Conscious Life Free Online Magazine Ed 64 Feb 2020

*FREE ONLINE MAG *ISSUE 64 *FEBRUARY 2020

The Importance of Self Love

Can Reduced Brain Activity Boost Longevity?

Overcoming Your Fears

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Green Energy Finally Makes Economic Sense Treating Allergies Naturally

How Yoga Changes The Brain

Photo by Mehmet Kılınç on Unsplash

Conscious Life Magazine

CONTENTS [

SELF DEVELOPMENT & PERSONAL GROWTH

12

LOUI SE HAY ON HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR FEARS

14

WHAT I S UNCONDITI ONAL LOVE AND WHY DO WE DESPERATELY NEED I T?

20

SELF CARE DEPPENI NG INTO SELF LOVE

R 24

R

THE MIND SEX STRATEGI ES OF THE EVOLUTI ONARY KI ND

NATURAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

32

THE MI LLION-DOLLAR QUESTION: “HOW MUCH SLEEP DO I NEED?”

35

CAN REDUCED BRAIN ACTI VITY BOOST LONGEVI TY?

38

A BRI EF OVERVIEW OF I BS & HOW TO HANDLE I T

41

HOW TO TREAT ALLERGI ES NATURALLY

46

REDUCE THE APPEARANCE OF ACNE SCARS NATURALLY

50

WHY WE LOVE THE CHERUBS ECO COTTON RANGE



CONSCIOUS HEALING

54

PRI VATE CROSSI NG OVER READINGS WITH SPI RIT CONNECTI ON

55

HEALI NG ME HELPS YOU LI VE YOUR BEST LI FE

R

HEALTHY INTAKE

58

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN NATURAL FOOD COLOURING AT HOME

60

DRI NK YOUR BEETS

66

I MMUNITY-BOOSTI NG STRAWBERRY SMOOTHI E

67

SPI CY FOODS OFFER MUCH MORE THAN HEAT

73

I MMUNITY-BOOSTI NG STRAWBERRY SMOOTHI E

b CONSCIOUS BODY 78

HOW YOGA CHNAGES YOUR BRAI N

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CONTENTS H

GREEN LIVING

86

WHY GREEN ENERGY FI NALLY MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE

92

ADORABLE DI Y TERRARI UMS TO CREAT AT HOME

_ ANIMAL WORLD 97 CBD OI L FOR PETS: ”THE MIRACLE CURE” FOR YOUR PET, WI THOUT THE HI GH

P WORKSHOPS, COURSES & RETREATS 102 UPCOMING RETREATS AND WORKSHOPS

P

GETAWAYS, SHOWS & EVENTS

105

AWESOME GETAWAYS

_ REACH OUT 115 REACH OUT & HELP: DESERVI NG CHARI TI ES AND CAUSES

20

35

12

32

86

41

78 24

Conscious Life Magazine

Filled with inspiring articles on the Montessori Method, bringing Montessori into the home; conscious parenting, conscious living, wellness, self improvement, fitness &more.

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Monthly Online Free Parenting Magazine filled with inspiring articles on the conscious parenting, conscious living, wellness, self improvement, fitness &more.

To Subscribe to the Child of the Universe Positive Parenting Online Magazine for Free, Click Here Your monthly free digital mag will be emailed to you* *by subscribing, you acknowledge that your email address and name will be added to the publishers of Conscious Life Magazine’s database. The publishers are, Vinloco Media & 2Luni Media. You will only receive your monthly magazine and, from time to time, mails related to Conscious Life Magazine and the Child of The Universe Parenting Magazines. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the mailer you receive.

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Contributors Include

ABOUT US www.childoftheuniverse.co.za PUBLISHER 2Luni Media Articles from the late

EDITOR/OWNER Candida “Cj“ Matticks 087 802 6102 candida@childoftheuniverse.co.za

LOUISE L. HAY Author/Inspirational Speaker

MICHAEL HOWARD Mindshare

Copy Editor Linda Navon SALES & MARKETING Sales & Marketing Manager Cj Matticks

SIMON WING-LUN Founder: Unconditional Love Healing

DR CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP

Sales Linda Navon CREATIVE TEAM Designer & Creative Director Cj Matticks

DR JAMES MERCOLA

BRENT LINDEQUE The Good Things Guy

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Angel Connection School

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VERONICA HAUPT Re-code Your Life

WHAT WE ARE ABOUT We believe in the ‘FIRST DO NO HARM’ principle and we select our content and advertisers accordingly. Our focus is on conscious lifestyle.

We cover topics around natural health & wellness: body, mind & spirit; conscious living for a cleaner planet, healthy recipes and fitness.

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Louise Hay On How To Overcome Your Fears

By Louise Hay, courtesy of www.healyourlife.com

Fear is becoming rampant on the planet. We can see it every day in the news. Fear is a lack of trust in ourselves, and because of this, we don’t trust Life. We don’t trust that we’re being taken Photo careby of on aonhigher Ben White Unsplash level, so we feel we must control everything from the physical level.

Obviously, we’re going to feel fear because we can’t control everything in our lives.

Trust is what we learn when we want to overcome our fears. It’s called “taking a leap of faith” and trusting in the Power within that’s connected to Universal Intelligence. Remember, the Power that supplies our breath is the same Power that created the Universe.

You’re one with all of Life. The more you know how to love yourself and trust Life, the more that Life will love you, support you, and guide you. You can trust in that which is invisible, instead of trusting only in the physical, material world. I’m not saying that we do nothing, yet if we have trust, we can go through life much easier. We need to trust that we’re being taken care of, even though we’re not physically in control of everything that’s happening around us.

Fear limits our minds. People have so much fear about getting sick or becoming homeless or so many other things. Anger is fear that has become a defense mechanism. It protects us, yet it would be so much more powerful if we stop re-evaluating fearful situations in our minds and love ourselves through the fear. We’re at the center of everything that happens in our lives.

Every experience, every relationship, is the mirror of a mental pattern that we have inside us.

One of my favorite writers, Susan Jeffers, has a marvellous CD called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. In it, she states: “If everybody feels fear when approaching something totally new in life—yet so many are out there doing it despite the fear—then we must conclude that fear is not the problem.” She goes on to say that the real issue is not the fear, but how we hold the fear.

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At any moment you have the opportunity of choosing love or fear. In moments of fear, I remember the sun. It’s always shining even though clouds may obscure it for a while. Like the sun, the One Infinite Power is eternally shining its light upon me, even though clouds of negative thinking may temporarily obscure it. I choose to remember the Light. And you can, too. Feel secure in the Light. When the fears come, choose to see them as passing clouds in the sky, and let them go on their way.

Affirm: I am not my fears. It is safe for me to live without guarding and defending myself all the time. When I feel afraid, I open my heart and let the love dissolve the fear.

Love is the opposite of fear. The more we’re willing to love and trust who we are, the more we attract those qualities to ourselves. When we’re on a streak of really being frightened or upset or worried or not liking ourselves, isn’t it amazing how everything goes wrong in our lives? It’s the same when we really love ourselves. Everything starts to go on a winning streak, and we get the green lights and the parking spaces. We get up in the morning and the day flows beautifully.

We need to love ourselves so that we can take care of ourselves. We have to do everything we can to strengthen our hearts, our bodies, and our minds. We must turn to the Power within, find a good spiritual connection, and really work on maintaining it.

Here are some of my favorite affirmations for releasing fears. Give them a try: I am willing to release my fears.

I live and move in a safe and secure world.

I free myself from all destructive fears and doubts.

I accept myself and create peace in my mind and heart.

I rise above thoughts that attempt to make me angry or afraid.

I release the past with ease and trust the process of life.

I am willing to release the need for this protection.

I am now willing to see only my magnificence.

I have the power to make changes.

I am always divinely protected.

And so it is!

To learn more about loving yourself and letting go of your fears, watch this free video and see my book, The Essential Louise Hay Collection, which features my best selling books, You Can Heal Your Life, Heal Your Body, and The Power is Within You.

Louise Hay was an inspirational teacher who educated millions since the 1984 publication of her bestseller You Can Heal Your Life, which has more than 50 million copies in print worldwide. Renowned for demonstrating the power of affirmations to bring about positive change, Louise was the author of more than 30 books for adults and children, including the bestsellers The Power Is Within You and Heal Your Body. In addition to her books, Louise produced numerous audio and video programs, card decks, online courses, and other resources for leading a healthy, joyous, and fulfilling life.

To learn more visit: www.louisehay.com and www.facebook.com/louiselhay

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Sex Strategies Of The Evolutionary Kind

By Bob Holmes courtesy of www.knowablemagazine.org

For women, a short-term fling may involve a quest for good genes or just a good time. It’s a puzzle for the researchers looking at how people choose mates.

After a certain age, most adults settle into long-term partnerships that remain relatively stable for years, even a lifetime. But it’s not uncommon, either, for people to have briefer, less committed relationships: hook-ups, “friends with benefits,” extramarital affairs and the like.

This poses something of a problem for evolutionary psychologists, who seek to explain much of human behaviour as inherited adaptations that have arisen over tens of thousands of years. It’s easy to find an adaptive reason why men might seek short-term sexual relationships. After all, a promiscuous man could potentially sire dozens, even hundreds of children, thus contributing more of his genes to the next generation — a win, in evolutionary terms. But the asymmetries of pregnancy and lactation mean a woman can’t have hundreds of children, so she gains little benefit, evolutionarily speaking, from sowing wild oats. Why, then, should women engage in short-term dalliances at all?

One possibility, of course, is that there is no evolutionary goal in play, that women are merely enjoying the benefits of our modern, relatively egalitarian, contraceptive-equipped society.

There is likely to be some merit in that explanation. Simply talking about human behaviour as evolutionary psychologists do — as though we were just another animal piloted by instinct — can draw ire from some social scientists and members of the general public, who counter that biology is not destiny, and that people control their own behaviour. But evolutionary psychologists wonder whether there might be other forces operating as well, with women’s short-term mate choices representing an active strategy with specific evolutionary goals. Sorting this out has emerged as one of the hottest current research topics in the field of human mating behaviour.

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Fling theory The standard evolutionary explanation for women’s short-term relationships, at least for those who already have a long-term partner, is that an affair on the side could be a good strategy because it provides an opportunity to mate with someone more physically attractive than her regular partner, that dependable, caring guy. “Those sexy men are likely to have more partners — and, historically, more children — than the good dads,” says Sarah Hill, an evolutionary psychologist at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. A woman who acquires those sexy genes for her sons, then, should leave more grandchildren.

In many early romantic film comedies, the plot involved issues of women's mate choice. In The Philadelphia Story, for example, Katharine Hepburn decides between her various love interests, played by actors John Howard, Cary Grant and James Stewart.

CREDIT: SILVERSCREEN / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

To test this idea, researchers have looked to see if women have a stronger preference for attractive men as affair partners during their fertile period each month, the only time they could actually acquire those sexy genes for their offspring. So far, the evidence is equivocal: Some studies show this “ovulatory shift” in preference, while others do not. “It leads me to believe there’s probably something there,” says Hill. “It’s just that it’s going to be more nuanced.” For example, an analysis by Steven Gangestad, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and colleagues found in an as-yet unpublished study that the predicted ovulatory shift occurred only for women in a long-term relationship, not for unpaired women. If this result stands, it might suggest that unpaired women are seeking something other than sexy genes through their short-term mating behaviour.

A related possibility is that women are not necessarily looking for better genes than their longterm partner offers, merely different ones. This strategy would make sense in uncertain times, when it’s hard to predict what kind of genes will give offspring the best chance for success. In those circumstances, a woman’s best strategy might be to hedge her bets and seek a variety of different fathers for her children, in the hope that one will end up with the right stuff. (Genes are only one of many factors that contribute to a child’s eventual success in life, of course. But if they matter at all, bet-hedging in unstable times should pay off.)

