SOIL DEPLETION AND MENTAL HEALTH

Most people believe mental health illness is rare and that it will never affect them. Yet, they usually have a family member or friend who suffers from depression, anxiety, ADD, OCD, PTSD, autism, bipolar, or memory loss from dementia/Alzheimer's--and it often includes anger and rage. They may also believe medication is the only solution, however, a growing body of evidence is beginning to point to one common denominator in almost all disorders. 

SURPRISING FACTS 

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) 2001 study, "approximately 25% of Americans, or about one in four over the age of 18, are diagnosed with a mental disorder per year; 8 million people suffer from depression annually; and about 12 million children under the age of 18 have mental disorders. Even worse, suicide is the third leading cause of death for those
5-24 years old and the 6th leading cause of death for 5-15 years old." (1)

Additionally, one in four veterans exposed to heavy combat binge-drink at least once a week, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and it is reported that 22 veterans commit suicide every day.

These are unacceptable statistics. Why has the incidence of mental illness skyrocketed over the years?

SOIL DEPLETION

Coincidentally, at the 1992 WHO Summit it was reported that 85% of North America topsoil was depleted, deteriorating the nutrition of our food supply at a rapid rate. 

And according to Pimental and Young, "the changes inflicted on soil by human-induced erosion over many years are significant and have resulted in valuable land becoming unproductive." (2)

The implications are clear. The food we set on our table at each meal no longer provides the nutrition our bodies require.

NUTRITION OF THE BRAIN

Less known is the fact that the brain comprises 2% of our body weight/mass yet it demands 40-50% of our nutrition and energy intake. If we don't feed our body the nutrients it needs, our brain cannot perform properly.

IMPORTANCE OF MICRONUTRIENTS

Take a look at this short 17" important TEDx Talk discussing the link between micronutrients and brain health presented by Julia Rucklidge (PhD, CPsych, FNZPsS, MNZCCP) - Professor, Researcher, and Director of Clinical Psychology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. 

Surprisingly Dramatic Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

(click image to view video)

Now you know the truth. Without micronutrient supplementation it is impossible to have a well-functioning brain, and the scene is set for mental health issues to set in. 

If you are ready to build a stronger brain, start taking a high quality micronutrient supplement, like EmpowerPlusTM Q96, that contains 31 bioavailable nutrients specifically targeted for the brain TODAY! 

Take steps now so you can Love Your Life 
and think Better, Faster & Clearer!

(1)  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20369/
(2)  Pimental, D., Harvey, C., Resosudarmo, P., Sinclair, K., Kurz, D., McNair, M., Crist, S.,
      Sphpritz, L., Fitton, L., Saffouri, R. and Blair, R.: 1995, 'Enviornmental and economic
      costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits', Science 267, 1117-1123.
      Young, A.: 1998, Land Resources: Now and for the Future, Cambridge, Cambridge
      University Press.


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EXCITING RESEARCH SUGGESTS NEW HOPE FOR ALZHEIMER’S AND PTSD

The time window for the brain to develop optimal connections is relatively short-lived and usually occurs prior to adulthood.

However, according to a study published in Science Translational Medicine, it appears neuroplasticity can be restarted in the visual cortex. Blocking the activity of a single protein resulted in growth of new neural synapses.

BRAIN PLASTICITY USE IT OR LOSE IT - NEW HOPE

“There is a lot of interest in the ‘critical period’ of development when the brain is plastic and undergoes a lot of changes and learning,” said Christiaan Levelt, who studies the biology of visual plasticity at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam. “This study shows that, in an adult animal you can re-open this critical period window and get enhanced plasticity.”

“At its heart, this is about understanding why it gets harder to learn new things as we get older and whether this is something that we can reverse if we knew the right molecules to target, by either adding them back or by suppressing them,” said study author David Bochner.

Bochner, his Stanford advisor Carla Shatz, and their colleagues took a different approach. Previous research discovered that paired-immunoglobulin–like receptor B (PirB) protein–works to halt the plasticity of the visual cortex.

