Magnesium is the fourth most abundant element in your body,1 and one of the seven essential minerals we can’t live without.2 It's necessary for the healthy functioning of most cells, but especially your heart, kidneys and muscles. Low levels of magnesium impede cellular metabolic function and deteriorate mitochondrial function. As it is also required for the activation of vitamin D, deficiency may hamper your ability to convert vitamin D from sun exposure and/or oral supplementation. Unfortunately, deficiency is common and research shows even subclinical deficiencies may jeopardize your health. If you've recently had a blood panel drawn, you may assume it would reveal a magnesium deficiency. However, only 1 percent of magnesium is distributed in your blood, which means a blood test is not useful to determine whether you are deficient at the cellular level.3 Recent research confirms optimal levels of magnesium are necessary for your heart4 and kidney health.5 Magnesium Deficiency Affects the Vast MajorityStatistics show that at least 50 percent of Americans are deficient in magnesium, with some estimations going as high as 75 percent overall, and as many as 84 percent of postmenopausal women being deficient in it.6,7,8 Other scientists believe the deficiency affects the vast majority of individuals based on current dietary habits, saying:9
The recommended daily allowances (RDA) for magnesium are based on age, gender and pregnancy status.10 Although it may be difficult to pinpoint the exact percentage of individuals who suffer from magnesium deficiency, data do demonstrate subclinical levels of magnesium contribute to a number of widespread health problems. The number who suffer from deficiency increases with an aging population as the elderly tend to consume less and don’t efficiently absorb magnesium from what is eaten.11 Digestive disorders, such as Crohn's disease and celiac, may also affect magnesium absorption.12 Individuals who suffer from Type 2 diabetes13 or use diuretics may lose more magnesium through their urine.14 As the number of people suffering Type 2 diabetes is growing, and the age at which the condition arises is getting younger,15 the number who are also at risk for magnesium deficiency is also rising. Type 2 diabetes is associated with a number of health conditions also linked to magnesium deficiency, including heart disease and kidney disease. Magnesium Integral to Arterial HealthMagnesium is required for energy production and is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate biochemical reactions, including muscle and nerve function, and blood pressure regulation.16 Magnesium also helps regulate your blood vessels and helps prevent calcification known as coronary artery calcification (CAC). CAC is an indicator of advanced atherosclerosis, a common predictor of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.17 In 1948, researchers undertook a nearly 70-year long heart study under the direction of the National Heart Institute. The Framingham Heart Study18 became a joint project of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and Boston University with the objective to identify factors contributing to cardiovascular disease. Magnesium Is Necessary for Optimal Heart and Kidney HealthResearchers19 recently examined data of magnesium intake in those free of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the Framingham Heart Study and followed them over a period of 11 years. They found a strong association between higher self-reported magnesium intake and lower calcification in the coronary arteries, which translates to lower risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The researchers believe this may play a role in magnesium's protective association in stroke and fatal coronary artery disease. The data also revealed a lower risk of abdominal aortic calcification,20 also associated with cardiovascular disease.21 A second study22 analyzed the associated risk of hypomagnesemia with diabetes and hypertension, which can contribute to a decline in kidney function. The hypothesis was that subclinical levels contributed to a decline in glomerular filtration rate. Researchers engaged over 2,000 participants from the Dallas Heart Study. During a median follow-up of seven years, researchers evaluated glomerular filtration rate, biochemical parameters, C-reactive proteins and the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes. The results led the researchers to conclude subclinical levels of magnesium were independently associated with decline in glomerular filtration rates indicating declining kidney function.23 Magnesium is a natural calcium antagonist and has several effects on vasodilation, regulation and changes in metabolism enhancing atherosclerotic changes in arterial stiffness, likely in part contributing to heart and kidney disease.24 Magnesium for Your Bone and Muscle HealthMagnesium contributes to the structural development of bone, and adult bone contains nearly 60 percent of the total magnesium in your body.25 As it is involved in bone formation, subclinical levels may contribute to the development of osteoporosis. Research26 has found women with osteoporosis have lower serum magnesium levels than those without osteoporosis or osteopenia. Magnesium is also fundamental for physical performance.27 Just as it contributes to heart muscle contraction, skeletal muscles also require magnesium to relax muscle cramping and it is a cornerstone for circulatory health. Magnesium is also important in energy regulation and plays a role in oxygen delivery and uptake in muscle. The relationship between magnesium and circulation also affects your brain. Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, co-director of the University of Rochester Center for Translational Neuromedicine, commented on the energy supply needed by the brain:28
Magnesium Deficiency Affects Migraines, Anxiety and DepressionAlthough the brain is just 2 percent of your body weight, it uses nearly 20 percent of your oxygen supply in metabolic processes,29 remaining remarkably constant despite changes in mental and motor activities. Magnesium facilitates processing in the neural networks and is used to keep the blood-brain barrier healthy.30 Magnesium has proven to be essential for learning, concentration and memory and enables the brain's plasticity, or its ability to adapt to challenges.31 Additionally, maintaining optimal levels of magnesium has proven effective in reducing the number of attacks and the number of days per month you may experience a migraine.32 In a comparison against valproate sodium, a medication used to help prevent migraine headache attacks, a randomized, controlled, double-blind study indicated 500 milligrams (mgs) of magnesium per day was an effective prophylaxis, similar to the effectiveness experienced by those taking valproate sodium, without side effects. Anxiety disorders affect up to 13 percent of the population in the U.S.33 The condition may be debilitating, and like other mental disorders, it exists on a spectrum. Low levels of magnesium have been associated with increasing levels of noradrenaline, leading to a higher heart rate and blood pressure. Conversely, optimal levels of magnesium may decrease the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), responsible for the controlled release of cortisol. Essentially, this means the release of fewer stress hormones and the modulation of the ones released.34 Optimal levels of dietary intake are also inversely associated with anxiety and depression.35 In an outpatient clinic treating 126 adults with mild to moderate symptoms, researcher found supplementation with magnesium chloride for six weeks resulted in clinically significant improvements in depression and anxiety without side effects.36 Higher Intake of Magnesium Lowers Your Risk of Vitamin D DeficiencyVitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or 50 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) have repeatedly been shown to raise your risk of a number of health conditions, including depression and Type 2 diabetes. According to the most recent research, a vitamin D level between 60 and 80 ng/mL (150 and 200 nmol/L) appears to offer the greatest protection against cancer and other chronic diseases.37 Adequate vitamin D levels may also help prevent or treat dry eye syndrome,38 macular degeneration,39 neurological diseases,40 fractures41 and obesity.42 Adequate levels of vitamin D also lower your mortality risk associated with heart disease,43 and may lower your risk of mortality from all causes.44 However, without adequate levels of magnesium, any vitamin D supplementation may be ineffective,45 as magnesium is required for the activation of vitamin D, and vitamin D may trigger vascular calcification if magnesium and vitamin K2 levels are not optimal.46 Higher levels of magnesium may actually lower your risk of vitamin D deficiency by allowing for the activation of more vitamin D.47 Magnesium — Supplementation and Natural SourcesOne of the biggest culprits behind deficiencies is processed foods, which unfortunately has become a staple in the American diet. Some of the magnesium rich foods you may add to your diet include:48,49
An interesting number of factors may affect your ability to absorb magnesium from your foods. Herbicides like glyphosate act as agricultural chelators, effectively obstructing the uptake of minerals from the soil in many foods grown today. As a result, it may be quite difficult to find truly magnesium-rich foods. Cooking and processing further depletes magnesium. Meanwhile, certain foods may actually influence your body's absorption of magnesium. High levels of sugar intake may trigger excretion of magnesium through your kidneys, "resulting in a net loss," according to Dr. Danine Fruge, associate medical director at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Florida.50 When it comes to oral supplementation, my personal preference is magnesium threonate, as it appears to be the most efficient at penetrating cell membranes, including your mitochondria and blood-brain barrier. Other effective ways to boost your magnesium level include: • Taking Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) baths, as the magnesium will effectively absorb through your skin • Using a topical solution — I prepare a supersaturated solution of Epsom salt by dissolving 7 tablespoons of the salt into 6 ounces of water and heating it until all the salt has dissolved. I pour it into a dropper bottle and then apply it to my skin and rub fresh aloe leaves over it to dissolve it. This is an easy and inexpensive way to increase your magnesium and will allow you to get higher dosages into your body without having to deal with its laxative effects. Magnesium can be taken with or without food. If you're also taking calcium, take them together. If you exercise regularly, consider taking your calcium and magnesium in a ratio of one part calcium to two parts magnesium with your pre-workout meal. While the ideal ratio of magnesium to calcium is thought to be 1-to-1, most people get far more calcium than magnesium from their diet, so your need for supplemental magnesium may be two to three times greater than calcium. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/04/01/health-benefits-of-magnesium.aspx
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1 Which of the following dietary supplements is not recommended for the nondrug treatment of high TMAO levels, which is an indication of hepatic insulin resistance?
