Gut Bacteria Help Improve Mental Health

New research conducted by scientists links probiotics (live bacteria that help maintain a healthy digestive system) to changes in mood and mental health. Probiotics when ingested in adequate amounts offer enormous potential for the treatment of depression and other stress-related disorders.

While many of the numerous health-improvement claims have yet to be supported scientifically, it has been claimed that micro-organisms do exert positive effects in intestinal tracts, particularly when used to counteract the effects of antibiotics, which kill both 'bad' and 'good' bacteria.

Over the past few years, studies have been undertaken to explore the possible impact of probiotics on behaviour. It is within this context that the concept of a psychobiotic has arisen.

Timothy Dinan and his colleagues from University College Cork in Ireland, define a psychobiotic as "a live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness."

The gut microbiota, which contains approximately 1 kg of bacteria, can be modulated by diet and many other factors. It is not static and can change from day to day, starting at birth. Evidence has shown that even the form of delivery (vaginal versus cesarean) alters an individual's microbiota.

Dinan and his colleagues review one study that assessed the potential benefits of a specific probiotic, B. infantis, in rats displaying depressive behavioural science due to maternal separation. The probiotic treatment normalized both their behaviour and their previously-abnormal immune response.

This preclinical study and others like it strongly support the hypothesis that probiotics have the potential to exert behavioural and immunological effects.

The study is published in Biological Psychiatry.

Source: ANI

12 Simple Ways To Improve Your Memory

We all have our days of forgetfulness, but sometimes a bad memory can become frustrating, especially when key dates and important notices are forgotten.

Instead of just playing memory-promoting video games, there are also plenty of other everyday non-intrusive things that can be done to help improve that memory of yours.

Here are 12 simple ways to improve your memory:

1. Look At Nature

Whilst walking through nature may be more beneficial, there are also benefits to be had in just looking at images of nature. The process allows for your mind to de-clutter, which then helps with memory storage and processing, allowing for improved memory recall.

2. Exercise

Whilst we spend time focusing on our ab crunches, we rarely think about the benefits we are receiving on a cognitive level when it comes to exercise.

Studies have found that running increases levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports the health of current and existing neurons, whilst also helping with the creation of new cells.

3. Sleep

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) consists of four stages that help, in part, with the active state your body goes through during sleep:

• Stage 1 – Your eyes are closed but you can be easily awoken.
• Stage 2 – Light sleep that is accompanied by positive and negative waves, which represent muscle tone and muscle relaxation periods.
• Stage 3 and 4 – Deep sleep stages, also known as deep-wave, or delta sleep. 

4. Chew Gum

Whilst chewing gum doesn’t directly improve your memory, it does help your ability to focus and ultimately retain extra information.

Chewing gum has been known to boost mental alertness by 10% within individuals, which could be incredibly beneficial during a study session or lecture.

5. Music

What exercise does to our body, music does to our brains. Music “tones” the brain for auditory fitness. Music training tends to give you the ability to assess the relevance and predictability of an auditory signal, and this also includes speech. Because of this musicians have the ability to remember more auditory content.

6. Visualize

This is actually one of the secret methods that many of the World Champions of Memory use when attempting to memorize a deck of shuffled cards.

By simply associating key information with a memorable feature, person, action or color, you can begin to use memory recall for the memorable item, which then leads to the visualization of what it is you’re trying to remember.

7. Doodle

This should be considered in much the same way as chewing gum: whilst it doesn’t directly influence memory or storage, it does help to make your mind stop wandering away from the primary task.

Even though an experiment that was conducted didn’t have any final, conclusive evidence, it did show that doodlers have 30% improved memory recall.

8. Drink Green Tea

Due to its key ingredient, an organic molecule called EGCG (an anti-oxidant that helps to combat age-related, degenerative illnesses), green tea has become a recommended beverage that people should consume multiple times a day.

For the full benefits of the anti-aging anti-oxidants, matcha tea, which is the full green tea leaf ground into a powder, contains 137 times more anti-oxidants than regular green tea and should also be considered as part of a daily diet.

9. Seek Help

The biggest strain on our cognitive functions are life stresses, including anxiety and anger. Both of these can cause the parts of your brain that are responsible for memory to degenerate. Another key problem that originates from these stresses is depression, which can sometimes be misdiagnosed since one of its symptoms is also an inability to concentrate.

10. Stand Up

Ensure that you’re getting up and moving around throughout the day, especially whilst at work. Our bodies need oxygen to circulate through them to deliver our energy; however, when you’re in a seated position your body goes into a resting period. Our brain will go into momentary lapses of concentration after prolonged periods of sitting down.