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This idea, too, finds some support. For example, Hill and her colleagues showed some women a presentation about the risk of a rise in disease outbreaks in the future, an evolutionarily familiar threat that genetic diversity can help counter; other women saw a presentation about economic recession, designed to represent a threat human ancestors would not have evolved to deal with.

Sure enough, the women who heard about disease expressed an interest in a greater range of dating partners shortly thereafter. “Those women wanted more variety,” says Hill. “This is consistent with what you’d expect. The Atlantic salmon does exactly the same thing.” (In highdisease environments, female salmon prefer to spawn with multiple males.)

In one study, women who felt they often caught illnesses expressed interest in seeking a wider variety of sexual partners after a presentation highlighting the many risks of infectious diseases. A similar presentation highlighting the risk of academic failure didn't produce the same effect. Women who didn’t feel vulnerable to illness were unaffected by either presentation.

But David Buss, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Texas in Austin, and one of the pioneers of work on mating strategies, thinks women must be after more than just genes. After all, women do not have short-term relationships only during their fertile period, when their partner’s genes are relevant. Moreover, a 1992 study showed that 79 percent of women end up falling in love with their affair partner. (That’s true for only about a third of men.) “This is exactly the opposite of what you’d predict if all you wanted was good genes. If you’re just getting genes from your affair partner, becoming emotionally involved is a disastrous thing to do,” says Buss.

Instead, Buss suggests that women may be using short-term affairs as a way of searching for a better mate. As evidence, he points to that same 1992 study of affairs, which also showed that women, much more than men, tend to start affairs when they are dissatisfied with their current mate. Moreover, women tend not to lower their standards in choosing an affair partner, preferring men who are smart, ambitious and dependable — the same qualities they seek in a long-term mate. Women not currently in a long-term relationship might similarly use short-term liaisons as a way to test out potential long-term partners, Buss says.

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Single-strategy players Some critics, in fact, question whether women have a separate short-term mating strategy at all.

Instead, they suggest, all efforts at pair-bonding are basically similar, whether the relationship has a long tenure or a short one. This implies that most short-term relationships are simply ones that never reach the threshold of attachment to become long-term, says Paul Eastwick, a psychologist at the University of California, Davis. Eastwick and his colleagues asked several hundred volunteers to recall their most recent short-term and long-term relationships and check off, from a list, the sequence of stages that each relationship passed through, from first becoming aware of the other to dating, sex and then marriage. The volunteers also rated their level of romantic interest at each of these milestone events.

Both short- and long-term relationships passed through nearly identical trajectories, with very similar levels of romantic interest, in their early days, the researchers found. The short-term relationships, of course, passed through fewer events in total. In other words, all relationships start alike, and only begin to differentiate as the couple get to know each other. “People often don’t have a sense of whether they want to have sex a few times and then say good-bye, or whether this is somebody they might want to be with long-term,” says Eastwick. (A few relationships, such as one-night stands with strangers, are unambiguously short-term, he concedes. Only a tiny fraction — about 3 percent — of his volunteers described such relationships, though other studies put that number much higher, at nearly 10 percent of people.)

Eastwick thinks that women prioritize their partner’s physical attractiveness early in a relationship, because that is what is immediately noticeable. As the couple grows closer, though, their priorities shift toward traits like caring, humour and dependability.

“I think we have two adaptive systems designed to work in sequence, not two kinds of relationships for two kinds of adaptive outcomes,” says Eastwick. Since many short-term relationships never get past the physical-attractiveness stage, this can make women (and men, too) look like they’re choosing between two distinct strategies — preferring sexiness for shortterm relationships and dependability for long-term ones — even when they are not.

Of course, these explanations for women’s short-term mating behaviour are not mutually exclusive, and women could have other reasons, as well, for having a brief fling. “Sex is used for a lot of different things, many of which have nothing to do with reproduction,” says Hill.

Others point out the limits of thinking about human mating strategies as monolithic and unchanging over the ages. In particular, human behaviour has evolved to be highly flexible, allowing our ancestors to adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions, notes Alice Eagly, a social psychologist at North-western University. “That is part of our success as a species, that we live under varied circumstances, so we invent ways of dealing with it,” she says. “We choose a mate thinking, ‘What’s going to work for the life I think I’m going to have?’ We’re inventive about that, and our choices change.”

This flexibility plays out, for example, in cross-cultural comparisons. In more traditional societies, where gender roles are more sharply defined, women put more value on a potential mate’s financial prospects, while men value women’s homemaking skills. In more westernized cultures

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Most romantic relationships seem to follow a similar trajectory at first, whether they ultimately end quickly or last a long time, work from Paul Eastwick shows. This graph shows how sexual interest in one's partner changes as the relationship progresses through a series of possible events, such as first date, first kiss and first sexual encounter. The evidence shows no sign of a distinction early on between brief, intense affairs and longer, more deliberate relationships.

where women have more independence and equality, the two sexes’ mate preferences become more similar, Eagly says.

And even evolutionary psychologists caution against reading too much into the evolutionary tendencies they highlight. “When you say men are more interested in casual sex than women are, they think all men, and all women,” says Peter Jonason, an evolutionary psychologist at Western Sydney University in Australia. “Nobody said the word all, but they hear the word all.”

Jonason, like most reputable evolutionary psychologists, is careful to note that he studies broad tendencies, not rigid rules. People vary — a lot — and sex differences only emerge on average across many men and women. You can’t use these patterns to predict how any particular person will act.

One of the big questions for the future, says Buss, is how our evolved mating strategies play out in the modern world, where contraceptives reduce women’s risk of pregnancy and economic independence at least partly frees women from needing a partner’s resources for child-rearing.

Internet dating, which brings millions of potential mates within reach of our phones, may be an even bigger wild card. Does the size of this pool of mates make people pickier? No one knows yet. Stay tuned.

10.1146/knowable-052119-1 Bob Holmes is a science writer based in Edmonton, Canada.

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The Million-Dollar Question: "How Much Sleep Do I Need?"

By Dr Mercola

Based on the 2013 International Bedroom Poll by the National Sleep Foundation, 25 percent of Americans report having to cut down on sleep due to long workdays. On average, Americans get only 6.5 hours of sleep on weeknights, although 7.25 hours is needed in order to function optimally. Canadians fare slightly better in this regard. On average, Canadians get just over seven hours of sleep per night.

Sleep is imperative for physical and mental health. Remember, cutting back on even just a few hours of sleep every night can have serious, far-reaching effects on your health.

As a general rule, children, especially infants, need significantly more sleep than adults. Sleep experts recommend the following for different age groups: Toddlers (1 to 3 years old ) – 2 to 14 hours a night

Pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years old) – 11 to 13 hours a night School-aged children (up to 12 years old) – 10 to 11 hours a night Teenagers – About 9 hours a night

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Use your child’s mood as an indicator to determine if he or she is getting enough sleep. Excessive fussiness, irritability, crying, or tantrums are often linked to lack of sleep. Frequent yawning throughout the day is another dead giveaway that your child may need more snooze time.

How Much Do Newborns Sleep?

Babies do not have regular sleep cycles until they’re about 6 months old. While new-borns sleep about 16 to 17 hours per day, they may only sleep for 1 or 2 hours at a time. As babies get older, they need less sleep. However, different babies have different sleep needs. It is normal for a 6month-old to wake up during the night, and to go back to sleep after a few minutes.

To ensure your baby will always get a good night’s sleep, I advise you to follow these safe sleeping habits: • • •

• •

Let your baby sleep on his/her back at night or even during nap time to avoid chances of accidentally rolling onto his/her stomach.

Remove toys or pacifiers with strings or cords from your baby’s crib or sleeping area to prevent risks of choking or strangulation.

Make sure the room’s temperature is not too hot or too cold for your baby (preferably somewhere around 70 degrees Fahrenheit).

Keep your baby’s sleeping area smoke-free at all times.

Shelter your baby from exposure to toxins by using only organic beddings and mattresses free from harmful chemicals and chemical flame retardants. These dangerous compounds can also be found in nursing pillows, car seats, changing table pads, high chairs, strollers, portable cribs, sleeping wedges, walkers, and other baby care products.

How Much Sleep Is Too Much?

Too much of something can be bad for you. While there are a lot of Americans who lack sleep, there are also some who may be sleeping more than they should – a habit that can also have negative effects on your health.

Image by: https://unsplash.com/@all_who_wander

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In one study, researchers revealed that people in their 60s and 70s who sleep nine hours or more each night have a more rapid decline in their cognitive function than those who sleep between six and eight hours. Surprisingly, the long sleepers (9 hours or more) comprised a large portion (40 percent) of the 2,700 study participants. Another 49 percent were considered normal sleepers (6 to 8 hours), while 11 percent slept just five hours or less.

To find out if you’re getting enough sleep, observe how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you fall asleep within a few minutes of your head hitting the pillow, chances are you’re most likely sleep deprived. A well-rested person, on the other hand, will take about 10-15 minutes to fall asleep at night.

5 Simple Secrets to a Sound and Restful Sleep If you’ve been tossing and turning in bed and have been experiencing some difficulty sleeping at night, I recommend giving these simple lifestyle changes a try: • Stop watching television or using any of your electronic gadgets at least an hour before going to bed. The blue light from these devices tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime and messes up your circadian rhythm.

• Do not eat a heavy meal or spicy foods close to bedtime.

• Take note of key factors that disrupt your body’s healthy melatonin production. These include electromagnetic field (EMF) sources and too much light in your bedroom. Switch off Wi-Fi devices and remove all electronics from your room. You can also wear an eye mask or turn off all the lights so you can sleep in total darkness.

• Keep the temperature in your bedroom at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). According to studies, the optimal room temperature for sleep is quite cool, between 60 to 68 degrees F (15.5 to 20 degrees C). However, keeping your room cooler or hotter than that range can lead to restless sleep.

• Make sure your pillows and mattresses are made from wholesome organic materials that do not contain harsh substances like chemical flame retardants. Studies have shown that flame retardants have numerous side effects, especially in children. In fact, approximately 90 percent of Americans have some level of flame retardant chemicals in their bodies.

Image by: https://unsplash.com/@shop_slo

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Can Reduced Brain Activity Boost Longevity?

By Christine Ruggeri, CHHC courtesy of www.draxe.com

A new study led by scientists Joseph Zullo and Derek Drake from Harvard Medical School indicates that the nervous system may play an unexpected role in aging. While it seems counterintuitive, the study suggests that limiting brain activity may actually promote a longer life span and work as a natural life extender.

Although this is a preliminary study that requires further research, it shines light on the importance of using behavioral interventions to slow down brain activity and possibly boost longevity.

Study Results Scientists behind the new study published in the journal Nature found that neuronal excitement is actually higher in short-lived individuals compared to long-lived individuals.

Zullo and his colleagues first studied brain tissue from hundreds of aged humans that had not shown any cognitive deficits before death. They found that genes involved in neural excitation, or increased brain activity, were downregulated in the individuals who lived longest.

This may be linked to a protein called REST (RE1-Silencing Transcription factor), according to the researchers. Here’s what you need to know about REST: • REST is a transcriptional repressor, which means that it blocks the expression of neural genes.

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• •

REST expression correlates with increased longevity, and the protein levels are highest in the brains of individuals who lived to be 90–100 years old. Those who died in their 70s or 80s had lower levels of REST. This may be because REST represses genes that promote cell death and protects neurons from oxidative stress.

This latest study indicates that increased REST is directly associated with long human life span.

This is due to REST’s ability to reduce neural excitement by blocking the expression of neural genes.

How did scientists prove this? They started by testing this theory on roundworms and found that neural activity increased with aging.

On top of that, interventions that reduced neural excitement worked to extend roundworm life span.

The same appeared to be true in mice, which they also studied. Mice lacking REST were more likely to display neural excitation.