2 Websites and news stories that are called Fake News:
3 Facebook's data mining and sale of your personal information can negatively affect you by:
4 The following type of diet has been identified as one that can significantly reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer's, and may be very helpful if you already have signs of cognitive decline or dementia:
5 While all forms of physical activity have a beneficial impact on your diabetes risk, the following two forms of exercise have been scientifically shown to be the most effective:
6 To optimize learning and memorization, it's important to have good sleep:
7 To optimize recovery of lost function after a stroke, it's important to:
from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/04/01/week-72-health-quiz.aspx Antioxidants, phytonutrients, omega-3s and other benefits that relate to disease resistance, anti-inflammatory effects and other advantages are wonderful features in any food, and all have been observed in kale, the cruciferous vegetable known for its ability to thrive in cold temperatures. The leafy green vegetable that seemed to win so many positive reviews from health advocates due to kale’s incredible list of nutrients — impressive amounts of vitamins A, C and K, antioxidants, sulforaphane, lutein, zeaxanthin and DNA-repairing indole-3-carbinol — has come under some not-so-positive scrutiny. A Time headline recently stated the problem: “Kale is one of the most contaminated vegetables you can buy.”1 The upshot is, 92 percent of the conventionally grown kale samples that were tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contained at minimum two pesticide residues, and some concealed as many as 18. In fact, the Environmental Working Group (EWG)2 peruses government data and ranks pesticide contamination in fruits and vegetables to submit its annual “Dirty Dozen” list.3 Kale earned the third slot from the top — right behind strawberries, which has ranked as the No. 1 most pesticide-ridden plant-based food for three years in a row4 — and spinach, another popular green garden vegetable. Time observed:
The government tests the pesticide levels on nearly 41,000 fruits and vegetables, and the EWG reports the least- and most-contaminated to consumers, but the studies that present the information don’t search for specific pesticides, such as RoundUp,6 a popular but controversial chemical used to kill weeds, but that has also been detected in popular breakfast cereals and snack bars.7 Problems With Low-Growing Produce and Sporadic TestingNneka Leiba, director of healthy living science at EWG, admits the fact that the FDA and USDA fail to test each plant-based food for possible pesticide (and other) contamination every year is “problematic.” She adds that the fact that government testing also doesn’t include a full spectrum of pesticides used in fruits and vegetables is “a huge problem.”8 Not only had kale not been tested since 2009, but one of the substances found at that time was imidacloprid, a nicotine substitute known to be toxic to many insects. It’s “considered nontoxic to people but can cause breathing and intestinal problems if inhaled in excessive quantities.”9 However, in the most recent testing, imidacloprid wasn’t one of the pesticides the governmental agencies tested for. While the USDA still contends, “Residues found in agricultural products sampled are at levels that do not pose risk to consumers’ health and are safe,”10 the Organic Consumers Association had this to say about this particular pesticide:
The kale and spinach samples that were tested had, on average, 1.1 to 1.8 times more pesticide residue by weight than any other crop.12 One reason they (as well as strawberries) may be ranked so high on the Dirty Dozen list is because they grow so close to the ground, suggests Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist at EWG. In fact, spinach and kale contained 10 to 80 percent more pesticide residues by weight than any of the produce samples tested. They may be sprayed more because bugs can get to them quicker than taller plants, plus there’s gravity to consider. Organic Produce Less Toxic Compared to Conventionally Grown ProduceIncidentally, the pesticide load we all carry is due at least in part to the way farming is done on a colossal but conventional scale here in the U.S., and the percentages have grown exponentially in just the last five years. In 2015, for instance, 15 percent of all the food samples the USDA tested were free of pesticide residue,13 but just one year earlier, in 2014, 41 percent of the food samples had no detectable pesticide residues.14 It’s no wonder pesticide contamination on our food is such a problem. The USDA’s 2015 report explains that “465 parent pesticides, metabolites, degradates and/ or isomers, plus 23 environmental contaminants” were tested on produce. However, the mixing of “parent pesticides” means there could be any number of lethal combinations on the nonorganic kale and other plant-based foods you bring home.15 Beyond Pesticides explains that the term “pesticide” can refer to herbicides, fungicides and other substances used to control pests, weeds and more, and can include plant regulators, defoliants and desiccants. But more than the store-bought solutions labeled insecticides, fungicides or weed killers, there’s more:
What’s so Bad About Pesticides, Especially if the EPA Says They’re Safe?With that question comes another: Why are health-conscious consumers advised to steer clear of pesticides? According to EWG, the most frequently detected herbicide on kale is Dacthal, or DCPA, which was found on 60 percent of the kale samples tested. It has been listed since 199517 as a Group C “possible carcinogen” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has been banned in Europe. In a French study, published by JAMA Internal Medicine in late 2018, among nearly 69,000 study subjects, those who ate more organic food reportedly had 25 percent fewer cancers than people who did not eat organic food.18 Conversely, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2012 that children are uniquely susceptible to toxins associated with pesticide residues, with exposure linked to pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function and behavioral problems.19 The report further urged physicians to suggest that their patients seek out reliable resources for information about how to avoid consuming pesticides along with their fruits and vegetables. Another study, conducted by colleagues from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, “found a surprising association among study participants between the consumption of foods high in pesticide residues and fertility problems.”20 Specifically, women undergoing infertility treatment who consumed more fruits and vegetables with high pesticide residues were less likely to become pregnant and have a live birth.21 Why Are Pesticides Considered Necessary?Often applied as a soil treatment, DCPA is used “to control annual grasses and broadleaf weeds on ornamental turf and plants, strawberries, seeded and transplanted vegetables, cotton and field beans,” according to the EPA.22 When it’s in the soil, it can be absorbed into plants like kale, which is how produce ends up on the Dirty Dozen list. The same EPA document estimates DCPA’s carcinogenic risk through food as “generally considered to be negligible by the Agency,” “practically nontoxic” to birds, small mammals and bees, “probably no more than slightly toxic to fish, slightly toxic to practically nontoxic to aquatic invertebrates” and “moderately to highly toxic to nontarget estuarine and marine organisms.”23 While some agricultural entities may be convinced that pesticide use is necessary to assure healthy, abundant crops, there are signs that some governmental agencies aren’t convinced, or are perhaps beginning to see the light. Case in point: Los Angeles County recently banned the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup weed killer, on county property over health concerns.24 Officials may be reading about the downsides, including a potential cancer risk to humans. Regarding pesticide usage on your food, EWG notes:
There are some smart ways to wash your produce, such as using baking soda to help degrade pesticides. Avocados, sweet corn and pineapples were found to have the lowest level of pesticide residues, and were placed on the EWG’s “Clean 15” list, but it’s still disturbing that a single sample of conventionally farmed kale could contain up to 18 different pesticides.26 The Case Is Clear: An Organic Diet Reduces Pesticide LoadA recent study published in Environmental Research27 was significant for anyone wondering about the viability of adopting an organic diet. Scientists collected urine samples from 16 people, including children, all from four racially and geographically diverse families in the U.S., before and after starting an organic diet. The urine samples were tested for individual levels of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. After just six days, the participants had, on average, a 60 percent reduction in the levels of synthetic pesticides, including organophosphate pesticides, neonicotinoid and pyrethroid insecticides, and the herbicide 2, 4-D in their urine, compared to when they were eating a conventional diet. The researchers concluded, “This study adds to a growing body of literature indicating that an organic diet may reduce exposure to a range of pesticides in children and adults.”28 It’s clear that the problem with pesticides on our food is getting worse, not better. Rather than being able to assume you’re on the receiving end of nothing but health-advantageous nutrients and phytonutrients when you bring kale and other produce home from the grocery store or farmers market, there are caveats to consider, including where and how it was grown. The EWG said in 2006, “Consumers should opt for organic food whenever possible to reduce their exposure to pesticides,”29 but if you feel you can’t afford to purchase more than a few items of organic produce, you might want to make those the fruits and vegetables with high rankings on the Dirty Dozen list. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/04/01/kale-pesticide-residue.aspx While parents claim their vaccine-injured children are being swept under the rug, federal and state authorities in the U.S. are cleaning up such "misinformation" by eliminating — with the hope of preventing from ever being seen — books, movies and websites touting harms of vaccines. As recently reported by The Washington Post:1
According to CBS News,2 Google is also "reducing recommendations of ... content or videos that could misinform users in harmful ways." Plan for Inoculating Vectors of Misinformation Contagion AnnouncedAccording to bioethics professor Bart Craplin, parents of brain damaged children are dangerous vectors of misinformation contagion3 and pose a very serious threat to public health. However, it's not entirely their fault, he points out. In all of these cases, the children's decline in health coincided with exposure to vaccine misinformation, causing these parents to wrongfully assume that their children's vaccinations played a role. By removing all sources of vaccine misinformation and reeducating these confused parents, "we'll be able to inoculate them both mentally and physically," Craplin said during a recent news conference, at which the government's plan for mandatory vaccine reeducation camps was announced.
As reported by The Washington Post:4
The impetus for federally run vaccine reeducation camps was the failed attempt at reeducation in Ontario, Canada. Starting in 2017, parents leery of vaccinating their children have been required to attend a 25-minute video presentation of vaccine safety facts. Alas, as reported by the National Post,5 beta testing groups show that the initial reeducation effort has so far resulted in "a zero percent conversion rate." The failure of this program made it clear to U.S. officials that reeducating ignorant parents would require far more than a simple presentation of vaccine propaganda. As a result, the U.S. reeducation camps will service individuals for as long as is necessary for successful conversion to established parameters of knowledge. And, to eliminate any possibility of pollution of facts, individuals will not be permitted contact with the outside world during their stay. Censorship Required to Combat Nonsensical FearsAs reported by CBS News, "Every major medical body and federal office agrees: Vaccines are safe and effective. But that's often not the message you get if you're a parent poking around online."6 Fortunately, the federal government is here to protect the public health, and despite federal cutbacks believes it has the required funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to do so. In light of the World Health's Organization listing vaccine misinformation as one of the top 10 public health threats of 2019, high-ranking government and health officials are in unanimous agreement that eliminating vectors of misinformation contagion, online and in the real world, is at the top of the national agenda and no expense will be spared to ensure the population's health and safety. In a letter to Amazon CEO Rep. Schifty, who co-wrote the new vaccine reeducation camp bill, stressed the public health responsibility of technocrats, urging the company to live up to its potential as a social engineering leader:7
Monopolies Prove Their AltruismThe good news is technology monopolies are proving to be as altruistic as multinational drug companies, stepping up to collectively work with the federal government to have all dangerous content removed for "the greater good" — which, ironically, is the title of one of the misinformation contagion vectors recently removed from all tech platforms. In a statement, Dr. Fauxi, director of the National Conglomerate of Infectious Disease Provocation, a new division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said:
Civil Re-Entry QualificationsAccording to the new law, which will take effect on April 1, 2020, each vaccine reeducation camp will provide federally sanctioned reeducation on vaccines depending on level of vaccine resistance. Level 1 will include such infractions as reading or sharing social media posts containing anti-vaccination sentiments. Level 2 will include level 1 infractions plus public voicing of anti-vaccination sentiments such as "I know someone who was injured by a vaccine." Claiming to have a vaccine-injured child will be considered a level 3 infraction, requiring the longest and most intense reeducation, regardless of whether the individual has engaged in any level 1 or level 2 infractions. Following successful reeducation of unspecified length at a federally sanctioned reeducation camp, parents will be given a certificate good for re-entry into society. At that point, they will be able to provide pre-established and appropriate answers to safety questions about vaccines, and both they and their children will be up-to-date with all vaccinations. The necessity for standardized public re-entry certification became apparent after states like Oregon passed legislation banning vaccine-deficient individuals from encroaching on the public's physical space. As stated in the state's amendment, section 2:8 Elimination of Hate Groups 'Guaranteed'In collaboration with government, Amazon.com is also cracking down on the ability of "hate groups" that represent parents of vaccine-injured children and physicians with a conscience to raise money through AmazonSmile, the Amazon fundraising portal, Mother Jones reports.9 Dr. Hatez, commenting on this news and the impending implementation of federally mandated reeducation, said:10,11
Dr. Proffit, a vaccine inventor, and chief of the division of infectious diseases at a prominent children's hospital, agrees, saying:
Zero Tolerance Policy on Vaccine ResistanceAs previously noted by Fauxi:
Indeed, while some say censorship is the last resort of a dying conspiracy, TruthGuard, a Wall Street and government-endorsed third party terminator of misinformation sees it differently. Chief Terminator Winston Smith14 knows that once the science is settled, opposing views must be eliminated or we'll never make progress. "Science and truth have only one side. There is no other side," he says, finishing off his statement with a poem he wrote for the inauguration of the first reeducation camp in Washington D.C.:
You Can Trust Your GovernmentTo aid in the nationwide conversion effort, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has partnered with drug companies to ensure the optimization of public health through the standardization of consensus science and medicine.15 While the CDC does accept funds from commercial interests, the agency uses easy-to-understand disclaimers stating they do not accept commercial funding. Such simplified disclaimers are an essential tool in the CDC's public service strategy, as it prevents people from wasting precious time wondering whether conflicts of interest might influence public health policy.16 As explained by a CDC spokesman:
