Regular fish consumption lowers risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that people who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and lowering their risk of developing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease. The results, released at…

Indian study proves that fluoride consumption causes brain, neurological damage

Consuming sodium fluoride, a toxic chemical commonly added to US water supplies to allegedly help prevent tooth decay, definitively causes neurodegenerative damage in the brain, spinal cord, and sciatic nerve. These are the findings of a recent study published in the…

Health Basics: What is Aspartame?

(NaturalNews) Over a billion people consume aspartame in their foods and beverages across the world, believing it to be a safe ingredient, but what they probably don’t know is that aspartame currently accounts for over 75% of all side effects complaints received by the FDA’s Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS) for the past 4 years . It is banned by health-conscious countries all over the world, especially where there is a national healthcare system in place. Aspartame is best known by the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Sweet One and Spoonful . Aspartame is a synthetic chemical combination which is comprised of approximately 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol . Aspartame is found in thousands of foods, drinks, candy, gum, vitamins, health supplements and even pharmaceuticals. (http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/aspartame-banned)… Each of the three ingredients in Aspartame poses its own dangers and each is well documented as causing a long list of side effects and dangerous health conditions. Watch for the ingredient Acesulfame Potassium, which is just another name for Aspartame . Phenylalanine : Even a single use of Aspartame raises the blood phenylalanine levels. High blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses . Because it is metabolized much more efficiently by rodents than humans, testing and research on rats alone is not sufficient enough to denounce the dangers of Aspartame for human consumption. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain cause serotonin levels to decrease, leading to emotional disorders like depression . Aspartic Acid : Aspartic acid is considered an excito-toxin , which means it over stimulates certain neurons in the body until they die. Much like nitrates and MSG, aspartic acid can cause amino acid imbalances in the body and result in the interruption of normal neurotransmitter metabolism of the brain. (http://www.holisticmed.net/aspartame/aminoacid.pdf) Methanol becomes Formaldehyde (Embalming fluid): The most prominent danger of Aspartame is that when ingested, the methanol (wood alcohol) is distributed throughout the body, including the brain, muscle, fat and nervous tissues, and is then metabolized to form formaldehyde , which enters cells and binds to proteins and genetic material (DNA). Methanol is a dangerous neurotoxin and a known carcinogen , which causes retinal damage in the eye, interferes with DNA processes, and can cause birth defects. (http://aspartame.mercola.com/) The EPA’s recommended limit of consumption of Methanol is 7.8 milligrams per day, but a one liter bottle of an Aspartame-sweetened beverage contains over 50 mg of methanol. Heavy users of Aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily, which is over 30 times the EPA limit . Suspiciously similar to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Multiple Sclerosis , Aspartame’s long list includes dizziness, headaches, behavioral changes, hallucinations, depression, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain. Also, many illnesses can be worsened by ingesting Aspartame , including chronic fatigue syndrome, brain tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, mental retardation, and especially diabetes. Birth defects : According to Dr. Louis Elsas, Pediatrician Professor of Genetics at Emory University, Phenylalanine can concentrate in the placenta, causing mental retardation of a fetus. Also, formaldehyde in the blood stream of a pregnant woman can cause her immune system to target the fetal tissue as a foreign substance and destroy it, the result being a miscarriage . This can happen before she even knows she is pregnant. (http://www.dorway.com/dr-elsas.txt) Aspartame is known to cause weight gain Products labeled Diet, Light or Zero most likely contain at least one of the major synthetic sweeteners, and Aspartame is used more widely than the three carcinogenic S’s: Sucralose, Sorbitol and Saccharin . Nearly all diet sodas, gum and most candy (not chocolate – yet) are loaded with Aspartame. (http://buildingbodies.ca/diet-pop-dangers-and-aspartame-poisoning/) Some chewing gum brands contain only synthetic sugars, which are acid creating. The body in turn creates fat cells to store that extra acid, and this is why many people who consistently eat Aspartame will ironically put on weight. Natural sugar-free alternatives : Xylitol and the Brazilian Stevia leaf (Not Truvia) are natural and do not cause side effects or nerve damage; however, truly effective weight loss starts with organic vegetables and cardio exercise. To be safe, simply avoid all “diet foods” and moderate sugar intake. (http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/aspartame.htm) Sources for this article include http://www.holisticmed.net/aspartame/aminoacid.pdf http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/aspartame.htm http://www.unhinderedliving.com/aspartame.html http://www.dorway.com/dr-elsas.txt http://buildingbodies.ca/diet-pop-dangers-and-aspartame-poisoning/ http://www.thenhf.com/article.php?id=833 http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16871.cfm http://www.wnho.net/fdas_approval_of_aspartame_under_scrutiny.pdf http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/aspartame-banned http://www.wellsphere.com/men-s-health-article/aspartame-genesis-and-its-side-effects/902102 http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html http://www.issplendasafe.com/ www.alsearsmd.com/aspartame-ant-poison-fda-complaints/ http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-case-histories.html http://www.mothering.com/community/t/638389/emergen-c-contains-aspartic-acid

