No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

I'm no longer working for the Korean Cuisine Cooking Demo. Reasons given:

1. I don't speak Korean and that slows down production
2. I'm not Korean and this is a Korean foods demo
3. I don't belong to the same church as the Korean women that were hired to work
4. I take too many breaks (I've taken TWO breaks in the entire time I've been working for her. I took ONE half hour break on the day I worked 12 hours for her, and ONE half hour break on the day that I worked 10 hours for her. I took the breaks because I'd been putting in 18 hour work days during this time and I was tired.)
4. I make the owner uncomfortable because she knows that I work late at night and she feels guilty having me work long hours during the day too. (but she doesn't want me to take any kind of break while I work for her.)

I am torqued.

I have worked longer for this company than anyone else doing these demos. I have worked longer hours than anyone else doing these demos. I have worked harder than anyone else. I know more about the products than anyone else doing the demos. I've made more sales than anyone else doing these demos.

Dragon Woman owns the company, Everything Korean (if there's a real food company out there with this name, my apologies). Dragon Woman is diminutive, perhaps 4'11", slender, and has a Napoleonic complex. She is an overly aggressive saleswoman who pushes her products on customers. They consequently leave products at the cash register along with their complaints. (It's really too bad that she's this way since the products are tasty, easy to use, and inexpensive.) I've wondered if the woman has adult ADHD. She also has the charming attributes of being nasty-tempered, impatient, and insecure.

It's actually her insecurity that has done me in. I have been extremely competent and because I speak English well, I'm better able to explain her products and their cooking methods than she is. I've made sales that she's been on the verge of losing simply because she didn't understand the questions. Rather than be grateful that there's someone that can help her, she's unhappy because she seems to think it makes her look bad for anyone to know more than she does.

It doesn't help that she can't push me around like she does her Korean employees.

It's not that I am unpleasant when she is. I simply ask her questions to get a better understanding of what the problem is. That approach seems to make her angry. Apparently I'm supposed to just agree with whatever she is mad about, take the blame (for dumb things like her misplacing her purse) and move on. Being raised American, I have a difficult time taking crap from her so I just ask questions. Believe it or not, I'm very polite as I do this. It drives her crazy.

I'm finding it hard to believe that I can be too competent, too hard-working and too successful AND get punished for it.

I'm not sure what the lesson is but, because I'm not obedient and I'm too competent, I've been sacked.

Work Ethics and My Children

I've been working the Korean Cooking Demo for the last couple of days. Crazy hours and hard work. A teenager was hired on the recommendation of her grandmother.

Oh dear.

Said teenager was assigned to start work at 8 a.m. and showed up at 10:30. She showed up for work wearing very brief shorts and then refused to wear the uniform because "it was too claustrophobic" and would make her legs sweat and cause her to become dizzy. She talked on her cellphone a majority of the time she was there. She spent more time talking with the guys that flocked around her (yes, she was very pretty) than she did doing any sort of meaningful work. She took several long breaks. I overheard her tell someone on the phone that she would be ready to leave by 12:30 or 1. She left on break (again) at 12:30, called at 1 to say that a family "incident" had come up and she wouldn't be able to return to work. That was the last time we saw her. She was there a total of 2 hours.

I would be embarrassed for recommending her if I were her grandmother.

I am so grateful that all of my children have been hard workers. I am grateful that I don't have to be ashamed of my children's work ethics. I am grateful to all the people that have gambled on my children and have been pleasantly surprised at the good jobs the kids have done at whatever jobs they've been given to do. The oldest kids are now grown up and employed. One is in graduate school. One is an entrepreneur developing her new company. All are over-achievers.

Recently, Butterfly worked for several people as she earned money to go to the Big Island with her church group. She did yard work, painting, and house cleaning. All of the people that employed her told me how hard she worked. I was so very proud of my youngest daughter.

I am also grateful I am not that teenager's grandmother.

What Drinking Soda Does to Your Body

My name is Edda and I'm a Pepsi addict...

I drink Pepsi when I'm stressed. I drink it when I relax. I drink it when I want to reward myself. It's my drink of choice when going out to eat. I LIKE to drink the stuff. I know it's bad for me.

I'm drinking a Pepsi as I write this article.

