And to all a good night. 
PS I love the GIF’s 🙂
” When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” ~Haruki Murakami
“Love without reason—bloom without season.”
― Debasish Mridha
Posts
Spring, Summer, and the Winds of Change…
Unseasonably cold here in Louisville, the radiators are on! Spring was here momentarily and it looked like summer was close on its heels, but the mercury has dipped and we’re wearing jackets again. I’ll be going to Buffalo soon for my darling son’s graduation from Law school, a dream come true! But how time has flown, with its wings of gossamer memories, flying, flying, hurrying into the future. Wish I could stop it for just a second, spend time with this son of mine, know he’ll be close and I’ll be close to him. But I’m being silly, of course, no matter where his young life takes him, I will not be far behind. I am so looking forward to his graduation, I’ll be taking lots of tissues and using water proof mascara, haha. I still think I am in my twenties, now he is in his twenties, and I am the age my parents were when I was in my twenties… well this is getting confusing, and I am simply writing to quell this anxiety that has all of a sudden arisen in my breast. So many days of no anxiety had me a bit spoiled, thinking “Hey it’s gone, the anxiety’s gone!” Yes it was gone for a bit, but now it’s back and I have to conquer it all over again. But I will, I’m sure I will. I have done it so many times before. The last time was the beginning of my play, when I thought I couldn’t learn all the lines, couldn’t memorize all the stage directions, but I did, and it became my most favorite play I’ve done to date. So I know I can do it, conquer, wage war against anxiety and win.
Where does it come from, this anxiety? What molecules in my brain, what second messengers in my neurons start the cascade that results in this ubiquitous anxiety?
Exercise! Tomorrow I’ll exercise and the endorphins will take care of it.
There’s nothing specific, just a feeling of unease, feeling ill at ease, about what? I don’t know, no real enemies to battle, nothing finite.
I’ll be fine. I am fine. My son is fine. Wherever he goes, I will be close behind, making sure he settles into his new life, making sure he has everything he needs, making sure a cleaning lady cleans his place once a week, lol.
Well isn’t this weird and sort of inane… just how I’m feeling, emotional, anxious and perhaps a little troubled, about what, what? The future? Time to read “The Power of Now” again. Eckhart always puts things right, in perspective. I’ll give my fingers and your eyes a break now and go read and meditate. And pack, pack for my trip. Oh and I got my hair bobbed again, love it, no anxiety there!
Time!
17 years passed between these pictures!
And 27 years between these!
Crisis Text Line.
There is a text line for crisis situations, for people who are feeling too low even to make a phone call. Just text GO to 741-741 and help will be available! Below is information about the text line.
http://www.crisistextline.org/
A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH A SIMPLE SOLUTION.
Millions of people are quietly suffering every day. They struggle with depression, bullying, substance abuse, relationship problems, suicidal thoughts, and much more. Many people feel like they have no one to turn to and nowhere to go.
The solution is beautifully simple: Crisis Text Line provides crisis support, 24/7, to people through a medium they already use and trust: text.
-
Text messages offer a discreet, familiar, and accessible form of communication. Crisis Text Line enables anyone with any mobile phone that has SMS capability to access free support at their fingertips.
-
Live, trained specialists who have extensive training in crisis intervention provide emotional support to anyone in crisis, as well as safety planning and referrals.
HELP PEOPLE IN CRISIS ACCESS THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
Our vision is that that Crisis Text Line will be as a widely known as 9-1-1 for anyone in crisis, so that everyone can get the support they need to overcome life’s challenges.
Your donation can help make this happen.
Lithium Beats Newer Meds for Bipolar Disorder
I’ve been on Lithium since 1986, (except for a disastrous period between 2001 – 2008) so this comes as no surprise for me. I am now on 600 mg Lithium Carbonate ER per day and 100 mg Seroquel daily. My mood is stable, my symptoms are totally under control. I don’t feel flat, I still feel things, still have sadness and happiness. I have been stable for one and a half years, a record for me, as I used to cycle at least a couple of times a year. This is attributable to Lithium of course, but also to the fact that I am no longer on an SSRI (Zoloft), which causes people who have bipolar disorder to cycle and have mixed phases, which is exactly what I was experiencing. Mixed phases, hmm, the best way to describe them is you experience mania and depression symptoms at the same time, also with a huge amount of anxiety. Not fun! So not being on Zoloft and yes being on Lithium has been the best thing for me as far as mood stability is concerned. I admit, the scary depth of feelings led me to be more creative as in writing poems, stories, etc. But I gladly give that up for relative peace of mind. I don’t care if I never write “creative” poems that have much too much emotion in them (mostly sadness and anxiety,) I choose to be stable mood wise, I’d rather not visit those dark, frightening dungeons where bipolar monsters live.