The results of this study suggest that maintaining a proper balance in brain activity may prevent age-related neurological diseases and improve longevity in humans.

How to Measure Brain Activity Brain activity is measured by the network of neurons (nerve cells) that are activated when we perform various cognitive tasks. Our brains switch between resting and active states throughout the day, depending on our actions.

There are several methods to measure brain activity, including: • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI): measures changes in blood flow associated with neural activity • Electroencephalography (EEG): measures electrical activity in brain • Magnetoencephalography (MEG): measures magnetic fields generated by neural activity But measuring REST is not yet possible in living human brains. This is why scientists began their experiments on roundworms and mice for this study.

They were then able to test their findings on donated brains from deceased humans.

Now to further understand the role of REST and brain activity in longevity, scientists will begin to make connections between brain imaging, the function of brain cells and human behaviors.

What Differences in Brain Activity Means According to this most recent study, differences in brain activity can be linked to longevity.

Researchers found that overactivity isn’t good for the brain.

When neurons are constantly firing off because of increased brain activity, it may take a toll.

When people engage in harder tasks, more regions of the brain are activated. Studies suggest

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that to complete the same task, older adults activate more brain circuits than younger individuals.

Scientists don’t know for sure why this happens, but it may be because brains of older people are less efficient and overcompensate due to that inefficiency.

Ways to Support Brain Health From this study, drug research will be conducted to figure out if excessive neural activity can be reduced in aging individuals. Scientists also believe that certain habits and behaviors can affect the brain’s neural activity and possibly boost longevity.

Some activities that can support brain health by reducing brain activity include: • Guided meditation and healing prayer • Yoga • Breathing exercises • Follow a regular sleep schedule • Reduce electronics use

Although we’ve been told that increasing brain activity helps to boost cognitive function, this study suggests otherwise. It seems as though balance is really key, as practitioners of Eastern medicine have always believed.

Related: How Yoga Changes Your Brain (It’s a Good Thing!) – See page 78

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By Jodi Lee courtesy of www.foodmatters.com Disclaimer: This article is provided for your general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional advice, particularly medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always seek medical advice from a qualified health practitioner which takes into account your personal circumstances, general health and medical conditions.

If you, a family member, or a friend suffer from an allergy, you will understand how frustrating and stressful it can be. From the simple itchy eyes and the runny nose to more severe symptoms of difficulty breathing and life-threatening anaphylaxis, allergies can severely impact a person’s life.

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With modern diets, overexposure to antibiotics, damaged gut bacteria and a constant bombardment of toxic chemicals, there is no wonder why allergies are becoming the fastest growing chronic condition within today’s society. (1) It is estimated that more than 30% of adults and 40% of children in the United States suffer from an allergy such as asthma, food allergies, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis.(2) An allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a substance that is often harmless to most people, enters or comes in contact with the body. In a classic allergic reaction the immune system produces IgE antibodies, which initiate the release of histamine and other inflammatory chemicals, which produce allergenic symptoms that range from mild to life threatening.

Natural interventions including vitamins and herbal medicines have long been used safely in the treatment and management of allergies, as well as restoring proper function to the immune system. Natural therapists and functional testing can also help you to identify the cause of your allergens, which is key to recovery.

Causes What is often harmless to most people can also be the trigger of an allergic reaction for those who suffer from allergies. Allergens can be almost anything that is touched, inhaled, eaten or injected into the body including fur, pollen, dust, food, cigarette smoking, insect bites, medicines and mold. The duration, frequency and potency of exposure can also determine the extent and severity of an allergic reaction. Genetics and family history are also considered to play a role in the development of allergies.

Symptoms • • • • • • •

Watery eyes Runny nose Difficulty breathing Sneezing Itching of the throat or eyes Sinus symptoms such as headaches, aching teeth and tenderness of the cheekbones Skin rashes or hives

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Swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue or throat Itching of the throat Constipation Irritable Bowel Syndrome Nausea Flatulence Diarrhea

Treatment Nutritional Guidelines For Healing •

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Reduce or Remove Exposure to Allergens: Identifying and removing your allergens is by far the most important step in relieving allergy symptoms. If you are unsure of what may be causing your allergic reactions, we recommend keeping a symptom diary to record the food you eat and the products you are exposed to in your daily life. Products include make-up, shampoo and conditioners, body wash and moisturisers, washing detergents, cleaning products as well as animal contact, dust, pollen and mold. Common food allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, fish, corn, shellfish, wheat, some fruits, seeds, chocolate and artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. Functional testing is also available.

Swap Processed and Packaged Foods for Wholefoods: Foods that are packaged and processed have a suppressant effect on the immune system and also contain hidden ingredients that may be contributing to allergic reactions. By swapping to a wholefood diet, you are able to keep a careful eye on the foods you eat.

A wholefood diet should include: - Good quality protein sources such as tempeh, free-range eggs, grass-fed poultry, nuts and plant-based protein powders. Eating organic meats is also recommended to avoid antibiotic residue.

- Good fat sources such as avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, olive oil and grass-fed butter.

- High fiber food sources such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

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Eat Probiotic-Rich Foods: Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, tempeh, kefir, fermented salsa, yogurt and kimchi are rich in probiotics and help to balance gut bacteria. With research suggesting that disruption in gut bacteria is linked to an increased risk of allergies, it is important to make friends with these fermented foods.(3) Antioxidant Superfoods: Sip on green tea, munch on berries and be sure to eat a wide variety of bright and colorful fruit and vegetables. These foods are rich in antioxidants, bioflavonoids and phytonutrients, which help combat oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Studies suggest that a diet low in antioxidant-rich foods correlate with an increased risk of allergic conditions.(4) Hydrate with H2O: Drink at least 2 liters of filtered or spring water per day. Histamine, which is released during an allergic reaction, controls water in the body. When dehydrated, histamine increases, contributing to allergy symptoms.(5) You might want to add a pinch of sea salt to each glass of water (or ¼ teaspoon in 1 litre of water), as unprocessed salt is a natural antihistamine.

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Herbal, Superfood & Supplement Therapy •

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Vitamin C: Take 250 to 2,000 mg of Vitamin C per day. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps support the immune system, lower histamine levels and combat free radical damage. Studies suggest that vitamin C has demonstrated the ability to prevent the onset of allergy symptoms by reducing histamine (triggers allergy response) levels in the blood.(6) Quercetin: Take 250 to 600 mg three times daily 5 to 10 minutes before meals. Flavonoids such as quercetin exhibit high antioxidant properties and have demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of allergic conditions. Research suggests that quercetin exhibits significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting initial processes of inflammation and histamine release.(7) Vitamin D: Take 1,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day or expose your skin to 10 - 20 minutes of midday sun.(8) Along with calcium and bone metabolism, vitamin D is also involved in immune regulation. Studies have indicated that vitamin D deficiency has been linked to various immune conditions including allergic diseases.(9) Anti-allergy Herbs: With the guidance from a herbalist, take anti-allergy herbs such as Perilla and Albiza. Both Perilla and Albiza are mainly used to treat allergic rhinitis, asthma and hives and work by suppressing allergic responses and inflammation.(10)(11).

Probiotics: With approximately 70% of the immune system located in the gut, a healthy gut forms the basis of a healthy immune system. Probiotics help to maintain healthy gut flora and can help protect the body against allergens. In particular, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) has been shown to be beneficial in promoting immune regulation and suppressing allergy responses by strengthening gut barrier function.(12) Take 20 billion CFU of LGG daily with food.

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Reduce Stress: As stress inhibits the function of the immune system, it important to take time out each day for relaxation and leisure. To support a healthy immune system, engage in practices that reduce stress such as meditation, yoga and mindfulness.

Air Purifiers: Air purifiers with or without essential oils can be beneficial for respiratory symptoms associated with allergies. Air purifiers can clean the air by removing allergenic substances such as dust, fur and smoke. Be sure to choose high quality, organic where possible, essential oils. We recommend essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus and tea tree for allergy sufferers.

Keep your Space Clean: As dust can cause allergy symptoms, we suggest keeping your daily living and working spaces clean to help minimize dust build up.

Fresh Air and Exercise: As some allergies are caused by air pollution, it is important to have access to fresh unpolluted air. If you live in a big city, take time out on weekends to head out of town to more natural landscapes such as the rainforest or the beach, where the air is cleaner. If allergies flare up when outside due to pollen exposure, swapping the outside for indoor activities such as yoga may be more beneficial. If you do choose outside activities ensure to take a shower, wash your hair and change your clothes after exposure to pollens.

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Guided Program Ready to make a change but not sure where to start? Take your pick from a range of inspiring programs tailored to your specific goals. Our guided programs on Food Matters TV including everything from meal plans, guided meditations, sleep, cleansing and more. They'll support and empower you to improve your health and be the best you can be!

Resources At Food Matters we believe that education is an essential aspect to any healing process. The more we know, the more we are empowered to make change and understand how to decode the messages our bodies are telling us. Here are some suggested resources for you to check out to support you on this journey.

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REDUCE THE APPEARANCE OF ACNE SCARS NATURALLY

By Down to Earth

As if acne isn’t bad enough, some of us are left with acne scars afterwards.

It is said that acne affects 80% of people at some time in their life. It is not only a teenage problem; adult acne is common too.

Why do we get acne?

Although the exact cause of acne in each individual varies and is fairly unknown, contributing factors are hormones, clogged pores and bacteria.

Simply put, acne can be described as inflamed or infected oil glands. Sebum (oil) secreted by your skin’s sebaceous glands and dead skin clogs pores, and results in dreaded acne.

Furthermore, there are other factors that can aggravate the condition. Stress, environmental pollutants, certain steroid medications and oily or unsuitable skincare products can cause flareups and make your acne worse.

What causes acne scars?

There are many forms of acne that could be categorised as follows:

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Non-inflamed acne Minor pimples such as whiteheads and blackheads fall within the non-inflamed category. These don’t leave lasting acne scars.

Inflamed acne Inflamed acne includes papules that are pink, tender bumps and pustules that are red, tender bumps with puss on top. Nodules are larger, more painful and feel like they are situated deep in the skin. Lastly, cysts are the most severe form of inflamed acne. They are deep, painful and filled with puss.

These types of acne can leave scars, skin discolouration and blemishes, with cystic acne being the major culprit. Scarring happens when the skin pore becomes inflamed as a result of infection and/or clogging. The pore swells to a point where the follicle walls rupture.

In some instances, the rupture is close to the skin’s surface and able to heal quickly. Where the follicle rupture is deep and skin tissue is destroyed, the scarring will be more severe.

What you can do about your acne scars The key to reducing scars is to treat them as soon as they appear. Older scars are harder to treat.

In a previous blogpost called How To Heal Scars Faster, we describe in detail how the skin heals and the steps to take to minimise scarring during the wound healing process. We recommend you read it.

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We now give you some effective ways to reduce your acne scars and blemishes, easily and naturally:

Gentle skin care Be very gentle with healing skin and scars. Avoid further damage and the possibility of leaving permanent marks. Don’t pick or fiddle with your skin. After your morning and evening skincare routine, let your skin get on with regenerating and don’t interrupt the process.

Tee Tree oil Tea tree oil is a popular remedy for people with acne-prone skin and rightly so. As a powerful antiseptic, it has long been used as a remedy for bacterial skin infections. If you have wounds caused by acne, it is important to keep the wounds clean and encourage healing to minimise scars. Tea tree oil will reduce redness and inflammation, and prevent further breakouts.

You can simply mix a few drops of tea tree oil with your cleanser, or use our Clear Skin Gel. It is a soothing and purifying antimicrobial gel, with tea tree oil, to help keep bacteria away and allow the skin to heal.

Stick to a healthy diet Eat healthy food. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids will help strengthen your skin and provide the needed nutrients to produce new skin cells during the healing process.

