Most of us have experienced conditions such as depression, anxiety, memory problems and trouble focusing or just plain brain fog. We think these problems are all in our heads. However, in his pioneering new book, "The UltraMind Solution," Mark Hyman, M.D., explains how the real causes of these problems are in your body, not your head. By simply addressing the underlying causes of mood, memory and behavior problems you can boost your brain power and have a calm, confident, focused and happy mind.
The three-pound organ in your head is very sensitive. So if you want to feel happy, alert and focused, start being sensitive to its needs. Ditch the high fructose corn syrup and sugars, transfats, processed and packaged foods (which contain up to 3,500 food additives and chemicals). Choose organic foods and grass-fed animal products to avoid hormones, antibiotics and the gallon of neurotoxic pesticides each of us consume every year. Filter your water. Wear a helmet when doing sports that put your head at risk. Stop or reduce brain-damaging medications (acid blockers, statins and acetaminophen).
If you fix your body you will fix your brain, automatically. The seven basic systems of the body must be optimized for your body (and brain) to function properly. Here's all you need to do: optimize nutrition; cool off inflammation; balance your hormones; fix your digestion; enhance detoxification; boost your energy metabolism; calm your mind. And optimizing the seven keys to an UltraMind is simple. Follow this roadmap that automatically balances the seven keys: eat right for your brain; tune up your brain chemistry with supplements; sleep, rest and exercise for your brain; live clean and green.
Step 1: Eating Right for Your Brain
To boost your brain power, you need the right nutrition. Eat real, whole, organic, ideally local food. Become a fat head (60 percent of your brain is made up of omega 3 fats) by eating sardines, wild salmon, herring, omega 3 eggs, flax seeds and walnuts. Eat protein for brain power every morning and with every meal. Include foods such as eggs, nut butters, protein shakes, beans, nuts and seeds and lean animal protein. Eat brain food, otherwise known as the right carbs: whole fresh vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains. And eat colorful fruits and vegetables with phytonutrients -- hidden brain protectors with healing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying compounds.
Step 2: Tune Up Your Brain Chemistry with Supplements
We need nutritional supplements because we don't hunt for or gather wild foods anymore, and we live in a toxic world under a lot of stress. Our depleted diets cause 92 percent of us to be deficient in the minimum amount of nutrients needed for optimal brain function. Vitamins and minerals run the chemical reactions in your body and brain that make happy-mood chemicals, cool inflammation, help you detoxify, make energy and more. So take a daily multivitamin, omega 3 fats (1,000 mg of fish oil), vitamin D3 (2,000 IU), calcium (600 mg), magnesium (400 mg) and the special brain-boosting B vitamins folic acid, B6 and B12. And take probiotics to keep your gut healthy -- a happy gut is a happy brain.
Step 3: Get a Good Night's Sleep
Sleep is one of those things we take for granted -- until we can't. If you are having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting enough sleep, try to change your relationship to sleep. Think of it as a sacred, precious, healing part of your day and prepare for it carefully. Avoid substances that interfere with sleep, like caffeine, cold medications, alcohol and sugar. Get back in rhythm by going to bed before 11 p.m. and sleeping eight hours. And create a peaceful, sleepy environment, clear your mind, write down all your worries and tasks before bed and relax by taking a hot bath.
Step 4: Find Your Pause Button: Relax
Finding our pause button is something we never learn. Healing, repair, renewal and regeneration all occur in a state of relaxation. So how do we find the pause button and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as the "relaxation response"? Try my two favorite ways: First, take five breaths into your belly to the count of five, then breathe out for five. Do this five times daily. Or second, take a bath -- draw a hot bath, add two cups of Epsom salts, one cup of baking soda, 10 drops of lavender oil -- and one stressed human. Soak for 20 minutes just before bed.
Step 5: Exercise
While most of us accept the benefits of exercise on our bodies, perhaps its most powerful effect is on our brains. It helps rewire our circuits and improve learning, memory, concentration, and focus. And it is the best antidepressant and anti-anxiety therapy available. So all I ask you to commit to is this: Walk vigorously for 30 minutes every day. That is the only exercise you need to do for an UltraMind.
Step 6: Live Clean and Green
Our brains are exquisitely sensitive to environmental toxins and stresses. There is an intimate connection between the sustainability of our own health and the health of the planet. Small everyday choices lead to big changes over time for our communities, our planet and ourselves. Living clean and green involves four steps:
1. Drink clean water (use a reverse-osmosis filter).
2. Limit your exposure to chemicals and metals by eating organic and using green household products.
3. Keep your body fluids moving by drinking plenty of clean water, eating fiber to move your bowels daily and sweating to get rid of toxins through the skin.