PS
Lithium can affect your kidneys, so regular tests are needed to ascertain that the kidneys are woking well. Also, it can affect your thyroid, cause hypothyroid, so again testing is needed to make sure that your thyroid is fine. My thyroid stopped working a few years ago, we thought it was because of the lithium, but it is in fact Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disease, whereby your own immune system basically kills your thyroid, so now I take Synthroid, synthetic thyroid hormone, to replace what my thyroid no longer makes.
Lower rates of self-harm, accidental injury seen
By Dennis Thompson
THURSDAY, May 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Lithium outperforms newer mood stabilizers in the treatment of bipolar disorder, a new study has found.
Patients taking lithium had lower rates of self-harm and unintentional injury compared to those taking other bipolar drugs, such as valproate (Depacon, Depakote), olanzapine (Zyprexa) or quetiapine (Seroquel), said lead researcher Joseph Hayes. He is a fellow of psychiatry at University College London.
“This is important because people with bipolar disorder are 15 times more likely to die by suicide and six times more likely to die by accidental injury than the general population,” Hayes explained.
People taking one of the alternative mood stabilizers were 40 percent more likely to harm themselves compared to patients on lithium, Hayes and his colleagues found.
And people on valproate or quetiapine were 32 percent to 34 percent more likely to fall victim to unintentional injury, most likely while experiencing a manic episode, the researchers said.
“Lithium still is the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar. We really haven’t had a medication that surpasses lithium, as far as we know,” said Dr. Raphael Braga. He is physician-in-charge of the Center for Treatment and Research of Bipolar Disorder at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., and was not involved with the study.
Hayes noted that lithium has been used for more than half a century to treat bipolar disorder, but it’s still not clear how the drug stabilizes a person’s mood.
Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depression, is characterized by extreme mood swings ranging from emotional highs to depressive lows.
The researchers undertook their study following evidence reviews and studies that suggested lithium might be better than newer medications at preventing suicide and self-harm.
These studies have contended that lithium achieves these results by reducing symptoms such as depression, aggression, risk-taking and impulsive behavior, according to background notes in the study.
Lithium can be hard on the body, the study authors said, increasing a person’s risk of kidney and thyroid disease, but even that may have a positive side in bipolar patients. Because patients must be closely monitored for side effects, they are in more frequent contact with doctors who can pick up on emotional problems that lead to suicide, the researchers contend.
To compare lithium against newer medications, Hayes and his colleagues collected medical data on nearly 6,700 people diagnosed as bipolar and prescribed only one of the drugs — lithium, valproate, olanzapine or quetiapine.
The investigators found that people on lithium were less likely to harm themselves, either intentionally or by accident.
The suicide rate was lower in the lithium group, but too few suicides occurred to allow accurate risk estimates, the study authors said.
The findings were published online May 11 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
Lithium can cause kidney disease and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland), Braga and Hayes said.
Doctors need to carefully weigh benefits versus harm when prescribing lithium to people with kidney or thyroid problems, and “if these are severe, it should be avoided,” Hayes said. “Lithium [also] needs to be reviewed on an individual patient basis before pregnancy.”
Braga said psychiatrists often require patients taking lithium to undergo lab tests every three to six months, to make sure their kidney function hasn’t been compromised.
Even with this, lithium is much cheaper than the other medications in the study, Braga said. Hayes noted a 2008 study that found lithium was nearly $500 cheaper per month compared with olanzapine.
“Lithium is a great drug,” Braga said. “It’s definitely a drug every clinician should think about when prescribing for bipolar disorder.”
Dryer Sheets Cause Hormone Imbalance, Neurotoxicity, Respiratory Problems and Even Cancer (I.e they’re bad for you people!)
I’ve always gotten migraines from fabric softener a and dryer sheets so I never use them. Even highly fragranced laundry detergent will give me migraines. I’ve always thought these were bad for you and now… Well read on and decide for yourself.
http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/dryer-sheets-cause-hormone-imbalance-neurotoxicity-respiratory-problems-and-even-cancer/?t=JERF
Most commercial dryer sheets are loaded with all sorts of toxic chemicals including Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chloroform and Linalool; none of which are good for your health. In addition to all the chemicals that end up on your skin, when heated, the fumes are also toxic. These toxins go straight to their brain’s most sensitive neurological centers and wreck havoc
5 Killer Reasons to Ditch Dryer Sheets
Artificial Fragrances
When people use dryer sheets, they are coating their cloths with artificial chemical perfumes. These fragrance chemical are really toxic chemicals. They are known carcinogens that cause liver damage and cancer in mammals. (study)
In a recent study performed by UW professor Dr. Anne Steinemann, a research team conducted a small study to understand the effects of fragrances in laundry products (both detergent and dryer sheets). The resultsd discovered more than 25 VOCs emitted from dryer vents, with highest concentrations of acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol (two of which are considered carcinogenic). To put it in context, one of the carcinogenic VOC’s, acetaldehyde, had emissions that would represent 3% of total acetaldehyde emissions from automobiles in the study area. This is a major omission of toxic chemicals.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from the 1990s, the following is a list of chemicals in fabric softener products, most in untested combinations.