NOTICE This piece is our April Fool's article. While written in jest, some of the details herein are in fact true, or disturbingly close to it, and the article could be suggestive of what we might face in the near future, should we fail to take corrective action to protect and preserve vaccine exemptions, informed consent and medical freedom of choice. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/04/01/vaccine-reeducation-dystopian-future.aspx Recipe by Ruled.me Egg casserole is a convenient dish that you could prepare ahead of time and bake when you need to. To some, it can serve as a complete meal. Recipes include ham, potatoes, sausage, bread, leftover meat, spinach and cheese. Caprese Egg Casserole Ingredients:
What Is Caprese?Caprese or insalata caprese is Capri, Italy’s signature dish — a salad consisting of fresh tomato slices, mozzarella and basil, which mimics the colors of the Italian flag. Salt, extra-virgin olive oil, oregano and olives may also be added to enhance its flavor and aroma. This light and simple meal requires fresh and high-quality ingredients, especially the cheese, which is why mozzarella made with buffalo milk is often used instead of cow’s milk mozzarella. Using Fresh and Organic Ingredients Matter in Making Caprese Egg CasseroleAs mentioned, making a light and simple salad like caprese requires fresh and high-quality ingredients to produce a satisfying dish. Here are reasons why you should choose fresh and organic ingredients, and tips on how to prepare and store them: EggsCommercially sold eggs are usually produced by hens raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) farms. These animals are fed unnatural feed that they wouldn’t be eating were they free-ranging, hormones and antibiotics, and are raised in small spaces that increase the risk of bacteria growth. Their eggs are exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, fecal contaminants and salmonella bacteria that may pose potential dangers to your health. To avoid contamination, make sure that you choose the free-range organic variant sold by local producers. Also, check if there are cracks or holes before buying them. You will know if an egg is fresh if it sinks in a container or glass with water. MozzarellaMozzarella cheese has a rubbery texture, mild flavor and melting properties that make it a perfect ingredient in pizza, bread and appetizers. It is usually made with buffalo cow’s milk, which is more expensive because it has a higher butterfat content, which is essential in helping boost your good cholesterol levels. Buffalo cow’s milk contains more calcium, protein and iron as well. Unlike other kinds of cheese that taste better when aged, mozzarella is best consumed fresh. It may still be used for up to three weeks, but remember to keep it with the water from the original packaging, which you should replace every other day. In this recipe, note that fresh mozzarella balls were used, and not the shredded variant. Cherry TomatoesAnother key in making an appetizing caprese dish is using fresh, sweet and ripe tomatoes. In this recipe, cherry tomatoes are used, which may be cooked or roasted quickly for a more efficient cooking or preparation. Cooking cherry tomatoes with coconut oil not only will help increase its lycopene content, a fat-soluble nutrient, but lessen their lectin content as well, which are known to cause disrupted endocrine function and gene expression, leaky gut and weight gain. Tomatoes are linked to a lower risk of various health conditions such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, inflammatory processes and cancer. They are also known to contain lycopene, a carotenoid that provides beneficial effects against cardiovascular issues. Basil Adds Flavor and Nutrients to This RecipeBasil is a popular herb widely used in condiments, baked goods, salad dressings, meats, nonalcoholic beverages and even ice cream. Aside from its culinary uses, it is utilized in perfumery and dental and oral products as well. Traditional caprese recipes include basil leaves, whether chopped or whole, to complement the ingredients’ distinct flavors through their strong aroma. This herb has a clove-like taste that goes well with cilantro, coconut milk, fig, ginger, lemon, lime, mint and tomatoes. Basil contains numerous nutrients, including vitamin K, which is essential in blood clotting. Research found that this vitamin provides benefits against bone and vascular diseases as well.
About Ruled.Me from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/31/caprese-egg-casserole-recipe.aspx Whenever their stress levels rise, some people typically reach for a bag of chips or pint of ice cream, a habit known as "stress eating"1 or "emotional eating." But although you may temporarily feel good after eating "comfort food," you might end up regretting this in the long term. Emotional eating can result in inability to address the situation responsible for triggering unhealthy heating habits, devastating stress2 and weight gain.3 These Stress-Busting Foods Are All You NeedBeing anxious is not an excuse for you to be reckless with what you eat. The next time you're down in the dumps, opt for these potentially stress-busting foods to allow you to combat these feelings:4 • Green leafy vegetables -- According to Heather Mangieri, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, green leafy vegetables contain folate that produces "dopamine, a pleasure-inducing brain chemical [or neurotransmitter], helping you keep calm."5 Your best bets for green leafy vegetables include spinach, kale and Swiss chard.6 • Fermented foods such as kimchi, kefir and natto -- Beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, are abundant in fermented foods, and may positively impact your mood and brain health, given that they are able to move mood- and behavior-regulating signals to the brain via the vagus nerve. One example of a beneficial probiotic is the Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain. It improved GABA levels in certain brain regions,7 and helped decrease corticosterone (a stress-inducing hormone) levels and alleviated anxiety- and depression-related behavior.8 • Animal-based omega-3 fats -- Ideally acquired from fish like wild-caught Alaskan salmon, sardines or anchovies, or high-quality krill oil supplements, omega-3 fats can do wonders for your mood. Research has proven that omega-3 fats were effective in inhibiting initial symptoms of depression without the side effects.9 Another study recorded a 20 percent decrease in anxiety among medical students who took omega-3s.10 • Blueberries -- Pigments called anthocyanins are responsible for the deep colors of blueberries, and help with the brain's production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that may boost your mood, memory and function. • Bananas -- These yellow fruits are home to dopamine, which may assist with promoting a better mood. Other vital mood-boosting nutrients present in bananas include B vitamins and magnesium. The former may help calm down the nervous system. • Kiwis -- These vitamin C-rich fruits may not just assist with combating infections, but aid in alleviating stress too. Studies have shown that consistent vitamin C intake helped lower both levels of stress hormones in the blood and typical indicators of physical and emotional stress.11 • Dark chocolate -- Anandamide, a neurotransmitter found in dark chocolate, is said to be beneficial in momentarily inhibiting negative feelings of pain and depression. However, eat chocolate in moderation, since some varieties contain high amounts of sugar that can be devastating for your health. • Turmeric -- This spice has been renowned globally, and most of its health benefits may be traced to the pigment curcumin. It's responsible for the spice's bright yellow-orange hue and health benefits, such as neuroprotective properties that may defend your brain and improve your mood.12 Does the Combination of Caffeine and Anxiety Work?Caffeine-containing beverages like sports drinks should not be considered for anxiety disorder patients because it may worsen their condition.13 However, a cup of organic, shade-grown black coffee without added creamers, sugars or sweeteners may be an exception to this rule. A cup of joe can positively affect brain health by enhancing production of neurotransmitters that may assist with mood control, and promoting release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that allows brain stem cells to develop new neurons. The key to making coffee work for you, despite the caffeine in it, is to consume it in moderation and know the amount of coffee your body can tolerate in a given day, since different studies have suggested varying amounts of black coffee for a specific benefit. However, if you're pregnant, you should refrain from drinking any coffee at all. Let Go of