- 7 hours ago
Friday 31 May 2019
MIFU It really involves three extremely simple steps. One: Sit with your eyes closed and your back straight. Two: Notice what it feels like when your breath comes in and when your breath goes out, try to bring your full attention to the feeling of your breath coming in and going out. Third step is the biggie. Every time you try to do this, your mind is going to go crazy. You are going to start thinking about all sorts of stupid things like if you need a haircut, why you said that dumb thing to your boss, what’s for lunch, etc. Every time you notice that your mind is wandering, bring your attention back to your breath and begin again. This is going to happen over and over and over again and that is meditation.
It really involves three extremely simple steps. One: Sit with your eyes closed and your back straight. Two: Notice what it feels like when your breath comes in and when your breath goes out, try to bring your full attention to the feeling of your breath coming in and going out.Third step is the biggie. Every time you try to do this, your mind is going to go crazy. You are going to start thinking about all sorts of stupid things like if you need a haircut, why you said that dumb thing to your boss, what’s for lunch, etc. Every time you notice that your mind is wandering, bring your attention back to your breath and begin again. This is going to happen over and over and over again and that is meditation.
The meditators’ brains were scanned while they saw disturbing images of people suffering, like burn victims. The seasoned practitioners’ brains revealed a lowered level of reactivity in the amygdala; they were more immune to emotional hijacking. The reason: their brains had stronger operative connectivity between the prefrontal cortex, which manages reactivity, and the amygdala, which triggers such reactions. As neuroscientists know, the stronger this particular link in the brain, the less a person will be hijacked by emotional downs and ups of all sorts.
The meditators’ brains were scanned while they saw disturbing images of people suffering, like burn victims. The seasoned practitioners’ brains revealed a lowered level of reactivity in the amygdala; they were more immune to emotional hijacking. The reason: their brains had stronger operative connectivity between the prefrontal cortex, which manages reactivity, and the amygdala, which triggers such reactions. As neuroscientists know, the stronger this particular link in the brain, the less a person will be hijacked by emotional downs and ups of all sorts.
The human brain is a machine designed by natural selection to respond in pretty reflexive fashion to the sensory input impinging on it. It is designed, in a certain sense, to be controlled by that input. And a key cog in the machinery of control is the feelings that arise in response to the input. If you interact with those feelings... via the natural, reflexive thirst for the pleasant feelings and the natural, reflexive aversion to the unpleasant feelings—you will continue to be controlled by the world around you.
The human brain is a machine designed by natural selection to respond in pretty reflexive fashion to the sensory input impinging on it. It is designed, in a certain sense, to be controlled by that input. And a key cog in the machinery of control is the feelings that arise in response to the input. If you interact with those feelings... via the natural, reflexive thirst for the pleasant feelings and the natural, reflexive aversion to the unpleasant feelings—you will continue to be controlled by the world around you.
Evolution has built our brain in much the same way. Of course, evolution has no will, no plan. Evolution didn’t decide to give you memory for where you put things. Your place memory system came about gradually, through the processes of descent with modification and natural selection, and it evolved separately from your memory for facts and figures. The two systems might come to work together through further evolutionary processes, but they are not necessarily going to do so, and in some cases, they may be in conflict with each other.
Evolution has built our brain in much the same way. Of course, evolution
has no will, no plan. Evolution didn’t decide to give you memory for where
you put things. Your place memory system came about gradually, through the
processes of descent with modification and natural selection, and it evolved
separately from your memory for facts and figures. The two systems might
come to work together through further evolutionary processes, but they are
not necessarily going to do so, and in some cases, they may be in conflict with
each other.
Just One Hour of Exercise a Week May Help Prevent Depression
Just One Hour of Exercise a Week May Help Prevent Depression
People who believe in gods that are more punishing, or more moralizing, are more generous.
People who believe in gods that are more punishing, or more moralizing, are more generous.
moralizing gods spurred societal complexity because belief in moralizing gods leads to success in intergroup competition.
moralizing gods spurred societal complexity because belief in moralizing gods leads to success in intergroup competition.
RELATIONAL MEMORY
Having relational memory means that if I want to get you to think of a
fire truck, I can induce the memory in many different ways. I might make the
sound of a siren, or give you a verbal description (“a large red truck with
ladders on the side that typically responds to a certain kind of emergency”). I
might try to trigger the concept by an association game, by asking you to
name as many red things as you can in one minute (most people come to “fire
truck” in this game), or to name as many emergency vehicles as you can. All
of these things and more are attributes of the fire truck: its redness, its
emergency vehicle-ness, its siren, its size and shape, the fact that uniformed
men and women are usually found riding both in and on it, that it is one of
only a small subset of motor vehicles that carries a ladder around.
