How thinking can change the brain

In 1992, the neuroscientist Richard Davidson got a challenge from the Dalai Lama. By that point, he’d spent his career asking why people respond to, in his words, “life’s slings and arrows” in different ways. Why are some people more resilient than others in the face of tragedy? And is resilience something you can gain through practice?

The Dalai Lama had a different question for Davidson when he visited the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader at his residence in Dharamsala, India. “He said: ‘You’ve been using the tools of modern neuroscience to study depression, and anxiety, and fear. Why can’t you use those same tools to study kindness and compassion?’ … I did not have a very good answer. I said it was hard.”

The Dalai Lama was interested in what the tools of modern neuroscience could reveal about the brains of people who spent years, in Davidson’s words, “cultivating well-being … cultivating qualities of the mind which promote a positive outlook.” The result was that, not long afterward, Davidson brought a series of Buddhist monks into his lab and strapped electrodes to their heads or treated them to a few hours in an MRI machine.

“The best way to activate positive-emotion circuits in the brain is through generosity,” Davidson, who founded the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at University of Wisconsin, Madison, said in a talk at the Aspen Ideas Festival. “This is really a kind of exciting neuroscientific finding because there are pearls of wisdom in the contemplative tradition—the Dalai Lama frequently talks about this—that the best way for us to be happy is to be generous to others. And in fact the scientific evidence is in many ways bearing this out, and showing that there are systematic changes in the brain that are associated with acts of generosity.”

Davidson and his colleagues ran a simple experiment on eight “long-term Buddhist practitioners” whose had spent an average of 34,000 hours in mental training. They asked the subjects to alternate between a meditative state and a neutral state in order to observe how the brain changed. One subject described his meditation as generating “a state in which love and compassion permeate the whole mind, with no other consideration, reasoning, or discursive thoughts.”

“When we did this, we noticed something remarkable,” Davidson said. “What we see are these high-amplitude gamma-oscillations in the brain, which are indicative of plasticity”—meaning that those brains were more capable of change, for example, in theory, of becoming more resilient. The researchers also found in MRI scans of monks that a region of the brain known as the anterior insula was activated. “Every neuroscientist will have their favorite part of the brain,” Davidson said. The anterior insula is one of his, because it’s where a lot of brain-body coordination takes place. “The systems in the brain that support our well-being are intimately connected to different organ systems in our body, and also connected to the immune and endocrine systems in ways that matter for our health,” he said. The brain scans showed that “compassion is a kind of state that involves the body in a major way.” One example: Davidson and coauthors foundin another study that meditation improved immune response to an influenza vaccine—and the subjects were not “professional” Buddhist meditators, but people who had gone through an eight-week training program in mindfulness meditation. And a short “compassion training” course, Davidson and colleagues found in a 2013 study, exhibited more altruistic behavior compared with a control group.

The study of Buddhist brains has burgeoned since Davidson first met the Dalai Lama. But it’s still not known precisely how compassion alters the brain to promote better health or better behavior. Gamma waves and lit up insula can only tell you so much about the linkages between the mind and the body, and, in turn, about what it really takes to think your way to a better character.* Davidson’s research suggests, he said, that “we can all take responsibility for our brains.” In which case, cultivating responsibility itself might be the first step.

Byron's Spa expanding to Villa Hotel resort in Eastern Algarve in 2016 for both men and women

BYRON’S RIVER CLUB SPA

EAST ALGARVE PORTUGAL

REJUVANESSENCE NATURAL TREATMENTS

The Natural Facelift Treatment. (Exclusive to  Byron’s River Club Spa in the Eastern Algarve.)

Originally developed in America by Stanley Rosenberg, an American body worker who has moved to Sweden with his revolutionary 'facelift' technique.

