Physical Activities for Pregnant Women

Everyone knows that doing physical exercise is a good way to maintain stamina. Sport also makes our body slimmer and healthier.

For expectant mother, sport is also useful. A new research reveals that when the woman works hard and does physical activities, it influences her baby. Her embryo's heart will more powerful and healthier. The statement was revealed in an annual meeting of Experimental Biology 2008 in San Diego.

"The research shows that physical activities done by expectant mother will benefit for the heart of both herself and her baby. We will continue the research and we will invite more women to join with the research." said Linda E. May, from Department of Anatomy at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

At least 10 women became volunteer at the research. They were divided into two group. One group conducted physical activities, and the other did not. The embryo activities such as breathing, moving the body and mouth were monitored and recorded for 24 weeks.

The researchers found that the heart rhythm of embryos became slower and well-regulated when their mothers wee doing physical activities, whereas the heart rhythm of embryos of pregnant mother who did not have activities became higher.

Be Careful Sleeping with the Light On

Scientists find that human body needs dark atmosphere in order to produce chemical substance to fight cancer. Children who sleep with the light on has a risk of suffering leukemia cancer. Even when we turn on toilet light, or we are on traveling, the street lights can stop melatonin production.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by pineal gland. Pinela gland is is a tiny organ in the brain of human beings and most other vertebrates (animals with a backbone). Scientists believe it plays a role in a variety of important body functions, including certain reproductive processes. In most other vertebrates, the pineal gland helps regulate certain daily and seasonal body cycles.

The production of melatonin varies with periods of light and darkness in the environment. It responds directly to light that penetrates the skin. It obtains information about light in the environment by means of nerve pathways originating in the eyes. In general, light slows and darkness stimulates the pineal gland's production of melatonin. Therefore, the gland tends to secrete small amounts of melatonin during the day and large amounts at night. Researchers have long suggested a connection between melatonin levels and certain mental illnesses.

Our body needs a chemical substance to prevent DNA damage. The presence of melatonin will stop fatty acid alter to be a tumor and prevent its develpoment.

Professor Russle Reiter from Texas University who was on the lead at the research said, "When you forget to turn off the light in 1 minute, your brain will assume that the light is on all night and the production of melatonin automatically decreases."

At a conference about Children Suffered Leukemia held in London, there was a statement that people will suffer cancer because they are exposed too long to the light when they are sleeping, comparing with people who does not turn on their light in the night.

The number of children suffered leukemia increases two fold during the last 40 years. At least 500 young people below 15 years of age are diagnosed suffering the disease every year and at least 100 of them are died.

The light in the night between 21.00 pm to 08.00 am will suppress melatonin production below average. Previous research has showed that people who is vulnerable to breast cancer is the night-shift workers.

However, the fact shows that blind man has lower risk of suffering cancer. So it is suggested for parents to use gloomy red or green-light bulb for their children whenever they are afraid of darkness.