11. Study Sessions

Rather than going into a marathon library session, it has been shown that by regularly studying in small chunks that include rest, people were able to remember more and also had improved memory recall.

Because the sessions are short and regular you then have the time to store and process the information during break periods. Long sessions with no rest don’t allow for proper memory process.

12. Learn Before Bedtime

The day has its distractions, and it tends to make learning and concentration an incredibly difficult task. However, if you fit in a study session or learning session right before bedtime, you’re unlikely to become distracted by everyday occurrences.

Source: Lifehack

How to Beat Stress

Exercise
 
Exercise has been shown to reduce stress. From past experience, I’ve found that regular exercise doesn’t just beat stress, but has helped me to reduce stress. 

Things such as going to the gym, running or playing your favorite sport can get you moving and help relieve the stress.

Cut Back

This means, do less of things such as extra-curricular activities, even just short term. This allows you to focus on your school work and not be overwhelmed by other activities. If you don’t want to cut back completely, try just cutting down to one extra-curricular activity.

Meditation

Although not a method I’ve tried, meditation is often praised for its ability to reduce stress.

Renegotiate Deadlines

Where possible, speak to your tutors/teachers/lecturers and attempt to have deadlines moved. This helps reduce the stresses of one of our major problems as students – all the deadlines for things falling within about one week!

Take a Break

Even during the day, we can get stressed, do not just work through your breaks because you’ve got loads to do, truth is, you will become less effective the longer you work, it’s important to take short and regular breaks to keep your mind working best.

Source: http://www.gearfire.net/beat-stress/

Why You Should Drink Less Soda

Hey! Yes, you over there with the vodka and Sprite. You’re not going to like this, but you should put that down.

Whether we’re mixing it with alcohol or drinking it straight from the can at a family barbeque, the average American drinks two cans of soda each day. That’s the average, and there are a lot of us that don’t drink any at all.

That two-a-day average is about 275 extra empty and harmful calories each day for regular soda. Not to mention the sugar, chemicals, and fake additives. Well, actually, I am going to mention them below, along with the remaining top reasons why you should drink less soda!

Sugar
 
One can of soda sets you back about 33 grams of sugar. Americans are consuming WAY too much regular sugar as it is — not to mention the refined white flours, bred-for-sugar fruits, and slew of simple carbohydrates that don’t look anything like whole grains. And most of the sodas in the U.S. don’t even use real sugar; they use high fructose corn syrup.

Sugar is not an essential nutrient (though my cookie-loving half might disagree), so there is no recommended daily allowance set by the Institute of Medicine. However, most sources suggest limiting your sugar to about 20-50 grams per day. That’s maybe two chocolate chip cookies or one can of soda, so take your pick!

Fake Sugar

Okay, so we don’t love real sugar, but at least it’s real in some some sense. Fake sugar, on the other hand, is not — hence the fake. You’d think high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) would be healthier since it has corn in the name, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

HFCS comes from GMO corn and is linked to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, and is as far from a real food as you can get. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are linked to allergic reactions, cancer, and toxicity within the body. So if you think that your Diet Coke is better than a regular Coke, think again my friend.

Water

After the revelation that it takes three liters of water to produce just one liter of bottled water, I was flabbergasted. Now, looking at soda, I feel shocked again. For something that dehydrates your body, it requires a surprisingly large amount of water in production.

One two-liter bottle of soda requires as much as 132 gallons of water for production. Plus, a large percentage of soda is manufactured in desert climates and countries where people already have limited access to clean water (such as India).  You’re better off just drinking the water instead of the soda.

Cans

Aluminum: It’s one of the most widely used metals in the world, but once it leeches into your body, it can harm your central nervous system, interrupt calcium absorption, and possibly contribute to brain decay, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.

Not to mention all the water used in the making of the can, or the biomatter than may be contaminating the lips of the cans before you get to them. (And don’t get me started on the BPA lining the cans. This little chemical is going straight to any cancer-creating factories in your body.)

Additionally, the aluminum industry is rough on the environment. For every ton of metal produced, one ton of toxins is left behind. Some people tell you to switch to glass, but that’s not a great solution either. Glass is much heavier, meaning it requires more fuel to transport, i.e. wasting more natural resources.

Teeth

You know that you can clean a penny with cola, right? And if you leave said penny soaking for too long, the cola will eventually eat away at the metal as well. Yeah, Coke eats metal, and it’s eating your teeth too! The tooth decay from soda has actually been compared to that of meth. (Yeah, like that Breaking Bad stuff.)

Soda eats away at your protective tooth enamel, making your entire mouth more vulnerable to disease and infection. If you must have your soda, at least use and straw and rinse your mouth with water immediately after drinking.

