PODCAST INTRODUCTION TO MY BOOK "THE JOURNEY TO SPIRIT" by Astrid Brown

Introduction to the book 'THE JOURNEY TO SPIRIT' (8:07)

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Date: February 15, 2013

By: Astrid Brown

Description: THIS IS THE FOREWORD TO MY VERY POPULAR BOOK FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING PSYCHICALLY OR WHO WISH TO KNOW HOW PSYCHICS AND MEDIUMS WORK AND WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN PSYCHICS AND MEDIUMS

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The journey to Spirit: Second Edition 'A guide to Psychic Development and Inspirational & Spiritual Philosophy [Paperback]

Astrid Brown (Author)

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Maggie Brown (Author)

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WHY YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO HOW MUCH SALT YOU CONSUME, CUTTING SALT COULD SAVE THOUSANDS OF LIVES

WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SALT

We should all know by now how too much salt in our diet raises our blood pressure but have you stopped to ask how and what are the dangers?

Well our bodies are kept in balance by the Hypothalamus (An area in the brain its job is to maintain homeostasis within the body). It does this in a number of ways and its a bit akin to a laboratory constantly analysing our blood, checking if we have the correct amount of hormones, is the blood the right consistency, does it have the correct balance of salts to maintain body function. Salt, sodium chloride to give it its proper name is necessary along with other salts like Potassium are necessary for a variety of functions and nerve function being one of them. It is through the interaction between Potassium and Sodium that our nerves work and are able to pass signals down through our nerves from our brains to our muscles etc. If this balance is upset then our bodies won't work correctly. 

Now if you are eating a high salt diet (Sodium) and you know what happens if you eat something very salty how do you feel? Very thirsty I shouldn't wonder and this is because the hypothalamus has noticed there is too much sodium in the blood, so the first thing it does is to alert the body and make us thirsty and cause us to drink more fluid in an effort to dilute the blood. At the same time the Hypothalamus causes the pituitary gland to release Vasopressin (Anti diuretic hormone) this is circulated in the blood stream and targets the kidneys not to filter out so much liquid in the blood as waste (Urine becomes more concentrated so you don't pass as much). These two actions generate more blood volume in an effort to dilute the concentration of Sodium (more liquid part of the blood).

Cue the heart, now your poor heart has more work to do, you've upped its work load putting more strain on it. You've still got the same amount of arteries and veins but have more liquid for your heart to pump through, this means your left Ventricle of your heart is under strain thus the action of forcing all this volume of fluid through the same amount of vessels raises the blood pressure. So first and foremost high blood pressure strains the heart and the heart being a muscle, like any other muscle will enlarge to cope with the work. Now the kidneys, they filter impurities and toxins out of the body through a series of tiny tubules called Nephrons, these tiny vessels are very delicate and only one cell thick and thus very fragile. With the raised pressure of all this excess fluid in the blood being forced harder through the circulation, these tiny vessels are easily damaged.

As we get older our arteries, which are a series of elastic muscular tubes, become less elastic, think of washing a pair of knickers hundreds of times eventually the elastic gets spent doesn't it? well its like this with the arteries. Because they have lost this elasticity they cannot cope so well with an increased blood pressure and if these arteries happen to be in the brain, the result can be a burst blood vessel hence one type of stroke. Now couple this with someone who has had a fatty diet eating lots of saturated fats. That fat circulates in the blood stream and just like a sink drain that gets blocked when you try to pour fat down it regularly, the same thing happens in an artery. Fat sticks to the artery walls forming plaques, blood cells become sticky and before you know it you have a clot forming. If this clot travels to the brain you have the other type of stroke. A stroke is where the brain is starved of oxygen because blood flow is restricted to an area and that area of the brain is damaged. If the clot forms in the leg we have a Deep Vein Thrombosis, if it forms in the lungs we have a Pulmonary Thrombosis and if we have a clot in the circulation of the heart we have a Coronary Thrombosis. Obviously too furred up arteries will raise blood pressure too as the heart will have to work harder to push all that volume of blood through narrowed blood vessels.

