes that losing weight is a slow process with many small steps. In particular, he recommends beginners and returnees “start with two cardio and three strength units per week.” He’s not talking about several hours, the main thing is muscle building: “The fact is: If you want to burn excess fat, you have to build muscle.” As a result, losing weight initially stagnates, but the weight may even increase.

Nevertheless, the muscles are important because they help to get to the fat reserves faster. At rest, the body uses very little fat. But: “The more muscle I have, the more calories I burn – even when I’m resting,” he explains. If the body burns more calories in a day than it gets from food, it goes to the fat reserves – and the weight loss process begins.

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Tips For Sore Muscles: This Helps Against Pain After Exercise

If the training was too intense, aching muscles will develop. With relaxation, warmth and the consumption of protein-containing products, you will quickly get rid of the annoying pain.

Sore muscles: This helps with pain after exercise

Sore muscles are tiny tears in the muscle fibers that cause swelling, which in turn causes pain. The best thing is to prevent sore muscles and not suffer from them in the first place. Easier said than done, though, so we have great tips for you on how to relieve your sore muscles.

What happens to the body when muscles are sore?

A sore muscle is a micro-injury to the muscle. It generally occurs when an unfamiliar or new movement has been performed, or when the muscle has been overused. This is the case, for example, with very intensive training*. Tissue fluid penetrates the muscle fibers through the smallest injuries and they swell. However, according to the Bayreuth sports scientist Wolfgang Buskies, you don’t feel the pain immediately when the micro-cracks appear. Because the muscle fibers themselves have no pain receptors. For this reason, it takes a while before the pain receptors, which are located outside the muscle fibers, report the injury to the brain and we notice the painful muscle soreness.

Correct prevention helps against sore muscles

Before it comes to an unpleasant soreness, you can do a lot to prevent it from occurring in the first place. In general, it is advisable to only do sports when you are rested. The sports medicine doctor Dr. Axel Klein has more tips ready:

Make sure you have enough fluids in your body. That means drink, drink, drink! Water that contains plenty of sodium or apple or currant spritzer is best.
In addition, you should warm up properly before exercising. That means doing light movements for at least five to ten minutes. For example, brisk walking or jumping. Even after the sports unit*
Don’t give it your all right away, but ensure a moderate increase in the level. This gives the muscles a chance to gradually approach the effort.
A warm shower is recommended after exercise, as it relaxes the body.
You should not stretch too much before or after exercising.

I have sore muscles – what will bring me relief?

If your muscles are sore, you should first lean back and rest your damaged muscles. If possible, move the muscles in a relaxed manner, never straining. You can easily train the muscles that are not injured. In addition, you should adhere to the following:

The sore muscles should be stretched lightly, but not too much.
Warm up the muscles. This leads to increased blood flow to the muscles, which has a pain-relieving effect. In addition to a heating pad, we also recommend a visit to the sauna or a bath with mountain pine additives*.
You should also make sure you have enough protein
Get at least eight hours of sleep a night. This promotes the self-regeneration of the body.

Should I take medication?

Taking medication for sore muscles is not normally necessary. In any case, there are no medications for sore muscles themselves. If so, painkillers are often used, but they can have the opposite effect: painkillers can suppress the inflammation, which slows down the healing of the microcracks.

So it’s better to let your sore muscles heal naturally than to resort to painkillers. You can use heat to relieve the pain.

Should I see a doctor for sore muscles?

If the muscle soreness does not subside after several days, you should consult a doctor. If you still have trouble moving, be careful. Because in an emergency, rhabdomyolysis can be present.

In the case of three young women from Scotland, the severe muscle pain was definitely a case for the doctor: because their urine also turned brown. The family doctor, in whose practice all three were, immediately sent them to the hospital. The diagnosis: imminent kidney failure due to excessive strain on the muscles. Due to the causal overload, the mantle of the muscle cells was injured, causing them to push outwards. This released the muscle pigment myoglobin, which almost flooded the kidneys. For this reason, the urine of the women also turned brown. If the women had not been treated quickly, their kidneys would have failed and they would have died. The case shows how dangerous it is to exaggerate too much in sports.

Conclusion: Prevention, warmth and relaxation help with sore muscles

If you haven’t managed to prevent aching muscles, you can still do a lot to alleviate the annoying suffering. Heat has proven to be very helpful, for example in the form of a visit to the sauna or a warm bath with mountain pine additives*. You can also promote the self-healing of the muscle fibers by consuming protein products. Last but not least, you should also get enough sleep so that the body, and thus the muscles, can regenerate.

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Diet Study: Ginger Water Helps You Lose Weight

Researchers at Columbia University in New York have shown in a new study that ginger water helps you lose weight. The reason is the active ingredients in the ginger root.

