One of the most common complaints among healthy older adults relates to a decline in memory performance. This decline has been linked to an inability to ignore irrelevant information when forming memories. In order to ignore distracting information, the brain should act to suppress its responses to distractions, but it has been shown that in older adults there is in fact an increase in brain activity at those times.
In a new study published in the April 2010 issue of Elsevier's Cortex researchers at the University of California San Francisco have shown that even prior knowledge of an impending distraction does not help to improve the working memory performance of older adults.
Drs. Theodore Zanto and Adam Gazzaley studied 21 adults aged between 60 and 80 years while they performed a working memory task in which they were shown random sequences of pictures containing faces and scenes. From a given sequence, participants were asked to remember either only the faces (ignoring scenes) or only the scenes (ignoring faces). In a second round of testing, the participants were given prior information about which specific pictures in the sequence would be relevant and which to ignore. The participants' brain activity during the tasks was recorded using electroencephalograms (EEGs).
Health & Wellness
Most of us are familiar with the pain and aggravation that can come from splinters, which are usually small slivers of wood, metal or glass.
Splinters can be difficult to remove and sometimes painful as well. If the splinter is not removed and removed cleanly, infection can result and sometimes the infection can become a serious one.
Splinters can be difficult to remove and sometimes painful as well. If the splinter is not removed and removed cleanly, infection can result and sometimes the infection can become a serious one.
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, have found that omega-3 fatty acids have another beneficial effect besides maintaining a healthy heart. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study found that patients with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood experienced a slowing of the shortening of their telomeres, indicating that the fatty acids help to slow the aging process.
The study of telomeres and their role in the aging process has been a popular subject in recent years. Scientists have found that telomeres, which act as protective end caps on cells, gradually shorten over time as cells divide and repair themselves, causing a person to age. Researchers, however, have been studying various compounds, including omega-3s, that appear to slow the shortening process and even reverse it.
Ramin Farzaneh-Far, a clinical cardiologist and lead author of the study, evaluated 608 patients who had prior heart problems and coronary-artery blockage. Over a five-year period, those with the highest levels of omega-3s in their blood experienced far less telomere shortening than those with the lowest levels.
The study of telomeres and their role in the aging process has been a popular subject in recent years. Scientists have found that telomeres, which act as protective end caps on cells, gradually shorten over time as cells divide and repair themselves, causing a person to age. Researchers, however, have been studying various compounds, including omega-3s, that appear to slow the shortening process and even reverse it.
Ramin Farzaneh-Far, a clinical cardiologist and lead author of the study, evaluated 608 patients who had prior heart problems and coronary-artery blockage. Over a five-year period, those with the highest levels of omega-3s in their blood experienced far less telomere shortening than those with the lowest levels.
A new study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that an alarming number of Americans are dying in the hospital from two infectious diseases: sepsis (also known as systemic inflammatory response syndrome, it causes widespread inflammation and blood clotting and can lead to organ failure and death) and pneumonia. But the victims of these health problems weren't originally hospitalized because of these illnesses. Instead, they were in the hospital for other reasons. In fact, some were healthy and simply having an elective procedure. Yet they ended up dead.
The reason? These unfortunate patients became fatally ill from hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) caused primarily by both the rise of antibiotic resistant superbugs and downright sloppy infection control by hospital medical staff.
Researchers with Extending the Cure (a project examining antibiotic resistance based at the Washington, D.C., think-tank Resources for the Future) conducted the largest nationally representative study to date to document the human and economic toll taken by two hospital-acquired infections that should be preventable, sepsis and pneumonia. Both conditions are caused by an array of pathogens, including the dangerous superbug dubbed Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterial infection that has become highly resistant to many antibiotics. The researchers found that these germs are frequently being spread by sloppy infection control in hospitals.
The reason? These unfortunate patients became fatally ill from hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) caused primarily by both the rise of antibiotic resistant superbugs and downright sloppy infection control by hospital medical staff.
Researchers with Extending the Cure (a project examining antibiotic resistance based at the Washington, D.C., think-tank Resources for the Future) conducted the largest nationally representative study to date to document the human and economic toll taken by two hospital-acquired infections that should be preventable, sepsis and pneumonia. Both conditions are caused by an array of pathogens, including the dangerous superbug dubbed Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterial infection that has become highly resistant to many antibiotics. The researchers found that these germs are frequently being spread by sloppy infection control in hospitals.
Beef produced in the United States contains dangerously high levels of natural and synthetic hormones, warns Dr. Samuel S. Epstein of the Cancer Prevention Coalition.
According to Epstein, more than half of all beef cows slaughtered in the United States each year have been treated with either the natural hormones estrogen, progesterone or testosterone, or the synthetic hormones melengesterol, trenbolone or zeranol. Hormone-emitting pellets are implanted under each cow's ear when it enters the feedlot, then again 50 days later. After another 50 days, the cow is slaughtered.
The hormones cause the cows to rapidly put on weight, leading to approximately $80 more profit per animal.