If your skin is tired or sluggish, scars and blemishes won’t heal optimally and your skin’s immunity can be compromised. Furthermore, a deficiency in zinc, vitamin C and essential fatty acids can leave your skin vulnerable to breakouts and blemishes. And remember to keep hydrated by drinking lot of water.

Gentle exfoliating After your skin has healed, you can help fade your scars by exfoliating regularly with a nonirritating, environmentally-safe and very gentle exfoliator. It will help you achieve an even and smooth skin. Exfoliating helps lift off dead skin and promotes new growth. Never over-exfoliate though!

Aloe Vera Aloe vera is known as the “medicinal” aloe. Applying the fresh gel extract directly to your acne scars will soften skin and provide a potent combination of vitamins and minerals to help reduce scars and fade blemishes.

No fresh aloe available? No problem. Our Revive Moisturiser contains a high concentration of aloe vera to help accelerate new skin formation. Aloe vera also absorbs easily and draws the beneficial qualities of other ingredients in with it. Read our blogpost called Aloe Penetrates Skin Four Times Faster Than Water… So What?, to find out more.

Coconut oil To improve the appearance of scars and blemishes, your skin needs moisture. Coconut oil is a highly nourishing skin-food and is a good skin conditioner. The high concentration of fatty acids in coconut oil reduces inflammation and encourages skin repair. The vitamin E content, a potent antioxidant, helps to protect the skin from free radical damage. Antimicrobial properties helps to protect the skin against further infections.

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If the oil is too heavy for your skin, wash it off after about 30 minutes with a natural cleanser.

Another option is to use our Revive Moisturiser as a facial cream for day and night, or the African Potato Cream on your body. Both products contain an effective amount of coconut oil to help heal scars and blemishes.

What else to keep in mind?

Remember, acne scars and blemishes can be avoided by taking steps to reduce acne in the first place. Acne, in most instances, is an internal problem that is expressed externally. Healthy lifestyle choices, such as an anti-inflammatory and nutritious diet, exercise and hydrating regularly can help reduce flare-ups. Furthermore, having a clean pillowcase and cellphone will help keep the acne at bay and prevent it from spreading or getting worse.

Image By: https://unsplash.com/@kohlun2000

If your acne scars and blemishes are severe, we recommend you consult a holistic health practitioner who can help you navigate the safe use of natural products versus medications and treatments such as laser therapy. They will also be able to advise you on implementing lifestyle habits to improve skin health and accelerate skin cell regeneration.

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Why We Love The Cherubs Eco Cotton Range In a sentence: Because it is as gentle to the earth as it is to your skin.

Made from 100% pure cotton, the Cherubs Cotton range is soft, absorbent and gentle enough for everyday beauty care.

What Cherubs has to say about two of the products in the range: The Cherubs ECO Cotton range includes biodegradable ECOtton Rounds and ECOtton Buds.

Cherubs ECOtton Buds Cherubs ECOtton Buds have a unique stem that is paper based and are therefore biodegradable caring for the environment.

Cherubs ECOtton Rounds Cherubs ECOtton Rounds are made from only 100% pure cotton & and are naturally soft, absorbent and gentle.

Ideal for Baby & Adult use & will not leave unwanted fibre on your skin.

Cherubs ECOtton Rounds are biodegradable and therefore care for the environment.

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How To Make Your Own Natural Food Colouring at Home Article by Tess Patrick courtesy of www.foodmatters.com

There’s no denying that brightly coloured food is more fun to eat, and undoubtedly more delicious. Yet as we start to learn the ingredients that make our foods these beautiful colours, some stomachs may start to turn. Traditional food colourings used in everyday foods are often derived from petroleum and coal tar, are manufactured in test tubes with harsh chemicals and don’t contain a single nutritional benefit. It’s alarming, to say the least.

But with the kids home on school holidays and time to be spent creating in the kitchen, we’ve found new ways to get our food every colour of the rainbow while bringing even more veggies onto our plates. Here are our tried and true ways to make your own natural food colourings. And when we say natural, we mean as nature intended.

Red Have you ever tried to de-seed a pomegranate for a salad or cake and ended up with blood-red fingertips? Now you can harness the natural dye for good. Pomegranate seeds make the perfect red food colouring. Traditionally, red is one of the artificial colours most associated with irritation and carcinogens, but by simply using pure pomegranate juice, you’ll have healthy and exciting food at your fingertips.

Orange Use your favourite cold-pressed juicer to extract the goodness from the brightest carrots you can

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find at the market. Try to resist drinking your freshly squeezed fruit juice, and bring to the boil with 1 tbsp of paprika and 1 diced and peeled orange sweet potato and ½ a diced and peeled beetroot. Once the sweet potato is tender, let the mixture cool and place into a blender. Store this mixture in an airtight jar in your fridge for up to two weeks, but remember to use this colour sparingly as the flavours can be quite intense.

Yellow We all know how much turmeric stains; from benchtops to our favourite white tops, but we love it anyway. This spice has been praised for it’s healing properties, so it only makes sense to include it into our natural dye dispensary. Simply boil ¼ cup of water with ½ tsp ground turmeric on the stovetop for 5 minutes. Allow to fully cool before storing in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for two weeks.

Green The most potent (and iron-rich) green of all makes the most vibrant colour for food. By simply using 1 cup of fresh spinach, boiled for five minutes and blended with 3 tbsp of water, you’ll have a mixture to make Popeye proud. You can strain the blend if you wish, but those extra little lumps are a good source of dietary fiber! Cool the mixture and put it into an airtight jar. Your natural green colouring will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Blue It seems counterintuitive, but the best blue comes from red cabbage. Shred 1 cup of the vegetable and bring it to the boil with 4 cups of water. Once reached a rolling boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Once cool and strained, add 2 tbsp of white distilled vinegar.

This dye is great for homemade Easter eggs, known for turning brown eggs into a lovely shade of blue. In an airtight glass jar, this blue dye will keep in your fridge for two weeks.

Purple An antioxidant delight, loaded with beautiful natural sugars to add as a sweetener to any baking.

Blueberries make the perfect purple. Simply blend ¼ cup of blueberries with 2 tbsp of water, strain the skins (and save these for another baking project) and store in the fridge in an airtight jar for up to two weeks.

Pink In your favourite high-speed blender, mix up ¼ cup of canned (BPA-free) or fresh, lightly steamed beetroot, with 1tsp of its own juice. Strain, pour into a glass jar and store in your fridge for up to two weeks.

Have you tried making your own food colouring at home?

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Drink Your Beets Article by Rodrigo Pérez Ortega courtesy of Knowable Magazine www.knowablemagazine.org

Among the plethora of supplements that promise athletes an advantage, a natural juice gains traction as an evidence-based boost.

Carnitine, chromium, anabolic steroids: Athletes have experimented with a broad array of aids in pursuit of a performance edge. A popular — if unglamorous — one today that seems safe and backed by solid data: the juice of beets, for the nitrate it contains.

Inorganic nitrate (NO3-) is added to cured and processed meats to extend their shelf life and give them their distinctive pink colour. It’s also naturally found in spinach, arugula and beets. In the past decade, new evidence has suggested that the nitrate in these vegetables enhances athletic performance and may also increase cardiovascular health in old age.

The first clue came in 2007, when Swedish researchers reported that three days of sodium nitrate supplementation lowered the oxygen demand of nine cyclists and triathletes as they worked out, compared with a placebo of table salt. It also increased the blood plasma levels of nitrite (NO2-), a by-product of nitrate. That study caught the eye of exercise physiologist Andrew Jones of the University of Exeter in England. Usually, the oxygen demand of exercise is fixed, he says, so for a short-term intervention to change that “was unusual.”

Although it wasn’t clear how nitrate was doing what it did, Jones knew that green leafy vegetables and beets were rich sources. So he conducted a study, reported in the Journal of Applied Physiology, giving eight men active in recreational sports an equivalent amount of

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nitrate in a natural food source: beet juice. The volunteers consumed 500 ml (17 oz) of either beet juice or a black currant drink — which has negligible amounts of nitrate — every day for six days. Then, after a break of 10 days, the groups were switched and consumed the other drink for an additional six days.

By the last three days of the six, nitrate concentration in the blood of those drinking beet juice was almost doubled and their systolic blood pressure fell by an average of 6 mm Hg. The oxygen cost — the amount of oxygen consumed — when they exercised on a stationary bicycle was reduced by 19 percent. “When we asked them to continue to exercise to exhaustion, they were able to go longer,” recalls Jones, who co-authored a review on dietary nitrates in the 2018 Annual Review of Nutrition.

From then on, research on beet juice, beet juice concentrates, whole beets and nitrate salts started to pour in.

From food to fuel Nitrate itself doesn’t do much in the body. It first has to be converted to nitric oxide, a gas with numerous physiological roles — in blood vessel dilation, muscle contraction and transmission of nerve signals, among others. People obtain that nitric oxide in two ways: either through the action of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase, which catalyzes the amino acid L-arginine to produce it, or from nitrate ingested in food.

In the second case, dietary nitrate is first reduced to nitrite by bacteria in our mouths (athletes are counselled to avoid mouthwash, toothpaste and antibiotics before these kinds of studies).

And then, over the next several hours, some of the nitrite is further reduced to nitric oxide in the gut. Nitrite also enters the blood and bodily tissues, where it is enzymatically reduced to nitric oxide.

Scientists know that this second route is enhanced under conditions when there is not enough oxygen in muscles, and when acid builds up — exactly what happens in skeletal muscle when it contracts constantly during exercise. So they hypothesize that this pathway is particularly important during exercise as a backup system to ensure that enough nitric oxide gets made in muscles and other tissues.

Once in skeletal muscle, nitric oxide can do several things. It can improve the efficiency of muscle contraction and of energy generation by mitochondria. Both of these could contribute to the lowered oxygen cost of exercise. So could the gas’s property of dilating blood vessels, as it increases blood flow to muscle.

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This chart shows how dietary nitrate (NO3-) can act to enhance athletic performance. Although nitrate itself is not physiologically active, it is ultimately converted to nitric oxide, which can improve muscle and cardiovascular function through a variety of effects on the body.

Passing the test Studies testing the effects of dietary nitrate in different sports are piling up. Beet juice is the preferred method of administration, since it’s a fluid and measuring the nitrate levels in it is easy. (“It’s just more convenient,” says Jones.)

In a 2011 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, for example, Jones and his team

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asked nine competitive male cyclists to drink 500 ml of beetroot juice containing almost 400 mg of nitrate, 2.5 hours before starting a 4 or 16.1 km cycling endurance test. Researchers found that the men who drank beet juice improved their performance by 2.7 percent in the 4 km test and 2.8 percent in the 16.1 km test, compared to men who drank a nitrate-depleted beet juice.

In another study, published in 2015 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, Australian researchers gave five professional female kayakers two 70 ml (2.4 oz) shots of beet juice, each containing about 300 mg of nitrate, two hours before a 500-meter kayak test. Compared to a placebo, the rowers who drank beet juice improved their performance by 1.7 percent.

After many such experiments, mainly with runners and cyclists, researchers have concluded that nitrate supplementation lowers the oxygen demand of exercise and improves performance in endurance sports. They find that beet juice is most effective when drunk two to three hours before exercise and, in general, that 300 to 500 mg of inorganic nitrate is enough to provide a 1

Here’s a roundup of studies looking at dietary nitrate’s effects on performance for elite and recreational athletes. Both short-term (acute) and longer-term (chronic) regimens were tested. Results that reached statistical significance are marked by an asterisk. Recreational athletes may gain more from nitrate supplementation than highly trained athletes; other potential factors are the dose and duration of nitrate supplementation as well as the duration, intensity and type of exercise.

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to 3 percent improvement in performance — significant enough to give a serious athlete a competitive edge. Solid vegetables, though they’re not generally used in such studies, can be effective, too: Beetroot and spinach contain more than 250 mg of nitrate per 100 g (3.5 oz) of produce.

