Changing gut bacteria through diet affects brain function, UCLA study shows

UCLA researchers now have the first evidence that bacteria ingested in food can affect brain function in humans. In an early proof-of-concept study of healthy women, they found that women who regularly consumed beneficial bacteria known as probiotics through yogurt showed altered brain function, both while in a resting state and in response to an emotion-recognition task.

Get the full story by Rachel Champeau here

Dr Michael Gregor sheds some of his own brand of light on the subject here. Watch his short film outlining the links between probiotics and mental health.

Are You Really A Mental Patient? Check your Thyroid

Dummy autoimmune thyroid conditions such as postpartum thyroiditis are not fundamentally thyroid problems – they are manifestations of a dysfunctional immune system; one that is misrecognizing the body’s tissues as foreign. Many doctors don’t even screen for antibodies because their presence doesn’t change the intervention, which is typically a lifetime of varying dosages of synthetic T4.It’s The Immune System: Dummy autoimmune thyroid conditions such as postpartum thyroiditis are not fundamentally thyroid problems – they are manifestations of a dysfunctional immune system; one that is misrecognizing the body’s tissues as foreign. Many doctors don’t even screen for antibodies because their presence doesn’t change the intervention, which is typically a lifetime of varying dosages of synthetic T4.


The thyroid is responsible for producing T4, T3, T1, and T2 and cells are responsible for converting the storage form of hormone, T4, into its active form, T3. This is a process dependent on optimal cortisol and nutrient availability such as iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, B vitamins, C, and D.

Thyroid imbalance can cause anxiety, depression, cloudiness, weight gain, poor concentration in addition to cold and exercise intolerance, dry skin, and hair loss. 

In postpartum thyroiditis, this presentation is typically preceded by a period of hyperthyroidism where women can feel over-energized, suffer from insomnia, diarrhea, anxiety, and precipitous weight-loss – these are the women who “bounce back” quickly after the baby only to be peeling themselves off the ground 9 months later.

Whole Body Ills: Low thyroid function impacts the ability of cells to use energy (hence low body temp), metabolize cholesterol, and to properly use B vitamins for an important cellular process called methylation. Thyroid dysfunction can cause or be the result of other bodily imbalances.

Pregnancy/Postpartum: Reportedly, 10% of women develop postpartum thyroiditis. A number of interesting studies have implicated autoantibodies in the development of postpartum mental illness. Psychiatry has a well-established precedent for the use of active thyroid hormone, or T3, for the treatment of depression, so we have bidirectional reasons to consider appropriate screening in this population.

Here is the entire article, written by By Dr. Kelly Brogan MD, Holistic Psychiatrist

Consciousness, Creativity and the Brain

David Lynch explains his understanding about consciousness, creativity and the brain. 
He says that Transcendental Meditation played crucial role in developing his consciousness 
and boosting his creativity.

Read the article here:http://www.social-consciousness.com/2013/01/consciousness-creativity-and-brain.html

Depression - Disclosed

See Kevin Breel take the cover off the subject of depression. In this wonderfully real declaration, Kevin exposes us to a subject that has most likely touched each of our lives.

Well worth a watch.

Groundbreaking Study Finds Turmeric Extract Superior to Prozac for Depression

A new study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research has confirmed for the first time in a randomized, controlled clinical trial that the primary polyphenol in turmeric known as curcumin is both safe and effective in treating serious states of depression.

Read the article here.

Are You Creating Your Happiness?

In a world where we have everything at our fingertips, it’s easy to believe the situations around us create happiness and peace or frustration and anger.

Miss the bus? That darn driver…Someone acted in a rash way towards you? Well they’re a ______ and you never liked them anyways….Can’t get your favorite TV show on? Unfair!

It may feel blunt and rude to point out, but this constant accessibility to modern gadgets, distractions, and toys has created a selfish, disillusioned, and immature culture. Because people don’t knowanything outside of this, however, it’s very important to learn to perceive the big picture.

Our world is almost seven billion in population. EVERY diversity you can imagine exists: poor, fat, cute, rich, simple, complex, sad…and happy.

