There is a tendency for the two cerebral hemispheres to operate in two very different contexts: with most people (right-handed) the left is verbal/logical and the right side is non-verbal/intuitive, another words, left hemisphere is for verbal and analytical thought, the right for intuitive, philosophical, holistic patterns of thinking:
LEFT ……………………………………… RIGHT
primarily verbal primarily non-verbal
‘mathematical and numerical’ ‘musical and spatial’
concerned with details concerned with paradox and pattern
prefers reductionism concepts prefers holistic concepts
What they name left brain’s linear knowledge and right brain’s holistic knowing are not necessarily alternative, they can be mutually enriching. Making hemispheres working together, even on very simple tasks including the movement ones, helps to promote their interactions.
An important bundle of nerve fibers called the “corpus callosum” is situated between the right and left hemispheres. The left and right sides of the brain communicate with each other via this neural pathway. It is thought that ‘crossing’ movements, when the right and left sides of the body work reciprocally, force hemispheres to cooperate. The pattern “right arm-left leg, then left arm-right leg” is used, for example, in walking. This pattern is generated by nervous system at the level as low as the spinal cord, so we consider this movement task automatic. Spinal cord is perfectly symmetrical. No wonder that there is no problem of right-left halves interaction in spinal cord, the both halves are perfectly cooperative.
When we try to perform unfamiliar movement pattern requiring the reciprocity, it is not enough to use the spinal cord only. The hemispheres have to work using the corpus callosum and cooperating. The more sophisticated right-left movement interplay we have to imply, the more we exercise right-left hemisphere interaction. All kinds of movement patterning figure eight, especially with the whole body participation and the eyes following the fingertips, are ideal for this exercising. Remember — horizontal figure eight is a symbol of Eternity? This type of movement has especially flowing, meditative character and feels very calming.
It has been suggested that nutrition may play a role in age-related hearing loss and that it may be associated with poor micronutrient status. For example, Vitamin B-12 or folate deficiencies may negatively influence blood flow to the cochlea, leading to age-related hearing loss. Australian researchers showed that people with hearing loss were more likely to be exposed to workplace noise, be a current smoker, have a doctor-diagnosed history of stroke or type 2 diabetes, and to have Vitamin B-12 (1).
In Finland, two groups of 40-59-year olds were studied, 1) one on a diet high in saturated animal fats, 2) the other on a diet high in polyunsaturated fats. After 5 years of follow up, blood vessel condition was better in the group 2 and the participants hearing ability was also significantly better in all frequencies. After that, the diets in the two groups were reversed. Four years after the diet reversal the hearing in the now low-fat group was improved and the hearing in the now high-fat group was deteriorating. The authors concluded that a diet high in polyunsaturated fats may stop, if not reverse, hearing loss (2).
In a recent Dutch study, 720 participants 50–70 years of age without hearing loss were tested for levels of polyunsaturated fats, very long-chain n-3 PUFA in their plasma. In high sound frequencies, there was no correlation of hearing acuity and PUFA concentrations in plasma. However, in the low frequencies, the higher PUFA levels corresponded to better hearing abilities. The authors found their results “encouraging, but requirig confirmation from future studies.” (3)
Intermittent fasting is popular today. One of the aspects of this calorie restriction techniques is periodic ketosis, which is proved to be neuroprotective. Another aspect is periodic interruption of glycolysis, which is also good for the brain. However, the Hellers were first to empirically formulate the idea and make it very dieter-friendly: Rachael F. Heller, Richard F. Heller. The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet: The Lifelong Solution to Yo-Yo Dieting. Signet (1993)
<– Carbohydrate Addict Diet Food Pyramid
This diet is for you if you have:
• forceful hunger
• craving for carbohydrate-rich foods
• need for starches
• desire for snack foods, junk food, or sweets?
Do you have problems:
• staying away from food between meals
• staying away from snacks at night
• stopping a meal containing starches and sweets
• eating tasty food while not being hungry
• staying alert after a large meal
• staying alert early afternoon
• keeping your weight off after losing weight due to dieting
Do you tend to overeat these foods:
• Breads
• Bagels
• Cakes
• Cereal
• Chocolate
• Cookies
• Crackers
• fruit
• juice
• ice cream
• potatoes
• pasta
• rice
• popcorn
• sodas?
Do you indulge in:
• sugar substitutes
• alcohol
• monosodium glutamate?
If you answered “yes” to at least one of the questions in each category, the CAD might be right for you.
The diet prescribes two meals, called Complementary Meals, which limit carbohydrate generally same way most low carb diets do. Most people choose breakfast and lunch for their complementary meals. The diet allows one Reward Meal not limiting carbohydrate content but limiting this meal’s duration to strictly one hour. It is believed that with this meal planning you body is tricked into releasing less insulin. Thus, it better controls blood sugar levels and therefore stores less fat.
The diet starts with the Entry Plan. You eat two complementary meals and a reward meal, no snacks, for a week, then you weigh. Your plan for the next week will depend on your weight loss and your weight loss goal. For instance, if you loss was around 2 pounds, you go to the Plan A, which is essentially same plan, but you are allowed to have a low carb snack.
If after following the Entry Plan for a week you lost 0.5 lb. To 2 lb., you go to the Plan B, which is in fact staying on the Entry Plan for one more week.
If you didn’t lose any weight on Entry Plan, you go to the Plan C and this is an interesting part. All you do differently comparing with the Entry Plan, is eating two big salads made of leafy green vegetables before both of your two daily complementary meals.
There’s also the Plan D, for the most stubborn body weight, where you add one more salad, before your Reward Meal. This planning goes on every new week.
From the book:
Reprinted with permission
|
|
|
 |
|