HOW THE BRAIN PURGES BAD MEMORIES?

 A brain circuit has been found that allows us to forget fear and anxiety!

 A new study confirms that a working connection between the two brain regions is necessary to do away with fear.

The brain is extraordinarily good at alerting us to threats. Loud noises, noxious smells, approaching predators: they all send electrical impulses buzzing down our sensory neurons, pinging our brain’s fear circuitry and, in some cases, causing us to fight or flee. The brain is also adept at knowing when an initially threatening or startling stimulus turns out to be harmless or resolved. But sometimes this system fails and unpleasant associations stick around, a malfunction thought to be at the root of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). New research has identified a neuronal circuit responsible for the brain’s ability to purge bad memories, findings that could have implications for treating PTSD and other anxiety disorders.

Like most emotions, fear is neurologically complicated. But previous work has consistently implicated two specific areas of the brain as contributing to and regulating fear responses. The amygdala, two small arcs of brain tissue deep beneath our temples, is involved in emotional reactions, and it flares with activity when we are scared. If a particular threat turns out to be harmless, a brain region behind the forehead called the prefrontal cortex steps in and the fright subsides. Our ability to extinguish painful memories is known to involve some sort of coordinated effort between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The new study, led by Andrew Holmes at the National Institutes of Health, however, confirms that a working connection between the two brain regions is necessary to do away with fear.

Normally mice that repeatedly listen to a sound previously associated with a mild foot shock will learn that on its own the tone is harmless, and they will stop being afraid. Using optogenetic stimulation technology, or controlling specific neurons and animal behavior using light, the authors found that disrupting the amygdala–prefrontal cortex connection prevents mice from overcoming the negative association with the benign tone. In neurobiology speak, memory “extinction” fails to occur. They also found that the opposite is true—that stimulating the circuit results in increased extinction of fearful memories.

Until now investigators were unsure whether the amygdala–prefrontal cortex communication pathway could on its own control fear extinction; both structures interact with many other brain regions, and so isolating their effects of on behavior was a challenge. Optogenetics made the discovery possible, allowing the NIH group to precisely assess only the connection between the two brain regions in real time, providing a more accurate correlation between neuronal activity and behavior.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-purges-bad-memories/

CULTIVATE THE HEALING POWER OF GRATITUDE

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.

Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.

http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude 

Gratitude is an immensely powerful force that we can use to expand our happiness, create loving  relationships, and even improve our health.
Many scientific studies, including research by renowned psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. In comparison with control groups, those who cultivated a grateful outlook:

• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Experienced greater levels of joy and happiness
• Felt optimistic about the future
• Got sick less often
• Exercised more regularly
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer family ties
• Were more likely to help others and offer emotional support
• Experienced fewer symptoms of stress

If you want more happiness, joy, and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves us from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our  appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.
- See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude#sthash.w8Ly092y.dpuf

