While at the gym this morning I listened to Episode 50 of The Secular Buddhist (http://www.editurl.com/qb0). The discussion was about a recent study conducted at Boston General Hospital. The study was designed as a pretest-posttest control-group design. They started with a group of non-meditors and measured their brain structure. Half the group then participated in Boston General Hospital's MBSR meditation program. At the end of eight weeks the brain structures of the new meditators and the non-treatment-group were again measured.
The results were astounding. They concluded that the results suggest that participation in MBSR is associated with changes in gray matter concentration in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, self-referential processing, and perspective taking. Wow. Meditation is good for your brain.
The article is a little technical but you can reference it at the above link. The link will also give you access to a summary article about the reserach that was published at Science Daily.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Power of Green Tea
Ever wonder why people in China and Japan have such relatively low rates of heart disease, cancer and other chronic aliments? Might be because they drink so much green tea.
Tea is widely recognized as a rich source of healthful antioxidants called catechins. Tea is produced from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are picked, rolled, dried and heated. Back tea leaves are left to ferment and oxidize as well. Green tea leaves are not. This may explain why green tea leaves contain more antioxidants than do black tea leaves. White tea, made from young tea leaves, has even more antioxidants but is harder to find and is more expensive.
Hundreds of studies have been conducted on the effect of green tea consumption. Most of the studies indicate a strong link between drinking green tea and health benefits. In one study, for example, of 18,000 Chinese men, the tea drinkers (who primarily drank green tea) were half as likely to develop stomach or esophageeal cancer as the men who drank little tea. Other studies in Asia have shown a linkage reduced risks for bladder, colon, prostate, breast, and pancreatic cancers and green tea consumption. It appears that at least three cups of green tea is needed to achieve the healthful benefits of drinking green tea.
Want to learn more about the health benefits of drinking green tea? Read Lester Mitscher, PhD's, book The Green Tea Book: The Science-backed "Miracle Cure".
Tea is widely recognized as a rich source of healthful antioxidants called catechins. Tea is produced from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are picked, rolled, dried and heated. Back tea leaves are left to ferment and oxidize as well. Green tea leaves are not. This may explain why green tea leaves contain more antioxidants than do black tea leaves. White tea, made from young tea leaves, has even more antioxidants but is harder to find and is more expensive.
Hundreds of studies have been conducted on the effect of green tea consumption. Most of the studies indicate a strong link between drinking green tea and health benefits. In one study, for example, of 18,000 Chinese men, the tea drinkers (who primarily drank green tea) were half as likely to develop stomach or esophageeal cancer as the men who drank little tea. Other studies in Asia have shown a linkage reduced risks for bladder, colon, prostate, breast, and pancreatic cancers and green tea consumption. It appears that at least three cups of green tea is needed to achieve the healthful benefits of drinking green tea.
Want to learn more about the health benefits of drinking green tea? Read Lester Mitscher, PhD's, book The Green Tea Book: The Science-backed "Miracle Cure".
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Your Brain on Statins
I just finished a very interesting book by Dr. Graveline, MD, titled Lipitor: Thief of Memory.
It appears, from his book, that Lipitor may cause transient global amnesia. Here are a few of the other problems that he associates with Liptor (a statin) use:
If you want to know what to do about it then I highly recommend that you read the book, you can find it on Amazon. You also might want to read up on CoQ10 and ubiquinol.
It appears, from his book, that Lipitor may cause transient global amnesia. Here are a few of the other problems that he associates with Liptor (a statin) use:
- Personality changes / mood disorders
- Muscle problems, polyneuropathy (nerve damage in the hands and feet), and rhabdomyolysis (a serious degenerative muscle tissue condition)
- Sexual dysfunction
- Immune suppression
- Pancreas or liver dysfunction, including a potential increase in liver enzymes
- Cataracts
If you want to know what to do about it then I highly recommend that you read the book, you can find it on Amazon. You also might want to read up on CoQ10 and ubiquinol.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Don't Wait for Your Doctor
Wellness is your responsiblity so don't wait for your doctor to make you well. Taking a pill for high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol doesn't make up for a bad diet and lack of exercise. Here are a couple of easy things you can do to take charge of your health:
1. Get creative with exercise -- you can do simple things like taking a parking spot in a far, out of the way, corner of the parking lot, or walking the stairs rather than the elevator. How about joining a walking club or going mall walking. Make if fun and mix it up. The key is to move your body every day.
2. Get smart about nutrition -- know what you eat, and what it does to your body. Check the local hospital for a free nutrition or weight-loss program. http://www.healthcastle.com/ is a free web site run by registered dieticians that has great information about nutrition and weight loss. I made one simple change to my diet and have lost eight pounds in less than three weeks. Email me and I'll tell you what I have done.