Raw foods increase mental performance

(NaturalNews)”Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain,” says UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science, Fernando Gomez-Pinilla. In the competitive world of today, strengthening our natural talents is vital if we are to be successful both…

10 outlandish things the ‘scientific’ controllers have in mind for you in the near future

(NaturalNews) What corporate-driven “science” has in mind for the future of humanity is far different from the dreamy utopian landscape that’s been portrayed by the mainstream media. To hear the corporate-run media tell it, science is always “good” for humanity. Scientific achievements are always called “advances” and not “setbacks,” even though many of them have proven to be disastrous for humanity (atomic bombs, for example, or GMOs). While pure science is, indeed, a necessary component of any civilization which seeks to expand its understanding of the universe, what we see dominating the landscape today isn’t pure science but corporate-driven “science” that only seeks to accelerate corporate profits, not human understanding. And with that corporate-slanted science comes a whole new era of truly terrifying technologies that we may soon see become reality in our world. Here, I’ve compiled a list of ten future technologies that might be used to strip away your freedoms and enslave you to the corporate globalist masters, all under the label of “science.” #1) Organ harvesting from genetically modified, patented pigs Need a replacement heart or lung? No worries, mate! Monsanto will grow you a new one using a genetically modified, trans-species pig (patent pending) that was raised on GMO animal feed and subjected to organ harvesting while it was still alive in order to keep the organs “fresh.” Your government-approved, Medicare-funded transplant will be handled by one of the top U.S. hospitals, which are, even today, deeply engaged in black market organ trafficking and illegal transplantations. #2) “Behavioral vaccines” that rewire your brain to eliminate dissent Disobedience is a disease! And the “cure” for disobedience (or Oppositional Defiance Disorder, as they call it) will be a new “vaccine” that biologically rewires your brain to make you more socially acceptable to the controllers. It will be called a “behavioral vaccine” even though, in reality, it’s just a chemical lobotomy . This technology will be a cornerstone of the global police state, which will have no tolerance for independent thinking or critical thought of any kind, especially against the state. #3) Centralized, remote monitoring of all your health statistics and vital signs by the police state Think your medical records are really private? Think again: Even now, the U.S. government maintains a secret centralized bank of blood taken from children at birth. In the near future, citizens will be implanted with biometric monitoring chips that relay information back to the government about your pulse, respiration, and the presence of either illegal drugs or legalized pharmaceuticals (which are often the very same chemicals as illegal drugs, just re-branded as a medication). These chips will be used by the government to enforce people taking their medications. They will also be used to locate and arrest those who smoke a little pot or take addictive substances without a prescription. But most importantly, these chips will be used to monitor nutritional levels and make sure no one attains a high level of vitamin D, for example, which promotes clear thinking and strong cognitive function (http://www.naturalnews.com/029190_vitamin_D_brain_function.html). Under scientific dictatorship, the sheeple must be kept in a state of chronic nutritional deficiency in order to be easily controlled. This will all be sold to the public as a way for the government to monitor their “safety” because, the government will claim, “Too much vitamin D can be dangerous!” So they will set the upper safety limits to the lower threshold of cognitive awakening, making sure that everyone remains in a mental stupor as they live out their state-run lives. #4) The total secrecy of all food ingredients, sources and places of origin As the food industry is