Diseases/Conditions

From Natural Switch in biofeedback texts

Aging
Aging can be helped with any type of exercise. But a total anti-aging exercise program
should include an aerobic program of at least bi-weekly exercises, an anaerobic program of at
least four times a week, a daily stretching program, a coordination program of at least twice a
week, a mental stimulation program of at least three times a week, and a weekly social
program. We suggest these exercises and programs to maximize anyone s health, and also to
help with aging problems.

Alkaline Blood Conditions
In order to help get oxygen into the blood and to create pH balance, an excellent
exercise for breathing control is recommended. This exercise is known as the bellows, where
we try to move oxygen in and out of the chest.

Alkalizing Spondylolysis
Patients who have alkalizing spondylolysis have a problem in flexibility of the spine that
prohibits breathing. Thus they dont get enough oxygen into the blood to buffer the blood, and
they start to have pH imbalance. The bellows can be very painful for them at first, but once
oxygen has flowed into the blood after a few days, the pain will be diminished, and gradually the
patient can improve.
To accomplish the bellows, sit in a comfortable chair, with your legs crossed (optional).
Exhale, expelling the air as much as you possibly can in five seconds, then intake as much air
as possible in five seconds. Do this for fifty breaths. After fifty breaths, relax, and let the body
restore its balance.
Wait three minutes then repeat the fifty breaths. It is important during the fifty breaths to
inhale and exhale as completely as possible. If you can go from five seconds to six, seven or
eight seconds with each breath, this is even better because it allows you to move more oxygen
with each breath.
Try to keep a continuous gentle movement. Use gentle, relaxing music. This fifty-breath
exercise should be done two or three times to accomplish all the benefits we want. Once a day
is sufficient.

Allergies
Many people have allergies because they cannot produce enough adrenaline and
natural antihistamines. By reducing stress we can help to ease the burden on the adrenal gland
(increasing our natural adrenaline), and thus decrease the effects of allergies.
To deal with allergies we must work with some desensitization. We should perhaps
consult a doctor practicing desensitization therapy who will prescribe ELIXIR Corp. products.
We also must reduce stress by gradually building up aerobic activity while stimulating
the mind for gradual stress reduction. Social networking is very important in stress reduction.
Consider doing the types of exercise that stimulate the muscles in the abdominal area.
These exercises help with digestion and improve the quality of nutrition. This also helps to
reduce stress.

Angina
Angina (chest pain as a result of heart disorders) usually results from a lack of good
blood flow. Any gentle exercise program that is gradually increased will help to lower problem
hormones, effect relaxation, and stimulate circulation of the heart. We suggest developing a
gradual, anaerobic stretching program, which will aid all heart problems, to help with angina.

Asthma
Asthma is a disease in which too much air may be caught in the lungs.
It seems as if the person cannot get enough air, but the truth is that he cannot get rid of excess
air. By teaching the patient to compress his chest and exhale three times in a row, thus
squeezing the chest cavity and getting all the air out, we can help him to get rid of the excess
air.
Next we teach the patient a mental stimulation exercise in which he relaxes the bronchial
tree by imagining that he is taking air directly into the lungs. Imagine that you have a mouth right
at the base of your neck where the bronchial tree is. Here we have a notch between the
scapulae and at the top of the septum. If we imagine that there is a mouth at the base of the
neck, and that the air is coming directly into and going directly out of the lungs as we breathe,
this has the effect of relaxing contractions of the bronchial tree. Coupled with the expulsion of
air, the patient should do this every ten to fifteen minutes, and go back to the relaxation
exercise. This will help the patient to relax the contractions of the bronchial tree and gradually
reduce the asthma.
Asthma also has emotional components. Stress reduction and gradual increase of
oxygen capacity are helpful in treating any asthma case. Many asthmatic children grow up to be
fine athletes because they learn to control asthma through exercise.

Back Pain
We include in this book a very helpful section addressing back pain: Building a Better
Back. As a general rule, however, back pain can be avoided by learning proper technique at
work and proper exercise. Building basic anaerobic muscle strength, as well as aerobic
conditioning, can also help with back pain. The key here is to always progress slowly. Too rapid
a disturbance can promote back pain, and can undo some of the beneficial effects of our
exercise regime.

