COURTESY:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090512134655.htm
Meditation May Increase Gray Matter
The right orbito-frontal cortex, shown here, is one of the areas of the brain that appears to be enlarged due to meditation. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of California - Los Angeles)ScienceDaily (May 13, 2009) — Push-ups, crunches, gyms, personal trainers — people have many strategies for building bigger muscles and stronger bones. But what can one do to build a bigger brain?
Meditate.
That's the finding from a group of researchers at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by subscription), the researchers report that certain regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger than in a similar control group.
Specifically, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the hippocampus and areas within the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus — all regions known for regulating emotions.
"We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior," said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. "The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities."
Research has confirmed the beneficial aspects of meditation. In addition to having better focus and control over their emotions, many people who meditate regularly have reduced levels of stress and bolstered immune systems. But less is known about the link between meditation and brain structure.
In the study, Luders and her colleagues examined 44 people — 22 control subjects and 22 who had practiced various forms of meditation, including Zazen, Samatha and Vipassana, among others. The amount of time they had practiced ranged from five to 46 years, with an average of 24 years.
More than half of all the meditators said that deep concentration was an essential part of their practice, and most meditated between 10 and 90 minutes every day.
The researchers used a high-resolution, three-dimensional form of MRI and two different approaches to measure differences in brain structure. One approach automatically divides the brain into several regions of interest, allowing researchers to compare the size of certain brain structures. The other segments the brain into different tissue types, allowing researchers to compare the amount of gray matter within specific regions of the brain.
The researchers found significantly larger cerebral measurements in meditators compared with controls, including larger volumes of the right hippocampus and increased gray matter in the right orbito-frontal cortex, the right thalamus and the left inferior temporal lobe. There were no regions where controls had significantly larger volumes or more gray matter than meditators.
Because these areas of the brain are closely linked to emotion, Luders said, "these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way."
What's not known, she said, and will require further study, are what the specific correlates are on a microscopic level — that is, whether it's an increased number of neurons, the larger size of the neurons or a particular "wiring" pattern meditators may develop that other people don't.
Because this was not a longitudinal study — which would have tracked meditators from the time they began meditating onward — it's possible that the meditators already had more regional gray matter and volume in specific areas; that may have attracted them to meditation in the first place, Luders said.
However, she also noted that numerous previous studies have pointed to the brain's remarkable plasticity and how environmental enrichment has been shown to change brain structure.
Other authors of the study included Arthur Toga, director of UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging; Natasha Lepore of UCLA; and Christian Gaser of the University of Jena in Germany. Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health. The authors report no conflicts of interest.
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University of California - Los Angeles (2009, May 13). Meditation May Increase Gray Matter. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/05/090512134655.htm
Friday, May 15, 2009
How can we avoid salt in our diet?
How can we avoid salt in our diet?
Courtesy: pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com
Posted: 10:50 AM ET
As a new feature of CNNhealth.com, our team of expert doctors will answer readers’ questions. Here’s a question for Dr. Gupta.
From Arthur
Birmingham, Alabama
“I saw your report earlier in the week the about high salt content in restaurant foods. I end up consuming salty foods at home too! My wife adds it to everything – even to the water she boils our pasta in. What are some alternatives I can suggest?”
Answer
Arthur, thanks for writing in! Sodium content is often not something people look for on labels, or consciously think about when preparing their meals. Even many low-fat, low-calorie items have very high levels of sodium. Then, of course, the salt shaker sitting on most kitchen tables doesn’t help the matter. You see we’re all creatures of habit. If a person grows up always adding salt and pepper to each meal, it becomes second nature. Before even tasting a meal, many people add salt to without thinking twice.
Our bodies do need some sodium. It helps regulate your body’s fluid, aids in muscle function. But too much sodium can cause a siren to go off internally. When excess salt flows through your bloodstream, your kidneys get defensive. They release a hormone that triggers blood vessels to contract, which causes your blood pressure to rise. From there it’s a ripple effect on your health. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack or stroke among other conditions. Something as seemingly small as reducing sodium levels in your diet could save your life. In fact, the American Medical Association estimates that 150,000 lives could be saved in the United States annually if people cut their salt intake in half.
There are ways to cut back when cooking at home without losing flavor. Start by getting the salt shaker off the dinner table. As I mentioned earlier, people often add it to meals just because it’s there, not because the food needs it. Keep the shaker in the cabinet, and odds are your whole family will inadvertently use it less.
Also limit your intake of processed foods and canned vegetables. An estimated 77 percent of a person’s daily sodium intake comes from these items. One serving of canned food may have up to 1,000 milligrams of sodium! Fresh fruits and vegetables have a muchlower count by nature. Find out where the local farmer’s market is in your area and bring the family to pick out favorite fresh items each week. You’ll save money too. Local markets often have lower prices.