So now you know why too much salt is bad for you and the worst culprits for harbouring salt are processed foods. Start reading labels and become familiar with recommended daily allowances, you may just save your health a whole lot of trouble

In the UK, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Salt is 6 grams for an adult, 1 gram for a baby under 12 months old and between 2-6 grams of salt for a child up until their 11th birthday.

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/fss/salt/howmuchsalteat/

In the US, the RDA is 2.3 g of sodium, or 5.75 g of salt, since to calculate the amount of salt from sodium you should multiply by 2.5.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/recommendations.htm

http://www.salt.gov.uk/cgi-bin/saltcalc.pl

Article below from the Daily Mail.

Cutting salt could save 20,000 lives each year in UK

• Too much salt increases risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke
• Adults should consume no more than 6g a day, but on average UK men have 9.7g and women have 7.7g

Reducing the amount of salt in our diets could save nearly 20,000 lives in the UK every year, according to researchers.

Doctors say deaths from heart disease would fall dramatically if consumers paid attention to food labels. 

Yet most Britons have no idea how much salt they consume or what the maximum recommended levels are.

Don't add salt: Our diets are already salt-heavy with 80% coming from processed foods

The recommended maximum daily intake for adults is 6g in the UK, although just last month the World Health Organisation revised this down to 5g. 

Yet according to figures from the British Heart Foundation, men consume around 9.7g a day, while women have 7.7g.

Now researchers at three universities, including Harvard Medical School, have revealed the dramatic effect reducing salt could have on death rates by using computer models.

They estimated that reducing salt intake to 6g (or 2,300mg of sodium) would save 500,000 to 850,000 lives in the U.S over the next decade.

'No matter how we look at it, the story is the same – there will be huge benefits in reducing sodium,' said study author Dr Pam Coxson, from UCSF.

The British consumer group Consensus Action on Salt & Health said reducing the UK's daily intake to 6g could save around 17,500 deaths from heart attacks and strokes a year.

If food labels only contain sodium levels, multiply this number by 2.5 to get the salt content

British GP Ian Campbell, medical director of charity Weight Concern, told Mail Online: 'Salt is a big problem in the UK too. It's a silent killer. Over time consuming too much of it increases the risk of high blood blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

'About 80 per cent of our salt intake comes from processed foods, so it can be difficult to avoid.

'Many people are unaware of where salt is hidden, such as bread, soups, ready meals, even breakfast cereals and mayonnaise.

'The Government approach has been to encourage food manufacturers to modify the amount of salt in their products. There has been a reduction but it is taking too long. The Food Standards Agency should consider setting mandatory maximum levels for salt.'

Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, added: 'Eating too much salt may raise your blood pressure and having high blood pressure increases your risk of developing coronary heart disease.

'The Government has worked with the food industry to reduce the amount of salt in our food and make labels clearer. But there is still work to be done by everyone because the majority of Brits are still consuming more salt than they should be.'

Maggie Brown (Author)

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ASTRIDESTELLA.ORG: PODCAST OF PART OF CHAPTER 3 FROM THE BOOK 'A PSYCHIC AFFAIR'

ASTRIDESTELLA.ORG: PODCAST OF PART OF CHAPTER 3 FROM THE BOOK 'A PSYCHIC AFFAIR'

Narrated by the author herself 'Astrid Brown'

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• Category: Literature
• Language: English
• ℗ & © 2013 Astrid Brown's Podcast

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NEW TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION

I came across this article in the Daily Mail today, whereby low energy lasers are used instead of needles in acupuncture to alleviate the symptoms of depression. Unlike conventional drug treatment, where patients may suffer side effects, there are none with this form of acupuncture. It's useful too where people have a needle phobia and there is no risk of infection as the skin is not punctured

Beam of light that can help banish black dog

Antidepressants are the most common form of treatment for depression, and NHS prescriptions for the drugs are at a record high.
But latest figures suggest only 50 to 65 per cent of patients who take the pills notice an improvement in symptoms.
And there is a risk of side-effects such as nausea, poor sleep, diarrhoea, constipation and erectile problems.