Cancer
By increasing the general well-being of the system, we can help with many types of
cancer. A gradual increase in oxygenation increases the overall wellness of the system and
stimulates the overall immunity factors of the body itself. Thus to beat cancer, exercise should
be part of any type of regime. Mental stimulation also must be incorporated.
Much research has shown that good mental meditation exercises not only reduce stress,
but affect the body. A patient imagines and visualizes the white blood cells inside his own body
eating up diseased tissues. This also has been shown to have positive effects on cancer
patients.
This is known as the Simonton method, which includes different meditation exercises
that stimulate the immune system. It has been long known that there is psycho neurological link.
These types of exercises are very powerful.
Our next magazine will be devoted to mental exercises, in which we will cover in more
detail the Simonton work.

Cardiovascular Disturbances
All types of cardiovascular disturbance can be improved by gently improving
conditioning. If we try to accomplish to rapid a change it can be disturbing to the cardiovascular
system. So in developing an exercise program for any cardiovascular problem, make sure that it
is gentle, and gradually increased, but not dramatic.


Chronic Fatigue
There is much evidence showing that good exercise can defeat chronic fatigue. But here
the problem is often in resistance and will power. Many people feel that they cant start an
exercise program.
Much will power must be exerted. If we do this in a gradual and gentle way, we can
increase the oxygen and metabolism, and often defeat chronic fatigue before it starts.
We must realize that there are many diseases that are spirals; inactivity can make the
problem worse. Thus exercise can help to break this downward spiral, bring us out of the vicious
cycle and turn us back towards health.

Depression
Depression can be controlled by the release of various hormones. Many people are
depressed because they have low cortical hormone levels and low levels of various hormones
in the brain. Inactivity makes for fewer hormones. Thus the patient gets into a ever-increasing
downward spiral of inactivity, depression, inactivity, depression. This can only be escaped
through activity.
Gradual and positive exercise programs are very important. Social networking, mental
stimulation and positive work that doesnt frustrate the patient can be very powerful in an
anti-depression routine.

Diabetes
It has been shown that diabetics who start exercise programs realize dramatic
improvement in any exercise program they start versus diabetics who do not. In fact, twenty-five
minutes of exercise a day is vital for insulin control. Through exercise diabetics can defeat some
of the disturbances caused by excess glucose in the system.
In exercise that involves aerobic and anaerobic activity should be done at least five times a
week for at least thirty minutes each time to achieve the best results.

Earache
For a childs earache, the exercise for cold and flu is very good. When coupled with
massage, it works even better. These techniques also apply to the adult patient. Face the child
infected with earache. With your middle finger, touch the back of the childs ear and draw down
into the neck through the saliva gland area just underneath the jaw. Draw down, about four or
five inches, into the neck area. As you do so, press in firmly, but not so firmly that you cause
great pain. If you cause pain to the child, then press in very lightly and draw over the skin. If you
can press firmly but gently, this helps to stimulate release through the eustachian tube and
lymphatic drainage of the neck. Do this forty times.
Next we work on the little flap of skin in front of the ear, called the tragus pump. Hold
both index fingers over the top of the tragus, and gently push them back so that they cover the
ear openings. This will basically block hearing. With your fingers, pump on both sides at the
same time, about fifty times. This applies pressure inside the ear, which also helps to stimulate
release through the eustachian tube.
The next step is to apply the fleshy part of the palm (closest to the thumb) over the ear
opening. Pushing into each ear opening, pull the ears in every direction along sides of the head.
This helps to free some of the cartilage and promote blood flow into the area. Gradually you will
work air out of the ear. Then apply another fifty pumps to the ear. This will further push the
unneeded byproducts into the eustachian tube, promoting drainage.
All three of the above techniques should be done to the level of pain, and not very much
beyond. We do not want to hurt the child; we want to gently encourage drainage and circulation.

Eyestrain
General well-being and health are very important. The exercises on page 63 are also
very beneficial.

Hair Loss
Hair loss has been shown to occur because of a buildup of androgen or testosterone
factors in the skin which choke off the hair follicle.
Deep massage in the scalp will promote redness. This redness reflects the release of histamine,
which has been shown to fight the testosterone complexes. So a good, vigorous massage is
very helpful.
Lettuce juice massaged into the scalp is also powerful in its ability to break up excess
testosterone in the skin, as well. The lettuce juice should be applied, and left on for about three
minutes before being washed off.

