Sunday, April 30, 2017

Why Your Brain Craves Music

Why Your Brain Craves Music

Our highest and lowest processing regions explain the irresistible appeal of a song
Earphones

If making music isn’t the most ancient of human activities, it’s got to be pretty close. Melody and rhythm can trigger feelings from sadness to serenity to joy to awe; they can bring memories from childhood vividly back to life. The taste of a tiny cake may have inspired Marcel Proust to pen the seven-volume novel Remembrance of Things Past, but fire up the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” and you’ll throw the entire baby-boom generation into a Woodstock-era reverie.

From an evolutionary point of view, however, music doesn’t seem to make sense. Unlike sex, say, or food, it did nothing to help our distant ancestors survive and reproduce. Yet music and its effects are in powerful evidence across virtually all cultures, so it must satisfy some sort of universal need — often in ways we can’t begin to fathom.

A few years ago, a single composition lifted Valorie Salimpoor almost instantaneously out of a deep funk (it was Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5, to be precise), and from that moment, she decided it would be her life’s work to figure out music’s mysteries.

It’s working out pretty well so far: in the latest issue of Science, Salimpoor, now a neuroscientist at McGill University in Montreal, reports, along with several colleagues, that music triggers activity in the nucleus accumbens, the same brain structure that releases the “pleasure chemical” dopamine during sex and eating (and, on a darker note, drives addictive behavior as well). Animals get that same thrill from food and sex, but not, despite the occasional dancing cockatoo, from music.

(MORE: Your Brain on Sesame Street: Big Bird Helps Researchers See How the Brain Learns)
But the nucleus accumbens is just part of the neural symphony. “Music also activates the amygdala,” says Salimpoor, “which is involved with the processing of emotion, as well as areas of the prefrontal cortex involved in abstract decisionmaking. When we’re listening to music, the most advanced areas of the brain tie in to the most ancient.”

That, it turns out, may be the key to music’s power. In the experiments reported in Science, Salimpoor and her colleagues gauged subjects’ responses to music by exposing them not to songs they already knew (which might be too firmly linked to pleasurable memories of that first kiss or that road trip to Florida), but to songs they have never heard but would probably like, based on their known preferences as filtered through a Pandora- or iTunes-like prediction algorithm.

The subjects listened to the first 30 seconds of each tune while lying in an fMRI imager as the scientists monitored their brains. Then, to provide some sort of objective measure of how much the subjects actually liked each piece of music, they were asked how much they’d pay to buy the whole thing, from zero up to $2.
(MORE: Creating Music Using Brain Waves. Just for Fun or Clinically Important?)
What the scientists found was that the songs that triggered the strongest response from both the emotional and intellectual parts of the brain were correlated with a willingness to pay more. And that suggests that people get not just a sensory reward from listening to music, but a direct intellectual one too — even if they’re not aware of it. The nature of that reward, Salimpoor believes, based on this and earlier research, has to do with pattern recognition and prediction. “As an unfamiliar piece unfolds in time,” she says, “our brains predict how it will continue to unfold.”

These predictions are culture-dependent and based on experience: someone raised on rock or Western classical music won’t be able to predict the course of an Indian raga, for example, and vice versa. But if a piece develops in a way that’s both slightly novel and still in line with our brain’s prediction, we tend to like it a lot. And that, says Salimpoor, “is because we’ve made a kind of intellectual conquest.”

Music may, in other words, tap into a brain mechanism that was key to our evolutionary progress. The ability to recognize patterns and generalize from experience, to predict what’s likely to happen in the future — in short, the ability to imagine — is something humans do far better than any other animals. It’s what allowed us (aided by the far less glamorous opposable thumb) to take over the world.

If music is tied into this most important of survival mechanisms, no wonder we like it so much. “People often put music on the list of the top five things that are most pleasurable for them,” says Salimpoor. You surely thought of none of this the first time you heard “Satisfaction” — nor would you have wanted to — but it helps explain why you’ve listened to it ever since.

This ONE Juice Helps Stop Snoring and Sleep Apnea

This ONE Juice Helps Stop Snoring and Sleep Apnea

 
 
Here are the ingredients that you’ll need (quantities are for 1 serving):
– 2 Apples (of any preferred type)
– 2 Carrots
– ¼ of a Lemon
– 1 inch stick of ginger
Simply use a juicing machine, such as a NutriBullet, to combine and thoroughly blend the ingredients. Sans a juicing machine, a traditional blending machine will suffice.
In addition to this and other healthy diet options, certain lifestyle changes can relieve the symptoms of both snoring and sleep apnea. In terms of diet, it is important to minimize or (preferably) eliminate alcohol because of its suppressive effect on the central nervous system.
For those that smoke, quitting this habit will likely ease an assortment of symptoms. The reason is obvious: smoking impairs the lungs and blood vessels, which restricts airflow produced by the lungs. The adverse health effects of smoking are both short and long-term in nature. In addition, quitting smoking results in near-immediate improvement in the ability to breathe.
It is important to maintain a healthy weight for a multitude of reasons, including the suppression of snoring and sleep apnea symptoms. As this relates to sleep apnea, individuals that are overweight are more likely to get the disorder. According to Cedars-Sinai, those will store fat and tissue around the neck can apply restrictive pressure on the airway or tongue.
Some other pieces of advice:
– Avoid eating too much chocolate
– Eat fried food in small amounts, or eliminate it completely
– Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily
– Eliminate or limit the amount of processed foods
– Eliminate or limit the amount of starched, sugar-laden foods
– Establish a set sleeping routine. Go to bed at and wake up at the same time every day 
Lifestyle changes are necessary for minimizing the symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea. Be cognizant of what is put into your body and remain steadfast in your sleeping routines. Eat adequate amounts of raw fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Seek support if you desire to stop smoking or drinking alcohol.

