January 17, 2017
For a long time, the prevailing theory regarding depression held that it was a brain issue to do with serotonin. The treatment – SSRI medication (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Yet this theory is facing increasing scrutiny with experts such as New York Psychiatrist and author, Dr Kelly Brogan, proposing that it may instead be an immune system issue. Dr Kelly Brogan takes a critical look at the theories, causes and scientific evidence surrounding depression in her recently published book A Mind of Your Own [1]. Brogan, a board-certified psychiatrist with a degree in cognitive neuroscience from […]
January 12, 2017
You only have to open Facebook or jump onto Instagram to see how prolific the culture of ‘me’ has become. From people photographing the food they are about to eat, to taking posed photos of themselves smiling into the camera; it would appear that narcissism is alive and well. We are regaled almost every day about the evils of social media, of overusing our phones, of the deleterious effects of too much screen time for kids. The advances in technology have come with an almost Amish level of moral judgment and servitudes. But what are we to do? We love […]
January 12, 2017
In our last article we looked at the two neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. We also looked at the different types of depression that manifest when one is depleted in one or the other.We also had a look at the nature of substances of addiction and how they interact and interfere with the regulation of dopamine in your brain. You can read Part 1 of the article here. In this article we’re going to have a look at what happens to your mind, mood and body when you’re depleted in dopamine. In essence, what does it look like if you’re low in […]
January 10, 2017
It will come as no surprise to chiropractors (or indeed any health-care practitioner) that an alarming number of adults in the western world are chronic pain sufferers. It’s a problem that comes in many forms, from tangible disorders like back pain to more mysterious issues like fibromyalgia, but it usually results in a couple of predictable things: painkillers, and frustration as many chronic pain sufferers are told ‘its all in your head.’ The painkiller ‘solution’ is not without a significant amount of risk, albeit risk most sufferers are happy to take in order to reduce their suffering. Yet some are […]
January 5, 2017
We’ve all secretly wondered if Rover loved us for the patting and the praise or if he was just after that juicy bone we keep in the fridge. Since Pavlov first started tinkering around in the canine brain there’s been a group of neuroscientist at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, who have pretty much been hell bent on working out what goes on behind their furry craniums. The question du jour is do dogs prefer praise or a hot dinner? A new study recently published in Oxford University Press1 is one of the first to combine brain-imaging data with behavioural […]
January 5, 2017
There’s always some new fad that seems to hit our shelves. Bone broth has been the hipster drink de jour for the last couple of years. Given up caffeine? Bone broth. Trying to get healthy? Bone broth. The Brooklyn hipsters have been carrying around this meaty bone soup in lieu of a super sized Starbucks coffee like it’s going out of fashion. Except it isn’t. Going out of fashion that is. Instead, this age old recipe is going mainstream. And much like encouraging people to exercise more or get a good nights sleep, this wonder liquid may well be the […]
January 3, 2017
People suffering from anxiety and depression have become well versed in the affects of serotonin on the brain. We are all familiar with this neurotransmitter that is affectionately referred to as the happy hormone. Anti-depressant drugs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). These drugs work by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain. It does this by by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin, so that more serotonin is available. It’s a clever little trick. In fact it’s the same trick we use by consuming substances of addiction. What we don’t hear a lot about is dopamine. Research has found […]
December 16, 2016
Story at a Glance. Negative input from the dura primes the brain to be too sensitive to triggers that are normally not a problem. It appears that nociceptive input from the meninges causes sensitisation of the dural nociceptive system, and that this dura-nociceptive input and sensitisation causes neuroplasticity and may contribute to migraines. This brings relevance to chiropractic techniques that assess and affect the meninges, and their effect on the brain and its neuroplasticity. Abstract – Migraine is one of the most common and most disabling disorders. Between attacks, migraine patients are otherwise normal but are sensitized to nonnoxious events […]
December 15, 2016
Spinal Research is proud to announce three new appointees to our Board following last month’s Annual General Meeting. The names are likely to be familiar to you, as all are passionate voices for chiropractic, renowned international speakers and long-term friends of the Foundation. Chiropractic trainer and leadership coach Brandi MacDonald joins chiropractic champions Dr’s Gilles LaMarche and Shawn Dill to add their voices to our Foundation. Board President Dr. Craig Foote welcomes the appointments, stating, “This is an opportunity for Spinal Research to further advance our research agenda by adding three strong, international voices to an already outstanding group. Our […]
December 15, 2016
The Organisational Result of Intelligence Humanity is now entering a period of radical transformation, and recent advancements in technology are providing generative conditions. However, within one generation, we have become disconnected from ourselves through the use of artificial intelligence. As a result, we have disconnected from our own inborn intelligence. The answer to solving this emerging problem will come from philosophy. Over the past twenty years, wireless technologies and the internet have become ubiquitous, affordable, and available to almost everyone. Right now a Masai warrior in Africa has better mobile phone capabilities than the president of the United States […]
December 13, 2016
Probiotics are linked to improved microbia in the gut. These microbia are directly linked to the physical, mental and emotional health of your body. Fermented foods are a natural powerhouse of various strains of probiotics that are essential to good gut health. But what are fermented foods? And what’s so darn good about them?