4. Reduce your exposure to electro-pollution or electromagnetic radiation.
Make the Changes Permanent
To keep these changes permanent, you'll want to continue eating fresh, whole, real foods, and avoid processed foods, high-fructose corn syrup, transfats and other toxins. You should also keep tuning up your brain chemistry with supplements, and make a habit out of getting good sleep, finding the pause button daily, moving your body, and living clean and green.
The UltraMind Solution
Once you have followed The UltraMind Solution for six weeks, you'll likely find the results include a happier mood, better memory and less brain fog, as well as renewed energy, weight loss, improved health, clearer skin, improved sleep and more. To find out more details of this plan based on "The UltraMind Solution," by Mark Hyman, M.D., you can download a free sneak preview of the book here.
Asyik memikirkan kemewahan hidup sahaja sehingga kita hampir terlupa kita hanya sementara di dunia, akhiratlah yang kekal abadi.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Improve Your Memory
Have you ever found yourself in mid-sentence when suddenly you've forgotten the point you were trying to make? Do birth dates or simple tasks (like DVRing one of your must-see TV shows) sometimes slip your mind? You're not alone -- these random acts of absentmindedness are normal and can be due to tiredness, anxiety and stress (along with age, of course). But here's the good news: Research shows there are simple strategies that can boost your brainpower -- no matter how many candles will be on your birthday cake this year.
Sniff This
Next time you're looking for some extra brainpower, go mow the lawn. After years of research, neuroscientists at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, discovered that the scent of fresh-cut grass triggers two sections of the brain -- the amygdala (which deals with emotions) and the hippocampus (which deals with memory). As a result, taking a whiff of this outdoorsy aroma can help relieve stress and boost memory. But Australian scientists weren't completely surprised that these reactions occurred simultaneously, since chronic stress is directly associated with forgetfulness. Don't feel like doing yard work? Lighting a scented candle or fragrant oil that smells like fresh-cut grass should also do the trick.
Chew Gum
And to think most teachers made us spit out our gum during class. Research conducted by the Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston shows that chewing gum can improve alertness. Teenagers who chomped away for 14 weeks during math class and while doing math homework scored higher on tests and in their final grades compared to the teens who weren't given gum. A similar study conducted a few years ago at the University of Northumbria in Newscastle found that people who chewed gum during long-term and short-term memory tests scored better than nonchewers. While experts haven't pinpointed the link between chewing gum and memory, Japanese researchers believe it may stem from an increased heart rate (thanks to the chewing) that leads to extra oxygen being delivered to the brain.
Cut Back on Calories
Talk about a two-for-one deal: According to a German study that was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, healthy women between the ages of 50 and 80 who reduced their calorie intake by 30 percent for three months showed a 20 percent improvement on verbal memory tests (not to mention dropped a few pounds).
"According to the researchers, the women who cut calories became more sensitive to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin and had a drop in blood levels of C-reactive protein -- and both have been linked to an improvement in brain function," said nutritionist Cynthia Sass, co-author of "The Ultimate Diet Log." To reduce calories without feeling like you're eating less, Sass suggests cutting ground beef recipes in half and substituting the meat with chopped mushrooms or replacing half of the rice or pasta in a dish with diced onions and peppers, shredded carrots, zucchini or cabbage.
Force Yourself to Be in a Bad Mood
As odd (and slightly depressing) as this may sound, a recent Australian study, which was published in the journal Australian Science, has concluded that thinking negatively can actually give the brain a healthy jolt. Study author Joseph Forgas, psychology professor at the University of New South Wales, showed participants movies, as well as asked them to recall happy and sad memories, in order to stir up both positive and negative emotions. As a result, those in a "bad place" were less likely to make mistakes when recounting events and were more articulate communicators.
"Whereas positive moods seem to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking -- paying greater attention to the external world," wrote Forgas.
Take a Power Nap
Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that a one-hour nap can dramatically restore brainpower by as much as 40 percent. During the study, 39 young adults were divided into two groups -- those who napped and those who didn't -- and were given tasks to tap into the hippocampus, the region of the brain that stores fact-based memories. After a midday sleep session, the nappers showed an improvement in their capacity to learn, while the nonnappers' ability to learn declined.