Losing weight with ginger through capsaicin and gingerol

According to a study by Columbia University in New York, the reason for the positive effect are certain “sharpening agents” in the ginger root, which stimulate the metabolism. These contain the active ingredients capsaicin and gingerol, which trigger a heat stimulus when consumed. The human body reacts to this with increased blood flow and sweating to cool down the overheated body. The physical reaction in turn activates the metabolism and thus consumes additional calories.

Spicy food helps you lose weight

The fact that spicy food generally helps with weight loss has already been shown by test persons who felt less cravings for salty, fatty and sweet foods by seasoning their main meals with chili. The participants also felt less hungry with ginger tea or similar hot drinks.

How to make ginger water yourself

Ginger not only tastes good in warm but also in cold drinks. To make ginger water, you first peel the bulb and cut it into thin slices, which you put in a liter of water. The water should then simmer for around 20 minutes and then cool down. You can “spice up” the drink with a little lemon juice. Alternatively, so-called “ginger shots” can also be used.

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Miracle Spice: Cumin Helps With Weight Loss and Gastrointestinal Problems

Cumin is best known for its taste – but the oriental spice can do much more. Studies have shown that cumin helps with weight loss. Cumin also relieves stomach problems and can even have a stress-reducing effect.

Studies show: weight loss and lower BMI thanks to cumin

Targeted weight loss is often not that easy: Some foods are actually real calorie bombs – but this does not include cumin, as a study published in 2014 by the “Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences” shows. It involved 88 overweight women who were randomly divided into two groups. One of the two groups ate plain yogurt with three grams of cumin twice a day. The second group also got two portions of yoghurt per day – but without the addition of cumin. As the authors of the study report, the diet plans of the two groups were otherwise identical.

The result is quite remarkable: the cumin powder helped, among other things, to lose more weight and fat mass. In addition, the body mass index (BMI) and the waist circumference decreased. In summary, the authors of the study state that cumin powder in a weight-reducing diet shows an improvement in anthropometric and biochemical parameters in overweight or obese women.

A study by the Iranian “Kashan University of Medical Sciences” with 78 subjects between the ages of 18 and 60 also caused a stir. The participants were divided into three groups and had to swallow one capsule three times a day for eight weeks. One group received a cumin capsule, and another group received a fat blocker capsule. The third group only received a placebo. The results showed that the cumin group achieved about as much weight loss and reduction in BMI as the fat-blocker-agent group. Subjects who only received a placebo lost less weight. In addition, taking cumin had a positive effect on insulin metabolism

Aid in digestion and stress-reducing effect

The essential oils of the spice, which account for up to six percent, are also healthy. Cuminaldehyde is particularly valuable because its intake stimulates the formation of various digestive juices, such as gastric juice and pancreas. In this way, cumin helps to improve the digestive process. This function can be used in dishes that often cause digestive problems.

Cumin is also said to help with various intestinal complaints, such as constipation. An Indian study published in 2014 also showed that cumin helps with diarrhea by inhibiting the frequency of diarrhea, for example. Flatulence and discomfort are also said to be alleviated by eating cumin.

In addition, cumin is said to have other positive effects: a study with rats showed that cumin seeds can have a stress-reducing effect. The anti-inflammatory effect is also interesting

Cumin in the kitchen: healing properties in tea

In the kitchen we can also benefit from the taste and the positive effects. A popular tea is cumin, which can help with indigestion. Only a few ingredients are required for the preparation: cumin seeds, ginger – a real all-purpose weapon – honey and lemon.

Difficult to digest meals can also be enriched with cumin. Recipes with peas, lentils or beans quickly trigger digestive problems – the addition of cumin can prevent this.

Little is known about the side effects of cumin. However, those suffering from diabetes should be more careful: Since the consumption of cumin lowers blood sugar levels, the blood sugar balance can be shaken.

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Lipoic Acid: This Dietary Supplement Helps With Weight Loss

Alpha lipoic acid is a prime example of the advances that nutritional science has made in recent years. We tell you everything about the scientifically proven weight loss effect of lipoic acid.

What exactly is lipoic acid?

Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant that plays an important role in energy metabolism. The sulphur-containing fatty acid also neutralizes free radicals and thus slows down the aging process in the body. However, alpha lipoic acid has now come into focus mainly because of its effect on weight loss.

Scientists at Oregon State University in the US have shown that lipoic acid has a positive effect on weight loss. The researchers found that people who regularly consumed alpha lipoic acid clearly lost body fat and weight. According to the researchers, people who are very overweight and women in particular benefit from lipoic acid.

But why exactly is that? Normally, the body only produces a minimum of lipoic acid to meet the needs of the enzymes involved in energy metabolism. If you take additional alpha-lipoic acid, the fatty acid also has a positive influence on glucose metabolism, an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory effect.

Lipoic acid as a dietary supplement?