3. Don't let chronic health problems sideline you -- A chronic health care problem is not a prescription or permission to become a couch potato. Check with your doctor and see what activites are right for you. If you do have a chronic health care problem then I really suggest that you talk with your doctor about safe activities. Check the resource section on my website for a free PDF on Qi Gong. It is an easy and safe way to start moving.
Remember that there no pills that can take charge of your health . . . that is something that only you can do.
1. Get creative with exercise -- you can do simple things like taking a parking spot in a far, out of the way, corner of the parking lot, or walking the stairs rather than the elevator. How about joining a walking club or going mall walking. Make if fun and mix it up. The key is to move your body every day.
2. Get smart about nutrition -- know what you eat, and what it does to your body. Check the local hospital for a free nutrition or weight-loss program. http://www.healthcastle.com/ is a free web site run by registered dieticians that has great information about nutrition and weight loss. I made one simple change to my diet and have lost eight pounds in less than three weeks. Email me and I'll tell you what I have done.
3. Don't let chronic health problems sideline you -- A chronic health care problem is not a prescription or permission to become a couch potato. Check with your doctor and see what activites are right for you. If you do have a chronic health care problem then I really suggest that you talk with your doctor about safe activities. Check the resource section on my website for a free PDF on Qi Gong. It is an easy and safe way to start moving.
Remember that there no pills that can take charge of your health . . . that is something that only you can do.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Change Your Brain Through Meditation
A study published in the January 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) concluded that an eight-week mindful meditation practice produced measurable changes in participants’ brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.
MR images were taken of the brain structures of 16 study participants two weeks before and two after they participated in the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. In addition to atttending weekly mindfulness meditation practice sessions the research subjects also listened to audio recordings of guided meditation practice and were asked to log their daily meditation time. MR brain scans were also taken of a control group of non-meditators over the same time interval.
The meditators reported spending an average of 27 minutes a day practicing mindfulness meditation. The MR images showed increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus (an area of the brain known to be important for learning and memory) and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection. In addition the MR images showed reductions grey-matter density in the amygdala, (the part of the brain which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress). None of these changes were seen in the control group.
It's exciting to know that by practicing meditation we can cause physical changes in the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life.
MR images were taken of the brain structures of 16 study participants two weeks before and two after they participated in the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. In addition to atttending weekly mindfulness meditation practice sessions the research subjects also listened to audio recordings of guided meditation practice and were asked to log their daily meditation time. MR brain scans were also taken of a control group of non-meditators over the same time interval.
The meditators reported spending an average of 27 minutes a day practicing mindfulness meditation. The MR images showed increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus (an area of the brain known to be important for learning and memory) and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection. In addition the MR images showed reductions grey-matter density in the amygdala, (the part of the brain which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress). None of these changes were seen in the control group.
It's exciting to know that by practicing meditation we can cause physical changes in the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Feed Your Brain
As I get older I start to worry about little things like degenerative brain conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Not happy thoughts, but there is some new, good news. I call it "Nerf 2" but it's real name is Nrf2. Nrf2 is a protein that turns on genes that produce a wide arry of antioixidants, like Glutathione, in the body and particularly in the brain. Antioxidants protect against free radicals, the little nastys that cause disease. Because the brain uses so much energy there are more potential damaging free radicals up there.
Dr. David Perlmutter, MD, is an integrateve neurologist and has written several books about brain health (You can see my favorite in "Recommended Readings" at the right). He recommends nutritional supplements to boost the brains ability to protect against free radicals. Here are some ways to crank up your Nrf2:
Dr. David Perlmutter, MD, is an integrateve neurologist and has written several books about brain health (You can see my favorite in "Recommended Readings" at the right). He recommends nutritional supplements to boost the brains ability to protect against free radicals. Here are some ways to crank up your Nrf2:
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) help boost glutathione production. ALA can reduce blood sugar so diabetes need to be monitored if they take ALA.
- Docosahezaenoic acid (DHA) dramatically boost Nrf2-related antioxidant activity and increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is a protein the stimulated the growth of neurons and synapses and helps protect neurons from trauma damage (a bump on the head).
- Tumeric, oh I love tumeric. It's active ingredient in curcumin, a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflamatory substance that also increases the production of BDNF. Just for good measure, it also has a stimulating effect on Nrf2.
- Broccoli, or really sulforaphane, is one of the strongest Nrf2 activators. If you don't like eating broccoli then you can take broccoli seed extract.
- Blueberries, or the active component pterostilbene, is effective in boosting Nrf2 levels. In addition, it seems to be more easily assimilated by the body than its chemically related cousin resveratrol.
- Green Tea Extract contains antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals. It also stimulates Nrf2.
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