Nature Knows and Psionic Success

“Roll-up roll-up! Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to tell you about this miracle we are offering here at St. Emlyns that can improve your learning, make you live longer, reduce your risk of developing diabetes, cancer, cardiovacular disease, stroke, mental health issues and dementia, can help you lose weight and even make you better looking. And how much are we charging you for this miracle? We’re not asking $40; we’re not asking $20; we’re not even asking $5; in fact it’s free, and not only is it free ladies and gentleman but you don’t even need to do anything to get it…” What is this miracle? Enough of the snake oil salesman talk… It’s simply sleep; specifically 7-9 hours sleep a night. I have recently read Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker , Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology and Director of Sleep and Neuroimaging at Berkeley California, and it’s been a bit of an eye-opener [ironic] to realise how important sleep is to us when it comes to learning. What follows is a brief, simplified, summary of his book and what it means to learning. Sleeping All of us have a circadian rhythm; our bodies’ 24 hour cycle that tells us when we should be asleep and when we should be awake through a mixture of adenosine, melatonin and sunlight. For 40% of people, that cycle is that of a lark; asleep by 10pm and awake by 6am to get a full 8 hours sleep at night. A further 30% of us are owls, who ideally would drop off about 2am and wake at 10am for their 8 hours of shuteye. The astute amongst you will have noticed that 40% larks plus 30% owls don’t add up to a total population… […]

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Deep stimulation improves cognitive control by augmenting brain rhythms In a new study that could improve the therapeutic efficacy of deep-brain stimulation (DBS) for psychiatric disorders such as depression, a team of scientists shows that, when DBS is applied to a specific brain region, it improves patients’ cognitive control over their behavior by increasing the power of a specific low-frequency brain rhythm in their prefrontal cortex. The findings, published April 4 in Nature Communications , suggest that the increase in “theta” rhythms, readily detectable in EEG recordings, could provide neurosurgeons and psychiatrists with the reliable, objective and rapid feedback they’ve needed to properly fine-tune the placement and “dosage” of DBS electrical stimulation. In Parkinson’s disease, where DBS has been most successful, that kind of feedback is available through a reduction in a patient’s tremors. But for depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder, symptoms can be more subtle, subjective and slowly emergent. “This is a major step forward for psychiatric brain stimulation,” said Alik Widge, the lead and corresponding author on the paper. Widge began the work while a clinical fellow at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT and a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He is now an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School. “This study shows us a specific mechanism of how DBS improves patients’ brain function, which should let us better identify who can benefit and how to optimize their individual treatment.” DBS increases control Heading into the research, the team, also led by Earl Miller, Picower Professor of Neuroscience at MIT and Darin Dougherty, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Division of Neurotherapeutics at MGH, knew that DBS applied to the brain’s ventral internal capsule and ventral striatum (VCVS) has shown mixed […]

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WN Lifestyle Home – Health Originally posted on: http://www.sandiaviewassistedliving.org/how-assisted-living-facilities-meet-senior-dietary-needs/ Eating a balanced, nutritional diet is important at any age. For older adults, proper nutrition can be… Eating a balanced, nutritional diet is important at any age. For older adults, proper nutrition can be the difference between health and sickness. Malnutrition is a serious problem in the elderly. It occurs when someone doesn’t eat enough food or doesn’t eat the right foods. If we all know eating well is important, why is it a challenge later in life? The fact is, nutritional needs change as the body ages. An 80-year-old body processes food in a different way than a 50-year-old one. If seniors don’t recognize and adjust for aging, their health is at risk. Poor eating habits put seniors at risk for chronic health issues . Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and bone loss can come from lack of nutrition. Smart food choices boost mental and physical function. A proper diet helps people manage blood pressure and cholesterol. It can reduce the risk of bone loss and arthritis. It’s important to note that proper nutrition is more complicated than food choice. Sandia View Assisted Living in Albuquerque looks at everything related to proper nutrition. One of the main changes that affect nutrition is slower digestion. Reduced amounts of saliva and stomach acid make it tougher to break down food. The body doesn’t absorb important nutrients. That means missing out on Vitamins like B6 and B12 and folic acid. Those vitamins and minerals are important for memory, circulation, and mental alertness. Eating high-fiber foods and increasing water consumption can improve digestion. As people age their metabolism decreases. It’s a natural process that again changes the way the body processes food. Your body doesn’t burn calories at the same rate it once […]