5 Ways to Naturally Increase Serotonin in Your Brain

5 Ways to Naturally Increase Serotonin in Your Brain

Serotonin is a chemical that helps to relay signals from one area of the brain to another, acting as a neurotransmitter. It influences a variety of psychological and physical functions, including mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory, learning, temperature regulation and even some behaviors. Many researchers believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels can greatly influence mood, leading to obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, panic, excess anger or depression.
Boosting serotonin levels is associated with a positive increase in mood and behavior, and you don’t need anti-depressants or other pharmaceuticals to do it! It’s entirely possible to naturally increase this vital brain chemical to help put a little pep back in your step. Here are five ways to enhance your physical and mental health by increasing serotonin levels in your brain:

1. Enrich Your Diet With B Vitamins

Vitamin B6 aids in both the development and the function of serotonin in the brain. For those who are prone to stress, making sure to get enough B Vitamins can have a positive effect on stress levels. Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are effective in lessening depression symptoms. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adults that were diagnosed with depression or were experiencing depression-like symptoms improved after supplementing their diets with B Vitamins. Supplement forms of B Vitamins are available, but making sure to get plenty B Vitamins in your diet can keep you happy and healthy.

2. Try 5-HTP

5-HTP or 5-Hydroxytryptophan is a naturally-occurring amino acid that is extracted from the seeds of a woody climbing shrub native to West Africa called the Griffonia simplicifolia plant. It converts into serotonin with the help of Vitamin B6, and has been found effective in treating anxiety, depression, insomnia and hypertension. Just be sure to consult with a health care professional before starting any supplementation.

3. Embrace Sunshine

Have you ever noticed an improvement in your mood on a sunny day? Sunlight is not only the body’s best natural source of Vitamin D, it also allows serotonin levels to remain high for a natural mood-boost that reduces your risk of developing Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression. Even on a chilly day, sunlight can have a positive effect on both the body and the mind.

4. Treat Yourself to a Massage

You already know that getting a massage feels great, but did you know that it has a direct effect on your serotonin levels? Massages are effective in reducing cortisol, the stress hormone that actively blocks the production of serotonin. When cortisol is inhibited, the brain is in an optimal state to produce serotonin. Massage therapy can also increase the production of the “reward pleasure” brain chemical known as dopamine.

5. Meditate

There are numerous forms of meditation, and each one helps to increase the production of serotonin in the brain. Similar to massage therapy, meditation reduces the levels of cortisol in the brain and invokes a relaxation response. Lower stress levels can allow for an increase in serotonin and provide an instant mood-boost.

Psychology Finally Reveals the Answer to Finding Your Soulmate

Psychology Finally Reveals the Answer to Finding Your Soulmate


finding your soulmate
Love doesn’t make the world go round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
– Shannon L. Alder
We all as social creatures have a deep and underlying desire to find that one perfect person to spend the rest of our days with. That one person when we meet, you feel an uncontrollable desire and an illogical sense of familiarity with. As if you’ve known that person for a lifetime, or perhaps lifetimes. Whatever you want to call it, films and TV series alike have romanticized the phenomenon known as the soulmate.

But what do we really know about the perfect mate or the ideal partner? Psychology is finally shedding light on the mystery that encapsulates so many hearts and minds around the world in an effort to understand what truly makes two people compatible for a relationship.

The Issue With Compatibility

Dating sites like OkCupid.com or chemistry.com boast about their in-depth personality tests and about finding someone with similar answers to the questions you answer on their tests can result in finding the perfect mate.
Now this sounds very appealing for many different reasons.

First, naturally you want to be with someone who shares the same values as you and perhaps even someone who enjoys similar activities like rock climbing.
Secondly, it only seems logical to search for another person that also wants to raise children and begin a family someday. Lastly, we have such a yearning for love as social creatures, that we will convince ourselves of just about anything in order to fill the empty spots in our hearts.

All of these reasons, create quite the compelling case for compatibility sites but how well and how long do the relationships that have similar interests and quirks truly last?
Dr. Ted Hudson of the University of Texas, ran a longitudinal study of couples that had been married for years and in his research he found out something quite surprising. Dr. Ted Hudsons explains,
My research shows that there is no difference in the objective compatibility between those couples who are unhappy and those who are happy.
Dr. Ted Hudson went on to say that couples that are feeling content and warmth in their relationships said that compatibility wasn’t an issue for them. In fact, they were perfectly ok saying that it was them who made the relationship work, not the compatibility of their personalities. But when the unhappy couples were asked what they thought about compatibility, they all answered by saying that compatibility is extremely important to a marriage. And sadly, that they didn’t think they were compatible with their significant other. Which Dr. Ted Hudson explained that when the unhappy couples said, “We’re incompatible” they were truly meaning, “We don’t get along very well”.

That’s where the issue arises with compatibility, everyone who is unhappy naturally blames it on the facade of compatibility. They fail to realize and comprehend that a successful relationship does not hinge its posterity on how alike you are instead it hangs on by the sheer will power and want to stay in a relationship.

