Scientific Proof That Shows The Body Can Heal Itself

Lissa Rankin explores how the placebo effect has spiritual and scientific implications over us in this TEDtalk. She delves deeply into how our thoughts can powerfully affect our physiology. That if we believe we can get well, then we do.  The Placebo effect is solid evidence that the body has an innate self-repair system. 

Image Source: www.humansarefree.com

3,500 people diagnosed with incurable diseases like HIV, cancer, heart diseases, etc., participated in a study to test the placebo effect. Everyone’s illness disappeared without treatment!

In one of the cases Lisa discusses, a Mr. Wright was diagnosed with cancer and was given drugs he believed could cure him. Within days of taking the drugs, his tumors had shrunk to half their size.  A report was released two months later about the drug, saying it didn't work so well and Mr. Wright’s cancer was back. 

His sneaky doctor promised Mr. Wright that he had obtained a higher quality version of the same drug and injected him with distilled water. His tumors went away again because he believed they could. For another two months Mr. Wright was okay until the American Medical Association published a nationwide study that proved the drug was worthless. Two days later Mr. Wright died.

Lisa describes other countless times when people actually healed themselves with measurable proof on this TEDtalk. They heal their ulcers, grow back hair, shrink tumors and reduce all signs of illness! The mind initiates the healing and the body reacts. 



What are your thoughts? Do you believe that we hold the power to heal ourselves? Watch the video below and tell us your thoughts.

Study Finds Out Whether Running Barefoot is Better

There is no denying that not everyone would gladly remove their shoes and stay barefoot. These could be due to various reasons, like black soles, hairy toes and generally if your feet are ugly. At this point, you should make sure they are covered in socks too. The only people allowed to walk barefoot would be hobbits, but maybe not. Shoes are good and are not the problem here: they keep our feet warm, protect them and sometimes they look cool on us. 

Image credit: Joshua Hoffman (taken from)

Turns out, highly cushioned shoes that arch support do change how we run. If you take a closer look at the shoes you use when running, you will find that beneath the heel is a thick cushioned sole and a stiff insert that helps keep your arches from getting flattened out. 
A team of scientists led by Harvard University’s, Daniel Lieberman, did a research on this and their findings were interesting. They found out that if you wear shoes when running, you always land on your heel first, then roll through to the ball of the foot. They called this the “heel strike”. On the other hand, if you run barefoot, you land first on the ball of your foot, which they called the “forefoot strike”. The ground reaction force for the different methods was measured and the team found something interesting.

Image credit: Steve Newman (taken from)

When you land on your heel as you run, there is a huge spike in force (the “impact transient) that jolts through your heel and up your skeletal frame. This force, according to the researchers, is “equivalent to someone hitting you on the heel with a hammer using 1.5 to as much as 3 times your body weight. These impacts add up, since you strike the ground almost 1000 times per mile!” Just thinking about that hurts, ouch! Thanks to the cushion in your shoes, you don’t notice this.

Running barefoot eliminates that enormous instantaneous “impact transient” force. It essentially means you run nicely with a gradual increase in force and no hammer slamming through your bones. Though definitive research has not been done yet, it’s likely that if you run with “forefoot strike”, chances of injury will be decreased.

Image credit: Mike Baird (taken from)

And the clincher; since you have to lower your heel to the ground while on a forefoot strike, your calf muscles, arches and tendons are strengthened. You get healthier and stronger feet!
[Sources: www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu, www.nymag.com]

Study Discovered Fecal Bacteria In Soda Dispensing Machines

Reasons not to eat at fast food restaurants keep piling up. A recent study shows that 48% of soda fountains contain caliform bacteria. This bacteria commonly grows in feces. 11% of them also contained E. coli. The study was conducted by microbiologists from Hollins University and the results published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology.

Image Source: www.cnn.com

According to the scientists abstract: “…coliform bacteria was detected in 48% of the beverages and 20% had a heterotrophic plate count greater than 500 cfu/ml. Statistical analyses revealed no difference in levels of microbial contamination between beverage types or between those dispensed from self-service and personnel-dispensed soda fountains. More than 11% of the beverages analyzed contained Escherichia coli and over 17% contained Chryseobacterium meningosepticum. Other opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms isolated from the beverages included species of Klebsiella, Staphylococcus,Stenotrophomonas, Candida, and Serratia. Most of the identified bacteria showed resistance to one or more of the 11 antibiotics tested.”

The soda fountains not only contain bacteria from poop and E.coli in dangerous amounts, they are also resistant to antibiotics.

The Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S requires drinking water to test negative of E. coli. Most of the soda beverages tested from the dispensers were below the U.S drinking standards.  "The large number of beverages and soda fountain dispensers containing E. coli is still of considerable concern... and suggests that more pathogenic strains of bacteria could persist and thrive in soda fountain machines if introduced," said the study authors.