Laser acupuncture involves stimulating the pressure points targeted in traditional acupuncture, but using low-energy lasers rather than needles

But could laser acupuncture be an effective way to treat the problem, without side-effects?
That’s the suggestion emerging from a small new Australian study, which found patients with depression reported fewer symptoms and better mood after 12 sessions of the treatment.
Laser acupuncture involves stimulating the pressure points targeted in traditional acupuncture, but using low-energy lasers rather than needles.
More than three million people in the UK use the ancient Chinese medicine as a treatment for everything from chronic pain to infertility.
It is also available on the NHS: under guidelines from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), acupuncture can be given for the treatment of lower back pain.


Western medicine is at a loss to explain the benefits of the needle therapy.
The most popular theory is that it stimulates the release of ‘feel good’ chemicals called endorphins, though there is only a small amount of evidence to back this up.
Using lasers could be safer and more popular than the conventional treatment, as they do not carry a risk of infection and are more acceptable to patients with a needle phobia.
To test the treatment, researchers at the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney recruited 47 men and women aged 18 to 50 with a history of depression.
Half were given the laser therapy twice a week for four weeks, then once a week for another four weeks.
The beam was powerful enough to stimulate acupuncture points on the back, neck and trunk but not to cause burns or damage the skin.

Latest figures suggest only 50 to 65 per cent of patients who take antidepressants notice an improvement in symptoms

Acupuncture points are the areas on the body that, according to Chinese medicine, need to be stimulated in order to restore good health.
The rest of the group were given a ‘dummy’ laser, which shone a light on the skin but contained little or no laser energy.
The researchers, who were from the department of psychiatry at the universities, measured the response in terms of how much symptoms improved on a recognised depression register, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.
The lower the score, the better a patient’s mental health.
The laser group average score dropped from 14.14 to 9.8, while the placebo group saw hardly  any change.
The results, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Affective Disorders, showed those given the real laser therapy were  still seeing the benefits three months later.
Professor Tony Cleare, a specialist in affective disorders at King’s College London, said some studies had shown a benefit from acupuncture but others had not.
He added: ‘There is little evidence that, in depression, acupuncture to specific areas of the body is any different from acupuncture in random areas.
'This suggests that if acupuncture is having an effect, it isn’t in the way that acupuncturists think.’
Beth Murphy, head of information at the mental health charity Mind, said: ‘We welcome news of any new therapies being developed for depression, especially those associated with fewer side-effects.’

__________________________________________________

Maggie Brown (Author)

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CAN A GOOD BOOK HELP BEAT DEPRESSION?

Can a good book help beat depression? It won't eradicate it but it sure will help, anything that takes your mind off anxieties, worries and sadness it sure to help and reading aids escapism. They don't necessary need to be novels, any book that interests you is aiding escapism and taking your mind of what is making you feel they way you do. Sometimes even reading about feelings as in poetry can help and it makes you feel you are not alone and it helps express how you feel. Anything no matter what it is, is worth trying, be it reading, listening to music, painting, where you can lose yourself is excellent.

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Article from the Daily Mail below

Can a good book help beat depression? GPs draw up list of 27 'mood-boosting' reads to help those with mental illness

• Therapeutic qualities of books hoped to help those with depression, anxiety and stress
• List includes Cider With Rosie, A Small Island and The Secret Garden 

It is the rural idyll that has given happiness to generations of book-lovers.

Now Cider With Rosie is to be recommended by GPs across the country, in the hope that its therapeutic qualities will help those with mental illness.

