Meditation halts age-related degeneration throughout entire brain

Friday, July 15, 2011 by: S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) Getting older means you will not be as mentally sharp and, in fact, your brain will shrink. It's just the way life is and there's nothing you can do about it, right? Wrong. Now it appears we can take control of brain changes and even make our brains larger, not smaller, as we age and cause electrical connections to zip along at a faster rate to improve thinking and memory. The key is meditation.
 
Back in 2009, UCLA scientists made an amazing discovery -- they found that the brains of people who had meditated long-term were different than those of non-meditators. To be specific, the researchers found evidence that particular regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger. They also had more gray matter than the brains of people who didn't meditate.

This was startling-- and important -- because brains normally shrink with age, a process they may explain memory and other cognitive problems experienced by elders. More recently, scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) concluded that an eight week mindful meditation practice produced measurable changes in participants' brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress (http://www.naturalnews.com/031228_m...).

Now comes even more proof that meditation does something profound, and beneficial, to the human brain. A follow-up study by the UCLA team just published in the online edition of the journal NeuroImage shows that people who meditate have stronger connections between brain regions. What's more, they have far less age-related brain atrophy.

What's the significance? Stronger connections increase the ability of electrical signals in the brain to work rapidly -- suggesting a whole host of thinking and memory benefits. Also, these effects were not just found here and there but throughout the entire brains of meditators.

The study involved 27 active meditation practitioners with an average age of 52, along with 27 matched control subjects. Both groups consisted of 11 men and 16 women. Over all, the meditators had been practicing various styles of meditation, including Shamatha, Vipassana, Zazen and others, for five years or longer.

Eileen Luders, a visiting assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, and fellow researchers conducted their research using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a relatively new type of brain imaging that reveals structural connectivity inthe brain.

The investigators found that the differences between the brains of research subjects who were meditators and the brains of non-meditators in the control group weren't limited to a core region of the brain but instead involved large-scale networks of the entire brain, as well as limbic structures and the brain stem.

"Our results suggest that long-term meditators have white-matter fibers that are either more numerous, more dense or more insulated throughout the brain," Dr. Luders said in a statement to the media. "We also found that the normal age-related decline of white-matter tissue is considerably reduced in active meditation practitioners."

"It is possible that actively meditating, especially over a long period of time, can induce changes on a micro-anatomical level," Dr. Luders, herself a meditator, continued. "Meditation appears to be a powerful mental exercise with the potential to change the physical structure of the brain at large."

In other words, there now appears to be a way to take control of changes in the brain which, up to now, have been regarded as an inevitable part of aging. Meditation may keep the brain younger, more fit and make it literally larger and faster working, even as we grow older.

As NaturalNews previously reported, other research has shown additional health benefits of meditation. For example, it beats drugs in treating depression (http://www.naturalnews.com/024986_m...) and has been found to effectively treat bladder control problems (http://www.naturalnews.com/026233_i...).

For more information: http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033005_meditation_brain_health.html#ixzz1SBOv0YSs

Natural sleep remedies

They are safer and have fewer side effects than over the counter and prescription medications. Many of these can not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but they can also promote muscle relaxation and help with restless leg syndrome.

Personally, I can tell you with Lyme disease and chronic pain, falling asleep and staying asleep has been a major problem for me for years. I find that one thing may work for me for months or years and then suddenly I can't sleep again so I find having various natural remedies on hand so that I can switch it up if I need to. And then oftentimes, I can go back to my previous remedy and it will work again after being off of it for a while. Others I have talked to with the same problems, find things work for awhile and then don't work so I always encourage everyone to try something new but to go back to the previous one again later. Don't assume it won't work. Also, I have found the ingredients of one brand may not work as well as another brand, so again don't assume it is the ingredients, it may have been the quality of the brand or the dosage.

Another thing that helps me if I am in a lot of pain is to rub the muscle balm into an area that is painful or to heat up my Comfort Buddies and put them on my body while trying to fall asleep. Ice helps too and if you feel too cold, lay on ice under the covers with a warm comfort buddy on you and it will be much more comfortable. I formulated the muscle balm because of my own pain, I loaded it up with natural things that help relieve pain and I make the Comfort Buddy because I use 3 of them to help my sleep and pain. If you try Melantonin, it is important to start low on only take 1 mg. and see how your body reacts too it. I know years ago I tried it and the dose was too high and I didn't like it and didn't try it again until this year after my doctor told me to only do 1 mg.

My favorite natural sleep remedies are:

Metagenics Somnolin:
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 40 mg
Folate (as L-5-methyl tetrahydrofolate†) 400 mcg
Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) 500 mcg
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP from Griffonia simplicifolia) 200 mg
L-Theanine 200 mg

Metagenics MyocalmPM
•Calcium (as calcium lactate) 75 mg
•Magnesium (as magnesium citrate) 150 mg
Herbs:
•Passionflower Flower 5.5:1 Extract (Passiflora incarnata) 60 mg
•Valerian Root Extract (Valeriana officinalis) 30 mg
•Hops Cone 7.5:1 Extract (Humulus lupulus) 60 mg
•Lemon Balm Leaf 5:1 Extract (Melissa officinalis) 150 mg

Metagenics Benesom
Casein Tryptic Hydrolysate† 75 mg
Melatonin 1 mg
Passionflower Flower 5.5:1 Extract (Passiflora incarnata) 300 mg

Magnesium and calcium
Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together they become even more effective. Plus, by taking magnesium you cancel out any potential heart problems that might arise from taking calcium alone. Take 200-300 milligrams of magnesium (you can lower the dose if it causes diarrhea) and 600 milligrams of calcium each night.

Lemon Balm
Several studies have found that lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian, hops, and chamomile) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep.

Hops
Beer fans are already familiar with the calming effect of hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia. Take 30 to 120 milligrams before climbing under the covers.

Aromatherapy
Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It's also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime, or buy a lavender-filled pillow.

Melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone that controls sleep, so it's no wonder that it naturally induces sleep. Studies show that lower doses are more effective -- plus, there's concern that too-high doses could cause toxicity as well as raise the risk of depression or infertility.

Passion flower
Has a mild sedative effect that encourages sleep. This property has been well-substantiated in numerous studies on animals and humans. Nervous symptoms and cramps that inhibit sleep are alleviated by ingestion of the herb, and leading quickly to restful uninterrupted and deep sleep.

Yoga and Meditation
Choose gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power or ashtanga yoga, which could energize you instead. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by simple meditation. Close your eyes and, for 5 to 10 minutes, pay attention to nothing but your breathing.

L-theanine
This amino acid comes from green tea, and not only helps maintain a calm alertness during the day but also a deeper sleep at night. However, green tea doesn't contain enough L-theanine to significantly boost your REM cycles, and might make you wake up to go to the bathroom. Instead, buy pure, active L-theanine(some brands have inactive forms of theanine that block the effectiveness), and take 50 to 200 milligrams at bedtime.

Valerian
Valerian is one of the most common sleep remedies for insomnia. Numerous studies have found that valerian improves deep sleep, speed of falling asleep, and overall quality of sleep. However, it's most effective when used over a longer period of time. Keep in mind that about 10 percent of the people who use it actually feel energized, which may keep them awake. If that happens to you, take valerian during the day. Otherwise, take 200 to 800 milligrams before bed.

Wild lettuce
If you've suffered anxiety, headaches, or muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with wild lettuce. It's also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety, and may even quell restless legs syndrome. When using a wild-lettuce supplement, take 30 to 120 milligrams before bed.