Headache
Improving the circulation is indeed helpful for any type of headache (or migraine
headache), which usually results from a circulatory imbalance. Any type of exercise program
can be valuable. A full, quality exercise program will usually bring the best results.
An exercise that can be utilized for this is the carotid tap technique. Place both index
fingers above the Adams apple. Move them apart and back until you feel the carotid arteries
pulsating. At this point is a network of nerves and muscles known as the carotid sinus. This
helps to regulate blood flow. If you feel both arteries, you can often sense that more blood is
flowing on one side than on the other. This is usually the signature of an approaching headache
or a headache in course.
By tapping on both carotid sinuses ten to fifteen times, we can help to awaken and
balance blood flow. Tap ten extra times on the carotid sinus that has the least blood flow. This
will wake it up further, and restore circulatory balance.
This carotid tap can be done once or twice a day, but should not be done more than
twice a day as it can overstimulate the carotid sinuses.

Hiatal Hernia /Gastric Reflux
To cure hiatal hernias and gastric reflux, exercise is vitally important. This is a combined
condition of the muscles in which the muscles covering the abdomen split, and allow the
stomach to extrude. This is a serious problem which can be cured through exercise.
The patient sits on a backless chair and braces his feet. He bends his head backward
and looks not just straight up, but to the wall behind him, and then places his fingers vertically
into the area of pain just under the septum, above the navel and into the stomach area. Then he
gradually bends forward; first with the lower stomach muscles, then with the upper stomach
muscles, then with the chest, and finally the head. This slowly pulls the muscles, and activates
them from below to above.
Pushing into this area can help to zip up the muscles in the hiatal hernia area. Thus the
muscles can be brought together, and the stomach can be pushed back into position with the
fingers. By pulling the muscles from below to above we zip the muscles back up. It is important
not to do this from above to below because this will not cure the problem. It must be done from
below to above.
Other abdominal exercises are very important to cure hiatal hemia, but we especially
need to concentrate on muscles that work from one side to the other. So we need to do twisting
stomach exercises, and not merely ordinary sit-ups.
Ordinary sit-ups just pull the straight muscles and do not help with the hiatal hemia. For
hiatal hemia we need to do ordinary sit-ups, but also sit-ups where the left elbow touches the
right knee, and where the right elbow touches the left knee. This type of crisscross activity is
also very helpful in dealing with the hiatal hemia.

High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be improved by gently improving conditioning. If we try to
accomplish to rapid a change it can be disturbing to the cardiovascular system. So in
developing an exercise program for high blood pressure, make sure that it is gentle, and
gradually increased, but not dramatic.


Incontinence
The exercises on page 64 and page 65 (Kegel work) are helpful.

Insomnia
Stress reduction is the key to insomnia problems. See page 67.

Learning Disabilities
Stress reduction is very important in this area. It is also very important to stimulate both
hemispheres of the brain. We must learn the cross-crawl techniques of exercise that stimulate
both sides of the brain rather than just one side.
By working the left foot and the right arms simultaneously, we can develop better
integration of the brain hemispheres than if we worked the right foot with the right arm.
A good exercise is to stand in a room with good music at a fairly rapid tempo that the
patient enjoys. Next the patient brings up the left knee to touch the right elbow. If the patient is
not flexible enough to touch knee to elbow, he should try to come as close as possible. Then the
patient lowers the left foot, and raises the right knee to touch the left elbow. Again, if the patient
cant touch, he should come as close as possible.
The patient should do this repeatedly for three to five minutes as a basic anaerobic
exercise to help the brain, or for fifteen minutes if he chooses an aerobic challenge to build
oxygenation.
At the same time, the patient is also working to stimulate the connection between brain
hemispheres; while he is working one side with the other, he is stimulating both sides of the
brain.
Many exercises, such as jumping jacks, are done contralaterally (right with right, left with
left). This type of exercise can be harmful in some cases, as it is not truly integrative of the
brain. in order to achieve brain integration we must realize that cross-crawl activity is very
powerful. By working the left with the right, we can realize more mental and emotional benefits.


Maximum Health Benefits
Maximum health benefits can be achieved with any type of exercise. But a total exercise
program should include an aerobic program of at least bi-weekly exercises, an anaerobic
program of at least four times a week, a daily stretching program, a coordination program of at
least twice a week, a mental stimulation program of at least three times a week, and a weekly
social program. We suggest these exercises and programs to maximize anyones health.