The book, which chronicles the Gloucestershire childhood of author Laurie Lee, is one of a new list of ‘mood-boosting’ books which experts hope will help those with depression, anxiety and stress.

Stress-buster: Reading can help you relax and escape and this is a good strategy for dealing with stress and anxiety

The list also includes Bill Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden and Salmon Rushdie’s Haroun And The Sea Of Stories.

It will be advertised on leaflets distributed by GPs from May as part of the ‘Books on Prescription’ scheme, supported by the Department for Health.

The official list of was drawn up by the Reading Agency via book groups, many catering to people with anxiety and depression.

And it may not be long before the likes of Fifty Shades Of Grey By EL James are also being recommended, as readers have been invited to submit their own suggestions.

The book is one of a 27-strong list of 'mood boosting' books which will help those with depression

It is hoped those with ‘mild to moderate’ mental health conditions will try out the idea before turning to prescription drugs - many of which can have unpleasant side effects.

Debbie Hicks, director of research at the Reading Agency, said: ‘Readers chose books which they thought had qualities that promote well-being.

‘We have funny and humorous titles and you also get books that have quite breath-taking experiences in them.

‘Reading is a really good stress-buster. It can help you escape to another world and get out of your everyday life.

‘There’s lots of evidence that reading can really help you relax and escape and this is a good strategy for dealing with stress and anxiety.’

The scheme was announced yesterday by the Society of Chief Librarians as part of a new national strategy for Britain’s libraries.

It will run alongside the ‘Books on Prescription’ scheme, which allows GPs to ‘prescribe’ self-help books stocked at local libraries.

On each prescription leaflet will also be a recommendation for the patient to dip into the ‘mood-boosting’ reading list.

Almost every library in the country has agreed to stock the approved list of self-help books and mood-boosting books.

In addition, the books will be distributed in colleges, hospitals and workplaces around the country.

Research by Mindlab International recently revealed that out of a range of activities, reading reduced stress the most - by 67 per cent.

Uplifting: Crime comedy The Big Over Easy and the heart-warming Home To Big Stone Gap

But experts warned it is intended to supplement any treatment a patient is undergoing - rather than acting as a fail-safe ‘cure’.

The suggestions for the 27-title reading list were submitted by more than a dozen reading groups, with a panel of judges at the Reading Agency selecting the best.

They said Bill Bryson’s 19996 book was chosen for its humour value, while the Secret Garden, published in 1910, was selected for its escapism.

Cider with Rosie, published in 1959, has stood the test of time as a favourite of the nation having sold over 6 million copies worldwide.

Also featuring on the list are Lucy Diamond’s 2011 ‘chick lit’ novel The Beach Café, E. H. Gombrich’s 1935 non-fiction A Little History of the World, and Jasper Fforde’s 2005 crime comedy The Big Over Easy.

Put a smile on your face: Bill Bryson's travel book and E H Gombrich's chronicle of human history

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TIRED ALL THE TIME?

Feeling Tired All The Time, is a very common problem and there are many causes, especially stress (I have a stress section on this site) poor diet, lack of exercise, not enough fluids, depression, medication, sleep apnoea and physical causes such as diabetes, however a third of patients presenting this symptom no obvious cause can be found.  The article below is from the Daily Mail.

BOOST YOUR MOOD WITH MUSIC

It's well known how music can affect us, it can cause us to cry, it can uplift and comfort and can touch our souls. You may well have your own playlist you use to good effect. The article below is from the Daily Mail and may give you a head start to boosting your mood and anything that can uplift us surely is worth trying.

Want to boost your mood? Try listening to the Prince, Bob Marley and the Beach Boys 

• Researchers say a fast pace, predictable melody and punchy beat are key to mood-boosting
• Claim acapella songs can also give us a boost.
  

 

Scientists have revealed why particular songs make us happy - and say those with a high-pitched voice are best at boosting our mood.

The research reveals the elements that go into making a song a happy one, such as a fast pace, predictable melody, and a punchy beat.

