Your Gut and Depression..what is the connection..

Most people fail to realize that your gut is quite literally your second brain, and actually has the ability to significantly influence your:

• Mind
• Mood
• Behavior

So while modern psychiatry still falsely claims that psychological problems such as depression are caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain, researchers keep finding that depression and a variety of behavioral problems actually appear to be linked to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut!

Germ-Free Mice Engage in High-Risk Behavior

In the featured study published last month in Neurogastroenterology & Motility, mice that lack gut bacteria were found to behave differently from normal mice, engaging in what would be referred to as "high-risk behavior." This altered behavior was accompanied by neurochemical changes in the mouse brain.
According to the authors, microbiota (your gut flora) may play a role in the communication between your gut and your brain, and:

"Acquisition of intestinal microbiota in the immediate postnatal period has a defining impact on the development and function of the gastrointestinal, immune, neuroendocrine and metabolic systems. For example, the presence of gut microbiota regulates the set point for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity."

The neurotransmitter serotonin activates your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by stimulating certain serotonin receptors in your brain. Additionally, neurotransmitters like serotonin can also be found in your gut. In fact, the greatest concentration of serotonin, which is involved in mood control, depression and aggression, is found in your intestines, not your brain!
So it actually makes perfect sense to nourish your gut flora for optimal serotonin function as it can have a profound impact on your mood, psychological health, and behavior.
The authors concluded that:

"[T]he presence or absence of conventional intestinal microbiota influences the development of behavior..."

This conclusion adds support to another recent animal study, which also found that gut bacteria may influence mammalian early brain development and behavior. But that's not all. They also discovered that the absence or presence of gut microorganisms during infancy permanently alters gene expression.

Through gene profiling, they were able to discern that absence of gut bacteria altered genes and signaling pathways involved in learning, memory, and motor control. This suggests that gut bacteria is closely tied to early brain development and subsequent behavior. These behavioral changes could be reversed as long as the mice were exposed to normal microorganisms early in life. But once the germ-free mice had reached adulthood, colonizing them with bacteria did not influence their behavior.

According to Dr. Rochellys Diaz Heijtz, lead author of the study:

"The data suggests that there is a critical period early in life when gut microorganisms affect the brain and change the behavior in later life."

In a similar way, probiotics have also been found to influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner.

The Gut-Brain Connection

When you consider the fact that the gut-brain connection is recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, and that there's no shortage of evidence of gastrointestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases, it's easy to see how the balance of gut bacteria can play a significant role in your psychology and behavior as well.

With this in mind, it should also be crystal clear that nourishing your gut flora is extremely important, from cradle to grave, because in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment.
Interestingly, these two organs are actually created out of the same type of tissue. During fetal development, one part turns into your central nervous system while the other develops into your enteric nervous system. These two systems are connected via the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve that runs from your brain stem down to your abdomen. This is what connects your two brains together, and explains such phenomena as getting butterflies in your stomach when you're nervous, for example. (For an interesting and well-written layman's explanation of this connection, read through Sandra Blakeslee's 1996 New York Times article Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butterflies.)

Your gut and brain work in tandem, each influencing the other. This is why your intestinal health can have such a profound influence on your mental health, and vice versa.
As a result, it should be obvious that your diet is closely linked to your mental health. Furthermore, it's requires almost no stretch of the imagination to see how lack of nutrition can have an adverse effect on your mood and subsequently your behavior.

Continue here for the whole article..

Cheerleading The Most Dangerous Sport for Women!

 

Inside Cheerleading: The Most Dangerous Sport for Women

The Risks, the Rigors and the Role of Chiropractic Care

By Brenda Duran

On a warm evening in 2003, Krista Parks was beaming with pride on a football field as a cheerleader at the University of Memphis. This was her moment - her squad was practicing for the national cheer championship in Orlando, Fla.

Parks was to pull off an ambitious stunt - a high front flip in the air from the top of the pyramid, landing in the arms of her squad; instead, she lost her momentum and fell head first onto a 2-inch foam mat on concrete. The result: a broken neck, a blood clot in her brain and multiple fractures.

"I couldn't feel or move anything," Parks recalled. "I was pretty miserable."