The study’s lead author and biology & Environmental studies professor, Renee Godard, said that, "Certainly we come in contact with bacteria all the time. It's simply that some bacteria may potentially cause some disease or gastrointestinal distress. One thing we hesitate with is that people get afraid of bacteria. Many of them are benign or helpful, but certainly, I don't want E.coli in my beverage."

Godard and her team acquired 90 beverages of diet soda, water and sugar soda from 30 fast food restaurants within a 22 mile area in Roanoke, Southern Virginia. They did the sample tests on both employee-dispensed machines and those that are self-service. During the study, no food-borne outbreaks were reported in the area.

Petri dishes were used to contain the samples taken. According to Godard, within 48 hours, the bacteria had multiplied and could be seen with the naked eye as 300 to 400 tiny dots. They are uncertain of how the bacteria could have gotten inside the dispensing machines but it could be from using an unclean hand to dispense or cleaning the machines using wet rags. Although the ice on the machines could be contaminated, the researchers ruled it out after testing it and finding no coliform bacteria on it.

The bacteria and E.coli found are mostly harmless but could cause urinary tract infections, diarrhea, pneumonia and respiratory illness. The Chryseobacterium meningosepticum could also sicken adults or newborns that have a weak immune system.

The researcher’s findings suggest that “soda fountain machines may harbor persistent communities of potentially pathogenic microorganisms which may contribute to episodic gastric distress in the general population and could pose a more significant health risk to immune compromised individuals. These findings have important public health implications and signal the need for regulations enforcing hygienic practices associated with these beverage dispensers.”

In other words, fast foods may well be serving you bacteria (feces), which are disgusting and they should clean up their act in matters beverage fountains. As a customer, you won’t have to get sick from taking soda if they take necessary precautions.
[Source: www.treehugger.com]

The Truth Behind High Fructose Corn Syrup According To Science.

There has been a lot of debate by current media on whether High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is beneficial or harmful to our health. They however are missing the point since the average American has increased HFCS consumption (taken mostly from processed foods and sweetened drinks), from zero to around 60 pounds per person yearly. Within this period of time, obesity rates have tripled while diabetes incidences have increased to more than sevenfold. HFCS may not be the only cause, but we can’t ignore it.

Image Source: www.theatlantic.com

Numerous advertising campaigns have been done by the Corns Refiners Association while they attempt earnestly to dispel the idea that HFCS is harmful. Through opinions by “medical and nutritional experts” they claim that it’s no different from cane sugar. It’s a “natural” product and that if used moderately; it’s a healthy part of our diet. The only problem is that it’s a major cause of obesity, heart disease, dementia, cancer, tooth decay, liver failure and more.

So, what does science say about HFCS?

1. Sugar in whatever form does cause obesity and diseases when consumed in pharmacological doses. 
Corn syrup and HFCS are harmful if consumed by a person in pharmacologic doses of 140 pounds per year. You find 17 teaspoonfuls of sugar in 20 ounces HFCS sweetened sports drink, soda or tea and an average teenager will take two drinks in a day. Our ancestors were much healthier since they took on average 20 teaspoons of sugar per year and yes, according to the corn industry, sugar is sugar and quantity matters but some differences do exist.

2. Cane Sugar and HFCS are not biochemically identical and the body processes both in different ways.
HFCS is not a naturally occurring product but an industrial food product. A chemical enzymatic process extracts it from corn stalks and this results in the chemically and biologically compound that is HFCS. Regular cane sugar (sucrose) has two sugar molecules that are bound together- fructose and glucose in equal measure. Enzymes in the digestive tract break down sucrose into fructose and glucose, which the body then absorbs. HFCS also has glucose and fructose but in a 55-45 ratio and in an unbound form. 

Since no bond exists between these two, digestion is not required and they absorb rapidly into the blood stream. Fructose will go to the liver and this will trigger lipogenesis (production of fats like cholesterol and triglycerides), a major liver damage cause. It leads to a condition known as “fatty liver”. When glucose is absorbed rapidly, it triggers a big spike in insulin- a major fat storage hormone. These two features of HFCS eventually lead to heightened metabolic disturbances that increase appetite, lead to weight gain, heart diseases, diabetes, dementia, cancer and more. 

Free fructose in high doses literary punches holes in the intestinal lining and allows nasty byproducts of toxic gut bacteria and proteins from partially digested foods to enter the blood stream. This triggers inflammation that is the root of diabetes, obesity, dementia heart disease, cancer, and accelerated aging. When fructose occurs naturally, for example in fruits, the same biological effects are not seen. The bottom line is; cane sugar and “corn sugar” (industry produced) are not physiologically or biochemically the same.

3. HFCS has contaminants like mercury not measured or regulated by the FDA.
A study conducted by an FDA researcher showed that HFCS contains toxic levels of mercury due to chlor-alkali products that are used during manufacture. When you run HFCS through a chromatograph or chemical analyzer, strange chemical peaks can be seen that are neither fructose nor glucose. The purity of the processed sugar is questionable since the exact effects, nature or toxicity of these compounds isn't known.

