Ongoing learning process and brain stimulation

Ongoing learning process can keep your brain alive and stimulated. We know that brain stimulation means 'good brain health'.  Learning process can cause the birth of new brain cells, so to keep our brain healthy we should stay focused on learning at any age.
"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live." ~Mortimer Adler 
Learning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. But can process of learning at any age can keep the brain sharp?
Let's learn how learning can enhance brain development and keep us mentally fit!
What is learning?

Learning is acquiring information or ‘knowing a lot’.

Learning as memorising. Learning is storing information that can be reproduced.

Learning as acquiring facts, skills, and methods that can be retained and used as necessary, etc etc.

 Scientists now believe that “learning” can actually cause the birth of new brain cells. In recent animal studies, researchers have found that there was a direct relationship between “learning” and the survival rate of newly-birthed brain cells. When researchers taught certain rodents a wide-variety of cognitive tasks which involved a wide-range of brain areas – scientists found that the more the animal “learned” – the more new neurons were able to survive in the hippocampus. Scientists have made it clear that “learning” can increase the presence of new neurons in the brain. Brain cells that are born in the hippocampus, which normally die off, are literally “rescued” by “learning” experiences. There is still plenty of research being conducted in this area and not all sources agree. However, your best bet is to keep your brain power boosted and your mind sharp. Always try to learn something new!

You can stimulate your brainactively taking part in problem-solving activities or learning games and use your memory. Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile. The more we think, the better our brains function - regardless of age. Without something to keep us mentally charged, our brains, like unused muscles, can atrophy, leading to a decline in cognitive abilities.
A study conducted by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, found that mentally active seniors reduced their risk of dementia by as much as 75 percent, compared to those who do not stimulate their minds. Researchers from the Princeton University found that simple cognitive stimulation such as Bingo can be of great value to the daily management of Alzheimer's patients.


Few proverbs and quotations about 'learning'

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will. ~Vernon Howard

Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before. ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” ~Henry Ford

Related:4mind4life.com 
First published on 'factoidz':How Process of Learning Can Keep Our Brain Sharp?

Get relief from aching legs and sleep tight with easy acupressure therapy

Tired, aching or heavy legs is a common symptom and complaint. You may get a good night sleep using a simple acupressure tool for few minutes before going to bed.

The tingling, aching, and itching of restless legs syndrome is usually worse at night and can prevent you and your partner from getting the sleep you need. Aching legs at night can cause serious discomfort and can give you sleepless nights for a prolonged period.

In recent years, experts have discovered better ways to manage and relieve symptoms of restless leg syndrome (RLS).

Get relief from aching legs with acupressure therapy:
The best home and natural remedy which I use to get relief from leg ache is use of acupressure tool which is called 'foot roller'. The foot roller I personally use is made of wood.
Getting self acupressure therapy with this foot roller is easy and effective.

How to use foot roller?
Press your foot over the Wooden Foot Roller for 5-10 minutes on a daily basis to warm your leg and see instant relief from a variety of problems

This treatment is both convenient and pain free, and there are NO side affects. To begin with you may experience a slight tingling sensation. This is because the skin on the soles and palms of your feet and hands are sensitive. This sensation will soon pass but if you prefer, you could wear socks on your feet to reduce this sensation.
SOLES OF FEET: - Roll each foot, at a time, on the roller while seated on a chair or sofa. Each foot is to be rolled, for a maximum of five minutes, beginning from the tips of the toes to end of the heel. Medium pressure is to be exerted while rolling.
PALMS OF HANDS: - Hold the roller in both hands so that the pointed tips on the roller presses along the whole of the palms and fingers. Press intermittently on the roller for a maximum of two minutes only.Both these exercises can be repeated three or four times daily. It should not be used within one hour of taking meals nor, on the feet, whilst you are standing. You should continue to use the roller daily even if the pain has subsided.

Call your health care provider if:
The painful leg is swollen or red

You have a fever

Your pain gets worse when you walk or exercise and improves with rest

You are on medications that may be causing leg pain. DO NOT stop taking or change any of your medicines without talking to your doctor.

Medical treatment, healthy lifestyle changes, and even simple stretches and home remedies can help you quiet your restless legs and enjoy a refreshing night’s sleep. 