As observed in arranged marriages, where they tend to last longer and tend to be happier in their relationships, according to international happiness surveys. Do these arranged marriages last longer because they don’t have the option of divorce like we do in the United States? Of course not, it’s because they choose to stay committed and aren’t looking for “the next best thing” or someone that’s more suitable in their eyes. 
Professor of Sociology at Stanford University, Michael J. Rosenfeld explains that arranged marriages aren’t that different from the love relationships we have in the Western world.

The greatest difference is in culture, Americans value autonomy more than anything, they want the freedom to choose who they want to be with. More often than not, however we get stuck in the perpetual loop of consciously and unconsciously considering someone else when things aren’t going perfectly in your own relationship. And this is where the illusion of compatibility comes into play.

Finding A Mate To Spend A Lifetime With

So we know that building a relationship with another person is dependent on you and the other person. It has more or less nothing to do with compatibility. But if you can’t depend on compatibility exams or some standard form of testing to find your ideal mate, then how do we do it?

John Gottman, the founder and director of the Relationship Research Institute in Seattle said that measures of personality are incapable of truly predicting the length or success of a relationship. John Gottmans Relationship Research Institute discovered that couples who focus their energy on building something meaningful together in their life (e.g., starting a business together like a magazine,) tend to last the longest.

How a couple interacts is the single most fundamental aspect to creating a successful relationship. Meaning, its not who you are or what you do that will prolong or help you find the perfect mate. Its how you speak to each other, how well you get along, how much dreams you can envision together. 

John Gottman went on to say, if your relationship or interest supports your life dreams. Your ideal partner will look up to you, admire you and view you through rose-colored lenses. Now this sounds ideal, but when you truly reflect on how you’ve always wanted to be treated —having someone who genuinely believes in your greatness, is paramount.


Don’t think it’s all just how we view one another however, a lot of the connection you feel with another person is emotional. Therefore you must be capable of responding to each other when you need something. Or as John Gottman said,
Does your partner turn toward you with equal enthusiasm? You need to ask questions and constantly update your knowledge of one another.

Final Thoughts On The Soulmate

If you truly are looking for love and want to find that person that you can spend the rest of your life with —then remember, that it is YOU who creates compatibility. There is no magic formula or perfect algorithm for making a fruitful relationship with another human being. Yes, you need to find the other person attractive, look up to them and feel a strong sense of familiarity with, but those are but one small slice of the pie that constitutes a healthy and long relationship.

So next time, you spot someone who catches your attention and makes your pupils dilate with interest and enthusiasm, pay attention to whether or not they can see the dream you envisioned for your life. If they can share in your delight and can accept you for who you are today, not for who you can be tomorrow then you have found your soulmate.
To learn more about relationships (References):
  1. Journal of Family Therapy: https://www.gottman.com/wp-content/uploads/BabcockGottmanRyanGottman2013.pdf 
  2. The Journal of Marriage and Family: https://www.ncfr.org/jmf 
  3. American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2009/03/romance-relationships.aspx

Meet Matthieu Ricard, who is believed to be the happiest person in the world! What is his secret to happiness?

This Is the Happiest Person in the World and Here Is His Secret

Matthieu Ricard - happiest man in the world

Meet Matthieu Ricard, who is believed to be the happiest person in the world! What is his secret to happiness?

The search for happiness on an ongoing worldwide endeavor venturing through lifetimes. The questions  that usually arise are:

Is happiness just a momentary illusion?

Does a true state of happiness actually exist?

On a virtual search, streaming out realms of happiness the name “Matthieu Ricard” pops out in search engines. And who is he that is noted as the happiest person in the world?

A Tibetan Buddhist monk that was a participant in a twelve-year brain study on compassion and meditation by a University of Wisconsin neuroscientist, Richard Davidson.

The 256 sensors that were placed on Ricard’s brain indicated that While Ricard was in meditation sessions, his mind was ‘light’.

Ricard admitted he is generally happy and offered some points on achieving the ‘light side,’ breezing through life.

The main issue is about eliminating self-focus. Thoughts about yourself and making all better for you can be brain-draining leading to unhappiness. Not in a moral sense, yet it can get stuffy to signal the whole world as a threatening feature to you. Stay away from selfish thoughts.

It is best to strive towards benevolence, which will both make you feel better, and others too. Not by allowing others to take advantage but strive to be kind within reasonable measures. A mind filled with benevolence has solidarity and passion. Once you reach this healthy state of mind, it continues to flourish.

The mind will be in a better state mentally and therefore the body will reap the benefits. It will be perceived and received on a better level by all around you.
According to Ricard, all have the ability to reach a lighter state of mind. There is the potential for goodness in all unless of course, you have some chemical deficiency and mission on as a serial killer.
Just as marathon runners need to train before taking on the miles, people that need happiness need to train their minds. Ricard preferred method is meditation.

Happiness is a skill that can be configured through training. This is what we can learn from the happiest person in the world.

All you have to do is take ten or fifteen minutes each day. Think just happy thoughts.

This brings feelings of love and happiness. Concentrate on not getting distracted, keeping the focus on positive thoughts. Do this every day and in just two weeks you will feel the positive results. Ongoing practice will make you reach higher levels of happiness.

It is confirmed. Happiness is possible. Happiness is achievable. Studies in neuroscience indicate that twenty minutes of meditation each day will definitely create higher happiness levels.