increasingly invaded by junk science (GMOs, anyone?), efforts will increase to hide all the chemical ingredients in food products and rename dangerous-sounding chemicals into nice-sounding chemicals. The Corn Refiners Association is already trying to rename “High Fructose Corn Syrup” to “corn sugar.” (http://www.naturalnews.com/029748_high_fructose_corn_syrup_sugar.html) Aspartame is now going to be called “AminoSweet,” and MSG has been renamed things like “yeast extract” or “Torula yeast powder.” But it’s going to get far worse as fraudulent science accelerates food industry deceptions. Expect to see preservatives like “sodium benzoate” renamed as things like, “Freshiness crystals.” Or “artificial colors” might be described as “Fortified with pretty colors.” Above all, the food industry wants to hide where its foods come from, how they are made, and what’s in them, because all three of those categories are bad news for your health. #5) The complete criminalization of home-produced foods and medicines, forcing total reliance on factory food production Speaking of food, corrupt “scientists” will soon insist that growing your own food is extremely dangerous because you might grow e.coli in your garden! With such absurd justifications, home gardening will be completely outlawed in many towns, and those who try to secretly grow tomatoes will be arrested and imprisoned as if they were heroin smugglers. The idea of all this is to make the population completely dependent on centralized factory food production , in the same way the population is currently dependent on centralized electricity and centralized fossil fuels. This will all be justified with the help of “scientists” who claim that factory-produced food is safer for you because it’s all pasteurized, irradiated and fumigated. #6) The unleashing of a global bioweapon pandemic through seasonal flu shots Whereas vaccines were once intended to prevent disease, they are now being increasingly weaponized and engineered to spread disease , which is why most of the people who get the flu each winter are the very same people who routinely take flu shots. In the near future, as the globalists decide the world population has reached its upper tolerable limit, a live “population control” virus will be engineered right into the vaccines, followed by an aggressive vaccine push that even offers to pay people to receive flu shots. (Get a flu shot, earn $25!) The whole scheme, of course, is nothing more than a population control measure designed to eliminate all the lower-IQ people on the planet who are stupid enough to allow themselves to be injected with biological weapons packaged and sold as vaccines. Effectively, it’s really a eugenics program that the globalists believe will save the human race from the rise of stupidity (no matter what the cost in human suffering). #7) Total government control over your reproduction and the genetic code of your “offspring” Copulating with the person of your choice and producing your own “random” offspring will no longer be allowed under the scientific police state. Reproduction must be carefully controlled through licensing and regulation to make sure that no unexpected results occur. Before having children, parents will need to apply to the government for permission to reproduce, at which point they will be genetically and cognitively profiled, then granted a reproduction classification status that must be strictly followed to avoid imprisonment. People who show rebellious tendencies and speak out against the state will be denied reproduction “privileges.” Only the most obedient, white-skinned, do-gooder mind slaves will be granted reproduction privileges, and they will gladly copulate and raise yet more babies to be sacrificed to the state as the next generation of mind slaves. #8) Wireless brain implants that can be remotely activated by law enforcement to make entire crowds of people passive The future of “science” involves all sorts of electronics implanted into the human body. One of the most convenient ones will be the “pacification chip” that will be forced upon citizens along with “money chips” that they use to pay for everything (cash will be outlawed, and using cash will be seen as a terrorist