My addiction is a problem -- I want to be healthy and I KNOW this stuff is the antithesis of healthy. And it's not just Pepsi that's the problem; it's ALL sodas.

I can identify 6 unhealthy aspects about this stuff:

1. Empty calories
2. High fructose corn syrup
3. Phosphoric acid
4. Caffeine
5. Aspartame (for those that drink diet sodas)
6. It takes the place of drinking water

Let's go over each of these points.

Calories
Soda is full of empty calories. (I discussed simple carbohydrates earlier in the Insomnia series.) Empty calories means there are no vitamins, fiber, protein or ANY other redeeming value. All you get is a sugar rush and a spike in insulin levels.

The American Heart Association recently issued a scientific statement saying that high intake of added sugars is implicated in many poor health conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. And it recommended that women consume no more than 100 calories a day, or about 6½ teaspoons, from added sugars; men, no more than 150 calories, or about 9½ teaspoons. This includes table sugar, brown sugar, HFCS, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, agave syrup and other caloric sweeteners.

A 12-ounce soda has about 150 calories and 40-50 grams of sugars in high-fructose corn syrup, equal to 10 teaspoons of sugar. One 20-ounce bottle, contains about 250 calories and the equivalent of about 15 teaspoons of sugar.

Dr. Frank Hu, of the Harvard School of Public Health, says that a single can of soda per day can make you gain 15 pounds of body weight annually.

Whoa! Fifteen pounds packed on per year just from drinking ONE can of soda every day. THAT's something to think about!

High-Fructose Corn Syrup
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is produced by milling corn to produce corn starch, then processing that starch to yield corn syrup, and then adding enzymes that change most of the glucose into fructose. While corn is subsidized in the United States, there are import tariffs and quotas on foreign sugar, making table sugar more expensive in the US than elsewhere in the world. HFCS is essentially a cheap substitute for beet and cane sugar.

Here are some of the side-effects of a diet high in fructose:

* HFCS converts to fat more than any other sugar. This may be one of the reasons Americans are continually gaining more weight not less weight. Dr. George Bray, principal investigator of the Diabetes Prevention Program at Louisiana State University Medical Center told the International Congress on Obesity that in 1980, just after high fructose corn syrup was introduced in mass quantities, relatively stable obesity rates began to climb. By 2000, they had doubled.
* HFCS inhibits copper metabolism. Copper deficiency leads to defects in the connective tissues and arteries, and bone fragility. As one chiropractor observed, “the bodies of the children I see today are mush.” The culprit is the modern diet high in fructose and low in copper containing foods, resulting in inadequate formation of elastin and collagen, the proteins that help hold our bodies together.

So, HFCS promotes obesity and prevents my body from rebuilding elastin and the collegen I need to get my knees into better shape. Not good.

Phosphoric Acid

Why do they put phosphoric acid in sodas? Maryland's Frostburg State University informs us,

"Phosphoric acid is deliberately added to soft drinks to give them a sharper flavor. It also slows the growth of molds and bacteria, which would otherwise multiply rapidly in the sugary solution."

Because good health depends upon our bodies being able to maintain a one-to-one balance between calcium and phosphorus in our systems, calcium is released from our teeth and bones into our bloodstreams to help balance the phosphoric acid in the pop we drink. Eventually the phosphoric acid is excreted, taking the released calcium with it.

Elson M Haas MD, author of "The Detox Diet: A How-To & When-To Guide for Cleansing the Body" states:

"Phosphorus is found in most foods but soda pops, diet pops contain
especially high amounts. The ideal dietary phosphorus-calcium ratio is about
1:1. The ratio in the average American diet is often greater than 2:1 and
sometimes even 4:1 or 5:1. At those levels, excess calcium is removed from
bone and eliminated, blood levels are reduced, and there is bone
demineralization. A diet high in phosphorus and low in calcium has been
shown to cause bone loss and increase tissue calcification."