Although this assumption is still sufficiently proven, the US researchers assume that alpha-lipoic acid also has positive effects on diseases such as diabetes, heart disease or age-related cognitive impairments such as senility. According to Gerd Bobe from the research team, people who took lipoic acid showed significantly greater success in losing weight.

As a dietary supplement, the fatty acid is mainly available in pill form. A regular intake of alpha lipoic acid pills should also have a significant effect. The only downside to the pills is the higher price, according to Tory Hagen, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of Oregon. But this cannot be said in general, since you can get 60 pills for less than 20 euros.

Other areas of application

However, alpha lipoic acid does not only work when you lose weight. As a powerful antioxidant, it is also used to treat some forms of dementia or chronic fatigue syndrome. Lipoic acid is also used in cancer therapy, in heart and liver diseases or in metabolic disorders.

In general, a daily dosage of 100 to 300 mg of alpha lipoic acid is recommended. However, you should always speak to your family doctor first before treatment or dietary supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid and coordinate the dose exactly.

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Always Tired in Autumn? How Alkaline Nutrition Helps – and Which Foods You Can Eat

Are you currently constantly tired and slack? Alkaline nutrition could be a key to more energy.

Acid-base balance imbalanced: That’s why you’re often tired in autumn

Fatigue in autumn is due to a lack of light in the dark season. Because less light changes the hormone balance: the body releases more melatonin – the so-called sleep hormone – and less serotonin. This in turn is also known as the happiness hormone.

However, the autumn blues are part of the natural course of the year, as Prof. Dr. Katja Mierke, psychologist at the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Idstein, Hesse, explains: “We are no longer used to living according to the seasons. It is not without reason that other creatures hibernate and withdraw into their caves,” says Mierke. Autumn and winter also serve to slow down.

These times of pause are important for the psyche, she adds, and it is not for nothing that November is a month of mourning in many cultures. “By saying goodbye to the past, you make room for the new.”

Against tiredness in autumn: light, company and Christmas spices

Although Prof. Mierke recommends accepting and enjoying the autumn phase if possible, the psychologist knows: “If you don’t want to fall too deep into the November slump, you should exercise as much as possible outside and soak up the light.” Light therapy lamps also help.

The cold also plays a decisive role, Mierke knows: “Current socio-psychological studies show that people feel lonelier when they are physically exposed to cold. That’s why it’s particularly good for us now if we move closer together. There are occasions for this in the run-up to Christmas plenty.”

According to the expert, you can also do something good for your psyche through food: the essential substances contained in cloves and cinnamon, for example, have been proven to have an antidepressant effect. “Apparently we instinctively know what’s good for us in the dark season and have created appropriate culinary traditions with Christmas baking,” says the expert.

Tired in autumn: get lively with an alkaline diet

A good way to stay fit through food intake in autumn is the so-called “alkaline diet”. This is not a diet in the strict sense. You simply fall back on foods that balance the acid-base balance and prevent hyperacidity. Because when the body is acidic, you feel limp and exhausted. The diet should include many alkaline foods such as fruit and vegetables. Potato dishes are also suitable for alkaline nutrition. We recommend a salad, refined with carrots, parsley and walnuts. Apples and pears are suitable as snacks for deacidification. You don’t have to do without meat and fish. However, you should largely avoid salt and use herbs and spices instead.

The most important alkaline foods include:
ripe fruit
vegetables
Raisins, dried figs
vegetable oils
almonds and chestnuts
Sprouts and sprouts (e.g. mung bean, millet, linseed, lentil sprouts)
herbal teas
Green tea

Conclusion: three-step plan against autumn fatigue

Basic nutrition
Dietary supplement for the right acid-base balance
Sufficient exercise in the fresh air
The alkaline diet is part of a three-step plan that is easy to implement and helps against autumn tiredness, as Erfstadt pharmacist Dr. Jutta Doebel in an interview with the pharmaceutical company Protina explains: “Basically, it is important that you eat enough alkaline-forming foods. This means that you should eat significantly more alkaline-forming than acid-forming foods – in a ratio of 80:20.” So if 80 percent of the meal consists of vegetables, fruit, salads and herbs, you’re on the right track, explains Doebel. As a second step, the pharmacist recommends dietary supplements: “We are exhausted, we are tired, we are imbalanced. And that in turn means that we are no longer as resilient and can concentrate even less. And especially now, when the dark season is coming , it may also be that our immune system becomes more susceptible to infections.” According to Doebel, it is very important that we support our immune cells, and we can do that best with the help of food supplements that have a beneficial effect on our acid-base balance. It is best to discuss which dietary supplements are most suitable for you with a doctor, as every body works differently and needs different nutrients more or less.

The third stage, according to Doebel, is to activate the metabolism. “The best and easiest way to do this is to get enough exercise. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Two or three short gymnastics sessions or nice walks in the fresh air are enough.”

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