5/31/10

Additional information about tactile defensiveness from the web site ‘The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center’:

·        The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center’ (main page)

·        Adult with Tactile Defensiveness

·        Tactile Defensiveness (information about children)

·        Creating A Home Sensory Diet

05/30/10

Some symptoms of sensory and tactile defensiveness:

“Misinterpretation of sensory events

Irritated by sensory input that others easily ignore

Exaggerated avoidance responses

Touch is interpreted as painful, harmful, or a threat

Seeks unusual forms of tactile stimulation

Lashes out or threatens others to avoid approachment

Illogical preferences and clothing habits

Once aroused, difficult to calm

Disruptions in self care

Unusual pain responses

Unpredicted emotional outbursts

Avoids crowds and lines in stores

Hyper-vigilant

Unusual eating habits, dislike of mixed food textures

Social withdrawal

Dislike of fast moving visual input, become carsick easily

Balance problems and dislike of motion

Self-injury

Strong need for routine

Upset by loud noises or background noises such as a light buzzing”

The Sensory Connection Program: Sensory Defensiveness (PDF – Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Article: ‘Virtual Personalities or Nobodies’

“But what does that do to our real personality? Is our real personality the sum of all our personalities in all of our environments, both real and virtual? Certainly, all of our interactions influence us in some form, but the level of control we have over our virtual interactions effectively insulates us as individuals, and in a real sense we can now choose how to react without the pressure of real time.”
Blogcritics: Culture: Virtual Personalities or Nobodies
 

05/23/10

Article:

wikiHow.com: Categories: Health: Sleep and Dreams: Better Sleeping: Bedtime Routine : How to Go to Bed Early

04/29/10

This page lists some more acidic beverages. Maybe you might want to dilute some of these beverages with water or ice cream:

Fit4Maui.com: Soda pH Chart

04/20/10

It seems that dehydration may increase the permeability of tissue, such as tissue in the lower esophagus, and that drinking acidic, carbonated beverages may exacerbate this condition, making it more likely for foreign substances to be introduced into the bloodstream. Similarly, cankers might also exacerbate this condition (more information about cankers in the 12/23/09 posting)

03/15/10

The following article has helpful information about improving posture and breathing, and helping to reduce stress:

HealthScout News: 'Don't Suck In That Gut'

02/26/10

It seems that slouching while sitting, and then leaning back on a chair, can allow pressure from the chair to be distributed onto the rib cage and lungs, and seriously restrict breathing.

Posture

01/07/10

“For those of us who are healthy and not pregnant, caffeine is not the bugaboo that some have painted it. On the contrary, it appears to offer significant health benefits when consumed in moderation.

     For the sake of overall health and well-being, stick with a limit of 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. An 8-ounce serving of coffee contains about 150 mg of caffeine, while the same size serving of tea has 40 to 120 mg. A 12-ounce serving of cola has 35 to 54 mg, as do some non-cola soft drinks, such as Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper and Sunkist Orange Soda. Meanwhile, coffee-flavored ice cream has between 50 and 84 mg of caffeine, and a 1.5-ounce serving of dark chocolate has 31 mg.”

Live Right Live Well: Food Channel: Caffeine's Surprising Health Benefits

12/23/09

Mouth Sores, Food Allergies, and an excess of endorphins (Endorphin Addiction)

“…Our brains naturally release endorphins in our bloodstreams and the sore is numb afterwards for about 1/2 hour.”

Grandma's Home Remedies: Home Remedies for Canker Sores

“When you bite your cheek or tongue, you create a small wound that's exactly the same as a canker sore.”

MotherNature.com: Symptoms, Their Causes & Cures Cheek and Tongue Biting

Canker sore: Causes - MayoClinic.com

A relationship between amalgam mercury fillings and canker sores?

