This article from the Psychiatric Times discusses Dr. Ornish’s thoughts on the the relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease kills more people worldwide than everything else combined, said Dean Ornish, MD, cardiologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of California in San Francisco. Dr Ornish is well known for his lifestyle-driven approach to the control of cardiovascular disease. Depending on the extent of personalized lifestyle changes, disease progression can be stopped and even reversed.
Dr Ornish’s approach is based on pleasure rather than fear. Simple lifestyle changes—diet, excersise, meditation—can make a huge difference. Stress is reduced, health is improved, and thus life becomes more enjoyable. And, it is a spectrum of change—even the smallest change can make a difference in a person’s physical and/or mental health. For instance, just a few minutes a day of yoga or meditation can made a big difference in a person’s well-being. However, the bigger and more comprehensive the changes, the better the outcomes: moderate changes give moderate benefits, bigger changes provide greater benefits (eg, coming off medication). The more lifestyle changes that people make, the better they feel physically and mentally.
Read the rest of the article here
Who would have thought that one could improve brain health? I mean, if I go to the gym and do biceps exercises, or squats, there is a way to measure my progress.
Muscles grow and can be measured or I can move more resistance, lift a heavier weight, and I feel better, (because of the endorphins released when I resistance train) but if I go read classical literature or research in a field I am unfamiliar with, I cannot measure my brain’s health or growth in the same way as I can a muscle’s growth or health.
(When was the last time anyone complimented you on your axon definition? See?)
If I am still thinking, creating words in my brain, then it must be healthy, right?
Not necessarily. Changes in my brain’s health are subtle and cumulative, and we are not sure that once things like Alzheimer’s disease have begun that cognitive function can be regained.
It turns out that I need to take care of improving my brain’s health just like I do my musculature and skeletal health.
Continue reading about how to improve and keep your brain healthy at: Brain Health
Posted by Jim Hanekamp | Posted in Nutrition, Sleep | Posted on 27-05-2009
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In this article by Julie Upton from Health magazine , she discusses the various reasons we need a lot more Vitamin D than most of get on a regular basis. Some of the great benefits of Vitamin D are:
- Lower your risk of cancer
- Fight off winter weight gain
- Safeguard your healthy heart
- Say good-bye to seasonal blues
- Boost your defenses against colds and flu
- Prevent autoimmune disorders
- Build stronger bones
The correct amount of Vitamin D varies. Your supplement requirements depends on where you live and how much sun you get. We probably all can use a little help to get the needed amount per day – up to 2000 IU.
This article discusses the stages you go through as you sleep and why each is important. There are 4 stages of sleep, and if you are awakened during stage 3 or 4, you will probably feel very groggy.
Sleep is needed to refresh the body and enable the brain to process and retain information. Lack of sleep can contribute to daytime mood problems, decreased productivity and an increased risk for accidents. Studies show an accumulated sleep “debt” may lead to the development of high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular disease and an increased risk for infections.
On average, adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. But surveys by the National Sleep Foundation find many Americans aren’t getting enough sleep. On average, respondents say they get 6 hours, 40 minutes of sleep on weeknights and 7 hours, 7 minutes on weekends. Twenty percent of Americans are getting less than six hours of sleep a night.
Naps are also very good for you. A short 20 minute nap (before you get beyond stage 1) will help you to become refreshed and ready for the rest of the day.
This article on findings released at the BIO conference in Atlanta this week, discussed findings that all anti-depressant drugs achieve at least some of their effects by stimulating the growth of neurons in a region of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory. This seems to make sense since taking ant-depressant drugs can takes weeks to take affect. If the affect is not realized until after new neurons are created and become an active in the brain, it may take many weeks. They have confirmed this in some animal tests in the laboratory.
Until the late 1990s, Neurogenesis (development of new cells in the brain) was believed stop soon after birth. Now we know that it continues throughout life. We even know that we can encourage neurogenesis though physical and mental exercise, reduction in stress, proper sleep, and a good diet. These activities can help keep our brains sharp as we age and may even help with some mild forms of mental diseases. If you need variety in getting that mental exercise, come to Myfitbrain.