"Sleep not only rights the wrong of prolonged wakefulness but, at a neurocognitive level, it moves you beyond where you were before you took a nap," said Matthew Walker, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the lead study investigator.
Listen to Sounds While Sleeping
Need to make a presentation at work? Record your bullet points on tape and replay it as you snooze. Neuroscientists at Northwestern University have concluded that the brain can continue learning while it's resting. In a study published in the journal Science, researchers asked participants to memorize the locations of 50 objects accompanied by a sound (e.g., a photo of a cat and a "meow" noise) and displayed on a computer screen. Participants then napped while researchers played 25 of the sounds. When tested after the nap, volunteers recalled the locations of the 25 objects played during sleep better than the objects not heard during naptime. While further research is necessary, many scientists believe that while the brain rests, it naturally reboots itself, making factual memories even stronger.
Add a Little Fat to Your Diet
While you don't want to overdo it, a tad of fat can do wonders for the brain. Scientists at the University of California, Irvine, have found that a hormone (oleoylethanolamide) released during the digestion of certain fatty foods can trigger the formation of long-term memories. Here's why: While previous studies concluded that higher levels of OEA brought on by oleic acids from monounsaturated fatty acids (found in olive oil and avocados) can reduce appetite, this compound can also activate memory-enhancing signals in the amygdala, the part of the brain that handles emotional memories. And even though the study involved rats, researchers believe these effects hold true for humans, as well. And keep in mind that according to the American Heart Association, the good fats in your diet should not total more than 25 to 35 percent of the calories you consume in a day.
Take a Magnesium Supplement
Could it really be this easy? Researchers at the Center for Learning and Memory at Tsinghua University in Beijing have found that increased levels of magnesium improved learning and memory in rats, both young and old.
"Our findings suggest that elevating brain magnesium content via increasing magnesium intake might be a useful new strategy to enhance cognitive abilities," stated study author Guosong Liu.
He further explained that memory impairment may be on the rise, especially with the elderly, since most diets are low in magnesium. Aside from taking a supplement (the recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 420 mg a day for men and 320 mg a day for women), good sources of magnesium are fish, apples, bananas and whole-grain cereals.
Sniff This
Next time you're looking for some extra brainpower, go mow the lawn. After years of research, neuroscientists at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, discovered that the scent of fresh-cut grass triggers two sections of the brain -- the amygdala (which deals with emotions) and the hippocampus (which deals with memory). As a result, taking a whiff of this outdoorsy aroma can help relieve stress and boost memory. But Australian scientists weren't completely surprised that these reactions occurred simultaneously, since chronic stress is directly associated with forgetfulness. Don't feel like doing yard work? Lighting a scented candle or fragrant oil that smells like fresh-cut grass should also do the trick.
Chew Gum
And to think most teachers made us spit out our gum during class. Research conducted by the Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston shows that chewing gum can improve alertness. Teenagers who chomped away for 14 weeks during math class and while doing math homework scored higher on tests and in their final grades compared to the teens who weren't given gum. A similar study conducted a few years ago at the University of Northumbria in Newscastle found that people who chewed gum during long-term and short-term memory tests scored better than nonchewers. While experts haven't pinpointed the link between chewing gum and memory, Japanese researchers believe it may stem from an increased heart rate (thanks to the chewing) that leads to extra oxygen being delivered to the brain.
Cut Back on Calories
Talk about a two-for-one deal: According to a German study that was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, healthy women between the ages of 50 and 80 who reduced their calorie intake by 30 percent for three months showed a 20 percent improvement on verbal memory tests (not to mention dropped a few pounds).
"According to the researchers, the women who cut calories became more sensitive to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin and had a drop in blood levels of C-reactive protein -- and both have been linked to an improvement in brain function," said nutritionist Cynthia Sass, co-author of "The Ultimate Diet Log." To reduce calories without feeling like you're eating less, Sass suggests cutting ground beef recipes in half and substituting the meat with chopped mushrooms or replacing half of the rice or pasta in a dish with diced onions and peppers, shredded carrots, zucchini or cabbage.
Force Yourself to Be in a Bad Mood
As odd (and slightly depressing) as this may sound, a recent Australian study, which was published in the journal Australian Science, has concluded that thinking negatively can actually give the brain a healthy jolt. Study author Joseph Forgas, psychology professor at the University of New South Wales, showed participants movies, as well as asked them to recall happy and sad memories, in order to stir up both positive and negative emotions. As a result, those in a "bad place" were less likely to make mistakes when recounting events and were more articulate communicators.
