Nature Knows - Natural Nootropics

We love sweet treats. But too much sugar in our diets can lead to weight gain and obesity, Type 2 diabetes and dental decay. We know we shouldn’t be eating candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes and drinking sugary sodas, but sometimes they are so hard to resist. It’s as if our brain is hardwired to want these foods. As a neuroscientist my research centers on how modern day "obesogenic," or obesity-promoting, diets change the brain. I want to understand how what we eat alters our behavior and whether brain changes can be mitigated by other lifestyle factors. Your body runs on sugar — glucose to be precise. Glucose comes from the Greek word glukos which means sweet. Glucose fuels the cells that make up our body — including brain cells (neurons). Dopamine "hits" from eating sugar On an evolutionary basis, our primitive ancestors were scavengers. Sugary foods are excellent sources of energy, so we have evolved to find sweet foods particularly pleasurable. Foods with unpleasant, bitter and sour tastes can be unripe, poisonous or rotting — causing sickness. So to maximize our survival as a species, we have an innate brain system that makes us like sweet foods since they’re a great source of energy to fuel our bodies. When we eat sweet foods the brain’s reward system — called the mesolimbic dopamine system — gets activated. Dopamine is a brain chemical released by neurons and can signal that an event was positive. When the reward system fires, it reinforces behaviors — making it more likely for us to carry out these actions again. Dopamine "hits" from eating sugar promote rapid learning to preferentially find more of these foods. Our environment today is abundant with sweet, energy rich foods. We no longer have to forage for these special sugary […]

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When people get sick, they often also feel tired, which can be as troublesome as their disease. A team of researchers has learned more about this connection. Reporting in the journal NeuroImage , they have shown that inflammation, which is a natural biological response to illness, can have a detrimental impact on the brain’s state of alertness and the ability to maintain it. "Scientists have long suspected a link between inflammation and cognition, but it is very difficult to be clear about the cause and effect," said the co-senior author of the study Dr. Ali Mazaheri, of the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Human Brain Health. "For example, people living with a medical condition or being very overweight might complain of cognitive impairment, but it’s hard to tell if that’s due to the inflammation associated with these conditions or if there are other reasons. Our research has identified a specific critical process within the brain that is clearly affected when inflammation is present." In this study, the scientists zeroed in on a part of the brain that functions in visual attention. Twenty young men volunteered to get a vaccine for salmonella typhoid, which results in temporary inflammation but doesn’t have many other side effects. On a different day, the volunteers were also given a water injection as a control. The cognitive responses of the study participants were assessed by showing them images on a computer a few hours after they got the vaccine or the placebo, and brain activity was measured as they took the attention test. Blood was also taken to measure their inflammation levels. Separate attention processes that involve different regions of the brain were assessed in this study. Alerting involves obtaining and maintaining an alert state, orienting is related to choosing and prioritizing sensory information, and […]

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Sir David Attenborough, 93, is a broadcaster and natural historian. He has entertained millions with his iconic voice and documentaries offering a peak into our mysterious planet and its inhabitants. David is an advocate for saving the planet and championing its protection and in between discussing how to save the planet, David mentioned a health struggle he has experienced. Dementia care: Dementia care: The activity shown to lower your risk Dementia care: Vital skill that could determine risk of condition Dementia symptoms: Five early signs of the disease Two years ago, while preparing for Blue Planet II, he also admitted he was taking longer to write the script because of the struggles with recalling the proper names. As people grow older, they experience physiological changes that can cause glitches in brain functions they’ve previously taken for granted. Memories and names take longer to learn and becomes difficult to recall information. DON’T MISS Dementia warning: Eating too much of this may increase your risk Dementia test: ‘Velcro’ style test could spot Alzheimer’s symptoms Age-related memory loss The brain is capable of producing new brain cells at any age, so significant memory loss is not an inevitable result of ageing. But just as it is with muscle strength, a person has to use it or lose it. Lifestyle, habits, and daily activities have a huge impact on the health of one’s brain. Whatever the age, there are many ways a person can improve their cognitive skills, prevent memory loss, and protect your grey matter. Dementia: Doing this activity may slow symptoms Type 2 diabetes: Experts agree this diet will keep blood sugar levels low – what is it? Jenny Ryan health: ‘I felt like I had a fish bowl on my head’ Chaser on health struggle How to live longer: Best […]