Apple Seeds and Cancer: What the Government Has Been Hiding From You for Years

Apple Seeds and Cancer: What the Government Has Been Hiding From You for Years

 

 

The mere mention of consuming apple seeds, cherry pits, apricot seeds, or bitter almonds tends to cause almost panic attacks or angry reactions in some. Why? Cyanide is in them. So they’re justified in freaking out, right?

As a rumor based on too little knowledge, their concern is understandable. All you have to do is Google cyanide alongside any of the foods mentioned above and you’ll get a plethora of articles that all support the cyanide dangers from those seeds and nuts.



Some say that your body quickly detoxes the compounds containing cyanide. Others say that you will get free cyanide when your body metabolizes those compounds. Most concede that it would take a heck of a lot of pits, seeds, or bitter almonds to poison you.
But as the saying goes, “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” In this case the fear of fruit seeds and bitter almonds and other nuts is based on incomplete data. The compound containing cyanide is amygdalin.

The complete amygdalin story for full knowledge

Thousands have used apricot seed kernels to eliminate cancer. They didn’t die from cyanide poisoning. They were cured without negative side effects. This wasn’t accomplished by consuming a couple every week, but dozens daily for months. (Sydney Herald source below)

So why weren’t they weren’t poisoned? The amygdalin compound has four molecules. Two are glucose molecules. The other two are cyanide and benzaldyhide. The last two are scarycompounds, except for a couple of unusual metabolic activities: they are released by and into cancer cells only. Otherwise, they remain in the amygdalin compound and are passed through. It’s a very clever arrangement. The cancer cells depend on fermenting sugar (glucose) for their energy instead of oxygen.

So the cancer cells attract the amygdalin compounds for their glucose, but are whacked when they metabolize those compounds that free the benzalldyhide and cyanide. The glucose is the sugar bait. Cancer cells contain an enzyme that is not found in healthy cells, beta-glucosidase.

The beta-glucosidase enzyme “unlocks” the amygdalin compound, releasing the deadly toxins within the cancer cell. Only cancer cells metabolize amygdalin. Healthy normal cells don’t. Most non-cancerous cells contain another enzyme, rhodanese. Free cyanide molecules are bound to sulfur molecules by rhodanese, creating harmless cyanates that are eliminated in the urine.

This is the little bit of knowledge that those “scary” articles reference when they say a little bit of cyanide is easily detoxed by your body. But the complete function of amygdalin is hidden because the fact that laetrile or B17, a concentrated extract from apricot amydgalins, can cure cancer is taboo.

Suppressing a safe cancer cure

Laetrile or B17, was developed by San Francisco researcher Dr. Ernst Krebb in 1952 by liquefying and purifying amygdalin from apricot seeds so it could be injected into cancer patients. Dr. Krebb injected himself to assure laetrile’s safety, and Dr. John Richardson proved its efficacy by curing several cancer patients in San Francisco with laetrile.

In 1971, laetrile was banned. Dr. Richardson called on investigative journalist G. Edward Griffin to publicize the merits of laetrile or B17 derived from apricot seeds. Griffin discovered that the Sloane-Kettering Institute’s laetrile trials leading to the FDA ban were bogus.

Sloane-Kettering spokesperson Dr. Ralph Moss refused to lie about laetrile and left Sloane-Kettering in disgust. He slipped Griffin unpublicized papers scientifically proving laetrile actually worked. This led to Griffin’s book A World Without Cancer, where you can read much more about the amygdalin cancer curing story.

If not promoted as a cancer cure, apricot seeds aren’t banned. Avoid sugar while attempting to cure cancer with any method.

You’ve Been Buying Fake Salt for Years ! Here is What You Need to KNOW

You’ve Been Buying Fake Salt for Years ! Here is What You Need to KNOW

Your Salt is Fake! Here is What You Need to KNOW

Do you pay extra for salt just because it says “sea”?  Like most of us, you may have been deceived. In all truth, you’ve been buying regular salt because virtually all salt is “sea salt” because it came from the sea at some point. Does this mean you should not try look for healthier choices and just grab the cheapest container? Of course not, but you need to know several things about the sea salt scam and how to avoid it.



The Great Sea Salt Scam. Can you really trust the label?

I honestly can not imagine my daily life without salt. I never believed the conventional theory of how bad salt is for you. It’s been around from the foundation of this world, and has always been a highly valued commodity. However, I am referring to a real sea salt, not the processed table kind.
If you have noticed, most stores started carrying salt which has the label of “sea salt” and more products are being seasoned with “sea salt”.  It is almost harder to find the regular table kind, so one might think that we are finally going in the right direction – switching to a better, healthier counterpart. But I have to warn you, this is just another marketing strategy which I call the great sea salt scam.

Additionally, according to healthwyze report, ‘The F.D.A. mandates that any salt, which does not have iodine added (at the chemical plant) must bear a warning label. It must state, “This salt does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient”. As a result, sea salt distributors are required to lie on their labeling. Unadulterated sea salt usually contains more iodide than iodized table salt does.

Iodide is iodine that is mixed with a salt. In fact, iodide really ought to be called, “potassium iodine”. The naturally-occurring iodine in sea salt is maligned by false labeling to favor the chemical industry’s bastardized products and profits. Moreover, the inorganic iodide in table salt is less healthy, because it is lacking the trace minerals that work with it, that are found only in natural sea salts. Sea salt distributors are not allowed to put any of this truthful information on their labels, under the threat of serious legal trouble for violating the disingenuous labeling requirements.”