"Whereas positive moods seem to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking -- paying greater attention to the external world," wrote Forgas.
Take a Power Nap
Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that a one-hour nap can dramatically restore brainpower by as much as 40 percent. During the study, 39 young adults were divided into two groups -- those who napped and those who didn't -- and were given tasks to tap into the hippocampus, the region of the brain that stores fact-based memories. After a midday sleep session, the nappers showed an improvement in their capacity to learn, while the nonnappers' ability to learn declined.
"Sleep not only rights the wrong of prolonged wakefulness but, at a neurocognitive level, it moves you beyond where you were before you took a nap," said Matthew Walker, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the lead study investigator.
Listen to Sounds While Sleeping
Need to make a presentation at work? Record your bullet points on tape and replay it as you snooze. Neuroscientists at Northwestern University have concluded that the brain can continue learning while it's resting. In a study published in the journal Science, researchers asked participants to memorize the locations of 50 objects accompanied by a sound (e.g., a photo of a cat and a "meow" noise) and displayed on a computer screen. Participants then napped while researchers played 25 of the sounds. When tested after the nap, volunteers recalled the locations of the 25 objects played during sleep better than the objects not heard during naptime. While further research is necessary, many scientists believe that while the brain rests, it naturally reboots itself, making factual memories even stronger.
Add a Little Fat to Your Diet
While you don't want to overdo it, a tad of fat can do wonders for the brain. Scientists at the University of California, Irvine, have found that a hormone (oleoylethanolamide) released during the digestion of certain fatty foods can trigger the formation of long-term memories. Here's why: While previous studies concluded that higher levels of OEA brought on by oleic acids from monounsaturated fatty acids (found in olive oil and avocados) can reduce appetite, this compound can also activate memory-enhancing signals in the amygdala, the part of the brain that handles emotional memories. And even though the study involved rats, researchers believe these effects hold true for humans, as well. And keep in mind that according to the American Heart Association, the good fats in your diet should not total more than 25 to 35 percent of the calories you consume in a day.
Take a Magnesium Supplement
Could it really be this easy? Researchers at the Center for Learning and Memory at Tsinghua University in Beijing have found that increased levels of magnesium improved learning and memory in rats, both young and old.
"Our findings suggest that elevating brain magnesium content via increasing magnesium intake might be a useful new strategy to enhance cognitive abilities," stated study author Guosong Liu.
He further explained that memory impairment may be on the rise, especially with the elderly, since most diets are low in magnesium. Aside from taking a supplement (the recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 420 mg a day for men and 320 mg a day for women), good sources of magnesium are fish, apples, bananas and whole-grain cereals.
Drinking Milk While on Diet Boosts Weight Loss, Study Finds
That milky mustache may do the body good in more ways than the dairy industry suggests. Drinking milk could actually help you lose weight, new research finds.
In the two-year weight loss study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adults who drank the most milk -- at least two glasses a day -- lost an average of 12 pounds more than those who drank little to no milk.
Each additional 6-ounce serving of milk or milk products, equivalent to about three-quarters of a glass, translated into 10 pounds of weight loss after six months, the Israeli researchers said.
Drinking milk may help stop dieters from feeling hungry, which could explain the findings.
"It may fill people up so they feel satisfied and won't pig out on more sugary foods," northern California nutritionist Dr. Douglas Husbands told AOL Health.
In addition, those who reach for a glass of milk may be doing it instead of grabbing an over-sweetened soft drink or sugary juice.
"Drinking milk could also be helpful for weight loss because people may offset sodas and other things known to be bad," Husbands said. "Having a glass of milk is certainly better than having a soda."
The researchers found that the dieters' vitamin D levels had a positive impact on their weight loss, and those who drank the most milk had the highest levels of D in their systems.
The study followed more than 300 overweight or at-risk women and men ages 40 to 65. Participants followed diets that were low-fat, low-carb or Mediterranean for two years.
No matter what they were eating, the dieters with the highest dairy calcium intake after six months -- an average of 580 milligrams a day or two glasses of milk -- lost about 12 pounds at the end of the two years, the findings showed. Those with the lowest daily calcium intake, about 150 milligrams or half a glass a day, lost about seven pounds over the course of the study.
Husbands said the proteins in milk can boost energy levels, which is useful for someone trying to shed pounds.
"The proteins in milk are beneficial," he said. "Proteins generally tend to be utilized effectively for energy production and repair, and that can be helpful."
