Laughter Helps Depression and Insomina

A Korean study compared the effects of a four-week laughter therapy program with a control group (no laughter therapy) on measures of depression, insomnia, sleep quality, thinking (cognitive) function, and health-related quality of life in 109 senior citizens (average age 75 years).   At the end of the four weeks, depressive symptoms improved significantly among the people in the laughter group, but not in the control group. People in the laughter group had significant improvements in some measures of health-related quality of life, including vitality, general health, and mental health.   Sleep quality and insomnia also improved significantly after laughter therapy. No changes in cognitive function were noted in either group.

Read the entire article.  

  Natural Alternatives Mood Enhancers http://bit.ly/1iy07sM
  Sleep Aids http://bit.ly/OJPRpc

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Product Focus: Keep Cool Flower Essence

Keep Cool Uses

• Helpful for people who feel irritated, impatient and easily lose their temper
• Promotes forgiveness, tolerance and acceptance of others, and open, loving communication
• Helps a person be more receptive to other people's points of view and work for cooperation rather than competition

Keep Cool Ingredients

Calendula - helps one become aware of how their words wound others, promotes warmth and receptivity in communication
Snapdragon - overcomes verbal aggression, promotes balanced communication
Impatiens - relieves irritability and impatience
Vine - helps those who are domineering and controlling
Willow - helps to overcome bitterness and resentment, to be flexible and forgive others
Holly - for those who feel jealous and cut off from love, helps open one's heart to feeling love
Tiger Lily - softens aggressive and competitive personalities

Where To Purchase
Ben's Herbs Place offers Nature's Sunshine Flower Essences

Digestion Can Help Depression

Digestion is a subject most people feel uncomfortable discussing, but we all deal with it. And did you know that digestion can considerably affect a person’s mood? Science is beginning to more widely recognize the strong connection between the gut and the brain, as it is in the gut that significant hormones such as serotonin are produced.

Digestion problems can change the production of hormones—the chemicals that tell the brain how to feel. Therefore, imbalanced digestion could mean imbalanced chemicals—ultimately jeopardizing our emotional stability.

As anyone works towards stabilizing his or her digestion, it’s important to remember that our bodies are designed to be active. Increasing your physical activity may play a role in helping your body maintain regular digestion. It would also be beneficial to consider taking a digestive supplement.

If you’re frequently battling feelings of depression, sadness and guilt, you may be suffering from the effects of serotonin deficiency. Serotonin, also known as the “feel good hormone,” stimulates the body to be motivated and active. As the sun sets, serotonin is converted into melatonin—a hormone that triggers sleepiness.

Many people who suffer from serotonin deficiency have high levels of melatonin. These higher levels contribute to the symptoms of depression. So, it’s important to make sure that your body has proper levels of serotonin in order to feel the benefits of the “feel good hormone.”

If you find yourself suffering from symptoms of depression, consider focusing on your digestive health, or even taking a serotonin-boosting supplement that works for you.

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Saffron vs. Prozac For Depression

From Care2.com

Millions of Americans suffer from depression every year, a disabling disease that can end up fatal due to suicide. See the NutritionFacts.org video for the head-to-head test of the simple spice versus the drug Prozac for the treatment of clinical depression.

Studies have found less depression among vegetarians, but maybe people who are happier go on to eat healthier rather than the other way around. One can’t prove cause and effect unless you put that to the test too, which was done this year. Researchers found that by removing all meat, fish, poultry, and eggs from people’s diets they could significantly improve mood scores after just two weeks! It can take drugs like Prozac a month or more to take effect.

.... there’s serotonin, melatonin, dopamine, and all sorts of human neurotransmitters in plants. So much so that there’s been a call to start treating depression with “high-content sources of serotonin” such as pineapples, bananas, kiwis, plums, and tomatoes. And what are the side effects–maybe you’ll get a seed stuck in your teeth or something.  Read the entire article.