“What intrigues me the most, I think, is the fact that a simple dietary intervention can have these significant effects,” says Andrew Coggan, an exercise physiologist at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. “And then to think that is having a direct and quantifiable impact on our muscle function is rather striking.”

While the immediate effects of nitrate on endurance are clear, researchers don’t yet know whether steadily drinking beet juice over days has stronger effects. So far, the evidence is mixed.

Researchers are also eager to know whether the juice offers an edge in other types of “explosive” sports, where power and strength are key. Sports nutrition researcher Raúl Domínguez of University Isabel I in Spain recently reported in the journal Nutrients that 70 ml of beet juice concentrate improved the performance of 15 volunteers in a 30-second cycling sprint.

Though there’s still more work to be done, “it seems that we can use it in all modalities,” Domínguez says.

The business side of beets Though the flavour's not to everyone’s taste (Coggan refers to it as “sweet dirt”), the hype for beet juice has grown with every new study, and one can now find plenty of beet juices, concentrates, energy bars, capsules and powders that promise, or imply, enhanced performance.

The International Olympic Committee’s acknowledgement last year that beet juice is a sports food with good scientific evidence to back it — along with other ergogenic aids, or endurance enhancing supplements, such as caffeine, creatine and sodium bicarbonate — has only fuelled beet juice enthusiasm.

But because these products are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, consumers often can’t know for sure how much nitrate they contain. Last year, Coggan and an undergraduate tested 24 products, from powders to concentrates and bulk juice, and found that only five contained effective levels of nitrate.

Some companies are adding pure nitrate salts to sports drinks and supplements, “which is scary to me,” says sports nutritionist Edward Weiss from Saint Louis University in Missouri. He strongly recommends using the juice instead of the salts. “There’s a lot of plant chemicals that prevent the conversion of the nitrate into a carcinogen that we know about, called nitrosamine,” he says.

What is more, says Domínguez, studies suggest that the benefits of dietary nitrate are larger when they’re ingested in beets and other vegetables, and not as salts — mainly due to the vegetables’ vitamin C and polyphenols, which help reduce the nitrite to nitric oxide in the stomach.

Not just for athletes Dietary nitrate has done more than start a little revolution in the sports world. Now scientists are looking at its effect in other populations, too. Coggan says that after he read about the studies with athletes, he thought: “If there was any patient population out there that could

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benefit from getting the most bang from their buck, it would be heart-failure patients.” Could beet juice enhance the heart’s ability to deliver oxygen-carrying blood, and help keep the skeletal muscle strong, in such patients?

In a 2015 study reported in the journal Circulation, Coggan and colleagues reported that giving beet juice to nine patients with heart failure increased the nitric oxide levels in their breath by as much as 50 percent and their knee muscle power by as much as 11 percent, as measured with a dynamometer. That difference might improve patients’ quality of life by enabling them to more easily perform day-to-day activities such as getting out of a chair. Researchers are now looking at the potential therapeutic benefits of dietary nitrate in elderly people, as well as in those who have diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

For Coggan, the fact that a single component of a healthy diet can have such a clear effect is startling. “And then you start to wonder about — well, what other components of our diet are having measurable effects, and people just haven’t made the link yet?”

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Rodrigo Pérez Ortega is a science writer and intern at Knowable Magazine. He too thinks that beet juice tastes like “sweet dirt,” but it also evokes joyful childhood memories. You can find him at rodrigoperezortega.com and on Twitter as @rpocisv.

Image courtesy of https://pixabay.com/users/desertrose7-752536/

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Immunity-Boosting Strawberry Smoothie Recipe by Yoko Inoue courtesy of FOOD MATTERS

Smoothies and shakes are a great way to add incredible herbs and superfoods into your daily life.

Conventional berries are high in pesticides, so use organic berries if you can. There are two main superfoods and tonic herbs in this drink. Baobab is often referred to as a longevity fruit. It is high in Vitamin C, iron, potassium and calcium. Astragalus is a Chinese herb that is well known for immunity boosting ability. The addition of kefir or kombucha is a very rich and diverse probiotic source.

Ingredients • • • • • • •

Method:

1/2 cup plant-based milk of your choice Blitz all the ingredients in a blender until 1/4 cup kefir or kombucha smooth. Pour into a glass with an option of ice A handful of frozen strawberry 1 tbs Lucuma powder 1 tsp baobab powder (longevity fruit, high in vitamin C. iron, potassium and calcium) 1/2 tsp astragalus (immunity-boosting, Qi herb) Add sweetener of your choice if needed Conscious Life Magazine

By Dr Mercola

Spices are a wonderful addition to foods and beverages because they can add just the right flair. Nutmeg, for instance, lends quiet warmth and complexity, in desserts like apple crisp and in vegetables like spinach, as in the savoury Indian dish, saag paneer. And paprika lends mild sweetness to meat dishes and goulash.

But flavour is just one trait that makes spices such an integral part of cooking and eating. They can also be incredibly good for your health and help you reach your weight goals. One of the great things about adding spices of any kind to your meals is that the flavour can help you feel more satisfied, so you don't feel so deprived when you eat foods with fewer calories, says Jaclyn London, senior clinical dietician at Mount Sinai Hospital.1 London adds that in regard to spices, "The key is that all the ones we talk about for weight loss or maintenance have anti-inflammatory properties and a flavour profile that may help limit overall calorie intake." With that, here are several examples of spices to try in your quest to lose weight.

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Warming Spices to Narrow Your Waistline Cinnamon While cinnamon is delicious and warming, it also kicks in your metabolism. Studies also show it helps reduce blood glucose levels and improve insulin resistance for people with type 2 diabetes. In fact, in one study published in Diabetes Care concluded that it: "Reduced serum glucose [and] triglyceride ‌ levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Because [it] would not contribute to caloric intake, [people with] type 2 diabetes or elevated glucose [or] triglyceride ‌ levels may benefit from the regular inclusion of cinnamon in their daily diet."2 Nutritionist and author Marilyn Glenville, Ph.D., the former president of the Food and Health Forum at the UK Royal Society of Medicine, warns that people with bleeding disorders or anyone taking blood thinners such as warfarin or heparin should avoid cinnamon, as it contains the blood-thinning compound coumarin.3 Ginger There's a popular legend that Confucius ate ginger at every meal. One reason why may be explained in a study reported by the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hematology, which explored the effects of ginger on "gastric motility," aka how quickly food moved through the colon instead of sticking around and causing problems.4 The study involved 11 patients, some of whom were given placebos, and concluded with the statement that ginger encouraged more antral contractions in comparison between the two, which conceivably promoted more rapid gastric emptying.5 It also boosts insulin sensitivity, which London explains is due to ginger's anti-inflammatory properties, reducing fatty acids and promoting weight stability.

Cardamom Referred to as the "queen of spices" in India and Nepal, cardamom is one of the most expensive spices but still a very popular ingredient in tea and coffee. It's related to cinnamon and is shown in studies to help lower blood glucose levels and regulate your insulin, as well as optimize your cholesterol levels.6 Studies say this little-known spice, a thermogenic herb, has dozens of other valuable health benefits and uses, besides being antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, which can sooth your gastrointestinal system and enhance your metabolic function.7 Cardamom is regarded as a diuretic in Ayurvedic tradition. One study also compared it favourably with8 commercial products designed to relieve weight retention, colic, diarrhoea and constipation.9 It's also been noted for balancing gut flora to optimize digestion.10

Spicy Foods Offer Much More Than Heat Chili powder You've heard the term "active ingredient." Well, the active ingredient in chili powder is capsaicin.

London calls chili powder a "triple threat" because as it boosts your energy, it can help you eat slower.

Additionally, a sprinkle of chili powder on your food may inspire you to eat more healthy plantbased offerings rather than an extra helping of bread or rice. All three advantages relate to

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eating less, which may be what you're hoping for. Capsaicin also stimulates brown fat, a type of fat that generates heat by helping you burn calories, which is why it's being explored as a tool for weight loss, healthy metabolism and more.11 Black pepper Recent animal studies note that piperine's ability to inhibit new fat cells from forming, known as adipogenesis, helps reduce waist size and body fat and optimizes cholesterol levels.12 With similar effects to capsaicin, Europeans have used black pepper for thousands of years in traditional medicine to treat inflammation and digestive problems. Its effectiveness is due in part to a compound known as piperine. Daily Mail notes:

"Piperine has similar effects to capsaicin in chilies and is what gives black pepper its heat. It's the heat which helps prevent the formation of new fat cells, especially if you decide to indulge in a mouth-searing meal featuring pepper and chili."13 Cumin Known for jazzing up Southwestern fare, cumin is also capable of suppressing your appetite and keeping fat cells from showing up again after weight loss.

Ginseng Ginseng, particularly the Siberian variety, is known for speeding up your metabolism and giving you a "second wind" of energy, which may be why tea with ginseng has been a "thing" all over Asia and Europe for centuries. Siberian ginseng is known as an adaptogen, which Daily Mail

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describes as something that "works according to what your body needs." Glenville says it provides energy when required, and helps combat stress and fatigue when you are under pressure.14 Cayenne pepper Cayenne pepper is noted for a phenomenon known as thermogenesis, which consumes oxygen in your body and can result in weight loss. It contains capsaicin, which gives it its heat, but also promotes fat oxidation15 and increases fat burning by as much as 16 percent.

Capsaicin has been shown to have potential for promoting metabolic and vascular health.

Further, the same study shows it has "favourable effects" on atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver, cardiac hypertrophy and stroke risk.16 But while spice is good, Eat This observes there's such a thing as too much: "Too much spicy food can send you to Toilet Town, but a little hit of capsaicin, the compound that gives chili pepper its powerful kick, has proven to reduce belly fat, suppress appetite and boost thermogenesis."17

Spices Further Your Weight Loss Goals in Surprising Ways Garlic powder Practically speaking, one reason garlic powder can help you lose weight is because its strong flavour may make you take smaller bites and also eat slower, which may prevent you from eating too much. Studies also indicate that when you eat garlic, your body temperature can increase, a sure sign of a revved up metabolism. Spry Living says:

"Garlic is thermogenic. It makes your body generate heat, which burns calories [and] revs up an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase that regulates metabolism. This enzyme targets many areas of the body, including muscles and a form of fat called brown fat, which produces heat and burns off calories."18

Photo by Mareefe from Pexels

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Turmeric Practically a prerequisite for any kind of Indian curry, turmeric is a huge star in the constellation of beneficial spices. London notes that when it comes to weight loss, turmeric can differentiate fat cells by halting their formation and ability to reduce in size.19 Detailing why this is important, Glenville notes: "Its active ingredient is curcumin and although the research has not shown that curcumin can actually help with weight loss, it is thought to stop the regrowth of fat after someone has lost weight. This could be helpful as many people end up putting back the weight they have lost after a diet."20 Turmeric also helps reduce inflammation, which can be a significant contributor to obesity and the inability to lose weight. One study notes: "Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric. Evidence suggests curcumin may regulate lipid metabolism, which plays a central role in the development of obesity and its complications. The present review addresses the evidence and mechanisms by which curcumin may play a role in downregulating obesity and reducing the impact of associated problems."21 Mustard seed It's probably no surprise that the compound in mustard seed that's responsible for burning fat and enhancing your metabolism is, once again, capsaicin. Glenville explains: "Mustard is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables which are thought to have many health benefits. Other cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. If you are buying ready-made mustard make sure that it does not contain sugar as this is going to be counter-productive for your weight."22 Another study at Oxford Polytechnic University in England found that 1 teaspoon of mustard seed can elevate your metabolism by 25 percent, a benefit that persists for several hours after consumption. This may be due to the phytochemical allyl isothiocyanates, which also deliver the flavor.23 Be careful, though: when mustard is neon yellow or loaded with sugar, health benefits go out the window.