But there are downsides to downing so much milk.
"There's the lactose in milk that many people do have a problem with, particularly Asians and African Americans," Husbands said. "And obviously the fat in the milk could be a concern and how the cows are raised could make a difference in the nutrient content."
The researchers said that despite the drink's health benefits, most Americans still aren't getting the recommended daily dose of vitamin D -- 400 international units -- which is the amount in four glasses of low-fat or skim milk.
More on Milk:
Babies With Low Vitamin D More Likely to Be Schizophrenic
Substance Found in Coconut Oil, Breast Milk Can Fight Acne
In the two-year weight loss study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adults who drank the most milk -- at least two glasses a day -- lost an average of 12 pounds more than those who drank little to no milk.
Each additional 6-ounce serving of milk or milk products, equivalent to about three-quarters of a glass, translated into 10 pounds of weight loss after six months, the Israeli researchers said.
Drinking milk may help stop dieters from feeling hungry, which could explain the findings.
"It may fill people up so they feel satisfied and won't pig out on more sugary foods," northern California nutritionist Dr. Douglas Husbands told AOL Health.
In addition, those who reach for a glass of milk may be doing it instead of grabbing an over-sweetened soft drink or sugary juice.
"Drinking milk could also be helpful for weight loss because people may offset sodas and other things known to be bad," Husbands said. "Having a glass of milk is certainly better than having a soda."
The researchers found that the dieters' vitamin D levels had a positive impact on their weight loss, and those who drank the most milk had the highest levels of D in their systems.
The study followed more than 300 overweight or at-risk women and men ages 40 to 65. Participants followed diets that were low-fat, low-carb or Mediterranean for two years.
No matter what they were eating, the dieters with the highest dairy calcium intake after six months -- an average of 580 milligrams a day or two glasses of milk -- lost about 12 pounds at the end of the two years, the findings showed. Those with the lowest daily calcium intake, about 150 milligrams or half a glass a day, lost about seven pounds over the course of the study.
Husbands said the proteins in milk can boost energy levels, which is useful for someone trying to shed pounds.
"The proteins in milk are beneficial," he said. "Proteins generally tend to be utilized effectively for energy production and repair, and that can be helpful."
But there are downsides to downing so much milk.
"There's the lactose in milk that many people do have a problem with, particularly Asians and African Americans," Husbands said. "And obviously the fat in the milk could be a concern and how the cows are raised could make a difference in the nutrient content."
The researchers said that despite the drink's health benefits, most Americans still aren't getting the recommended daily dose of vitamin D -- 400 international units -- which is the amount in four glasses of low-fat or skim milk.
More on Milk:
Babies With Low Vitamin D More Likely to Be Schizophrenic
Substance Found in Coconut Oil, Breast Milk Can Fight Acne
Moms: Guilty of Driving Their Daughters to Early Puberty?
As if mom were not to blame for enough already, new research is showing a link between early puberty in girls and a lack of maternal-infant bonding.
That puberty is transforming girls into women at increasingly earlier ages is hardly new; just last month, a study in Pediatrics showed that some girls are starting to show signs of puberty by age 7. Why it's happening, though, is apparently up for debate. It's often attributed to environmental toxins, estrogens in plastics, other chemicals and food and to poor diet, which can lead to obesity.
But in a rather unusual way of looking at things, researcher Jay Belsky of Birkbeck University in London hypothesized that precocious puberty may be a result of a risky, unstable environment — for example, one typified by weak infant-parent bonds. According to evolution, a girl's perception of such an unstable environment could compel her to want to reproduce before she'd die. You following this so far? (More on Time.com: Another Cause of Early Puberty in Girls: Absent Dads)
"An evolutionary biology perspective says, 'look, the thing that nature most cares about — with respect to all living things, humans included — is dispersing genes in future generations,'" says Belsky, whose research is published in Psychological Science. "Thus, under those conditions in which the future appears precarious, where I might not even survive long enough to breed tomorrow, then I should mature earlier so I can mate earlier before that precarious future might get me."
To test his hunch that early puberty tracks insecure attachment between mom and baby, Belsky crunched numbers on 373 girls who were followed from birth until their 15th birthday as part of a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study on early child development. Researchers assessed how attached the babies were to their mothers at 15 months by separating and reuniting them. Babies who smiled, cooed and otherwise seemed super-happy to see their moms were deemed secure; those who cringed or didn't take comfort in their return were labeled insecure.
