Apples and Brain

Hey guys!! How are you guys doing? I hope you are doing good ❤ Today, We will be talking about how apples are extremely beneficial for our brain health.

Quercetin -An antioxidant

A 2006 study published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine found that quercetin (one of the antioxidants found abundantly in apples) was one of two compounds that helped to reduce cellular death that is caused by oxidation and inflammation of neurons.
In the body, Quercetin acts like natural Claritin and Ibuprofen all at once. In other words, it’s a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.

Increases acetylcholine production

In the Journalof Alzheimer’s disease,apple is found to increase ACETYLCHOLINE production resulting in improved memory in mice having Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.

Prevents Dementia

A study published in the Journal of Food Science in 2008 suggested that eating apples may have benefit for your neurological health.

The study concluded that including apples in your diet significantly decreases oxidative stress which damages your brain cells and so by fighting with this oxidative stress apples can help prevent cognitive decline.It can decrease the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

Reducing the Risk of stroke

A research involving 9,080 men concluded that the intake of apples is related to a decreased risk of thrombotic stroke.Thrombosis is clot in medical terms.Strokes are of two types

Ischemic(Oxygen deprivation) No bleeding oxygen mostly seen in MI patients(heart attack or angina patients)

While Thrombotic one is related to bleeding mostly seen in High blood pressure patients.

Riboflavin,Vit B6 and Thiamine

These vitamins are key in maintaining the nervous system in good health.

Vit B6 and Vit B 12 deficiency can lead to cramps.Especially seen in patients taking PPIs (sante,nexum,omeprazole or esomeprazole)

The Apple peel

Most of the fiber and antioxidants are in the peel, says Dianne Hyson, Ph.D., R.D., a research dietitian at UC Davis in the Department of Internal Medicine.

Malic Acid

Green apples are sore due to malic acid which can reduce muscle pain

Good Bye .Stay healthy and happy ❤

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Different postures and memory

Hey guys!! I hope you are doing good <3!! Welcome back!! Today, we will be talking about how sitting, walking and standing might affect our memory. So let’s get started!

Recent research has shown that how exercise is beneficial for our brain and not just that it helps prevent depression. But what about other body postures do they have an effect on us too?

One study covered on Medical News Today earlier this year showed that aerobic exercise helps preserve brain health, keeping neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, at bay.

Walking

Research shows that walking 4,000 steps each day can boost cognitive function in older adults.But, 4000 steps 😮
Too much sitting

Another research claims that too much sitting can harm our temporal lobe which process memories nd language.

New Research

This new Research was published in the british journal of Psychology

In the research, the team recruited 24 participants who undertook EEG testing as they performed the memory task in different conditions: while seated on a stationary bicycle, while pedaling, while standing on a treadmill, and as they were walking on a treadmill.

The lead authors observed that the participants visual memory improved when they were cycling or walking rather than when they were seated or simply standing

Minimize mistakes

When it comes to posture,standing helps in minimizing mistakes

The authors wrote

“Our behavioral results indicate that both acute aerobic exercise and upright posture expedited the overall speed of processing as compared to passive and seated conditions, while upright posture additionally served to reduce error rates,”

Aerobic Exercise

Furthermore,their research also shed light through EEG that there are two brain areas which get a boost during aerobic exercise

Frontoparietal Cortex(the attention hub)

And the

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(working memory and selective attention)

In short the brain’s executive function functions better with aerobic exercise.

Bye Bye Pals ❤ Take care

Love yourself 😉

Dangers of Sleeping too much

Hey guys!! Welcome back to another of my neuroluscious blog. I hope you are doing good ❤ Today, i will be talking about sleeping too much and its negative consequences. We have all heard of how sleep is oh so beneficial and its so so essential etc etc that we don’t even know how can too much sleep disturb us and sets us up for cognitive problems. I started experiencing this in these vacations and I was really upset about this. Even though i was getting more more sleep approximately 9 hours still I was drowsy in the day. I couldn’t think straight and I was like WTF is this happening and then i realized that i am sleeping a bit too much and i decided to do some research on this oversleeping stuff. Now, luckily i have gained control over this oversleeping of mine.