4. Independent medical and nutritional experts don’t support use of HFCS despite assertions by the corn industry that they do.
www.cornsugar.com and www.sweetsurprise.com reinforce their position that corn sugar and cane sugar are similar by quoting (or misquoting) experts. Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, in the Department of Nutrition at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has published on dangers caused by taking sugar-sweetened tea and how it contributes to the obesity epidemic. He reviewed HFCS in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and explained how free fructose contributes to obesity.

“The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fructose differ from those of glucose. Hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis (production of fat in the liver). In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Because insulin and leptin act as key afferent signals in the regulation of food intake and body weight (to control appetite), this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased energy intake and weight gain. Furthermore, calorically sweetened beverages may enhance caloric over-consumption. … the increase in consumption of HFCS has a temporal relation to the epidemic of obesity, and the overconsumption of HFCS in calorically sweetened beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.”

The corn industry put this out of context saying “All sugar you eat is the same.”
If you ask most of these experts why they support the corn industry, they will state that their comments were taken out of context. It’s just not right to misrepresent scientists who have fought against obesity and HFCS sweetened beverages.

5. HFCS products are of poor quality, nutritionally depleted and full of artificial ingredients and empty calories.
If the label of a product you are buying states “high fructose corn syrup” be sure that it’s not a whole, real or fresh food that is full of fiber, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Though we should overall reduce our sugar intake, we should still stay away from HFCS products. 

Debate may range on the physiology and biochemistry of corn sugar versus cane sugar but the real issues here are only two:
1. Our consumption of fructose has increased from 140 pounds per year as compared to 20 teaspoons from ten thousand years ago.
2. HFCS is mostly found in poor quality foods that have a nutritional vacuum and filled with different sorts of disease promoting compounds, salt, fats, mercury and chemicals.

What do you think? Is there a relationship between the large intakes of HFCS in our diets to the obesity epidemic? Does the science presented above convince you on the general effects of HFCS?
[Source: www.drhyman.com/ , www.dummies.com]

Fast Food Strawberry Milkshake Requires 59 Ingredients But Surprisingly None Is Strawberry!

The flavor industry’s role has become so influential in terms of food production. Children for example, prefer artificial flavors rather than the real thing. Marketing to children has become so important such that flavorists have increased their efforts in finding out what children like. “Taste tests” are being done constantly by flavor companies for kid’s focus groups where they pilot their new products.  

Image Source: www.thekitchn.com

Complicated and unpredictable flavors are found in fresh vegetables and fruits and when flavorists create additives for adults, they imitate nature as closely as possible. They do the opposite for kids food where sweetness is increased and bitterness gotten rid of. In fact, children flavors are twice as sweet as those meant for adults.

"Children's expectation of a strawberry is completely different," one flavorist says. "They want something that is strong and that has something like bubblegum notes."

To make strawberry milkshake at home, you need : cream, ice, sugar, strawberry and a touch of vanilla. A fast food milkshake on the other hand contains: sugar, milkfat and nonfat milk, sweet whey, guar gum, high-fructose corn syrup, diglycerides and monoglycerides, sodium phosphate, cellulose gum, carrageenan, E129, citric acid and artificial strawberry flavor. 

The artificial strawberry flavor happens to contain all these chemicals: 

amyl butyrate, amyl acetate, amyl valerate, anisyl formate, anethol, benzyl isobutyrate,  benzyl acetate, cinnamyl valerate,  cinnamyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cognac essential oil, dipropyl ketone, diacetyl, ethyl butyrate, ethyl heptanoate,  ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl lactate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl valerate, ethyl propionate, heliotropin, ionone, hydroxyphrenyl- 2-butanone (10% solution in alcohol), isobutyl butyrate, isobutyl anthranilate, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, lemon essential oil, methyl anthranilate, methyl cinnamate, methyl benzoate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl salicylate, methyl naphthyl ketone, mint essential oil, nerolin, neroli essential oil,  neryl isobutyrate, phenethyl alcohol, orris butter,  undecalactone, rum ether,  vanillin, rose and solvent.

So, the next time you order a strawberry milkshake, all you will be getting is a gloopy mixture of numerous additives that offer artificial strawberry flavor. Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation says that none of these ingredients used in fast foods bears a resemblance to the homemade version, that’s healthy. 

The sweet taste you get comes from sweet whey, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. This shocking discovery was made by Eric on his new book Chew On This. The book tackles how fast food restaurants target children through advertising of their products. The book also reveals what an average strawberry milkshake is made of. 