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Sweet FX - Blood Sugar and Emotional Eating

Neutralize Sugar and Stress

This feel-good formula contains L-arabinose, which helps block the absorption of sugar, and L-theanine to boost your mood and calm anxiety. Featuring antioxidant-rich cinnamon, Sweet FX also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels already in the normal range—whether you’re concerned about managing your weight or encouraging normal glucose balances. Add some positive sweetness to your day with Sweet FX.*

Ingredients:
L-arabinose—found naturally in some foods, L-arabinose is a unique monosaccharide, or simple sugar, that helps block the complete absorption of sugar in the body. In studies, taking L-arabinose with a high-carbohydrate meal seems to both delay and reduce peaks in blood glucose and insulin levels. Blood sugar control can play an important role in reducing feelings of hunger, making it easier to stick to a healthy diet.

L-theanine—this unique amino acid found in teas, especially green tea (Camellia sinensis), increases the brain’s alpha wave activity, which seems to reduce anxiety and encourage feelings of relaxation and calm without drowsiness. In studies, taking L-theanine has been associated with improvements in both mental alertness and stress response. Stress reduction can make it easier to avoid “emotional eating.” *

Cinnamon—a potent antioxidant, cinnamon (Cassia cinnamon) bark extract has been shown to help maintain already- normal, healthy blood sugar and insulin levels in overweight individuals.

Benefits:
• Helps block the absorption of sugar*
• Supports healthy blood sugar levels already in the normal range*
• Reduces stress and helps improve your mood*

Recommended Use:
Take 3 capsules once daily, preferably before your largest meal, which for most people is dinner.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

View the video on the product website.

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The Nervous System Affects Everything in Your Body

The human nervous system is an amazing network of organs, nerve cells (neurons) and and neurotransmitters, connecting the brain and spinal cord to the entire body.  It runs on electricity, sending and receiving signals at lightning speed to keep every part of the body functioning effectively.  The nervous system truly helps regulate everything happening in your body, whether it’s occurring consciously or unconsciously.

It is divided into two branches:

• Conscious/voluntary — controls perception, analysis, memory, movement

• Unconscious/involuntary (also called Autonomic) — takes care of all of the things you don’t think about, such as your heartbeat, digestion, regulating body temperature, breathing, etc.

Your Autonomic branch is further divided into two smaller branches:

• Sympathetic
• Parasympathetic

The Sympathetic nervous system gets you prepared for activity. It increases mental activity, heart rate and blood pressure, dilates the bronchials, slows or halts digestion, stimulates the release of stress hormones, makes goose bumps on the skin and more. When we’re excited, stressed or scared, the sympathetic nervous system gears us up for action (fight or flight) but shuts down digestion and elimination.

The Parasympathetic nervous system helps you wind down, relax and digest your food. It relaxes mental activity, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, increases the flow of blood to the extremities, constricts bronchials and stimulates digestion. As we relax and unwind, the parasympathetic nervous system moves blood to the digestive organs, relaxes muscles and allows elimination.

A stimulated nerve cell fires an electrical impulse that moves across the cell. At the end of the cell, this electricity triggers the nerve to squirt neurotransmitters (specialized chemicals) into the gap between this cell and the next one. These chemicals fill the space and either stimulate the next cell or prevent it from firing another electrical impulse, depending on what is needed.

Neurotransmitters control or regulate all kinds of things, including depression, addictions, mood, appetite, sleep, certain diseases of the brain and nervous system, and ADHD.

Key neurotransmitters include:

• Serotonin helps control mood, hunger, sleep, pain response and more.

• Acetylcholine aids in memory and muscle movement. When the brain is short on acetylcholine, memory suffers.

• Dopamine is responsible for sexual arousal and muscle coordination. Parkinson’s disease sufferers lack this neurotransmitter.

• GABA helps prevent anxiety and increases mental clarity.

• Epinephrine is released during times of stress. It can raise blood pressure and heart rate. It also opens the bronchioles to help restore normal breathing.

• Norepinephrine helps maintain constant blood pressure when levels get too low.

As you can see, the vast network of the human nervous system affects or controls EVERYTHING in the body. It pays to take great care of your nervous system with a healthful diet, the right supplements and plenty of rest.

Herbs and supplements for the nervous system

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Products for Menopause and PMS

Women are unique and wonderful, each one a pulsing combination of emotions, guts and hormones. Sisters, mothers, wives and daughters, we have many roles to play in life. And we face the ongoing challenge of finding balance along the way.  Find a natural solution for your female challenge.

Menopause
As women age, levels of their unique hormones become imbalanced as the body produces less of them. Two primary hormones, estrogen and progesterone, need to work in harmony to perform their many and complex regulatory functions.

