Heal Your Brain Using Mindful Meditation

Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy has been shown to reduce anxiety in a broad range of clinical populations, as reported by the University of Ottawa. Meditation reduces stress and enhances forgiveness, according to a study published by the Journal of American College Health. Meditators have a greater ability to moderate the intensity of their emotional arousal during stressful situations, say the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Studies from Yale and Washington University have shown that mindful meditation increases your brain's levels of GABA, DHEA, melatonin, serotonin, HGH, and endorphins. Meditation effectively combats the effects of depression by reducing your levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Because meditation increases these beneficial brain chemicals, it is a simple way to combat the effects of depression. It reduces stress, relieves depression and anxiety, and lowers your blood pressure, according to research published by the National Institute of Mental Health.

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

GABA is an important neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system. It inhibits the production of stress-producing hormones, such as cortisol.

Insufficient amounts of GABA in the body are linked to tension, anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy. GABA supplements help to correct mood disorders.

Sufficient levels of the neurotransmitter are essential for proper brain function. In a Yale study, scientists found that people suffering from panic disorders or addictions have considerably lower amounts of GABA.

Health and Weight Loss Tips - Take a Probiotic Daily

There are literally billions of friendly or good bacteria in our bodies. Called probiotics, these guys play an important role in helping to keep us fit and in good health. The term 'probiotic' is often used to describe food supplements that contain live bacteria.

These bacteria can help the health of your gut, specifically the delicate balance of the intestinal microflora. Scientists are trying to develop target-specific probiotics containing bacteria selected for their health-enhancing characteristics.

Normally, we think of bacteria as bad news for our health. While a lot of bacteria do cause illness and disease, some are actually very good for our body. Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, for example, keep the digestive system fully functional and working as it should. Several diseases, high levels of stress, the aging process and a lot of medicines like antibiotics can simply destroy our body's natural levels of good bacteria. If they cannot be replenished quickly then bad bacteria can get a foothold and other health problems may develop.

Our immune system is our body's natural defense warding off bad bacteria, diseases and infections. Probiotics form a strong line of defense against the bad and unhealthy bacteria that get into our bodies. In doing this, they help support our digestive and immune systems, enabling us to cope with everyday life. If your digestion is working well you will feel better and your body will be able to utilize the nutrients in the food more effectively.

Health and Wellbeing - Supplements! Why We Need Vitamins and Minerals

Should we be taking supplements in our every day lives? That is a question many may ask. So, should we? My opinion is yes we should. In the fast paced modern world that I and millions of others live in, very rarely do we ingest all the correct vitamins and minerals our bodies need to function correctly. This may not seem a big deal, we live for a long period these days as it is. Modern medicine and treatments from doctors and hospitals are able to help and over come many problems we face. Think about this however, how many of these problems could be prevented in the first place with just a little more care and attention to how we look after ourselves.

Let us take a look at infections for instance. We have all heard the term prevention is better than cure, right? I believe Louis Pasteur said it eloquently on his deathbed, " The host is more important than the invader ". Science has increasingly found that we succumb to bugs / infection far more when our bodies are run down. What causes our immune systems to become run down? Lack of rest and sleep, not eating the correct foods, not getting enough calories, not staying health through activity, not giving our bodies enough of the correct vitamins and minerals. Most of these we can actually pretty easily do for ourselves. We can make the effort to get the correct rest, we are responsible for what we eat, we can also make sure we get enough calories through eating the right foods, also doing healthy activity to keep our bodies fit. Making sure we get the correct daily amounts of vitamins and minerals however is something we will struggle with. The human body will use more vitamins and minerals the more it works, also depending on the type of activity it does too, either physical or mental activity. Remember! the brain also has to be actively used and trained, just like muscles and internal organs.