GOOD MOOD FOOD OBCS
If you are a “stress eater,” try these five power foods to help improve your mood.
1.) Spinach
In addition to being a significant source of vitamins K, A and C (the greener, the better), spinach is an excellent source of folic acid (also called folate). This is a B vitamin sometimes used to treat depression. It causes a “feel-good” chemical called serotonin to be released. Try this Spinach Pierecipe.
Alternatives: You can also get folate from beans, lentils, and broccoli.
2.) Oatmeal
Researchers at the MIT Clinical Research Center have found that when you stop eating carbohydrates, your brain stops regulating serotonin, the chemical that improves your mood and suppresses your appetite. However, highly processed carbohydrates (i.e. white bread) cause rapid changes in your blood sugar levels and can result in mood swings. High fiber carbs like oatmeal stabilize blood sugar, and take a while to move through your system, making you feel full longer.
Alternatives: Carbs in general make people feel good. Stick with whole grains for maximum health benefits.
3.) Foods with Vitamin D
Getting your daily dose of vitamin D is important for your attitude. Low vitamin D levels are linked to depression and other mood disorders. You can get this from getting direct exposure to the sun for five to 20 minutes daily.
For dietary sources of vitamin D: Almond milk, oatmeal, fortified tofu, orange juice,
4.) Bananas
The only fruit on this list, bananas contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Your body uses tryptophan to produce 5-HTP, the compound that makes serotonin and melatonin, two mood and sleep-regulating neurotransmitters. Bananas also contain magnesium, which further increases sleepiness, making them a great bedtime or midnight snack.
5.) Chocolate
Like spinach, eating chocolate releases serotonin. However, chocolate has an additional benefit. It promotes relaxation through the release of endorphins. Endorphins are “feel good” chemicals also produced after hard, aerobic exercise. Chocolate may improve blood flow to the heart and brain, thus improving concentration, due to the antioxidants it contains. Try this fruity chocolate bark.
Tip: Some researchers say the best way to have a piece of chocolate is to enjoy the experience. Slowly crinkle the wrapper open and eat it slowly, savoring the flavor and subsequent mood boost.
BRAIN X WRITING
One of the biggest advances in neural enhancement occurred only 5,000
years ago, when humans discovered a game-changing way to increase the
capacity of the brain’s memory and indexing system. The invention of written
language has long been celebrated as a breakthrough, but relatively little has
been made of what exactly were the first things humans wrote—simple
recipes, sales receipts, and business inventories mostly. It was around 3000
BCE that our ancestors began to trade nomadic lifestyles for urban ones,
setting up increasingly large cities and centers of commerce. The increased
trade in these cities put a strain on individual merchants’ memories and so
early writing became an important component of recording business
transactions. Poetry, histories, war tactics, and instructions for building
complex construction projects came later
SUGARY DRINK X DEMANDING JOB
A number of studies have shown that eating or drinking glucose improves performance on mentally demanding tasks. For example, experimental participants are given a difficult problem to solve, and half of them are given a sugary treat and half of them are not. The ones who get the sugary treat perform better and more quickly because they are supplying the body with glucose that goes right to the brain to help feed the neural circuits that are doing the problem solving. This doesn't mean you should rush out and buy armloads of candy -- for one thing, the brain can draw on vast reserves of glucose already held in the body when it needs them. For another, chronic ingestion of sugars -- these experiments looked only at short-term ingestion -- can damage other systems and lead to diabetes and sugar crash, the sudden exhaustion that many people feel later when the sugar high wears off.
Neural communication is very rapid -- it has to be -- reaching speeds of over 300 miles per hour and with neurons communicating with one another hundreds of times per second. The voltage output of a single resting neuron is 70 millivolts, about the same as the line output of an iPod. If you could hook up a neuron to a pair of earbuds, you could actually hear its rhythmic output as a series of clicks.
Neural communication is very rapid -- it has to be -- reaching speeds of over 300 miles per hour and with neurons communicating with one another hundreds of times per second. The voltage output of a single resting neuron is 70 millivolts, about the same as the line output of an iPod. If you could hook up a neuron to a pair of earbuds, you could actually hear its rhythmic output as a series of clicks.
"The entire brain weighs three pounds (1.4 kg) and so is only a small percentage of an adult's total body weight, typically 2%. But it consumes 20% of all the energy the body uses
"The entire brain weighs three pounds (1.4 kg) and so is only a small percentage of an adult's total body weight, typically 2%. But it consumes 20% of all the energy the body uses
TRAKL "I drank the silence of God from a spring in the woods."