activity). The pacification chip can be remotely activated by the government through cell tower bursts — or through hand-held units issued to police and law enforcement commanders — to instantly pacify large crowds of protesters or rioters. Are the students protesting about free speech again? Activate the pacification chip, and they’ll all lay down on the lawn and daydream for a while. Are revolutionaries marching on the capitol and trying to overthrow the government? Activate the pacification chip, and your tyrannical dictatorship is safe! Such chips may also be used to “excite” the brain at times when it is also politically useful. For example, when another terrorist attack is staged on U.S. soil, the “excitation chips” can be activated across the population to get people riled up and calling for war! (And that’s the whole point of false flag attacks, of course.) #9) The genetic engineering and breeding of obedient super soldiers In the far future, battlefield soldiers will actually be humanoid-shaped robots equipped with firearms and body armor. Think “Terminator” model T-1000. That’s still a ways off, of course, given the incredible complexity of mobile power, robotic actuation technologies, vision recognition systems and artificial intelligence. In the mean time, the most powerful nations of the world will pour R&D money into growing genetically modified super soldiers who are secretly birthed, raised and trained to be as robotic as possible. These super soldiers will be genetically engineered with peak performance attributes (high blood oxygenation, large body frames, etc.) combined with small brains that can only process enough information to follow orders but never question them. They will also be outfitted with numerous electronic implants, making them more cyborg than human . They will have vision implants attached to their retinas, for example, GPS chips wired to their brains, comm equipment wired into their ears, and built-in pain medication dispensers that flood their bodies with stimulant chemicals so they can keep fighting even after an arm gets blown off, for example. #10) The electromagnetic activation of metals and nano-crystals injected into you through vaccines Here’s a new one most people haven’t thought about: In addition to vaccines being used to spread infectious disease, they can also be used to inject humans with nano-crystals that are sized and tuned to resonate at certain frequencies, much like a radio crystal tunes in to a specific radio band. Such nano-crystals may lie dormant in the bodies of the general public for years or even decades, but at some point the government can take over the radio towers with an “emergency” national transmission that broadcasts an activation signal at precisely the right wavelength to excite the nano-crystals already in peoples’ bodies. The results could be anything from mass insanity to massive outbreaks of violence (rioting, etc.) or just tens of millions of people instantly dropping dead. Any of those outcomes could then be exploited by the government to sell a cover story of a “terrorist attack” that requires even more government control over the population. It could all be done in the name of “science” Remember, this collection of 10 points is about possible future technologies that exemplify the abuse of science to empower tyrannical governments and corrupt industries. Thankfully, these ten examples have not come true yet, but several are well on their way to become reality in just the next few years. Real science has an important role to play in any society, but I believe that science should serve the interests of the People , not the self-serving controllers who run globalist corporations and national governments. When science is used to dominate and enslave people rather than setting them free, it is a violation of one of the most fundamental truths throughout the universe: only through freedom (the freedom of ideas, freedom of questioning, freedom of discussion) can true understanding of our universe be achieved. NaturalNews salutes the real scientists out there who pursue the betterment of human civilization without punching a clock for all the evil corporations which abuse science for their own nefarious purposes.

