The Fascinating Science of Sleep and Dreams!   While many still approach sleeping as a waste of valuable time and hence something to be done as little as possible, overwhelming evidence shows sleeping more can actually boost both productiveness and creativity.1 In the video below, professor Matthew Walker, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of California Berkeley's Center for Human Sleep Science and author of the book "Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams," explains what happens in your brain while you dream — and why this is so important. What Happens During Dream Sleep? "Dreaming is essentially a time when we all become flagrantly psychotic," Walker says. The reasons for this rather extreme-sounding diagnosis are fivefold: When dreaming, you see things that aren't there, so you're basically hallucinating While in the dream, you believe things that cannot possibly be true, which means you're delusional While dreaming, you are confused about time, place and the identity of the people involved, so you're suffering from disorientation Emotions fluctuate wildly while dreaming, a condition known as being affectively labile Lastly, upon waking, you forget most if not all of your dream experience, so you're suffering from amnesia Any one of these, if experienced while awake, would be cause to seek psychiatric treatment. During sleep, however, these states appear to be part of completely normal biological and psychological processes. What then are the functions and benefits of dreaming? How Dreaming Benefits Creativity According to Walker, dream sleep, which occurs during the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycle, has at least two known brain benefits: creativity and psychological well-being. Starting with the former, during REM sleep in general, and dreaming specifically, information you've recently learned is integrated together with a catalog of autobiographical data from previous experiences, building novel connections between the old and the new. "It's almost like group therapy for memories," Walker says, adding, "Through this informational pattern alchemy at night, we create a revised mind-wide web of association. And you can start to divine new novel insights into previously unsolved problems, so that you wake up the next morning with new solutions." In fact, sleep increases, by about 250 percent, your ability to gain insights that would otherwise remain elusive. Tests also reveal that simply dreaming about performing an activity increases your actual physical performance tenfold. As old and new memories are integrated to form a new whole, new possible futures are also imagined. (This is what you actually perceive as "the action" of your dream.) The sum total of these processes allows you to see the meaning of life events. According to recent research,2,3 non-REM sleep and REM sleep appear to contribute to creative problem-solving in different albeit complementary ways. It seems the non-REM sleep portion known as slow-wave sleep (which is vastly different from the light phase non-REM sleep that makes up most of the night) is a time during which your brain replays memories that are thematically related in [...]

How to Test for Heavy Metals   Detoxification is an important aspect of optimal health, but can be quite confusing, not to mention risky if done incorrectly. Wendy Myers, a functional diagnostic nutritionist, founder of MyersDetox.com and author of "Limitless Energy: How to Detox Toxic Metals to End Exhaustion and Chronic Fatigue," is a treasure trove of information on this topic. One key component many fail to take into consideration when detoxing is their exposure to non-native electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and microwave radiation from cellphones and Wi-Fi routers. Unless you address these exposures, your detoxification capacity may be impeded. In other words, your body may not be able to excrete heavy metals as efficiently as it would otherwise, due to the interference caused by EMFs. EMFs Hinder Detoxification As explained by Myers, when you have heavy metals in your body, you tend to attract EMFs to your body. EMFs in turn impact your body's metabolism and functioning — and its ability to effectively eliminate toxins and heavy metals. "That is one of the things I work with," Myers says. "Identifying and trying to reduce EMF in [my clients'] environment, so they can improve their body's ability to function generally and to detox." In my book, "Fat for Fuel: A Revolutionary Diet to Combat Cancer, Boost Brain Power and Increase Your Energy," I detail a program to improve your mitochondrial function, and reducing your toxic burden is an important part of the equation. Your mitochondria will suffer as long as you bombard your body with EMF. In fact, EMF exposure itself is intrinsically a mitochondrial poison. Professor Emeritus Martin Pall wrote an excellent paper explaining one of the primary mechanisms of harm from exposure to microwave radiation from cell phones. It is related to voltage-gated calcium channels. EMFs impact these calcium channels that release calcium into the cell. Calcium causes nitric oxide release and combines with superoxide, thereby creating perioxinitrate, which is a massive producer of hydroxyl free radicals, the most destructive free radical known. Regular exposure to EMFs can actually poison your cells more than ionizing radiation from X-rays. Common Metals That Wreak Havoc With Your Mitochondrial Function Fatigue is a widespread problem today. "In doing my research, I was trying to figure out what is making us so tired," Myers says. Eventually, she discovered a treasure trove of mitochondrial research and studies showing how various metals impact the mitochondria's ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency in your body. Metals that are particularly detrimental to mitochondrial function include: • Aluminum, which is very prevalent in our environment, including the air we breathe, thanks to geoengineering. Aluminum is also found in many vaccines, and is used in water treatment plants to separate out sediments. Antiperspirants, aluminum cans, foil and cookware are other common sources of exposure. Aluminum poisons enzymes that transport nutrients into your mitochondria, impeding their ability to produce energy. "When you remove aluminum and other mitochondrial poisons, we see a dramatic uptake [...]