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SITTING DISEASE X EXERCISE WALK PILL
We have the sitting disease. According to a report by Public Health England(PHE) in March, physical inactivity is one of the top 10 causes of disease and disability in England. It is responsible for one in six deaths in the UK, which is the same as smoking. It costs the UK an estimated £7.4bn a year.
If exercise was a pill, it would be the biggest blockbuster in the history of medicine.
Methylphenidate Overdose Causing Secondary Polydipsia and Severe Hyponatremia in an 8-Year-Old Boy
Methylphenidate Overdose Causing Secondary Polydipsia and Severe Hyponatremia in an 8-Year-Old Boy
WITS OF SAFETY
Tips to keep your wits
Prepare
• When you enter an unfamiliar building, note the nearest fire exit and how you would reach it. In an emergency, you’ll be able to fall back on this mental shortcut despite being highly stressed.
• Always listen to the safety briefings on aircraft, boats and trains and go through the motions of escape in your head. If you don’t, you are likely to just freeze up if you have to evacuate fast.
• In a taxi, the safest seat is directly behind the driver. In a crash, the driver will instinctively try to protect their part of the car; if they have ill-intentions towards you, you will be harder to reach if you’re behind them.
• The safest seat on an aircraft is by the wing one row behind the exit. You will be close to an escape route and find it easier to remain anonymous in the event of a hijacking.
• The safest room in a hotel is at the back, between the first and fourth floors, furthest from harm during terrorist attack and within reach of a quick exit during a fire.
Act
• In an emergency, do not wait for others to act; most people’s first reaction will be to do nothing.
• If the fire alarm goes off unannounced in your office, leave immediately. If you’re worried about looking foolish, say you’re going to grab the opportunity to take a walk.
• If someone attacks or tries to kidnap you in the street, shout “bomb” or “gun” and run towards other people. Your attacker won’t expect this and won’t like the risk of attention.
• If you are taken hostage, try to humanise yourself but don’t be their friend; drink and eat anything they offer. Try to blend in: hostage-takers may treat troublemakers more harshly.
• If you’re caught up in a riot or terrorist attack, the basic default advice is: “Head down, run fast.”
M APPENDECECTOMY X PARKINSON
Dr. Sheriff concluded that patients who had undergone appendectomy were more than three times as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who had not.
PURPOSE OF LYF- JB FMLY CRSTY JFC
People with this trait are more likely to be in both good psychological and good physical health.
People with a stronger sense of purpose in life are more likely to live healthily — both mentally and physically.
According to new research, the reason may be that purpose in life banishes the natural conflict people experience when trying to make healthy choices.
Purpose in life can come from work, family, a sense of self or other broad aim or goal being pursued.
Feeling purposeful contributes to the feeling that life is meaningful:
- People who feel life is meaningful are more likely to be in both good psychological and good physical health.
- People who feel life isn’t meaningful are more likely to be depressed, to require therapy and even feel suicidal.
Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
JOFMWD CRSS-FML
JB CRSS- AD ARROW
OWN BDY CRSS- HYPR LIPD
FTHR CRSS- CAROTID NARROWING
MTHR CRSS- HTN
WF CRSS-HTN
DTR CRSS-EXM CRSS
OWN BDY CRSS- HYPR LIPD
FTHR CRSS- CAROTID NARROWING
MTHR CRSS- HTN
WF CRSS-HTN
DTR CRSS-EXM CRSS
2 TYPES OF AIRPORT PPL X EARLY V LATE
onny Gerkin, a psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina, told me that both airport arrival styles are likely just different ways of approaching the same emotional problem: the extreme anxiety of air travel. “One person is hyper-efficient and overprepared, and another is someone who doesn’t manage their anxiety that way,” Gerkin said. It’s not that late people don’t find the airport as stressful as early people do, in other words, but that their coping mechanisms indicate a fundamentally different approach to the negative parts of life.
“They distract and procrastinate, and next thing you know, they can’t do what they need to do to get there on time,” Gerkin said. “It’s not quite self-harm, but it’s in the same arena. It changes your feeling state and gets you out of that place that’s uncomfortable and into this place of excitement.” This can mean that even for people who experience higher risks from airport lateness—those who can’t afford rebooking fees, or members of ethnic groups more likely to be stopped for additional security checks—the siren song of lateness can be just as tempting. In some individuals, the additional stress of those factors might make lateness an even more attractive coping mechanism.