Rosenberg had discovered the technique almost by accident. Alongside his massage work, he taught acting, and he found that some of his pupils, when asked to show emotions, could not move their faces properly. When he looked into it further, he realized this was because certain muscles were too stiff or the connective tissue was brittle.
When he gently manipulated the face he found an almost magical effect. Suddenly his actors could show their emotions. Their faces became instantly more mobile and, intriguingly, more youthful. The treatment then was brought from Sweden to England, by Margareta Loughram. She refined and perfected the technique into a course of six treatments and the theory is as follows:-

• We store tension almost from birth, and this shows later in wrinkles, lines and set of facial muscles. Over the years we get that 'frozen expression' as the muscles stiffen. By removing tension - and working on the body through acupressure and zone points on the face, we make the face come alive again, give a brighter complexion and lessen bags and wrinkles.
• By treating the 91 face, scalp and neck muscles, the Rejuvanessence technique first works on the connective tissues above the layer of the muscles.
• The connective tissue of the skin itself is made up of cells which 
  secrete collagen fibres. These weave together to form a net-like
  structure
• The cells also secrete the gelatin-like ground substance that fills 
  the space between the fibres. What we call 'aging' of the skin is
  primarily a stiffening of that gelatin. The links of the molecules 
  get bound together in long chains and the gelatin becomes hard. The facial skin becomes less flexible and lines and wrinkles become set.
• To add to our problems, the hardening of the connective tissue can
  almost 'glue' the skin to the tissues surrounding the muscles or
  bones. The face then becomes drawn, tight and pinched.

Rejuvanessence works by releasing the stuck tissue, gently helping the connective tissue to regain its freedom and elasticity. By freeing the connective tissue with gentle finger massage, and by working on the 91 muscles of face, neck and shoulders to release tension, the blood supply to the skin is improved naturally, detoxifying and improving skin nutrition for skin quality and muscle tone. This will improve the complexion and help in lessening bags under the eyes, lines and wrinkles.

A full treatment consists of six weekly sessions. While the first session works all over the face, concentration on the connective tissues, the following sessions are more specific. The second session works on muscles of the forehead and scalp; the third focuses around the eyes, nose and mouth; the fourth tackles the jaw line and the fifth the neck. The sixth session reworks a problem area.

Although the majority of clients come for beauty's sake, they generally find their overall health improves too, and people feel happier and more relaxed. This is because layers of emotional stress from face and body are peeled - one layer at the time. The results are not necessarily instant but as healing takes place, clients will feel better and better. Advice on nutrition is also given if necessary. 

A meal plan for the stay at the Golden River Spa Villa Hotel uses local produce from the local organic farm with fresh organic vegetables and fruit.

Rejuvanessence is a wonderful treatment but we cannot give back a completely smooth, youthful face - only surgery will do that by cutting away loose skin - which will often make the face look too tight, too taut and completely plastic.

However, if you prefer to look glowing, with slightly plumped up skin, a tauter jaw line, and lose a few of the wrinkles without smoothing out the 'character' lines, then the Rejuvanessence technique could be the natural and complete safe answer for you.

The above is just one example of one treatment available, and at different times of the year the menu of treatments will change depending on the therapists who are resident at the spar, we have a spring, summer, autumn and winter collection of treatments specially formulated along with special diet programs to suit all body types, ages and budgets. 

Byron’s Rejuvanessence treatments available with Spa villa packages from 3 nights £1,335 per person, full board, meals, including 6 treatments and transfers to the from Faro airport. 

Packages range from short spa breaks to 6 week life style changing packages for those that want a complete body, mind and soul make over. For those that want to change course and want to make serious changes to dietary habits, poor posture, weight loss, stress management and mental outlook. 

How Stress Is Making You Lose Your Mind

Posted: 11/03/2014 8:24 am EST Updated: 1 hour ago

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Stress is affecting your brain much more than you think. Sure, you've experienced the distraction, forgetfulness, negativity or anxiety that comes from stressful situations, but did you know it's also shrinking your brain? Hormones released in response to stress not only affect brain function, they also change the physical structure of your brain.

The stress hormone cortisol can kill, shrink, and stop the generation of new neurons in a portion of the brain called the hippocampus. (1) The hippocampus is critical for learning, memory and emotional regulation, as well as shutting off the stress response after a stressful event is over: all much-needed processes in both our professional and personal lives.

Chronic stress can also shrink the medial prefrontal cortex. (2) This negatively affects decision making, working memory, and control of impulsive behavior. Stress also has the ability to affect stem cells, inhibiting access to the prefrontal cortex, where we plan complex cognitive behavior and moderate social interaction. The result is a brain that is less capable of learning and memory, and more prone to anxiety and depression.