There is no proof having everything go your way brings happiness. In fact, those who have been proven to be happiest have some of the hardest and simple lives! 

(Watch “Happy” Documentary)

An example from the mentioned documentary is a man in Indonesia who works 16 hours a day to provide for his wife and 4 children. He runs a  rickshaw which continuously wears him down physically, but because he’s mentally strong and decides to feel blessed, he’s happier than I’d say 98% of Americans whom have a house, a beautiful car, more than enough money, and all the latest gadgets.

His house isn’t even completely covered, it has a tarp over one end and water sometimes gets in and soaks their sleeping mat on the floor. Sometimes food is scarce – but he and his family are all smiles. They feel HAPPY because they decide to be.

When one isn’t being programmed and bombarded by distraction, illusion, and lies, they must sit by themselves. Many people are scared to find out who they are and perhaps they have reason to be! Most have a lot of repressed anger, judgment, fear, and longing for love; it’s easy to get lose in the sea of emotions.

To truly understand the self, however, is to accept truth and reality in its GOOD and its BAD. It’s humbling  to ACCEPT the true nature of yourself and also realize there is personal work that needs to be done!

Until this is realized, our taught nature is to shield and reflect our insecurities and worries on others… This is not beneficial for our growth individually or as a collective consciousness. It becomes easy to to depend upon excuses to hold us through life, but we can change our mentality and habits!

It’s tough work, but If you strive to be like the father in Indonesia working diligently every day, or like the peaceful yogis who find God and love in all, or if you’re just seeking your happiest self now, you have to WAKE UP and ACCEPT life as it is in THIS MOMENT.

Release egotistical thoughts which you believe describe or make you as an individual. Truly there is nothing but all-ness and one with all. Separation is of the Ego and it is what holds you back from your full potential.

To find happiness at all times, you must CHANGE your MIND and perceive the positive and good in all situations. There is ALWAYs a silver lining.

Also, accept that your present reality is a reflection of your previous thoughts. The law of Attraction is undeniable – we are energy and our thoughts affect vibration and what manifests in our life. Seek positive, thoughtful, and uplifting affirmations to fill your thoughts and transform your life. You can do this after taking personal responsibility for what you are experiencing right now and deciding to move on.

Meditate on your beauty and bliss – become one with the creator and all in this life! You are amazing, beautiful, and full of light. Let it shine!

Read works from authors such as: Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, and Louise Hay. They are inspirational and speak from the soul – words of wisdom we all can use.

Take responsibility for your actions and attitude in life. It’s a journey of self discovery and truth, but until you accept your CONTROL your innate nature and how you respond to things, no outer material goods will ever bring you happiness.

You are perfect and happiness is within you right now. You just have to find it.

<3 Blessings

Article by Amanda Froelich. Check out her website for more great inspiration.

Yoga for anxiety and depression

Studies suggest that this practice modulates the stress response.

Since the 1970s, meditation and other stress-reduction techniques have been studied as possible treatments for depression and anxiety. One such practice, yoga, has received less attention in the medical literature, though it has become increasingly popular in recent decades. One national survey estimated, for example, that about 7.5% of U.S. adults had tried yoga at least once, and that nearly 4% practiced yoga in the previous year.

Yoga classes can vary from gentle and accommodating to strenuous and challenging; the choice of style tends to be based on physical ability and personal preference. Hatha yoga, the most common type of yoga practiced in the United States, combines three elements: physical poses, called asanas; controlled breathing practiced in conjunction with asanas; and a short period of deep relaxation or meditation.

Many of the studies evaluating yoga's therapeutic benefits have been small and poorly designed. However, a 2004 analysis found that, in recent decades, an increasing number have been randomized controlled trials — the most rigorous standard for proving efficacy.

Available reviews of a wide range of yoga practices suggest they can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress responses and may be helpful for both anxiety and depression. In this respect, yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, exercise, or even socializing with friends.

Taming the stress response

By reducing perceived stress and anxiety, yoga appears to modulate stress response systems. This, in turn, decreases physiological arousal — for example, reducing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and easing respiration. There is also evidence that yoga practices help increase heart rate variability, an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress more flexibly.

