Are Yoga And Meditation Good For My Brain? A Scientific Take On Stress Management

Yoga, meditation, and visualization are all excellent ways to learn to manage your stress levels. Reducing stress, and the stress hormones, in your system is critical to your brain and overall fitness.

Why is this so? It’s clear that our society has changed faster than our genes. Instead of being faced with physical, immediately life-threatening crises that demand instant action, these days we deal with events and illnesses that gnaw away at us slowly, without any stress release.

Dr. Robert Sapolsky, in an interview about his book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, points out that humans uniquely “can get stressed simply with thought, turning on the same stress response as does the zebra.” But, the zebra releases the stress hormones through life-preserving action, while we usually just keep muddling along, getting more anxious by the moment.

Prolonged exposure to the adrenal steroid hormones like cortisol, released during the stress response, can damage the brain and block the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus, which is the key player in encoding new memories in your brain. Recent studies have shown these neurons can be regenerated with learning and environmental stimulation, but while short-term stress may improve attention and memory, chronic stress leads indirectly to cell death and hampers our ability to make changes and be creative enough to even think of possible changes to reduce the stress.

What are the best defenses against chronic stress?

- Exercise strengthens the body and can reduce the experience of stress, depression, and anxiety.

- Relaxation through meditation, tai chi, yoga, or other techniques to lower blood pressure, slow respiration, slow metabolism, and release muscle tension.

- Biofeedback programs that provide real-time information, allowing you to learn effective techniques for reducing stress levels.

- Empowerment, because attitudes of personal confidence and control of your environment resolve the stress response.

- Social network of friends, family, and even pets help foster trust, support, and relaxation.

If you want to learn more about the science behind these recommendations, you can enjoy these scientific papers:

- Bedard M, Felteau M, Mazmanian D, Fedyk K, Klein R, Richardson J, Parkinson W, Minthorn-Biggs MB. Pilot evaluation of a mindfulness-based intervention to improve quality of life among individuals who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Disabil Rehabil. 2003;25:722-31.

- Bremner JD. Traumatic stress: effects on the brain. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2006;8:445-61.

- Czeh B, Muller-Keuker JI, Rygula R, Abumaria N, Hiemke C, Domenici E, Fuchs E. Chronic Social Stress Inhibits Cell Proliferation in the Adult Medial Prefrontal Cortex: Hemispheric Asymmetry and Reversal by Fluoxetine Treatment. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2006 Dec 13; [Epub ahead of print].

- Warner-Schmidt JL, Duman RS. Hippocampal neurogenesis: opposing effects of stress and antidepressant treatment. Hippocampus. 2006;16:239-49.

- Sapolsky, RM. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers (Owl Books; 2004). ISBN: 0805073698

By: Alvaro Fernandez

Read More “Are Yoga And Meditation Good For My Brain? A Scientific Take On Stress Management”  »»

Top 4 Nutrients For Brain Power

The key strategy for tuning up the nervous system is to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to make healthy nerve cells, to protect them from damage, and to enhance their ability to carry out their functions. The results can be astounding. You can boost your mental alertness, increase concentration, promote learning, enhance both short-term and long-term memory, and keep your senses sharp. Your brain requires a constant source of high-quality nutrition.

The brain is so metabolically active that a deficiency of any of a number of nutrients can lead to poor mental function, depression, or other serious mental disorders. Since the neurons in your brain communicate through neurotransmitters, you need to supply your body with the raw materials needed to keep a constant supply of neurotransmitters available. There are more than fifty known neurotransmitters. Some are found only in the central nervous system, while others are active there and elsewhere in the body. Here are some nutrients for boosting your brain and nerve function.

1.Boost Choline Intake

Choline, a B vitamin-like substance, is a crucial ingredient in the membranes found in every one of your cells. Dietary or supplementary choline can boost the production of acetylcholine and thus is important for memory, learning, and mental alertness. Rich food sources of choline include lecithin, peanuts, wheat germ, and soy foods. Choline is also found in good levels in Brussels sprouts, oatmeal, soybeans, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. The best forms of choline for supplementation are phosphatidylcholine, glycerophosphocholine, and cytosine diphosphocholine, but supplementation is usually not necessary if you boost dietary sources.

2.Boost Your Antioxidant Intake

Vitamins C and E are found in high levels in the brain and nervous system. Because the brain cells are high in unsaturated fat, they are especially vulnerable to damage by free radicals. There is mounting scientific and clinical evidence that the higher the intake of antioxidants over time, the better the mental function later in life. A high intake of these nutrients is also associated with a significantly lower risk for both Alzhemier's and Parkinson's disease. Taking 500 to 1,500 mg of vitamin C and 400 to 800 IU of vitamin E is recommended.

3.Balance Your Electrolytes

The ability of a nerve to fire depends on the presence of electrolytes minerals such as potassium, sodium, chloride, and magnesium dissolved in water. They are termed electrolytes to signify their critical role in conducting electricity in the human body. If you have too much sodium and too little potassium in your diet, the imbalance can slow down the ability of neurons to conduct signals. Boosting potassium and magnesium while restricting sodium intake is a very important dietary recommendation for tuning up brain and nervous system function. Eating more whole, unprocessed foods and avoiding high-salt processed foods and table salt is all that is needed for most people to get their potassium and sodium in balance.