To detect when puberty took root, medical professionals evaluated the girls annually starting at age 9½. They found that formerly insecure babies hit puberty two to four months sooner than secure babies and got their periods earlier too.
But is it really a matter of security vs. insecurity? Or might the underlying culprit actually be stress? “If there's a lot of family stress, it could lead to impaired bonding, or maybe impaired bonding is leading to family stress,” says Frank Biro, director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and author of a recent study in Pediatrics that found that some girls are starting to show signs of puberty by age 7. “We know that higher degrees of family stress can lead to early puberty.” (More on Time.com: Better-Nourished Babies Grow Up to Be Haler, Heartier Don Juans)
In any case, moms, you can relax: Your inattentiveness to your daughters when they were teeny-tiny is not the only thing that makes them sprout breasts early. Environmental chemicals and genetics can't be ignored, acknowledge the researchers. Better nutrition may play a role. Oh, and there's a documented 150-year-old trend of girls maturing earlier.
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/17/moms-guilty-of-driving-their-daughters-to-early-puberty/#ixzz10MqP4D77
That puberty is transforming girls into women at increasingly earlier ages is hardly new; just last month, a study in Pediatrics showed that some girls are starting to show signs of puberty by age 7. Why it's happening, though, is apparently up for debate. It's often attributed to environmental toxins, estrogens in plastics, other chemicals and food and to poor diet, which can lead to obesity.
But in a rather unusual way of looking at things, researcher Jay Belsky of Birkbeck University in London hypothesized that precocious puberty may be a result of a risky, unstable environment — for example, one typified by weak infant-parent bonds. According to evolution, a girl's perception of such an unstable environment could compel her to want to reproduce before she'd die. You following this so far? (More on Time.com: Another Cause of Early Puberty in Girls: Absent Dads)
"An evolutionary biology perspective says, 'look, the thing that nature most cares about — with respect to all living things, humans included — is dispersing genes in future generations,'" says Belsky, whose research is published in Psychological Science. "Thus, under those conditions in which the future appears precarious, where I might not even survive long enough to breed tomorrow, then I should mature earlier so I can mate earlier before that precarious future might get me."
To test his hunch that early puberty tracks insecure attachment between mom and baby, Belsky crunched numbers on 373 girls who were followed from birth until their 15th birthday as part of a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development study on early child development. Researchers assessed how attached the babies were to their mothers at 15 months by separating and reuniting them. Babies who smiled, cooed and otherwise seemed super-happy to see their moms were deemed secure; those who cringed or didn't take comfort in their return were labeled insecure.
To detect when puberty took root, medical professionals evaluated the girls annually starting at age 9½. They found that formerly insecure babies hit puberty two to four months sooner than secure babies and got their periods earlier too.
But is it really a matter of security vs. insecurity? Or might the underlying culprit actually be stress? “If there's a lot of family stress, it could lead to impaired bonding, or maybe impaired bonding is leading to family stress,” says Frank Biro, director of adolescent medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and author of a recent study in Pediatrics that found that some girls are starting to show signs of puberty by age 7. “We know that higher degrees of family stress can lead to early puberty.” (More on Time.com: Better-Nourished Babies Grow Up to Be Haler, Heartier Don Juans)
In any case, moms, you can relax: Your inattentiveness to your daughters when they were teeny-tiny is not the only thing that makes them sprout breasts early. Environmental chemicals and genetics can't be ignored, acknowledge the researchers. Better nutrition may play a role. Oh, and there's a documented 150-year-old trend of girls maturing earlier.
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/17/moms-guilty-of-driving-their-daughters-to-early-puberty/#ixzz10MqP4D77
The Cure-All Properties of Ginger
Ginger is a well-known home remedy for pregnant women, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and travelers with weak stomachs, who all use the root to curb nausea. But now a new study in The Journal of Pain finds that two types of chemical compounds found in ginger — gingerols and phenols — can be used as an analgesic as well.
To treat muscle pain, 74 healthy adults regularly took 2 g of either cooked or raw ginger, or a placebo each day for 11 days. They all participated in the same series of exercises, which were aimed at creating inflammation and muscle pain in and around the elbow, and were then evaluated by researchers from the department of kinesiology at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Ga. (More on Time.com: Got Fish Oil?)
The researchers found that the raw ginger group reduced their muscle pain by 25% more than the placebo takers 24 hours after intentionally hurting their elbows, while the cooked ginger group dropped their pain levels by 23% compared with the placebo group.