In 1975, a typical American drank only 120 litres of soft drinks. This number has doubled to 240 litres today. That is about over 500 340 ml cans per person. Toddlers too have not been left out. About 20% of children between the age of one and two take soft drinks in America daily.
[Source: www.mirror.co.uk]

Two Decades Ago Their 'Rescuing Hug' Stunned The World And Revolutionised Medicine

Twins Kyrie and Brielle Jackson were born prematurely 12 weeks before their date was due, in 1995. They were born at the Central Massachusetts Medical Center where according to standard practice; twins were incubated separately to reduce chances of infection. Kyrie and Brielle were hence placed in different incubators. Kyrie, who at the time weighed 2lbs 3oz started making good progress and was gaining weight. Brielle on the other hand was having breathing problems and her heart rate was not so good. Her oxygen levels were low and she was not gaining weight.

Image Source: www.lifenews.com

On November 12, Brielle’s condition became critical. She began to turn bluish gray while trying to gasp for air and her heart rate soared. Her parents were terrified that their little bundle of joy may die. Gayle Kasparian, one of the nurses at the hospital tried everything she could but none of the conventional remedies was working. That is when she decided to try a different procedure that was currently in use in most parts of Europe but not in the United States. She got permission from the parents and placed both twins in the same incubator. Immediately she closed the door to the incubator, Brielle snuggled to Kyrie and she began to calm down. Improvement on her blood oxygen readings was seen. When she started to doze, Kyrie wrapped her left arm around her baby sister. Brielle’s temperature rose to normal and her heart rate stabilized.

Image Source: www.lifenews.com/

The twins went home in due time and their parents placed them in the same bed where they continued to thrive. According to the parents, five years later the twins still slept in the same bed and still snuggled.

Image Source: www.lifenews.com

Kyrie’s photograph as she hugged her sister appeared in both the Readers Digest and Life Magazine. It was dubbed the “Rescuing Hug”. It made the twins famous and co-bedding premature twins, quads and triplets became a growing interest. For example, the University of Massachusetts, has co-bedded over 100 sets of multiple twins born prematurely. The hospital staff has found no case of infection between the twins after co-bedding them. Additionally, studies have shown there are benefits to placing premature twins in the same bed.
The hug Kyrie gave to her sister changed their lives and the way premature babies are taken care off. This video catches up with the two 17 years later.
[Source: www.aplus.com]

The Ebola Virus And The Truth They’ve Been Keeping From You

An official study done in 2012 showed how Ebola could transfer between pigs and monkeys that were in separate cages. They were never in direct contact. The experiment made a conclusion that Ebola could be spread through suspended droplets in the air.

An illustration showing the Ebola virus invading a human cell. Image Source: www.cbsnews.com

That Ebola could only be spread through exchange of bodily fluids has been a line we have heard countless times, ever since the virus was discovered, on mainstream news. But corporate media and public health officials have been keeping the truth from you. For some time now, it’s been suspected that CDC’s honesty on this matter is questionable. They have recently made changes concerning Ebola transmission; ease of transference and contamination is of great concern.

Image Source: www.anonhq.com/

According to their update:
“A low risk exposure includes any of the following:
o Household member or other casual contact with an EVD patient.
o Providing patient care or casual contact without high-risk exposure with EVD patients in health care facilities in EVD outbreak affected countries.
“Casual Contact” Definition:
“Casual contact is defined as a) being within approximately 3 feet or within the room or care area for a prolonged period of time while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment or having direct brief contact (e.g., shaking hands) with an EVD case while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment.”

Image Source: www.anonhq.com

Why then didn't the CDC present this information sooner to the public, so that they could implement  effective preventive procedures to curb the spread of the Ebola virus? Ebola is presenting itself as a virus that can spread in the same way Influenza does, but the mainstream media and government insist it can only be transferred through bodily fluids. This is questionable and could turn the general public complacent.

Image Source: www.pontiactribune.com

The new Ebola outbreak is alarming. The world is familiar with the Ebola Zaire, but this is different. Yes, it’s 97% genetically the same, but what is not being broadcasted worldwide is that this new strain is ‘jumping’ borders and spreading very aggressively. It has proved hard to contain. Its incubation period is three weeks and it has ‘hitchhiked’ on international flights to Nigeria since the infected have not been quarantined. Its spread has been unprecedented so far especially in West Africa and one wonders whether it will be contained or will spread even outside Africa.

Image Source: www.anonhq.com/

This 2014 Ebola outbreak is the worst ever since it was discovered in 1976. During a span of five months, it has claimed 1145 lives. August official figures are: Liberia 413; Sierra Leone 348; Guinea 380 and 4 in Nigeria. This could be an underestimate number at the time of reporting, given that 12 cases have been reported so far and over 200 people have been kept under surveillance. Total lives taken a week ago, in the four countries were 961. That is a scary rise of a possible 184 deaths -which is alarming!

Nigeria has been the fourth country to be affected by the Ebola virus which brings the infection tally, in West Africa, to at least 2100 people. This is according to reports from the World Health Organization. Doctors without borders claim that curbing the outbreak may take months even if precautions are taken to discontinue flights to these countries, so as to quarantine the infected.
What is interesting though is the fact that the FDA released a statement stating that “Ebola does not pose a significant threat to the U.S. public,” and this is according to data CDC released. They also stated that the virus was neither “water-borne nor food-borne” and that it could not be “transmitted through the air or spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.”