Gerkin’s theory is in line with much of the research on the personality-based reasons people are late in general. According to Jeffrey Conte, an organizational psychologist at San Diego State University, type-A people—those who tend to be impatient and ambitious—are often punctual. Type Bs, who tend to be more relaxed and less neurotic, generally arrive later. Still, he says there are often mitigating factors, like how the culture in which someone grows up views punctuality in the first place, and whether or not someone has kids. “The relationships between personality characteristics and lateness are not what we would call strong (because there are other factors), but they are consistent,” Conte explained via email.
LO NEUROTIC X CALM
The personality trait associated with less depression and anxiety.
People whose emotions are more stable have better mental health, research finds.
Stable emotions are linked to low levels of neuroticism, one of the five major personality traits.
People low in neuroticism report frequently feeling calm, unstressed and satisfied.
Indeed, people generally report feeling even more content, positive and cheerful in their middle and later years.
In other words, most people become more satisfied with their lives with age — and that is linked to good mental health.
However, people who are high in neuroticism tend to have more mental health problems, explained Dr Rebecca Ready, the study’s first author:
“People who score high on a neuroticism scale had less mental well-being over time and this pattern was stronger for older and midlife adults than for younger persons.”
Thursday 30 May 2019
P The Case for Retiring the Tuberculin Skin Test-IGRAs, or blood tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis infection in place of TSTs, have been licensed in the United States since 2001. IGRAs are now recommended for use for children as young as 2 years of age1 and are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults in all situations
IGRAs, or blood tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis infection in place of TSTs, have been licensed in the United States since 2001. IGRAs are now recommended for use for children as young as 2 years of age1 and are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults in all situations
MAYBE ZEN STORY
Maybe
There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied.
The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man.
The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer.
The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.
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P ROP X BPD X In our cohort of preterm infants, we found a significant relationship between moderate-severe BPD with severe ROP. We hypothesize that these two neonatal outcomes have links with a common pathogenesis.
In our cohort of preterm infants, we found a significant relationship between moderate-severe BPD with severe ROP. We hypothesize that these two neonatal outcomes have links with a common pathogenesis.
DAILY WT MONITORING
People were told to do just one thing to lose weight.
Weighing yourself daily can help reduce belly fat, new research finds.
Self-weighing helps make people aware of what they are eating and make changes if necessary.
Some people in the study lost weight without any special diet or other advice.
The only thing they were told to do was maintain their weight during the holiday season, which is often challenging.
Early-onset Alzheimer’s typically starts in people’s 40s or 50s. High LDL cholesterol levels are linked to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, new research finds. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, is often called the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to a build up in the arteries. Typical ways to decrease LDL cholesterol include: Eat heart-healthy foods, exercise, quit smoking, lose weight, and drink less alcohol.
Early-onset Alzheimer’s typically starts in people’s 40s or 50s.
High LDL cholesterol levels are linked to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, new research finds.
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, is often called the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol.
High levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to a build up in the arteries.
Typical ways to decrease LDL cholesterol include:
- Eat heart-healthy foods,
- exercise,
- quit smoking,
- lose weight,
- and drink less alcohol.
Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It's a way of entering into the quiet that's already there—buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day. ~ Deepak Chopra
Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It's a way of entering into the quiet that's already there—buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day. ~ Deepak Chopra
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS X PSYCHOLOGICAL THOUGHTS
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS X PSYCHOLOGICAL THOUGHTS
Wednesday 29 May 2019
PROCESSED FOOD X CRISP X IC CRSS
What counts as processed food?
Examples of common processed foods include:
- breakfast cereals
- cheese
- tinned vegetables
- bread
- savoury snacks, such as crisps, sausage rolls, pies and pasties
- meat products, such as bacon, sausage, ham, salami and paté
- "convenience foods", such as microwave meals or ready meals
- cakes and biscuits
- drinks, such as milk or soft drinks
JUST SIT In meditation, we are invited to still the waters of our lives. We quiet the mind, releasing conjured stories and fantasies. When the waters are still long enough, we see our reflection. —Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, “The Terror Within”
In meditation, we are invited to still the waters of our lives. We quiet the mind, releasing conjured stories and fantasies. When the waters are still long enough, we see our reflection.
—Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, “The Terror Within”
—Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, “The Terror Within”
CRISP CRSS X ICECREAM CRSS
Ultra-processed food linked to early death
GETTY IMAGES
Ultra-processed foods - such as chicken nuggets, ice cream and breakfast cereals - have been linked to early death and poor health, scientists say.
Researchers in France and Spain say the amount of such food being eaten has soared.
Their studies are not definite proof of harm but do come hot on the heels of trials suggesting ultra-processed foods lead to overeating.
Experts expressed caution but called for further investigation.
What are ultra-processed foods?