More online links:

* Technique: How to get a good night's sleep

* How to Sleep Better

Acupressure therapy to improve short term memory

Short-term memory is also known as active or primary memory. Anxiety, stress, food intolerances, headaches, and plain old lack of sleep cause short-term forgetfulness while life-changing events such as strokes, dementia, toxicity, and head injuries lead to chronic memory loss.
Scientific research results show that  most of us can sharpen our minds with proven, do-it-yourself strategies.
Acupressure therapy can help you improve your memory. It is one of those alternative therapies which can be adopted without any risk of side effects.

There are many things that disrupt your conscious processing of new memories. For example, if you can't absorb new information properly, then you have no hope of remembering it later. It's quite normal to forget things committed to recent memory, like what you had for breakfast or where you put your keys. This is a sign of aging, and its the biggest cause of short term memory loss.

For short-term memory’ during exams. activating (St-36) just before breakfast has given good results according to a few parents.



       Acupressure therapy for short term memory improvement ­:

St-36:

It is one of the most important and commonly used acupressure points. It is also called Three Mile Points and is used to boost overall immunity and vitality.
Location: Four finger widths below the kneecap, one finger width to the outside of the shinbone. If you are on the correct spot, a muscle should flex as you move your foot up and down.
GB-41 (Gall Bladder 41): This point is useful for migraine type headaches located in the temple region or behind the eyes.
Location: It is located on the foot in the space between the 4th and 5th toes. If you flex your foot you will see a tendon running across this space. GB 41 is located on the side of the tendon closest to the ankle.

LI-1: Great Esteem (Liver 1) Location: On the big toe, at the bottom corner of the nail at the side of the other toes.
Effects: Assertiveness, discerning when to go along with others and when to assert oneself. Self-esteem.

TW-10 for Consciousness.
Gallbladder 14: Use this point when you lose your train of thought, when you're trying to remember a name, or when you can't find your keys. You'll be surprised at how effective it is.

To find this point, feel for the slight depression in the bone about a thumb's width above the eyebrow. The point is directly above the center of the eye.

GB 14 is located above the center of your eye, one finger’s width above your eyebrows. Use only very light touch on these points. You can use one hand to hold these points by placing your thumb on one side and your middle fingertip on the other side of your forehead. Apply a very gentle touch, as you breathe slowly and deeply for a couple of minutes. Use acupressure simultaneously on both the left and right side of your head.

Enjoy the experience of clearing your mind. Clear negative patterns to release stress and increase your overall happiness! ~ Michael Reed Gach, Ph.
The rule with acupressure is if a point is tender, it will probably benefit from being pressed. Next time it should be less tender as progressively the energy clears. However some points are far more sensitive than others - S36 for example is nearly always a little bit tender, even in healthy people.
Related: http://acupressureclub.org/

* Using acupressure points in the ear lobes, this quick and easy exercise improves poor memory, lack of concentration, clumsiness and emotional instability.

Useful links:
* Memory imporvement tips and techniques 

* Short Term Memory Test

* How To Improve Your Short Term Memory Learning and Memory

* Acupressure For Memory And Concentration Improvement

How to Manage Your Menopause Symptoms with Acupressure Therapy?

Acupressure therapy offers faster and more lasting results to manage early, premature or post menopause symptoms. You can reduce your menopause symptoms and menopause anxiety effectively with the acupressure therapy.

The menopause transition, and postmenopause itself is not a disease state or a disorder.  It is a natural life change. The transition itself has a variable degree of effects: it can be a difficult time of life for some women, less so for others. Even though menopause is a "natural" process, over 85% of women have "problems" with it. Specific areas of concern are the risks and symptoms associated with a decrease in estrogen levels. Risks include osteoporosis, heart disease, and Alzheimer's, while the symptoms can include hot flashes, moodiness, depression, vaginal dryness, loss of sexual drive, lack of mental clarity, and thinning hair.
Acupressure therapy have been proven to relieve many of the menopausal symptoms such as:

• Hot flashes
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Nausea

Acupressure points to help manange menopausal symptoms:
K 1: At the base of the ball of the feet, between the two pads
K 27: In the hollow below the collarbone next to the breast bone

GB 20: Below the base of the skull, in the hollows 2 to 3 inches apart.
LI 4: In the webbing between the thumb and index finger at the highest spot of the muscle when the thumb and index finger are brought close together. This is a forbidden point during pregnancy.
CV 17: On the center of the breast bone, three thumb widths up from the base of the bone.
GV 24.5: Directly between the eyebrows, on the indentation where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead.
GV 20: On the crown of the head in an indentation or "soft spot" between the cranial bones. To find, follow the line from the back of the ears to the top of the head.
To use these points, press with firm pressure and hold each point for 1 minute. You can use all of these points, or only some of them, but hold each for a full minute, and many of the menopause symptoms will lessen over time.