Have you been down the herb and spice isle at the grocery store lately? There are hundred of options to add flavor to meals with little to no sodium count. You and your wife will have fun experimenting with different spices to your favorite recipes – sans salt!
Arthur, the best advice is being mindful of “hidden” sources of sodium. The American Heart Association recommends 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day for the average person. Sounds like a lot but it adds up quickly. A 12-oz glass of tomato juice has 1,000 mg of salt. One tablespoon of relish has about 250 mg. One hot dog has up to 800 mg. Many salad dressings – including fat free – have 500 mg of sodium in just two tablespoons.
Bottom line, salt is everywhere. Read the labels, look for low-sodium products and eat fresh food when possible.
Posted by: Dr. Sanjay Gupta - CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Filed under: Dr. Gupta • Expert Q&A
Courtesy: pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com
Posted: 10:50 AM ET
As a new feature of CNNhealth.com, our team of expert doctors will answer readers’ questions. Here’s a question for Dr. Gupta.
From Arthur
Birmingham, Alabama
“I saw your report earlier in the week the about high salt content in restaurant foods. I end up consuming salty foods at home too! My wife adds it to everything – even to the water she boils our pasta in. What are some alternatives I can suggest?”
Answer
Arthur, thanks for writing in! Sodium content is often not something people look for on labels, or consciously think about when preparing their meals. Even many low-fat, low-calorie items have very high levels of sodium. Then, of course, the salt shaker sitting on most kitchen tables doesn’t help the matter. You see we’re all creatures of habit. If a person grows up always adding salt and pepper to each meal, it becomes second nature. Before even tasting a meal, many people add salt to without thinking twice.
Our bodies do need some sodium. It helps regulate your body’s fluid, aids in muscle function. But too much sodium can cause a siren to go off internally. When excess salt flows through your bloodstream, your kidneys get defensive. They release a hormone that triggers blood vessels to contract, which causes your blood pressure to rise. From there it’s a ripple effect on your health. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack or stroke among other conditions. Something as seemingly small as reducing sodium levels in your diet could save your life. In fact, the American Medical Association estimates that 150,000 lives could be saved in the United States annually if people cut their salt intake in half.
There are ways to cut back when cooking at home without losing flavor. Start by getting the salt shaker off the dinner table. As I mentioned earlier, people often add it to meals just because it’s there, not because the food needs it. Keep the shaker in the cabinet, and odds are your whole family will inadvertently use it less.
Also limit your intake of processed foods and canned vegetables. An estimated 77 percent of a person’s daily sodium intake comes from these items. One serving of canned food may have up to 1,000 milligrams of sodium! Fresh fruits and vegetables have a muchlower count by nature. Find out where the local farmer’s market is in your area and bring the family to pick out favorite fresh items each week. You’ll save money too. Local markets often have lower prices.
Have you been down the herb and spice isle at the grocery store lately? There are hundred of options to add flavor to meals with little to no sodium count. You and your wife will have fun experimenting with different spices to your favorite recipes – sans salt!
Arthur, the best advice is being mindful of “hidden” sources of sodium. The American Heart Association recommends 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day for the average person. Sounds like a lot but it adds up quickly. A 12-oz glass of tomato juice has 1,000 mg of salt. One tablespoon of relish has about 250 mg. One hot dog has up to 800 mg. Many salad dressings – including fat free – have 500 mg of sodium in just two tablespoons.
Bottom line, salt is everywhere. Read the labels, look for low-sodium products and eat fresh food when possible.
Posted by: Dr. Sanjay Gupta - CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Filed under: Dr. Gupta • Expert Q&A
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Swine Flu .. What and Why we are so concerned?
The Swine Flu now labelled as h1n1 virus has spread panic around the world.
Everyone is concerned, anxious and possibly panicky.
Every Administration and Every Government possibly is doing all well within its knowledge and power to arrest its spread.
In the meantime, awareness of what this H1N1 VIRUS is and HOW we can protect ourselves is more important.
Please log to www.cnnhealth.com
Dr.Sanjaya Guptha gives the answers you need most.
Kindly log on to:
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/
Everyone is concerned, anxious and possibly panicky.
Every Administration and Every Government possibly is doing all well within its knowledge and power to arrest its spread.
In the meantime, awareness of what this H1N1 VIRUS is and HOW we can protect ourselves is more important.
Please log to www.cnnhealth.com
Dr.Sanjaya Guptha gives the answers you need most.
Kindly log on to:
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/
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