“My name is Harry Dingey, I am a retired Industrial Engineer from Rockwell International and I moved to the Philippines 5 years ago from the USA. About 20 months ago they did a root-canal, filled my teeth with Amalgam mercury fillings and crowned my two back teeth. Then few months later, I start to get a bald spot on the right side of my tongue.
     I did some research on the internet and discovered I had what was called Geographic Tongue. Then about 18 months ago a started getting these recurring canker sores (also called aphthous ulcers), they would never completely heal up and was always located on the exact same location as the Geographic Tongue (bald spot).”

Canker Sores - My Home Remedies

Endorphin Addiction (this site)

12/05/09

When people become tired while sitting in front of a computer screen, sometimes they rest one of their elbows on their desk/table and support their head with their hand. This pressure on the head causes eyestrain. This pressure may also increase circulation to that part of the face, which may be disadvantageous if, for example, you are right handed/right eyed/right ear dominant and you are resting the left side of your face on your left hand while resting your elbow on a desk/table.

Additional actions may cause difficulty with vision and hearing attenuation, such as tilting your head toward the side of your non-dominant ear. This might possibly exacerbate conditions such as amblyopia and hearing difficulties such as the ‘cocktail party’ effect.

11/08/09

If you’re nearsighted (having blurred distance vision), and you wear your glasses while using a computer, this can lead to eyestrain and can also lead to bad habits like slouching, to move further away from the computer, and also pushing the computer screen farther away.  The computer screen should be at about an arm’s length distance.

08/09/09

I’ve recently been doing an improvised stretch (please keep in mind that I’m not a physical therapist). I sit in a chair and reach over with my left hand, across my chest, to grab the back of the chair, reaching over the top of it. (The top of my chair is below shoulder height). Next I lean slightly forward and to the right, and cradle my right arm on top of my left arm at the left wrist, as I am using the mouse with the right hand.

This stretch appears to be similar to the left and right shoulder stretches on the following page:

Stretching Exercises for Stress Relief | Winter Health Guide | Reader's Digest (this is the printable version of the page)

Note: the shoulder stretches mentioned on this page (above) are posterior shoulder stretches, and should be done with the stretched arm parallel to the floor, as is noted at this link:

Louisiana National Guard State Wellness and Fitness Plan: Training: Session 1: Enhanced Physical Readiness Program: Physical Training: Warm-up Instructions

This page also includes neck rotation stretches. These stretches are done when sitting, unlike the one mentioned here on 08/07/09 which is done when lying down. I’ve personally found the neck rotation stretches to be more effective when lying down.

08/07/09

The following exercise might be helpful in reducing stress and eyestrain. While doing this exercise try focusing on a point in the distance after you  turn your head to a side, but don’t strain your eyes:

"Neck Rotation

Stretches Neck Muscles

1. Lie on your back.
2. Turn your head from side to side, holding position each time.

Lie on the floor with a phone book or other thick book under your head, then slowly turn your head from side to side, holding position for 10 to 30 seconds on each side. Your head should not be tipped forward or backward, but should be in a comfortable position. You can keep your knees bent to keep your back comfortable during this exercise. Repeat 3 to 5 times.”

University of Buffalo: Aging & Technology Research: Health Info: Stretching Exercises

07/22/09

Muscle tension in the contralateral (opposite side of the body) latissimus dorsi muscles, and other side muscles, may occur when using a computer mouse or if you lean on your elbow and supporting your head with your non-mouse hand. This may also occur when carrying loads with one arm, such as a shopping basket.

This muscle tension may lead to a decrease in breathing and an increase in eyestrain.

ExRx.net: Back Exercise Menu: Latissimus Dorsi & Teres Major

01/27/09

Xylitol

Medical Applications

“Dental care

Xylitol is a ‘tooth friendly’ sugar. Early studies from Finland in the 1970s found that a group chewing sucrose gum had 2.92 decayed, missing, or filled (dmf) teeth compared to 1.04 in the group chewing xylitol gums.[10] In another study, researchers had mothers chew xylitol gum 3 months after delivery until their children were 2 years old. The researchers found that the xylitol group had "a 70% reduction in cavities (dmf)."[10] Recent research[11] confirms a plaque-reducing effect and suggests that the compound, having some chemical properties similar to sucrose, attracts and then "starves" harmful micro-organisms, allowing the mouth to remineralise damaged teeth with less interruption. (However, this same effect also interferes with yeast micro-organisms and others, so xylitol is inappropriate for making yeast-based bread, for instance.)