Source: http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2013/10/30/why-you-should-drink-less-soda.html

How to Function on Little to No Sleep

Being a busy college student, there will probably be times when you’re running on little to no sleep. As unhealthy as it is, it’s a reality that a lot of students face. If you couple a busy schedule with procrastination, then you’re going to run into a lot of late-night study sessions and days where you’re awake for 18+ hours trying to get everything done.

I’ve had plenty of days where I’m writing a ton of articles, have to do homework, and juggling 10 other things in the same day, and find myself having to come up with ways to keep going. These tips will help you stay focused and be as productive as possible even when you haven’t gotten enough sleep.

Keep in mind that not sleeping isn’t something that you should be doing regularly, and I’m definitely not recommending it. If you have a habit of not sleeping (insomnia), you should probably see a doctor.

Take a Cold Shower

I find cold showers to be extremely uncomfortable and don’t understand how people do it regularly. But on those days when I haven’t gotten any sleep, my opinions of cold showers go right out the window. Cold showers actually have a lot of health benefits, such as:   

1. Improving blood circulation
2. Keeping your hair and skin healthy
3. Keeps you fertile (for the guys trying to have kids)
4. Improves your immune system (contrary to popular belief)

Most importantly, cold showers help you feel more energized and invigorated. Sure it might be extremely uncomfortable at first, but sometimes you have to suck it up and do what you have to do to make it through the day.

Get Some Food in Your Stomach

The only thing worse than running on no sleep, is running on no sleep and an empty stomach. Your body needs food for energy. The feeling of being hungry and tired is enough to make you want to just fall out where you’re standing.

Make sure you’re eating plenty of lean protein and complex carbohydrates like leafy vegetables, whole wheat grains, and legumes. A big mistake people make is thinking that overloading on sugary junk food will give them the energy they need to make it throughout the day.

The truth is, junk food tends to have the opposite effect. You might get a brief sugar rush, but after a while you’ll start to feel tired, bogged down, and find it hard to focus. Stick to real, natural food to get your energy.
 
Focus on What Needs to Get Done

Since you don’t have as much energy, you need to use the energy that you do have wisely. That means you should only be focusing on the things that need to get done immediately. If you have an assignment that isn’t due for a week, don’t rush to try to finish it when you barely slept the night before.

Prioritize your to-do list and take care of the things that must be done today. Save everything else for when you’ve had a chance to get some sleep.

Get Moving

Sitting stagnant for long periods of time when you haven’t had any sleep will make you want to fall asleep. You need to get up and do something active every now and then to get those endorphins moving around a little. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that contribute to the function of your central nervous system. When you get active and release your endorphins, you’ll be more alert and focused.

You don’t have to go to the gym for an hour to get the benefits though. In fact, overexerting yourself might just tire you out even more. Just going outside and taking a quick jog around the block or even doing some shadow boxing in the air will help you out.

Use Caffeine Sparingly

We all know that caffeine (the active ingredient in coffee) can help keep you awake. America’s love for coffee is well documented, and our level of coffee consumption is no doubt tied to our on-the-go culture. However, you have to remember to only drink coffee sparingly.

There are some adverse effects of consuming too much caffeine such as being jittery, insomnia, and some heart conditions. Around 2-3 cups of coffee (200-300mg of caffeine) is considered average. If you’re using caffeine pills, make sure you check the dosage so that you don’t take too much.

The last thing you want is to become addicted and dependent on caffeine to stay awake. Then you’ll be looking for articles on how to go to sleep instead of how to stay awake.

Drink Plenty of Water

All of those “Top 10 Energy-Boosting Foods” lists are fun to read, but make no mistake about it: water is the original energy drink. If you’re dehydrated while you’re sleep deprived, you’re not going to make it very far through the day.

Skip the 5-hour Energy shots and Monster energy drinks and stick to good old fashioned water.

Turn on the Lights 

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that if you’re sleepy and in a dark room, you’re going to want to fall asleep. Dark rooms are typically more calming and relaxing than bright rooms, which creates an atmosphere that welcomes sleep.

Our eyes have a photoreceptor system that takes in light differently than the system that controls our vision. These receptors help reset our body clock. The type of light your eyes are exposed to also plays an important role.

Blue lights have been shown to be the most effective for keeping you awake and focused. That’s the reason you always hear people say to turn off your computers and other gadgets if you’re trying to go to sleep. The screens on these devices use blue lights, which make it more difficult for you to sleep.

Your Best Option

Of course, the best solution for staying awake and alert is a good night’s sleep. But if you’re just having one of those days when sleeping isn’t an option, give the other tips a try.

