This is Amazing for Brain Health – And It’s Probably In Your Pantry

This is Amazing for Brain Health - And It's Probably In Your Pantry

Scientists have made a remarkable discovery about something that can heal the brain. It’s ancient and golden and probably in your pantry. 

 It’s turmeric, a spice commonly found in curry and according to new research it can boost the brain’s ability to repair itself by 80%.

In the everyday world, away from the brilliant glare of science, turmeric has been called the ‘spice for life’ and has had a place in healing for thousands of years.

A major bioactive compound in turmeric is curcumin, and research has shown that it is amazing for brain health, working in ways that are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer. It has the potential to fight a number of malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic illnesses.

A remarkable study found that three patients with severe Alzheimer’s who consumed 764 milligrams of turmeric powder capsules over 12 weeks (100 mg/day of curcumin) ‘improved remarkably’. After three months of treatment, symptoms and the load on caregivers significantly decreased. All came to recognize their family within 1 year of treatment.

Recently, research conducted at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine in Germany found that a bioactive compound found in turmeric promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain.

Researchers injected aromatic-turmerone (from turmeric) directly in the neutral stem cells of a rat’s brain. Rats are used in initial scientific experiments such as these because they have similar  biological and genetic characteristics to humans.

When researchers later scanned the brain, they noticed that certain parts of the brain had increased in activity following the infusion. The infusions had increased the brain’s self-repair and recovery by 80%.

More trials are needed to establish whether or not the effects will translate to humans.

As explained by Adele Rueger, lead author of the study, “While several substances have been described to promote stem cell proliferation in the brain, fewer drugs additionally promote the differentiation of stem cells into neurons, which constitutes a major goal in regenerative medicine. Our findings on aromatic turmerone take us one step closer to achieving this goal.”

If further research demonstrates that turmeric has similar effects on the regenerative capabilities of the human brain, it could potentially advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s.

Any way you can incorporate turmeric into your diet will be good for you. It’s commonly used in curries and this has been used to explain why the rate of Alzheimer’s in India is significantly less than the rest of the world. Turmeric can also be added to soup, sauces, stews, stir-fries – anything.

So spice it up – whenever you can – your brain will love you for it.

[irp posts=”1375″ name=”Simple Ways to Supercharge Brain Health and Mental Performance”]

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Our job as parents isn’t to remove their distress around boundaries, but to give them the experiences to recognise they can handle boundaries - holding theirs and respecting the boundaries others. 

Every time we hold a boundary, we are giving our kids the precious opportunity to learn how to hold their own.

If we don’t have boundaries, the risk is that our children won’t either. We can talk all we want about the importance of boundaries, but if we don’t show them, how can they learn? Inadvertently, by avoiding boundary collisions with them, we are teaching them to avoid conflict at all costs. 

In practice, this might look like learning to put themselves, their needs, and their feelings away for the sake of peace. Alternatively, they might feel the need to control other people and situations even more. If they haven’t had the experience of surviving a collision of needs or wants, and feeling loved and accepted through that, conflicting needs will feel scary and intolerable.

Similarly, if we hold our boundaries too harshly and meet their boundary collisions with shame, yelling, punishment or harsh consequences, this is how we’re teaching them to respond to disagreement, or diverse needs and wants. We’re teaching them to yell, fight dirty, punish, or overbear those who disagree. 

They might also go the other way. If boundaries are associated with feeling shamed, lonely, ‘bad’, they might instead surrender boundaries and again put themselves away to preserve the relationship and the comfort of others. This is because any boundary they hold might feel too much, too cruel, or too rejecting, so ‘no boundary’ will be the safest option. 

If we want our children to hold their boundaries respectfully and kindly, and with strength, we will have to go first.

It’s easy to think there are only two options. Either:
- We focus on the boundary at the expense of the relationship and staying connected to them.
- We focus on the connection at the expense of the boundary. 

But there is a third option, and that is to do both - at the same time. We hold the boundary, while at the same time we attend to the relationship. We hold the boundary, but with warmth.♥️
Sometimes finding the right words is hard. When their words are angry and out of control, it’s because that’s how they feel. 

Eventually we want to grow them into people who can feel all their feelings and lasso them into words that won’t break people, but this will take time.

In the meantime, they’ll need us to model the words and hold the boundaries firmly and lovingly. This might sound like:

‘It’s okay to be angry, and it’s okay not to like my decision. It’s not okay to speak to me like that. I know you know that. My answer is still no.’

Then, when they’re back to calm, have the conversation: 

‘I wonder if sometimes when you say you don’t like me, what you really mean is that you don’t like what I’ve done. It’s okay to be angry at me. It’s okay to tell me you’re angry at me. It’s not okay to be disrespectful.

What’s important is that you don’t let what someone has done turn you into someone you’re not. You’re such a great kid. You’re fun, funny, kind, honest, respectful. I know you know that yelling mean things isn’t okay. What might be a better way to tell me that you’re angry, or annoyed at what I’ve said?’♥️
We humans feel safest when we know where the edges are. Without boundaries it can feel like walking along the edge of a mountain without guard rails.

Boundaries must come with two things - love and leadership. They shouldn’t feel hollow, and they don’t need to feel like brick walls. They can be held firmly and lovingly.

Boundaries without the ‘loving’ will feel shaming, lonely, harsh. Understandably children will want to shield from this. This ‘shielding’ looks like keeping their messes from us. We drive them into the secretive and the forbidden because we squander precious opportunities to guide them.

Harsh consequences don’t teach them to avoid bad decisions. They teach them to avoid us.

They need both: boundaries, held lovingly.

First, decide on the boundary. Boundaries aren’t about what we want them to do. We can’t control that. Boundaries are about what we’ll do when the rules are broken.

If the rule is, ‘Be respectful’ - they’re in charge of what they do, you’re in charge of the boundary.

Attend to boundaries AND relationship. ‘It’s okay to be angry at me. (Rel’ship) No, I won’t let you speak to me like that. (Boundary). I want to hear what you have to say. (R). I won’t listen while you’re speaking like that. (B). I’m  going to wait until you can speak in a way I can hear. I’m right here. (R).

If the ‘leadership’ part is hard, think about what boundaries meant for you when you were young. If they felt cruel or shaming, it’s understandable that that’s how boundaries feel for you now. You don’t have to do boundaries the way your parents did. Don’t get rid of the boundary. Add in a loving way to hold them.

If the ‘loving’ part is hard, and if their behaviour enrages you, what was it like for you when you had big feelings as a child? If nobody supported you through feelings or behaviour, it’s understandable that their big feelings and behaviour will drive anger in you.

Anger exists as a shield for other more vulnerable feelings. What might your anger be shielding - loneliness? Anxiety? Feeling unseen? See through the behaviour to the need or feeling behind it: This is a great kid who is struggling right now. Reject the behaviour, support the child.♥️
Can’t wait to see you Brisbane! Saturday 20 May had bounded up to us with its arms open - and we’re so ready.

If you don’t have a ticket and would give your very last lamington for one, don’t worry - tickets are still available from ‘Resilient Kids Conference’ (on google). Here are the details:
 
Date and Time: Sat 20th May

Time: 9.30am – 3:00pm (Doors open at 9.00am for a 9.30am start)

Location: Main Auditorium, iSee Church, 8 Ellen Street, Carina Qld 4152

Parking: Free parking onsite

Cost: $85.00 AUD 

We’d love you to join us.♥️

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