Image Source: www.anonhq.com/

This non-conclusive reporting on West Africa’s Ebola crisis is a detrimental risk to the containment of the virus. Practical strategies like those implemented during Swine Flu and other viruses should be implemented. If not, how do we expect to contain the deadly Ebola virus that has a death rate ranging from 50 to 80% upon contract? The World Health Organization says that “extraordinary measures are needed to contain the virus.” I think it’s  time we read between the lines and saw what this virus truly is- a potential horror that could reach us if the government and media continued implementing ignorance.
[Sources: www.anonhq.com]

This Woman Drinks 3 Litres Of Water Every Day And The Results Are Shocking!

42 year old, Sarah Smith is a British mother of two who was suffering from migraines. The suggested cure by her doctor, turned out to be the secret to her youth fountain. The doctor suggested she stops taking caffeine and increase her water intake. The picture on the left shows Sarah as an average 42 year old. During this time she was always sluggish and suffered from constant migraines. The picture on the right shows her as a woman in her low to mid thirties. The fountain of our youth is clearly right within our reach.

Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

The amount of water she drank drastically made a change to her appearance. Her daily routine was normal during the photo on the left. “Usually I start my day with a cup of tea, then I might have a glass of water with my lunch and one with dinner - that's about a litre of liquid in 24 hours. It feels like plenty, but apparently it's not nearly enough.” She said in an article on Daily Mail.

She read a survey that said that one in five women usually consumes less than the recommended amount of water in the UK. This is what led to her experiment. The photo on the left was taken the day she started the trial. It clearly indicates what dehydration can do to a face. 
“I am 42, but have to admit I look more like 52 in this picture, which is shocking. There are dark shadows under and around my eyes, which make me look exhausted, a profusion of wrinkles and strange reddish blotches, and my skin lacks any lustre. It looks dead,” She says.
Most of our body functions and systems depend on water. It helps carry nutrients to cells, flash out toxins from our vital organs, eliminate waste and ensure a moist environment for our nose, ear and throat tissues. Not drinking enough water impairs most of these functions.
For 28 days, Sarah took 3 litres of water daily and these are the results: 
Week One: Waist 28in, Weight 8st 7lb 
Sarah inquired from her local GP on whether taking all that water (three litres sounds like a lot) will affect her health. "I suggest you have a big jug of water in the morning, then another in the afternoon and another in the evening," he says. "Your kidneys, which filter waste products from the blood before turning it to urine, will quickly feel the benefit, as they will be getting a good flush through."

Image Source: www.whydontyoutrythis.com/

Her migraines began to go away and her flexibility improved. Water, according to Gemma Critchley, (British Dietetic Association) helps lubricate joints.
Week Two: Waist 28in, Weight 8st 6lb 
She lost a pound.  “My complexion is improving and my skin tone is more even. I still have wrinkles under my eyes, but they look less creepy and shadowy than before. The blotches on my face are diminishing, and the shadows around my eyes are less pronounced,” she says. She also had stopped having headaches.

Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

"Our brain is 73 percent water, so poor hydration can affect how it functions. Dehydration can reduce our ability to concentrate as well as our cognitive performance," says nutritional physiology senior lecturer at Metropolitan University, Dr Emma Derbyshire.
Critchely advises on water being the best choice because it doesn't have calories and will provide the much needed hydration. She also warns against taking juice since it will provide you with excess energy than you need. 
Week Three: Waist 27.5in, Weight 8st 6lb 
She lost half an inch on her waist. “The dark rings and wrinkles under my eyes have virtually disappeared, and my skin looks plumper and more nourished,” she says. She also stopped rubbing her eyes in the morning, which meant the extra water was keeping them moist. 
She ate less since water made her fuller. Studies show that 37% of people usually mistake being thirsty for hunger.

Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Week Four:  Waist 27in, Weight 8st 5lb
She lost another 1lb and half an inch on the waist. "I genuinely can't believe the difference in my face. I look like a different woman. The dark shadows around my eyes have all but disappeared and the blotches have gone. My skin is almost as dewy as it was when I was a child. The transformation is nothing short of remarkable."

Image Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

That’s the difference drinking lots of water can bring to your life. "I feel fitter, leaner and healthier, and my husband and friends tell me I look ten years younger. Who in their right mind would not want to try something which gets such incredible results?” she asks.
[Source: www.dailymail.co.uk]

10 Mind Blowing Psychological Findings That Will Contradict What You Know To Be True

Psychology is the science of commonsense that most often than not confirms what we already know in our minds to be true. We can however battle this misconception, according to Jeremy Dean, a psychology and master of ceremonies PhD candidate, by thinking “about all the unexpected, surprising, and just plain weird findings that have popped out of psychology studies over the years."