Early Birds May Have Higher Cortisol Levels in the Morning   Your chronotype, or what time of day you prefer to conduct your daily activities, is the result of both innate and environmental factors. Many people identify as being more of an "early bird" or "night owl" but fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. True night owls, however, described as later or evening chronotypes, tend to go to sleep later, and both later bedtimes and having an evening chronotype have been associated with an increased risk of health problems ranging from metabolic dysfunction to heart disease.1 Recent research has now shown that night owls face additional health risks as well, including an increased risk of premature death. So while early birds are rewarded by catching the worm, night owls must grapple with health risks, perhaps because the modern world forces them to exist in a timeframe that's mismatched to their biological circadian disposition. Being a Night Owl Raises Mortality Risk by 10 Percent The study, published in Chronobiology International,2 involved more than 433,000 people who were classified as definite or moderate morning or evening types. At the end of the 6.5-year study, people who were definite evening types had a 10 percent increased risk of dying from any cause compared to definite morning types. In fact, the more a person trended toward an evening chronotype, the higher their disease risk became. Compared to early birds, night owls had nearly double the risk of developing a psychological disorder, a 30 percent higher risk of diabetes, a 23 percent higher risk of respiratory disease and a 22 percent higher risk of gastrointestinal disease.3 The increased risk of disease and mortality could be due, according to researchers, to behavioral, psychological and physiological risk factors that may be "attributable to chronic misalignment between internal physiological timing and externally imposed timing of work and social activities."4 In other words, for people who are naturally predisposed to wanting to be awake at later times of day, the challenge of having to wake early and function out of sync with their internal clock could have health consequences. It's not necessarily that being a night owl is harmful in itself, but rather that night owls are often expected to behave like early birds, even if their bodies are telling them otherwise. It's important to note, too, that only those who identified as being "definite" evening types experienced the large jump in health risks. People in the "moderate" category were much less affected. Jamie Zeitzer, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, also told CNN, "It's not intrinsically chronotype that's bad; it's chronotype plus our society ... and not all societies are the same … If you looked in Spain, where people are much later in terms of when they go to work, my guess is that the health consequences are probably less than in the U.K."5 Night Owls [...]

You share your body with trillions of microorganisms, the bulk of which reside in your gut, including your stomach and small and large intestines. There, however, they are not restricted to influencing only the goings-on of your digestive process. Far from it, these microorganisms, collectively known as your microbiome, influence your body's homeostasis daily and are intricately tied to other body systems via a number of complex pathways, including the gut-brain axis and a recently revealed gut-brain-bone marrow axis, the latter of which may influence your blood pressure, mood and more. One of the most compelling avenues of study relating to your microbiome is how it relates to your sleep. It's already known that sleep influences your gut health, in part because lack of it makes it harder for you to control your impulses and manipulates hormones linked to food intake, causing you to eat more and crave unhealthy foods. So skimping on sleep is a remarkably good bellwether of a poor diet, the latter of which can quickly take a toll on your gut health. Now researchers are asking whether the opposite also holds true and perhaps your microbiome influences your ability to sleep as well. Can Your Microbiome Keep You Up at Night? Although the science is in its early stages, researchers are looking into whether improving gut health could act as a new form of sleep therapy. Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, told The Guardian:1 "There is no question in my mind that gut health is linked to sleep health, although we do not have the studies to prove it yet. Scientists investigating the relationship between sleep and the microbiome are finding that the microbial ecosystem may affect sleep and sleep-related physiological functions in a number of different ways: shifting circadian rhythms, altering the body's sleep-wake cycle, affecting hormones that regulate sleep and wakefulness." For instance, writing in the journal Chest, researchers pointed out that changes in gut microbiota have long been linked to lifestyle behaviors such as diet, travel, exercise and disturbances to circadian rhythm.2 Meanwhile, diseases once primarily attributed to lifestyle, such as obesity, heart disease and depression, are turning out to have increasing links to microbiota. In this case, they believe that "microbial-immune cross-talk" may be playing a role in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), particularly in fatal cases. "[W]e posit that altered patterns of sleep and oxygenation, as seen in OSA, will promote specific alterations in gut microbiota which in turn will elicit the immunological alterations that lead to OSA-induced end-organ morbidities," they stated. Likewise, in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, researchers evaluated the interplay between sleep dysfunction, gastrointestinal health and disease, with particular focus on how the effects of sleep and circadian rhythm disruption could affect the microbiota.3 Yet another study pointed out that partial sleep deprivation is known to alter gut microbiome, and its composition is linked to cognitive flexibility. Their study found that there could be [...]

