The good touch, the keto diet and socialization for mental health

According to researchers from the University Hospital Essen, touch can have positive effects on reducing pain, depression, and anxiety. Whether it is a hug from a friend or a social robot, or simply wrapping oneself in a blanket, it benefits both the body and mind. However, human touch is more effective when it comes to mental health. The type and duration of touch are unimportant, unlike its frequency, and touching the head is found to be the most effective.

A report by the US Surgeon General suggests that chronic loneliness may be as harmful as obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking. Depression, dementia, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death are all linked to loneliness. According to a survey conducted in 2023 by Meta and the Gallup Institute, approximately 1/4 of adults in the world feel very or entirely lonely. Why is loneliness so dangerous? In recent years, scientists have discovered the neural mechanisms that cause the human body to break down when social needs are unmet.

Researchers from Stanford Medicine have found that a ketogenic, or low-carb, high-fat diet helps restore metabolic health in patients taking antipsychotic medications. The diet also improved the mental condition of the subjects, including those suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In addition, participants in the experiment lost an average of 10% of their body weight, reduced their waist circumference by 11%, and had lower blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar and triglyceride levels, and insulin resistance.