Natural Blaze It is estimated that more than 20 percent of veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although, PTSD symptoms affect non-service people too – it can affect lots of different people who have survived trauma, hardship…
by Jeffrey Green Natural treatments for mental health are becoming more and more popular. If you’ve ever seen the drawn-out health warnings at the end of a US television commercial for any type of drug, you’ll easily understand why. A concerted effort to avoid strong…
By Cliff Weathers, AlterNet Scientific studies indicate that current medications target the wrong parts of the brain. A new study is challenging the relationship between depression and an imbalance of serotonin levels in the brain, and brings into doubt how depression has been treated in…
A new study of 9- and 10-year-olds finds that those who are more aerobically fit have more fibrous and compact white-matter tracts in the brain than their peers who are less fit. “White matter” describes the bundles of axons that carry nerve signals from one…
Practicing hatha yoga three times a week for eight weeks improved sedentary older adults’ performance on cognitive tasks that are relevant to everyday life, researchers report. The findings involved 108 adults between the ages of 55 and 79 years of age, 61 of whom attended…
by Dr. David Juan No matter where you look in the health industry, it seems vitamin D is hot right now. And it makes sense, because the best source of it is sun exposure and it is, after all, summertime. Not a week goes by…
Testosterone, a steroid hormone, is well known to contribute to aggressive behavior in males, but the neural circuits through which testosterone exerts these effects have not been clear. Prior studies found that the administration of a single dose of testosterone influenced brain circuit function. Surprisingly,…
by Dr. David Juan I love a good nap. In fact, I try to take one every day around 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. The computer gets shut down, my phone is set to “do not disturb,” and I stretch out for a 15- to 20-minute…
Workplace stress can have a range of adverse effects on health with an increased risk of cardio-vascular diseases in the first line. However, to date, convincing evidence for a strong association between work stress and incident Type 2 diabetes mellitus is missing. Risk of diabetes…
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a substantially increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people, according to the most robust study of its kind ever conducted. An international team, led by Dr David Llewellyn at the University of Exeter Medical School, found…
A class of medications previously linked to cognitive impairment in older adults also appears to negatively affect their physical functioning according to investigators from the Regenstrief Institute, the Indiana University Center for Aging Research, the University of East Anglia and several other United Kingdom institutions….
University of Iowa study shows link between TV programming and children’s learning and development. Parents, turn off the television when your children are with you. And when you do let them watch, make sure the programs stimulate their interest in learning. That’s the advice arising…
by Dr. David Juan Here’s a newsflash for you: the world can function just fine without you. Now, it might not be able to run as smoothly for more than a week or so without your involvement, but don’t worry; if you want to take…
A study published today has confirmed a link between antipsychotic medication and a slight, but measurable, decrease in brain volume in patients with schizophrenia. For the first time, researchers have been able to examine whether this decrease is harmful for patients’ cognitive function and symptoms,…
by Laura Jane An underlined assumption in our society is that everyday waking consciousness is the truest expression of how things are in “objective” reality. We assume it to be more valid than say dream states or other forms of Altered States of Consciousness (ASC)…
by Dr. Victor Marchione When’s the last time you bought a watermelon in the winter? I know I can’t answer that question, but I’ll tell you what: ever since summer hit, it’s been a regular part of my diet. There are some foods that just…
Mindfulness meditation has become an increasingly popular way for people to improve their mental and physical health, yet most research supporting its benefits has focused on lengthy, weeks-long training programs. New research from Carnegie Mellon University is the first to show that brief mindfulness meditation…
Dr. Gabor Mate. Photo by Jay Black. By Heather Callaghan This is presented as alternative way of viewing addiction. One that does not wage war on the addict with shame and punishment from the so-called “War on Drugs.” Is addiction entirely due to genetic predisposition? That’s…
by Dr. K.J. McLaughlin Let me ask you a question. Did you ever think that your heart and your brain could be connected? There is an overabundance of information currently available regarding heart disease and how to avoid it or manage it. There is also…
by Dr. Victor Marchione The typical American diet doesn’t get much slack—it’s been linked to cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and a slew of other conditions that nobody wants. Now, researchers are adding another ingredient to the list of this dietary disaster: mental illness. I…