New evidence chemotherapy for breast cancer causes brain damage

(NaturalNews) Primary breast cancer (meaning a breast malignancy that hasn’t spread to other parts of the body) isn’t usually thought of as causing neurological problems. After all, if cancer hasn’t spread to the brain, why would it? Researchers have been forced to wonder about the answer to that question because a growing body of evidence over the past several years strongly suggests that women with breast cancer are at increased risk for not only problems with brain function but with actual alterations in their brain structure, too. It turns out, according to a report just published in the November issue of the Archives of Neurology , that it’s not the cancer but the treatment for breast cancer — specifically chemotherapy — that could be causing a significant amount of the neurological impairment with poor outcomes seen in women with breast cancer. Shelli R. Kesler, Ph.D., and colleagues at Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, conducted an observational study to investigate whether patterns of brain activation differed between breast cancer survivors who were treated with chemotherapy and those who didn’t have chemo. The research team also compared the brain activity of these breast cancer survivors to the brain activity of healthy women who were cancer-free. In all, the study involved 25 women with breast cancer who received chemotherapy, 19 women with breast cancer who did not undergo chemotherapy, and 18 healthy female controls. All the research subjects were matched for age and other variables. The women were asked to perform a variety of tasks while the scientists used functional MRIs to measure and document activation in several areas of the women’s brains. Imaging tests showed specific areas of brain injury “Women with breast cancer demonstrated significantly reduced activation in the left middle dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and premotor cortex compared with healthy controls,” the authors reported in the paper. “The chemotherapy group also demonstrated significantly reduced left caudal lateral prefrontal cortex activation and increased perseverative errors and reduced processing speed compared with the other two groups.” So what does this mean in plain English? The researchers concluded that primary breast cancer may cause measurable brain injury but chemotherapy clearly showed significant negative effects on brain function. The damage caused by chemotherapy was more likely to be increased in older women and those with less education, too. “Women treated with chemotherapy may show additional prefrontal deficits and have difficulty compensating for neurobiological changes such that they also show impaired executive function,” the scientists concluded in their research paper. This is very worrisome because executive function is a critical part of normal brain function. The components of executive function include working memory and recall (holding facts in your mind while working on a problem and accessing facts stored in long-term memory); paying attention and completing tasks; emotional control, such as thinking before acting and speaking; using self-talk to control behavior; and complex problem solving including analyzing issues and coming up with new ideas. Sources for this article include : http://archneur.ama-assn.org/ http://pubs.ama-assn.org/ http://www.naturalnews.com/chemotherapy.html

B vitamins and omega fat ratio are critical to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

(NaturalNews) Proper nutritional status, attained by consuming a healthy diet teamed with natural vitamins and minerals along with optimization of omega fat lipid ratios, can help to prevent cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. Researchers studying the effects of nutrition at Oxford University in England found that daily supplementation with folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 lowered levels of homocysteine, a known risk factor leading to decline in cognition and memory. Further evidence published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research explains that a disproportionate ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids plays a crucial role in the development of AD in later life. Cellular nutritional saturation from diet and appropriate supplementation with B vitamins and omega-3 fats may provide the cornerstone to prevent this most feared memory-robbing disease. Reporting in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry , scientists examined the proposed link between elevated homocysteine levels and cognitive decline. Homocysteine has already been shown to dramatically increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack in prior studies. Researchers examined 266 people over the age of 70 with established mild cognitive impairment, and broke them into two groups. One group was supplemented with folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12, vitamin cofactors that lower homocysteine levels, while the second group received a placebo. B Vitamin Supplementation Shown to Lower Homocysteine by 30% and to Slow Brain Atrophy Brain wasting or atrophy is a common sign of cognitive impairment and is closely associated with Alzheimer’s dementia. The rate of brain atrophy is increased by higher concentrations of homocysteine in the blood and brain tissue. Researchers examining the results of this study found that the group, which supplemented with B vitamins for a period of two years, experienced a 30% reduction in homocysteine levels. They found dramatic improvements in mental tests including global cognition and episodic memory (69% improvement in word recall memory) compared to the control group. The standard American diet (SAD) includes large quantities of oxidized omega-6 fats from fried and processed foods when compared to omega-3 fat consumption (from fish, nuts and seeds). The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids ranges from 20:1 to as high as 50:1 (ideal range is no more than 4:1), creating a perpetual degree of inflammation throughout the body. Researchers have determined that this imbalance creates a disturbance in brain chemistry affecting neurotransmitter balance and electrical firing in the brain that sets the stage for amyloid tangles and cognitive decline. Reestablishing omega fat homeostasis by balancing toward a 1:1 intake ratio and by correcting B vitamin nutritional deficiencies provide deep insight toward understanding and controlling the development of many forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. Most middle aged adults will want to include a high potency B vitamin supplement (preferably formulated from natural food sources) and to include omega-3 fats from diet or fish oil consumption to lower dementia risk factors. Sources for this article include: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/New-review-backs-nutrient-modification-for-Alzheimer-s-prevention/ http://www.chemeurope.com/en/publications/276027/dietary-lipids-and-their-oxidized-products-in-alzheimer-s-disease.html http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/B-vitamins-may-slow-cognitive-decline-Oxford-University-study/ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/gps.2758/abstract

