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).  

What feelings or issues lie underneath procrastination?

This question was recently asked to a group of young mothers and here are their answers.

Procrastination is:

Avoiding change because change is scary.
Feeling unmotivated or depressed.
Fear of success or failure, so better not even to try.
Not knowing how to prioritize.
Struggling with commitment.
Fear of loss, so staying the same is safer.
Fear of the unknown.
Laziness.
Lack of organizational skills.
Perfectionism.
Poor or non-existent work habits.

Why should we play more?

There are reasons why playing is psychologically good for us.

1) Having fun eases tension and helps creativity. A study done at Northwestern University found that people could solve problems easier after watching comedy.

2) Happy emotions are generated after play, and help people become unstuck and therefore more productive in life.

3) People laugh more while playing and it is now commonly known that health improves with laughter.

4) Play brings us in the present moment, which is also called "flow" or mindfulness, Pleasure is greatest when not regretting the past or worried about the future.

5) Play brings us closer to other people which is a basic need for all humans.

What is "The Longevity Project" ?

In 1921 Lewis Termin (Stanford University psychologist) surveyed 1,500 elementary school students on lifestyle habits. He continued to follow them until his death in 1956. Other academics continued the study and in 1990 Howard Friedman and Lesie Martin analyzed the data looking for factors contributing to lengthy life spans. They came up with 5 factors more astonishing traits:

1) Those who engaged in service work and helping others  lived the longest.

2) High achievers, despite high levels of stress, lived longer then underachievers.

3) Moderate exercise is as beneficial as grueling workouts, in fact, may be better for longevity.

4) Some worry is better than too much optimism, as it forces one to be prepared for adversity.

5)Women who most often reached climax,  also lived the longest.