Following the incident Parks underwent three surgeries, had to wear a neck brace, and then had to deal with years of physical therapy. A permanent shunt was placed in her spine to help drain fluid from her brain because her body can no longer do it. 

Today, she is also dealing with life-altering changes to her cognitive abilities - loss of memory, delayed comprehension and mental fogginess.

 

"It's not just throwing around pom poms, it is a real, dangerous athletic activity that comes with risks," said Parks, now executive director for the National Cheer Safety Foundation. "There is a lot that needs to be done to make it safer." 

And one of the things that can make it much safer - and healing faster - is consistent chiropractic care, she said.

"Chiropractic care has helped me with pain management, I can sleep better and not have to finish my day in agonizing pain," said Parks, who also works as a physical therapy assistant at Spinal Healthcare Associates in Memphis, Tenn. "It's an approach to pain management I really love."

Since she started chiropractic care for her catastrophic injuries a few years ago, Parks said her pain level has decreased to the point where she can function much better on a daily basis.

The Most Dangerous Female Sport

In a 2009 report, the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury (NCCSI) Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C., declared cheerleading the "most dangerous female sport in the United States" based on injury data they obtained from 1982-2008 that showed approximately two-thirds of severe school sports injuries over the past 25 years were from cheerleading.

The reason is quite straightforward: At many high schools and colleges, and at the professional level, it is no longer enough for the cheer squad to simply coordinate chants and perform dance routines.

Foods that you THINK are healthy.. but are NOT!!

Sometimes in your best efforts to eat healthy and lose weight, you end up eating foods that are not all that great for you. I hear from friends and family all the time about the "great food choice" they just made for themselves and how "proud" they are about it. Now most of these things are better than the drive-thru lane at McDonalds, but in my head I'm thinking, "Oh no, you can't think these are healthy!" This isn't your fault, though!! Through media and advertising, companies are making you think what you're putting in your mouth is super healthy and good for you, when in reality there are much better choices for you. It can get really confusing!! So I'm going to help you by giving you a list of foods that might make you think, "SCORE! I'm eating healthy!" And THEN I'm going to give you the real lowdown on why you may want to think twice about consuming these foods and give you healthier alternatives.

1) Granola

Granola might sound like a super healthy carb to incorporate into your diet. It usually contains oatmeal (and other healthy grains) and raisins, so how can you go wrong with that, right? You can because granola is LOADED with sugar!!! Check out a label next time you're at the grocery store.
Healthy alternative:Kashi Cereal
Kashi is my absolute favorite cereal. If you want granola, choose one of their cereals to sprinkle on your yogurt or mix with your fruit, etc. You'll be saving yourself a ton of calories and sugar while loading up on healthy whole grains, fiber, and even protein.

2) Flavored Yogurts

These yogurts contain unnecessary sugar, lots of preservatives, and artificial flavors. These preservatives and artificial flavors do absolutely nothing for you and your body doesn't know what to do with them. These yogurts also don't contain a whole lot of protein.
Healthy alternative: Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
This stuff rocks!! It's clean and has 22-25 grams of protein per serving. It also has a TON of potential for every meal of the day. You can sweeten it up with ingredients like fruit and honey or make it savory by adding herbs and spices to make a rockin' dip for your veggies. Play with it and see what you can come up with!

3) Protein Bars

Not all protein bars are created equal. There are SO many bars that are extremely high in calories, sugar, and preservatives. So when you're looking for a good protein bar make sure to check your labels for ingredients. Most of the time you'll just be eating a slightly healthier version of a candy bar.
Healthy alternative: Homemade Protein Bars
Making protein bars at home is really quick and easy. Plus, you know exactly what's going in them. I also think they actually taste better and less like "diet food" if you make them yourself. There are plenty of recipes you can find online or in Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet books.

4) Smoothies

There are so many people that order these from restaurants and coffee shops thinking they are choosing the healthy alternative, but this is another one that is loaded with sugar and other foreign ingredients. Most places don't even use fresh fruit in their smoothies, but rather a commercial concentrated smoothie mix. And the calories are through the roof some more in the upward numbers of 500 calories!
Healthy alternative:Homemade Smoothies
Making your own smoothie is just as easy (if not easier) than stopping somewhere to have one made for you and there is an endless supply of combinations and ingredients to choose from. You can add fruits, veggies, protein powder, yogurt, honey, oatmeal, wheat germ, or flaxseed. You name it and you could probably make a smoothie out of it. Your homemade smoothie will be extremely clean, extremely tasty, and keep you satisfied.