Image Source: www.io9.com

1. Cognitive dissonance
It’s one of the weirdest findings in psychology. According to cognitive dissonance, it’s difficult to hold two contradicting beliefs and so we adjust to one unconsciously, so that it fits with the other. A study done on the same, found that a task is interesting to a student if they are paid less to take part. We reason that since money was not involved then the task must have been interesting for us to do it. A boring task will become interesting because it’s hard to explain the behavior. This theory is unsettling because our minds seem to be performing rationalizations like this many times without consciously knowing. So how can you be sure of what you really think?

2. Hallucinations are common

Image Source: www.sleepcare.com

We mostly consider hallucinations an indication of some serious mental illness. They are more like dreams you have while awake and in reality, these dreams are more common to ‘normal’ people. In a study done by Ohayon, 2000, one third of the population reported having experienced hallucinations. 20% experienced them once a month while 2% once in a week.
Normal people similarly have paranoid thoughts. In a recent study, 40% of the population experienced paranoid thoughts during a virtual study. Apparently, the gap between the ‘sane’ and the mentally ill is smaller than we imagine.

3. The placebo effect

Image source: www.wired.com

You are having a headache. You take some aspirin and a few seconds later, you are feeling so much better. Have you experienced this? Well, it can’t be as a result of the drug because the drug would need at least 15 minutes for it to kick in. This is what is called the Placebo effect. Since your mind knows you have taken a pill, you feel better. This effect is mostly strongest in medicine where pain is involved. A placebo of salty water (saline) would work just as powerfully as morphine would. 
The word Placebo is Latin for ‘I shall please’. In another study done, 80% improvement from taking drugs like Prozac was placebo. They could as well have taken the sugar pill. The placebo effect can be considered counter-intuitive because the body and mind are not separate.

4. Obedience to authority

Image Source: www3.niu.edu

We consider ourselves independent minded. We would not harm another unless undergoing serious duress. But if ordered to electrically shock another by an authoritative figure wearing a white coat, would we?
Stanley Milgram did the experiments to test obedience to authority. He wanted to find out how far people would go if an authoritative figure orders them to hurt another human. 63% of those participants continued administering shock even when the victims cried in pain. They continued administering it until the victims grew silent. The participants were just ordinary people like you and me.
Situations in life dictate how much control we have on our behavior. It’s a power we find hard to notice however until it’s revealed dramatically in studies like this one.

5. Fantasies reduce motivation

Image Source: www.spring.org.uk/

We mostly motivate ourselves by fantasizing about the future. We have this idea that if we fantasize about the future, we will get motivated towards reaching our goals. Psychologists however have found that fantasizing about our success is bad for motivation. When you get the taste of goals coming true in the here and now, your drive to achieve it is reduced. It’s also hard to notice problems we could face in the future when fantasizing. A better way to achieve our goals would be through mental contrasting. With mental contrasting, one is forced to decide whether a goal is achievable or not. If it is, commit and if it's not, let go.

6. Choice blindness.

Image Source: www.flickr.com

Do you have a reason for every decision you’ve made? Like, why you are attracted to a certain person? Don’t be quick to say yes. According to a certain study, people were tricked easily into justifying choices they had not made about those they found attractive. We sometimes exhibit, choice blindness. We tend to have very little or no awareness at all about the choices we make and the reasons as to why we make them. Then we use rationalization to cover our tracks. We apparently have very little access to the inner workings of our minds.

7. More heads are not always better than one
According to psychology, brainstorming should not be a solution to problems. When people are in groups, they tend to be lazy, forget their ideas when others are talking and worry too much about what others are thinking of their opinion. It would be much better if everyone went off and came up with their own unique ideas, then the group evaluates them.

8. Suppressing thoughts is counterproductive.

Image Source: www.spring.org.uk

Remember when you were worried about something and everyone kept telling you to ‘put it out of your mind’? Well, this is bad advice. It’s counterproductive to suppress your thoughts. When you suppress thoughts, you experience an ironic rebound effect. Whatever you were thinking about becomes even stronger than it was before. A better way to solve it would be looking for a distraction.

9. We all have incredible multitasking skills
We can train our minds to do incredible things despite all limitations we may have. In fact, with practice, one can be able to read and write at the same time. In a multitasking study, two volunteers were trained for a period of 16 weeks. By the end of training, they could read a short story and categorize a list of words at the same time. In time, they could execute as well on both tasks using the same time they could on each of the tasks individually before they started the study.

10. The little things are what matter in life.

Image source: www.medimanage.com

We consider big events like, graduating, getting married or getting a baby as most important. However, the major events in your life are not often directly important to your well-being; little uplifts and hassles of everyday life are. The major events affect us mainly through the uplifts and hassles they produce daily. For example work satisfaction is mostly achieved after one is hit by everyday hassles. Things like quality sleep, little ups and downs at work and friends and family relationships are what affect our happiness: the little things in life make us happy.

[Source: www.io9.com]

This Family Ate No Sugar For A Whole Year. What They Found Out Was Shocking!

