Too Little Sleep? Craving some fatty food? Science proves they go together!

Illustration: Rocco Fazzari

Scientists have found evidence that a lack of sleep causes changes in brain activity that lead to people feeling hungrier and craving more fattening foods.

Researchers have long pointed to a correlation between a steep rise in obesity in industrialised nations and less sleep.

A causal link was suspected, but science has not been able to explain the mechanism, until now.

A University of California team used MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans to spot changes in the brain activity of sleep-deprived test subjects.

Advertisement

''These findings provide an explanatory brain mechanism by which insufficient sleep may lead to the development/maintenance of obesity,'' they wrote in the journal Nature Communications.

Twenty-three participants had their heads scanned twice; once after a full night of sleep and once after being deprived their shut-eye for a night - their brain activity measured the next day as they selected items and portion sizes from pictures of 80 different food types.

Among the tired individuals, the researchers noted impaired activity in regions of the cortex that evaluate appetite and satiation. Simultaneously, there was a boost in areas associated with craving.

''An additionally interesting finding was that high calorie foods became more desirable to the sleep deprived participants,'' said study co-author Matthew Walker of the psychology department at the University of California in Berkeley.

''These findings of impaired brain activity in regions that control good judgment and decision-making together with amplified activity in more reward-related brain regions fit well with … the link between sleep loss, weight gain and obesity,'' he said.

The World Health Organisation says more than a third of adults were overweight in 2008.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/too-little-sleep-craving-some-fatty-food-scientists-prove-they-go-together-20130808-2rknf.html

Probiotics work double duty as antidepressant

Probiotics are most well known for their use as a digestive health nutrient.  They help balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut which dictate the effectiveness of your bowel movements. They also help eliminate uncomfortable gas, bloating and constipation by keeping everything moving along.

Probiotics-antidepressant link

In addition to this all too important function, probiotics also have been showing a lot of promise as a natural antidepressant.  Multiple studies have shown a link between those with healthy levels of the probiotics “the good flora” and mental health recently, prompting further interest in the link between these organisms and mood function.

One such theory hypothesizes that major depressive disorder has much more of a connection to nutrition than we originally thought. It theorizes that the enhanced ability of the digestive tract to absorb nutrients when probiotics are taken contributes to healthy mental function.

Stress actually lowers the healthy probiotic flora called lactobacilli and bifidobacterium, which inhibits the absorption of nutrients capable of elevating mood and regulating the facilities which alleviate stress and anxiety.  At the very least, this means that probiotics have an indirect effect on mood.

Eating yogurt with active cultures reduces pain and emotional response triggers

Another intriguing study shows that those who eat active culture yogurt daily exhibited a reduced reaction in the areas of the brain the control the senses of pain and strong emotion.  At the same time, the areas that govern decision making were exhibiting an enhanced level of activity.

This makes for a much more even mood, better feelings of control over one’s life and also for more of a sense of calm and well-being.  Researchers have made the link that bacteria in the gut actually has the ability to communicate with several areas of the brain, which may explain why those who have beefed up on probiotics enjoy better overall mental health.

Not suprisingly, these same studies showed that the typical western diet full of processed foods, fat, sugar and salt, do not promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Rather, this type of diet actually promotes the growth of bacteria which are destructive to digestive health.

People who eat food high in natural probiotics such as yogurt and fermented foods may also tend to eat a healthier diet in general, which delivers a double benefit to your digestive health.  The specific strains of probiotics found in yogurt actually may have more of an effect on emotional balance, mood and focus when they are eaten over time. So if you haven’t jumped on the yogurt bandwagon yet, now may be the time to do so.

This explains why a healthy diet means a healthy mental state.  It also explains why we tend to feel so much better when we are eating a healthy, plant based diet versus a processed diet full of these other flora-unfriendly foods.

Researchers also noted that this whole theory of a healthy flora balance promoting mental health helps to explain why people tend to start feeling bad emotionally when they are eating improperly.  It really does add a whole new level to the meaning of the “mind-body connection”.