1. Alpha-Terpineol–This chemical has been linked to disorders of the brain and nervous system, loss of muscle control, depression, and headaches
2. Benzyl acetate–Benzyl acetate has been linked to cancer of the pancreas
3. Benzyl alcohol–This upper respiratory tract irritant can cause central nervous system (CNS) disorders, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and dramatic drops in blood pressure.
4. Chloroform–Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic. Really toxic to your brain. Inhaling its vapors may cause loss of consciousness, nausea, headache, vomiting, and/or dizziness, drowsiness.
5. Ethanol– Another fabric softener ingredient which is on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and linked to CNS disorders.
6. Ethyl Acetate–causes headaches and is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list
7. Linalool–in studies, this chemical caused loss of muscle coordination, nervous system and brain disorders, and depression
8. Pentane–causes headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, and depression
What’s the alternative to toxic dryer sheets? Wool balls. They are 100% natural and are effective at getting rid of static cling and wrinkles, soften clothes
Another Post of Mine in the Huffpost!
New ‘second skin’ could zap wrinkles, ease eczema (!!!)
This is all I needed to read: “Today, researchers report that they’ve created a cream that—when rubbed on the skin—forms a transparent, flexible polymer film that restores aging skin’s youthful and elastic properties.” Wooohoooo!!!! Read on!
This is all I need to know: When does it come on the market?
There’s new hope for combatting the sags, bags, and wrinkles brought on by time. Today, researchers report that they’ve created a cream that—when rubbed on the skin—forms a transparent, flexible polymer film that restores aging skin’s youthful and elastic properties. Each application of the so-called “second skin” lasts for a day or more, and it can dramatically reduce bags under the eyes and help dry skin retain moisture, at least temporarily. Down the road, it could also help treat a wide variety of skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, bringing relief to millions.
“This has huge potential,” says Suzanne Kilmer, a dermatologist at the University of California, Davis. Kilmer notes that people with eczema and other skin conditions often wrap their skin with bulky bandages or even clear plastic wrap to ensure that their medication doesn’t wipe off. “Instead of patients having to wear all that stuff, they could use this invisible film,” she says.
Our skin is subject to a wide variety of insults, from the sun’s ultraviolet rays to cuts, scratches, diseases, and—of course—the assaults of time. Youthful skin is typically highly elastic, allowing it to snap back into place if pinched or flexed. That’s partly because of a web of protein filaments in the skin that act like rubber bands to pull it into its normal shape. However, these filaments break down over time, and they aren’t replaced as quickly in elderly skin as in youthful skin, says Barbara Gilchrest, a dermatologist with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, who was part of the new study. The result is the sagging skin and wrinkles of old age.
For people dealing with eczema and psoriasis, rashes and dry skin can be so severe that they can’t sleep at night, says R. Rox Anderson, an MGH dermatologist who also worked on the current study. According to Anderson about 20% of children and 10% of adults in the United States suffer from eczema.
To treat these and other skin conditions, Anderson and Gilchrest have long teamed up with Robert Langer, a materials scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Their goal was to create a product that would restore skin’s youthful elasticity, yet be transparent and flexible. They created their first “second skin” of a silicon-polymer gel activated by a second gel, and marketed it as a way to temporarily reduce under-eye bags. But the combo, sold by a firm called Living Proof, was criticized for being too costly ($500 for a 7-week supply) and for peeling off after only 5 hours.
So Langer and his team went back to the lab. They kept the same goal, and they stuck with similar starting materials: silicon-based polymers called siloxanes, regularly used in cosmetics and widely regarded as safe. But Langer and his colleagues changed numerous components. They varied everything from the length of individual molecular chains to the makeup of chemical groups called crosslinkers that bind separate chains to one another as the gel transforms into a thin polymer film. Langer says he and his colleagues tested hundreds of different formulations. In the end, they came up with a platform that allow them to systematically change the film’s thickness, breathability, flexibility, and durability, in an effort to target different cosmetic and medical uses.
As with the previous film-forming material, users apply the new film in two steps. First, the siloxane gel is rubbed on the skin. Then, a second gel, which contains a platinum catalyst, is rubbed on top, causing the crosslinking groups to bind to one another and form a continuous film.