Somewhere around age 45–50, most women begin peri-menopause, a prelude to official menopause, which, by definition, is the time when a woman has naturally ceased having menstrual periods for one year. Symptoms of this “change” can include hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, irritability and more. During this challenging transitional period, women can try a variety of natural means to find balance, including soy foods and health supplements.  Suggested Product:  C-X

Hot Flashes
A hot flash is a brief sensation of heat that may include a red face, sweating, rapid heart rate or chills. When they occur at night, they are called night sweats.

Hot flashes happen when blood vessels near the skin’s surface expand to help cool the body. Hot flashes are the most frequent symptom of menopause and peri-menopause.

More than two-thirds of North American women experience them during peri-menopause, and almost all women with induced menopause or premature menopause suffer from them.  Suggested Product:  Flash-Ease

PMS
Premenstrual syndrome is a name given to a host of symptoms women may experience just before or during their monthly menstrual cycle.

These may include bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, aggression, difficulty concentrating, headaches or backaches, cravings, overeating, irritability, anxiety, mood swings and/or simple nervous tension.

PMS is related to the imbalance of hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, that occurs as the body prepares for menstruation. While up to 85 percent of menstruating women experience some of these symptoms, only 2–10% experience severe symptoms.  Suggested Product:  Female Comfort

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
UTIs are most often caused by bacteria. They are the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for roughly 8.1 million visits to health care providers each year. Women are especially prone to UTIs for a variety of reasons. If left untreated, UTIs can cause kidney infections, which can cause permanent damage.  Suggested Product:  Cranberry-Buchu Concentrate

Symptoms of a UTI can include:
• pain or burning during urination
• the frequent urge to urinate without much success
• a tender or heavy feeling in your belly
• cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• pain on one side of your back under your ribs (kidneys)
• fever and chills
• nausea and vomiting

The risk for UTIs increases if you are dehydrated, have diabetes, or if you are pregnant.

Resources
www.womenshealth.gov
kidney.niddk.nih.gov
www.webmd.com
www.breastcancer.org

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The Many Benefits of Healthy Digestion

The Many Health Benefits of Efficient Digestive Function
Created by Dr. William J. Keller

A properly balanced diet is necessary for maintaining good health.The digestive system essentially converts the foods that we eat into the energy needed to support life. The anatomy of our digestive system involves a complex series of organs and glands that work in concert to break down our consumed foods into smaller molecules that can be utilizedby the body.

Digestion begins in the mouth where food is partially broken down by the process of chewing and by the enzymatic action of the carbohydrate-digesting amylase enzymes present in the saliva. Food is then swallowed and makes its way down the esophagus to the stomach.

In the stomach, food is mixed, ground and digested by gastric acid and a protein-digesting enzyme called pepsin. Gastric acid consists mainly of hydrochloric acid (HCl), and it efficiently breaks down food material, particularly protein. If production of gastric acid is decreased, as is often the case with advancing age, digestion is less efficient.

Researchers in the U.S. found that over 30 percent of men and women past the age of 60 suffer from atrophic gastritis, a condition marked by little or nogastricacid secretion (1). Fortunately, natural approaches and nutritional supplements can help support optimal digestion in the stomach.

The partially digested food leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine, a tubular structure composed of three segments: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The duodenum continues the process of breaking down food with the aid of bile from the gallbladder and enzymes released by the pancreas and the duodenal walls. Bile causes a breakdown of fat from large to smaller globules.

Further digestion of fats, protein and carbohydrates takes place with the help of the pancreatic enzymes lipase, trypsin and amylase, respectively. Nutritional supplements that contain these enzymes help support small intestinal digestive action.

Digestion is basically complete once food passes through the duodenum. Absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream takes place in the jejunum and ileum segments of the small intestine.

After absorption of food molecules into the bloodstream, the blood is purified by the liver to remove harmful substances. The liver also stores fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) and excess glucose for future use. Nutritional supplements can be used to support these valuable liver functions.

The large intestine receives mostly indigestible material and water from the small intestine. Excess water and any residual minerals are absorbed in the large intestine. Fiber aids the process of moving the remaining debris through the large intestine thus easing the passage of waste known as a stool. In addition to promoting elimination, fiber also helps to support friendly bacteria. About 100 trillion bacteria reside in the digestive system. These bacteria in the large intestine perform several essential functions.