Source: http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2013/10/24/how-to-function-on-little-to-no-sleep.html

4 Ways Women Can Thrive in Business School

Business school leaders encourage women to dress and act like they're in control.

Female MBA candidates may have a harder time finding camaraderie and a network that reflects their perspective. There are fewer women applying to business school, according to recent research.

The proportion of women applicants this year decreased compared with 2012 levels in five different kinds of MBA programs, according to the 2013 application trends survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council. The applicant pool for a master's in management, for example, had 53 percent women in 2012, but in 2013 that number dipped to 49 percent.

1. Raise your hand:

Women often hesitate to talk right away during a class discussion, but should push themselves to speak up sooner, says Amy Hillman, dean of the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

They can "start raising their hand before they've fully formulated what they're going to say," says Hillman. "It gets you in the game a lot quicker."

2. Speak with authority: Women must abandon negative qualifying statements, says Daria Burke, founder and CEO of Black MBA Women. Starting a response with, "This might be a dumb question, but ... " or "I don't know if this is right" detracts from the quality of the message, she says. "People will trust you more and be more inclined to listen if you are more confident and doing it without that apology," say Burke, a graduate of the Stern School of Business at New York University.

3. Look like you mean business: 

Dressing in a professional manner can help women communicate that they want to be taken seriously, Burke says.

"Don't wear anything that you wouldn't wear in front of your coworkers," she says, adding that short skirts and tight clothing may leave people with the wrong impression. "People will remember that and it makes a huge difference when people talk to you."

4. Talk with professors: Burke recalls frequently seeing male business school classmates in conversation with professors after class. She urges women to get to know their teachers so that in class these same professors will call on them.

A close relationship with professors can also be beneficial after business school, she says. "You have those champions as you advance your career."

Source: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/2013/10/15/4-ways-women-can-thrive-in-business-school?page=2

9 Testing Tips for College Applicants

As the college application process picks up steam, no credential sparks more consternation among applicants than standardized testing. The following are tips for managing your test results as you apply for admission.

1. Consider your options: Review your testing experience to determine which scores (SAT, ACT, or both) you want to send to each school. 

Every college in the country now uses the SAT and the ACT interchangeably. Submit the set of results that puts you in the most competitive light.

2. Decide which tests you will take this fall: If you have already taken the SAT two times and are disappointed by the results, you might be facing a point of diminishing returns. Consider turning your attention to the ACT. Achieving a respectable score on the ACT means that admissions officers have options with regard to the test results they can use to rationalize offering you a place in their respective classes.

3. Consider waiting to see the results first: For tests taken this fall, you may want to wait until you have seen the results before deciding to have official score reports sent to colleges. This is an option afforded you through Score Choice by both testing agencies (College Board and ACT) in acknowledgement of the fact that you own the results and can control where they are sent. With Score Choice, you can choose, for a fee, the test results that are to be submitted to each college.

4. Keep the "superscore" in mind: At most colleges admissions officers will look at the best combination of scores. If you have taken the SAT two to three times, your best Critical Reading score might have come on your third test while your best math score might have come on your second test. In order for colleges to pull results from different test administrations for a "superscore," you will need to submit scores from each. The prevalence of "superscoring" makes Score Choice an unnecessary consideration at most colleges.

5. Arrange for test results to be sent directly to schools: Colleges strongly prefer to receive SAT and ACT test results directly from the testing services. Make arrangements with the appropriate testing service to have your results sent directly to the colleges to which you are applying. If you are electing the Score Choice option, you will need to designate the date(s) of the test administration(s) for which you want scores submitted.

6. Find out which colleges require SAT Subject Tests: Some will require specific tests while others simply indicate that you must submit a certain number of test results for subjects that you may choose.

7. Submit your college applications: 

Don't hold off on submitting your applications for admission until you have all of the results from tests to be taken this fall or winter. You shouldn't have to report actual scores on your applications. As long as you register with the testing service to have your scores sent to the colleges in question, the results of fall testing will be forwarded automatically to those colleges within two to three weeks.

8. Consider test-optional opportunities: Compare your results with the range of scores reported for each test-optional college. If your scores fall in the bottom 50 percent of the score ranges, logic would suggest that you elect not to submit your scores, as they will do nothing to enhance your application. A complete list of test-optional colleges can be found online at The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest).

9. Choose colleges at which your testing profile is a good fit: Remember, colleges are fond of reporting high scores for their entering classes. Target schools where your scores are in the top 25 percent of those reported for enrolled students—they will establish you as a viable candidate. The further your scores fall below the midpoint of the reported range of scores at a college, the less likely you will be admitted at that college.

Source: http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-college-admissions-insider/2011/08/29/9-testing-tips-for-college-applicants