Let’s take a look at the term “sea salt”.  What is sea salt made of?

Sea salt is produced with little processing through evaporation of ocean water.  It will still contain some of the trace minerals that were present in the water. Table salt comes from underground salt deposits. It is heavily processed to remove the minerals. The way salt is processed will effect the taste and color but not the nutritional value. White processed “Sea salt” and table salt have almost the same nutritional qualities – they do contain the same amount of sodium chloride.

So if you decide to splurge on a snack that has “sea salt” written all over the package, you are just falling into the same sea salt scam. The nutritional value of your snack does not go up.

How to avoid the sea salt scam?

First of all, if you want a quality sea salt – look at the color. It should have a non-white color. To get all the minerals and nutrients from salt, look for a brownish or sandy color.
One of the best salts in the world is Himalayan Salt, which is pink in color and contains a total of 84 minerals and trace elements. It is considered the most pure form of salt in the world.
Celtic Sea Salt is another healthy alternative.  It is light grey color comes from the clay found in salt flats. Celtic salt is collected by hand with traditional Celtic methods used. Celtic Sea Salt contains just under 100 microminerals.

SO, next time you are shopping at the market, don’t fall for the clever marketing tricks. Don’t pay more money for salt that is nothing more than table salt in rock form and avoid the great sea salt scam.

Saturday, April 29, 2017

These 6 Things Happen To Your Body When You Eat Turmeric Every Day

These 6 Things Happen To Your Body When You Eat Turmeric Every Day

Turmeric has been used for over 4,000 years to treat a variety of conditions. Studies show that turmeric may help fight infections and some cancers, reduce inflammation, and treat digestive problems. – University of Maryland Medical Center
Native to southwest India, turmeric is a herbaceous plant of the ginger family. It is most commonly used as a spice in various foods, including Bangladeshi cuisine, Indian cuisine, and Pakistani cuisine and curries.
Turmeric is also one of the world’s ancient herbal medicines, having been used in Asia for thousands of years. Today, medical professionals and herbal practitioners in various fields note turmeric’s ability to treat and/or alleviate a number of different health conditions.

HERE ARE 6 BENEFITS OF TURMERIC IF CONSUMED REGULARLY:

1. REDUCES INFLAMMATION

Turmeric is believed to be a powerful anti-inflammatory. In fact, the abundant spice contains over two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds. Curcumin, one of turmeric’s most abundant compounds, has been noted in various studies for its excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Of the many studies that have been conducted, one of the most prominent was published in the October 2007 issue of Alternative and Complementary Therapies. Dr. James Duke, a well-respected ethnobotanist summarized his findings in the July 2008 issue of the American Botanical Council.
After reviewing over 700 studies, Duke concluded that turmeric effectively outperformed many pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for a variety of chronic, debilitative conditions, with no significant side effects.

2. REDUCES CANCER RISK

While studies noting turmeric’s effectiveness against cancer are in the early stages, various lab and animal studies have yielded promising results. Researchers at the American Cancer Society note that curcumin, a prevalent compound in turmeric: “interferes with several important molecular pathways involved in cancer development, growth and spread.”
In another study published by the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, researchers again note curcumin’s cancer-fighting properties. The study further details various “pathways” that curcumin counteracts to achieve such properties.
In their summation, researchers of the study emphasized the cancer-fighting properties of curcumin in a resounding fashion:
“The activity of curcumin reported against leukemia and lymphoma, gastrointestinal cancers, genitourinary cancers, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, lung cancer, melanoma, neurological cancers, and sarcoma reflects its ability to affect multiple targets. Thus, an “old-age” disease such as cancer requires an “age-old” treatment.
 

3. AIDS DIGESTION AND RELIEVES DIGESTIVE-RELATED DISORDERS

Partially since turmeric is such a powerful anti-inflammatory, the substance is also effective at improving digestion and reducing some symptoms of digestive disorders.
study performed at the University of Maryland Medical Center notes a variety of different conditions in which turmeric may be helpful, including indigestion and ulcerative colitis.  Here are some of the study’s key findings:
– Curcumin, a component of turmeric, stimulates bile production in the gallbladder, which is believed to help improve digestion.
– Turmeric serves as a potential safeguard against remission in those with ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease of the digestive tract with intermittent symptoms.
One noteworthy exception to the above benefits of turmeric is stomach ulcers. The researchers did not find any evidence of alleviation to this condition. In fact, turmeric is advised against for the condition, since it may increase the production of stomach acid.

 

4. PROMOTES BRAIN HEALTH

Among turmeric’s most powerful health benefits are its positive effects on our cognition. According to researchers, curcumin aids by enhancing our ability to learn and process in different environments. Further, curcumin may assist with warding off neurodegenerative conditions – dementia disorders and Alzheimer’s among them.
Scientists sought to gain further insight into curcumin’s brain benefits by conducting a study, which was subsequently published in the Public Library of Science.
Utilizing a curcumin-fortified diet, scientists tested the behavioral performance in rats after a 6-week and 12-week time period. At the study’s conclusion, researchers noted enhanced spatial and non-spatial memory and a possible link between curcumin treatment and enhanced cognition and neurogenesis.
In other words (this is exciting): turmeric may aid in neuroplasticity – the development of new brain connections…incredible. 
 