4.Take B Vitamins

These vitamins are crucial for brain and nerve function. B1 and B2 help control the use of glucose by neurons. They also help your body make fatty acids needed to preserve the integrity of nerve cell membranes. Along with vitamin B5, they are important for making acetylcholine and thus for helping memory function. Vitamin B2 (niacin) is vital for proper mental function. People who suffer from niacin deficiency often exhibit signs of dementia. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) acts like a biological shuttle service, ferrying amino acids into the brain for its use in making neurotransmitters. Lack of B6 can cause abnormal brain wave patterns and a decrease in nervous system activity. Vitamin of B12 helps your brain make use of carbohydrates and proteins. It is also vital for producing the myelin sheath that protects the axons of your nerve cells. Folic acid works as a partner with vitamin B12 in many biochemical processes in the brain, including the manufacture of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Impaired mental acuity (or dementia) and depression are common symptoms of folic acid or B12 deficiency.
Deficiencies of these nutrients are common, especially in elderly subjects, and are an often overlooked cause of dementia and depression.

By: Raymond Lee Geok Seng

Read More “Top 4 Nutrients For Brain Power”  »»

How To Treat Brain Tumor

Brain tumor is a leading cause of tumor death, which has poorer survival rates than breast cancer, benign or malignant alike.

A traditional Chinese drink has been proved to be an effective treatment in inhibiting brain tumor growth. For thousands of years, two plant fruits, lycium barbarum and ligustrum lucidum, have been taken as drinks in many Chinese' daily lives. Chinese clinical studies have proved the ingredients in these two plant fruits are effective in inhibiting brain tumor growth.

The most common primary brain tumors are gliomas, meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, vestibular schwannomas, and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (medulloblastomas). The term glioma includes astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, and choroid plexus papillomas.

Adult brain tumor is diagnosed and removed in surgery. If a brain tumor is suspected, a biopsy is done by removing part of the skull and using a needle to remove a sample of the brain tissue. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are found, the doctor will remove as much tumor as safely possible during the same surgery. An MRI may then be done to determine if any cancer cells remain after surgery. Tests are also done to find out the grade of the tumor.

Brain tumors typically are categorized as either primary or secondary. Primary brain tumors originate in your brain and can be noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Secondary brain tumors result from cancer that began elsewhere and spread to your brain. Primary brain tumors are less common than secondary brain tumors.

Surgery is the mainstay of brain tumor treatment. It involves removing as much of the tumor as possible while trying to minimize damage to healthy tissue. Some tumors can be removed completely, while others can be removed only partially or not all. If a tumor is slow-growing, doctors may not operate immediately, but take a watch-and-wait approach.

The first approach employs natural proteins, called interferons, which are created by the immune system and are toxic to many different types of tumor cells. Lymphocytes, are cells that are able to fight cancer and can be grown in a laboratory and injected directly back into the tumor, to increase the bodys immune response. Lastly, a tumor vaccine can be created from brain tumor cells that are removed, modified and then transferred back to the patient. A tumor vaccine can create a strong immune system response against the tumor.

Chemotherapy, the use of medications to treat cancer, has played a major role in cancer treatment for half a century. Years of testing and research have proven chemotherapy to be effective and capable of prolonging life, reducing cancer-related symptoms such as pain, and in some instances curing cancer. Depending on a patient's situation, chemotherapy may be the only treatment given, or it may be used in combination with surgery, radiation therapy or other therapies.

Brain tumors can arise either from the brain itself (primary brain tumors: astrocytoma, glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma, ependymoma), or its coverings (meningiomas, pituitary tumors, pineal tumors), or the nerves at the base of the brain (acoustic neuromas, schwannomas), or even from outside the brain (metastatic brain tumors) . This last case occurs when cancer cells travel through the bloodstream and lodge in the brain.

By: Peter Hutch

Read More “How To Treat Brain Tumor”  »»

All About The Deadly Brain Cancer

Brain tumors can indeed affect
the mind, emotions, and/or personality. Problems with memory, speech, and/or concentration may occur. Brain tumors that occur in children are described as supratentorial (in the upper part of the brain) or infratentorial (in the lowest part of the brain). Astrocytomas and ependymomas are common supratentorial tumors. Brain tumor treatments do carry side effects, such as hair loss and nausea. Ask your doctor about possible side effects and how best to cope with them.

Brain tumor symptoms vary, depending on the tumor size, type and location. Symptoms may occur when a tumor damages a certain area of the brain or presses on a nerve. Brain tumor patients will often have a primary caregiver, the main person who assists and cares for the patients needs. Communication between family members may become more difficult in addressing changes in roles and responsibilities. Brain tumors (whether primary or metastatic, benign or malignant) are usually treated with surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy ? alone or in various combinations.