5) Salads

You might be proud about ordering a salad for lunch with your co-workers while everyone else is ordering burgers, but I can guarantee you're eating about as many calories as your co-workers are. Yes, most salads are healthy, but what isn't is the dressing they're all doused in and the garlic bread or rolls that may be served with them.
Healthy alternative: Bring your own dressing
If you can, make your own salad, but if you know you're going to be going out to lunch or dinner with co-workers, friends, or family, tell the server to hold the dressing and ask for oil, vinegar, and lemon wedges, or bring your own light or fat-free dressing. THEN you can be proud about eating that salad.

So as you can see, it's really wise to make your own foods when you can. That may sound inconvenient, but it really isn't. Take the time on a Sunday for an hour or so to make some food for the next week or two and store it in the freezer in individual portions. Then when you need it, it's as simple as pulling it out for the day.
And when it comes to all the confusion about what's healthy and what's not, keep it simple, and don't fret it. Here's some easy tips:

1) Read your labels - If there's anything you can't pronounce, leave it on the shelf.

2) Shop the perimeter - Shopping the outer walls of your grocery store (for the most part) can give you a great idea of the clean food you should be shopping for.

3) Make a list - Sticking to a list will help keep you from straying into the "unhealthy" sections of the grocery store.

4) Read The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno - This book is THE BEST guide for eliminating the confusion of what's clean and what isn't.

Article written: by Sherry French

New Year.. New Goals!!!! Drink More Water..

 It's likely that the only reason you think you need to drink water is to stay "hydrated," but you might not truly understand what this means. Let's delve into the meaning behind hydration and just why you need to drink so much plain, "boring" water.

1. Your body is made up primarily of water. When you're properly hydrated, about two-thirds of your body is water—muscle tissue is even higher, at around 70 percent, while fat is less. Muscle powers your body and fat protects it. Put two and two together, and you may infer that water is vital to the things that make your body do stuff. When you don't drink enough water, your body declines into a state we call dehydration. Get too dehydrated, and your body will not function properly, which isn't too surprising when your body's low on such a vital nutrient. (Your body can be as much as up to 65 percent water!)
   
2. You don't need to drink 65 percent of your weight in water each day. This is because, one, if you lost all the water in your body, you'd be dead, and two, that water makes up most of all the living things on our planet. Since we eat living—or recently alive—things, we get some water from the things we eat. When we cook things, they lose their water. This means that the more raw whole foods you eat, the less water you need to drink. Fruits and veggies lead the group of water-rich foods and contain around 95 percent water. If you eat a lot of plants, you can drink less water. But if you don't . . .
3. There is more to hydration than just your water levels. Chemicals in your body react with water so that you can function. We lose water in the form of sweat, and sweat is made up of water and body "salts," which are mainly sodium, chloride, and potassium, but they also include magnesium, calcium, and so on. These are called electrolytes and, basically, are the reason that salt is such a vital component in your diet. Salt is a mixture of sodium and chloride, but generally, we use the term "salts" in reference to electrolytes. Too much salt is bad and too little is bad. Both can kill you. This is why, like water, the amount you consume should be directly related to the workload your body is put under. More exercise equals more sweat, meaning that you need more water and more salt.
   
4. What about water weight? Some people are afraid to drink a lot of water because they're afraid of gaining "water weight." This is the opposite of what you should do. Water weight is a term for your body holding on to excess water because it's not getting enough. The best way to get rid of water weight is to drink more water. It works two ways. If you don't drink enough water or if you eat too much salt in your diet, your body hoards water. This water/salt relationship is referred to as your electrolyte balance.
   
   Generally, there's an easy way to tell if you need more water or salt; because most people drink too little water and eat far too much salt—especially those who eat in restaurants. So when you aren't exercising, you almost never need more salt. When you are exercising, getting enough salt becomes an issue. Endurance athletes are ever aware of the need to have enough salt to avoid a condition called hyponatremia, a condition that results when you've had too much water and not enough salt, basically just dehydration from a different angle. Those who don't exercise outdoors excessively almost never have to worry about this condition.
5. So what does water do for you? You'll often hear claims that water helps chemical reactions, regulates your body temperature, and lubricates your joints, eyes, and spinal cord. Sure, it does all of this stuff. In fact, since you're mostly made up of water, a case can be made that it does almost everything. So why split hairs? Your body doesn't work, at all, without being fed a lot of water. You can live days, weeks, and, sometimes, even months without food. But you can't live even a few days without water.
   