Benefits of Organic Food

Benefits of Organic Food

In general, organic food consumers, manufacturers, and farmers strongly believe that organic food has the following benefits compared to non-organic food. While there are plenty of arguments against the multitude of organic food being overpriced on the market, there is no denying that there are some benefits that can be enjoyed.
Antioxidant Capacity
A number of studies have been completed regarding the effects of antioxidants derived from organic foods on your overall health, and the predominant results have shown that antioxidants tend to have more of an impact when they come from organic foods. This may be due to the fact that foreign chemicals are not negatively interacting with the different vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds that are so essential for the positive impact of fruits and vegetables in the prevention of things like cancer, heart disease, premature aging, vision problems, and cognitive malfunction. Recent research suggests that choosing organic food can lead to increased intake of nutritionally desirable antioxidants and reduced exposure to toxic heavy metals.
Pesticide Reduction
One of the major complaints that organic food consumers cite when choosing organic over non-organic is the presence of pesticides. In order to keep crops from being attacked by the natural world, including bugs, pesticides are required. Although they do a good job keeping certain pests away from the crops, they also are composed of powerful chemicals like organophosphorus. This is an unnatural mineral compound that is not required by humans, but more than 80% of this material in our bodies comes from eating pesticide-coated foods. Organophosphorus has been connected to a number of developmental problems, including autism and ADHD, so those organic food lovers do have a pretty strong argument in this case. To be fair, many people do choose to go organic to make sure that their children grow up healthy and unaffected by the toxins of the world during their developmental years.
Heart Health
Increased amount of time grazing on grass also increases the amounts of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that can be found in the animal products. CLA is a heart-healthy fatty acid that can boost cardiovascular protection, and it is found in higher quantities in breast milk and in meat for animals that have been raised free range or cage-free.
Immune System
In recent decades, one of the biggest projects for farmers and food growers has been genetic modification. Making tomatoes six times larger might sound like a possible option for solving some world hunger issues, but there is another side to it. Genetic modification is still in its early stages, so the long-term effects of it on human health aren’t understood as well as we would like. In animal testing genetically modified food showed a major reduction in immune system strength, an increase in birth mortality, as well as in certain sexual dysfunctions, cancers, and sensitivity to allergens. Although there are some good things about genetically modified food, organic food advocates point to the lack of concrete details about the long-term effects.
Antibiotic Resistance
People are very sensitive to issues of their health, and they often take precautions to make sure they remain healthy, like getting various vaccines and taking antibiotics as soon as a new strain of bacteria makes them ill. However, non-organic food sources, particularly livestock and feed houses, also use antibiotics to feed their animals. This extra dose of antibiotics may actually be weakening our immune system by basically overdosing on antibiotics, thereby reshaping our immune system so many times that it will eventually be unable to defend itself. Organic food growers and dairy farmers do not use antibiotics in their processes.
Overall Health
Since organic food is not prepared using chemical fertilizers, it does not contain any traces of these strong chemicals and might not affect the human body in negative ways. Natural fertilizers, like manure, work perfectly fine, and organic farmers are happy to use this smellier, yet safer, form of fertilizer.
Better Taste
Some people strongly believe that organic food tastes better than non-organic food. The prominent reason for this belief is that it is produced using organic means of production. Furthermore, organic food is often sold locally, resulting in availability of fresh produce in the market, which usually does taste better than produce that has been frozen, shipped, and transported across long distances.
Environmental Safety
As harmful chemicals are not used in organic farming, there is minimal soil, air and water pollution; thus ensuring a safer and healthier world for future generations to live in.
Animal Welfare
Animal welfare is an important aspect of producing organic milk, organic meat, organic poultry, and organic fish. People feel happy that the animals are not confined to a miserable caged life when they eat organic animal products.
https://www.organicfacts.net/organic-products/organic-food/health-benefits-of-organic-food.html

Artichokes boost brain health, have other incredible health benefits

June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month. Many foods deservedly stand in the healthy spotlight for their ability to help heal and keep the body functioning at optimal levels, and the artichoke is no different.

Artichoke hearts, which are part of the Cynara genus, provide a host of heath benefits (1). Incorporating them into diets often is an ideal way to help the body stay in shape so people can remain as healthy as possible.

Health benefits of artichokes

1) Fights damaging free radicals
So powerful is the vitamin C content in artichokes that the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) system has given this food a score nine times higher than other antioxidant-rich foods (1). ORAC rates foods based on their antioxidant capacity; foods high in antioxidants are known to fight off free radicals that damage cells and wreak havoc on the body.

2) Relief from indigestion pain
Studies have shown that artichoke leaf extract provides relief to those suffering from acid reflux or indigestion pain, leading members of some European scientific advisory boards to authorize use of artichoke to help people with everything from mild diarrhea and nausea to bloating and stomach discomfort (1).

3) Cholesterol-reducing ability
Artichoke has been found to contain compounds that play a role in the reduction of cholesterol in the blood, making it a good choice for those with related concerns (2). Specifically, the compounds are sesquiterpene-lactones and cynarin.

4) Boosts brain health
Because artichokes are a source of vitamin K, which is linked to facilitating brain health by reducing damage to neurons in that organ, it may help patients with Alzheimer's disease (2). Furthermore, artichokes are known to act as a vasodilator, which simply means that the food has properties that expand blood vessels, letting more oxygen reach the brain (3). When there is more oxygen in the brain, improved cognitive abilities can result.

Enjoy the benefits of artichokes not only during National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, but every day. Always be sure to choose fresh, organic options.

 http://www.naturalnews.com/045713_artichokes_brain_health_antioxidants.html

5 WAYS YOGA IS A BASIC PRACTICE FOR MUSLIMS

Salat, or prayer, should be performed very consciously and deliberately, both physically and spiritually. There is a lot of discussion on the spiritual significance of Salat. The physical significance, however, is often overlooked.
Once during Sujood (prostration), I couldn’t help but become distracted and wondered, ‘Wait, this is just like a Yoga pose…’ I was never committed to yoga, but I was familiar with its benefits and always said I’d do it more often. Without a doubt, my favorite position was Balasana, or the child’s pose. It’s almost identical to Sujood. I started drawing parallels between yoga and other positions of Salat. To my surprise, all of them were covered in beginner level yoga!
Here you’ll find Salat positions along with their most similar yoga positions and their health benefits:

During Qiyam and Namaste, there is an even distribution to both feet. This will ease the nervous system and balance the body. The body is charged with positive energy. This position straightens the back and improves posture. In this position, a verse of the Quran is recited: ‘And guide us to the straight path.’ Some have interpreted this to mean the alignment of our Chakras. While reciting more verses from the Quran, the sound vibrations of the long vowels ā, ī, and ū stimulate the heart, thyroid, pineal gland, pituitary, adrenal glands, and lungs, purifying and uplifting them all.