"Tooth loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis can be problems,
especially with a high phosphorus intake, particularly from soft drinks. All
kinds of bone problems can occur with prolonged calcium deficiency, which
causes a decrease in bone mass. Rickets in children, osteomalacia (decreased
bone calcium) in adults, and osteoporosis (porous and fragile bones) can
occur when calcium is withdrawn from bones faster than it is deposited.
Fractures are more common with osteoporosis the United States are related to this prevalent nutritional deficiency disease"

Phosphoric acid is also known to neutralize the hydrochloric acid in our stomachs. This is unfortunate, for we need hydrochloric acid to help us digest our food and utilize its nutrients. It is especially required for calcium utilization. So, not only does phosphoric acid leach calcium from our bones, it also prohibits hydrochloric acid from helping to restore it.

According to a report published in the March / April 2007 edition of General Dentistry, phosphoric acid in soda causes tooth enamel erosion, even with minimal exposure. While some consumers may believe that sugar is the only culprit of soda's adverse effects on dental health, enamel erosion occurs whether the soda is sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.

The phosphoric acid in my daily can of Pepsi helps de-mineralize my bones and teeth and promotes the acid reflux problem I have by neutralizing the hydrochloric acid in my stomach. Pepsi is NOT looking too good right now.

Caffeine

Here is a list of the top 10 caffeine-related health effects from Ezine Articles (where you can read more details surrounding these 10 points):

1. Cardiovascular Problems
2. Emotional Disturbances
3. Blood Sugar Swings
4. Gastrointestinal Problems
5. Nutritional Deficiencies
6. Male Health Issues
7. Female Health Problems
8. Aging
9. Adrenal Exhaustion
10. Essential Mineral Depletion

Caffeine also does some strange things to your hormones.

1. Caffeine inhibits absorption of the body-calming adenosine, which can make you feel alert but can also inhibit sleep later on.
2. Caffeine injects adrenaline into your system, giving you a temporary boost, but possibly making you fatigued and depressed later. If you take more caffeine to counteract these effects, you end up spending the day in an agitated state, and might find yourself jumpy and edgy by night
3. Caffeine increases levels of cortisol, the "stress hormone", which can lead to health consequences ranging from weight gain and moodiness to heart disease and diabetes.

Many experts believe that increased levels of cortisol lead to stronger cravings for fat and carbohydrates, and cause the body to store fat in the abdomen. (Abdominal fat carries with it greater health risks than other types of fat.) Also, if increased cortisol levels lead to stronger cravings for caffeine-laden foods, the body goes into a cycle that leads only to worse health.
4. Caffeine increases dopamine levels in your system, acting in a way similar to amphetamines, which can make you feel good after taking it, but after it wears off you can feel ‘low’. It can also lead to a physical dependence because of dopamine manipulation.

Perhaps the caffeine/dopamine/cortisol connection helps explain the craving I have for the Pepsi. I KNOW I'm addicted. Now what am I going to do about it?

Aspartame

According to Dr. Janet Starr Hull, creator of the Aspartame Detox Program, there are 92 adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame. They include problems with eyes, ears, chest, neurology, psychological/psychiatric difficulties, gastrointestinal system, skin and allergies, endocrine system and metabolism. Aspartame toxicity also mimics or causes a wide range of horrible illnesses and symptoms.

Dr. Blaylock, a board certified neurosurgeon, author and lecturer, wrote the book, "Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills. He states that aspartame causes a dramatic increase in the blood plasma level; high levels of this poison excites brain cells and eventually kills them. It appears to either trigger or intensify neurological disorders such as: brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, and diabetes.

Of course, the makers of aspartame insist that the additive is safe.

I'm grateful that I stay far away from all products that contain aspartame (and it's cousin MSG)

Soda Replaces Water in Our Diets

Water is a natural energizer and increases metabolism. It helps to transport nutrients in our bodies. It removes waste and helps to flush out toxins. It regulates body temp. It helps to lubricate our joints. It can curb our appetite.

Soda has no beneficial ingredients in it except for the water. Caffeinated drinks take more water to process then the soda provides so it actually dehydrates you.

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the average adult in the United States consumes over 21% of total calories from beverages—more than double what it was several decades ago.

This increase has contributed to a huge obesity problem in the US, not to mention an increase in diabetes, and other major illnesses.

So what have I learned from this research? Soda is very, very bad for my health. Water is the preferred beverage.

Now I need to do a hypnosis session on creating the natural reflex -> I don't want to put soda into my body. I'll get back to you on the success of this process.


What Happens to Your Body If You Drink a Caffeinated Soda Right Now?

