Happy Holidays!
As we wind down 2024, it’s that time we start to look ahead to the New Year and evaluate our goals to see what needs tweaking or maybe consider new goals or new directions to explore. I wasn’t sure about continuing with this site with the impact of AI and if a resource site like Research for Wellness would still be utilized, but so far it’s looking like people are still stopping by, so at least for 2025, I’m forging ahead and continuing to keep things going.
In the meantime, there are still a few weeks to enjoy this holiday month with family and friends and maybe splurge a little too! If you enjoy baking, Forks Over Knives is offering ’Tis the Season: 14 Vegan Holiday Cookies, Brownies, and Bars to Make This Month with recipes that have a healthyish twist. If you’re entertaining and looking for some mocktail recipes, check out Healthier Holiday Mocktails from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
If you’re trying to knock out your holiday shopping a few gift guides with wellness themed gifts are The 57 Best Wellness Gifts for Everyone in Your Life from Harper’s Bazaar, 60 Wellness Gifts for Anyone Who Could Use Some Self-Care from Self Magazine, and from Living Beyond Breast Cancer, 12 days of giving: A holiday gift guide for breast cancer thrivers.
Cheryl Leving
Founder, Research for Wellness
health resources with cancer survivors looking for support to create a healthy lifestyle plan moving forward after treatment.
If you have not been impacted by a cancer diagnosis, I hope this library of health-promoting resources
– including links to research studies, articles, apps, and other digital media content –
will inspire you on your own path to reduce cancer risk and create wellness!
Upcoming Free Online Events
The Power of Lifestyle: How Everyday Choices Can Transform Your Health with Dean Ornish
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Free Webinar - Registration Required
“Join world-renowned lifestyle medicine expert and #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Dean Ornish as he shares how lifestyle choices—what we eat, how we move, how we manage stress, and the quality of our relationships—can significantly improve our health.”
Wellness Research in the News
Dec. 2, 2024 - Higher ratio of plant protein to animal protein may improve heart health - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
After adjusting for participants’ health history and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, the study found that eating a higher ratio of plant to animal protein was associated with lower risks of CVD [cardiovascular disease] and CHD [coronary heart disease].
Nov. 7, 2024 Five minutes of exercise a day could lower blood pressure - University of Sydney, Australia
“The finding that doing as little as five extra minutes of exercise per day could be associated with measurably lower blood pressure readings emphasises how powerful short bouts of higher intensity movement could be for blood pressure management.”
Nov 4, 2024 - New study reveals blood sugar control is a key factor in slowing brain aging, highlighting the benefits of the Mediterranean diet - Ben-Gurion University, Israel
”The study suggests that improved blood sugar control could be one of the most important factors in slowing down age-related brain changes.”
Oct. 24, 2024- New Study Shows Eating Pistachios Daily Can Support Eye Health - Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University
"The study, led by researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, showed that pistachios, which have measurable amounts of a plant-based pigment called lutein,2 can help increase macular pigment optical density (MPOD). This important part of the eye filters harmful blue (visible) light and protects against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is one of the leading causes of blindness in older adults."
Sept. 18, 2024 - Can the MIND Diet Lower the Risk of Memory Problems Later in Life? - Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology
”The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. It includes green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens along with other vegetables. It recommends whole grains, olive oil, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. It prioritizes berries over other fruits and recommends one or more servings of fish per week.” Researchers found that “People whose diet more closely resembles the MIND diet may have a lower risk of cognitive impairment,…”
Sept. 17, 2024 - Moderate coffee consumption is associated with lower risk of developing multiple cardiometabolic diseases - Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
”Consuming moderate amounts of coffee and caffeine regularly may offer a protective effect against developing multiple cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke,…”
Sept. 6, 2024 - Broccoli and kale top the shopping list for lowering blood pressure - Edith Cowan University, Australia
”Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower have been found to lower blood pressure, in comparison to root and squash vegetables, in middle-aged and older Australian adults with elevated blood pressure.”
Resources for Professionals & Students
Plantrician University
Plant-Based Nutrition Education Portal
For health profession students and clinicians in training.
“Plantrician University is free to confirmed health profession students around the world. It equips and empowers future physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, registered dietitians, public health officials, and other healthcare professionals in training, with the knowledge and tools they need to become advocates and educators for the evidence-based role of plant-based nutrition to prevent and dramatically reduce rates of chronic disease, grow health equity, and improve human and global health.”
Teaching Happiness
with Dr. Laurie Santos
For High School Teachers
A free curriculum hub
Free. Adaptable. Evidence-based.
"Teaching Happiness is designed to help teachers provide their students with evidence-based strategies for increasing their well-being in high school and beyond. Plus, all the resources are free!"
LearnSkin.com
Integrative Medicine Resources
For Dermatology Professionals
How it Works - “LearnSkin provides continuing education activities with an integrative and innovative approach that you won’t find anywhere else. Our content is geared towards healthcare professionals in both Western and Eastern medicine across multiple specialties and subspecialties. Our curriculum encompasses a broad range of educational levels from basic to advanced.”
Membership Options
Free Basic Membership - Limited access to content including articles, podcast episodes, courses, and masterclasses
Premium Membership - Click on Membership Options for more info
$19/Month Reduced Plan For Students
$59 / PER MONTH - Save $209 By Paying Annually