Mood-Wrecking FoodsSteer clear of these three types of foods if you have been diagnosed with anxiety or are feeling anxious, since they can exacerbate symptoms: • Sugar -- Excessive sugar intake may contribute to different health problems for your mental and overall health. Apart from causing changes to blood sugar levels and mood swings, consuming way too much sugar may lead to insulin and leptin resistance that can cause impaired brain signaling, and reduce BDNF activity that may negatively affect stimulation or promotion of healthy brain neurons. You may increase your depression risk if you consume excessive amounts of sugar as well, since this substance may cause chemical reactions in the body that may trigger chronic inflammation and immune system disruptions. • Gluten -- This protein found in grains like wheat, rye and barley14 was proven to negatively impact your mood and brain health. Various studies have proven this point. For instance, a 2001 Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology study showed that people with untreated celiac disease tend to experience anxiety and/or depression.15 Another study, published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica in 2005, revealed that subjects who underwent a gluten-free diet experienced reductions or even a full remission of schizophrenia symptoms.16 • Processed foods -- You must avoid these foods, which are usually made with sugar or gluten, trans fats, artificial sweeteners and colors, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and synthetic ingredients, as much as possible because these may cause irritability and poor mood. MORE ABOUT ANXIETY PreviousNextfrom http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/31/xdjm18-anxiety-18mcsa-diet.aspx Whenever their stress levels rise, some people typically reach for a bag of chips or pint of ice cream, a habit known as “stress eating”1 or “emotional eating.” But although you may temporarily feel good after eating “comfort food,” you might end up regretting this in the long term. Emotional eating can result in inability to address the situation responsible for triggering unhealthy heating habits, devastating stress2 and weight gain.3 These Stress-Busting Foods Are All You NeedBeing anxious is not an excuse for you to be reckless with what you eat. The next time you’re down in the dumps, opt for these potentially stress-busting foods to allow you to combat these feelings:4
Does the Combination of Caffeine and Anxiety Work?Caffeine-containing beverages like sports drinks should not be considered for anxiety disorder patients because it may worsen their condition.13 However, a cup of organic, shade-grown black coffee without added creamers, sugars or sweeteners may be an exception to this rule. A cup of joe can positively affect brain health by enhancing production of neurotransmitters that may assist with mood control, and promoting release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that allows brain stem cells to develop new neurons. The key to making coffee work for you, despite the caffeine in it, is to consume it in moderation and know the amount of coffee your body can tolerate in a given day, since different studies have suggested varying amounts of black coffee for a specific benefit. However, if you’re pregnant, you should refrain from drinking any coffee at all. Let Go of Mood-Wrecking FoodsSteer clear of these three types of foods if you have been diagnosed with anxiety or are feeling anxious, since they can exacerbate symptoms: • Sugar: Excessive sugar intake may contribute to different health problems for your mental and overall health. Apart from causing changes to blood sugar levels and mood swings, consuming way too much sugar may lead to insulin and leptin resistance that can cause impaired brain signaling, and reduce BDNF activity that may negatively affect stimulation or promotion of healthy brain neurons. You may increase your depression risk if you consume excessive amounts of sugar as well, since this substance may cause chemical reactions in the body that may trigger chronic inflammation and immune system disruptions. • Gluten: This protein found in grains like wheat, rye and barley14 was proven to negatively impact your mood and brain health. Various studies have proven this point. For instance, a 2001 Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology study showed that people with untreated celiac disease tend to experience anxiety and/or depression.15 Another study, published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica in 2005, revealed that subjects who underwent a gluten-free diet experienced reductions or even a full remission of schizophrenia symptoms.16 • Processed foods: You must avoid these foods, which are usually made with sugar or gluten, trans fats, artificial sweeteners and colors, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and synthetic ingredients, as much as possible because these may cause irritability and poor mood. MORE ABOUT ANXIETY PreviousNextfrom http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/31/anti-anxiety-foods.aspx Bob Dennis, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer by profession, is also the author of "Stroke of Luck: Master Neuroplasticity for Recovery and Growth After Stroke," and its much-shortened version, "Stroke of Luck: NOW! Fast and Free Exercises to Immediately Begin Mastering Neuroplasticity Following a Stroke," an excellent reference book that everyone should have in their medical library. Why do I recommend you get a copy of Bob's book now? Because it is highly likely you or someone you know or love will have a stroke, and you simply don't want to wait for this book to ship to you as you will need access to it immediately if you are to minimize the damage done from the stroke. Stroke is a massively pervasive problem in the U.S., with an estimated 795,000 strokes occurring each year.1 It's the fifth leading cause of death, killing an estimated 142,000 annually. It's also a leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S.2 Strokes are also becoming more prevalent in younger people.3 An estimated 10 percent of all strokes occur in people under the age of 50.4 The impetus behind the book was Dennis' personal experience. He's suffered two strokes so far, the last one in July 2018, at the age of 54, and made a magnificent recovery using the techniques he lays out in his book. A recent example that has ignited renewed interest in prevention is the sudden death of 52-year-old actor, Luke Perry, from a massive stroke. Unfortunately, if it doesn't kill you, you may suffer with severe disabilities for the remainder of your life, which is why Dennis' book is so important. He compiled this book as a resource to help stroke victims improve their chances of making as full a recovery as possible, and his own story is evidence that it's possible. He recounts his experience:
Conventional Medicine Falls Short on Stroke RecoveryFor clarification, within that three-hour window, they have to determine which type of stroke you had, as giving thrombolytics to someone who has suffered a hemorrhagic stroke would be lethal (since a vein has ruptured and it's already bleeding inside the brain). Hence, one of the first things that must be done is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whether your stroke is due to a blood clot (ischemic stroke) or a rupture (hemorrhagic stroke). According to the American Stroke Association, 87 percent of strokes are ischemic; the remainder are hemorrhagic.5
Stroke PreparednessDennis wanted to make sure this information is available to anyone who needs it, and at a moment's notice, so the book is primarily designed to be an e-book, and is available for free on Kindle Unlimited on Amazon. "Also, as an e-book, you can have it the day you need it, which is the day you have a stroke," he says. "You don't have to wait for it to be delivered." You don't even need to buy the book to get the most important advice and recommendations from it. You can simply click on the preview and read the summary, placed before the table of contents. My recommendation would be to get the book and review it now, before you or someone you love has a stroke, so you're already familiar with the material. Dennis' experience is a powerful demonstration of how you can rapidly regain functionality by taking full advantage of your brain's capacity to rewire itself, a process called neuroplasticity. Basically, the brain training Dennis describes allows your brain to develop alternate pathways to bypass the damaged neurons, and the sooner you do it after the damage has been incurred, the more effective it will be.