Mental Fatigue
Stress reduction is very important in this area. It is also very important to stimulate both
hemispheres of the brain. We must learn the cross-crawl techniques of exercise that stimulate
both sides of the brain rather than just one side. By working the left foot and the right arm
simultaneously, we can develop better integration of the brain hemispheres than if we worked
the right foot with the right arm.
A good exercise is to stand in a room with good music at a fairly rapid tempo that the
patient enjoys. Next the patient brings up the left knee to touch the right elbow. If the patient is
not flexible enough to touch knee to elbow, he should try to come as close as possible. Then the
patient lowers the left foot, and raises the right knee to touch the left elbow. Again, if the patient
cant touch, he should come as close as possible.
The patient should do this repeatedly for three to five minutes as a basic anaerobic
exercise to help the brain, or for fifteen minutes if he chooses an aerobic challenge to build
oxygenation. At the same time, the patient is also working to stimulate the connection between
brain hemispheres; while he is working one side with the other, he is stimulating both sides of
the brain.
Many exercises, such as jumping jacks, are done contralaterally (right with right, (left
with left). This type of exercise can be harmful in some cases, as it is not truly integrative of the
brain. in order to achieve brain integration we must realize that cross-crawl activity is very
powerful.
By working the left with the right, we can realize more mental and emotional benefits.


Migraines
(See Headache) 89.


Muscle Plain
Often a muscle causes pain because of a lack of oxygen. If we overuse the muscle, we
might disturb the lactic acid cycle and deplete enough of the oxygen to produce pain.
Gentle exercise can gradually help to bring back the oxygen and relieve the pain. In
dealing with muscle pain it must be realized that when we experience a sharp, stabbing pain,
we should not exercise but should see a physician. If the pain is dull and throbbing, often light
exercise is very productive. If the pain persists, also always seek a physicians advice.

Neck and Shoulder Pain
See pages - 60.

Pregnancy
Pregnancy is no excuse to stop an exercise program. In fact, people who are pregnant
sometimes need to start an exercise program if they havent started one before. But the key is
to do this under a doctors advice, and to work on this slowly and gradually.
By working with a good physician and developing a gradual exercise program that
involves all of our criteria, maximum health can be achieved for the mother and child.

Sexual Problems
Doing the Kegel exercises is very important for sexual problems, as well as for overall
health. If stress is reduced, and if there is an increase in oxygenation and general wellness,
then many sexual problems can be abated and controlled.

Stress Reduction
Overall programs of health conditioning are very powerful for stress reduction. But one
factor that is also helpful in stress reduction is an exercise known as alternate nostril breathing.
This helps to unify the brain, and also helps to stimulate blood flow and oxygen to the brain.

To do alternate nostril breathing you need a relaxed environment, preferably with
relaxing music. First, hold the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril for six or seven
seconds.
Hold your breath for six or seven seconds, then exhale through the right nostril. Now
inhale through the right nostril for six or seven seconds. Hold your breath for six or seven
seconds, and exhale through the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril, etc. Repeat this for
seven to ten minutes, as this helps to reduce stress and stabilize the brain by promoting oxygen
intake and gentle stimulation of the olfactory nerve.
Another good exercise to get blood flow to the brain (helpful for stress reduction) is to
gently massage the scalp. Take hold of the hair, and move the skin on the scalp back and forth
as far as possible over the head. The scalp should have some play, and should be able to go
back and forth as much as half an inch. This helps to bring blood to the area, diminish hair loss,
increase blood flow to the brain, and reduce fatigue.


Sore Throat/Inflammation (Eyes, Nose and Throat)
These problems can be prevented by a good exercise program, but when these
problems occur (as they do in us all sometimes), we must get some extra blood into the problem
area.
Blood brings along the extra heating factors of the white blood cell, as well as the
oxygenation factors of the red blood cell. To stimulate the blood, we can do a stretching or yoga
exercise known as the lion. Stick the tongue out as far as possible, flex all the muscles of the
face and neck, and make the ugliest face you possibly can. Hold this for thirty seconds, then
relax for thirty seconds. Do this three times in a row.
This helps to bring blood into the area to perform its healing action.

Stimulating Creativity
Overall programs of heath conditioning are very powerful for stimulating creativity. But
one factor that is also helpful is an exercise known as alternate nostril breathing. This helps to
unify the brain, and also helps to stimulate blood flow and oxygen to the brain.
To do alternate nostril breathing you need a relaxed environment, preferably with
relaxing music. First, hold the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril for six or seven
seconds. Hold your breath for six or seven seconds, then exhale through the right nostril.
Now inhale through the right nostril for six or seven seconds. Hold your breath for six or
seven seconds, and exhale through the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril, etc. Repeat
this for seven to ten minutes, as this helps to reduce stress and stabilize the brain by promoting
oxygen intake and gently stimulation of the olfactory nerve.
Another good exercise to get blood flow to the brain (helpful for stimulating creativity) is
to gently massage the scalp. Take hold of the hair, and move the skin on the scalp back and
forth as far as possible over the head. The scalp should have some play, and should be able to
go back and forth as much as half an inch.
This helps to bring blood to the area, diminish hair loss, increase blood flow to the brain,
and reduce fatigue.