     Xylitol based products are allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make the medical claim that they do not promote dental cavities.[12]

     A recent study demonstrated that a water additive for animals containing xylitol was effective in reducing plaque and calculus accumulation in cats.[13]

Diabetes

Possessing approximately 40% less food energy,[14] xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar. Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it doesn't contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response.

Osteoporosis

Xylitol also appears to have potential as a treatment for osteoporosis. A group of Finnish researchers has found that dietary xylitol prevents weakening of bones in laboratory rats, and actually improves bone density.[15][16]

Ear and upper respiratory infections

Studies have shown that xylitol chewing gum can help prevent ear infections[17] (acute otitis media); the act of chewing and swallowing assists with the disposal of earwax and clearing the middle ear, whilst the presence of xylitol prevents the growth of bacteria in the eustachian tubes (auditory tubes or pharyngotympanic tubes) which connect the nose and ear.[18] When bacteria enter the body they hold on to the tissues by hanging on to a variety of sugar complexes. The open nature of xylitol and its ability to form many different sugar-like structures appears to interfere with the ability of many bacteria to adhere.[19] Xylitol can be applied nasally through a saline solution containing xylitol.

     When applied nasally to 21 subjects in double-blind randomized controlled trial, it significantly reduced the number of nasal coagulase-negative Staphylococcus bacteria compared to the saline control. The researchers believe that it increases the effectiveness of endogenous (naturally present in the body) antimicrobial factors.[20]

Infection

Xylitol has been found to increase the activity of neutrophils, the white blood cells involved in fighting many bacteria. This effect seems to be quite broad, acting even in cases such as general sepsis [21]

Candida yeast

A recent report suggests that consumption of xylitol may help control oral infections of Candida yeast; in contrast, galactose, glucose, and sucrose may increase proliferation.[22]

Benefits for pregnant or nursing women

Xylitol is not only safe for pregnant and nursing women, but studies show that regular use significantly reduces the probability of transmitting the Streptococcus mutans bacteria, which is responsible for tooth decay, from mother to child during the first two years of life by as much as 80%.[23]”

Xylitol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Safety

“Xylitol, like most sugar alcohols, has a laxative effect, because sugar alcohols are not fully broken down during digestion. It has no known toxicity, and people have consumed as much as 400 grams daily for long periods with no apparent ill effects.[24]

     Dogs which have ingested foods containing high levels of xylitol (greater than 100 milligram of xylitol consumed per kilogram of bodyweight) have presented with low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) which can be life-threatening.[25] Low blood sugar can manifest as loss of coordination, depression, collapse and seizures as soon as 30 minutes after ingestion.[26][27] Intake of very high doses of xylitol (greater than 500 - 1000 mg/kg bwt) has also been implicated in liver failure in dogs, which can be fatal.[28] These are points of controversy, however, as earlier World Health Organization studies using much higher doses on dogs for long periods showed no ill effect. [29]”

Xylitol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dietary Use Worldwide

“In 2004, popular North American Trident gum was reformulated to include xylitol, but not as the main sweetener (which are still aspartame, sorbitol and maltitol). The green apple flavor can be found without aspartame. It is also found in Smokey Mountain Snuff,[9] and IceBreakers brand Ice Cubes Gum from Hershey. A discontinued sugarless gum, Carefree Koolerz, was sweetened exclusively with xylitol. Xylichew, made in Finland (available in US), is also sweetened exclusively with xylitol.

Altoids brand gum has been sweetened with xylitol in order to reduce sugar content.