5. PROMOTES HEART HEALTH

Curcumin in turmeric also aids with ensuring a healthy heart. In the same study by the University of Maryland, scientists came to this conclusion by observing curcumin’s effective plaque-removal properties. Plaque buildup in the arteries can lead to a heart attack or stroke – a condition known as atherosclerosis.
Curcumin is also effective in reducing bad cholesterol known as LDL and preventing blood clots. One important note to the latter, turmeric may interact with certain blood-clot medications – make sure to seek a doctor’s advice before supplementing turmeric in this case.
 

6. ALLEVIATES ARTHRITIS SYMPTOMS

Because of turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties, it is believed to be effective at alleviating arthritis symptoms. Many health professionals subscribe to the notion that turmeric is more potently anti-inflammatory than many – if not most – other pharmaceutical and over-the-counter alternatives.
In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, rheumatoid arthritis patients who supplemented curcumin into their diets experienced a “reduction in tenderness” and a reduction in “Disease Activity” in numbers far-greater in proportion to those who did not.

A Meditation to Recharge Your Mind

A Meditation to Recharge Your Mind

Take a break from your busy day with this three-minute meditation practice. Your brain will thank you.
  illustration of brain with stars shooting out


Anytime a piece of technology is giving us problems, what’s the first thing we do? We turn it off, and then turn it back on. It’s amazing the variety of issues that this simple trick can solve.
Mindfulness teaches us that the same idea can apply to our minds as well. If we’re in some kind of emotional funk, or if the solution to a problem eludes us, we can learn how to unplug our mind—even for just a minute—and watch how many issues have disappeared when we plug back in.

5 Steps to Unplug Your Mind

1. Stop. The first step to unplugging your mind is to stop everything you’re doing. This begins by stopping your body, and giving yourself permission to do nothing for at least a minute or so. You might try saying to yourself, “Just for this one minute, I don’t have to accomplish or change anything.”

2. Let the mind wind down.

Now imagine that each of your five senses is like a door that lets information into your mind. Close each of these doors and offer yourself the gift of quiet. Your mind takes in so many sights, sounds, etc., all day long. For just a minute or so, let it rest. Close your eyes, turn off anything you were listening to, stop distracting yourself in any way. Then, see if you can quiet your thoughts by telling your mind, “You can rest now. Nowhere to go, and nothing to do.”

3. Come home.
Now that you’ve stopped and quieted your senses, come home to yourself in the present moment. Pay attention to your breathing and the sensations in your body without trying to do or change anything. Say to yourself, “The present moment is my true home, and I have arrived.”
4. Practice self-compassion.

See if you can direct love and compassion toward yourself in this moment.

Having let go of all busyness, try saying to yourself, “May you be well. May you be safe. May you be loved.”
5. This is it.

Finally, you recognize that everything you need to be happy is already present in this moment. You are alive, and the gift of life in infinitely precious. You can feel that your mind is completely at rest. Now you can return to whatever you were doing, and see how different it feels after having unplugged for just a little while.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety: 6 Ways Anxiety Affects your Body

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety: 6 Ways Anxiety Affects your Body


Physical Symptoms of Anxiety: 6 Ways Anxiety Affects your Body

Not only does anxiety confound your mind, there are also physical symptoms of anxiety. Over time, you will see the damage, caused by years of stress and worry.

During my early twenties, I never believed that those sleepless nights and hours crying would ever amount to physical scars. I didn’t discover the physical symptoms of anxiety until I turned the corner at 40 years of age. Now I write to you so that maybe you are a little younger and maybe you will be a little wiser. I want you to know that the anxiety of today will affect you tomorrow. Beware.

The anguish of a young woman or man lies within the brain, formulated by a silent killer called anxiety.

Anxiety derives from the amygdala, an area of the brain which governs the “fight or flight” response. In this regions of the brain, an important decision must be made, where either choice holds great consequences, hence the term “anxious”. If your doctor has diagnosed you with an anxiety disorder, then know that these huge decisions are some of the hardest aspects of life.

But what makes anxiety so monstrous is that it can strike in the absence of any “important decision making”. Those who suffer from anxiety disorders are prone to feel the symptoms at any given time, regardless of how the day is going. This is only the part that affects the mind, have you, and this feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, fear and worry derives from the confines of the brain. The rest of the body is an innocent bystander.

Initial physical symptoms of anxiety

Let that soak in for a moment. Realize how your central processor can mean big trouble for everything below the neck. For various reasons, and we’ve covered this in other posts, chemical changes occur within the amygdala, followed by structural changes as time goes on. Then, the disease just spreads downward.

Neurotransmitters send signals to the nervous system. The entire body goes on alert in preparation for some crisis, whether it’s really a crisis or not. The heart rate increases, breathing changes, and blood rushes to the brain away from other organs. The brain is hard at work on finding a way out of the coming storm. And because of these preparations, the body begins to suffer. Headaches, diarrhea, and nausea occur as an effect of sudden chemical changes and mixed signals. In short, it’s a mess.

Now, if you think that sounds bad, consider this…

Not only does the physical symptoms of anxiety affect the body temporarily, they also do long-term damage as well. This is the whole reason I wanted to warn you. As humans, we can deal with sudden temporary changes and bounce back quite well. It’s the long term damage that shortens our lifespan and decreases our quality of life. So, you need to be forewarned in hopes you can derail anxieties plans.
Here are 6 ways that anxiety affects the body.

