Researchers from the University of Granada’s Institute of Biotechnology say a study proves that melatonin, a substance naturally found in some foods, reduces oxidative stress on cells and slows the aging process.

Now, I am all for slowing the aging process – the slower the better. The good news is that melatonin can be found in foods easily incorporated into your diet, foods like onions, cherries and bananas, and in cereals like corn, oats and rice, and in red wine.

The researchers found that the first sign of aging, oxidative stress and illness from it, began at 5 months of age in the mice used in the study. That age relates to age 30 in humans! Imagine that you are old at 30; I thought we dispensed with idea from the sixties. In fact, didn’t I see a magazine article once touting that 50 is the new 30? Regardless, age 30 is when it all starts to go downhill apparently, but eating foods rich in melatonin staves off the processes of aging.

I have been keeping a short list of foods that researchers now say carry health benefits and the menu looks a lot more appealing than those boxes of fruit-flavored cardboard in the health food aisle.

How about dark chocolate, strawberry daquiris and red wine? Fresh blackberries on oatmeal? It looks like the food we always knew was good for us, really is. I think I can do this eating healthy thing.

Ever since Man discovered fire, he has been lighting up the night but in modern times, night-illumination has become light pollution. Third shift workers are exposed to bright light throughout the night, electric lighting makes it possible for people to never experience complete darkness regardless of the hour.

In homes across America, hallways and children’s bedrooms are illuminated by nightlights, dispelling the darkness and alleviating fears. These tiny lights make nighttime trips to the bathroom safer and some people are not able to sleep unless there is some light. But if you sleep under full light, researchers say, it can have adverse effects on your health.

Night is when your body synthesizes melatonin, a hormone that impacts the endocrine system and prevents cancerous growth formation. Light during night hours suppresses the synthesis of melatonin. In experiments with mice, those kept under permanent light were more susceptible to chemical carcinogens and died more often under the light pollution conditions.

Light pollution also causes sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, metabolic derangements and, may increase the risk of developing diabetes.

The research was done by Professor N.N. Pertov Scientific Research Institute of Oncology, Russian Ministry of Healthcare, and Petrozavodsk State University.