While it is true that radiation and chemotherapy are more often used for malignant, residual or recurrent tumors, decisions as to what treatment to use are made on a case-by-case basis and depend on a number of factors.

Brain tumors are diagnosed using sophisticated computer technology that images the brain in various ways. Computerized tomography (CT) uses a computer and X-rays to make a picture of the brain. Brain tumors can directly destroy brain cells.

They may also indirectly damage cells by pushing on other parts of the brain. Brain tumors are now the second fastest growing cause of cancer death among those over the age of 65. Unlike lung cancer and melanoma, which are the first and third on that list, there are no known lifestyle or behavioral changes that will reduce the risk of developing a brain tumor.

Brain tumors may be classified as gliomas or non-gliomas. The most common gliomas are astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas (mixtures of oligodendroglioma and astrocytoma elements), and ependymomas.

Malignant (cancerous) tumors are typically rapidly growing and aggressive. Benign tumors are typically slow- growing and less aggressive. Malignant tumors grow the way a plant does, with "roots" invading various tissues. Or, they can shed cells that travel to distant parts of the brain.

Patients benefit from that knowledge and from specialized resources such as a dedicated neurological intensive care unit and the latest imaging technologies. Patients with brain stem gliomas typically are treated with radiation therapy alone, although both surgery and chemotherapy have been used, with little success.

Long-term survival rates are low for children with these tumors. Patients receive aggressive treatment in order to delay this regrowth as long as possible. Regrowth does not necessarily imply loss of control of the tumor, but it does mean that a new series of treatments should be considered because the tumor is becoming more aggressive.

By: Alisha Dhamani

Read More “All About The Deadly Brain Cancer”  »»

7 Nutritional Tips To Increase Brain Power

Mentioned below is a seven step plan to enable you control your diet under control and for consuming food as a medicine for the brain.

1.Increase levels of Water Intake - As your brain comprises around 80 % water the first and foremost rule of brain nutrition is to have adequate water for keeping your brain hydrated. Even very slight dehydration can increase the level of stress hormones that can cause damage to your brain. At least 84 ounces of water is required to be drunk in a day. It is good to have liquids devoid of sugar, artificial sweeteners, sugar, alcohol or caffeine.

2.Restriction of Calorie - Scientific research has proved that a calorie restricted diet is useful for the brain and longevity of life. Eating in excess reduces your life span. Restricting your calorie intake controls weight, reduces chances of cardio-vascular diseases, risks of cancer, and strokes caused due to obesity - that is a major risk factor for all these illnesses.

3.Good Fats, Fish, Fish Oil, & Bad Fats - A large portion of the grey matter of the brain is made up of DHA, a form of omega-3-fatty acids that is found in fish. Cell membranes are formed from the fat present in the brain and determine some of the vital functions of the brain. Neurons also containomega-3 fatty acids. The retina of the eye also contains high quantities of DHA. According to Research and study conducted in the recent years diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids may enhance positive mood and a healthy emotional balance in the years to come. .

4.Dietary Antioxidants in increased quantities - Scientific research has substantiated that a considerable amount of dietary antioxidants intake that comes from fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of a cognitive impairment significantly. Study and research disclosed that free radical formation played a vital role in brain deterioration with age. When oxygen is converted into energy by a cell freed radicals are formed. Produced in normal amounts they rid the body of harmful toxins, keeping it healthy and strong. On the contrary if produced in excess, they damage the body cells and tissue. Vitamin C, E and beta carotene restrict production of excess amount free radicals in the body. The Department of Agriculture in the US have mentioned the following to be the best antioxidants: Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Spinach, Plums, Brussels sprouts, Broccoli, Beets, Oranges, Avocados, Red bell peppers, Red grapes, Cherries and Kiwis.

5.Carbohydrates, Balance Protein & Good Fats: In view of obesity and the various issues related to weight the best thing is the Atkins Diet and its clones that get rid of many of the simple sugars we consume. High refined sugar diets enhance diabetes, cognitive impairment and tiredness. Yet, to imply that bacon is a health food and that oranges and carrots are as bad as cake seems silly. The main principle is that a balanced diet is essential, especially balanced with proteins, carbohydrates and good fats. Proteins help in balancing blood sugar levels. During every snack or meal or, try to balance the intake of protein, fat and high fiber carbohydrates.

6.For you to follow a "brain healthy" calorie restricted diet plan you need to have some great references and choices. The book Super Foods Rx by Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews is good resource in this context. It enlists 14 priority food groups that keep one healthy with reasonable calorie intake. The American Cancer Society prescribes 5- 9 servings of vegetables and fruits in a day.

7. Plan Snacks - Snacks are helpful in balancing intake of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Some favorite low calorie snacks Vegetables and dried fruits are examples of some great low calorie snacks, not the dried fruits & vegetables found in supermarkets that are packed with preservatives. When you much on veggies or dried fruit balance it out with some intake of protein and little fat.

By: Alex Fyfe

Read More “7 Nutritional Tips To Increase Brain Power”  »»