     In 2006, William Wrigley Jr. Company reformulated their Orbit gum to contain xylitol and released it under the name "Orbit Complete". Critics have noted that the amount of Xylitol in some chewing gums is small, and other sugar alcohols may be used in larger amounts. Xylimax gum and mints have 1 gram of xylitol per piece, and xylitol is the only sweetener. (available in USA)”

Xylitol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Xylitol is widely used in Finland, its "home country". Many Finnish confectioneries employ xylitol, or have a xylitol version available. Virtually all chewing gum sold in Finland is sweetened with xylitol.[7]

The formerly Spanish company Chupa Chups, now Dutch-Italian, makes a xylitol-based breath mint, Smint, that it markets worldwide.

     In China, Japan, and South Korea, xylitol is found in wide assortment of chewing gums. There is a brand of gum named "Xylitol" in all three countries. Japan also has a brand called "Xylish". In addition, when Extra introduced xylitol-containing products to Hong Kong and Guangdong, the word "xylitol" is transcribed into Cantonese as "曬駱駝" (Jyutping: saai3 lok6 to4), which literally means "suntan camel", and the camel is used as a figurative icon in its advertisements.[8]”

Xylitol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

01/06/09

Article:

Zen-Moments: 'Reject Emotional Drama and Become Motivated Again' by John Rocheleau

08/08/08

Research Topics: Dust Allergy

“While almost everyone is irritated by exposure to large amounts of dust, only some people have a true allergic reaction to house dust.

     This true allergic sensitivity is just as real and just as specific as an allergy to ragweed, tree pollen, or cat dander. It may cause

·        nasal symptoms,

·        eye inflammation,

·        asthma, or

·        eczema.”

Mission: Allergy Educational Information: 'About Dust Allergy'

Research Topics: Allergy and Addiction

“The cycle of allergy/addiction is well documented. This concept of allergy/addiction applies especially to drugs, alcohol, caffeine and food. Allergies to any substance; however, whether it be to chemicals, food, air, water etc. increase stress in our body which stimulates addictive patterns of behavior, and contributes to ADD, ADHD and hyperactivity.”

http://www.remediesforrecovery.com/allergy_addiction.php

Indoor Air Pollution: Dust

“The electrical fields created within computers and monitors are literally magnets for dust and corrosive particles, which enter the computer cover and monitor through multiple small openings. Computer fans, while necessary for dissipating heat can compound the problem by either creating a vacuum inside the PC and causing more dusty outside air to enter the case, or by blowing directly unto components inside the PC, causing a hardened, caked layer to develop.”

http://www.computerdust.com/clean_computer/clean_computer.html

·        Amazon.com: Covers - Computer Accessories: Computer Dust Covers & More

·        ComputerAirFilter.com: 'Dust prevention techniques'

·        dust site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

07/16/08

Research Topic: Hugs and Stress and Sleep

Lilias! Yoga Gets Better With Age by Lilias M. Folan: 'Garuda Arms' (Page 57) (additional information on page 56)

07/05/08

Research Topic: Hugs and Stress and Sleep

·        Hugs & stress & sleep - Ineternational Natural Hygiene Society Hygienic Review 1-2007

·        Carol's Pot of Gold: Tips: How to Give Yourself a Hug

6/29/08

Research Topic: Reiki

Reiki hand Positions:

One of the reiki hand positions found at the page below are similar to the Bates method palming exercise (probably a good idea to follow the tips for Bates’ palming exercise—i.e.. don’t put pressure on eye sockets, slightly more pressure is placed on the forehead than the cheekbones, done for four minutes). Others may help to stimulate breathing by stimulating the rib cage and other parts of the body such as the neck, may help to relieve TMD and hyperacusis caused by TMD by relaxing the jaw, may also relieve a winged scapula condition by relaxing the shoulder blades:

·        Creighton University: Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Reiki: Hand Positions

·        rib site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

06/07/08

New Theory

Sometimes when people are sitting at a computer and they’re tired they rest their elbow on the desk or table in front of them and lean forward, using their hand to support their head.