How much is too much sleep?

Its normally said that sleep beyond seven or eight hours of sleep is too much sleep.

But it still depends upon: genetics

Your genes influence your circadian rhythm, your drive to sleep

Age
You may find you need 7 hours of sleep in your 20s, and 8 hours—or 6.5—in your 50s or 60s.

Activity level

If you have worked hard its quite likely you will be requiring more sleep than required.

Health

Colds,flu,cancer and other ailments require more additional rest than ever.

Life circumstances

Your stress or any change in your life might also cause you to need more sleep.

We are talking about occasional sleep that we all require once in a while after working so hard.

Symptoms of excessive sleep

Sleeping for extended hours

Difficulty in waking up in the morning

Trouble rising from bed

Grogginess on and off during the day

Trouble concentrating

Hypersomnia is the term used for excessive sleep

The study

Launched in June 2017, the online sleep study collected data from more than 40,000 participants in just the first few days.
It took the scientists by surprise that getting 7–8 hours of sleep each night was associated with the highest cognitive functioning. Both shorter and longer duration of sleep caused a dip in performance.

The lead study author Conar said

‘

We also found that people that slept more than that amount were equally impaired as those who slept too little.”

Oversleep and depression

Particularly in younger adults and teenagers oversleep and depression coexist.
Approximately 40% or more adults under 30 have depression with oversleeping
Disruptive sleep is both a symptom and contributing factor for depression.
Women, in particular, may be more likely to oversleep and feel excessively tired during the day if they are depressed.

Consistency is the most important element of a strong, health-promoting sleep routine. Identify the right amount of sleep you need then set up a schedule that enables you to meet that need routinely. It can take a bit of trial and error to get the amount right.

Sweet dreams 😉

Bye bye 🙂 Lots of love

Depression and low Self-esteem

Hey guys! I hope you are doing good ❤ Well, I have a bad headache today 😦 So, lets look at the association between depression and self-esteem through the lens of neuroscience. Depressed people tend to be more into negative self talk about themselves. Low self-esteem is definitely linked to depression. You continuously bring yourself down.You consider yourself not good enough etc etc

But what really happens in the brain?

The Study:
In 2017, researcher and psychiatrist Christopher Davey and his colleagues compared the brain blood flow of 86 unmedicated depressed patients with that of 95 healthy control participants using a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) called functional MRI.

Self-description

This gif shows Posterior cingulate cortex

What they find out through their research was that the front(medial prefrontal cortex)and the back (posterior cingulate cortex) works in a coordinated manner when we are describing ourselves.

Depressed people

When depressed people were reflecting upon themselves there was really no coordination between the front and the back regions of the brain.

When the back region was activated by reflecting the front region becomes overreacted to counteract the back region.

To establish some order,the brain had to overwork too.No wonder why depression can lead to fatigue.

Self system therapy

This is a new treatment which serves to be very effective in counteracting depression.

The first step in this treatment is self awareness that your brain is distorting your own self image due to the uncoordination between the front and the back regions of your brain.

Once you understand this focus your attention to more positive goals and do them more often to boost your self-esteem.

Bye Bye!!Good Luck ❤ Lots of love

Dementia-A normal part of aging?

Hey guys!! How you guys doing? I hope you are doing good ❤ Today, we will be talking about why aging and dementia although closely related are miles apart. An aging person doesn’t necessarily have to have dementia.

We have a commonly held belief that when we get old we are bound to have cognitive impairment. While certainly there are age related cognitive changes but a decline in overall functioning doesnot exist.