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/probiotics-work-double-duty-as-antidepressant/

Natural News Blogs Heal your body from multiple sclerosis & lose weight with a raw food diet » Natural News Blogs

Natural News Blogs Heal your body from multiple sclerosis & lose weight with a raw food diet » Natural News Blogs

Simple Ways To Incorporate Exercise Into your Day.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to speed the metabolism and burn extra calories.

Hate the thought of going to the gym? Most experts agree that for good health, adults should strive for a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise nearly every day, and more if you are overweight. Luckily, this amount can be accomplished in simple ways and in small increments. Whatever daily tasks need to be performed, there are ways to burn a greater number of calories while completing each one.

Gardening burns a large number of calories, for example, but only when performed without use of all the convenience gadgets. Substitute a rake for the leaf blower, try using a push mower rather than a rider, etc. When possible, think about going back to the old-fashioned way of doing things, even if just once in a while.

Everyday chores around the house can burn a significant number of calories. Washing windows, mopping, sweeping, dusting, and making beds all count toward fulfilling daily exercise requirements. In just 30 minutes, scrubbing the floor burns 129 calories, sweeping 112, dusting 85, washing windows 102 and vacuuming 119, based on a 62 kilogram person. The higher the body weight the greater the number of calories burned per minute.

What if you’re stuck behind a desk all day? Unfortunately for many people, the workplace reinforces a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting for hours on end noticeably increases sluggishness and fatigue, hardly inspiring a trip to the gym. Lack of activity also tends to increase calorie consumption throughout the day (think vending machines, office parties, fast food lunches) which are a normal part of most work environments.    

Advertisement

Tips:

Step 1, be accountable. Bring a calendar to work, and position it so that it is visible from your desk. Make a quick note each day that you have been successful at being more active. On days when you are unable to adhere to your plan, make a note of why, and then honestly assess whether it is a valid reason or an excuse. Even if you have a desk job, you can take advantage of breaks to get up and stretch.

Strengthen leg muscles by doing a few simple squats, getting up from your chair and sitting down again without using the armrests. To strengthen the midsection, sitting toward the front of your chair, lean back, keeping both feet on the floor until you feel your abs tighten, pause for a few seconds and return to an upright position.

To strengthen the upper body, hold onto the armrests of your chair and try pushing yourself up with little to no use of your legs. Push-ups can be performed standing, using a wall, desk or other sturdy surface. For working the back of the thighs, sit toward the very front of the chair and one leg at a time, bring the lower leg backward until you feel the muscles tighten, as if trying to touch the heel to the rear end. Hold for a count of 10 seconds and repeat, aiming for 10 repetitions per leg. Then, with feet side by side and a right angle at the knees, raise the heels from the floor until you feel the calf muscles contracting, and hold for a count of 5, and repeat.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to speed the metabolism and burn extra calories. When at work, use break times to get out and take mini-walks. Three 10-minute walks during the day are manageable for most people, even with demanding schedules. For a 70-kilo person, 30 minutes of brisk walking burns an average of 150 calories.

If you are already a walker, try not to get stuck doing the same route, same number of minutes, same pace or same number of days per week. The body adjusts quickly to walking because it is a natural activity. In order to increase fitness, strength and relieve potential boredom, try taking a different route next time you head out, or increase duration, speed or frequency.

Take the stairs every chance you get. We all know that taking the stairs instead of using an escalator or elevator increases calorie expenditure, but you can also get nearly twice the calorie burn by taking steps two at a time as you climb instead of single steps.    

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/simple-ways-to-incorporate-exercise-into-your-day-20131002-2urbp.html

Harmful To Your Health - Why You Need To Throw Away Your Shampoo!

Do you still think that when you massage your shampoo onto your head and you create foamy, lathery suds that you are cleaning and nourishing your hair? You need to know how bad and unhealthy this actually is for you, even dangerous.