In the first 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor, allowing you to keep it down.

20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (And there’s plenty of that at this particular moment.)

40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate; your blood pressure rises; as a response, your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked, preventing drowsiness.

45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production, stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.

> 60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium, and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.

> 60 minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium, and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolytes, and water.

> 60 minutes: As the rave inside you dies down, you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like hydrating your system, or building strong bones and teeth.

This will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. (As little as two if you’re a smoker.)

A Wrinkle in My State of Mind

Auntie called today to ask me to pick up mango pickles. She is such a sweet woman. I'll see her tomorrow.

I asked her how Mama was doing. Auntie said that I should call my mother. When I reminded her that Mama told me to never call her again, Auntie said I should never mind what Mama has said to me. She said that Mama is lonesome and I should call her.

Damn!

Now I struggle with myself as I ask if I can handle more abusive words from my mother. Should I be the dutiful daughter and make another effort at reconciliation?

Probably.

I need to hypnotize myself to be immune to anything my mother can and will say.

I'm going to work. Stocking shelves requires no thinking - I can struggle with my conscience in peace.

Damn! Damn! Damn!

Blog Surfing

Writing Mother Nature Says has given me a new past-time: blog surfing. Just as far too many men channel surf through their hand-held remote control devices, I've taken up surfing through the network of links on other people's blogs.

I regularly read Funny About Money. Surfing through her links brought me to Financial Samurai's article, "How To Get Your Super Motivated Boyfriend to Marry You". It's a soul-baring, testosterone-laden explanation of how a young male achiever thinks about goals, ego, and women. Had I read this article when I was in my twenties, I'd have gone ballistic on what I'd have perceived as a self-centered rant on the many trials of a privileged male. My view from three decades of growing up is considerably more tolerant - I think the article is funny. The post made me so glad I'm no longer that young.

Next blog that caught my interest was from Little House in the Valley's post on "The Young and the Homeless". Since I'm on the edge of not being able to live indoors now and have found myself three days from homelessness in the past (ten years ago - interesting how bad fashions seem to recycle themselves), this post was pretty sobering.

Next interest-grabber is The Boxcar Kid's Blog. This chronicles the lives of an unemployed single mother and her children living in a tiny travel trailer in a child-unfriendly environment. Goodness, at least I'm in a small house with a yard. Her blog is one that I've subscribed to and want to keep up with.

Finally, Budgets Are Sexy has a new Million Dollar Club that I'm considering joining. Yeah, right, you might say considering how underemployed I currently am, but I AM going to become financially successful. Multiple income streams are part of the plan, along with starting a new company, Shelf Elves. More on that later.

For now, I need to work on my business plan to get it into better shape.

As my granddaughter says, "Bye-bye. Hugs and kisses!"

Bibliobsession: Vampire Academy

Three years ago I got caught up in Twilight madness. I read the entire series at the rate of one book a day until I was done. Didn't get much of anything else done, but as obsessed as I was with the series, no one seemed to expect much out of me until I was finished anyway.

As much as I loved the series, I HATED the heroine, Bella Swan. She was weak, clumsy, and always needed to be rescued, much of the time from herself. How could I admire someone like that?

Fast forward three years. While at Borders Bookstore, looking for a book to give Butterfly for her birthday, the salesclerk asked what books Butterfly had read and loved. Upon hearing Twilight, she said we HAD to get the Vampire Academy series. On faith, we purchased the first two books in the series, took them home, and wrapped them up to wait for the birthday.

Butterfly was interested in the idea of more vampires stories and tenuously began reading. I picked up the first book while Butterfly was at school and quickly became hooked.

OH MY GOODNESS! Teenager Rose Hathaway is a heroine I can love. She's tough, smart, beautiful and kills the bad guys all by herself. There's teen angst, some vulgar language and occasional sex, so some parental discretion is called for, but it's lots of fun and I like Rose so much better than pathetic Bella.

I've read the first four books and now must go out to buy number 5. The final book is due to be released December 7, 2010. I love these biblio-obsessions.

If you got hooked on the Twilight series and haven't read the Vampire Academy series yet, you MUST read the first chapter of the first book, Vampire Academy. You'll be hooked, too.