Probiotics, as these friendly bacteria are called, promote efficient digestion, support the immune system, inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, and produce several vitamins. Many supplement products that consist of soluble and/or insoluble fiber from a variety of plant sources benefit waste removal. Additionally, many different bacterial specie sin the form of nutritional supplements function as probiotics.

Probiotics have long been known to provide many benefits to human health as mentioned in the previous paragraph. I have read with great interest several recent reports on some additional actions that are quite surprising. A good example here is the experiment where mice, fed broth containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus, behaved less anxiously than mice fed broth without bacteria. These behavioral changes were partially explained by differences in brain chemical receptors and stress hormone (corticosterone) levels.

The overall observation was that a change in the mix of intestinal bacteria provided by L.rhamnosus influenced mouse behavior by way of the vagus nerve. The vagal impulses induced by the microbes resulted in an increase in GABA (gamma amino butyric acid, a neurotransmitter or brain chemical) receptors in the brain and lower levels of stress hormone. The net result was a significant decrease in anxiety observed in the mice receiving the bacteria-containing broth (2).

Just a few years ago, most scientists were of the opinion that probiotics only acted locally in the gut. However, this study suggests that gut bacteria could play a role in various brain and psychiatric disorders as well as individual behavioral differences.

Another fairly intense research area involves how intestinal microbes contribute to or counteract chronic inflammation. As we all know, chronic inflammation is associated with many disease states. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) appears to be directly influenced by specific probiotic species. It was interesting to read that those probiotic strains that specifically keep IBD in remission do not function normally in the presence of an iron-rich environment (3).

Species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were found to be inhibited by high iron levels and this resulted in a failure to reduce inflammation. These research data suggest plausible explanations as to why IBD becomes established.

It has been long assumed that the intestinal microflora consisted of many bacterial populations. The presence of fungi in the gastrointestinal tract was nearly always associated with an infectious disease. However, a new study has demonstrated that the mammalian gut contains a rich fungal community and that these fungi interact with immune system receptors (4). Disturbances in this communication between immune system receptors and the indigenous fungi will usually result ininflammatory conditions such as IBD.

These research data show that the fungal community in the gut can coexist with bacteria and that this diverse microbial population has established a delicate balance with the immune system. Further clarification of these complex interactions will provide a better understanding of gut-mediated health and disease. Of equal importance, as this probiotic research continues, valuable therapies will eventually emerge.

References:
1. Krasinski SD, Russell RM, Samloff IM, Jacob RA, Dallal GE, McGandy RB, Hartz SC. Fundic atrophic gastritis in an elderly population. Effect on hemoglobin and several serum nutritional indicators. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1986 Nov;34(11):800-6.
2. Bravo JA, et al. Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2011 Sep 20;108(38):16050-5.
3. Bailey JR, Probert CS, Cogan TA. Identification and characterisation of an iron-responsive candidate probiotic. PLoS One. 2011;6(10):e26507.
4. Iliev ID, Funari VA, Taylor KD, Nguyen Q, et al. Interactions between commensal fungi and the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1 influence colitis. Science. 2012 Jun 8;336(6086):1314-7.

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Anxiety and Depression May Raise Stroke Risk

From MedicineNet.com

People suffering from anxiety, depression, sleeplessness or other forms of psychological distress are at greater risk of death from a stroke, according to a new study.

Researchers from University College London pointed out that psychological distress affects about 15 percent to 20 percent of the general population. Nearly 15 percent of the people questioned said they were affected by psychological distress, most of them women.

Those who reported having psychological distress also tended to be younger, smokers and taking medication for high blood pressure. They also tended to have lower incomes, the researchers added. Read the entire article.

Here's some quality natural supplements for stress management.
Stress Management Products

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Now There's Help for Improving Memory and Brain Function

Magnesium L-threonate
A Spectacular Help for Improving Memory and Brain Function

Dr. Guosong Liu, M.D., Ph.D., recently presented the following information at National Convention in Hawaii. Dr. Liu is Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Learning and Memory at the School of Medicine at Tsinghua University in Beijing; Adjunct Professor of the Center for Learning and Memory at the University of Texas in Austin; and Former Professor at the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science and the Department of Biology at MIT.