Ruk’u and Ardha Uttanasana fully stretch the muscles of the lower back, front torso, thighs, and calves. Blood is pumped into the upper torso. This position tones muscles of the stomach, abdomen, and kidneys.

 Julus and Vajrasana aid the detoxification of the liver and stimulate peristaltic action of the large intestine. This position assists digestion by forcing the contents of the stomach downward. It helps in curing varicose veins and joint pains, increases flexibility, and strengthens the pelvic muscles.
 Julus and Vajrasana aid the detoxification of the liver and stimulate peristaltic action of the large intestine. This position assists digestion by forcing the contents of the stomach downward. It helps in curing varicose veins and joint pains, increases flexibility, and strengthens the pelvic muscles.

Sujud is the most important position in prayer. This position stimulates the brain’s frontal cortex. It leaves the heart in a higher position than the brain, which increases flow of blood into upper regions of the body, especially the head and lungs. This allows mental toxins to be cleansed. This position allows stomach muscles to develop and prevents growth of flabbiness in the midsection. It maintains proper position of fetus in pregnant women, reduces high blood pressure, increases elasticity of joints and alleviates stress, anxiety, dizziness and fatigue.

Many people perform Yoga with soothing instructions to help them meditate. In a soft voice, a man or woman would describe how to breathe, what to imagine, and what to feel. Recitation of the Quran serves similarly as guidance to the individual. However, it serves not only to guide you during Salat but also to guide your life. Many describe meditation as a source of enlightenment as it leaves them at peace and eases their daily activities. Salat serves this exact purpose. Guidance and peace are core values in Islam to the point that prayer is needed five times a day! It is so significant that a sect of Islam, Sufism, was created to make meditation their main focus.
These are just some benefits associated with Salat. Benefits of reciting Quran, along with other features of prayer, delve into aspects of psychology, sociology, neuroscience and much, much more.
As of now, it’s safe to say that Muslims have been doing Yoga for more than 1,400 years! So, the next time someone asks you if you do yoga say: ‘YES, YES, YES!’
http://mvslim.com/5-ways-yoga-is-a-basic-practice-for-muslims/

Can Prayer Heal? Wired for Spirituality?

For the past 30 years, Harvard scientist Herbert Benson, MD, has conducted his own studies on prayer. He focuses specifically on meditation, the Buddhist form of prayer, to understand how mind affects body. All forms of prayer, he says, evoke a relaxation response that quells stress, quiets the body, and promotes healing.

Prayer involves repetition -- of sounds, words -- and therein lies its healing effects, says Benson. "For Buddhists, prayer is meditation. For Catholics, it's the rosary. For Jews, it's called dovening. For Protestants, it's centering prayer. Every single religion has its own way of doing it."

Benson has documented on MRI brain scans the physical changes that take place in the body when someone meditates. When combined with recent research from the University of Pennsylvania, what emerges is a picture of complex brain activity:

As an individual goes deeper and deeper into concentration, intense activity begins taking place in the brain's parietal lobe circuits -- those that control a person's orientation in space and establish distinctions between self and the world. Benson has documented a "quietude" that then envelops the entire brain.

At the same time, frontal and temporal lobe circuits -- which track time and create self-awareness -- become disengaged. The mind-body connection dissolves, Benson says.

And the limbic system, which is responsible for putting "emotional tags" on that which we consider special, also becomes activated. The limbic system also regulates relaxation, ultimately controlling the autonomic nervous system, heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, etc., says Benson.

The result: Everything registers as emotionally significant, perhaps responsible for the sense of awe and quiet that many feel. The body becomes more relaxed and physiological activity becomes more evenly regulated.

Does all this mean that we are communicating with a higher being -- that we are, in fact, "hard-wired" at the factory to do just that? That interpretation is purely subjective, Benson tells WebMD. "If you're religious, this is God-given. If you're not religious, then it comes from the brain."