Now neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis, who led the study, has created an 11-track 'prozac playlist', which includes hits by Prince, Beachboys, and Bob Marley.

Researchers say that listening to artists such as Bob Marley (pictured) can improve our mood. they also found Prince and the Beachboys can have a similar effect

THE 'PROZAC PLAYLIST'

• Prince - Sexy Dancer
• BB King - Let The Good Times Roll
• Beachboys - Surfing USA
• Curtis Mayfield - Victory -
• Norman Jay remix
• Bob Marley - Three Little Birds
• Muddy Waters - Got My Mojo Working
• Boney M - Sunny
• The Darkness - I Believe In a Thing called Love
• Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mama
• Outkast - Hey Ya
• Future heads - Acapella
• Harder Better Faster - Daft Punk
• M People - Moving on Up
  1812 - Tchaikovsky

Source: rara.com

Tunes sung without backing music - 'acapella' - and those that remind us of happy times in our life, such as a wedding, are also said to give us a boost.

Dr Lewis, who conducted the research for music streaming site rara.com, said it was essential to get the brain's 'reward pathways' firing.

He looked for music that stimulates the limbic and reward systems - areas of the brain responsible for generating emotions and sensations of pleasure.

And he claims certain musical styles stimulate all of these areas, producing a natural 'high' much like that created by good food and sex.

Dr Lewis said: "Even though it is typically seen as a 'sad' genre, early blues has all the hallmarks of music that can make you smile.

'Let the Good Times Roll' by undisputed King of the Blues, B.B. King is a good example.

'The simple, stripped-down style of his music with a punchy yet predictable brass and percussion rhythm get the brain's reward pathways firing.

'And his unparalleled string-bending and vibrato technique made the guitar sing with an emotional, vocal quality sure to get the limbic system cranked up.'

Dr Lewis said it was important for singers to connect with listeners on an 'emotional level' and revealed 'acapella' tracks were best placed to do this.

He said: 'Music is so ingrained into humans that it doesn't need instruments to have an effect on us.

'When we hear emotion in a human voice our brains are tuned to feel some of this emotion ourselves. 

'This is fundamental to empathy.'

Researchers say that listening to the Beach Boys can improve your mood - and fast paced, catchy songs are key

'The harmonisation between several voices will activate the reward pathways, and can make you feel on top of the world.

'Indie rockers The Futureheads have produced an entirely 'a cappella' album, 'Rant' - it's highly recommended to get the brain tapping.'

The doctor revealed any song that 'reminds you of a time when you were blissfully happy' has the power to put you back in that mood.

He said: 'Perhaps it's music from an unforgettable summer music festival, your wedding day, or the opening track of a set from your favourite concert back in your younger days.'

Music that gets the heart pumping and skin tingling is also said to trigger brain pathways of euphoria.

Dr Lewis said: 'Any music that gets your heart pumping and your skin tingling can enable the brain to cast worries away.

'One example is the thrilling climax of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

'Such music does this by causing deactivation of the brain area that orchestrates the fear response - the amygdala - making us feel less anxious.'

He added: 'Singers often communicate the 'happy' emotion using the upper register of their voices.

'When this happiness rubs off on us, premotor brain areas - which control our vocal muscles - automatically become more active.

'That is why you can find yourself singing or humming along without even realising.

'Other songs in this vocal style include Mika's 'Grace Kelly', Scissor Sisters' 'Comfortably Numb', and most of Prince's output to date.'

Dr Lewis revealed that some songs are 'inherently happy'.

Songs played in a major key, at a fast pace with a simple, predictable melody combine to create a universally positive sound.

However, more melancholy tracks are often played in a minor key, at a slower pace and with a meandering melody.

Nick Massey, CEO of rara.com said: 'We all enjoy listening to music, but Dr Jack's findings prove it is genuinely good for us.

'That is true whether you want to beat the January blues, or just put a smile on your face anytime.