To make matters worse, these same stress hormones can increase the size and activity of a portion of the brain called the amygdala. (3) The amygdala is critical in the formation and storage of memories associated with highly emotional events. It pairs an event with a feeling, and this connection is stored away in our long-term memory so we can either avoid the event or seek it out in the future. The changes cortisol creates increase negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and aggression.

These brain alterations can have significant consequences on the way we interact with others, our ability to learn, remember, make decisions and accomplish long-term goals. They also make it more difficult to successfully manage stressful situations in the future, leading to a vicious cycle.

Fortunately, we've discovered a very effective antidote to these negative effects: exercise. Exercise can help build a stress-resistant brain in addition to increasing cognitive function and brain size.

Exercise helps spur the release of a substance called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps in the development of healthy brain tissue and reverses the negative effects of stress. (4) Think of it as fertilizer for the brain. It keeps existing neurons vital and healthy and also encourages the growth of new ones. The more we exercise, the more BDNF we create, and the more neurons are generated, particularly in the hippocampus.

Exercise also releases human growth hormone (HGH), which is vital to the growth and development of all brain and body cells. HGH counteracts the natural cellular atrophy of aging and pumps up brain volume. (5) A single bout of sprinting for 30 seconds can generate a six-fold increase in HGH, with levels peaking two hours later. (6)

And thankfully you don't have to do hour-long workouts to get many of these benefits. A recent analysis of 10 studies found that five-minute doses of exercise have the biggest effect on enhancing mood and combating stress. (7) Whenever you have a few minutes, do something that gets your heart rate up and/or challenges your muscles. It's a positive, constructive way to deal with stress and can help keep you from losing your mind!

Citations:

1) Sapolsky, Robert M. (1992) Stress, the Aging Brain, and the Mechanisms of Neuron Death. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

2) Ansell, E., Rando, K., Tuit, K., Guarnaccia, J., Sinha, R. (2012) "Cumulative Adversity and Smaller Grey Matter Volume in Medial Prefrontal, Anterior Cingulate, and Insula Regions." Biological Psychiatry. 72 (1): 57- 64.

3) Pittenger, C., Duman, R. (2008) "Stress, Depression, and Neuroplasticity: A Convergence of Mechanisms." Neuropsychopharmacology Reviews. 33: 88- 109.

4) Cotman, Carl W., Berchtold, Nicole C. (2002) "Exercise: a Behavioral Intervention to Enhance Brain Health and Plasticity." Trends in Neurosciences. 25(6): 295-301.

5) Ratey, John. (2008) Spark. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 256.

6) Ratey, John. (2008) Spark. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 256.

7) Barton, J., Pretty, J. (2010) "What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health? A Multi-Study Analysis." Environmental Science & Technology. 44: 3947-55.

Good news for Men Prostate cancer could be 'switched off' with injection

Scientists have worked out how to stop tumours growing in a breakthrough which could switch off many cancers and even prevent blindness

Prostate cancer could be switched off with an injection which prevents further tumour growth Photo: Alamy

By Sarah Knapton, Science Editor

11:24AM GMT 10 Nov 2014

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Prostate cancer could be ‘switched off’ after scientists discovered a way to prevent deadly tumours from spreading.

Bristol and Nottingham universities found that a single molecule plays a crucial role in the forming of new blood vessels.

Tumours need a constant supply of nutrient enriched blood to survive and grow. So stopping the production of blood vessels prevents cancer cells from multiplying and spreading.

When scientists injected mice three times a week with a drug to stop molecule SRPK1 from working, their tumour growth halted.

"We reasoned that inhibition of SRPK1 activity could stop cancer progression,” said Dr Sebastian Oltean, the study's co-author from the University of Bristol's School of Physiology and Pharmacology.

“Indeed, we show in this paper that if we decrease SRPK1 levels in prostate cancer cells we are able to inhibit tumour vasculature and growth."

Some 40,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK and 10,000 die from the disease.

Because the treatment targets blood vessels, it is likely it could be used for other types of cancer and even for age-related macular degeneration, the most common form of blindness.

