It has been a hundred years since a Nobel Prize winner discovered the thin barrier that surrounds and protects brain. Since then, we’ve learned this mesh of tightly joined cells, called the blood-brain barrier, is highly selective in a healthy person. It allows the transport of compounds back and forth through an intricate transport system [...]
If you watch TV, read magazines, or surf the internet, you can’t escape the ads for drugs to treat depression and other mood disorders — antidepressants are touted as a magic bullet for the blues. True, these drugs help some of the one in ten people plagued by dark moods, but for others, taking the [...]
You can eat fermented foods every day and take all the probiotic supplements you want, but if you aren’t also feeding those intestinal bacteria what they want, you could be throwing your money away. That’s because to thrive and multiply, healthy gut bacteria need to eat. And what your gut bacteria like best is fiber. [...]
Brain cells, or neurons, are similar to muscles in that they are subject to the same basic “use it or lose it” principle to stay healthy well into old age. Although genetics play a role in how well our brains age, the brain also responds profoundly to dietary and lifestyle influences. Although the brain loves [...]
Although managing an autoimmune condition requires us extra care with diet, stress levels, sleep, and exertion, that doesn’t mean making travel off limits. Many people with autoimmunity have learned how to travel flare-free, even though it may take some extra prep time before hand. Be mindful to go into a travel experience with the mentality [...]
If you’re accustomed to zoning out before bed in front of your TV, phone, or computer, you are significantly hindering your brain’s ability to produce sleep hormones. A recent study found the blue light emitted from digital screens play a major role in sleep disturbances that have become so common. Almost half of Americans report [...]
You could be developing an autoimmune disease, one of the most common diseases today, and are not aware of it. This is because autoimmune diseases sometimes start off as “silent” autoimmunity. This means your immune system is attacking tissue in your body but the damage isn’t bad enough to cause symptoms yet. Autoimmune disease is [...]
New research shows the use of methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, prior to the maturation of the brain around age 23 can lead to long-term changes in how the brain functions. Methylphenidate appears to cause permanent alterations in how GABA, the neurotransmitter responsible for calming the brain, functions in the medial prefrontal cortex. This area of the [...]
Most people worry about high blood pressure, and with good reason as it portends numerous health risks. However, low blood pressure brings a different set of problems, such as reduced brain function and increased mortality risk. If the upper or lower number deviates by more than 10 from 120/80, it pays to be aware low [...]
Although most people worry about skull fractures and brain damage when they sustain a head injury, the inner ear, or vestibular system, also is frequently damaged and causes long-term problems if neglected. Vestibular injury frequently goes undiagnosed and underestimated despite causing symptoms such as dizziness, anxiety, depression, moodiness, tinnitus, balance problems, irritability, and more. Vestibular [...]