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( Natural News ) Like the body, the brain needs fuel, which can be obtained from brain-healthy foods. Here are some foods that can give your brain a boost : Cacao: Eating chocolates — the real ones, made from cacao — is good for your brain, thanks to powerful compounds called flavonols. These compounds act as antioxidants and help preserve the brain’s stem cells — which produce new brain cells. Flavonols, as antioxidants, also help fight chronic inflammation which can cause diseases related to thinking and memory. In addition, research has shown that flavonols support the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain involved in memory and mood. While eating chocolates is good for you, eat it in moderation, about a square or two each day. Caffeinated drinks: Drinking coffee or tea can also be good for your brain. This is because of their caffeine content that may help prevent age-related cognitive decline. Research has shown that consuming about 500 milligrams (mg) of caffeine every day — the equivalent of about five cups of coffee — may help protect against memory problems in humans. Colorful fruits and vegetables: Adding more colored foods to your diet also improve your brain health. And by colored foods, these refer to naturally colored ones like fruits and vegetables. Colorful fruits and vegetables, such as beets , berries, leafy greens, carrots, and peppers, have high amounts of antioxidants like carotenoids and anthocyanins. These antioxidants are natural pigments that give those fruits and vegetables their bright colors. Antioxidants are good for the brain because they can protect brain cell linings from the damage caused by free radicals, which are toxic molecules that cause inflammation and are caused by factors like a poor diet or smoking. Greens and beans also provide folate, which is beneficial […]

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Remember the good old days in kindergarten when we got to lie down on our mats after lunch and have a little rest and quiet time? Wouldn’t that be wonderful to do at work every day? I distinctly remember the feeling of “calm” I felt as we were allowed to get up and put our mats away. The entire room had changed, the energy was soft and quiet… I liked that feeling! Every morning after I feed my dogs, they go outside for a potty break, play for about 10-15 minutes and then go to their favorite spot on the couch or one of the doggie beds and are fast asleep within minutes. Mind you, they have been awake for less than two hours at this point after sleeping all night (and hogging the bed). This is their routine every day, like clockwork, unless some major excitement or disruption emerges in our household. I got the opportunity to see this pattern as I was home with them almost every day for four months last spring while recovering from a broken leg and surgery. I found myself settling in right with them every morning on the couch as I lay there with my leg elevated and iced. We would sleep for almost two hours every day while I recovered. Just like in kindergarten, when I awoke each morning from our nap… I LIKED THAT FEELING! I felt rested and calm, yet energized. I allowed myself to surrender and listened to what my body needed, which was a lot of extra sleep to heal from the trauma. Dogs don’t sleep the way we do; they take a lot of short naps throughout the day. As predators, they are genetically designed this way. These short bursts of sleep help them recharge their […]

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Scientists reveal that L-Carnitine enhanced memory not just in older individuals, but also in Alzheimer’s patients. ( Newswire.net — April 2, 2019) Orlando, FL — More and more researchers are investigating the ways to protect and improve cognitive health. This is particularly true to aging brains, which are often susceptible to health issues. Studies were published in the Journal Of Comparative Neurology and the Journal Of Alzheimer’s Disease. In these studies, it was found that the combination of modern habits and sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These are habits that have been found to be particularly harmful to brain and overall health. Scientists recommend some dietary modifications. This means making some small and gradual changes in terms of choosing foods and beverages. Instead of coffee, it is wise to opt for green tea, as it has less caffeine and is loaded with antioxidants. It is similarly important to choose healthier foods, such as fruits, vegetables, fish, and olive oil as they have been found not just to promote cell growth, but also stave off cognitive decline. Staying away from a sedentary lifestyle can help, and it necessitates adding just 20 minutes or more of movements per day. According to research, exercises like aerobic activities boost body and brain health. Physical activities could enhance memory and even stimulate cell growth, which makes it easier for the brain to grow new neuronal connections. There is a myriad of brain-health-enhancing remedies being widely studied by researchers. One of the most therapeutic options is L-Carnitine, which has long been popularized by its remarkable healing benefits. According to researchers, this powerful ingredient could work wonders in protecting and improving cognitive health. In some studies, it has been found there was a gradual decline in the carnitine levels as Alzheimer’s progressed. This […]

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(Picture: PA Real Life) Jillian Faith, 34, says she has transformed both her body and mind by eating a meat only diet for four months. After years of suffering from PTSD, she spotted the extreme ‘caveman diet’ on social media and decided to give it a go in a bid to improve her general wellbeing. Now her daily menus begin with breakfast of elk meat and beef with beef fat, followed by a bowl of bone broth later in the day and finally a supper of beef brains, liver and beef fat – all only just cooked. But although Jillian, who lives in California, U.S., claims she is healthier than ever, experts aren’t totally convinced. UK nutritionist and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, Linia Patel, is not surprised that Jillian is feeling so much better on her high protein, high animal fat diet, because ditching carbs can help to stabilise blood sugar levels. Her weight loss has resulted from her body having to burn fat for energy, but Linia warned that such an extreme diet does have drawbacks. ‘Wholegrains and plant foods are important for building the good bacteria in the gut, but animal protein does the opposite and feeds the bad bacteria,’ she warned. ‘There is no one diet that works for everyone, but you have to ask is this way of eating sustainable and the best way to eat in the long term? ‘People on this kind of diet may struggle to do any high intensity exercise and, since we know exercise is important for stress relief and sleep amongst other things, we would always recommend a more diverse.’ Jillian, who was a bassoonist and drummer for the US Army reservists for nine years, says she was left traumatised from a combination of events but particularly […]

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