Professor David Bates, co-author from the University of Nottingham's Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, said: "Our results point to a novel way of treating prostate cancer patients and may have wider implications to be used in several types of cancers."

SRPK1 plays a vital role in 'angiogenesis' - an essential process through which tumours are able to form blood vessels and obtain necessary nutrients to fuel their growth.

By analysing samples of human prostate cancer, researchers observed that SRPK1 increases as the cancer gets more aggressive.

Biotech company Exonate, a spin-out drug development company from the University of Nottingham, aims to develop SRPK1 inhibitors as treatments for diseases with abnormal vessel development such age-related macular degeneration and cancer.

This study has been funded by Prostate Cancer UK, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Richard Bright VEGF Research Trust.

Dr Matthew Hobbs, Deputy Director of Research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "There's no denying that there are too few treatment options for the 40,000 men that face a diagnosis of prostate cancer every year in the UK - especially for those with advanced disease.

“Prostate cancer continues to kill over 10,000 men annually and there is an urgent need for new treatments if we are to significantly reduce this figure.

"Although it's early days, each finding like this represents a crucial block in building up our understanding of what can slow down and stop the progression of prostate cancer. This understanding will give us the foundations needed to develop new targeted treatments for those men in desperate need."

Byron's Health & Wellness Club stress-busting back massage

Until fairly recently, I was probably like most men when it comes to visiting a spa - rather dubious and slightly dismissive. But when I visited Byron's Health  & Wellness Spa as a guest I was treated to men's stress-busting back massage and head massage , any semblance of doubt evaporated.

I was greeted at the start by the therapist, who instantly put me at ease. 

Proceedings began with therapist  working her way around my back and shoulders.

She quickly picked up on the fact that my left side was much weaker than the right and honed in on that area.

It was just what I needed - although I have to admit to wincing a couple of times as she put pressure on my shoulders... but the whole massage was most enjoyable.

As she maneuvered her fingers around my cheekbones and eyes, I drifted off into another world. The cool and tingly oils  combined with the soft warm feel of the face towels left me feeling the benefit.

After the treatment, I rested for a good hour in the relaxation room and had a fresh Juice. Byron's   is such a relaxing place where you can switch off and unwind. The treatment was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Byron's - Brain neuron synapse work out

Give your brain a work out.

We have a selection of brain work outs  for our members which can be used in the sensory float room and will recalibrate your brain for :-

clearer faster thinking

increased concentration 

better sleep

stimulate creativity and idea generation ability 

energy and motivation 

Mood elevator 

In the zone for anyone with some focused event, speech, concert, trading, artist, sports 

WARNING THIS IS A REAL BRAIN WORK OUT 

Important recommendations 

It takes around 6 mins for your brainwaves to fall in step with the tones and become entrained, It then takes time to be guided along the frequency range used in the track. Listening to about half the way through is the minimum in my opinion, but 30 minutes is the optimum and preferred length to listen for.

Drink some water - make sure you are well hydrated before listening to brainwave entrainment.

why?

Your brain is made up of around 75% water, so it needs plenty of water to function well. When you stimulate your brain in this way you're increasing electrical activity and blood flow in the brain and giving your brain a really good work  out, so it can be a good idea to drink before listening so that your brain can fire on all cylinders.

It is not recommended to listen to this while driving or operating machinery.

why?

Brainwave entrainment involves a process of stimulating your brainwaves and changing your mental state. While this is safe to do and use in normal situations, it can sometimes zone you out during the track, as you focus in on the sound of the tones. This could result in you being distracted temporarily, which is not a good thing while your driving or operating machinery. 

Some people also  experience tingling and pother sensations from the stimulation. While that might feel quite nice sitting in a comfortable chair at home, it could cause you to be distracted while driving and result in an  accident.

It is not recommended to listen to this while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or any other mind altering substance.

Why?

When your brain is under the influence of drugs or alcohol it is not operating to its full capacity and you react differently to stimulation and situations, compared to when  you are  sober.

Byron's Escapes

Relax at one of Byron's recommended retreats  with your wife or a friend. Tulum Mexico probably one of the best  beaches in the world