Many examples of this myth are present in the media,

scientific literature and everyday life. A particularly

striking example was published in the media three

years ago after an unfortunate on-air moment involving

Don Cherry. Cherry verbally attacked the actions of

Toronto’s City Hall and was subsequently described in

the National Post as “your basic senile grandpa”. While

Cherry’s remarks could have been more eloquently

worded, so could the reporter’s remarks from the

National Post. The comments in the article not only

attribute Cherry’s verbal attack to his age, but also

assume that senility is a “basic” grandfatherly trait.

Majority of the people believe that senility is a trait associated with age 65 Although only 4% of the people above 65 and above have dementia.

After the age of 70 there is a decrease in the volume of the brain which is seen in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus.The hippocampus decline is much less as compared to that seen in a person with Alzheimer’s there’s a decrease in blood flow and oxygen consumption as well as there’s a recruitment of additional activation areas.The recruitment of additional activation areas compensates for the volume loss thus it helps to prevent global decline.The ability to encode new information is increased while the recall is difficult and takes much longer. As well the cumulative effect of learning over one’s lifespan actually increases.

The myth that cognitive impairment is inevitable in old age should be busted! Old age doesn’t and wouldn’t set you up for dementia!

Forgetting things from time to time is normal aging but how could you tell the difference between normal aging and dementia

• Having a hard time remembering recent events?
• • Forgetting names of acquaintances or people you have just met is a normal part of aging. But, forgetting or not recognizing family members and close friends is a sign of dementia.

As we grow older, we experience physiological changes that can cause glitches in brain functions we’ve always taken for granted. It takes longer to learn and recall information. We’re not as quick as we used to be. In fact, we often mistake this slowing of our mental processes for true memory loss. But in most cases, if we give ourselves time, the information will come to mind.

Memory loss is not a part of normal aging!The brain is capable of producing brain cells so no significant memory loss occurs.Your lifestyle,your daily habits and your diet have a huge impact on your brain power.Whatever your age you can always improve your cognitive function.

Many activities are largely unaffected by aging

• Your ability to do the things you’ve always done and continue to do often.
• • The wisdom and knowledge you’ve acquired from life experience

• Your innate common sense and your ability to form reasonable arguments and judgments. So,do remember this that you can do whatever you set your mind to.You are amazing ❤ Love yourself.Old age is not a death sentence.Enjoy it if you are old because old is gold 🙂 Don’t let people tell you that you cannot learn new things because you CAN!

Glutathione-A Cure for ALZHEIMER’S?!

Hey guys! How you guys doing? I hope you are doing good ❤ Today, we will be talking about a recent research of Alzheimer’s disease that somehow could lead to not just the treatment but also the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

What is glutathione?

It is an antioxidant which fights the ROS(Reactive Oxygen Species)these ROS damages our cells and lead to stress. High levels of glutathione protects our brain from damage by ROS.

In Alzheimer’s

In Alzheimer’s patients, Glutathione is significantly reduced.

Two Conformations of GSH

Conformations are shapes of any molecule.The way these molecules arrange themselves in 3D.

Glutathione have two Conformations Open and Closed

It is seen that the closed form of GSH is accumulated in Alzheimer’s patients.

Early stages of Alzheimer’s disease

In early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, there is mild cognitive impairment due to GSH being depleted in the Hippocampus

Dr Mandal who conducted this research said

‘If routine non-invasive tests for lower levels of GSH in the hippocampus regions are performed, we might be able to mitigate the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease by providing GSH supplements- A observational study is planned’

This research has a huge potential for the benefit if AD patients.

How to test for glutathione?

A liver detoxification profile is what you need to know about your glutathione levels in order to prevent early AD development especially if it runs in your family.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E levels

These levels can be significantly reduced in patients with glutathione deficiency so eat citrus fruits.You can also take Evion(vitamin E capsules) Btw,Its super good for the skin too.

Sulfur

Sulfur is essential for glutathione production.

Sulfur is found in Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, watercress,beef,fish, poultry,garlic,shallots,onions and mustard greens

Selenium

Its a glutathione cofactor which means its presence is necessary for glutathione action.