As people age, their brains age too. Science has shown that certain portions of the brain, namely the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, shrink as we age. Our computation skills slow. Our spatial orientation, verbal memory, perceptual speed and inductive reasoning all decrease, the last three of these decrease dramatically.

Researchers have found that the number of synapses (spaces between nerve endings where brain chemicals transfer information) decreases with age. In order to recover lost ability, we need to regrow synapses in both the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus.

Scientists had already discovered that aging people and those with dementia had a lot less magnesium in their brains than younger people. They theorized that increasing brain levels of magnesium might enhance synaptic activity and thus improve brain function.

Dr. Liu and his colleagues at MIT found that magnesium l-threonate (MgT), a vitamin C metabolite of magnesium, is indeed able to penetrate into the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex—the two areas of the brain known to shrink with age.

After administering MgT for a period of time, they measured a 50% increase in the number of synapses! Further testing showed that MgT enhances learning and both short- and long-term memory. Dr. Liu and his fellow researchers also found that MgT does not enhance or impair fear memories (or increase “bad” memories) as MgT helped reduce anxiety-like behavior and learned helplessness. Dr. Liu theorized that this nutrient might be useful for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In 2003, the Journal of Nutrition reported that half of the US population may be magnesium-deficient. Deficits appear to worsen after age 50 in men, and African Americans take in less magnesium than Caucasians do. So we all can benefit from more magnesium.

It has also been established that Alzheimer’s patients have much lower levels of magnesium in the body. In fact, the lower the magnesium levels, the worse the Alzheimer’s symptoms. It follows, then, that administering magnesium l-threonate, which can cross the blood–brain barrier, to Alzheimer’s patients would likely lead to improvements in learning, memory and emotional control.

Dr. Liu discussed the safety of MgT. In their research, he and his associates gave MgT to mice for their lifetime without finding any significant side effects. In conclusion, magnesium l-threonate may indeed be a spectacular nutrient for improving memory and learning, and reducing anxiety.

Good news! Mind-Max is a proprietary blend of herbs and magnesium l-threonate that supports brain health and function by increasing healthy nerve synapses and supporting circulation.

Mind-Max Builds Brain Power
• Supports memory.
• May help increase cognitive function.
• Helps promote circulation to the brain.
• May promote more restful sleep.

Mind-Max contains magnesium l-threonate plus gotu kola aerial parts, bacopa leaf and ginkgo leaf to boost circulation and brain health.

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Change Your Routine to Boost Your Mood

From Care2.com

 ... a routine can become a rut. 

If we don’t have to think about what to have for breakfast, we won’t notice the details that make up our lives, even small things…like what things taste like, the feeling of the icy coffee as it hits the straw, the whiteness of the stairs, etc. 

So, a goal in changing up a few things in your daily routine is to encourage yourself to be more engaged and mindful in the moment; to ... Read the entire article

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Aromatherapy - The Art of Essential Oils

There’s nothing more soothing after a stressful day than drawing a warm bath, lighting a few candles and cracking open a bottle of … essential oil!

Aromatherapy, defined by the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), is “the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.” This practice can be traced back as far as 2800 B.C., when Egyptians commonly used myrrh, and pharaohs were buried with urns containing aromatic resins (1). Today, it is still common to use the oils of plants to help naturally restore and enhance the health of the body.

What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils, the main ingredients used in aromatherapy, are the highly concentrated aromatic extracts that are distilled from plant materials (1). Distillation of these oils occurs either through steam or expression. In steam distillation, the plant matter is steamed until it is broken down to its fragrant oils. These oils are then cooled, separated from the water and filtered. In expression, the oil is simply pressed out of the plant. In either method, one is left with a highly concentrated, essential oil (2).

There are several ways to use essential oils on and around the body. The safest and most common use of essential oils is massaging them over a local area or the entire body. Because the oils are so highly concentrated, they must first be diluted in a carrier oil, or the fatty acid portion of the plant. Common carrier oils are derived from olives, avocados, rapeseeds and almonds (1). Body oils are commonly made into a 2% dilution, or 10 to 12 drops per ounce of carrier oil, before they are applied (3).