How Diet 'Tricks' Can Masquerade as Lasting Weight Loss Nutritionist Monica Reinagel explored a new diet designed to help people lose weight by "flushing impurities from your body and super-charging your metabolism."24 The secret of these weight loss benefits were said to be spices like coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and black pepper.

While noting the anti-inflammatory and blood thinning ability of turmeric, garlic and ginger, and that cinnamon can stabilize blood sugar, Reinagel asserted that losing 7 to 12 pounds the first week is often more about losing water rather than fat, a trajectory that can't be sustained longer than a few weeks.

Limiting your intake of net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to under 40 to 50 grams per day and replacing them with healthy fats is necessary for lasting weight loss, as this will transition your

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body into primarily burning fat for fuel. Unless you continue limiting your net carbs going forward, the downward momentum generally dwindles, as does your metabolism. Further, unless exercise is a priority, muscle tissue may also begin to diminish, lowering your metabolism even more.

Regardless of how quickly weight is shed, if the same old eating habits climb back in the saddle, lost pounds are notorious for returning, and then some.

Ways to Keep Weight Off Once You've Lost It The biggest hurdle people face when they double down on a diet plan that's drastically different from what future habits can sustain is that, too often, the weight comes right back. Here are some ways to help you lose weight and also keep it off once you've reached your goal: •

Intermittent fasting helps reset your body to burn fat for fuel and helps optimize insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial health and energy production. It involves cutting calories in whole or in part, either a couple of days a week, every other day or even daily.

For instance, you may restrict your eating to a window of six to eight hours, choosing between having breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner, but avoid having both breakfast and dinner. It's one of the most effective interventions for normalizing your weight.

•

The amount of fiber in your diet is crucial for weight loss, as it is for general health. Eat foods known for keeping food moving smoothly through your colon, such as veggies, nuts and seeds such as chia.

•

Vitamin D, or lack thereof, derived to some extent from foods you eat and primarily via the sunshine you bask in on any given day, can have an impact on your ability to lose and maintain weight. One study25 showed that for more than 4,600 women 65 years old and older, low vitamin D levels contributed to mild weight gain.26

•

Reversing insulin/leptin resistance plays a key role in preventing obesity, metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Trading refined sugar and processed fructose for healthy fats will help optimize your insulin and leptin levels. For more detailed dietary guidance, please see my nutrition plan.

•

Exercise is extremely important in the quest for weight loss, as well as shoring up sagging muscles and keeping them firm and strong. Exercise also benefits your glucose, insulin and leptin levels by optimizing insulin/leptin receptor sensitivity, subsequently helping to prevent chronic disease.

7 Endocrine Society April 3, 2016 8, 9 J

Quick and Dirty Tips November 8, 2016 Daily Mail June 2, 2015 Women’s Health July 21, 2014 Daily Health Post May 6, 2013 Eat This 2017 1 Women’s Health July 21, 2014 2 Diabetes Care 2003 December;26(12):3215-3218 3, 12, 14, 20, 22 Daily Mail June 2, 2015 4 Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 May;20(5):436-40 5 World J Gastroenterol. 2011 January; 17(1):105-110 6 Journal of Medicinal Food December 27, 2005

Ethnopharmacol 2008 February 12; 115(3):463-72 2010 September; 72(5):657-9 11 Open Heart. 2015 Jun 17;2(1):e000262.

13, 17, 23 Eat This 2017 15 PLoS One. 2013;8(7):e67786 16 Open Heart. 2015;2(1):e000262 18 Spry Living January 11, 2012 19 Annu Rev Nutr. 2010 August 21;30:173-199 21 Nutr Rev. 2010 December; 68(12):729-38 24 Quick and Dirty Tips November 8, 2016 25 Medicine Net June 25, 2012 26 J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012 Oct;21(10):1066-73.

10 Indian J Pharm Sci.

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Photo by Yannic Läderach on Unsplash

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By Leah Zerbe, MS, NASM-CPT, NASM-CES courtesy of draxe.com

Did you ever wonder how yoga changes your brain? As it turns out, that post-session happiness you feel isn’t just in your head. Using brain scans, scientists can now prove that yoga actually changes your brain chemistry. And that’s a good thing. Just like practicing tai chi moves, using yoga as a form of exercise and meditation can help naturally treat a range of health issues, particularly ones rooted in the brain and relating to memory.

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How Yoga Changes Your Brain While natural therapies, including yoga, don’t have a ton of funding for major studies compared to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, we are starting to see some compelling science emerge. Some of the best science to date showing how yoga changes your brain involves yoga’s impact on anxiety, depression and pain tolerance.

Yoga Unleashes GABA Did you know yoga is a natural remedy for anxiety? That’s because yoga impacts our brain’s GABA levels. GABA is short for gammaaminobutyric acid, sometimes referred to as your body’s “chill out” neurotransmitter. GABA is crucial for suppressing neural activity. Your GABA neurotransmitters produce a calming effect similar to of drinking alcohol (without the harmful side effects). And, of course, alcohol’s calming effects are only temporary, with anxiety often rising once the buzz wears off. (1, 2) Yoga bumps up your brain’s natural GABA production without traditional anti-anxiety drugs designed to help your body release GABA. (Getting off of these benzodiazepine drugs can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms.) Yoga sounds much better than insomnia, seizures and, ironically, more anxiety linked with drug withdrawal. (3) Bring on the asanas! While walking to lose weight really works, it may not be your best defence against anxiety. Practicing yoga unleashes more anxiety-quelling GABA in the brain’s thalamus than walking, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Compared to pleasure reading for an hour, a 60-minute yoga session increases GABA levels by 27 percent. (4) Because of its combination of breathing, meditation and movement, yoga could be one of the best exercises to combat anxiety.

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Yoga Builds Healthier Gray Matter in the Brain Yoga can actually prevent or reverse the effects of chronic pain on the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health. In fact, depressed individuals may have reduced gray matter in the brain as the result of chronic pain.

Gray matter is located in the cerebral cortex and subcortical areas of the brain. Decreased gray matter can lead to memory impairment, emotional problems, poorer pain tolerance and decreased cognitive functioning.

But yoga and meditation have the opposite effect on the brain as chronic pain. And get this: People who regularly practice yoga have more robust levels of gray matter in their brains in areas involved with pain modulation. This means yoga could be an effective remedy for certain types of depression — and one of the top natural painkillers you can count on. (5) Yoga even acts as a natural antidepressant in pregnant women susceptible to depression. A 2012 study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice found meditative yoga significantly reduced depression symptoms in at-risk women. (6) Related: Can Reduced Brain Activity Boost Longevity? On page 35

Final Thoughts on How Yoga Changes Your Brain Yoga could be the most important form of exercise to combat anxiety, thanks to its unique breathing, meditative and stretching exercises rolled into one practice. While there are many different forms of yoga, I encourage you to start out with gentle yoga and experiment to find the type that works best for you.

Medical research tells us that yoga changes your brain in wonderful ways. These include flooding the brain with calming GABA and bulking up gray matter in areas of the brain that make us able to tolerate pain. This is crucial for those living with chronic pain. Too many doctors are too quick to prescribe painkillers. Instead, give yoga a try. Your brain will thank you.

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Why Green Energy Finally Makes Economic Sense

By Bob Holmes courtesy of www.knowablemagazine.org Imag: Solar panels await installation in the South African desert. Like many developing nations, South Africa now has an opportunity to make a major shift to forms of renewable energy such as solar and wind power, says energy economist Faaiqa Hartley.

CREDIT: IMAGEBROKER / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Solar and wind generators have suddenly become just as cheap as other ways to produce electric power

Renewable energy experts have long hoped that solar and wind power would someday become the cheapest way to generate electricity, allowing the world to shift away from fossil fuel. That day has now arrived, much sooner than expected, says Faaiqa Hartley, an energy economist at the Energy Research Centre of the University of Cape Town, South Africa. It could pave the way for renewables to eventually account for the lion’s share of global electricity production, far beyond today’s 26 percent share.

Knowable Magazine spoke with Hartley, who co-authored a review on the subject in the 2019 Annual Review of Resource Economics, about what crossing this threshold means, particularly for developing countries, and about some of the new challenges that are likely to arise as the world transitions to a renewable future.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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Prices for renewable electricity have been falling for many years.

What’s surprising about what’s happening now?

Experts have been expecting a decline in prices, yes. But what has been such a game changer is the rate at which these prices have fallen. Every year for the last decade, electricity from solar and wind has ended up costing less than experts predicted it would.

Renewable energy is now comparable with the cost of building new coal and nuclear capacity.

Existing, older power plants already have the capital investment sunk, so they are cheaper — but, in the case of South Africa at least, many of these plants are reaching retirement ages.

This has changed the landscape. There is now a cheap, clean alternative for power generation.

There’s no longer this problem of do we decarbonize our power sector and have more expensive electricity — in which case it negatively affects our economy. We’re now finding that because it’s cheaper, it’s actually beneficial to produce greener electricity.

Solar and wind power used to be the most expensive ways to generate electricity. Now they are among the cheapest. (Some data for coal not shown.)

How does that affect the wider economy?

Switching to renewables requires far less investment into your power sector than if you were to build new coal or nuclear power plants. That means a lower electricity price, and that has impacts on everything in the economy. A lower electricity price reduces the cost of production, and increases profit. At the same time, it helps households, because spending less on power means you can spend more on other things. From that perspective, you’re actually stimulating the economy when you’re building renewable energy. In South Africa you’re looking at the potential for more than a million additional jobs being created by 2050 if we move to renewable energy.

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You’ve suggested that a surge in renewable sources of electricity will be especially beneficial for the world’s poorest people. Why is that?

In many developing countries, not everyone has access to electricity, because the infrastructure required to connect them to the system is not available. Renewable technologies can allow countries to skip the need of having extensive power grids, as energy production can be developed closer to centers of demand and, in the case of solar, can even be placed on people’s roofs. This is very powerful if one considers that these households currently do not have electricity. Even in South Africa, which is considered to be one of the leading countries on the continent in terms of infrastructure development, around 20 percent of people living in rural areas don’t have electricity.

Does the lower cost of renewables mean there is no longer a good reason to build fossil-fuel electric generating plants?

It depends on where in the world you are. Different countries have access to different types of resources. Here in South Africa, it makes sense for us to build renewables. We’ve got a very well-developed grid, and if we’re generating solar or wind power it’s just a matter of connecting those sources to the grid. South Africa has sufficient land to build these power plants. And I think more importantly, because the resource, the solar and wind, is so good in South Africa we can basically build it anywhere in the country without making it significantly less efficient. But some other countries, such as Bangladesh, don’t have as much land suitable for building renewables on a large scale.

How long would it take a country like South Africa to make the transition? It gets only about 10 percent of its electricity from renewables today.

South Africa is actually at the perfect place to be switching to renewable energy. A lot of our coal power plants will be decommissioned by 2030 to 2040, so we need to start building new capacity. The question is, do we build new coal capacity, new nuclear capacity, or do we build renewables? According to predictions we’ve done, South Africa could have 70 percent to 80 percent from renewables by 2050.

Will that happen automatically, or will policy changes be required?

In South Africa, we do need policy intervention because the current policy is not to shift to renewable energy at the pace that’s needed. Numerous studies, including ours, have shown that it’s the least-cost path for the country. But current policy still plans the building of new coal plants to 2050.

The government’s reason is that there’s no transition plan in place for the coal-mining sector.

You’ve got lobbying groups who benefit from coal-mining production. You’ve got unions whose workers are in the coal industry. The government needs to find a balance. While you are creating more jobs throughout the economy with renewable energy, coal miners are losing their jobs, so you do need a plan in place that either helps to reskill these workers or, if they are near retirement age, looks at alternative financial arrangements. You need policies in place that think about how to maybe put more manufacturing in coal-mining regions, or wind farms or solar farms there. So those are things that need to be planned.