Scientists find Gulf War veterans have chronic abnormal blood flow in brains

(NaturalNews) More than 20 years after the end of the Gulf War, tens of thousands of US veterans are still complaining of a host of symptoms developed during or after their tour of duty. They suffer from memory and concentration problems, chronic headaches, widespread pain, depression, balance disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, chronic fatigue and more. The latest figures from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs scientific advisory committee on the Gulf War illness show about 25 percent of the 700,000 military personnel deployed to the 1991 Persian Gulf War are affected. The cause of what is often called Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) is still unknown but prime suspects are exposure to depleted uranium weapons, neurotoxic chemicals including pesticides, nerve gas, and multiple vaccines given to the soldiers by the military. Another explanation that has been widely circulated over the decades is that GWS is simply a bogus disease of malingerers and hypochondriacs — a condition that is “all in their heads.” This dismissal of the suffering of veterans who insist they are severely ill with GWS has come from a wide spectrum of so-called experts including doctors, journalists and some government officials. For example, former New England Journal of Medicine editor Marcia Angell sarcastically called it a “will o the wisp” syndrome in a New York Times interview. And self-styled health claims debunker journalist and lawyer Michael Fumento have scoffed that anyone who hasn’t had the kind of symptoms GWS sufferers claim to experience would have to be an android. Now there’s new and compelling evidence that GWS really is a disease that is, in fact, “in the heads” of veterans suffering with the cluster of health problems that make up the controversial syndrome. Specifically, it is in their brains. A new study just published online in the journal Radiology documents blood flow abnormalities found in the brains of veterans with Gulf War illness that have persisted 20 years after the war. In some veterans, the blood flow abnormalities have gotten worse over time. “We confirmed that abnormal blood flow continued or worsened over the 11-year span since first being diagnosed, which indicates that the damage is ongoing and lasts long term,” principal investigator Robert W. Haley, M.D., chief of epidemiology in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Clinical Sciences at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, said in a statement to the media. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for forming long-term memories and helping navigate space. The UT researchers noted that many of the GWS neurological symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, irritability and disorders in motion control, are clues that the hippocampus may be impaired. For the just published study, Dr. Haley’s research team used a new technique called arterial spin labeled (ASL) MRI to assess hippocampal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 13 control participants and 35 patients with GWS. The scientists noted that there appears to be predominance of one of three types of symptoms in GWS patients : impaired cognition; confusion and ataxia (lack of voluntary muscle control); and central neuropathic (nerve) pain. Each patient in the study first received intravenous infusions of saline and then, after 48 hours, an infusion of a short-acting cholinesterase inhibitor called physostigmine. Physostigmine is used to test how well the cholinergic system (a neurotransmitter system involved in the regulation of memory and learning) is working in the brain. Richard W. Briggs, Ph.D., professor of radiology at UT Southwestern and co-author of the new research paper, pointed out in the media statement that scanning the brain after giving the cholinesterase inhibitor medication is particularly well suited to diagnosing Gulf War illness because it picks up brain abnormalities too subtle for regular MRIs to detect. “This allows us to make the diagnosis in a single two-hour session without the need for exposure to ionizing radiation,” Dr. Briggs said. The findings replicated the results of a previous nuclear imaging test called a SPECT (single-photon emission computerized tomography) scan which was performed by Dr. Haley largely on the same group of veterans over a decade ago. The new study shows that the abnormal brain blood flow detected then had persisted. In fact, the new findings revealed something else very troublesome: the brain abnormalities may have progressed 11 years after initial testing and nearly 20 years after the Gulf War, suggesting chronic alteration of hippocampal blood flow. For more information: http://www.rsna.org/Publications/rsnanews/index.cfm http://www.naturalnews.com/Gulf_War.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10640454