Story by Eve O. Schaub
“Once upon a time, I was healthy; at least I thought I was”, starts the story of Eve. She didn't have enough energy to get through the day. But the energy drink commercials targeting all tired Americans gave her comfort because she knew she was not suffering alone. Everyone in her family dreaded the cold season and coming flu but by January, everyone had developed a degree of germ phobia.

Image Source: www.mbblife.com

According to experts, Sugar is making many Americans sick and fat. When she heard this information, it greatly disturbed her and suddenly it started making more sense to her. One in every seven Americans was suffering from the metabolic syndrome, one among three is obese, diabetes rates are skyrocketing and the number one killer in America, is the cardiovascular disease. Their theory is that all this problems can be linked to one common toxic presence in what we eat…sugar.

With this newly found knowledge, she formulated an idea and wanted to see just how hard it could be if her family spent a whole year eating foods with no sugar. She decided that her husband, two children ( 6 and 11), and herself would cut out anything with added sweeteners; be it honey, sugar, maple syrup, molasses, fruit juice and agave. They also got rid from their diet anything made using sugar alcohols or fake sugar; unless the sweetness came naturally like from fruits, they didn't eat it.

On looking closely they found sugar in some amazing places; sausages, tortillas, chicken broth, cold cuts, salad dressings, mayonnaise, bread, bacon, crackers and baby food. “Why add all of this sugar? To make these items more palatable, add shelf life, and make packaged food production ever cheaper, “she says.

Avoiding sugar for an year, was a grand adventure for her. She wanted to know what would happen, how hard it could be, whether anything interesting would happen and how her shopping and cooking would change.  After doing some research, she was convinced that by avoiding sugar, they would get more healthier. What she wasn't expecting was how it made her feel better in a real and tangible way.   

The longer she went without the sugar, the more she felt better and energetic. But her doubts if any about this were removed during her husband’s birthday.      
       
During the year the family went without sugar, they had rules. In a month, they only had one sugar containing dessert. You chose what dessert to have on your birthday.  By September, their tastes had changed and they slowly and with time started not enjoying their monthly treats. But she knew change was upon them during her husband’s birthday. He had requested a multilayered banana cream pie. Not only did she not enjoy it, she could not finish it. She found it sickly sweet and it actually made her teeth hurt. Her head began pounding and her heart began to race. It was an awful feeling. It took her an hour of rest on the couch for her head to recover. “Geez,” she thought, “has sugar always made me feel bad, but because it was everywhere, I just never noticed it before?”     

Image Source: www.everydayhealth.com/

After the year without sugar, she counted how many times her kids were absent from school that year and compared it to other years. She was surprised. Greta, her older daughter had only missed two days of school compared to 15 the year before. 

Their grand adventure; one year without sugar is now over. They will occasionally indulge but their way of eating has changed. Sugar is appreciated in smaller amounts and they avoid it totally in everyday foods. They however save desserts for only truly special occasions.  Her body, she says, is thanking her for the decision. She no longer runs out of energy and during the flu seasons, she doesn’t have to hide in bed with her children.  When they do come up with something their bodies are better equipped. They rarely get sick and get well so much faster. To her surprise, after the no-sugar life, they all feel stronger and healthier. There is nothing to sneeze at. 

Eve O Schaub authored Year of No Sugar: A Memoir. She holds a BA and BFA from Cornell University and a MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology.       
[Source: www.everydayhealth.com]

5 Reasons You Should Be Using The Ayahuasca. It Has Incredible Medicinal Values

The Ayahuasca is becoming known worldwide for its incredible ability to heal anxiety, PTSD, depression and other numerous mental disorders. This medicinal tea from South America contains potent psychedelic chemical N, N-dimethlytryptaime (DMT), that induces introspection and intense visions.  The ayahuasca experience often lasts for 8 hours approximately and is accompanied often by vomiting and sometimes diarrhea. The natives call it “la purge” (the purge). This purging process is what has medicinal benefits since it frees the body of worms, emotional trauma and other parasites

Some mind-blowing facts about the ayahuasca include:

1. Antidepressant qualities
Long term users of ayahuasca after having their blood tested showed increased density of the serotonin receptors as compared to those who were not using it. Antidepressants of the SSRI class actually help reduce density of the serotonin receptors in its users over time and these could cause chronic depression.  The ayahuasca is neither addictive nor neurotoxic. It not poisonous and cannot nerve tissue in the spinal cord or brain at any time or in any possible way.

2. The Amazon has over 40,000 plant species but somehow the Indians knew that if they mixed these two specific plants: the Banisteriopsis caapi (ayahuasca vine) and shrub leaves of the Psychotria vidris, they would make medicine.
The ayahuasca vine has monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), a chemical that helps the body absorb DMT leaves. The MAOI prevents the DMT from being destroyed by monoamine oxidase in the gut. If this happened, the DMT would have no effects. Natives who have used the brew for many years claim the plant showed them how ayahuasca is made.