In this study, researchers disrupted PirB function—either genetically or biochemically—and saw new, functional synapses form, demonstrating that even when PirB is inhibited in a short, one-week time frame, new neuron connections, and recovery from lazy eye, is possible in an adult mouse.

"What is really surprising was the creation of new synapses in the adult brain. We didn't expect to see such a start result," said Shatz. 

                                                                              

In mammals, the visual system fully develops after birth when the visual cortex of the brain learns to process input from the eyes. If vision in one eye is diminished, the other eye makes stronger neuronal connections in a larger portion of the visual cortex while the neurons relaying information from the poor-seeing eye all but shut down, a condition called amblyopia, or lazy eye.

“This is an example of the use-it-or-lose-it principle,” said Shatz. The condition can be repaired during a critical period of development—up to about four weeks after birth in mice and age six in humans—by closing the good eye and allowing the impaired one to work on its own.

Levelt notes that understanding and reactivating the capacity for brain plasticity throughout life could help treat victims of brain trauma or those with neurodevelopment disorders. Elizabeth Quinlan, who studies amblyopia and synaptic plasticity in the adult visual system at the University of Maryland, agrees.

“Reactivated plasticity could be harnessed to promote recovery of damaged sensory input, and to promote learning in disabled and healthy brains,” she said. “PirB is a potential target for therapeutic interventions in humans, especially if antagonists of PirB are developed that could cross the blood brain barrier, and be targeted to specific cortical regions or synapses.”

Shatz would next like to measure eyesight in the mice with amblyopia depleted of PirB to directly understand the extent of the recovery of visual function and whether acutely eliminating PirB can have a lasting effect on neuronal plasticity. The team would also like to one day develop a pill version of the PirB inhibitor, Shatz said.

The lab has also shown that mice without PirB are partly resistant to memory loss in an Alzheimer’s model. “This suggests that maybe the same drug for vision loss could also work for Alzheimer’s disease,” Shatz said. “No one yet knows how to tap into the brain’s inherent ability to make connections, but it’s something exciting to try to understand.”

Source:  Neural Plasticity Research

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7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE People

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People written by Stephen R. Covey, is a business and self-help book. In it, Covey describes the seven habits for how to be effective in attaining goals:

1 - Be Proactive

The first step is to take responsibiltiy for our choices and to accept the consequences of those choices. Effective leaders understand the importance of every decision and that each is a primary determining factor for the effeciveness of life. 

2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals. Envision the ideal characteristics for each of your various roles and relationships in life.

3 - Put First Things First

A manager must manage his own person. Personally. And managers should implement activities that aim to reach the second habit. Covey says that rule two is the mental creation; rule three is the physical creation.

4 - Think Win-Win

Genuine feelings for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a "win" for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten his way.

5 - Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Use empathic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring, and positive problem solving.

6 - Synergize

Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone.

7 - Sharpen the Saw

Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle. This habit emphasizes exercise for physical renewal, prayer (meditation, yoga, etc.), and good reading for mental renewal. It also mentions service to society for spiritual renewal.

In essence, one should always attempt to integrate and master these principles at progressively higher levels as development renders a different experience and deeper understanding. The Upward Spiral model consists of three parts: learn, commit, do . . . in order to propel oneself along the path of personal freedom, security, wisdom, and power.^[3]

Note: Sean Covey (Stephen's son) has written a version of the book for teens, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. It simplifies the 7 Habits for younger readers to assist better understanding. In September 2006, Sean Covey also published The 6 Most Important Decisions You Will Ever Make: A Guide for Teens. This guide highlights key times in the life of a teen and gives advice on how to deal with them.

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MOOD STABILITY, MENTAL CLARITY, ENHANCED MEMORY
AND TOP-NOTCH OVERALL BRAIN HEALTH 

In the book Your Miracle Brain, Jean Carper writes “Unquestionably the brain is our most precious physical possession, the seat of our entire being—our intelligence, personality, our humanity, our mind, our soul. Nothing is more central to a successful and fulfilling life than an optimally functioning brain.”