Melatonin plays an important role in healthy digestive and immune function

(NaturalNews) Melatonin is known as the regulator of the sleep wake cycle in the body. It is produced in the pineal gland of the brain and monitors sleep cycles while playing an important role in healing and anti-oxidant protection. New indicators are showing that it may play an even more important regulatory role in the digestive system. The human digestive system is considered by many experts to be the ’2nd Brain,’ due to its ability to produce neurotransmitters. Additionally, the digestive system works off of similar rhythmic patterns as brain waves and has an advanced communication network that rivals that of the brain. The hormone melatonin appears to play a very important role in regulating much of these patterns in both the brain and gut. The amount of melatonin in the digestive system is 400 fold greater than the pineal gland. Melatonin is produced in specialized cells called enteroendocrine cells of the gastrointestinal tract. This super hormone is present in all segments of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the pancreas and liver. The mucosal membranes of the gut are packed with microbes. Most of these have a symbiotic relationship with the host individual. This inner world of thriving bacteria exudes endotoxins throughout the day. When the level of endotoxins reaches a critical mass concentration, it triggers an immune response led by cytokine interleukin-2. Sleep is thought to be that immune response. This sleep cycle begins with the production of melatonin from the pineal gland. In the middle of the night, the hormone prolactin is secreted in large amounts. These two hormones promote an immune reaction that thins out the microflora in an attempt to restore a healthy balance. This process also targets viruses, pathogenic bacteria, man-made chemicals and foreign proteins in the body. This entire cycle lasts 8 hours in order for the necessary amount of melatonin and prolactin production to occur. With inadequate sleep, these hormones are unable to effectively enhance immunity enough to clean up the microflora and other toxic debris in the gastrointestinal system. Each night of poor sleep cripples the immune system and leads to disabled T cell and natural killer cell formation. Within the gut, melatonin is an important regulator of motility and inflammation. It modulates inflammation with its ability to control free-radicals and proinflammatory molecules through its powerful anti-oxidant function. Additionally, it influences intestinal bacteria and T-helper cell formation. Healthy gut bacteria and T-helper cells help to balance the immune system and to regulate inflammatory levels. Melatonin is known to help improve microcirculation throughout the gut which helps foster epithelial regeneration. Additionally, it preserves glutathione levels and prevents lysosomal enzyme disruption. This is especially important because increased inflammatory levels in the bowel lead to leaky gut syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis, auto-immunity, etc. When we sleep, the brain produces 90 minute cycles of slow wave sleep. This is then followed by periods of rapid eye movement (REM) during which dreams occur. During the night, the gut also produces 90 minute slow wave muscle contractions which are followed by short burst of rapid movement. When the gut is full at night, it can disrupt this process. Additionally, poor sleep cycles can dramatically affect digestive function and the healing process within the gut. Melatonin was shown to significantly reduce the degree of proinflammatory cytokine release, cell apoptosis, and overall colonic injury. This is due to the improved blood flow, immunomodulation and anti-oxidant effects. It is clear that sleep and digestive function have a very intimate relationship and confer this relationship into the overall function of the immune system. http://minochahealth.typepad.com/gut/melatonin-colitis-gut-function-inflammation.html http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/169 http://www.pointofreturn.com/gut_health.html http://www.naturalnews.com/026191_sleep_cancer_body.html

Treatment with vitamin C dissolves toxic protein aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers in Sweden have discovered a new function for vitamin C. Treatment with vitamin C can dissolve the toxic protein aggregates that build up in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.

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