Most shampoos are made using sulfates. Sulfates are chemicals that are cheap to produce, are easy to get, and they are very good at dissolving oil and dirt. Sulfates are what create the foamy suds on your head that we incorrectly interpret to mean clean. When studies were conducted testing the most commonly used sulfate and sodium laryl sulfate (SLS) - a main ingredient in most shampoos on animals, the studies showed brain and nervous system effects in even moderate doses. The studies also discovered that sulfate sodium laryls SLS disrupts our hormones, damages our reproductive system and increases our risk of cancer.

Ever get shampoo in your eyes? It doesn't feel so good. This is because the SLS irritates them. Get some in your mouth? It also irritates your lungs. Whatever we put on our bodies get's absorbed into our bodies in 20 seconds! So every time you wash your hair with drugstore or salon shampoo, the sulfur is getting inside your central nervous system and to you organs. And whatever isn't absorbed into your body through your skin then gets washed down the drain and into our rivers and lakes, which causes damage to our aquatic life.

Sodium laryl sulphate is considered a probable human carcinogen by the US Environment Agency. "This product (shampoos with SLS) contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or other reproductive harm." And don't be fooled by grocery store "natural" "organic" brand shampoos, such as, Avalon, Abla, Jason, Givvanni, Ecco, Bella Nature's Gate, and Kiss My Faee as of 2009 they reformatted their products so that the levels of carcinogens are not detectable, but they still contain way too many questionable synthetics such as cocumide

Here are some shampooing tips:

When you are looking for a shampoo that isn't going to give you cancer or leech chemicals into your body. Look for shampoos (body washes and bars of soaps) without the letters ETHS or PEGS (polyethylene glycol) and these other bad boys (found in 80% of over 12,000 products surveyed by the David Suzuki Foundation) BHA and BHT DEA, Formaldehyde, Oxbenzone, Palm Oil, Parabens, Perfume/Fragrance, Mineral Oil, PDD, Phthalates, Retinyl palmitale, siloxanes, Sodium laureth sulphate and Triclosan/triclocaran.

Don't' fall for fluff words like "natural" and "organic". I noticed the other day that some "natural" shampoo brands are now advertising that they are free of Sodium Chloride. Ooo, impressive they have removed table salt! Instead of doing the hard job, the right thing, and removing the dangerous chemicals. They are removing salt so they can say "Free" of SOMETHING!

Many people say that when they switch to "natural" products their hair isn't as manageable. This is where Botanical shampoos are the answer baby!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Harmful-To-Your-Health---Why-You-Need-To-Throw-Away-Your-Shampoo!&id=7915081

How To Relieve Heartburn Naturally - Simple Tips

Learn how to relieve heartburn using these simple tips and tricks. You'll discover some changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle that will help prevent heartburn from occurring. If it does occur, you will find some tips that will help you to relieve the symptoms.

If you are one of those unfortunate people who suffer from heartburn regularly, you are not alone. An estimated 20-30% of all people are effected by acid reflux (the cause of heartburn) at least once a week. For most people, heartburn relief consists of taking antacids, H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). However, if you are not a fan of OTC's or prescription medications, read on and discover a more natural approach on how to relieve heartburn (or prevent it).

How to relieve heartburn through diet

Of course, instead of fighting the symptoms, it is preferable to prevent heartburn from occurring in the first place. Often, some simple changes to your diet and your lifestyle can work miracles in this respect.

Dietary changes

Certain foods are commonly known to trigger acid reflux in heartburn sufferers. There are also foods which may provide a soothing effect or reduce the symptoms. Of course every person is unique. What works for one person might not work for another. However, it is definitely worth your effort to research which foods may be triggering your heartburn and which foods help reduce the symptoms for you personally.

The best way to do this is by keeping a food journal. When you experience heartburn, make a record of what you ate. After doing this for a while, you will probably start to notice certain patterns and discover which foods are the main culprits.