Medicinal Uses for Baking Soda   Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate or NaHCO3), popularized by Arm & Hammer more than 150 years ago, is a staple in many homes for baking and cleaning purposes, but this inexpensive ingredient also has a number of medicinal uses and benefits. It rates right up there with hydrogen peroxide as one of the most inexpensive and safe health tools around, so it makes sense to learn all you can about the many uses of baking soda. It's commonly known to have alkalinizing, antacid and electrolyte replacement properties.1 When taken internally, baking soda is thought to raise the pH of your blood. This appears to be the basic premise behind its recommended use against colds and influenza symptoms, recounted in a 1924 Arm & Hammer booklet on the medical uses of baking soda.2,3 Long-distance runners have also engaged in a practice known as "soda doping" — taking baking soda capsules — before races to enhance performance — a measure thought to work similarly to carbohydrate loading. In this case, by increasing the pH of your blood, this practice is thought to offset the acidity produced in muscles during intense activity. While I do not suggest or recommend you try this at home, use of baking soda has also been shown to improve speed among swimmers.4 Research5 has also shown drinking baking soda solution can help pregnant women who are having a slow or difficult labor to avoid C-sections in about 20 percent of cases by neutralizing acid in their womb. This could spell the difference between life and death in developing countries and/or instances where C-section is not an option. Baking Soda May Be an Inexpensive Treatment for Autoimmune Diseases Most recently, research funded by the National Institutes of Health suggests baking soda may be an effective treatment adjunct for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases. According to this study,6,7 led by renal physiologist Paul O'Connor and published in The Journal of Immunology, drinking a solution of water and baking soda appears to prime your immune system against inflammation. Although this study suggests some benefits from baking soda for rheumatoid arthritis, there are far more fundamental approaches that should be tried before this as detailed in "Inspiring Account of How to Put Rheumatoid Arthritis Into Remission." Additionally, one could avoid lectins for autoimmune diseases like RA. The theory was initially tested on rats, and later in human subjects. According to O'Connor, baking soda may indeed be "a really safe way to treat inflammatory disease,"8, including arthritis. As reported by Medical News Today:9 "Their experiments tell a complex story about how this salt provides a signal to a special kind of cell called 'mesothelial cells,' telling them that the body is fine and not under attack, rendering an aggressive immune system unnecessary. Thus, harmful autoimmune responses are averted. Mesothelial cells line the internal organs as well as many different cavities in the body … Basically, in O'Connor words, mesothelial cells learn [...]

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, you could walk into a drug store and find hundreds of herbal extracts for sale. Upwards of 90 percent of the population at that time knew how to use the medicinal plants growing in their backyards to treat common illnesses and injuries; they had too, as this was virtually the only "medicine" available. Unlike drugs, which typically work via one mechanism, like targeting bacteria, herbs work synergistically to address underlying imbalances in your body that may lead to disease. As herbalist Matthew Wood said in the documentary "Numen:" "It [traditional medicine] works instead by changing the environment, working to address imbalances in organ systems and tissue states, not targeting a specific bacteria with a single chemical extracted from a plant or synthesized in a lab." The use of plants as medicine is one of the only forms of healing that's embraced by every culture and ethnicity, and that has endured since ancient times and is still in use today in most areas of the world. It's the oldest system of healing on the planet. In the past I have regarded herbs, in many cases, as an alternative to drugs, useful for treating various symptoms but not to treat the underlying cause. I have since revised my opinion on this quite significantly, and now realize that herbs can help support your health from a very basic level, just as foods do. Toward that end, there are many health complaints that herbal remedies may help, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is certainly among them. What Is Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)? Premenstrual syndrome describes a group of symptoms that may occur one to two weeks before a woman's monthly menstruation. Symptoms vary widely, in both severity and type, but may include:1 Acne Swollen or tender breasts Feeling tired Trouble sleeping Upset stomach or bloating Headache or backache Appetite changes or food cravings Joint or muscle pain Trouble with concentration or memory Tension, irritability, mood swings, or crying spells Anxiety or depression Constipation or diarrhea Hormone fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle are thought to be a primary cause of PMS, although chemical changes in your brain may also play a role. Low levels of certain vitamins and minerals are associated with PMS, while stress and depression may make symptoms worse. PMS may affect women of any age, although it's most common among women between their late 20s and early 40s. It's also more likely in women who have had at least one child, have a family history of depression or have had postpartum depression or another mood disorder. Further, it's incredibly common, affecting at least 85 percent of menstruating women.2 15 Plants to Soothe PMS PMS symptoms may be mild or severe, acting as a mere inconvenience or significantly interfering with your quality of life. Many women turn to over-the-counter pain relievers to ease symptoms, and some even go so far as to use birth control pills to stop ovulation (which tends [...]