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January 6, 2008 Dear Readers: A New Year always holds promise. It's our culture's way of reminding us that we can start over-- with our work, our minds, our bodies, our health. While it's easy to jump back into the pre-holiday routine, or to give in to the temptation of being overwhelmed with post-holiday clean-up and a mile-long "to do" list from the tasks put off, focus on the opportunity of a new beginning. You pick. I've personally taken inventory and learned that I need to be more proactive, instead of letting my days be overly influenced by emails, disruptions, and short-term crises. I need more sleep. A suggestion I'd like to make for all of us in 2008 is to focus on the positive and let the negative go. This is good at the global level and at the personal level. Many of the center's clients are seemingly trapped in negative cycles of behavior and interactions. In striving for change, it can be easier to dwell on what isn't right rather than to begin positive steps and build on those. The mind is a powerful tool. You can improve your mastery of it. See our article on "3 Things You Can Do for Your Brain in 2008." To your health, Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D. Editor |
At the center, we learn as much from our clients as they do from us. Over the years, we've built a substantial compendium of knowledge about making positive change for better performance of the mind and brain. Here are our top five lessons learned:
1. The Number 1 way to improve your brain (memory, speed, quality of thought) is to improve your diet and add the right supplements for your individual needs. This means eliminating harmful foods and chemicals and adding more protein and healthy fats.
2. Everyone's brain can improve, despite whatever information to the contrary appears in the media. (This week's Parade magazine had an article on the "natural" decline in memory and the "natural" shrinkage of the brain-- I can site numerous research to refute this.) The brain is like a muscle that can grow and change throughout life.
3. Today's environment and the demands of school and work are taxing the brain even as less nourishment is being supplied by our food sources.
4. The electrical activity measured in specific areas of the brain provides valuable information about problems and how to improve.
5. Training specific mental skills can improve anyone's brain (and often, behavior) substantially.
Use these lessons learned for your benefit!
For over half a century, the United States public has been informed that adding fluoride to toothpastes and the public water systems would help prevent tooth decay and reduce cavities. New research is examining the truth of the matter, and questioning if the benefits of fluoride actually exist, and if so, do they outweigh the potential side effects?
Almost 60% of the US drinks fluoridated water today, and the Centers for Disease Control lists fluoridated water as one of the greatest health achievements of the century, along with vaccines and family planning. The practice of adding fluoride to water has spread to the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. However, some recent studies show that consuming large amounts of fluoride can increase the risk of certain diseases affecting the teeth, the brain, the thyroid glands, and the bones. Further, in 2006, the National Research Council presented a report that recommended the government reduce the current level of fluoride in water due to risks for adults and children.
Fluoride is in many foods and beverages as well as toothpaste and municipality water sources, which increases the risk of overconsumption. In children, consistent exposure to fluoride can lead to discolored and damaged permanent teeth. In adults, the same level of exposure may increase the risk of bone fracture. Most treated water contains less than the EPA limit, but there is uncertainty over how much additional chemical we are consuming from food, beverages, and toothpaste.
Most scientists and researchers still agree that fluoridated water has reduced tooth decay, but they advocate reducing the amount of fluoride in communities that have good dental care.
Researchers have been finding evidence that things we have in our households are making us sick, such as the toxins found in plastic and the chemicals found in cleaners. One of the most serious threats, researchers claim, may come from our unused pharmaceuticals.
Medicine disposal has become a concern because most of us flush unused pills down the toilet, sending the toxins directly into lakes and rivers. "Discarded birth control pills can trigger reproductive problems in fish, and surplus antibiotics can enhance the spread of bacteria that are resistant to the drugs."
To address this problem, the American Pharmacists Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed an agreement to launch a public awareness campaign. Consumers will be advised to dispose of their unused pharmaceuticals through hazard-waste collection. If none is available in their area, the next best option is to crush and dilute pills, and place them in a sealed plastic bag in the trash or return unused prescriptions to the pharmacy. Pilot programs are in trial in California, Washington State, and Maine.
Editor's note: For this reason, you need to exercise caution in eating fish from farms or rivers.
1) Stop eating cereal for breakfast. Cereal, even the types that are "fortified," hold little nutritional value for sending your child off to school or you off to work. High starch meals won't provide the energy you need until lunch AND may slow your brain down. Exchange this habit for a breakfast of high protein (20 - 50 grams, depending on body weight) every morning to charge your brain.
2) Take 5. Focus in 5 minutes through mind self-training to see improvements in concentration, mood, and stress levels. Relax and clear your mind of the To-Do Lists, your schedule, and your problems. Notice your breath as it rises and falls. If a thought distracts you, let it go, and return to your breath. Try it in your car at the stoplight, or at home before starting your day.
3) Cut back on carbs until dinner. Your nutrition should include protein at every meal to charge your brain. Limit carbohydrates to your evening meal.
If you want an added edge...
- Move your body. Exercise improves focus and concentration.
- Supplement your diet. Add omega-3's, calcium, and other supplements to your diet for optimal brain health.
- Put a timer next to your computer and television. Reduce the time you spend idly surfing the net and the channels.
Don't Let Your Brain Vegetate in 2008!
Peanut-Butter Protein Smoothie
Try this quick and delicious smoothie for breakfast or anytime as a high protein snack.
Makes 1 serving.
Add to Blender:
1 banana
4 oz. organic vanilla yogurt
1-2 tbs. organic or all natural peanut butter
2 tbs. of protein power, or one Spiruteen packet
Blend and Serve!
*For those on the go, this snack travels easily in an insulated car mug.
Diet Food Making Kids UNHEALTHY
According to a study from the University of Alberta, diet foods and beverages are leading to overeating and obesity in children by disregulating the body's ability to distinguish caloric needs. To read more, follow this link:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=83110
Lack of Sleep Related to Obesity
Turn off the TV and computer early. A New Zealand study of more than 700 children showed that children who slept fewer than 9 hours per night were more likely to be overweight or obese. Another finding, one that nearly every parent has experienced, is that less sleep is associated with mood swings. Read more at:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/aaos-slo122107.php
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Prevent Alzheimer's
Even MORE reasons emerge for supplementing correctly with Omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers at UCLA have discovered an anti-Alzheimer's mechanism in these increasingly popular fatty acids. While health practitioners have extolled the benefits of Omega-3s as a possible safeguard against Alzheimer's the precise mechanism has not been known, at least, until recently. The researchers report that DHA, one of the Omega-3s found in fish oil, increases the production of LR11, a protein that destroys the beta amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's Disease.
Call or email kSero if you need help with the dosage or form of fish oils.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/uoc--wfo122107.php
Sincerely,
Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D.
Director
kSero Centers for the Mind
©kSero Corporation Inc. 2007