This posture appears to restrict breathing. The shoulder of the supporting arm is pulled forward, in a ‘rounded shoulders’ position. Also, even though the head is elevated, there is added tension in the neck. Problems with breathing can exacerbate stress, and can lead to light-headedness, and more likely to become distracted (e.g. distracted from surfing the Internet or a computer game).

Maybe people tend to sit in this position when they become tired not only to rest the upper body, but to also increase their stress level by restricting breathing, to keep themselves awake. This position also brings the head closer to the monitor, so that they eyes are exposed to more brightness, which also keeps the person awake, and increasing serotonin and endorphin levels as well.

Additional Information:

·        breathing site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

·        don't lean forward site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

·        rounded shoulders site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

·        'Breathing Exercises: The Proper Standing Position' from the "Nature Cure: Philosophy and Practice Based on the Unity of Disease and Cure" book, by Henry Lindlahr

05/31/08

Affirmations vs. Visualization, Senses

A combination of affirmations along with visualization and/or stimulating the senses may be more effective than doing one or the other. This may be because affirmations stimulate the left brain and visualization and stimulating the senses stimulates the right brain.

“Engage all your senses when you say your affirmations. Smell the scent of the roses growing on the front lawn of your desired home; feel yourself bathing in your deluxe Jacuzzi; sense the joy you experience while watching beautiful sunsets from your bedroom window. Have fun and let your imagination  soar [visualization]. After all, why would you want to experience anything less in your own fantasy!”

SelfGrowth.com: Articles: 'Grow Your Dreams With An Affirmation Board!' By Tal Shai

More Links:

·        smell site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

·        Other Suggestions: Mirror Work (affirmations)

·        affirmations site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

·        visualization site:www.causeof.org - Google Search

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Some people with OCD have found that focusing on a higher power (doesn’t have to be a god or religion) has been helpful for overcoming ritualistic behavior:

Links:

obsessive +rituals +"higher power" - Google Search

Research Topics: Higher Power

Other Suggestions: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

5/20/08

Research Topics

Chlorine Hypersensitivity

Chlorine and Chloramine Gas

“Chlorine and chloramine gas are frequently produced in the home when cleaning products are mixed [chlorine from unfiltered tap water may also become vaporized in hot water during showering, cooking, or making tea and coffee]. These gases are strong irritants with the potential for tissue damage.”

Southern Medical Journal: 'Home exposures to chlorine/chloramine gas: review of 216 cases.'

“Early response to chlorine gas

Chlorine gas, when mixed with ammonia, reacts to form chloramine gas. In the presence of water, chloramines decompose to ammonia and hypochlorous acid or hydrochloric acid.

     The early response to chlorine exposure depends on the (1) concentration of chlorine gas, (2) duration of exposure, (3) water content of the tissues exposed [i.e. wheter or not these tissues are dehydrated or hydrated?], and (4) individual susceptibility.

Immediate effects

The immediate effects of chlorine gas toxicity include         acute inflammation of the

·        conjunctivae [inflammation of the inner surface of the eyelid; conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye],

·        nose,

·        pharynx [inside of the throat; what the doctor looks at when you say 'ahh'],

·        larynx [the voice box],

·        trachea [the windpipe], and

·        bronchi [the large air passages of the lungs; bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes].”

eMedicine Specialties  >  Emergency Medicine > Toxicology: Toxicity, Chlorine Gas

·        “Irritation of the airway mucosa [A membrane lining all body passages that communicate with the air]

·        leads to local edema [accumulation of fluid in organs and tissues of the body; swelling]

·        secondary to active arterial and capillary hyperemia [an excess of blood in an area or body part; usually indicated by red, flushed color or heat in the area].

·        Plasma [the fluid portion of the blood] exudation [the slow escape of liquids] results in filling the alveoli [air cells of the lungs] with edema fluid, resulting in pulmonary congestion [congestion in the lungs].”

eMedicine Specialties  >  Emergency Medicine > Toxicology: Toxicity, Chlorine Gas

4/30/08

Anxiety vs. Asthma:

·        “Sometimes, asthma can cause anxiety or a panic attack.