Substance Abuse
Dependencies on different substances such as cigarettes, alcohol, drugs and so on can
be very successfully treated through exercise. Exercise stimulates the release of positive
serotonin, positive adrenaline and endorphins, which help to reduce the craving for these
artificial compounds.
A good exercise program, treatment by a good holistic physician, and positive social
networks can go a long way towards treating this problem.

TMJ
(See pages) 48-50.

Varicose Veins
(See page) 50-51.



Eight Ways to Build a Better Brain

You make investments in your body, so why not in your mind? Achieve high
performance marks in memory, motivation, and creativity by taking these eight steps to
brilliant brain potential.

The past several years have seen a quiet revolution in the way we maintain our bodies,
as weve learned of the remarkable changes we can make in our appearance, strength, and
stamina through regular exercise and proper nutrition.
A second revolution, this one involving the mind, is under way. J ust like a muscle, the
mind will slow down and even atrophy if it is not exercised frequently; now there is evidence that
the brain grows stronger-even physically larger- with regular challenging activity. Remarkable
new studies in neuroanatomy suggest that the adult brain sprouts new connections between
cells in order to meet the demands placed upon it by a stimulating environment.
Here are eight ways to build up your brain power.

Mental Challenges
There is no one set of magically effective calisthenics for the mind, but you can establish
your own regimen by planning new beginnings, whether it be volunteer work, memorizing
poetry, or learning a new language.
Almost any activity can help, as long as it requires you to make decisions and to take
action. When the activity becomes automatic, then its time to find another project. Reading is
perhaps the most useful activity for keeping mental skills sharp.
Also beneficial are activities that draw on your problem-solving skills, such as puzzles,
Scrabble, and interactive computer games. Even square dancing can help, because its an
activity that forces you to engage in a complex pattern of motion.


The Power of Positive Thinking Revisited
Self-help books of the past extolled the value of positive thinking. They portrayed
ambitious young people pulling themselves up by their emotional bootstraps to become captains
of industry and esteemed leaders.
Today, a widely used variation of positive thinking is guided imagery, also known as
visualization. By forming compelling, positive images in the mind, a person overcomes anxiety
and self doubt.
Visualization can be put to work in any number of ways. Memory specialists employ vivid
and often absurd mental images to help people remember bland names and numbers.
Psychologists counsel clients to imagine themselves coping with situations that have
overwhelmed them in the past. The objective of an imagery session may be simply to relax, to
reduce muscle tension, or to perform better on the job. Imagery is also applied in highly focused
ways in the hope of acquiring cars, jobs, salary increases, and even love partners.

If you are troubled by some aspect of daily life-such as speaking in public, talking on the
phone, or writing a paper - you can make use of rehearsing a successful performance in your
imagination. A first step may be to begin by casting in the starring role a person you know to be
at ease in the situation. Then, after a few trial runs, the understudy - you - can stand in. Give
your brain a break by providing it with the right food, enough sleep fresh air, exercise, and
relaxation, and cultivate a positive outlook youre bound to succeed.


