Nature Knows and Psionic Success

The Society of Experimental Psychologists (SEP) has awarded its most prestigious honors to APS William James Fellows Nora S. Newcombe and Linda B. Smith in recognition of their pioneering achievements in experimental psychology. Newcombe, editor of Psychological Science in the Public Interest and a professor of psychology at Temple University, has received the 2019 Howard Crosby Warren Medal for “her distinguished research contributions on fundamental aspects of cognition and development, with emphasis on spatial cognition and the development of memory.” The Howard Crosby Warren Medal recognizes outstanding achievement in experimental psychology, and was the first major award in American psychology when it was established in 1936. Newcombe APS’s highest honor, the William James Fellow award, in 2014, in recognition of her lifetime of contributions to basic science. Her highly influential research on the development of spatial cognition has demonstrated how both children and adults can improve these skills through training and play, and that some of these abilities, such as using maps, develop even earlier than once thought. Newcombe’s adaptive combination model of the development of spatial cognition has shed light on how information sources are combined through psychological mechanisms that prioritize sources based on their potential usefulness. In the realm of memory research, Newcombe has proposed that the hippocampal maturation necessary to support explicit episodic memory may not occur until around 2 years of age. Later in life, this early absence of specific memories may then lead to “infantile amnesia,” a phenomena in which our earliest memories become impossible to retrieve as older children and adults. In 2014, Newcombe presented her neoconstructivist approach to cognitive development as part of her APS William James Fellow Award Address at the 26th Annual APS Convention in San Francisco. Linda B. Smith , a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana […]

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You’ve heard of money challenges , gallon water challenges , and of course whatever weird social media challenges the kids are up to these days, but the most popular challenge is all about you. Searches for 30-day mental health challenges grew by 668% over the past year, Pinterest recently revealed. But do these mini, month-long resets actually work? They can, but you have to approach them the right way, says Helen L. Coons, Ph.D. , ABPP, Clinical Director of Women’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Service Line at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "We know that small, realistic, and attainable steps help us sustain good health behavior," she says. "So if we think that we’re going to lose 50 pounds this week, we tend not to do it, but if we think about ‘I’m going to skip the cookie today,’ that’s a good start. Same thing in mental health." So, we teamed up with Dr. Coons to create a 30-day mental health challenge that aims to help you leave you feeling calmer and happier at the end of the month. Even better: You don’t need to spend a lot of money or have tons of free time to participate. How to Do the 30-Day Mental Health Challenge Position yourself for the best results by following four core guidelines: Don’t think it’s selfish: "When we’ve taken good care of ourselves, not only do we have more energy for others, but we we tend to be more focused and more present," Dr. Coons says. Tap a friend: When we share our goals, we do better. Get a group of two, three, or four friends for added accountability. If you miss a day, don’t give up: The goal isn’t to be perfect. Even if you just do 25 or 15 days, […]

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By Jamie L, There are so many benefits of nature that it would do you some good to get out there right now if you can. It may go deeper than just enjoying the great outdoors as nature can now be prescribed to patients in the same way a medication has been. Scottish doctors are recognizing how important it is to get outside and the benefits of nature that can have a positive effect on their patient’s health and wellness. This article will look at why getting outside could do you some good. Why Scottish Doctors Are Seeing The Health Benefits Of Nature This has started in Shetland, Scotland where doctors there have now been authorized to prescribe nature to their patients. This is a groundbreaking moment because it’s taking a truly holistic approach to things as opposed to doctors just blindly prescribing medications. Depending on the condition, medications can cause just as many bad side effects as the issue they are trying to address. With some medications, there is still no cure and they tend to mask the symptoms. It can almost be seen as painting over rust as they are not addressing the underlying causes. In Scotland, they are looking at true healing and the prescribing of nature is seen as the first of its kind in the U.K. They are looking at the benefits of nature which can help with some major things including: Reducing blood pressure . Lowering stress and anxiety. Exposure to sunlight and vitamin D . Fresher air and physical movement. There is also the result of helping increase happiness in those suffering from diabetes , mental illness, stress, heart disease and much more. What Does The Research Say About The Benefits of Nature? This is one of those situations where your intuitive […]

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Listed: Moudy Khodadi, Matthew Hanson, a store representative from Holland & Barrett, Max Hanson and Abraham Khodadi. A memory supplement manufacturer is on a mission to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining brain health, after securing a nationwide listing with health foods retailer Holland & Barrett. Memoraid was established in 2015 by four Bradford University pharmacy graduates as a supplement to support brain health. The two sets of brothers, Abraham and Moudy Khodadi and Matthew and Max Hanson, came up with the concept while studying. During their studies, they found themselves turning to caffeine in a bid to boost productivity. The four pharmacists then came together to create a capsule containing natural ingredients such as vitamin D to support brain health. “We realised when it came to exam periods and revision there was nothing there to help focus concentration,” Moudy Khodadi said. “The only things that were available were highly caffeinated drinks or prescription medicines available online, which is very dangerous.” Four years on from its launch, Memoraid will now be listed in 168 Holland & Barrett stores across the country. Max Hanson told The Yorkshire Post: “It’s the biggest turning point so far in the company. We are now going to be listed in 168 stores across the UK. In Yorkshire that includes, Leeds, Harrogate and York. “It’s good for us being on the high street because it helps with our mission of promoting brain health.” The issue of brain health is often overlooked, the pharmacists say, and there are actions that people can take to reduce the risk of symptoms such as dementia. Mr Hanson said: “We believe in the importance of brain health and we want to raise awareness. “We still feel that brain health is something which is overlooked and we just want to […]