3. Ayahuasca has created a boom in tourism
There is a boom in tourism due to the ayahuasca as seekers worldwide travel to the Amazon to get healing. Ayahuasca is legal in South and Central America and many eco-lodges and retreat centers are available, dedicated to ayahuasca healing and tourism.

4. Ayahuasca is healing PTSD
Many veterans have also sought the cure of PTSD from the ayahuasca.  Users go into a dream-like state and traumatic memories that are trapped in the subconscious get unlocked, reprocessed and the negative emotion and fear detached. It’s a viable treatment and cure of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

5. Used by major religions
Ayahuasca is used on a regular basis by two major religions: the Uniao De Vegetal (UDV) and Santo Daime. They use it as a sacrament that connects them with God. They both won court cases that gave them rights to consume the ayahuasca in the US. 
[Source: www.reset.me]

This is What Happens When You Quit Alcohol Completely For A Whole Year

Kelly Fitzgerald had a typical life like any of us these days- She worked hard and led a full social life. This meant lots of parties and functions that had plenty of alcohol. On May 6th, 2013, however, she decided to quit alcohol for good. It was having a bad effect on her life.
 “On May 6, 2013 I took my last drink.  I will never forget how it felt.  I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I was tired of being the party girl, I was tired of feeling like shit, I was tired of disappointing and embarrassing my friends and loved ones.  I decided I needed a big change. Trying to drink in moderation hadn’t proved to be the best option for me.  It never worked.  Enough was enough.  I tried something that I never did before – stopped drinking alcohol completely.” She said on her blog.

On the left, a peak drinking time. On the right, a few weeks ago, almost one year sober. Image Source: www.sobersenorita.com

These are the lessons she learned in that one year she did not drink alcohol:

1. Heightened senses
She feels everything with a heightened sensitivity.  Emotions, smell hearing, muscle pain, hearing and taste got heightened. Her emotions have gone crazy-“I cry at the drop of a hat, I’m offended easily, and sometimes I am so happy I feel like I’m going to burst.  I actually care what people think about me…” And although she is sometimes overwhelmed, the feeling is amazing.

2. Self-understanding
Not drinking has made her realize who she is. She has realized what she likes and what she doesn’t and can easily socialize with friends and family. “I’m learning that person who was under the cloud of constant alcohol black outs for the last several years was not me.  I am not the stupid embarrassing things I did, I am a real person who does not mix well with alcohol.” 

 3. Alcohol stopped being fun for her
She had been trying for years to regulate her drinking but kept failing. Alcohol started out as fun and as a social thing but she realized it wasn’t fun anymore. It was in fact the root of most of her problems. Bad things happened to her when she drank and she should have stopped earlier.

 4. Life is manageable
Her life used to be a total mess when she drank and she felt comfortable that way. After fighting the scary first days and months, being sober is her normal now. Drinking used to be her answer to everything and especially when things went bad, but now she is prepared to face anything and can handle it in a healthy way. “Additionally, less bad things have happened since I stopped drinking alcohol which was the cause of many problems in the past.  I am now present and thankful for each day.”

 5. Worthy of love
Alcohol had been sabotaging her romantic relationships for a long time. Alcohol “supported, encouraged, and justified bad decisions of all kinds, especially those related to men.” After she stopped drinking, she realized that she was capable of having a normal relationship and she did deserve to be loved. Oh, and she did find a loving and amazing man who shows her that she deserves all the love in the world!

6. Toxic people bring toxic habits
When you quit drinking or doing drugs, one of the things you have to do is change friends. She realized that she had nothing in common with some of her friends and that some had completely different goals and outlook on life. They felt fake and when she made the decision, she found out who her true friends were. “There are those who will love you unconditionally, those who won’t bat an eyelash, and those who will still offer you cocktails after they already know you don’t drink.” She has since learned how to get rid of toxic relationships without feeling bad about it.

7. She is not perfect and that is ok.
Guilt, shame and regret are some of the feelings one gets when you quit a nasty habit.  According to Kelly, however, it’s a beautiful thing to finally feel those emotions she tried to numb with alcohol all those years. “Not only am I learning to feel them, I’m learning how to deal with them, and live a healthy and successful life.  I have made mistakes along the way and I will never be perfect.” There are good and bad days but she has learned to not beat herself up. Alcohol is her story of perseverance.

“I never thought that sobriety would be my preferred way of life, but now I can’t imagine going back to my party girl ways.  I never dreamed I would feel SO happy, full, and healthy living a life without drugs and alcohol.  I was always that girl who needed alcohol to have fun and now I am a testament to the fact that you don’t need it to enjoy yourself. I wake up every day feeling relieved that I never have to feel hangover.  I hope that by sharing my story other party girls (and boys) will have the courage to put down the drink and live the life they have always imagined.  The best is yet to come.” 
[Source:  www.sobersenorita.com]