6. Itchy skin. Dry skin. Constipation. Sneezing. Dry cough, headaches, nosebleeds, and acne. These are common ailments related to drinking too little water. Since water regulates your body's functions, it makes sense that minor glitches in bodily functions may be related to not drinking enough water. And this is just a partial list of common ailments. Many symptoms blamed on allergies are probably due to living in a dehydrated state. When you are properly hydrated, your body can better defend itself.
   
7. The above symptoms may be worse in the winter. Water is required just to breathe, and you lose water through your mouth and lungs. During winter, when the air is dry, more water is required. Add forced heat in the air—like from home heating systems and fires—and the situation is exacerbated. This means that you need to drink extra water in the winter when it's cold, even though you are probably less thirsty.
   
8. Water and your immune system. During winter, lack of water will dry out the mucous membranes of your lungs, gut, and sinus passages and lessen your resistance to disease. These barriers protect your body against bacteria, viruses, and pollutants when you're fully hydrated and intact. Allowing them to dry out could be the leading cause of the common cold and allergic symptoms, not to mention things like constipation, sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and long-term diseases like hemorrhoids and colon cancer.
   
9. Water and fat loss. We haven't yet discussed the importance of fat mobilization for energy and its relation to weight loss and effective exercise because, well, this is Nutrition 911 and that sounds complicated. Anyway, water is the main component of this action. A well-hydrated body has higher levels of oxygen in the bloodstream, translating into an increased ability to burn fat as fuel. The more efficiently you burn fat as fuel, the more effectively you exercise, leading to a better overall body composition.
10. How much water? It's said you need about 8 glasses of water a day. However, this will vary due to your activity level and environmental conditions. As a general rule, add a couple of glasses during the hot days of summer and the dry, cold nights of winter. During exercise, you may lose a quart an hour or more. While all liquids provide water, sugar, diuretics (caffeine, etc.), and carbonation reduce the hydration effect. Combining all three, as in soda, can reduce the hydration efficiency of the liquid to almost nil.

NEVER use this sweetner during pregnancy.

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener also known as NutraSweet or Equal, is used in more than 6,000 products, (soda, candy, juice, yogurt, sugar free jello and so many more). Research has shown that aspartame is a carcinogenic agent, and that its effects are increased when exposure starts before birth.

A new study looked at the effect of giving aspartame to mice.  They were exposed to aspartame starting before their births (at 12 days of gestation) and lasting until their deaths.  At that time, autopsies revealed a significantly increased risk of liver and lung cancer.

According to the study in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine:

“The results of the present study confirm that [aspartame] is a carcinogenic agent in multiple sites in rodents, and that this effect is induced in two species, rats (males and females) and mice (males).”

Caffeine Lovers

Asthma Symptoms? Try Caffeine

(this article can be found in the NY Times)

The chemical structure of caffeine resembles that of a common asthma medication that relaxes the airway muscles and relieves respiratory problems, reports Anahad O’Connor.

In a 2007 study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers pooled and analyzed the results of a half dozen clinical trials looking at the effects of caffeine on asthmatics. They found that caffeine produced small improvements in airway function for up to four hours, compared with a placebo, and that even a small dose — less than the amount in a cup of Starbucks coffee — could improve lung function for up to two hours.

Healthy Gums..

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Healthy Gum..

Researchers have recently found omega-3 fatty acids may actually lower the risk of gum disease. This finding came after studying data of more than 9,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1999 and 2004. Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fish oils and have a number of healthy benefits including their ability to significantly reduce harmful inflammation in the body. The data indicated that the top one third of participants in the survey in terms of those who consumed the most omega-3s in their diets had an approximately 22 percent reduction in their likelihood of developing gum disease, as compared with the bottom one third. While more research is needed, this is more positive news for the consumption of higher quantities of omega-3 fatty acids and thus, more reason to eat foods high in omega-3s (primarily fish) as well as consider a quality omega-3 supplement.