Yoghurt, buttermilk and pickles: what a Stanford study found about fermented foods
Albanian cuisine has many fermented foods: yoghurt, buttermilk, pickles, cheese. A small American experiment suggested they may affect gut bacteria and inflammation.
Body
Food, sleep, movement and care for the body, with clear evidence and honest limits.
35 articles
Insomnia: the drug-free treatment recommended as the first choice
When sleep will not come for weeks on end, many people look for pills. But medical guidelines recommend as first-line treatment a short drug-free therapy with lasting effects.
Screens before sleep: what the e-reader experiment showed
People who read for four hours on a light-emitting e-reader before bed fell asleep later and were less alert the next morning than those who read a printed book.
The sauna and the heart: what a study of Finnish men found
In Finland the sauna is part of everyday life. A study that followed over 2,000 men for about 20 years found that those who used it more often had a lower risk of death from heart disease.
Cold-water swimming: possible benefits and real risks
Swimming in the sea or a lake in winter has become popular in many countries. Some studies suggest benefits, but the first and greatest danger comes in the first minutes.
Is there a risk-free amount of alcohol? What changed in recent evidence
For years we heard that a glass of wine a day is good for the heart. Larger and more accurate studies have given a different picture: risk rises with every glass, even at small amounts.
Coffee and health: what a major review of the evidence says
For many Albanians, coffee is not just a drink, it is a social ritual. The good news: for most people, coffee in moderate amounts seems safe and possibly beneficial.
Eight glasses of water a day? Where the rule comes from and what science says
The rule “eight glasses of water a day” is repeated everywhere. But when a physiologist looked for the evidence behind it, he did not find a single study. What do we really know?
How much protein do we really need?
Whole shelves in shops are filled with protein powders and bars. But most people get enough protein from ordinary food. Here is what the evidence says.
Low fat or low carb? What the DIETFITS study showed
For decades the debate has been: should we cut fat or carbohydrates to lose weight? A large Stanford University study gave an answer that surprised many.
Intermittent fasting: what the clinical trials showed
Intermittent fasting has become one of the best-known diets. But when researchers compared it with an ordinary diet with the same calories, the difference was small or absent.
The daytime nap: how many minutes help and when it harms
A short afternoon nap can improve attention and mood. But length and timing matter, and it is not the answer for everyone.