Largely considered a homeopathic treatment, the mainstream medical community has begun to conduct research on why ginger root has been used medicinally for so many centuries. Aside from curbing nausea and reducing inflammation, thus lessening muscle pain, ginger has also been used to prevent ulcers, treat heartburn and aid digestion. Some research even suggests it might reduce cholesterol levels, though so far only in mice.
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/21/the-cure-all-properties-of-ginger/?xid=yahoo-feat#ixzz10MpMPnac
To treat muscle pain, 74 healthy adults regularly took 2 g of either cooked or raw ginger, or a placebo each day for 11 days. They all participated in the same series of exercises, which were aimed at creating inflammation and muscle pain in and around the elbow, and were then evaluated by researchers from the department of kinesiology at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Ga. (More on Time.com: Got Fish Oil?)
The researchers found that the raw ginger group reduced their muscle pain by 25% more than the placebo takers 24 hours after intentionally hurting their elbows, while the cooked ginger group dropped their pain levels by 23% compared with the placebo group.
Largely considered a homeopathic treatment, the mainstream medical community has begun to conduct research on why ginger root has been used medicinally for so many centuries. Aside from curbing nausea and reducing inflammation, thus lessening muscle pain, ginger has also been used to prevent ulcers, treat heartburn and aid digestion. Some research even suggests it might reduce cholesterol levels, though so far only in mice.
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/21/the-cure-all-properties-of-ginger/?xid=yahoo-feat#ixzz10MpMPnac
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The 7-Day Back Pain Cure.
Back pain can be one of the most frustrating and painful experiences. It’s also one of the most commonly misdiagnosed problems. That’s because back pain often isn’t caused by your back. It’s often an issue with your muscles or ligaments.
Your body is filled with tendons that attach your muscles to your bones. There are also ligaments that attach bones to bones. As you age, your flexibility decreases. Muscles in your body shorten, and your joints lose their range of motion. These shortened muscles then pull your bones out of alignment. This causes undue pressure on nerves and tissues, resulting in back problems.
There are three things that mainstream medicine prescribes for back pain – and all three of them are wrong.
First, they promote unnecessary surgery. Second, they give you drugs. Finally, the more thoughtful back doctors may promote stretching exercises. But the exercises I’ve often seen that come from orthopedics’ offices are just plain wrong. A lot of them wind up stretching the ligaments, which ends up stressing them and weakening them more. So, not only do they not work, they often wind up making the problem worse.
What’s worse, some doctors may even advise surgery before exploring alternative methods. In most cases surgery should be a last option. I’ve had many patients come into my office after having back surgery, complaining of the same symptoms and pain they had before the surgery. They wind up trading one problem for another.
Even some personal trainers and physical therapists are way off the mark. Many don’t know that you don’t want loose joints. Tighter joints mean stronger joints. Tighter joints mean you’re less likely to suffer an injury.
The good news is you don’t have to spend hours a day doing boring stretching exercises to deal with your back pain. There’s a correct and simple way to do them. It involves expansion of the spine. And it takes only a couple minutes a day:
They’re called hip flexors…
Most people don’t realize it, but between sitting at their desk, in their car, or watching television, they often spend 6 to 8 hours a day sitting down.
But your body wasn’t designed to spend so much time sitting down. And all this sitting can put enormous pressure on your hip flexor muscles.
This is a major cause of minor low back pain. Stretching your hip flexor muscles several times a week can prevent this kind of lower back pain.
Here’s how to do this stretch:
1. Stand up straight with your right foot forward and left foot back. Keep both feel flat on floor.
2. Put your hands on your hips and keep your back and hips in straight alignment.
3. Push forward with your hips, while maintaining your erect posture. Slowly, push your hips forward only until you feel a comfortable level of tension.
4. Hold for 10 seconds.
5. Then switch sides by reversing your leg stance and repeat.
Your body is filled with tendons that attach your muscles to your bones. There are also ligaments that attach bones to bones. As you age, your flexibility decreases. Muscles in your body shorten, and your joints lose their range of motion. These shortened muscles then pull your bones out of alignment. This causes undue pressure on nerves and tissues, resulting in back problems.
There are three things that mainstream medicine prescribes for back pain – and all three of them are wrong.
First, they promote unnecessary surgery. Second, they give you drugs. Finally, the more thoughtful back doctors may promote stretching exercises. But the exercises I’ve often seen that come from orthopedics’ offices are just plain wrong. A lot of them wind up stretching the ligaments, which ends up stressing them and weakening them more. So, not only do they not work, they often wind up making the problem worse.