More Acupressure points to relieve menopause symptoms.
Treat the points for two minutes eac, every other day.


a) Using your thumb or fingertip, apply pressure with a firm circling motion to the acupressure point that is half a thumb-width above the wrist crease, on the little-finger side of the forearm.
b) Apply firm stationary pressure using your thumb to the acupressure point that is a thumb-width below the tip of the inside ankle bone.


Recommended and proven ways to help the body move gracefully through menopause are with energy work, nutrition and herbal or natural therapies. This combination can help address many of the symptoms and risks associated with menopause.
Important! Always consult your doctor before trying these or any home remedies. "Natural" does not mean it is safe for everybody.

YouTube video about menopause acupoints:


First published at 'factoidz'
Useful links:
*Menopause & Accupressure

How Food Dyes Effect Child Behavior and How to Manage It?

Do you know that food color or dyes are resposible for hyperactivity, ADD/ADHD and related behavioural problems? 

These dyes—petrochemicals, mostly—are often used to simulate the presence of healthy, colorful fruits and vegetables. Artificial colors or food dyes make the presentation attractive but these preservatives or food colours are not safe for children. Our children are addicted to chocolates, candies and similar stuff which may cause fueling disruptive behaviour, restlessness and lack of concentration.

Children with (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder )ADHD often have strong sugar cravings, and this has contributed to the belief that sugar and candy consumption can cause hyperactive behavior. Ingredients in nonchocolate candy (sugar, artificial food colors), components in chocolate candy (sugar, artificial food colors in coatings, caffeine), and chocolate itself have been investigated for any adverse effects on behavior.

New research has shown that commonly used food dyes, such as Yellow 5, Red 40, and six others, are linked to hyperactivity, impulsivity, learning difficulties, and Attention Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder in many children. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of these dyes, many of which are already being phased out in Europe.
Hyperactivity is a general term used to describe behavioural difficulties affecting learning, memory, movement, language, emotional responses and sleep patterns. ADHD is more than just hyperactive behaviour. Research funded by the FSA has suggested that consumption of mixes of certain artificial food colours and the preservative sodium benzoate could be linked to increased hyperactivity in some children.
How to manage it?
If your child shows signs of hyperactivity, or if on the basis of this information you have concerns, you might choose to avoid giving your child food and drinks containing the following artificial colours:

• sunset yellow FCF (E110)                                                                      
• quinoline yellow (E104)
• carmoisine (E122)
• allura red (E129)
• tartrazine (E102)
• ponceau 4R (E124)

These colours are used in a wide range of foods that tend to be brightly coloured, including some soft drinks, sweets, cakes and ice cream. Parents may wish to check the labels of brightly coloured foods if they want to avoid certain colours.
For details: FSA advice to parents on food colours and hyperactivity
Useful links:
* Download FREE 20 page PDF report:  "A Parent's Guide to Diet,ADHD & Behaviour"
* Food colours are linked with hyperactivity of your child
* Foods containing artificial food dyes must have warning label in Europe
* Hyperactivity: The Food Additives Argument

* Food Manufacturers Ban Food Dyes in Europe to Protect Kids, but Not in the U.S.

Menopausal Symptoms and Natural Remedies

More and more women, every day, are turning to natural alternative treatments to treat the symptoms they experience during menopause. Natural treatment options can provide options for menopausal women so they can reduce menopausal symptoms such as weight gain, hot flashes/flushes, night sweats, decreased libido and mood swings. The use of natural alternatives or complementary therapies is a popular choice for the management of menopausal symptoms.
Complementary and alternative therapies for menopause are medical treatments that are considered nontraditional. They include dietary and herbal supplements, acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy, biofeedback, homeopathy, and eating certain foods that are thought to prevent disease or heal. Alternative treatments are often used alone, while complementary treatments are alternative treatments that are used in combination with traditional treatments, such as drug treatments or surgery. While menopause is a completely natural process, it can be quite distressing at the time for some women.


The reduction in estrogen, testosterone and progesterone hormones that occurs is responsible for the unpleasant symptoms commonly associated with menopause and although the process can last anywhere from 7-10 years on average, there are ways to ensure that they can be controlled and not result in total misery. Natural therapies for the management of menopausal symptoms such as weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, decreased libido are proven effective.


