Thursday, May 28, 2015

What is Pyroluria?

Pyroluria is a genetic error in B6 and Zinc metabolism; Zinc and B6 are needed in the production of GABA and Seretonin.

People who are not effectively producing GABA and Seretonin have poor stress control, anxiety, mood swings, poor short term memory, explosive tempers, and depression.

Pyrolurics also have poor dream recall, abnormal fat distribution, and sensitivity to light & sound. 

Friday, May 22, 2015

What is Magnesium?

Magnesium is a chemical element needed for over 300 chemical reactions in the body. It's also known as an anti-stress mineral and natural tranquilizer.

Magnesium is depleted in people whose diets consist of processed foods, baked goods, soda, more than 7 alcohol units/week, caffeinated drinks, calcium supplements.

Magnesium is also depleted in people who are under alot of stress and who have poor diets.

Lack of magnesium looks like hyperexcitability, muscle weakness, sleepiness, aggression.

Studies done with high risk youth have found diets rich in magnesium are associated with reduced aggression and for reduced ADHD symptoms.

Magnesium can be found in dark, leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and cocoa.


Friday, May 15, 2015

What is GABA?

GABA is a neurotranamittor which controls fear and anxiety when neurons become overexcited.

A deficiency of GABA can help explain why some people have anxiety disorders or panic attacks.

GABA is also directly responsible for the regulation of muscle tone.

GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier which is why supplementation is probably ineffective.

The amino acid L-glutamine is the precursor to GABA production.

Zinc and B6 also help in the production of GABA.

Some foods can stimulate the body to produce more GABA; such as oolong tea, cherry tomatoes, anything fermented (kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh).  

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Does chewing gum help promote weight loss?

Studies have shown that chewing gum can help promote weight loss.

In a University of Rhode Island research study, gum chewers ate 68 fewer calories at lunch, plus burned 5% more calories than non-gum chewers.

A Louisiana State University (Dr Paula J Geiselman) study, found  that chewing gum helped control appetites and decreased daily intake of food by 40 calories.

Cutting 100 calories a day can result in loosing up to 10 pounds a year.

Reaching for a piece of gum instead of high caloried junk food, can help you loose up to two pounds a year.


Friday, May 8, 2015

What is the Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) for Depression?

Studies are showing the healthy lifestyles can be just as effective as pharmaceuticals for the treatment of depression. The following six have been identified as being particularly useful for healing from depression. Depression is an illness of decreased motivation; so the challenge is how to sustain these lifestyle changes until depression is erased or reduced.

1) Social connection.
2) Enhanced sleep.
3) Sunlight exposure.
4) Physical exercise.
5) Engaging activity.
6) Omega-3 fatty acids.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

What are 10 effects of sleep deprivation?

This is based on a research subject who stayed awake for 11 days without the use of coffee or any medication.  Sleep deprivation is often used as a torture technique. Here's why.

1) Tired brains have to work harder to pump energy into the prefrontal cortex.

2) Simple tasks like dialing a phone number become impossible because of short term memory loss.

3) Long term memory becomes impaired because the brains integrates/stores  memory as experience while sleeping.

4) A tired brain can't focus or keep attention on any one thing; a tired brain is a scattered brain.

5) A tired brain can't plan or make decisions.

6) Automatic systems (habits) become repetitive which is fine if your habits are all good ones, not so good if you are trying to quit smoking or eating junk food.

7) A sleep deprived person takes more risks because a tired brain does not remember consequences or make easy decisions (see # 5)

8) When mice were studied with prolonged sleep deprivation, it showed that they had lost up to 25% of their brain cells.

9) Sleep deprivation can cuase aggression, paranoia, hallucination, mania.

10) Driving while sleep deprived is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated; this is why professional drivers (bus drivers, etc) are banned from working if they have untreated sleep apnea).


Saturday, May 2, 2015

What are 10 easy tricks to stop cravings for food?

These have all been tested in research:

1) Tap your forehead (distraction)

2) Change how you think (MRI scans show that people who think about the ill effects of poor eating, increase the activity in the part of the brain responsible for self-regulation.

3) Play a computer game for 3 minutes (based on Elaborated Intrusion Theory)

4) Imagine colours, smells, sounds which will ground you in present time.

5) Surround yourself with pictures of food (The Instagram Diet).

6) Go for a walk (or any physical activity).

7) Eat protein rich breakfasts.

8) Chew gum.

9) Sleep well (frontol lobes which help provide self-control are less active in the sleep deprived)

10) Pay attention to your emotions.