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Much of the United States is routinely breezy, as highlighted on this map of average wind speeds, making wind a rich potential source of electricity.

Is that happening?

There are plans, but they’re very much in their infancy. If you spoke to me about this two or three years ago, or even maybe at the start of last year, there was really nothing suggesting a move to renewable energy. Whereas now, there’s far stronger support for shifting to renewables. It’s just about getting the policies in place.

You’ve noted that energy systems that rely heavily on renewables face what’s called the “systems integration challenge.” Can you explain what that is?

Sure. The systems integration challenge is the complexity of always ensuring that there is

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enough power in the system. The sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow, so there may be periods of time in which a highly renewable-dependent energy system may not be able to produce enough electricity. During this time, one would have to have other technologies to fill the gap.

The challenge is being able to maintain this shifting between technologies in an efficient manner, so that people don’t experience blackouts or brownouts. With a renewable system, one needs to consider where and when it will be windy or sunny, how far into the future we can actually predict this and how the endowment will change over time, particularly in light of climate change. These questions are quite different from the ones of before.

This only becomes a challenge when wind and solar contributes more than 20 percent of electricity production. Current levels are quite low in many countries. although there are examples of countries such as Denmark where they are managing a high share quite well.

South Africa, along with much of Africa actually, is very well-endowed with solar and wind resources. It is therefore highly likely that renewables will always be producing power because when the sun sets we still have wind. For South Africa, estimates show full coverage of demand for about 70 percent of the year, with the remaining 30 percent of the year having coverage of around 70 percent to 90 percent.

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How can the system cover those shortfalls?

There is the option to use gas, and with the technological advancement in batteries, storing solar- or wind-produced energy for later is increasingly becoming an option as well. And we have in the past been able to create agreements with industry in which they would shift their use of electricity to times when there is less demand in the system. You can also shift households’ demand for electricity by having a tariff structure where the price is higher when demand normally peaks. That’s been done in other countries, as well.

Will clean electricity bring other environmental benefits?

We do need to find ways of further reducing carbon emissions — but that doesn’t necessarily have to come from the power sector. For example, in the transport sector, you can now switch away from fossil fuels to electric vehicles, because you’re using a clean source of electricity. That will reduce emissions. If the transport sector is no longer using fossil fuels, there is no need to produce high volumes of petrol and diesel, so you reduce emissions in the fossil fuel production sector as well. But all this does need government support for all of these things to align.

Are you optimistic that society will manage the transition to renewables?

I am. I’m actually very optimistic about it. I think it’s something that will help significantly in a country like South Africa, where you’ve got the bulk of emissions being produced by the electricity sector. You’ve got industry that is so electricity-intensive, and a lot of that industry is also producing for the export market. To have competitively priced green electricity is definitely exciting.

10.1146/knowable-011420-1 Bob Holmes is a science writer based in Edmonton, Canada.

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Photo by Ramiz Dedaković on Unsplash

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CBD Oil For Pets “The Miracle” Cure For Your Pet, Without The High

By Paul Jacobson of Vondis

CBD is now legal in all 50 States in America.

According to a 2016 report published in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (JAHVMA), 58.8% of dog owners are currently using CBD products on their dog. Over three-quarters of those products were prescribed by a veterinarian.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive extract from Cannabis or Hemp.

It is distinct from THC, which produces the “high” effect of marijuana. Both THC and CBD have been shown to be beneficial to humans.

However, due to differences between the human and canine brains, THC can have adverse effects in dogs.

The challenge is to extract the essential oils of CBD without any traces of THC. As Hemp contains no THC and Cannabis does, it is easier and safer to extract CBD from the Hemp plant.

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The other challenge, as a consumer, is to know whose CBD to use. It appears that everyone and their aunty is now producing their own CBD extract. There are also some dubious imports from Asia. The product of choice should be laboratory tested and should be GMP ( Good Manufacturing Practice) certified. In fact, each batch produced should come with a Certificate of Analysis.

Why is this important? Firstly, you want assurances that what you are actually buying is as per the label or description. Secondly, it is imperative that your CBD is organic, properly distilled so that there is no residue of pesticides, chemicals or alcohol. And obviously, you need proof that there are no traces of THC.

According to research from The American Animal Hospital Association, when a dog ingests CBD, it can affect how they perceive pain and stress, and boost their dopamine levels, lifting their mood. On a physical level, CBD’s interaction with the canine can reduce inflammation and lower cancer cell reproduction.

Therefore, CBD can help dogs with a variety of physical and emotional ailments, including: • Relieving arthritis and joint pain • Reducing inflammation, which affect skin ailments and bladder disorders.

• Relieving anxiety and related barking or whining from separation anxiety, stressful vet or grooming appointments, scary thunderstorms or fireworks • Reducing nausea and vomiting from other medications or car rides • Reducing seizures or epilepsy • Suppressing muscle spasms • Improving sleep • Improving digestive and nervous system health • Improving appetite

Now that we have understood what quality certified CBD to buy and we have noted the medicinal benefits, we must understand how much to administer (the dose). The strength of the oil (measured in Milligrams) is what is important. The strength of the oil can vary from 50mg – 3500mg. The daily recommended dose can vary from 1mg – 10mg and more. This depends on the size of the dog and whether you are using the oil for daily health and wellness or you are treating an ailment. Feeding guidelines will be prescribed on the product label.

It is recommended that one administer a low strength CBD oil with more volume rather than a very high strength oil and only a few drops. This is because dogs have a more complex endocannabinoid system as humans, with many more receptors.

Also, the CBD is mixed with various carriers and essential oils, from olive oil to grape seed oil to coconut oil. We recommend a practitioner grade MCT (medium chain triglyceride)/coconut oil.

Therefore, a low strength CBD oil administered with larger volume is beneficial as it also includes the nutritional values from those carriers.

The use of CBD oil for pets and its associated health benefits is relatively new but yet there are already unbelievable studies/tests and anecdotal evidence supporting its daily use.

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Here just a few local (South African) heart-warming testimonials: Paul Jacobson (Owner Vondis Holistic Pet) – Monty is 17 years old companion animal. After administering CBD for only 2 weeks, everyone at our cricket club could hardly believe his new zest and bounce. Back at home, Monty’s sex drive has suddenly come alive and he tries to mount our other dog, Oliver, too regularly. We have now reduced his dose.

Katerina Bogiages My poor Champ has struggled with arthritis from as early as 4 years old. To this day (he is 11) he still will do anything to play with his ball. We tried every and any medicine that might help and eventually got him onto CBD. To this date it is the only thing that sufficiently helped him enough to a point where he can “semi-pain free” play with his ball again!!

Dylan Ross Wilkinson I have my little angel Daisy. She was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of cancer. After a lot of research we started using cbd oil for her, topically and orally and overall it has improved her mood and seemingly slowed the growth of the tumour. So while it may not cure her fully, it is definitely making her life a lot more bearable while she is still able to fight it.

Rochelle Levitt Ruby Tuesday Levitt absolutely loves her CBD Vondis cookie every morning and every night... her 14yr old staffie coat is feeling and looking so much better.

Real amazing thing about the CBD biscuits is the mere fact I've not used her rather expensive eye drops since trying them out about 8weeks ago... Ruby gets like a hard film over her already blind eyes which had to be lubricated and wiped out constantly... now.... no more eye drops.

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Welcome To The Angel Connection School of Africa The Angel Connection School of Africa, established as a non-profit organisation, for the highest good of all, will incorporate all forms of Spirituality continuing with the basic teachings of Angels, Ascension, Atlantis etc. which we all know to be Universal.

The teachings of various modalities will however, be enhanced by adding the specific requirements of our culture and ethnicity, whilst retaining flexibility.

The mission statement of the school is:“To Light up Africa so that Africa can Light up the World”

A Letter From The School Principal – Margi McAlpine

Angel Connection Day

Meditations

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The Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is a thatched, whitewashed lodge built high on a natural platform overlooking the Bushman's River and Giants Castle.

Antbear Drakensberg Lodge offers various Drakensberg accommodation options in en suite double rooms, luxury suites, family units and also boasts a luxury cave too.

Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is one of those smaller intimate kind places which has been lovingly put together. The natural setting of the accommodation is stunning and we have managed to encase all this beauty with an atmosphere of comfort and ease.

The cottages are smartly appointed and individually designed and the fact that we are a small place makes for an intimate and personal accommodation experience. Each of the accommodation units are different and are decorated with uniquely eccentric and artistic wooden furniture.

It is a bit off the beaten track and is more of an insider tip than just another bed and breakfast. We cater for small intimate groups and never have more than 45 guests at a time. It's a laid back, lovingly cared for kind of place where you feel a sense of happiness and peace. Honeymoon stays turn into anniversary commemorations just as guests become friends. Even foreign tourists return for a second and third taste.

Attractions Drakensburg Hiking Trails Bushman Rock Art Giant’s Castle Kamberg Weenen Game Reserve Royal Natal National Park Drakensburg Boys Choir

Horse Trails Injasuti Nature Reserve Monks Cowl Natal Midlands Tugela Falls Sani Pass Fly Fishing

Retreats The Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is the ideal retreat venue where we can provide all the services and accommodation for your retreat. Situated 4 hours from Johannesburg and 2 hours from Durban with easy access from the N3 Antbear Lodge is easy to get to but has the feeling of being far from the madding crowd. This wonderful place for group retreats offers spectacular views, vast spaces, wild winds, rain, sunshine, clouds and rainbows and in all of this – silence and peace.

Retreat groups can book the whole lodge for their exclusive use.

The Lodge can accommodate 44 persons in 15 separate accommodation units Antbear Drakensberg Lodge has a spacious dining room with a wood-burning fireplace, a comfortable lounge with a fireplace and spectacular views, a breakaway meeting room, a large veranda and a large meeting room for retreat, team building or training activities. We provide excellent meals and will fit our menu to your expectations.

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Because food is an important part of your stay Meals are part of the real surprises that the Antbear Lodge has to offer where home grown cooking is part of the deal. We like to use our own home grown organic vegetables and if we haven’t got, then we lean heavily on those local providers with similar attitudes to our own. Conny and Andrew both like cooking and are up to changing just about anything to suit tastes or philosophies. Our cooking experience is in part a journal, a record of events and memories expressed in recipes. In the course of our travels we have filed away many recipes and with them images of people and places and their lives. How food tastes has much to do with the associations we make and if you would like to hear the tales of our meals we would love to tell them.

Sustainable & responsible tourism is our social responsibility and what we do to give something back to our community and environment We believe in sustainable tourism and social responsibility. We live is a spectacularly beautiful place called the Drakensberg and our standard of living here is exceptional.

But around us lie contrasts of poverty and lack of development. If we are to keep our way of life then it surely follows that we must do everything in our power to contribute to the upliftment and prosperity of this rural area. We believe that the future of South Africa is linked to the prosperity of the people, and that upliftment is linked to education. And as such we have chosen to support our local primary school called Vulakani Primary School.

Pet friendly accommodation Drakensberg One of the few pet-friendly places in the Drakensberg. Beautiful, vast views of the Drakensberg with plenty of ground for my dogs to roam. Walk for hours.

Your dogs will be happy with lots of dams to swim in and horses to discover. One of the accommodation units at Antbear Lodge is fenced in so its really easy to leave your dog behind if you would like to explore some of the sights where pets are not that welcome. If country life is for you and you would love to take your pet with you then Antbear Lodge is a great accommodation choice. Your hosts will advise you on all the activities available. Antbear Lodge prides itself on being both family-friendly and petfriendly.

CONTACT Mobile 076 441 2362 Email: reservations@antbear.co.za Web: www.antbear.co.za

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The Buddhist Retreat Centre, where people of all religions, and none, come to experience peace and tranquility.