A small but intriguing study further characterizes the effect of yoga on the stress response. In 2008, researchers at the University of Utah presented preliminary results from a study of varied participants' responses to pain. They note that people who have a poorly regulated response to stress are also more sensitive to pain. Their subjects were 12 experienced yoga practitioners, 14 people with fibromyalgia (a condition many researchers consider a stress-related illness that is characterized by hypersensitivity to pain), and 16 healthy volunteers.

When the three groups were subjected to more or less painful thumbnail pressure, the participants with fibromyalgia — as expected — perceived pain at lower pressure levels compared with the other subjects. Functional MRIs showed they also had the greatest activity in areas of the brain associated with the pain response. In contrast, the yoga practitioners had the highest pain tolerance and lowest pain-related brain activity during the MRI. The study underscores the value of techniques, such as yoga, that can help a person regulate their stress and, therefore, pain responses.

Improved mood and functioning

Questions remain about exactly how yoga works to improve mood, but preliminary evidence suggests its benefit is similar to that of exercise and relaxation techniques.

In a German study published in 2005, 24 women who described themselves as "emotionally distressed" took two 90-minute yoga classes a week for three months. Women in a control group maintained their normal activities and were asked not to begin an exercise or stress-reduction program during the study period.

Though not formally diagnosed with depression, all participants had experienced emotional distress for at least half of the previous 90 days. They were also one standard deviation above the population norm in scores for perceived stress (measured by the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety (measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and depression (scored with the Profile of Mood States and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, or CES-D).

At the end of three months, women in the yoga group reported improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being. Depression scores improved by 50%, anxiety scores by 30%, and overall well-being scores by 65%. Initial complaints of headaches, back pain, and poor sleep quality also resolved much more often in the yoga group than in the control group.

One uncontrolled, descriptive 2005 study examined the effects of a single yoga class for inpatients at a New Hampshire psychiatric hospital. The 113 participants included patients with bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia. After the class, average levels of tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, and fatigue dropped significantly, as measured by the Profile of Mood States, a standard 65-item questionnaire that participants answered on their own before and after the class. Patients who chose to participate in additional classes experienced similar short-term positive effects.

Further controlled trials of yoga practice have demonstrated improvements in mood and quality of life for the elderly, people caring for patients with dementia, breast cancer survivors, and patients with epilepsy.

Benefits of controlled breathing

A type of controlled breathing with roots in traditional yoga shows promise in providing relief for depression. The program, called Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY), involves several types of cyclical breathing patterns, ranging from slow and calming to rapid and stimulating.

One study compared 30 minutes of SKY breathing, done six days a week, to bilateral electroconvulsive therapy and the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine in 45 people hospitalized for depression. After four weeks of treatment, 93% of those receiving electroconvulsive therapy, 73% of those taking imipramine, and 67% of those using the breathing technique had achieved remission.

Another study examined the effects of SKY on depressive symptoms in 60 alcohol-dependent men. After a week of a standard detoxification program at a mental health center in Bangalore, India, participants were randomly assigned to two weeks of SKY or a standard alcoholism treatment control. After the full three weeks, scores on a standard depression inventory dropped 75% in the SKY group, as compared with 60% in the standard treatment group. Levels of two stress hormones, cortisol and corticotropin, also dropped in the SKY group, but not in the control group. The authors suggest that SKY might be a beneficial treatment for depression in the early stages of recovery from alcoholism.

Potential help for PTSD

Since evidence suggests that yoga can tone down maladaptive nervous system arousal, researchers are exploring whether or not yoga can be a helpful practice for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

One randomized controlled study examined the effects of yoga and a breathing program in disabled Australian Vietnam veterans diagnosed with severe PTSD. The veterans were heavy daily drinkers, and all were taking at least one antidepressant. The five-day course included breathing techniques (see above), yoga asanas, education about stress reduction, and guided meditation. Participants were evaluated at the beginning of the study using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), which ranks symptom severity on an 80-point scale.

Six weeks after the study began, the yoga and breathing group had dropped their CAPS scores from averages of 57 (moderate to severe symptoms) to 42 (mild to moderate). These improvements persisted at a six-month follow-up. The control group, consisting of veterans on a waiting list, showed no improvement.