December 12, 2016
We’ve all been there, caught up in our anxious thoughts or lying in bed awake at night worrying. But new research suggests1 the smarter you are, the more likely you are to suffer from anxiety, or as they refer to it in scientific circles – psychopathology. This link between intelligence and a predisposition towards worrying has been closely studied over the years. According to Catheline-Antipoff and Poinso2, “The higher the IQ, the greater the psychological fragility.” Research suggest that intelligence and worry may have co-evolved with humans for the purpose of survival. Findings published in The Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience […]
December 8, 2016
Accents. Ever notice how easy it is for some people to pick them up? Ten minutes in New York and an Australian voice is already adopting the American drawl. Or traipsing around London and you find yourself starting to articulate the ends of your words in a more precise way? It’s called The Chameleon Effect; it’s when we subconsciously copy someone else. Human beings are constantly imitating each other, copying everything from each other’s facial expressions, mannerisms, even our postures. Researchers at The University of California, Riverside, found we also imitate speech patters and inflections. That is we have the […]
December 6, 2016
“What’s With Wheat?” It’s a question many have asked as a growing prevalence of Coeliac’s Disease and Non-Coeliac wheat intolerance seems to have swept the Western World. It was this topic that Australian nutritionist Cyndi O’Meara examined in a documentary of the same name. Launched in July of this year, What’s With Wheat brought together world-renowned researchers and authors to scour the rise of wheat into the pervasive pantry staple that it is today. O’Meara is joined by best-selling author and researcher David Perlmutter (of Grain Brain fame), leading researcher Dr. Terry Wahls, and twelve other experts in fields ranging […]
December 6, 2016
In Chiropractic care, every one of your gestures makes an impression on those you interact with. From your first smile hello, the way you welcome someone to enter the room and of course through your hands and your adjustments. Combine your personal interactions and your physical environment and you have a holistic experience that creates the environment for deep relationships to develop. Architects have long studied and practiced the creation of space that aims to shape and enhance the human experience. The philosophy and practice of theories such as phenomenology in architectural design (study of how space is experienced) […]
November 29, 2016
Ritalin (methylphenidate) and dexamphetamine are classed as schedule 8 drugs. In the US, these drugs are prescribed to at least 6 million children for what we have come to understand as Learning Disorders (LD), which includes Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These psychiatric labels are given to children who we are told have chemical imbalances in their brains, a medical problem, a brain disease, that requires sustained, long term medication to right the body’s incorrect auto-regulation. One source states “The stimulant prescription rate for Australian children increased 34-fold in the past two decades. In addition […]
November 29, 2016
You love it. You hate it. It’s like watching a train crash, sometimes you just have to even though you know you shouldn’t. It’s like a New Years Resolution you can only keep for a week. Facebook, let’s face it, is hard to break up with. Researchers from Cornwell University1 have been exploring why it’s so hard for us to quit Facebook and why some of us eventually return. Like any love hate relationship, it’s complicated. Individuals were asked to abstain from Facebook for 99 days. During that period some of the participants returned to Facebook before their allotted time had expired. The researchers […]
November 24, 2016
Rejection hurts. But it doesn’t just hurt emotionally, it hurts physically. We refer to hurt and pain when we refer to our emotional status. Interestingly, they’re the same adjectives we use to describe physical pain. When we break up with a lover, or feel ridiculed or rejected by our peers we feel ‘hurt’. And it’s not just poets that know that a lover’s quarrel or parting can cause ‘pain’. But why is that? As it turns out, it’s because of the way our brains are wired. Researchers from Michigan University’s, Department of Psychology, have been studying the pain of rejection and the results […]