As the film dries, it shrinks by as much as 10%, depending upon the exact formulation. Anderson, Gilchrest, and colleagues tested their cosmetic formulation on 12 volunteers. After they applied the two gel layers on the skin under subjects’ eyes, the films shrank, pulling the skin taut. As they report today in Nature Materials, the films reduced the presence of eye bags up to 40% for 24 hours, compared with control tests with only the first gel. They devised a 1-to-5 scale that measured how prominent the eye bags were, and found in volunteers that the film reduced it by 2 points on the scale. Tests also showed that after 24 hours the film reduced skin water loss by 23% by acting as a barrier to protect dry skin. By comparison, petroleum jelly and a commercial moisturizer also reduced water loss, but only for a couple hours. Even though it has not yet been tested for eczema, psoriasis, and other debilitating skin conditions, Gilchrest says she is hopeful that it might one day offer relief to patients with such conditions. Simply giving damaged skin another protective layer could help those patients, Gilchrest says. But future versions could also come loaded with medicines designed to be slowly released over time, she says. Anderson and Langer are already getting started: They have launched a new company, Olivo Labs, to pursue those medical uses.
Epigenetic study of lactose intolerance may shed light on the origin of mental illness
“Epi” as in on top of explains the phenomenon known as epigenetic change/s. Epigenetic changes are changes on top of the genetic code. There is no change in the sequence of the DNA, but groups such as methyl or acetyl, or phosphate groups can be added to the gene, leading to either activation or inactivation of the gene. Methly groups inactivate genes, whereas phosphoryl groups activate them. By accumulating epigenetic changes on the Lactase gene over time, it can shut down the gene and the person will lose the ability to break down lactose, causing all the symptoms of lactose intolerance. The lactase gene which codes for the enzyme lactase which breaks down the milk sugar lactose, is always active in newborns till many years later. By acquiring epigenetic changes, this gene can start to get shut down, until many epigenetic changes shut it down totally in some individuals.
This mechanism could also be at play in mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, these illnesses are also not present at birth, and only surface in later years. Interesting!
A new study on the epigenetics of lactose intolerance may provide an approach to understanding schizophrenia and other complex, serious illnesses.
Both lactose intolerance and schizophrenia are inherited. In addition, neither condition emerges in the first years of life, but rather both appear years or even decades later, says senior author Dr. Arturas Petronis, head of the Krembil Family Epigenetics Laboratory in the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
See Also: Schizophrenia-associated genetic variants affect gene regulation in the developing brain
The study, published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, showed that a combination of genetics and epigenetics—factors that turn genes on or off—could explain how lactose intolerance develops over time. These basic principles can be applied to the study of more complex mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or Alzheimer’s disease. All these conditions also have DNA risk factors but take decades before clinical symptoms develop, says Dr. Petronis, who also is the Tapscott Chair in Schizophrenia Studies at the University of Toronto.
More than 65 percent of adults worldwide are lactose intolerant and cannot process the milk sugar lactose. Lactose intolerance is influenced by one gene, which determines if a person will lose the ability to process lactose over time. More specifically, those with some variants of this gene will gradually produce less lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, as they age.
“The question we asked is why does this change happen over time? All newborns are able to digest lactose, independently from their genetic variation,” says Dr. Petronis. “Now, we know that epigenetic factors accumulate at a very different pace in each person, depending on the genetic variants of the lactase gene.”
Over time, these epigenetic changes build up and inactivate the lactase gene in some—but not all—individuals. At this point, these individuals would start experiencing symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Don’t Miss: Working to loosen the grip of severe mental illness
Unravelling the epigenetic control of the lactase gene involved a collaborative effort of CAMH, University of Toronto, the Hospital for Sick Children, Vilnius University and the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.
Mental illnesses are much more complex, and many more genes with their epigenetic “surroundings” are implicated. But in essence, the same molecular mechanisms may account for the delayed age of onset of illnesses, such as schizophrenia, in early adulthood, says Dr. Petronis.
The combination of genes and epigenetic factors that build up over time with age, provide a plausible avenue to investigate in illnesses such as schizophrenia. “We came up with interesting hypotheses, and possibly insights, into risk factors for brain disease by studying aging intestines,” he says.
Note: Material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health press release
Publication
Labrie Vet al. Lactase nonpersistence is directed by DNA-variation-dependent epigenetic aging. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Published Online May 9 2016. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3227
588 Likes on Huffpost for my post called “How You Treat Someone With a Mental Illness” !
Wow, my post on Huffpost called “How You Treat Someone With a Mental Illness” got 588 likes!!! So, it’s clear, people are looking for practical answers about mental illness. I’ll be doing some posts like that soon. And thank you for all the likes, dear readers!