Heart disease

The Women’s Health Initiative says that women who have panic attacks are much more likely to have a stroke. In The Nurses Health Study, women with phobic anxiety are 59% more likely to have a heart attack and with a 31% chance of dying from this heart attack. Harvard Medical School and the Cardiovascular Research Institute reported that those with an anxiety disorder were twice as likely to have a heart attack than those who had no history of anxiety.

Gastrointestinal disorders

There aren’t as many conclusive studies associated with the connection between gastrointestinal disorders and anxiety, but I can attest to having both, first anxiety, and not IBS, diagnosis just last year. I have another acquaintance who suffers from various mental disorders who has the same gut problem.
study conducted in New Zealand in 2007 showed a close relationship between high anxiety levels and IBS, after a random bowel infection provided the evidence.

Respiratory Issues

Anxiety may not cause respiratory issues, but it decreases the quality of life for those who suffer from issues such as COPD. Patients who suffer from COPD, in conjunction with anxiety, have severe stress and more hospitalization.

Short-term memory loss

Due to all of the information being loaded into the brain and the influx of blood as well, memory is damaged. Short term memory loss is caused by a hormone called cortisol, which is released when you are stressed.

Muscles tension

Due to the constant contraction of your muscles during the “fight of flight” response, your muscles will experience tension, which can last for a long time. This can also become a long-term issue even when anxiety is not present.

Suppression of the immune system

Symptoms of anxiety can cause much more serious issues like a downgraded immune system. Colds, for instance, can spring up when anxiety is at its worst. It’s not because you get sick from the thought of stress, that just isn’t plausible. What happens is that cortisol, when released during the panic, suppresses the immune system by shifting blood cells to other areas in preparation for combat. Germs are always around and so we tend to catch a cold easier and have a much harder time fighting it off as well.

So enough of the negative, now what?

Now that I have thoroughly scared the crap out of you, here are some ways to combat anxiety. Notice, I didn’t say cure, only giving you the tools to fight back.

Exercise

Remember, exercise is not a cure. It is, however, a way to boost the immune system and regulate the chemical processes within the body. The best way to exercise is doing a wide variety of activities so as not to get bored.

Healthy diet

Despite what you’re going through, try to remember to eat the right amounts and at the right intervals. A healthy diet not only helps the mind but directly strengthens the body and skin alike.

Sleep

If at all possible, create a uniformed sleeping habit. Try to sleep and wake up at the same times, every day.

Meditate

If you’re spiritual, then good. Take time in your day to find silence and get in touch with your own higher power.

Just don’t give up!

For now, I have to run. Maybe this has helped someone understand the physical symptoms of anxiety and provide a little hope for tomorrow. Anxiety can be a monster, this is true, but with understanding, this beast can also be tamed. I am sick myself, but there is no way I’m going to stop trying.

Cigarettes And Alcohol: Science Finally Figures Out Why We Like To Smoke When We Drink

Cigarettes And Alcohol: Science Finally Figures Out Why We Like To Smoke When We Drink

cigarettes and alcohol
There's a reason why you become Smokin' Joe when the drinks start flowing. erica CC 
Only smoke when you drink? You’re not alone. Despite the rate of regular tobacco users decreasing, the number of self-confessed “social smokers” is on the rise, particularly among young women. But what is it about drinking that turns otherwise health-conscious individuals into overnight chainsmokers? According to a recent study, it’s because many drinkers crave the stimulant effect of nicotine, which helps offset the sleepiness alcohol induces.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that as many as 90 percent of alcoholics also smoke cigarettes, and even those without an alcohol dependency are known to light up “only when they drink.” Although this link between drinking and smoking has been widely acknowledged, scientists are not completely sure of what entices drinkers to light up in the first place.

In order to further investigate the biological reaction that drives drinkers to smoke, a team of researchers from the University of Missouri gave rats fitted with sleep-recording electrodes nicotine and alcohol. After observing the effects of the two drugs on the rats’ brains, the team came to an interesting conclusion: Nicotine’s stimulant effect helps to ward off the sleepiness caused by alcohol consumption.

Nicotine specifically affected the rat’s basal forebrain, an area of the brain associated with reflexes, learning, and most importantly, attention. Alcohol, being a depressant, inhibits the central nervous system. Therefore, it makes sense how this stimulation would help to counteract the sleep-inducing effects and increase alertness.

In addition to keeping drinkers awake, past research has also found nicotine can enhance the pleasurable effects of alcohol, further adding to the “alcohol high” and increasing our desire to drink more. Unfortunately, along with being two of the most widely used drugs, nicotine and alcohol are also some of the deadliest drugs. The World Health Organization estimates that each year, around six million deaths can be attributed to nicotine use while about three million trace back to excessive alcohol use.

There has been some progress in efforts to curb both smoking and drinking rates, however. A 2014 study, for example, found that instilling stricter tobacco taxes and smoke-free policies lowered overall smoking and drinking rates. Thakkar and his team hope that by identifying the physical reactions caused by drinking and smoking, they can help to further lower worldwide dependency on these products.

How to Differentiate GMO Tomatoes from Organic Ones in These Two Simple Steps

How to Differentiate GMO Tomatoes from Organic Ones in These Two Simple Steps


GMO Tomatoes Organic

The next time you will buy tomatoes from your grocery store, you should know the differences between GMO tomatoes and organic ones.