According to Epstein, more than half of all beef cows slaughtered in the United States each year have been treated with either the natural hormones estrogen, progesterone or testosterone, or the synthetic hormones melengesterol, trenbolone or zeranol. Hormone-emitting pellets are implanted under each cow's ear when it enters the feedlot, then again 50 days later. After another 50 days, the cow is slaughtered.
The hormones cause the cows to rapidly put on weight, leading to approximately $80 more profit per animal.
Jeffrey Smith, author of Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You Are Eating (2003), is convinced that they are not, so he started the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America, which calls for the elimination of GMO foods altogether.
He spoke recently at the annual Michigan Organic Farm and Food Association conference held at Michigan State University and provided participants with resources and inspiration for joining the movement to eliminate genetically-engineered (GM) foods.
Smith figures that it will take only 15 million Americans or 5 percent of the population, to pressure food companies not to use GMO ingredients or products and thus establish a tipping point for change.
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PART I: Identify the Stress in Your Life
What is stress? Physiologically, stress could be considered any event that triggers a marked response by the adrenal glands. In basic terms, this response is the release of cortisol. It's the body's natural reaction to any stressor. For occasional stressors, cortisol can provide a burst of benefits like increased energy, heightened reflexes and a higher threshold for pain. However, when stress is chronic, as it often is in modern society, cortisol levels can remain unnaturally high and lead to damaging effects, which include:
- Poor thyroid function
- Hypoglycemia
- Loss of lean body tissue like muscle and bone
- Higher blood pressure
- Susceptibility to illness, infection and disease
- Weight gain, particularly in the abdominal region
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a strongly aromatic perennial herb, originally from the mountainous regions of the Balkan Peninsula but now spread throughout temperate climates worldwide. Feverfew has a multitude of small, daisy-like flowers with white petals around a yellow centre and is often confused with Chamomile. The leaves have been used in traditional medicine throughout history for various ailments including reducing fever and treating headaches, toothache, arthritic pain, digestive problems, insect bites, infertility, and problems with menstruation and with labor during childbirth.
Medicinal Uses of Feverfew
Feverfew is probably best known for its therapeutic effect on migraines. Studies done in Great Britain in the 1980's suggested that Feverfew taken daily as dried leaf capsules may reduce the incidence of attacks in patients who experience long-term migraine headaches.
Medicinal Uses of Feverfew
Feverfew is probably best known for its therapeutic effect on migraines. Studies done in Great Britain in the 1980's suggested that Feverfew taken daily as dried leaf capsules may reduce the incidence of attacks in patients who experience long-term migraine headaches.
To TCM and other natural practitioners as well as many common every day Americans, it is becoming more and more evident that MDs are programmed to simply rob, kill and destroy. This may sound a bit harsh but this is not meant to take anything away from their amazing talents of surgery and traumatic injury repair. The paradox of such a life saving talent combined with the "lowest of the low" lifestyle of deadly drug pusher is almost impossible to fathom. With all their understanding of anatomy, what is so hard to understand about keeping the body healthy with only wholesome natural substances? In fact why would this not be their first and only form of treatment?
What is it about the hypnotizing power of Big Pharma's agenda that always wins over common sense? One seems compelled to say, "Come on Doc, one side of your brain knows so much better than this while the other side has fallen under the control of Big Pharma. Either you have no shame or you are as evil as the force that has you under control."
Let's take any common disorder....Say, high blood pressure. There is a host of herbal formulas and diets that can bring down blood pressure quite substantially, but if it is still only a few points more than 120/80 they say it is not good enough and you need to be on drugs! So many people swallow this nonsense and wind up getting hooked on deadly drugs. It should be a crime to even suggest it.
What is it about the hypnotizing power of Big Pharma's agenda that always wins over common sense? One seems compelled to say, "Come on Doc, one side of your brain knows so much better than this while the other side has fallen under the control of Big Pharma. Either you have no shame or you are as evil as the force that has you under control."
Let's take any common disorder....Say, high blood pressure. There is a host of herbal formulas and diets that can bring down blood pressure quite substantially, but if it is still only a few points more than 120/80 they say it is not good enough and you need to be on drugs! So many people swallow this nonsense and wind up getting hooked on deadly drugs. It should be a crime to even suggest it.
If you really want to give your baby a head start in life by improving their social standing and guaranteeing their happiness, start feeding them Coca-Cola, Pepsi and other sugary carbonated beverages at the earliest age possible. Even babies as young as a few months old will enjoy the many benefits of soda pop.
Sound bizarre? That's the message the Soda Pop Board of America promoted back in the 1950's. Here's the actual text from a full-page ad:
For a better start in life, Start COLA earlier! How soon is too soon?
Sound bizarre? That's the message the Soda Pop Board of America promoted back in the 1950's. Here's the actual text from a full-page ad:
© Soda Pop Board of America
Comment: Another way to reduce stress is to practice Éiriú Eolas Breathing and Meditation Program and can be found here.