Music to Soothe the Savage Beast

Music to Soothe the Savage Beast

By Tom Secrest

Everyone has their own particular taste in music. Some like opera, some rock, some jazz, and others like what appears to be random noise played a very high volume, although I think the technical name is hip hop. I only mention the latter because the person who lives in the flat above mine appears to fall into this category.

While my personal physiological reaction to the wall shaking racket coming from above is not what the researchers were talking about in their recent publication in the 30 June, 2009 issue of Circulation, I feel strongly that it should definitely be included in their future research. Working Title: Hip Hop Induced CVA.

Putting my personal issues aside, what the researchers did find was a very positive correlation between music, especially music with distinct dynamics (i.e. crescendos, decrescendos, etc) and heart rate, blood pressure, dermal blood flow, ECGs, and respiration. It might be expected that musicians would be naturally responsive, but the research was carried out on both those with established musical inclinations and those, like me, with no more musical talent than a monkey with a stick. The results, while more pronounced in the musically inclined, were still very much evident in the less musically disposed.

It is generally accepted that music can produce emotional responses, sometimes even strong emotional responses. Music is used by many to relax and reduce stress, while others find certain types of music to be motivational while they exercise at a fitness center. However, Dr. Bernardi and his research group form Pavia University in Italy, took specific steps to minimize the affect of the emotional response variable. Once accounted for, it became clear that, regardless of the perceived emotional response, or lack thereof, there was still a measurable and correlated physiological response to the dynamics of the music.

The current research used subjects between 24 and 26 years old. According to Dr. Bernardi, he next wants to examine the response in older patients, those more than 70. Dr. Bernardi also noted that in the new study, he will include a wider variety of music including rock. Future studies may also include coronary patients with sever functional limitations. In such patients, even modest gains in BP, HR and blood flow could be very significant, noted Dr. Franklin, director of the cardiac rehabilitation laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI.

Now when you enjoy your favorite piece of music you can relax even more knowing that it is not only good for you psychologically, but good for you physiologically as well. Conversely the next time you are subjected to ear splitting hip hop, consider that you may drop dead from a stroke or your heart may explode in you chest. It's all part of the musical score of life.

Vocabulary

* to soothe – mírnít, uklidnit, utišit

* savage – divoký, neurvalý, krutý

* appears to be – zdá se být

* random – náhodný, libovolný

* shaking – otrásání

* racket – hluk, randál, rámus

* putting aside – zde: nechme stranou

* heart rate (HR) – srdecní frekvence

* distinct – zretelný, presný

* blood pressure (BP) – krevní tlak

* blood flow – tok krve

* established – zavedený, vžitý, tradicní

* pronounced – vyhranený, výrazný

* disposed – mající sklon, disponovaný

* regardless – bez ohledu na, navzdory všemu

* wider – širší

* even modest gains – i malé zvýšení

* conversely – obrácene, naopak

* to split – štepit, pukat, trhat

* to consider – zvažovat, brát v úvahu

* chest – hrud

Live Long and Prosper

Live Long and Prosper

By Tom Secrest

The words in the title are typical words of parting in Vulcan society and were used most famously by Mr. Spock, Vulcan’s best known ambassador. However, if Vulcans had lived in Greece, they might very well have changed it to “Eat a Mediterranean Diet and Prosper,” which, if loosely translated, means about the same thing, but clearly lacks the panache.

In a recent study (24 June 2009, BMJ) the Mediterranean Diet was carefully dissected to reveal which of its rudiments provide the greatest benefits. While much of the information is widely know, and generally accepted, the study put numbers to what heretofore had been accepted wisdom based on anecdotal evidence. In order of contribution: (i) moderate alcohol consumption (23.5%), (ii) less meat (16.6%), (iii) more vegetables (16.2%), (iv) more fruits and nuts (11.2%), (v) olive oil (10.6%), and (vi) more legumes (9.7%). Dr. Dimitrios Trichopoulos (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA) noted that while this study did not evaluate causes of death, previous studies in the same cohort have shown that the Mediterranean diet has the greatest impact on cardiac mortality.

The study also suggests that no one element is likely to have a significant impact. There is some evidence to indicate that sum may be greater than the parts. Although, what was interesting is that the benefits still seem to be present despite the fact that the stereotypical image of Greeks was confirmed by the study. Researchers observed that being overweight or obese was not at all uncommon and smoking, especially among men, was common.

What was a bit unexpected was that more cereal products and reduced diary intake seemed to have little impact on longevity, and interestingly, as it turns out, you can eat fish until you turn into a tuna, but the effects will be negligible.

So thanks to the ‘French paradox,’ we can raise a glass of wine and toast to our health; and after you have finished a sumptuous Mediterranean meal with your friends, enjoyed a moderate amount of alcohol, laughed, joked and sang, and the time has come for fare-thee-wells, boldly say what no man, or woman, has ever said before, “Eat a Mediterranean Diet and Prosper.”

Vocabulary

* however – nicméne, at tak nebo tak

* loosely – približne, volne

* panache – elegance, švih, šmrnc,

* reveal – odhalit

* rudiments – základy, zde: prvky, soucásti

* widely – obecne

* heretofore – až dosud

* anecdotal – neoficiální

* legumes – lušteniny

* element – prvek, složka, faktor

* unexpected – neocšekávaný

* longevity – dlouhovekost

* negligible – zanedbatelný

* sumptuous – nákladný, prepychový

* boldly – bez obalu, odvážne, drze