Vegetables are important to your health and should be incorporated into every meal that you take.
Well, there is nothing better than eating fresh vegetables, not just fresh but organic vegetables. Sadly, the market has various brands of vegetables i.e. organic and GMO tomatoes.
The latter is a product of genetic engineering, which is essentially the science of modifying genes in plants so that it depicts traits that not genetically inherent to its species.
Organic vegetables, on the other hand, are those that are naturally grown with no interference of their genetic or natural state.

*Fact: GMO products are banned in most European countries such as Greece, Germany, and Austria just to mention a few. These countries believe that they are a great threat to the people and greatly contribute to life-threatening conditions such as smashed leukemia.
It’s thus crucial to understand the difference between the two if you want to pick out the healthiest and safest food for you and your family. If you go out to the grocery store and are not sure which product is which, here are simple ways of differentiating between GMO tomatoes from organic ones.

The method of labeling and coding

Almost everything in the store has a code number that uniquely identifies the product. For you to differentiate between a GMO tomato and an organic one, check the labeling and coding of the tomato. If you find that it has four digits, then that is a GMO product, while the one with five digits is an organic one.

The first number in the code

In every code, there is a starting number that identifies the category of products in the store. You will find that the code number given to rice will differ from that given to fruits and vegetables. As said earlier GMO fruits and vegetables have four digits, their index code number always starts with the number 8.
On the other hand, organic fruits and vegetables have five digits with their code number starting with number 9.
It is not easy to tell what kind of fruit or vegetable by simply looking at it. So next time you go out for grocery shopping, be keen to look out for what you have just learned. Remember, organic products are by far healthier compared to genetically modified ones.
So, don’t let ignorance risk your life and the lives of those you love!
References:

6 Ways to Instantly Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve to Relieve Inflammation, Depression, Migraines and More

6 Ways to Instantly Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve to Relieve Inflammation, Depression, Migraines and More


I read an article yesterday that has me extremely excited about the implications. The article is called “Hacking the Nervous System” by Gaia Vince. In the article, the author describes the experience of a woman who suffered from severe, debilitating rheumatoid arthritis and her eventual treatment with a device which minimized inflammation by simply stimulating the vagus nerve. What this means, is that by activating the vagus nerve which works through the parasympathetic nervous system, we can greatly influence inflammation and the immune system. The role of the brain on body inflammation can be profound. If you suffer from digestive complaints, high blood pressure, depression or any inflammatory condition, please read on. Let me explain the possible implications step by step.

What is The Vagus Nerve?

nerves
First of all, the vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body which originates in the brain as cranial nerve ten, travels down the from go the neck and then passes around the digestive system, liver, spleen, pancreas, heart and lungs. This nerve is a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the ‘rest and digest’ part (opposite to the sympathetic nervous system which is ‘fight of flight’).

Vagal Tone

The tone of the vagus nerve is key to activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Vagal tone is measured by tracking your heart rate alongside your breathing rate. Your heart-rate speeds up a little when your breathe in, and slows down a little when you breathe out. The bigger the difference between your inhalation heart-rate and your exhalation heart-rate, the higher your vagal tone. Higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.

What is High Vagal Tone Associated With?

High vagal tone improves the function of many body systems, causing better blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, improved digestion via better production of stomach basic and digestive enzymes, and reduced migraines. The higher vagal tone is also associated with better mood, less anxiety, and more stress resilience. One of the most interesting roles of the vagus nerve is that it essentially reads the gut microbiome and initiates a response to modulate inflammation based on whether or not it detects pathogenic versus non-pathogenic organisms. In this way, the gut microbiome can have an affect on your mood, stress levels and overall inflammation.

What is Low Vagal Tone Associated With?

The low vagal tone is associated with cardiovascular conditions and strokes, depression, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive impairment, and much higher rates of inflammatory conditions. Inflammatory conditions include all autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, lupus and more).

How Do We Increase Vagal Tone?

In the article above, vagal tone was increased through a device that stimulated the vagus nerve. The good news is that you have access to this on your own, but it does require regular practice. To some degree, you are genetically predisposed varying levels of vagal tone, but this still doesn’t mean that you can’t change it. Here are some ways to tone the vagus nerve:


  1. Slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing from your diaphragm, rather than shallowly from the top of the lungs stimulates and tones the vagus nerve.
  2. Humming. Since the vagus nerve is connected to the vocal cords, humming mechanically stimulates it. You can hum a song, or even better repeat the sound ‘OM.’
  3. Speaking. Similarly speaking is helpful for vagal tone, due to the connection to the vocal cords.
  4. Washing your face with cold water. The mechanism her is not known, but cold water on your face stimulates the vagus nerve.
  5.  
  6. Meditation. Loving kindness meditation promotes feelings of goodwill towards yourself and others. A 2010 study by Barbara Fredrickson and Bethany Kik found that increasing positive emotions led to increased social closeness, and an improvement in vagal tone.
  7.  
  8. Balancing the gut microbiome. The presence of healthy bacteria in the gut creates a positive feedback loop through the vagus nerve, increasing its tone.
The implications of such simple and basic practices on your overall health, and in particular on inflammation are far-reaching. If you suffer from an inflammatory condition, digestive upset, high blood pressure or depression, a closer look at vagal tone is highly recommended. We’ve known for years that breathing exercises and meditation are helpful for our health, but it is so fascinating to learn the mechanism by which they work. I hope this short article has inspired you to begin a meditation practice, as it has for me, and also to look for other means to manage the body’s inflammatory response.