About 20% of war veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq suffer from PTSD, according to one estimate. Experts treating this population suggest that yoga can be a useful addition to the treatment program.

Researchers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., are offering a yogic method of deep relaxation to veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Kristie Gore, a psychologist at Walter Reed, says the military hopes that yoga-based treatments will be more acceptable to the soldiers and less stigmatizing than traditional psychotherapy. The center now uses yoga and yogic relaxation in post-deployment PTSD awareness courses, and plans to conduct a controlled trial of their effectiveness in the future.

Cautions and encouragement

Although many forms of yoga practice are safe, some are strenuous and may not be appropriate for everyone. In particular, elderly patients or those with mobility problems may want to check first with a clinician before choosing yoga as a treatment option.

But for many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. Indeed, the scientific study of yoga demonstrates that mental and physical health are not just closely allied, but are essentially equivalent. The evidence is growing that yoga practice is a relatively low-risk, high-yield approach to improving overall health.
Yoga classes can vary from gentle and accommodating to strenuous and challenging; the choice of style tends to be based on physical ability and personal preference. Hatha yoga, the most common type of yoga practiced in the United States, combines three elements: physical poses, called asanas; controlled breathing practiced in conjunction with asanas; and a short period of deep relaxation or meditation.
Many of the studies evaluating yoga's therapeutic benefits have been small and poorly designed. However, a 2004 analysis found that, in recent decades, an increasing number have been randomized controlled trials — the most rigorous standard for proving efficacy.
Available reviews of a wide range of yoga practices suggest they can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress responses and may be helpful for both anxiety and depression. In this respect, yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, exercise, or even socializing with friends.

Taming the stress response
By reducing perceived stress and anxiety, yoga appears to modulate stress response systems. This, in turn, decreases physiological arousal — for example, reducing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and easing respiration. There is also evidence that yoga practices help increase heart rate variability, an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress more flexibly.
A small but intriguing study further characterizes the effect of yoga on the stress response. In 2008, researchers at the University of Utah presented preliminary results from a study of varied participants' responses to pain. They note that people who have a poorly regulated response to stress are also more sensitive to pain. Their subjects were 12 experienced yoga practitioners, 14 people with fibromyalgia (a condition many researchers consider a stress-related illness that is characterized by hypersensitivity to pain), and 16 healthy volunteers.
When the three groups were subjected to more or less painful thumbnail pressure, the participants with fibromyalgia — as expected — perceived pain at lower pressure levels compared with the other subjects. Functional MRIs showed they also had the greatest activity in areas of the brain associated with the pain response. In contrast, the yoga practitioners had the highest pain tolerance and lowest pain-related brain activity during the MRI. The study underscores the value of techniques, such as yoga, that can help a person regulate their stress and, therefore, pain responses.

Improved mood and functioning
Questions remain about exactly how yoga works to improve mood, but preliminary evidence suggests its benefit is similar to that of exercise and relaxation techniques.
In a German study published in 2005, 24 women who described themselves as "emotionally distressed" took two 90-minute yoga classes a week for three months. Women in a control group maintained their normal activities and were asked not to begin an exercise or stress-reduction program during the study period.
Though not formally diagnosed with depression, all participants had experienced emotional distress for at least half of the previous 90 days. They were also one standard deviation above the population norm in scores for perceived stress (measured by the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety (measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and depression (scored with the Profile of Mood States and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, or CES-D).
At the end of three months, women in the yoga group reported improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being. Depression scores improved by 50%, anxiety scores by 30%, and overall well-being scores by 65%. Initial complaints of headaches, back pain, and poor sleep quality also resolved much more often in the yoga group than in the control group.
One uncontrolled, descriptive 2005 study examined the effects of a single yoga class for inpatients at a New Hampshire psychiatric hospital. The 113 participants included patients with bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia. After the class, average levels of tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, and fatigue dropped significantly, as measured by the Profile of Mood States, a standard 65-item questionnaire that participants answered on their own before and after the class. Patients who chose to participate in additional classes experienced similar short-term positive effects.
Further controlled trials of yoga practice have demonstrated improvements in mood and quality of life for the elderly, people caring for patients with dementia, breast cancer survivors, and patients with epilepsy.