Helpful Lifestyle Interventions to Aid With StrokeIn addition to brain training exercises, Dennis also implemented a number of powerful lifestyle interventions that aided his healing. Among them, intermittent fasting, which he says radically changed his life and played an important role in his recovery. Since he started intermittent fasting after his stroke last year, he's lost 52 pounds.
Stroke of LuckThe title of the book, "Stroke of Luck," refers to the concept of being an inverse paranoid, or pronoia, where you presume that when bad things happen, something good can come out of it. In Dennis' case, that's exactly what happened. By taking advantage of neuroplasticity, and training extra hard due to his stroke, he ended up not only recovering back to his prestroke state but actually improved beyond that. His sense of balance improved, and he became ambidextrous. He was also able to eliminate his chronic back pain. As a biomedical engineer, Dennis invented one of the best pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) devices on the market (which I personally use every day) called ICES model M1. One of the reasons behind its development was his desire to create something to help with his own back pain issues. Remarkably, the stroke ended up being part of the answer. He tells the story:
Time Is of the EssenceIt's well worth reiterating that when you're dealing with a stroke, first, you need very rapid medical treatment. You only have a three-hour window within which medication can be administered to dissolve the clot and prevent further damage. But you also need to start your recovery program as quickly as possible — that same day, or as soon as you're coherent enough to begin. The same applies to PT. Dennis was told he'd have to wait three weeks for a PT appointment, which he realized was far too long. So, he developed his own PT program. "If I had just done what was prescribed and advised, I don't think my recovery would have been very good. I certainly could not have given this interview," he says. As a result, by the time he saw his physical therapist, he was already able to perform 80 or 90 percent of the exercises prescribed. Dennis also emphasizes the need to get the most out of your prescribed PT. Many simply drop out and stop going after a couple of sessions, thinking that once they know the exercises, they can just do them at home.
More InformationIn my view, "Stroke of Luck" should be required reading for all primary care clinicians, because they really need to understand this information — and provide it as a resource to their stroke patients, as it contains such a valuable variety of recommendations consolidated all in one place.
The full-length hard copy version of the book, "Stroke of Luck: Master Neuroplasticity for Recovery and Growth After Stroke," is just over 600 pages and retails for $84.59 (the minimum price allowed by the publisher for that book in hard copy). It's also available as an e-book for less than $8. The shortened version, "Stroke of Luck: NOW! Fast and Free Exercises to Immediately Begin Mastering Neuroplasticity Following a Stroke — Right Now!" is only 100 pages long. It's available in paperback for less than $20, and as an e-book for less than $6 (or free with Kindle Unlimited). Also, remember you can get the key points in the summary completely free without download simply by opening up the Amazon preview. The shorter version contains the information Dennis believes is imperative to know on the day of your stroke. "I boiled all these things down to the essential points of which exercises you should be thinking about, safety points you should be keeping in mind," he says. "That's it." from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/31/neuroplasticity-stroke-rehabilitation.aspx As a result of breeders selectively growing marijuana plants for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana became known as a plant that gives you a high. As a result, the original medicinal properties and uses for cannabis largely fell by the wayside and the U.S. added marijuana to their Schedule 1 Controlled Substances list in 1970, reserved for illicit drugs such as heroin, LSD and Ecstasy. Based on the Controlled Substance Act,1 drugs in this group must have a high potential for abuse, have no acceptable medicinal use and lack acceptable safety under medical supervision.2 Before being added to the Schedule 1 list, marijuana was listed in the U.S Pharmacopoeia (USP) until 1942 and prescribed by physicians for nausea, rheumatism and labor pain.3 In a decision reversing their previous classification of marijuana as a drug having no acceptable medicinal use, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed some cannabidiols out of the most restrictive class of substances making it a Schedule V drug.4 This move was made three months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first nonsynthetic cannabidiol (CBD) preparation for epilepsy. The DEA announcement means the epilepsy drug can be distributed through traditional pharmaceutical channels requiring a physician's prescription, instead of through medical marijuana dispensaries. Although many proponents of medical cannabis were encouraged by the change in the DEA's position on CBD, it is more likely a step toward creating a pharmaceutical distribution channel rather than accepting CBD as a legitimate medical treatment. The number of states that have decriminalized, legalized or allowed medical marijuana sales continues to grow. In some states, marijuana is fully legal or illegal, but in others the laws are mixed, allowing medicinal use but not decriminalizing recreational use.5 Researchers from the University of Connecticut recently released a study showing sales of ice cream, cookies and chips increased immediately after a state legalized the sale of recreational marijuana.6 Cannabis Use Can Cause the MunchiesAlthough there are some hypotheses as to why this occurs, at the present time there is no causal evidence supporting the effect on the brain. But, as the Connecticut researchers expected, after smoking marijuana, many enjoy a junk food binge, especially certain high-calorie foods.7 To get their information, assistant professor of economics, Michele Baggio, Ph.D., in collaboration with a professor from Georgia State University, evaluated data on the monthly purchases of high-calorie junk food such as ice cream, chips and cookies in more than 2,000 counties over a 10-year period.8 Analysis compared buying trends against the implementation date of marijuana laws, finding legalization increased purchases from 3 percent to 5 percent for the junk food evaluated. Baggio believes that while the numbers may seem small, they are statistically significant to both users and the economy.9 Initially, the economists had set out to determine if there was a tie between the legalization of marijuana and rising obesity rates that may be connected to an increase in junk food consumption. In this study, the researchers analyzed the trends and sales, but further analysis of obesity rates may come at a later date. The researchers’ concern is that rising rates of marijuana legalization and usage may contribute to growing waistlines, and policymakers may want to consider this issue as they contemplate legalizing marijuana in other states.10 Rising Rates of Obesity Fueled in Part by Junk FoodsJunk food is a multibillion-dollar industry, so a 5 percent rise in sales of one product is a significant jump. In his book, “Fast Food Nation,” Eric Schlosser, investigative journalist and best-selling author, describes how nearly 90 percent of America's budget is spent on junk food,11 and nearly 60 percent of what is eaten is ultraprocessed convenience food available at the local gas station.12 The junk food industry uses several advertising ploys to paint their products in a better light, especially as more consumers are starting to question a diet based solely on salt and sugar. Reliance on ultraprocessed foods is undoubtedly a primary driving factor in the skyrocketing rates of obesity and chronic disease. Although many "know better," it can be difficult to eliminate foods more addictive than cocaine.13 A recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed only 10 percent of Americans are getting enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diet.14 This translates to 90 percent of Americans not eating enough real food to support optimal health. The researchers found those who consumed five servings a day of fruits and vegetables lowered their risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Ultraprocessed foods are ultimately devoid of any meaningful nutrition and full of empty calories. In a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of over 9,000 participants, researchers concluded,15 "Decreasing the consumption of ultraprocessed foods could be an effective way of reducing the excessive intake of added sugars in the USA." Differences Between Recreational and Medical CannabisMedical marijuana is the use of a whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or pure extracts to treat a disease or improve symptoms. The plant must be sourced from a medicinal grade cannabis plant that has been meticulously grown without the use of toxic pesticides and/or fertilizers. The incredible healing properties of medical marijuana come primarily from high levels of CBD and critical levels of other medicinal terpenes and flavonoids. However, THC, responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana, also has medicinal benefits. Growers are able to use selective breeding