Oils can also be used through inhalation, which can produce psychological and physical results. The olfactory (or smelling) sense can link with the rest of the body, causing certain regions to either be stimulated or sedated. The aromatics also physically come in contact with mucous membranes inside the nose and lungs, which allows them to quickly travel through the bloodstream. When using this method, three to five drops can be placed in a bowl of hot water or into a tissue and inhaled (1). Oils can also easily be utilized by placing three to 10 drops in a bathtub before bathing (3). Lastly, only under the recommendation of a physician, oils are rarely prescribed for ingestion to aid with severe gastrointestinal or respiratory issues (1).

It is important to properly store essential oils, especially because some carrier oils can become rancid. Oils are best kept in a cool place (40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit) with the lid secured tightly to prevent oxygen from mixing with and degrading them. When correctly stored, oils can last from six months to two years (1).

Top Essential Oils
According to NAHA and Aromatherapy authors Kathi Keville and Mindy Green, the following oils are the most common essential oils, and the ways in which they support a healthy body are listed (1, 3).
• Bergamot: healthy mood and inflammation.
• Chamomile: healthy mood and inflammation, antiallergenic, digestive and relaxant.
• Eucalyptus: supports respiration, antibacterial and benefits immunity.
• Geranium: balancing hormones, antifungal and healthy inflammation.
• Lavender: antibacterial, benefits immunity, healthy mood and inflammation.
• Marjoram: antispasmodic, healthy inflammation and antiseptic.
• Peppermint: digestive support and decongestant.
• Rosemary: pain and muscle ache support, decongestant, circulatory tonic, mental and immune system stimulant.
• Tea Tree: antifungal, antiyeast and antibacterial.

Safety and Precautions
While aromatherapy uses natural oils from plants, there are still some best practices to follow. Because essential oils are very highly concentrated, the key to aromatherapy is that “less is more.” Using more of an oil will not increase any benefits, and may actually cause adverse effects such as irritation or burning of the skin. Pregnant women should avoid hyssop oil and ask their physicians before starting aromatherapy. This practice is also not advised for people with asthma. Lower dilutions are recommended for young children and the elderly. Most importantly, one should always read the label before using any product (3). WF

References
1. National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, www.naha.org/index.html, accessed Sept. 15, 2012.
2. Aromatherapy.com, www.aromatherapy.com, accessed Sept. 15, 2012.
3. K. Keville and M. Green, Aromatherapy a Complete Guide to the Healing Art (Crossing Press, Berkeley, CA, 2009).

Source
Published in WholeFoods Magazine, November 2012

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Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

From Dr. Sircus

Few people are aware of the enormous role magnesium plays in our bodies. Magnesium is by far the most important mineral in the body, After oxygen, water, and basic food, magnesium may be the most important element needed by our bodies, vitally important yet hardly known.

It is more important than calcium, potassium or sodium and regulates all three of them. Millions suffer daily from magnesium deficiency without even knowing it In fact there happens to be a relationship between what we perceive as thirst and deficiencies in electrolytes.

I remember a person asking, “Why am I dehydrated and thirsty when I drink so much water?” Thirst can mean not only lack of water but it can also mean that one is not getting enough nutrients and electrolytes.

There are many common ailments related to magnesium deficiency .... Read the entire article.

Supplement Resource:
Magnesium Complex Capsules
Magnesium Tablets - 250 mg.

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Having Healthy Energy

MetaboMax Plus

The difference between healthy and unhealthy energy can be summarized as follows: 

Healthy energy is flowing, flexible, dynamic, balanced, soft, associated with positive feelings. 

Unhealthy energy is stuck, frozen, rigid, brittle, hard, out of balance, associated with negative emotions. People who can’t find a way to change are entangled in one or more of the qualities just listed.

There are strong indications that energy is more powerful than matter. Studies in longevity, for example, examine why some people live to a healthy old age. Their secret isn’t good genes, diet, not smoking, or even exercise, beneficial as all those things may be. 

The highest correlation for reaching ninety or hundred years of age in good shape ... Read the entire article.

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Breakfast Has a Lot of Influence on Your Health

From OnlineColleges.net

Like most people, chances are you’ve heard time and time again that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and, like most people, you’re probably even willing to concede that that’s true. However, while many people acknowledge the importance of a good breakfast, very few actually partake in the first meal of the day.