·        Other times, anxiety or a panic attack can trigger an asthma attack.

Incidentally ‘attack’ is an alarming word, therefore, I will just refer to it as ‘asthma episode.’”

Mind Publications: 'Anxiety and Stress can Aggravate Asthma Symptoms' by Vijai P. Sharma, Ph.D

“Chronic stress, anxiety, or panic attacks have a direct impact on breathing.

·        Seeing an asthma episode coming, a person may experience anxiety or a panic attack, which may lead to further aggravation of its symptoms.

·        Breathing is immediately affected when we sense even the slightest danger.”

Mind Publications: 'Anxiety and Stress can Aggravate Asthma Symptoms' by Vijai P. Sharma, Ph.D

“Therefore, in an anxiety or a panic attack, patients often experience

·        severe problems with their breathing, described as, ‘shortness of breath,’ ‘smothering,’ ‘choking,’ ‘can't get enough air,’ along with

·        complaints of dizziness, lightheadedness,

·        chest tightness or severe chest pains.”

Mind Publications: 'Anxiety and Stress can Aggravate Asthma Symptoms' by Vijai P. Sharma, Ph.D

4/22/08

Amazon.com: Home & Garden: 'shower filter' (sorted by bestselling)

4/21/08

Sense of Smell

Things to Consider

Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis and Shower Filters

·        Buzzle.com: Editorials: 'Respiratory Illness and the Shower Filter Solution'

·        Buzzle.com: Editorials: 'Shower heads with filters'

04/19/08

Sense of Smell

Things to Consider

Exercise-Induced Asthma:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=exercise-induced+asthma+tilt+head+back&btnG=Search

04/15/08

Sense of Smell

Things to Consider

Head and Neck Pillows:

·  Sleep: Sleep on Your Back: Tips: Head and Neck Pillows

Tilting head slightly upward, and focusing on a point on the ceiling (slightly, e.g. just enough to see the ceiling of a room):

Does sense of smell improve when tilting head back slightly? Does tilting the head, while upright, help to clear the airway similar to the technique used in CPR? Tilting head slightly upward seems to have a relaxing effect.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

“Based on observations by Bandler and Grinder,

·           When people look up, they're visualizing [the eyes diverge and accommodate more easily when looking up, improving far visualization]….”

NLPcoaching.com: 'An Introduction to NLP'

“Typically, people who are in a visual mode

·        Stand, or sit, with their heads and/or bodies erect with their eyes up [meaning tending to look upward?]…”

NLPcoaching.com: 'An Introduction to NLP'

Forward Head Posture

"If you slump or have forward head posture, try to lift your head up by inhaling and lifting your chest. This will put your head on top of your shoulders and reduce the stress on the traps [trapezius muscles] from forward head posture."

WebMD: Answers to Questions: How can I improve my posture?

Vision and Gaze

·    “To make matters even more interesting, looking upward suggests that a person is using images or visual memories.”

http://itotd.com/index.alt?ArticleID=211

http://www.causeof.org/notes_0605.htm

”As Krimsky (1948) noted, ‘When looking upwards, the eyes tend to diverge . . . when they look down, the effort to converge is much easier.’”

http://www.combo.com/ergo/vangle2.htm

http://www.causeof.org/notes_0605.htm

·           “Looking upward 30-degrees, the resting point of vergence goes out to about 53 inches [more eyestrain when monitor is only 20 inches away].

·           But with a 30-degree downward gaze angle, it moves inward to 35 inches.”

http://www.combo.com/ergo/vangle2.htm

http://www.causeof.org/notes_0605.htm

Looking upward

*imagination, alpha-theta (eyes tend to diverge)

http://www.causeof.org/notes_0705.htm

*looking upward and EMDR

*myopes tend to look down more often, hyperopes tend not to look downward unless required

*looking downward or upward and self-esteem

*convergence and diveregence and alpha-theta brainwaves

*looking downward for long periods of time->muscular imbalance in the eyes?