Benefits of controlled breathing
A type of controlled breathing with roots in traditional yoga shows promise in providing relief for depression. The program, called Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY), involves several types of cyclical breathing patterns, ranging from slow and calming to rapid and stimulating.
One study compared 30 minutes of SKY breathing, done six days a week, to bilateral electroconvulsive therapy and the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine in 45 people hospitalized for depression. After four weeks of treatment, 93% of those receiving electroconvulsive therapy, 73% of those taking imipramine, and 67% of those using the breathing technique had achieved remission.
Another study examined the effects of SKY on depressive symptoms in 60 alcohol-dependent men. After a week of a standard detoxification program at a mental health center in Bangalore, India, participants were randomly assigned to two weeks of SKY or a standard alcoholism treatment control. After the full three weeks, scores on a standard depression inventory dropped 75% in the SKY group, as compared with 60% in the standard treatment group. Levels of two stress hormones, cortisol and corticotropin, also dropped in the SKY group, but not in the control group. The authors suggest that SKY might be a beneficial treatment for depression in the early stages of recovery from alcoholism.
Potential help for PTSD
Since evidence suggests that yoga can tone down maladaptive nervous system arousal, researchers are exploring whether or not yoga can be a helpful practice for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
One randomized controlled study examined the effects of yoga and a breathing program in disabled Australian Vietnam veterans diagnosed with severe PTSD. The veterans were heavy daily drinkers, and all were taking at least one antidepressant. The five-day course included breathing techniques (see above), yoga asanas, education about stress reduction, and guided meditation. Participants were evaluated at the beginning of the study using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), which ranks symptom severity on an 80-point scale.
Six weeks after the study began, the yoga and breathing group had dropped their CAPS scores from averages of 57 (moderate to severe symptoms) to 42 (mild to moderate). These improvements persisted at a six-month follow-up. The control group, consisting of veterans on a waiting list, showed no improvement.
About 20% of war veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq suffer from PTSD, according to one estimate. Experts treating this population suggest that yoga can be a useful addition to the treatment program.
Researchers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., are offering a yogic method of deep relaxation to veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Kristie Gore, a psychologist at Walter Reed, says the military hopes that yoga-based treatments will be more acceptable to the soldiers and less stigmatizing than traditional psychotherapy. The center now uses yoga and yogic relaxation in post-deployment PTSD awareness courses, and plans to conduct a controlled trial of their effectiveness in the future.

Cautions and encouragement
Although many forms of yoga practice are safe, some are strenuous and may not be appropriate for everyone. In particular, elderly patients or those with mobility problems may want to check first with a clinician before choosing yoga as a treatment option.
But for many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. Indeed, the scientific study of yoga demonstrates that mental and physical health are not just closely allied, but are essentially equivalent. The evidence is growing that yoga practice is a relatively low-risk, high-yield approach to improving overall health.

Article created by Anatomy In Motion

Information by Harvard Medical School

Discipline dilemma

''Children are separate human beings. We don’t own them; they’re not our property. 
Our job is first of all to love and secondly to provide support and guidance. There’s no place for punishment in that''
- Dr Bob Jacobs

Authoritarian old-school discipline is being replaced by a gentler approach. So does the new way work, or is it creating a generation who has no respect for authority?
Leigh Robshaw shares some ideas with us here

Does Brain Training Work?

Since “neurons that fire together wire together”, repeatedly stimulating (i.e. training) a 

specific network of neurons results in new and strengthened connections in this network. 

This in turn translates into improved neuronal efficiency that can result in better and more

sustained performance.

Great article with tips on training our brain By Alvaro Fernandez and Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg

Probiotics Change Brain Activity and Emotional Response

It's all in the gut! "Research has also connected the gut's probiotics to the brain via a conduit between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system is located in the abdominal region around the digestive tract. Many of our neurotransmitters are produced in this region and the neurons relay mind-body responses between the gut and the brain stem.