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Photo credit: Mitch Blunt If you’ve been stressed out and ignoring it-isn’t everyone stressed right now?- it could be time to do something about it. That’s because even though you may be basically healthy, tension is doing its stealthy damage. The latest evidence? Researchers have just linked high levels of the stress hormone cortisol to brain shrinkage and impaired memory in healthy middle-aged adults. And get this: The effect was more pronounced in women than in men. This new research underscores an important point. Though stress affects your whole body , ground zero is your brain. It’s not just the effects of cortisol-it’s that teeth-grinders like traffic jams, personal snubs, and financial worries are perceived and interpreted by your gray matter. Fortunately, research focused on the brain is pointing to new, more effective ways to reduce your tension. But first, let’s drill down and see how and why your brain’s natural reactions make you more vulnerable to the zings and arrows of tension. How stress affects your brain Aspects of the brain’s design that served us well thousands of years ago now make us susceptible to negative emotions and mental fatigue, both of which ratchet up our stress, says Amit Sood, MD , professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and founder of the Mayo Clinic Resilience Program. Although our brains have evolved over time, “the speed of life today is the main stressor-it’s much faster than our brain’s ability to adapt,” he says. And that means we often end up with too little time and too few resources to address what life throws at us each day, which adds to a diminishing sense of control over our lives. Perceived lack of control has been shown to be a huge source of stress. In his book Mindfulness Redesigned for […]

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( Natural News ) The idea of losing memories — no matter how special or mundane they may be — is one dreaded by a lot of people, but losing them to neurodegenerative disease makes it worse, even unbearable. While numerous studies have been done to investigate these kinds of diseases, the most prevalent of which is Alzheimer’s, their exact causes have not been fully explained by scientific data. Still, these health conditions that impair cognitive function are very much a real threat, especially to aging people, and scientists continue to look for ways to reduce and even reverse the symptoms associated with these diseases. A study published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine , in particular, looked at gardenia ( Gardenia jasminoides ) and evaluated its effects on learning and memory using in vivo studies. Compound in gardenia protects the brain against injury and dysfunction The brain controls all our bodily functions, making neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s truly frightening. These conditions can turn simple activities like going home into the most difficult chore, as you begin to forget the once-familiar route you have taken countless times before. Some of the recognized key drivers of Alzheimer’s disease include cholinergic (nerve cells) dysfunction, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress and inflammation of the central nervous system (neuroinflammation). In the study, researchers looked at Chinese herbs, which have been used medicinally for thousands of years, as a good source for potential drugs for Alzheimer’s. They focused on gardenia fruit, a common Chinese herbal medicine, and investigated its protective effects of against cognitive impairment and neurotoxicity on amyloid-beta-induced animal models. The power of the elements : Discover Colloidal Silver Mouthwash with quality, natural ingredients like Sangre de Drago sap, black walnut hulls, menthol crystals and more. Zero artificial sweeteners, colors or alcohol. Learn […]

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Long-term, high nut consumption could be the key to better cognitive health in older people according to new research from the University of South Australia. In a study of 4822 Chinese adults aged 55+ years, researchers found that eating more than 10 grams of nuts a day was positively associated with better mental functioning, including improved thinking, reasoning and memory. Lead researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ming Li, says the study is the first to report an association between cognition and nut intake in older Chinese adults, providing important insights into increasing mental health issues (including dementia) faced by an ageing population. “Population aging is one of the most substantial challenges of the twenty-first century. Not only are people living longer, but as they age, they require additional health support which is placing unprecedented pressure on aged-care and health services,” Dr Li says. “In China, this is a massive issue, as the population is ageing far more rapidly than almost any other country in the world. “Improved and preventative health care – including dietary modifications – can help address the challenges that an aging population presents. “By eating more than 10 grams (or two teaspoons) of nuts per day older people could improve their cognitive function by up to 60 per cent– compared to those not eating nuts – effectively warding off what would normally be experienced as a natural two-year cognition decline.” China has one of the fastest growing aging populations. In 2029, China’s population is projected to peak at 1.44 billion, with the ratio of young to old dramatically imbalanced by the rising ranks of the elderly. By 2050, 330 million Chinese will be over age 65, and 90.4 million will be over age 80, representing the world’s largest population of this most elderly age group. More broadly, the […]

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( Natural News ) Physical activity is an important part of maintaining health. However, it will only be effective if it is done consistently. And for some people — like those between 40 and 65 years old — committing to staying active may be difficult. Here are seven fun and enjoyable exercises to help you stay active as you age: Commit to a walking program: Walking is the simplest and easiest way to exercise. Everyone knows how to walk, and you don’t need a gym membership or a personal trainer to do it. You can start gradually and build your way up to five or six days every week. Make it more fun by walking together with your friends or family. You can also commit to a walking program such as EverWalk , which was launched by a veteran marathon swimmer named Diana Nyad. The program aims to encourage over one million Americans to start walking each day. Engage in strength training: At midlife, building muscle becomes more important as you tend to lose muscle mass and gain weight with age. You can start building your muscles by engaging in strength training. Try simple exercises that use your own body weight, such as planks, pushups, hip bridges, squats, and lunges. Enroll in a yoga class: Practicing yoga benefits both the body and mind. Yoga is a great way to enhance strength and flexibility, and an even greater way to practice mindfulness. Hormonal changes occur in midlife and it can be challenging to manage your thoughts. For people who are in their forties or fifties, being able to release their negative thoughts is helpful. At this age, you may feel that you have lost your connection to yourself, and yoga can help you get yourself back. Yoga also helps reduce […]

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