What’s worse, some doctors may even advise surgery before exploring alternative methods. In most cases surgery should be a last option. I’ve had many patients come into my office after having back surgery, complaining of the same symptoms and pain they had before the surgery. They wind up trading one problem for another.
Even some personal trainers and physical therapists are way off the mark. Many don’t know that you don’t want loose joints. Tighter joints mean stronger joints. Tighter joints mean you’re less likely to suffer an injury.
The good news is you don’t have to spend hours a day doing boring stretching exercises to deal with your back pain. There’s a correct and simple way to do them. It involves expansion of the spine. And it takes only a couple minutes a day:
They’re called hip flexors…
Most people don’t realize it, but between sitting at their desk, in their car, or watching television, they often spend 6 to 8 hours a day sitting down.
But your body wasn’t designed to spend so much time sitting down. And all this sitting can put enormous pressure on your hip flexor muscles.
This is a major cause of minor low back pain. Stretching your hip flexor muscles several times a week can prevent this kind of lower back pain.
Here’s how to do this stretch:
1. Stand up straight with your right foot forward and left foot back. Keep both feel flat on floor.
2. Put your hands on your hips and keep your back and hips in straight alignment.
3. Push forward with your hips, while maintaining your erect posture. Slowly, push your hips forward only until you feel a comfortable level of tension.
4. Hold for 10 seconds.
5. Then switch sides by reversing your leg stance and repeat.
Drinking soda harms your sperm
(NaturalNews) Men who drink a liter of cola or more every day have lower sperm counts than men who do not drink cola, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The effect did not appear to come from caffeine.
Researchers have previously speculated that high consumption of caffeine may produce lower sperm counts. Most studies into the connection have been conducted in specific groups, such as infertile men, rather than the general population, however, and no scientific consensus has emerged.
In the current study, researchers took sperm samples from 2,554 men aged approximately 18. All the men were undergoing physical exams to determine their fitness for military duty between the years of 2001 and 2005. They also collected beverage intake data on all participants.
The researchers found that men who never drank cola had an average sperm count of 50 million sperm per milliliter of semen. Men who drank a liter or more a day, in contrast, had only 35 million sperm per milliliter. While this difference is not drastic enough to qualify as a problem by World Health Organization standards, lower sperm counts have been well established to correlate with lower fertility.
A much smaller effect on sperm levels was seen in men who drank large amounts of tea or coffee, ruling out caffeine as a likely cause. The researchers are unsure whether the lower sperm counts were caused by the cola itself, or by other unhealthy lifestyle habits associated with soda consumption.
"It's important to note that the men who drank a lot of cola were also different in many other ways," researcher Tina Kold Jensen said.
Men who drank large amounts of cola also tended to eat more fast food and less fruits and vegetables.
"I imagine it's the lifestyle," said Fabio Pasqualotto, of the University of Caxias do Sul in Brazil, who was not involved in the study.
Sources for this story include: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/h... http://www.cphpost.dk/news/scitech/....
Researchers have previously speculated that high consumption of caffeine may produce lower sperm counts. Most studies into the connection have been conducted in specific groups, such as infertile men, rather than the general population, however, and no scientific consensus has emerged.
In the current study, researchers took sperm samples from 2,554 men aged approximately 18. All the men were undergoing physical exams to determine their fitness for military duty between the years of 2001 and 2005. They also collected beverage intake data on all participants.
The researchers found that men who never drank cola had an average sperm count of 50 million sperm per milliliter of semen. Men who drank a liter or more a day, in contrast, had only 35 million sperm per milliliter. While this difference is not drastic enough to qualify as a problem by World Health Organization standards, lower sperm counts have been well established to correlate with lower fertility.
A much smaller effect on sperm levels was seen in men who drank large amounts of tea or coffee, ruling out caffeine as a likely cause. The researchers are unsure whether the lower sperm counts were caused by the cola itself, or by other unhealthy lifestyle habits associated with soda consumption.
"It's important to note that the men who drank a lot of cola were also different in many other ways," researcher Tina Kold Jensen said.
Men who drank large amounts of cola also tended to eat more fast food and less fruits and vegetables.
"I imagine it's the lifestyle," said Fabio Pasqualotto, of the University of Caxias do Sul in Brazil, who was not involved in the study.
Sources for this story include: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/h... http://www.cphpost.dk/news/scitech/....
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