Food for the Brain
You are what you eat. A variation on that saying might be You think what you eat,
because foods have psychoactive powers. J ust as athletes watch their diets when training, you
can learn to alter your diet to increase your mental output.
Protein can help to keep the brain alert. Some studies suggest that for breakfast to carry
you effectively through a lunch, it should serve up a full fifteen grams of protein - about the
amount in two and a half medium eggs. A healthier protein source is blender drinks made with
yogurt or cottage cheese plus milk with fruit added for flavor.
The brains performance is also affected by choline, a B-complex vitamin that has been
identified as a key to memory function. Choline is found in egg yolks, beef liver, fish and
legumes.
The B vitamins work in the body to help convert proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into
fuel and in the brain to help synthesize mood-controlling chemicals. A B- vitamin deficiency
often manifests itself in extreme muscle weakness and in psychiatric problems ranging from
mild irritability to full-blown psychosis.
A marginal deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) may cause a feeling of lassitude.
Insufficient niacin may cause depression, emotional instability, or confusion.
Less dramatically, a low intake of vitamin B12 has been linked with impairment of
memory. People who eat no meat, fish, or dairy products are at risk, because vitamin B12 is the
one vitamin not present in plant foods.
The body employs vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in dozens of ways. It helps stimulate our
fight-or-flight responses to danger, and a deficiency of vitamin C can cause mental
sluggishness. Vitamin C also helps the body to absorb another nutrient particularly important to
brain function: iron.
The brain requires a great deal of oxygen if it is to function effectively, and dietary iron
plays a vital role in getting it there via the bloodstream. Iron is most plentiful in meats and fish.
Vegetarians can choose from a wide selection of foods, relatively rich in iron, including
blackstrap molasses, lima beans, soybeans, sunflower seeds, spinach, and broccoli.

Exercise for the Brain
Some people exercise to shed pounds; others do it to shed stored-up anxiety,
depression, and guilt. They are all benefiting from the ability of exercise to renew their creativity.
These benefits arent imaginary. The mental effects of regular exercise are profound and
extensive, touching our intellect, memory, and emotions.
At Washington University in St. Louis, thirty-two subjects were given a battery of tests of
mental functions and personality traits. After they took part in a ten-week program of jogging,
calisthenics, and physical recreation, they were tested again. The researchers noted significant
improvements in intelligence, speed of performance, learning and brain function. On top of this,
they observed decreased depression and anxiety among the group.
Other studies have shown that benefits extend to memory, attention span, and
motivation. Lump all these abilities together and you have a pretty good definition of intelligence.
In other words, exercise is good for the brain.
Do you feel more optimistic after a swim or a brisk walk? There are plenty of good
biochemical reasons why this should be so. Exercise influences the ebb and flow of the bodys
own psychoactive chemicals in ways that can lift ones mood. It seems that the more depressed
a person is, the greater the benefits are of regular exercise. In fact, jogging was judged to be at
least as effective as conventional psychotherapy in a study of twenty-nine people seeking help
for depression.
How does exercise aid the brain? J ust like any other organ, your brain reties on blood to
provide it with oxygen and essential nutrients. The blood also carries away carbon dioxide and
other waste products of the brains busy, round-the-clock metabolism. With regular aerobic
workouts, the heart is more efficient, pumping a greater amount of blood of the brain with each
beat.
Also, exercise raises levels of high-density lipoproteins in the blood, and these are
thought to clear cholesterol from the blood vessels, making it easier for a steady flow of oxygen
to reach the brain.


Sleep for the Brain
Sleep is important for the brain, because sleep is more than just a mental vacation.
When we drift off into unconsciousness each night - a process that happens in stages - our
brains go through a series of psychological processes that restore both mind and body. At sleep
stage three or four, for example, memories may be consolidated, and in dream sleep, the brain
may be working out resolutions to unconscious conflicts. When any of a number of factors
intrude - the use of alcohol or drugs, a noisy bedroom or uncomfortable bed, stress carried over
from the day - the progressive stages of normal sleep are upset and the mind misses its nightly
regeneration.
A poor nights sleep can make itself felt in the work place, especially if mental clarity is
necessary for getting the job done well.

Clean Air for the Brain
Fresh, unpolluted air (characterized by high negative ion levels) may cause a lift in spirits
and mental performance. In experiments with rats at the University of California, Berkeley,
Marian Diamond, Ph.D., and others found a connection between levels of negative ions in the
air and a sense of well-being.
Diamond also reported that rats exposed to negative ions developed larger brains. Other
studies show that animals learn better and have less anxiety in negative-ion atmospheres.
These results support the experience of people who simply feel and work better when bathed in
negative ions. Healthful, invigorating, mountain air and the atmosphere just after storms are
more highly charged with negative ions than is the oppressive, dead air in a windowless room or
closed vehicle.


Meditation for Brain power
Meditation includes many different practices, ranging from taking a moment of collect
ones thoughts to highly structured forms of Eastern meditation. The mind-body benefits claimed
by meditators include reduced stress, faster reaction time, and greater perceptual ability.
Studies of meditation have pointed to changes in causes in the central nervous system.
The mind works more efficiently when it has less ongoing mental chatter. In a study
comparing the effects of three methods of reducing anxiety transcendental meditation,
biofeedback, and muscle relaxation - the results were similar for all.