How to Retreat The Buddhist Retreat Centre offers various types of retreats, ranging from those investigating Buddhist thought and philosophy, through to practice retreats where the emphasis is on meditation; as well as retreats featuring bird watching, cookery, drumming, pottery and photography. At first glance the latter might appear to be unrelated to Buddhism but even these retreats will contain some element of meditation, of mindful awareness, refracting the chosen subject matter through a Buddhist lens.

People from all walks of life come to these retreats with a variety of motivations and expectations. Perhaps they want to deepen their meditation practice, to take some time out from a hectic working life; to reflect on a tense domestic situation; to consider the trajectory of their lives; to make a decision about a way forward. Maybe they just want to learn how to take a good photograph. Each person will have a different reason for going on a retreat. Different paths will have led them to this place.

We all need to make an appointment with ourselves from time to time. To re-connect with who we are; to maintain balance; to recharge exhausted batteries. To make time to go on a retreat is a necessary and healthy step for anyone.

General Information The Centre has been established on an exquisite 125-hectare country estate near the village of Ixopo, KwaZuluNatal 90 kilometers south of Pietermaritzburg, one and a half hours’ drive from Durban.

Set in hilly grasslands amongst dams, indigenous bush and forests, it overlooks one of the great valleys in the Umkomaas river system. CNN featured the BRC as one of the ten finest retreat centres in the world. It was awarded Natural Heritage status by President Nelson Mandela in recognition of its success in establishing indigenous vegetation on the property and providing habitats for wildlife to return, including the endangered Blue Swallow. It is a birder’s paradise with more 160 species recorded.

Walks lead to many interesting sites and viewpoints on the property, including evidence that Bushman lived there and Voortrekkers and Settlers passed through. In 2000, the BRC facilitated the founding of Woza Moya, the community-based NGO, located in Ufafa valley. It continues to support the organisation in a variety of ways.

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Accommodation Fifty retreatants can be accommodated in single and twin-bedded rooms, en-suite cottages and thatched chalets overlooking the secluded valleys on the property – a short distance away from the dining room, office, library, studio and meditation hall.

The Centre is justly famous for its fine lacto-ovo vegetarian cuisine which is featured in its own bestselling recipe books, Quiet Food, The Cake the Buddha Ate and Plentiful: The Big Book Of Buddha Food. The BRC menu includes organically grown vegetables and farm-baked bread.

Observances The Retreat Centre offers a tranquil environment for the study and practice of philosophy, psychology, meditation and the arts associated with Buddhist culture. The Centre therefore encourages adherence to traditional Buddhist moral principles during retreats, such as respect for all forms of life and abstinence from alcoholic drinks and hallucinogenic drugs. Noble Silence is maintained from the last meditation at night until the first session after breakfast in the morning.

During some retreats, Noble Silence is maintained throughout. Pets are not allowed at the Centre. Only some retreats are suitable for children: please check with the Administrator.

Forthcoming Retreats: For full details of each retreat please go to the website page: http://www.brcixopo.co.za/retreats/detailed-list-ofretreats.html

Email: brcixopo@futurenet.co.za Tel: +27(0)39 834 1863 or 0878091687 Mobile: 082 579 3037 www.brcixopo.co.za

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The Beautiful Hopi Indian Labyrinth at Thirsty Falls Guest Farm

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EVERY HOME NEEDS A LOVING PET! THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS WAITING TO BE ADOPTED – PLEASE REACH OUT! WE ALSO ENCOCURAGE YOU TO REACH INTO YOUR HEARTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND REALLY NEED OUR HELP.

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Help us bring hope to girls without and choices to those with none.

Founded in 2000 by Khanyisile Motsa, and run under her diligent care ever, Home of Hope for Girls is an autonomous, self-started initiative to provide real care for exploited, trafficked and abused children in the city of Johannesburg.

It is more than just a residential shelter; it is a loving home where dignity is restored, the past is healed and the girls are given the tools to take control of their futures. Home of Hope also reaches out to the community offering the most vulnerable members support, practical help and a lifeline.

The Background to Home of Hope An estimated 10,000 children are prostitutes in Johannesburg and this figure is increasing.

When Khanyisile Motsa relocated to Hillbrow she was shocked to observe girls as young as nine working as prostitutes and selling drugs on the streets at night. The truth about these forgotten children is: • •

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Child Prostitute. Photo by Tseliso Monaheng

Criminals pay agents to recruit children They usually target often orphans or/and those from very disadvantaged rural communities Victims are trafficked or seduced to leave with lies about a life in the city Their IDs are frequently taken from them to make escape and identification difficult Their IDs are often sold on the black market ‘Owned’ by their exploiters they are prostituted, abused, made to sell drugs

Email: info@hopehome.org.za Mam Khanyi: 073 250 2086 Telephone: 011 614 0861 Conscious Life Magazine

Call 012 430 7775 Lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In South Africa and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

We need your help to ensure that no child is left behind.

In a tough funding environment, we have ensured we have multiple avenues of funding and are proud to have 11,000 generous individual donors contributing monthly. We will continue to be innovative in securing funding to enable us to reach more children and will work on increasing unrestricted and consistent funding streams.

You can help us make a difference. Even just by becoming aware of our work by reading our annual report.

To download and read the full annual report, click here.

Help us do whatever it takes to save the children.

Thank You Gugulethu Ndebele CEO

www.savethechildren.org.za Conscious Life Magazine

Hotel Hope Ministries is a fully registered South African non-profit organisation established with aim of ensuring that each and every child is brought up in a safe, happy and healthy home so that they can grow up and develop into responsible and positive adults. Although children are our main focus, we have a holistic approach to the problem of orphaned and abandoned children. We realise that we need to focus on the cause of the problem too and not only the symptoms. So we have projects to focus on assisting Mothers and Fathers, so that they can look after themselves and their children.

We group our projects under three focus areas: BABIES IN NEED Creating and supporting several small family style foster homes for orphaned and abandoned babies.

MOTHERS IN CRISIS Providing young mothers facing unplanned pregnancies with counselling, guidance and practical support.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Helping Mothers and Fathers to help themselves by providing jobs and skill development opportunities through our fundraising and trading projects.

As a fully registered South African charity we are registered with the following authorities: · Section 21 company without share capital - 2010/006792/08 · Non-Profit Organization (NPO) number – 084 289 · Public Benefit Organization (PBO) number – 930 034 387 Mission statement: To engage the local Church Worldwide to embrace its God given responsibility of taking care of destitute mothers and orphaned and abandoned children.

Vision statement: To see a full service (either ourselves or in partner with others) covering: •Children’s homes •Adoption advocacy •Mothers in crisis •Counselling centres •Training Academy •Charity shops / trading Conscious Life Magazine

Our fundraising model: We have a unique funding model in place where we are able to generate funds to cover 100% of our administrative costs through our Charity Shop(s) as well as the output of our carpentry workshop and sewing workshop. We are extremely committed to Social enterprise as it creates employment in South Africa, funds for the Charity, volunteering opportunities as well as a lowpriced outlet for customers from low-income groups. Furthermore we can assure donors that 100% of their support will directly benefit the children in our care as well as mothers in crisispregnancy situations.

Thank you to our donors and corporate sponsors: As an organisation we are incredibly blessed to have many active supporters, individuals and corporates, who make it possible for us to do what we do and to make a difference. People often comment that it must be difficult to work in our environment hearing sad stories all the time, and it is sometimes hard, but it is also so rewarding to see those stories turning into stories of hope and it is so inspiring and such a privilege to witness people, like our supporters, coming forward to help and to give so generously. There are amazing people out there in the world, click here to see who some of them are and how they have made a difference‌ Click here Our Sponsors:

DONATE FINANCIALLY Deposit or Electronic transfer directly into our account First National Bank Account name: Hotel Hope Account number: 62194003382 Branch: Melville, Johannesburg Branch code (sort code): 256505 Account type: Cheque account SWIFT code: FIRNZAJJ (For international deposits) Reference: Donation (your name) OTHER WAYS TO DONATE/HELP US Conscious Life Magazine

Dear Reader, Because of animal lovers like you, Humane Society International is working around the clock to fight the gruesome dog meat industry – to end it for good.

We’ve slammed the doors permanently on nine dog meat farms in South Korea and rescued more than 900 dogs. Not only that, but we’re lobbying hard for better laws throughout Asia to fight the cruelty, transition farmers out of the business of cruelty, and so much more.

Here is one transformation that we can't stop smiling about. Sophie was rescued just this year from a horrible life on a dog meat farm. Now, she is running free and playing in the grass, surrounded by the love of her forever family:

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This kind of ending never gets old, but so many other dogs still need you.

You can make a difference for dogs caught up in this brutal industry: Sign the dog meat pledge today.

With you by our side, we're committed to this huge fight against the dog meat trade. We’re closing farms and rescuing the animals; we’re raising public and political awareness of the cruelty involved; and we’re growing substantial support for a phase out and ban of South Korea’s dog meat farms. Become a part of the global campaign to end the dog meat trade—sign your name right now.

Thank you, for protecting animals from cruelty all across the globe.

Sincerely, Kitty Block President Humane Society International

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Who we are: The Monkey Helpline, started in 1995, is a volunteer group, based in Westville near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, but operating throughout the province and also anywhere else in South Africa and abroad where our assistance and advice are requested.

Our team of dedicated rescuers and rescue assistants, veterinarians, educators, monitors, fund-raisers, administrative assistants and supporters is what makes this project the success that it is today.

Monkey Helpline is a registered NPO. 130-166 NPO

What we do: As a team we devote our time to educating people about the reasons why the monkeys are here, why monkeys behave the way they do, the things people should do or not do when monkeys are around, and how to humanely keep monkeys away from those places where they are not welcome. Just knowing that monkeys will NOT attack and bite people, and that they DON’T carry rabies, is usually enough to change antagonism and fear into tolerance, and frequently into appreciation.

We also run a rescue operation and a “high care” unit. We rescue an average of three monkeys every two days, and their injuries range from wounds sustained during fights with other monkeys, dog bites, being run over by motor vehicles, electrocuted, snared, trapped or poisoned, shot with airguns (pellet/BB guns), catapults, paintball guns and firearms, as well as being caught or injured on razor-wire. Many are babies who are orphaned or injured when mother monkeys are attacked by dogs or other monkeys, or are severely injured or killed in human-related incidents.

Over eighty percent of the monkeys we rescue, irrespective of the reason why, have got air-gun pellets lodged in their bodies. Lead pellets cause terrible pain, suffering and a lingering death and no person, adult or child, should ever shoot monkeys, or any other animals, with an air-gun.

As the only dedicated monkey rescue project in KwaZulu-Natal, the Monkey Helpline is available to do rescues 24 hours a day, every day! On any given day we are treating ten or more monkeys in our home-based high care unit – frequently in excess of twenty monkeys! Once they have recovered from their injuries these monkeys are released back into their home territory, transferred to a rehabilitation facility or placed in a sanctuary.

Education is a vital tool in our hands and we distribute thousands of information leaflets, and visit many schools (at least two schools per week) to do educational talks about the monkeys. During 2009 we spoke to over 40 000 school learners and their teachers. We also do talks to many other interest groups such as police cadets, garden clubs, public service groups, conservation bodies, body corporates, etc. In addition, we advise farmers, businesses, hotels and casinos, housing and golfing estates, botanical gardens etc on the best ways to manage human/monkey “conflict”.

Monkey Helpline networks with a number of other Vervet-related individuals, groups, and general primate- and animal-care NGO’s.

NB. There is no charge for the services we offer, but donations towards the cost of running the project are welcome. Without your support we would not be able to change attitudes and legislation in favour of the monkeys nor would we be able to rescue the hundreds that we do every year and alleviate their suffering.

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With much appreciation to our advertisers, contributors, endorsers and of course, our readers Namaste

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