Foods that may trigger heartburn

• Spicy foods
• Tomatoes
• Citrus fruits
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Carbonated drinks
• Peppermint
• Onions
• Alcohol
• Black pepper
• Pineapple
• Garlic
• High fat foods and fried foods

Foods that may help relieve heartburn

• Apples
• Apple cider vinegar
• Bananas
• Fennel seeds
• Vegetable juices
• Chamomile
• Ginger

How to relieve heartburn with lifestyle changes

In addition to paying attention to what you eat, you may have certain lifestyle habits which act to trigger heartburn or worsen its symptoms. Again, everyone is unique. The only way to find out what works best for you is by testing different methods to see which ones (or combinations) provide the best results for you personally. Here are some thins you might want to try:

Reduce portion size

Try to refrain from eating very large meals, especially those containing the heartburn triggering foods mentioned above. This puts your stomach into overdrive and increases the risk of stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus. It's better to eat smaller meals more frequently during the day.

Lose weight

Being overweight can cause extra pressure on your stomach. Of course it poses many other health risks as well. Losing those excess pounds by following a healthy diet and exercise regime, can greatly reduce the occurrence of heartburn.

Stay upright after meals

Many people have the tendency to slouch or lay down for an after dinner nap. This puts a lot of extra pressure on the stomach. Keeping an upright position after a large meal relieves the pressure as well as allowing gravity to take its natural course, preventing stomach acid from refluxing. It's best to wait for at least two hours after a meal before lying down or bending over.

Don't smoke or drink excessively

Both nicotine and alcohol tend to relax the esophageal sphincter (the ring shaped muscle between the stomach and the esophagus). This increases the risk of acid reflux.

Don't wear tight belts or clothing that is tight around the waist.

Again, this puts extra pressure on your stomach. After a large meal you might want to loosen your belt.

Sleep on your left side

If you regularly experience heartburn at night when you're in bed, try sleeping on your left side. This will prevent stomach acid from entering the esophagus and enhance the passing of food from the stomach into the intestines.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Relieve-Heartburn-Naturally---Simple-Tips&id=7961579

8 Things You Should Know About Heartburn

We all know that heartburn is a serious problem. Lots of people are victims of this disease. Millions of people in the USA are victims of this disease. There are many myths about this disease among people. This article talks about some important things you should know about heartburn. If you have this problem, then you could be highly benefited.

Beware of the Symptoms: Most people face heartburn because of acid reflux, but not all people face the same problem. There are many people who face swallowing. So, take all symptoms very seriously.

Antacids are not the Best Solution: Antacids are very common to all of us. If it is an occasional heartburn, then antacids could work well. But if you face the problem twice or more in a week, then you shouldn't take it lightly. Also, if it is too much to bear, then you should visit a doctor to solve your problem. In fact, some people can't sleep well at night due to this problem. 10% of the total people in the USA have chronic acid reflux.

Don't Ignore this Problem: For many people, the symptoms may not be very acute, so they might try to ignore them. This is not a good idea. If you ignore this disease, then you are giving the disease a chance to develop in your body. If you ignore it for a very long time, then it could create ulcers! So, take it seriously to avoid any further complications.

Women are also Vulnerable: Some people think that women are not vulnerable to this disease like men which is a wrong idea. Both men and women are equally vulnerable to this problem. During pregnancy, this problem could occur. Obesity is another risk factor which could trigger the problem.

No Need to Stop Eating your Favorite Foods: If someone has this problem, then all doctors advise them not to eat spicy foods which is not a right advice to everyone. It is found that both chocolate and spicy foods are not responsible to create this problem for everyone. So, the best way to identify the foods which are not good for you is to keep a note of the foods you eat every day.

Don't Eat Before You Sleep: Some of us have a bad habit to sleep as soon as possible after eating dinner. This is a bad practice. Eat minimum two hours before you go to sleep; it will give your stomach enough time to digest.

Lose Some Weight: Try to lose some weight; it could help minimize the problem.

It could be A Sign of Heart Attack: It is rare, but very few people could be unlucky. It could be cardiac related. So, it is a good idea to visit a cardiologist as well.

Heartburn is a very common problem these days. Your lifestyle could minimize this problem. Follow the tips stated above.

http://ezinearticles.com/?8-Things-You-Should-Know-About-Heartburn&id=7972447