The term comes from a way of classifying food by how much industrial processing it has been through.
The lowest category is "unprocessed or minimally processed foods", which include: • fruit • vegetables • milk • meat • legumes such as lentils • seeds • grains such as rice • eggs
"Processed foods" have been altered to make them last longer or taste better - generally using salt, oil, sugar or fermentation.
This category includes: cheese • bacon • home-made bread • tinned fruit and vegetables • smoked fish • beer
GETTY IMAGES
Then come "ultra-processed foods", which have been through more substantial industrial processing and often have long ingredient lists on the packet, including added preservatives, sweeteners or colour enhancers.
Prof Maira Bes-Rastrollo, from the University of Navarra, told BBC News: "It is said that if a product contains more than five ingredients, it is probably ultra-processed."
Examples include: processed meat such as sausages and hamburgers • breakfast cereals or cereal bars • instant soups • sugary fizzy drinks • chicken nuggets • cake • chocolate • ice cream • mass-produced bread • many "ready to heat" meals such as pies and pizza | meal-replacement shakes
How bad were the findings?
The first study, by the University of Navarra, in Spain, followed 19,899 people for a decade and assessed their diet every other year.
There were 335 deaths during the study.
But for every 10 deaths among those eating the least ultra-processed food, there were 16 deaths among those eating the most (more than four portions a day).
The second study, by the University of Paris, followed 105,159 people for five years and assessed their diet twice a year.
It showed those eating more ultra-processed food had worse heart health.
Rates of cardiovascular disease were 277 per 100,000 people per year among those eating the most ultra-processed food, compared with 242 per 100,000 among those eating the least.
Dr Mathilde Touvier, from the University of Paris, told BBC News: "The rapid and worldwide increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods, to the detriment of less processed foods, may drive a substantial burden of cardiovascular diseases in the next decades."
GETTY IMAGESSo do these foods damage health?
Dr Mathilde Touvier, from the University of Paris, told BBC News: "[The] evidence is accumulating.
"Increasing numbers of independent studies observe associations between ultra-processed foods and adverse health effects."
Last year, a link was made with an increased risk of cancer.
Prof Bes-Rastrollo, from the University of Navarra, told BBC News she was "very certain" they were bad for health.
The challenge is being 100% sure.
The studies have spotted a pattern between highly processed food and poor health but they cannot prove that one causes the other.
Those who ate the most ultra-processed food were also more likely to have other unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking, which the researchers tried to account for.
But Kevin McConway, a professor of statistics at The Open University, said: "One can't be sure that everything relevant was allowed for.
"These studies do increase my confidence that there's something real behind these associations - but I'm still far from sure."
Why might ultra-processed foods be bad?
The first trial of ultra-processed foods showed they led people to eat more and put on weight.
Researchers at the US National Institutes of Health monitored every morsel of food that volunteers ate for a month.
And when given ultra-processed food, they ate 500 calories a day more than when they were given unprocessed meals.
- Ultra-processed foods 'make you eat more'
- The lifesaving food 90% aren’t eating enough of
- The flexitarian diet to feed 10bn and save the planet
Other suggestions include:
- They are energy dense but lacking in nutrients and fibre
- While the additives in food have been safety tested, it may be unhealthy to consume lots of additives from different foods
- People eat more because they're easy to eat
- They push healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables out of diets - who wants a banana when you can have ice cream?
These ideas still need researching.
Is there any useful advice?
GETTY IMAGES
While the term ultra-processed food may be new, the health advice coming out of the study will be very familiar.
Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We already recommend people adopt a Mediterranean-style diet, which also happens to include plenty of minimally or unprocessed foods, such as fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils and wholegrains.
"This, along with exercising regularly and not smoking, has been shown to be beneficial for lowering risk of heart and circulatory disease."
Prof Bes-Rastrollo thinks there is already enough evidence for governments to start acting too.
She said: "Measures like taxation and marketing restrictions on ultra-processed foods to discourage consumption [should be considered].
"At the same time, promotion of fresh and minimally processed food is a requirement."
Is the ultra-processed label a load of nonsense?
Describing foods as ultra-processed has a lot of critics.
Dr Gunter Kuhnle, an associate professor in nutrition and health at the University of Reading, said the studies were important and warranted further investigation.
But the labelling of food as ultra-processed could be inconsistent.
He said: "It is also not obvious why salami is considered to be ultra-processed, yet cheese, which often requires considerably more processing steps and additives, is not.
"The classification combines a wide range of foods with very different potential impacts on health, which limits its usefulness as a basis for recommendations."
The studies were published in the British Medical Journal.
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