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/can-prayer-heal?page=2

10 BENEFITS OF FASTING THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU

"Starvation literally means starvation. It doesn’t mean skipping a meal or not eating for 24 hours. Or not eating for three days even. The belief that meal skipping or short-term fasting causes “starvation mode” is so completely ridiculous and absurd that it makes me want to jump out the window." – Martin Berkhan 

Is it a good thing to ‘starve’ yourself each day, or a few days of the week? Well, a tonne of evidence indicates that timed periods of fasting are a good thing.
Fasting has become increasingly popular over the years, especially among the health community. Whilst most health practitioners are afraid to recommend eating less due to the stigma involved, it still doesn’t alleviate the incredible benefits of fasting when used sensibly.

In this article, we’ll explore 10 benefits of fasting that will surprise you, and how you can incorporate them into your own life.

1. Fasting Helps Weight Loss

Fasting can be a safe way to lose weight as many studies have shown that intermittent fasting – fasting that is controlled within a set number of hours – allows the body to burn through fat cells more effectively than just regular dieting. Intermittent fasting allows the body to use fat as it’s primary source of energy instead of sugar. Many athletes now use fasting as means to hitting low body fat percentages for competitions.

2. Fasting Improves Insulin Sensitivity

Fasting has shown to have a positive effect on insulin sensitivity, allowing you to tolerate carbohydrates (sugar) better than if you didn’t fast. A study showed that after periods of fasting, insulin becomes more effective in telling cells to take up glucose from blood.

3. Fasting Speeds Up The Metabolism

Intermittent fasting gives your digestive system a rest, and this can energise your metabolism to burn through calories more efficiently. If your digestion is poor, this can effect your ability to metabolise food and burn fat. Intermittent fasts can regulate your digestion and promote healthy bowel function, thus improving your metabolic function.

4. Fasting Promotes Longevity

Believe it or not, the less you eat the longer you will live. Studies have shown how the lifespan of people in certain cultures increased due to their diets. However, we don’t need to live amongst a foreign community to reap the benefits of fasting. One of the primary effects of ageing is a slower metabolism, the younger your body is, the faster and more efficient your metabolism. The less you eat, the less toll it takes on your digestive system.

5. Fasting Improves Hunger

Just think about this, can you actually experience real hunger if you eat a meal every 3-4 hours? Of course you can’t. In fact, to experience the true nature of hunger, this would take anything from 12 to even 24 hours.
Fasting helps to regulate the hormones in your body so that you experience what true hunger is. We know that obese individuals do not receive the correct signals to let them know they are full due excessive eating patterns.
Think of fasting as a reset button: the longer you fast, the more your body can regulate itself to release the correct hormones, so that you can experience what real hunger is. Not to mention, when your hormones are working correctly, you get full quicker.

6. Fasting Improves Your Eating Patterns

Fasting can be a helpful practice for those who suffer with binge eating disorders, and for those who find it difficult to establish a correct eating pattern due to work and other priorities.
With intermittent fasting going all afternoon without a meal is okay and it can allow you to eat at a set time that fits your lifestyle. Also, for anyone who wants to prevent binge eating, you can establish a set time in where you allow yourself to eat your daily amount of calories in one sitting, and then not eat till the following day.

7. Fasting Improves Your Brain Function

Fasting has shown to improve brain function, because it boosts the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF.)
BDNF activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health. This protein also protects your brain cells from changes associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

8. Fasting Improves Your Immune System

Intermittent fasting improves the immune system because it reduces free radical damage, regulates inflammatory conditions in the body and starves off cancer cell formation.
In nature, when animals get sick they stop eating and instead focus on resting. This is a primal instinct to reduce stress on their internal system so their body can fight off infection. We humans are the only species who look for food when we are ill, even when we do not need it.

9. Fasting Contributes To Self-Enlightenment

Fasting has helped many people feel more connected to life during the practices reading, meditation, yoga and martial arts etc. With no food in the digestive system, this makes room for more energy in the body – the digestive is one of the most energy absorbing systems in the body.
Fasting for self-enlightenment, allows us to feel better both consciously and physically. With a lighter body and a clearer mind we become more aware and grateful for the things around us.

10. Fasting Helps Clear The Skin And Prevent Acne

Fasting can help clear the skin because with the body temporarily freed from digestion, it’s able to focus its regenerative energies on other systems.
Not eating anything for just one day has shown to help the body clean up the toxins and regulate the functioning of other organs of the body like liver, kidneys and other parts.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-of-fasting-that-will-surprise-you.html