techniques to increase CBD and lower levels of THC for medicinal use. You Have an Endocannabinoid SystemDespite the Schedule 1 categorization of marijuana, CBD and THC do have acceptable medicinal uses. Historically, it was used as a botanical medication, but today the use is backed by many studies crediting most of the healing potential to CBD. This is the nonpsychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. In the 1990s, cannabinoid receptors were found in the human body, leading scientists to realize the human body naturally produces compounds that influence these receptors.16 Deficiencies in endogenous cannabinoids have been identified in those suffering with migraines,17 fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and a variety of treatment-resistant conditions.18 Carl Germano, Ph.D., an expert in phytocannabinoids, is excited about the future for study and what he calls the most important botanical plant on the planet.19 Interestingly, an intimate relationship exists between your body's endocannabinoid system and your omega-3 levels, as these fats increase the activity of your cannabinoid receptors. Research also suggests exercise such as yoga has an effect on your endocannabinoid system.20 Cannabis Demonstrates Health BenefitsCannabinoid receptors are found throughout your body, including your brain, pancreas, liver, kidneys and immune system.21 Scientists continue to research the impact they have on your health and the importance in regulating pain, anxiety, bone growth and immune function.22 Studies demonstrate cannabis is an excellent painkiller.23 When the oil is applied topically, the antioxidants may help heal sunburn. Other conditions that respond well to treatment with CBD include:
Medical marijuana may be administered through a variety of routes, including inhalation, under the tongue, ingestion (pills or edibles) and topical ointments or lotions. Dr. Margaret Gedde, a Stanford trained pathologist40 who specializes in the therapeutic use of cannabis, states the side effect of concern is the psychoactivity of THC. Too high a dose of THC may trigger anxiety, so it's important to seek out CBD with low THC formulations. That said, THC and CBD work well in combination, as CBD helps temper the psychoactivity of THC. When cannabis is taken in raw form, you also receive THC acid (THCA),41 which doesn't have psychoactive effects and has been shown to relieve pain and spasms. THCA is only present in the raw form of the plant and not in a laboratory formulation. Therefore, if you are able to source medical cannabis low in THC and high in CBD, you'll experience the health benefits of CBD and THCA, without the potential to trigger anxiety from THC. from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/30/recreational-marijuana-can-cause-the-munchies.aspx In the video above, Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D., a biomedical scientist, interviews professor Matthew Walker, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of California Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science and author of "Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams." In this episode, Walker discusses how sleep impacts your ability to learn and your creative capacity, and the importance of deep sleep for brain detoxification, which can influence your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The interview starts out with a discussion about how sleep patterns change during infancy, and the implications thereof. Right around 12 months of age, when the infant is starting to learn to crawl, stand and walk, there’s a tremendous bump in stage 2 sleep, which is a light, non-REM type of sleep during which the brain is very active editing and making decisions about what information to retain and which to discard. In this case, the learning has to do with motor skills development. Language development also occurs during this phase of life, and sleep plays an important role here too. In fact, sleep plays a crucial role any time you’re learning something new, be it language or mathematics, for example, regardless of your age. How Sleep Impacts Learning ProcessesWhat’s more, sleep allows your brain to consolidate many different abstract pieces of information, sort of collating them into cohesive patterns that allow you to make sense of the world around you, and your experiences of it. In other words, sleep is crucial for abstract learning — for connecting the proverbial dots — opposed to simply learning individual facts. While this is particularly relevant during early development, this is something that you continue to do throughout life, and why sleep deprivation can have such a dramatic impact on your mental well-being, triggering confusion and negative emotional states. According to Walker, sleep affects your learning and memory processes both before and after learning, and cheating yourself of sleep on either end will impact your ability to learn.1 • First, sleep is important before learning, as it helps prepare your brain to soak up new information. Walker’s research shows that sleep-deprived students have a 40 percent reduction in their ability to retain new information, compared to those who got a full eight hours of sleep. Walker theorizes that your hippocampus could potentially have a time-limited capacity to store new information. When you remain awake for more than 16 hours, your hippocampus effectively runs out of storage space and cannot receive further input. To continue learning, you need to sleep, during which the information stored in your hippocampus is transferred into long-term storage in other parts of your brain, effectively clearing out your short-term hippocampal storage. • Second, you need sleep after learning, to properly save and hold on to those new individual facts — and integrate the new information with what you already know. Walker discusses fascinating research demonstrating that, during sleep, your brain quite literally replays what it has learned, but at 10 to 20 times the speed of normal waking consciousness, and this is thought to be part of memory consolidation, as it increases synaptic strength. This gathering and storing of new information occurs primarily during non-REM sleep. Then, during REM sleep (dream sleep), your brain fuses all of this new information with the entirety of everything you’ve already stored in your memory banks, creating a continuously evolving and growing “mind-wide web of associations,” Walker explains. What’s more, while we make associative connections during waking consciousness, the connections we make during REM sleep are “the long shots,” the more bizarre and sometimes illogical associations between seemingly disparate pieces of information. And this is precisely why our dreams oftentimes make no logical sense. Quality Sleep Boosts Your CreativityThis is also why REM sleep allows us “to divine remarkably creative insight” into problems we could not solve during the day with logical, rational thinking. According to Walker, REM sleep is therefore crucial to acquiring wisdom (opposed to straight knowledge) — the ability to discern and extract meaning from your life experiences. It’s also crucial to creative problem-solving, and many scientific discoveries have occurred as a result of dreaming. One example is that of Otto Loewi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his discovery that the primary language of nerve cell communication is chemical, not electrical, as previously thought. The elegantly simple scientific experiment that led to Loewi’s award-winning discovery came to him in a dream.3,4 The chemical responsible for nerve cell communication is now known as acetylcholine, which is also the chemical responsible for the randomization of data connections during dreaming, as it disrupts the connection between the hippocampus, where memories of events and places are stored, and the neocortex, where facts, ideas and concepts are stored and the actual replay of memories take place. Indeed, overwhelming evidence shows increasing sleep boosts both productivity and creativity.5,6,7 Sleep increases your ability to gain insights that would otherwise remain elusive by about 250 percent. According to Walker, simply dreaming about performing an activity increases your actual physical performance 10fold. As old and new memories are integrated to form a new whole, new possible futures are also imagined. (This is what you actually perceive as “the action” of your dream.) The sum total of these processes is what allows you to assign meaning to life events and new pieces of information alike. Sleep Deprivation Fuels Feelings of LonelinessWalker also discusses some of his more recent research,8,9,10 which suggests loneliness may be closely tied to lack of sleep. For this experiment, 18 young adults were tested under two conditions: after a good night’s sleep and after a night of interrupted sleep. They were then asked to view video clips of people walking toward them, and were instructed to stop the tape once they felt the person’s presence was infringing on their personal space. Interestingly, after sleep deprivation, the participants’ need for personal space was much greater than after a good night’s sleep. When sleep deprived, they stopped the oncoming person at a distance that was 60 percent greater than when they’d had a good night’s rest. Brain scans also revealed that when sleep-deprived, they had 60 percent greater activity in the amygdala, an area of the brain that perceives threats. In other words, the oncoming person was perceived as more threatening when they were