Mental Health

People Who Regularly Meditate Have Brains 7.5 YEARS Younger

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on March 8, 2018 / Health Care, Mental Health / 5 Comments

Regular meditation is said to calm the mind. However, thanks to a new study it’s said to shave years off a person’s brain. Researchers scanned the brains of 100 Americans (50 men and women) who meditate regularly, and 50 who don’t. By analysing the data from both sets, they were able to tell a person’s brain age based on its physical condition. The Results Those who didn’t meditate were shown to have brains the same as their age. For those who do? Their brains were 7.5 years younger. The Research The results published in NeuroImage journal, suggest the deep thinking

Eating Vegetable Oils Could Lead to Fatigue, Dementia and Migraine

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on March 2, 2018 / Health Care, Mental Health, Migraine / Leave a comment

Tags: dementia, dementia prevention, fatigue, Healthcare, Vegetable oils

Eating Vegetable Oils Could Lead to Fatigue, Dementia and Migraine

Major concerns regarding our diet in the west emerged during the 1950s when the consensus on what constitutes healthy fat began. Gone was the idea that butter and lard were good for us, now they were labelled as the cause of heart disease and weight gain. The Sugar Lobby The truth about this sudden switch has only come to light recently. Researchers uncovered documents confirming that the sugar lobby paid to influence studies showing fat as the biggest threat to our health. At the same time, the food industry scrambled to find an alternative and discovered vegetable oils. Your Brains Worst Enemy Vegetable

Pre-Performance Anxiety Greatly Improved By Acupuncture

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on February 28, 2018 / Anxiety, Emotional Health, Mental Health / Leave a comment

Tags: acupuncture, Performance anxiety

Pre-Performance Anxiety Greatly Improved By Acupuncture

We often tell ourselves that nerves prior to a performance are normal. However, sometimes anxious feelings can have a negative effect. Whether it’s in a business or day to day life, if we’re too anxious , it can set us back from our goals. However, a new study seeking to combat anxiety in competitive athletes proves acupuncture can be effective. The Research As part of a trial by researchers at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 45 teenage athletes were split into three groups: acupuncture, sham acupuncture and wait-list control. Each participant completed an anxiety questionnaire and had their heart rate monitored

Evidence For Acupuncture To Treat Depression Strengthens

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on February 22, 2018 / Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health / 3 Comments

Tags: acupuncture, Anxiety, mental health

Evidence For Acupuncture To Treat Depression Strengthens

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) says “evidence for the acupuncture to treat anxiety disorders is becoming stronger.” The Research Recently the University of York came across promising results for acupuncture. Firstly, the study in question recruited 755 people with moderate to severe depression. Seventy percent of the patients had been on anti-depressants and continued on them throughout the study. Secondly, the study concluded that acupuncture had a positive effect on depression. They saw that it lowered the depression scale from an average of 16 out of 27 at the start, to 9 for acupuncture at its conclusion.

Sugar Alters Hundreds Of Brain Genes

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on February 22, 2018 / Health Care, Mental Health, Neurophysiology / Leave a comment

Tags: brain health, Genes, Sugar

There are many diseases, from nervous system disorders to cardiovascular problems that are linked to the changing nature of our genes. It’s was once believed that many of these changes were a result of issues within our genetics, yet research at UCLA suggests that the primary reason more people are affected by damaged genes is due to our diet. According to their research, the addition of fructose in many processed foods is the leading cause of damage. While it’s naturally occurring in fruit, the fibrous structure of fruit slows the absorption rate. The major problem is when fructose is added to

Cognitive Function In Vascular Dementia Improved With Acupuncture

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on February 18, 2018 / Dementia, Mental Health / Leave a comment

Tags: acupuncture, Donepezil, vascular dementia

Cognitive Function In Vascular Dementia Improved With Acupuncture

According to the World Health Organisation, 47.5 million people have vascular dementia. This is one of several diseases which attacks the brain. It’s often used interchangeably with Alzheimer’s, however, there’s a difference between the two. UCSF describes vascular dementia as the sudden reduction in a person’s language skills, judgment, reasoning and memory. Often due to a reduction in blood flow to the brain. Alzheimer’s, however is a result of “sticky” proteins that build up between nerves and prevent synapses from functioning. Acupuncture Improves Cognitive Function While western medicine treats vascular dementia with drugs, research published in the Neural Regeneration Research journal discovered

Can Analgesics Really Mess With The Mind?

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on February 17, 2018 / Health Care, Mental Health / 3 Comments

Tags: Pain medication, side effects

Can Analgesics Really Mess With The Mind?

New evidence suggests over-the-counter analgesics may have more psychological effects than first thought. A few years back, researchers reported a side effect of paracetamol. It appeared to dampen emotional responses in men and women. A review of the literature at the University of California suggests ibuprofen may do the same thing, but only in women. The Research The study found that compared with those who took a placebo, women on ibuprofen report less hurt feelings from emotionally painful experiences. The opposite was true for men. “The findings are alarming,” says Assistant Professor Kyle Ratner. “Consumers assume when they take an over-the-counter pain medication, it

Blood Deficiency Creates a Variety of Health Issues

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on December 2, 2017 / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Insomnia, Mental Health, Women's Health / 1 Comment

Tags: blood, blood deficiency, Women's Health

Blood Deficiency Creates a Variety of Health Issues

A 45year old woman came to my office suffering severe vertigo and anxiety since giving birth to her first child. She was taking western medication to help manage her symptoms, however her episodes continued. My Examination During her physical exam, her face, wrists and hands were pale. Her pulse was deep, had little strength and her blood pressure was 95/65mm Hg (low). After more tests, I concluded her primary problem was “Blood Deficiency”. Blood tests pick up information that indicate anaemia, red and white blood cell counts and more. However, they often miss signs of an overall Blood deficiency that

Dementia Is The Leading Cause of Death In Women

By David Edwards, Reservoir Personal Trainer on October 13, 2017 / Mental Health, Women's Health / Leave a comment

Tags: brain health, dementia

Dementia Is The Leading Cause of Death In Women

New data reveals dementia is now the leading cause of death in Australian women. “In 2016, dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) became the leading cause of death among Australian women,” said ABS health statistics director James Eynstone-Hinkins. Heart disease was the highest on the list among all Australians but better treatment means people are living longer with the disease and fewer are dying from it. On the flip side, “death rates for diseases, like dementia were increasing” said the Australian Bureau of Statistics. There’s currently no known treatment for dementia, however there are a number of preventative measures that might be