The fact of the matter is that, no matter how many times you’ve heard it, it isn’t just a saying: It’s a scientific fact.

Research shows that breakfast affects everything, from your ability to perform at school to your ability to fit into your tightest jeans. Studies on breakfast show that eating a good, balanced breakfast boosts success and also promotes mental acuity.

In fact, breakfast eaters statistically have better grades and are more likely to graduate. Eating breakfast also helps reduce cravings for sugary food throughout the rest of the day, and boosts your metabolism to boot.

The following infographic examines the notion that if you’re a breakfast skipper, you may want to rethink your morning routine.

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Survey Reveals Keys to Happiness

From Huffington Post

If you want to be happy, focus on health, relationships, simple pleasures and achieving a sense of control of your well-being, according to a survey of more than 4,000 adults age 35 released today by the AARP.

The study looks at how happiness changes over time and how age impacts the factors that are most important to well-being. The survey confirmed two decades of research suggesting that happiness is U-shaped over the life cycle: It peaks in one's 20s and begins to decline, bottoming out in the mid-to-late 40s and rising again in old age.

A study by David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald, leading researchers in the field of subjective well-being, found that after controlling for factors such as income, education and marital status, "happiness bottoms at age 49 for American males and 45 for American females, and ages 44 and 43 respectively for male and female Europeans." Read the entire article.

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75-98% of Mental and Physical Illness Comes From Thoughts

By Dr. Caroline Leaf

This is a staggering and eye-opening statistic because it also means that only 2-25% of human mental and physical illnesses come from the environment and genes! Scientists are discovering the precise pathways by which changes in human consciousness (thinking) produce changes in our brain and bodies.

This consciousness activates our genes and changes our brain. Science even shows that thoughts, with their embedded feelings, turn sets of genes on and off in complex relationships. We take the facts, experiences and the events of our lives and assign meaning to them through thinking—we are reacting to the events and circumstances of life.

.... when we make a poor quality thinking decision—i.e. a toxic thought—such as unforgiveness, bitterness or irritation, we change the DNA and subsequent genetic expression affecting the shape of the wiring in our brain in a negative direction. This immediately puts the brain into protect mode and the brain translates these poor quality toxic thoughts as stress. This stress will then manifest itself in our bodies. Read the entire article.

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The Power of Choosing Words

We all need a way to share our lives and sadly communication has become so automated that many people don't sit with friends to discuss the "meaning of life."  So ... now there's research that proves you can still get the benefits if you journal!

Read on about the article .... 

You stop worrying about structure, spelling or how others might interpret your words. You just get out your favorite diary or put fingers to keyboard and begin. Chasing every thought and mental image that swims through your head, you let your words carry you away.

 Intuitively, we’ve known for centuries that this loose kind of writing is good for our creativity. But what we didn’t know until recently is that 15 minutes of free writing a day can help us fight cancer, high blood pressure, heart attacks and loneliness—and that autobiographical writers who use a variety of pronouns (I and me but also we and you and they) laugh more and take fewer aspirins than those who stick to the first person singular.

These are just a few examples of the dazzling range of relationships between word use, writing methods and health effects discovered by psychologist James Pennebaker, author of The Secret Life of Pronouns. 

In 30 years of groundbreaking research at the University of Texas at Austin, he’s found that the words we choose can tell us a lot about our physical and mental health that we don’t know. What’s more, changing our word choices can alter our moods. Read the entire article.

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Mental Disorders - Result of Neuroinflammation?

From GreenMedInfo.com

New research is increasingly finding that not only are many cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia related to inflammation among brain tissues, but classic mental diseases such as schizophrenia and depression may also be connected to brain inflammation.

Recent research from Japan's Kyushu University Medical School and Saga University have been revealing that many mental disorders are produced by inflammation involving the microglia cells of the brain. What are microglia?

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Don’t Worry, Be Healthy

The adage, “Don’t worry, be happy,” suddenly has a lot more weight behind it, thanks to the latest medical research.

In this comprehensive review of over 200 studies of various forms of well-being and cardiovascular health outcomes, Harvard researchers Julia Boehm and Laura Kubzansky discovered that certain psychological traits—optimism, positive emotions and a sense of meaning—offer measurable protection against heart attacks and strokes.  Read the entire article.

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