*”looking downward is associated with kinesthetic or emotional memories”: what impact does this have on depression, self-esteem, stress, endorphin levels?

*signs of eyestrain: if you start tilting your head forward while using a computer (which would move the direction of your gaze upward as you look at the screen) take a break and look upward in the distance for a while to allow your eyes to diverge and relax

*vision improvement exercises: look upward to improve exercises that are intended to cause your eyes to diverge? look downward to improve exercises that are intended to cause your eyes to converge?

*not looking upward for long periods of time causes problems with proprioception, sense of space

 http://www.causeof.org/notes_0705.htm

“…Recent brain research that tells us that we can cause our right brain to become more responsive by looking up [should probably say looking up and to the right] with our eyes. In other words, we use our eyes to help us think, as well as to see. When the student is looking up, he is ‘seeing’ the word in his head.”

http://www.diannecraft.com/r-brain.html

http://www.causeof.org/notes_0705.htm

Looking up vs looking at ceiling:

Looking up seems to relieve the symptoms for some people;

You may notice different sensations when you just look up (e.g. at the top of a wall) vs looking at the ceiling (note: important to do slowly to avoid damaging the neck)

http://www.causeof.org/notes_2Q07.htm

Lying on your back and looking upward (e.g. stargazing, cloud-watching) helps to reduce pressure on the extraocular (eye) muscles and helps to improve divergence (looking into the distance)? Allows a person to more easily enter an alpha-theta state (brainwaves)?

http://www.causeof.org/notes_0905_0106.htm

4/9/08

Sense of Smell

Studies

Correlation between extraversion and regional cerebral blood flow in response to olfactory stimuli:

·        “Results: During the pleasant smell condition, extraversion was correlated with rCBF in the amygdala and occipital cortex. During the unpleasant smell condition, extraversion was correlated with rCBF in the occipital cortex and inferior temporal gyrus.

·        Conclusions: These results provide important evidence for the biological basis of extraversion and indicate that there are systematic individual differences in patterns of brain activation in response to affective stimuli.”

Vaidya, J G., S Paradiso, N C. Andreasen, D L. Johnson, L L. Boles Ponto, and R D. Hichwa. "Correlation Between Extraversion and Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Response to Olfactory Stimuli." Am J Psychiatry. 164 (2007): 339-341. PubMed. 8 Apr. 2008

Lemon oil vapor causes an anti-stress effect via modulating the 5-HT and DA activities in mice:

Lemon oil vapor causes an anti-stress effect via modulating the 5-HT and DA activities in mice.

Sense of Smell

Depression

“Pause and colleagues suspect that the depressed patients' reduced brain responses to odors relates to deviations in two intimately connected brain areas, called the orbitofrontal cortex and the amygdala, which play significant roles in processing emotional information and are also connected with sense of smell.

     Meanwhile, their reduced responsiveness to visual emotional stimuli occurs via another brain area, called the dorsal prefrontal cortex.”

Science a Go Go: 'Sense Of Smell Linked To Depression' by Kate Melville

“’Studies on the role of the orbitofrontal cortex and the amygdala in emotion strikingly parallel the studies on these brain structures in olfaction [the smell sense],’ Pause says. The amygdala may help ‘encode’ odors and emotions, while the orbitofrontal cortex helps develop strategies for how to respond to such stimuli, according to the study.”

Science a Go Go: 'Sense Of Smell Linked To Depression' by Kate Melville

“The researchers target a dysfunctional state of the main olfactory bulb, a pea-sized structure located below the orbitofrontal cortex that receives sensory input, as potentially playing a pivotal role in depressed patients' reduced sense of smell, and well as ‘their intensified experience of sadness and fear,’ according to the study.”

Science a Go Go: 'Sense Of Smell Linked To Depression' by Kate Melville