Even with the emphasis today on health and fitness, and the slew of research on factors that can affect the health of the brain, such as lifestyle choices, people seem to focus very little on the importance of maintaining brain health until tragedy hits.

Although the health of our brain is often overlooked, there are many critical lifestyle choices that can affect it. Here are just 10 worth noting. All can dramatically impact the quality and longevity of life.

INCREASE EXERCISE

A growing number of studies support physical exercise as a major lifestyle factor in increased physical, mental and emotional health throughout life. Numerous research studies have especially identified the benefits of aerobic exercise on selective aspects of brain function, improving a number of aspects of cognition and performance.

BE A LIFELONG LEARNER

You know you need to workout to keep your body in shape. Your mind is no different and it is the most important thing you can do to maintain a strong brain. Learning and practicing any challenging skill – a second language, reading, brain teasers, even juggling – can change the structure of your brain for the better.

EAT DARK CHOCOLATE

Cocoa and dark chocolate are recognized as a rich source of flavonoids, mainly flavanols, which are potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Flavonoids have established benefits in cardiovascular health as well as neurocognition and behavior. The absorbed flavonoids penetrate and accumulate in the regions of the brain that are involved in learning and memory, especially the hippocampus.

GET MORE SLEEP

Sleep deprivation negatively impacts a wide variety of body functions and can result in significant weight gain if not addressed long term. After just one night of poor sleep, thinking can become unfocused and concentration compromised, creating “brain fog”. Ongoing insomnia has also been shown to increase the risk of suicide and depression, and impair overall mental performance.

DECREASE OBESITY

Adipose tissue (body fat) secretes molecules that directly influence multiple functions within the brain. Research has clearly established a relationship between adiposity and overall brain volume and cognitive function; as bodyweight increases, brain volume drops and cognitive function worsen. In one study, researchers discovered that visceral abdominal obesity, in particular, was associated with deteriorating brain structure. This was true even in individuals without pre-existing cognitive deficits.

TREAT DIABETES

Due to the high metabolic demand for energy in the brain, even small disruptions in glucose metabolism can noticeably impact cognitive performance. Diabetes (hyperglycemia) has been linked with lower levels of neuronal growth factors, decreased brain volume, and higher incidence of all types of dementia; therefore, individuals with diabetes display increased progression of brain atrophy and perform less well on tests of cognitive performance and learning.

MINIMIZE STRESS

Research in the last several decades indicates that those who experience persistent or high levels of stress are especially vulnerable to gradual loss of memory and cognitive health. And it is well documented that stress is an important contributing factor, including to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. A study conducted at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg concluded, "this suggests that common psychosocial stressors may have severe and long-standing physiological and psychological consequences."     

BALANCE HORMONES

Hormone imbalance can wreak havoc on brain chemistry and communication between brain cells (i.e., neurotransmission). According to Dr. Klaiber, “Estrogen, progesterone, and the thyroid hormones are as essential to our moods and cognitive abilities as food-based nutrients are to our basic cellular function.” Concentrations of the estrogens, progesterone, pregnenolone, testosterone, DHEA, and other hormones can be higher in the brain than in the bloodstream.

MAINTAIN POSITIVE EMOTIONS

More than two decades ago researchers made an important discovery: intentionally invoking positive emotions is one of the fastest and most effective ways to reduce unhealthy stress.  Therefore, reducing and controlling unhealthy stress levels has become a major focus of many research organizations. In the quest to preserve strong memory and healthy cognitive abilities for as much of our lives as possible, more and more health professionals are turning to proven non-drug interventions as a more desirable alternative. And, one of the most powerful and effective of the positive emotions has been proven to be appreciation.

UP YOUR MICRONUTRIENTS

Good nutritional is important for proper brain development and maintenance of normal cognitive function. Through unique biological functions, various micronutrients affect brain function and the brain requires a constant supply for energy metabolism of neurons and cells, neurotransmitter synthesis and action, nerve impulse propagation, and homocysteine metabolism. Further research shows that deficiencies in various micronutrients, especially B vitamins, have very adverse effects on cognition.

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