The researchers concluded: "Four weeks intake of a fermented milk with probiotics by healthy women affected activity of brain regions that control central processing of emotion and sensation."

Full article written by Natropath Case Adams, is here

The Hidden Health Issues in Autism

This is an interesting article. The young guy this is about spent time in a mental institution

until his diet was changed and he became 'normal' - Thirty-six hours after having ALL 

sugars and high glycemic foods taken out of his diet he no longer had hypoglycemia and no 

longer displayed disordered thinking, no sleep disturbances, no mania or hyperactivity, no 

paranoia, no anger or rage, no repeating himself, his severe obsessions that controlled his 

life became normal interests, no extreme mood swings and he became a pleasure to be 

around.

This fascinating article is written by his mother Julie Priola

Liver Cleanse Releases Anger and brings Balance to life

Anger is a very low vibrational feeling. Anger feels terrible when it is activated within our being and because of this, we oftentimes resist fully feeling our anger which causes us to store it in our energy fields and within the tissues and organs of our body. When anger arises, if we would give it a few minutes to be fully felt, without overreacting and unleashing it on another being ~ we would release it, but anger is a very scary, overwhelming energy that many of us unconsciously resist as a protective mechanism. 

In Louise Hays Book: YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE
LIVER: Seat of anger and primitive emotions
LIVER PROBLEMS: Chronic complaining, justifying fault-finding, to deceive yourself, feeling bad

On a PHYSICAL LEVEL, if you are experiencing digestive problems, allergies, circulation problems, red dry eyes or puffy eyes, retention of water or edema, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, shoulder pain,  pain across the entire back below the shoulder blades, lack of energy and an overall feeling of not feeling well a liver cleanse would be helpful.

On a FEELING/EMOTIONAL LEVEL if you frequently experience:
Irritation, impatience, being overly critical, rage, hate, angry outburst, over reactivity, feelings of not feeling heard, not feeling loved, not being recognized, judgment, racism, the need to control, inability to express your feelings in a grounded/balanced way, lack of joy, denial and inability to be honest with yourself and others, inability to be authentic or any addiction of any kind....a Liver cleanse would be helpful.


Read the complete article here

The Neuroscience of the Gut

'
The brain is shaped by bacteria in the digestive tract'

Read more here

Emotional Development and Seperation Anxiety

Most of us have the strong temptation to distract a crying child with games, songs, or toys, to discount her feelings by telling her it’s okay and she shouldn’t cry. But to ensure healthy emotional development, a child’s feelings of fear and loss during separation need to be expressed and heard, not erased or invalidated.

Article by Janet Lansbury article here

Bacteria and its affect on our body and emotional health

The alien entities called bacteria not only play a big part in regulating your digestive system and your immune system, but even your emotions and the way you think.

Read more on this here

INNER WORLDS: SHAMANS, CONSCIOUSNESS AND CULTURE

Join Phil Borges from Story Telling for Social Change as he explores hidden gifts of the Shaman. 'The vast majority of Shaman had suffered what we, in Western culture, refer to as a psychotic break from reality. This ‘break’ typically occurred in their adolescent or teen years. Their symptoms, including hearing voices, seeing visions, and having seizures, were deemed ‘gifts ’ as opposed to illness. Most were then taken aside by an older shaman or elder who mentored and nurtured them to become healers in their community or give guidance to the community at large.' http://www.philborges.com/blog/2013/05/08/inner-worlds-shamans-consciousness-and-culture/

THE BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS.

A Shamans view of Schizophrenia & Acute Sensitivity

'Odette Nightsky has had the courage and sensitivity to present an alternative view of schizophrenia and of other psychotic illnesses. She believes that people with schizophrenia are mysterious..
She gently suggests how she sees psychotic experiences and then allows the possiblity of numbers of paths to healing including the traditional ones of medication if thats how people feel safest. '

You can purchase the EBook of The Bridge Between Two Worlds for only $11AU at Contemporary Shaman

The Metabolic Power of Pleasure

"Losing weight by limiting pleasure is like trying to stop smoking by not breathing." 
~Marc David
Love the way this guy thinks x

You can read his delicious words right HERE