Some of the best sources of selenium are beef, chicken, fish, organ meats, cottage cheese, brown rice and Brazil nuts.

Foods rich in Glutathione

Spinach, avocados, asparagus and okra are some of the richest dietary sources

Turmeric (haldi)

Numerous animal and test-tube studies have shown that turmeric and curcumin extract have the ability to increase glutathione levels

Exercise regularly

Completing a combination of both cardio and circuit weight training increases glutathione the most, compared to completing cardio or weight training alone

Sleep

Long term sleep imbalance can cause oxidative damage to the brain and even hormonal imbalance

Bye Bye!!Love you all ❤ Thanks 😉 Take care

Self-esteem neuroscience

Hey guys!! I am back with another of my neuroluscious blog!! I have always struggled with my low self-esteem and I am still struggling with it. I think to really succeed in life we really need to beat this low self-esteem so now let’s look at the neuroscience behind self-esteem!

What is self-esteem?

It might be defined as our self evaluation in different areas of life.

Others define it as its a component of what other people think about us.Their perceptions of us might dictate our self-esteem!

The most popular approach is Sociometer approach which assumes that we have an inborn alarm system which alerts us of a social rejection within our environment.

First, what are the signs of low self-esteem?

Do you beat yourself up even when you do a good job, just because you could have done it better? Do you apologize too often even simply because you have a different opinion than your interlocutor? Are you haunted by guilt at every little mistake or even at the idea of making one? Do you have a hard time saying “no” to people? Or maybe you’re easily trapped in toxic relationships for fear of remaining alone?

UCL experiment
In an experiment published in the journal eLife, researcher Geert-Jan Will and his colleagues at UCL measured the activity in the brain of young adults as they were exposed to approving or disapproving feedback.They found out that self-esteem wasnot only affected by the likes and dislikes but also whether they were disliked more than they expected!That is if you expected being liked and than got the opposite,the effect of that dislike will be hard on you.

Anterior cingulate gyrus

Naomi Eisenberger, social neuroscience researcher at UCLA, further investigated what happens in the brain when we get rejected.She found that anterior cingulate gyrus was activated,the same part of the brain which is activated in pain.In other words, exclusion and a feeling of being less than other people can hurt just like physical pain!!Low self-esteem hurts, literally!

Low self-esteem can lead to anxiety, depression and many eating disorders.Low self-esteem is also bad for our relationships and careers.

Medial prefrontal cortex and Ventral Striatum

MFC is connected to the image or the representation of our self while the VS is connected to motivation,reward and recognition.So when we are feeling confident we activate the same circuits in our brain related to pleasure and reward which makes us feel good.And not only we feel good others feel good too.

Self-awareness is the key

Being self-aware of what makes you feel bad or causes you to have low self-esteem enables you to tackle your low self-esteem better.
If we reinforce our self-awareness, and “drill it into our brains,” again by reinforcing synaptic patterns of activity, we become increasingly mindful and we can overcome our negative inner voice to be more confident.

Fake it till you have it 😉

Repetition and practice can actually make a lasting impact on your neural circuitry in order to make you feel more confident.
Psychologist Amy Cuddy showed that faking high power poses reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and boosts testosterone and confidence. Smiling, standing up straight with your shoulders back and chin up, and manifesting more open and relaxed poses will help you feel more confident.

Identify your strengths

If you’re good at cooking invest more time cooking, if you’re good at writing start a blog, if you’re good at ping pong join a league. Make sure to engage in things you do well. Once you demonstrated your ability, allow yourself to feel proud about it.

Help Others

Giving a hand to someone will make you feel more productive and you will also feel like you are making an impact on your environment

Identify your own values

Find out what matters to you and focus on that.Don’t struggle to fulfill other people’s dreams due to you being overexposed to them through social media.Identify what you love by talking to yourself by spending time with yourself but don’t confuse it with totally abandoning all social contact and being socially isolated.You need to find the right balance between solitude and social contact.

Bye Bye,lots of love ❤ take care 🙂