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Guggul has long been used as a traditional medicine for a variety of health conditions. There is evidence that the active components inside this plant have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Learn about the potential health benefits of guggul as well as the side effects. Guggul is the most common name for a small medicinal tree Commiphora Mukul (Wightii), which is mostly found in the Indian subcontinent. In Ayurveda, guggul dry gum resin is obtained from the stem of the Guggul tree. It has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurvedic medicine system [ 1 ]. Guggul is one of the oldest Ayurvedic herbs taken orally for a variety of diseases. The term “guggul” in Sanskrit means “protects against diseases”. Guggul supplements are sometimes referred to as guggulipid or guggul lipid [ 2 ]. Despite its long history and purported health benefits, the available clinical research on guggul is limited. Guggul contains a mixture of sterols, steroids, esters, and alcohols with multiple purported benefits: Steroids and sterols : The main active component of guggul is thought to be guggulsterone (E and Z). Other steroids found in guggul include guggulsterone M, dihydroguggulsterone, and guggulsterol Y. These steroidal components may have anti-inflammatory properties [ 3 ] Triterpenoids : Myrrhanone (A, B) and Myrrhanol (A, B, C) may have anti-inflammatory activity [ 2, 4 ]. The following purported benefits of guggul are only supported by limited, low-quality clinical studies. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of guggul for any of the uses listed below. Remember to speak with a doctor before taking guggul. It should never be used as a replacement for approved medical therapies. Lowering Cholesterol A number of older clinical trials performed in India show that guggul may help with high cholesterol. In these studies, supplementation with […]

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Summary: From reducing memory capability to increasing the risk of diabetes and obesity, researchers investigate how sugar affects the brain and body. Source: The Conversation We love sweet treats. But too much sugar in our diets can lead to weight gain and obesity, Type 2 diabetes and dental decay. We know we shouldn’t be eating candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes and drinking sugary sodas, but sometimes they are so hard to resist. It’s as if our brain is hardwired to want these foods. As a neuroscientist my research centres on how modern day “obesogenic,” or obesity-promoting, diets change the brain. I want to understand how what we eat alters our behaviour and whether brain changes can be mitigated by other lifestyle factors. Your body runs on sugar — glucose to be precise. Glucose comes from the Greek word glukos which means sweet. Glucose fuels the cells that make up our body — including brain cells (neurons). Dopamine “hits” from eating sugar On an evolutionary basis, our primitive ancestors were scavengers. Sugary foods are excellent sources of energy, so we have evolved to find sweet foods particularly pleasurable. Foods with unpleasant, bitter and sour tastes can be unripe, poisonous or rotting — causing sickness. So to maximize our survival as a species, we have an innate brain system that makes us like sweet foods since they’re a great source of energy to fuel our bodies. When we eat sweet foods the brain’s reward system — called the mesolimbic dopamine system — gets activated. Dopamine is a brain chemical released by neurons and can signal that an event was positive. When the reward system fires, it reinforces behaviours — making it more likely for us to carry out these actions again. Dopamine “hits” from eating sugar promote rapid learning to preferentially […]

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Sleep isn’t a luxury. In fact – skimping on zzz’s compromises everything from your immune system to your memory. When we sleep not only are we getting some much-needed rest from our increasingly busy lives, we are also allowing out body to pretty much regenerate and renew itself. It’s true. For instance, evidence suggests that the brain’s trillions of nerve cells literally rewire themselves when we sleep, and as for our skin – well, there is a reason it is called beauty sleep, you know. Getting enough sleep is all sorts of good for our health, and can actually reduce your risk for heart problems, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer. The general advice is that we should aim for between seven and nine hours of sleep at night, something many of us struggle to get. However, sometimes small changes can end up having big and long-lasting effects , and if you are struggling with your sleep, try making one (or all) of these adjustments and see how you get on: 1. Ditch the afternoon latte If you have trouble falling asleep at night or if your sleep is restless , caffeine may be the issue. Our ability to recover from the effect of caffeine diminishes as we age, so it may be time to give up late-night coffees—or even late-afternoon ones. 2. Swap your regular cuppa for camomile tea Experts are out on whether or not herbal teas actually have an effect of sleep, but what we do know is that a calming evening routine can massively improve your chance of falling asleep when you head hits the pillow. Entering sleep in a more relaxed state aids in the quality of sleep you get. Even if tea isn’t a cure-all in terms of sleep, it’s also […]

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