We know that efficient brain function involves eating healthy fats, getting plenty of good quality sleep, and employing disciplines like meditation and yoga. But the latest research shows that if you want a healthy brain, you first need a healthy gut. Your gut (gastrointestinal tract) produces neurotransmitters that keep you happy and mentally alert, as well as B vitamins to facilitate the swift and accurate transmission of information by brain…
Once regarded as vulgar and lurid adornments fit only for sailors, criminals and rock stars, tattoos have become increasingly socially acceptable in recent years. Body art is a practice stretching back more than 5000 years, having religious and tribal roots. Here in the 21st century it’s become almost mainstream, attracting growing numbers of passionate enthusiasts, including many trendsetting celebrities. Inevitably, this has led to controversy, with some psychoanalysts suggesting the…
It’s a cheap, widely available and legal high, and therefore especially attractive to young people who may find it difficult to get hold of illicit drugs. But make no mistake, solvent abuse is extremely dangerous. It can kill, quickly and without warning. Solvents can be found in most homes, in such everyday products as lighter fluid, nail polish remover, correcting fluid, paint thinners and glue. The vapours from such preparations…
“What are the effects of technology addiction on the everyday lives of our children?” If teachers spend at least as much time with our children as we do, they may know them as well as we do, and their opinions may be worth as much as our own. We spoke to a primary school teacher, Ece İkizler. Here are her opinions and conclusions about hyperconnectivity – which means spending a…
Every year, in fact every season, our media stars get passionate about a new diet, sometimes a totally outlandish one. However this time, the alkaline diet they’re promoting is good news. It is a weight-loss diet, but more than that, it’s a new way to eat that’s healthier and better adapted to the body’s real needs. It’s often the solution to all our little everyday aches and pains. It means…
According to Anne-France Huret, a psychologist specialising in couple and family therapy, the process of building yourself up again after a break-up has several stages. Here’s the advice of our psychologist about coping successfully with everything from the emotional shock to putting yourself back together. The emotional shock We experience every separation, however foreseeable it may have been, as a shock because it turns our daily lives upside down. This…
If you find that your energy levels decrease and you start to feel depressed as the days grow shorter, then you might be suffering from what is referred to as ‘The Winter Blues’. It’s no myth. We all need exposure to natural light to function normally and be happy, but our modern lifestyles often deprive us of the regulatory benefits bestowed by the sun. Without natural light we can experience…
Getting back into a good fitness regime can seem daunting, especially if you’ve been out of one for a while. From taking small steps to thinking about ways to make fitness more fun, read on for some top motivation tips for heading back to the gym. Small Steps By setting yourself unachievable targets will almost certainly set you up for a fail. Getting your fitness levels back is never immediate….
“Definitely, no question about it. After all that end-of-year partying, I’m going on a new diet to eliminate excess and toxins, and get started on a new basis.” This particular New Year’s resolution seldom lasts very long. The reason is that it’s hard to go from one extreme to another, and your body finds it difficult to cope with a drastic change of diet. If you want your post-New Year…
Every kind of addiction and dependence – that’s been the guiding theme of this site throughout 2015. How to relate to them, how to treat them, and also how to prevent them for the sake of your health. It’s an important subject, because our free will and our freedom hang in the balance when addiction starts to dictate what we do. It’s not our style to give way to naive…