Few alternative and Natural therapies: 
Phytoestrogens: Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that are similar in chemical makeup to the female sex hormone oestrogen, but much lower in strength. They act at the oestrogen receptor sites in a woman’s body, which may reduce menopausal symptoms in some women. Isoflavones, is a type of phytoestrogen found in soybeans, has received special attention for its ability to lessen the severity of hot flashes and night sweats.
One study found that symptoms were alleviated by approximately 50%, and supplementation with isoflavones improved symptoms in menopausal women experiencing hot flashes. Guggelsterones, green tea and bioperine: These key ingredients have been shown to maximize weight reduction and maintain weight loss on a long-term basis. Herbal remedies: Many all natural ingredients have been shown to decrease the intensity and frequency of hot flashes. The benefits of black cohosh reduce hot flashes and night sweats due to its estrogenic effects.
Other herbal remedies for hot flashes include licorice root, chaste berry, dong quai, motherwort, and red clover extract. 


Vitamin and mineral supplements: Vitamins and minerals can help replenish substances that become depleted as a result of hot flashes, and can help women manage the most common symptom of menopause. Taking B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C is important to replace lost nutrients, while vitamin E supplementation is linked with an overall reduction in hot flashes. 
Calcium and Vitamin D: These are key vitamins and minerals that have been proven effective in preventing and treating bone loss and osteoporosis in post menopausal women. They are essential in decreasing the risk of primary fractures. 
Related: www.consumerhealthanswers.com
Remember: It is important to understand that with any therapy, natural or pharmaceutical, careful review of potential side effects should
 be undertaken together with your health practitioner before use.


First published at 'factoidz'



Useful links:
* Natural Menopause 8 Natural Alternatives to Reduce the Symptoms of Menopause

Acupressure Point St 36 to boost vitality and immunity

ST 36 is one of the most important and commonly used acupressure points. It is used to boost overall immunity and vitality. ST 36 is known as one of the most important points to tonify Qi and Blood and promote general wellness.
It is also called "Leg Three Miles" because it is said that if you are so tired you can no longer walk, if you stimulate this point you will be able to walk another three miles.

                                 

Location: Four finger widths below the kneecap, one finger width to the outside of the shinbone. If you are on the correct spot, a muscle should flex as you move your foot up and down.

To locate ST 36 find the bump on your bone about one inch below the knee. This bump is called the tibial tuberosity.

 Benefits of applying acupressure on St 36 for healing: 

• It is the most effective point to rejuvenate the ch'i and blood. It strengthens the whole body, especially the immune system; tones the muscles and aids digestion as well as relieves fatigue. 
• It is particularly useful in children or adults with poor digestion, which can often be the root cause of chronic illnesses such as ear infections.    
• This is the 36th point on the stomach meridian. It balances the digestion power of the body. This point can prevent diabetes. 
• It can prevent aging and weakness for which it is commonly used in China. The functions of this point include aiding in nearly all digestive and weakness issues, building the "wei-qi" which is the loose equivalent to our immunity to colds/flus and other infections, the strengthening of our blood (a strong part of our overall immunity).
• It also helps in curing problems with the breasts (distention, lactation), pain in the lower leg, aids the lungs in conditions such as asthma and wheezing, and serves to balance a range of psychological issues such as depression and anxiety. 
• This point can also be used to treat tonsils,rheumatism,appendicitis,fatigue,headache etc.
• This point is very effective for stomach distress but more importantly for this post, it is also beneficial to strengthen the whole body and tone muscles in your legs.
• To reduce menstrual cramps: you should first gently examine ST 36 area. If the muscles there are tight, then pressing deeply and strongly with your thumb will help reduce the cramping and pain.
• The combination of Li 11 and St 36 is used extensively to treat hypertension. Excess sitting can damage the stomach and spleen meridians, which can contribute to anemia or digestive disorders. Stimulate the St 36 on the outsides of your calves to benefit these meridians.

 How to Apply Pressure?

 Apply moderate to firm pressure on St 36. Hold the pressure for one minute. This point can also be stimulated either with the heel of your opposite foot, or with your fingers. Place your right heel on the Three Mile point (St 36) of your left leg and briskly rub it up and down on the outside of your shinbone, just below your knee. After one minute, do the same on the other side.

Don’t forget to drink water at the end of your exercise session or any time you begin to feel thirsty.
Caution: If you have or have had problems with your kidneys, please consult your physician.

First published at 'Factoidz'


More related articles:
* Acupressure Therapy for Emotional Health
* Popular Acupressure Points Everybody Should Know to Treat Common Diseases
* Do's and Dont's of Acupressure Therapy