tired. This perceived threat amplification from sleep deprivation can also make you more anxious in general, so it may play an important role in anxiety as well. In a nutshell, the experiment suggests that the more sleep-deprived you are, the less social you become. What’s more, others pick up on this largely subconscious cue to be left alone, and further tests revealed people are more likely to rate you as being lonely when you’re sleep-deprived — and they’re far less likely to want to interact with you as well. As noted by Walker, “sleep deprivation can turn us into social lepers.”11 Loneliness has reached crisis proportions in the U.S. and has severe health consequences. For example, loneliness increases your all-cause mortality risk by a whopping 45 percent, Walker says, and he believes sleep deprivation may actually be a significant underlying factor. The good news is this is something you have a lot of control over and can do something about. Sleep Deprivation Triggers Fight-Flight-or-Freeze ResponseIt’s also worth noting that, according to Walker, they’ve been unable to find a single psychiatric disorder in which sleep does not play a role, which really highlights the importance of addressing sleep whenever you struggle with any kind of mental health problem, be it mild or severe. Walker also notes that research has confirmed high-anxiety individuals are more prone to be negatively impacted by lack of sleep. So, if you know you’re prone to anxiety, depression or negative moods, you’ll want to be extra careful about getting sufficient amounts of high quality sleep. Unfortunately, high-anxiety individuals are also more prone to insomnia, which feeds the vicious cycle. “The biological red thread narrative of insomnia is an amplified fight or flight nervous system,” Walker says. “You constantly see an overactive sympathetic nervous system in people with insomnia.” Cortisol plays an important role here, and in people who have trouble falling asleep, you typically see a spike in the stress hormone cortisol right at bedtime, when it should normally start to fall. In people struggling with the other type of insomnia, where they have trouble staying asleep for the duration of the night, you often find mysterious spikes in cortisol at those times, when cortisol levels should normally be really low. Walker suggests mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, including meditation, for insomnia, as it calms down your sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response) and facilitates the mental disengagement necessary to allow you to fall asleep and not get stuck in rumination and worry. Other Important Health Benefits of SleepSleep is also required for: • Maintaining metabolic homeostasis in your brain -- Wakefulness is associated with mitochondrial stress and without sufficient sleep, neuron degeneration sets in, which can lead to dementia.12,13,14 Animal research reveals inconsistent, intermittent sleep results in considerable and irreversible brain damage. Mice lost 25 percent of the neurons15,16 located in their locus coeruleus,17 a nucleus in the brainstem associated with arousal, wakefulness and certain cognitive processes. In a similar vein, research published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging18 suggests people with chronic sleep problems develop Alzheimer’s disease sooner than those who sleep well. To learn more, see Walker’s paper, “Sleep: A Novel Mechanistic Pathway, Biomarker, and Treatment Target in the Pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease?” 19 • Maintaining biological homeostasis -- Your body contains an array of body clocks that regulate everything from metabolism to psychological functioning. When you upset your circadian rhythm by not getting enough sleep, the results cascade through your system, raising blood pressure, dysregulating hunger hormones and blood sugar, increasing the expression of genes associated with inflammation, immune excitability, diabetes, cancer risk and stress20 and much more. While the master clock in your brain synchronizes your bodily functions to match the 24-hour light and dark cycle, each and every organ, indeed, each cell has its own biological clock. In 2017, the Nobel Prize for medicine was actually awarded for the discovery of these body clocks. Even half your genes have been shown to be under circadian control, turning on and off in cyclical waves. All of these clocks, while having slightly different rhythms, are synchronized to the master clock in your brain. Needless to say, when these clocks become desynchronized, a wide array of health problems can ensue. • Removal of toxic waste from your brain through the glymphatic system -- This system ramps up its activity during deep sleep, thereby allowing your brain to clear out toxins, including harmful proteins linked to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s. By pumping cerebral spinal fluid through your brain’s tissues, the glymphatic system flushes the waste from your brain, back into your body’s circulatory system. From there, the waste eventually reaches your liver, where it can be eliminated.21,22,23 This short list should clue you in to many of the possible health ramifications of insufficient sleep. Considering the fact that sleep plays a key role in everything from gene expression and hormone regulation to brain detoxification and cognition, it becomes clear that there aren’t many facets of your being that can skate by unscathed when you skimp on sleep. How Lack of Sleep Affects Your Heart and Cardiovascular HealthImportantly, research shows sleep is a significant factor in heart and cardiovascular health. For example, lack of sleep: • Prematurely ages your heart -- In a study24 involving “a representative sample of U.S. adults,” people who got seven hours of sleep each night had hearts showing signs of being 3.7 years older, based on biological age, than their chronological age. Here, “heart age” was defined as “the predicted age of a person's vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk profile.” This concept was initially introduced by the Framingham Heart Study published in 2008. People who regularly slept either six or eight hours had hearts that were on average 4.5 years older than their chronological age, while those who got just five hours or less of sleep each night had the oldest biological heart age — 5.1 years older than their chronological age. As noted by lead author Quanhe Yang, senior scientist in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,25 having a higher biological heart age raises your risk of developing heart disease. Of the 12,755 participants in this study, 13 percent slept just five hours or less per night; 24 percent got six hours; 31 percent got seven hours; 26 percent slept for eight; and about 5 percent got nine or more hours of sleep each night. Considering the ideal sleep time — based on hundreds of studies looking at sleep and health — is between seven and nine hours, these statistics reveal at least 37 percent of American adults aren’t getting anywhere near healthy amounts of sleep. • Raises your blood pressure and promotes vascular inflammation -- While this link has been previously noted, a set of studies26,27 published last year found that even if you sleep a healthy number of hours, the quality of that sleep can have a significant impact on your risk for high blood pressure and vascular inflammation associated with heart disease. Here, 323 healthy women between the ages of 20 and 79 wore sleep trackers that recorded onset, duration and quality of their sleep. Those who had mild sleep disturbance such as taking longer to fall asleep or waking up one or more times during the night were “significantly more likely to have high blood pressure than those who fell asleep quickly and slept soundly.” Are Nighttime Electromagnetic Fields Robbing You of Healthy Sleep?A factor that can have a significant impact on your sleep quality (and overall health) is electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted from household wiring, electronic and wireless devices. EMF exposure has a detrimental effect on your health regardless of the time of your exposure, but it’s particularly problematic at night, for a number of different reasons. For starters, EMF exposure reduces your melatonin production,28 which will make it more difficult to fall asleep since you may not feel sufficiently sleepy. What’s more, melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant, and low levels have been repeatedly linked to an increased risk of cancer,29 so the impact on your melatonin production can have both short- and long-term effects. Deep sleep is also the most important time for your brain health, as this is when its detoxification processes ramp up and take place, as explained in the section on the glymphatic system above. EMF exposure has also been linked to neuronal changes that affect memory and your ability to learn30 — something to keep in mind if you’re in school, or have school-aged children. Importantly, EMFs also harm your body’s mitochondria by producing excessive oxidative damage. This in turn can cause or contribute to virtually any chronic ailment, including premature aging. To minimize your EMF exposure at night:
For a more comprehensive information about the health problems linked to insufficient sleep, and dozens of ways to improve your sleep, see “Sleep — Why You Need It and 50 Ways to Improve It.” from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/03/30/health-benefits-of-sleep.aspx |
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