Maggie Brown (Author)

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VEGETABLES CAN MAKE YOU FEEL MORE OPTIMISTIC

This is another good reason why you need to eat a balanced diet. I love fruit and I cannot understand why some folk do not eat it, it tastes so refreshing and lovely. I admit I'm not a lover of vegetables however I still eat a lot of them as they add bulk to the diet providing useful roughage (roughage is the bowels sweeping brush) and they contain a vast amount of vitamins and minerals, essential if you want to have healthy young looking skin and a good immune system. They are also filling and stop you feeling hungry. However they also contain carotenoids and studies have shown they make people feel more optimistic and when you feel more optimistic you boost your immune system.

Article below is from the Daily Mail.

Another good reason to eat your greens: It makes you more optimistic about the future 

• Optimistic folk have higher levels of plant compounds called carotenoids in their blood
• Orange produce and green veg are rich in carotenoids
• It's thought they might have a de-stressing effect

People who eat plenty of fruit and vegetables tend to be more optimistic about the future, new research suggests.  

Scientists have discovered that optimistic folk have higher levels of plant compounds called carotenoids in their blood.

A commonly-known carotenoid is beta-carotene, a pigment found in high levels in orange fruit and veg and green, leafy vegetables.  

Scientists have discovered that optimistic folk have higher levels of plant compounds called carotenoids - found in orange produce and green, leafy vegetables - in their blood

Previous studies have shown that high blood levels of antioxidants  - of which carotenoids are one form - may be a marker of good health.

Antioxidants help keep other molecules in the body from producing free radicals, which can damage cells and contribute to disease.

'Individuals with greater optimism tended to have greater levels of carotenoids such as beta-carotene,' said lead investigator Julia Boehm, of the Harvard School of Public Health.

'This is the first study of its kind to report a relationship between optimism and healthier levels of carotenoid concentrations,' she added.

One theory is that antioxidants might have a de-stressing effect. 

The current study evaluated blood concentrations of nine different antioxidants, including carotenoids such as beta-carotene and vitamin E in nearly 1,000 American men and women ages 25 to 74. 

Participants filled out a questionnaire about their life attitudes and provided blood samples to the researchers, according to the report in Psychosomatic Medicine.

People who ate two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables a day were significantly less optimistic than people who ate three or more servings a day

They also measured the degree of optimism in the same group.

Researchers found that people who were more optimistic had up to a 13 per cent increase in carotenoid concentrations in their blood compared with people who were less optimistic.

The researchers believe that higher levels of fruit and vegetable consumption among more optimistic people may at least partially explain the results.

They found that people who ate two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables a day were significantly less optimistic than people who ate three or more servings a day.

They added that the relationship between optimism and carotenoid levels was only partially explained by the fact that more optimistic people tended to engage in healthier behaviors such as eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding cigarette smoking.

Last year, scientists at Warwick University found that people who ate seven portions of fruit and veg a day are the happiest.

The study found that those who ate around eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day had an average score that was one point higher than people who did not eat any.

The link remained even when people’s exercise levels and overall diet – both of which can influence mood – were accounted for.

Although it is not known exactly how fruit and veg improve wellbeing, they contain chemicals known as antioxidants, which are thought to reduce stress levels.

At the time, lead researcher Professor Andrew Oswald said  he was 'stunned ' when he looked at the data.

‘We think we’re on to something really important here,' he said. 'However, we don’t really know why this is – whether there is something in the biochemistry of the fruit and veg which works inside humans.

‘We know that fruit and veg  carry a lot of antioxidants and those protect us against attacks on the body. But how that works through into our minds and emotions, researchers have no idea.'

The Department of Health has spent at least £4million on its ‘five a day’ advertising campaign since it was launched in 2003.

In contrast, the French are told to eat ten portions a day, the Canadians between five and ten, and the Japanese 13 portions of vegetables and four pieces of fruit.  

Maggie Brown (Author)

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