Try not to stay up all night finishing it!

Vampire Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Spirit Bound
Last Sacrifice

Baked Beans recipe

I read a delicious-sounding recipe for baked beans and wanted to try it out. The recipe called for canned baked beans, insisting that the dish tasted best ONLY with canned baked beans. So off I went to the store to check out canned baked beans.

Wow! The most popular, not to mention cheapest, brands of beans were filled with high fructose corn syrup! The brands that didn't use high fructose corn syrup came in smaller cans AND cost a LOT more. Since I didn't feel like spending over $10 for just the beans in this recipe, I decided to make the darned things from scratch.

Of course there's the barbecue sauce, too. Since I didn't have any on hand, I had to make that from scratch, too. THAT'S why this recipe comes in multiple parts.

But just for the record, the beans turned out delicious!

Pork and Beans From Scratch
1 lb white beans (I used Great Northern, but any white beans work just as well)
1 cup ketchup
2 cups water
2 tbsp. dark molasses
1/4 lb. diced salt pork or diced bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tbsp. salt

Preparation:
Soak the beans for at least 4 hours, drain, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Drain.

OR bring the beans to a boil, boil for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the beans sit for an hour. Bring back to a boil, then simmer until tender. Drain.

Combine cooked navy beans with remaining ingredients; mix gently to blend ingredients.

On the Stovetop:
Cover and cook on low until no longer soupy, stirring occasionally.

In a Crockpot:
Cover and cook on low 5 to 7 hours (high 2 1/2 to 4 hours)

Classic BBQ Rib Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cook minced onion and garlic in olive oil until onions turns opaque. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of barbecue sauce.

Southern-Style Baked Beans
Serves up to 18
8 slices bacon, halved
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans (or use the from-scratch recipe above)
3/4 cup barbecue sauce (either store bought or use the recipe above)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients). Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

Falling asleep naturally Part 5: Serotonin and Melatonin

Quick recap
Proteins and/or complex carbohydrates plus zinc release the amino acid tryptophan which our bodies (with enough B6, Magnesium, Zinc and sunlight) convert to the neurotransmitter serotonin which is then converted (with more B6, magnesium and darkness) to the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate a lot of your bodily functions. Along with melatonin, serotonin is especially involved in your sleep cycle. Melatonin helps you fall asleep, while serotonin helps you wake up feeling refreshed. At least, that's what serotonin and melatonin do in people who are fortunate enough to have the right amount.

News Note: No Aspartame
There are many reasons to avoid the artificial sweetener aspartame, which I'll cover in a future article, but when it comes to your ability to sleep, aspartame contains phenylalanine, an amino acid that competes with tryptophan for absorption. If phenylalanine levels are reduced, more tryptophan will be available for production of serotonin, then into melatonin and blessed sleep.

Serotonin

Serotonin is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and in the gut. (Medicine.net defines a hormone as a chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs.) 95% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut where it regulates the digestive process. The remaining 5% of the serotonin is produced in blood platelets (where it controls vasoconstriction and blood clotting), and in the brain (from the amino acid L-tryptophan conversion into 5-HTP which then crosses the blood-brain barrier to become serotonin).

Serotonin levels in the brain have widespread and often profound implications, including a role in sleep, appetite, memory, learning, temperature regulation, mood, sexual behavior, cardiovascular function, muscle contraction, and endocrine regulation. Not only does this hormone control physiological aspects of the body, but it also has an involvement in behaviors like eating, sleeping and aggression.

Low Serotonin Levels
Serotonin is implicated in a broad range of serotonin disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease. Serotonin deficiencies have been one of the factors to blame for ailments such as anorexia, bulimia, obsessive compulsive disorders, migraines, social phobias, schizophrenia and possibly SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

There are many reasons you can suffer lowered levels of serotonin; stress, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, and lack of sunlight. Lowered levels of serotonin are suspected as a cause for ADD, irritability, depression, aggression, anxiety, lack of concentration, chronic pain, restlessness or fatigue, nausea, obsessive-compulsive disorder, weight gain or loss, fibromyalgia, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, heat intolerance and other syndromes. Fluctuating serotonin levels are suspected in bipolar disorder (manic depression). You don't have to feel depressed or anxious; symptoms may be purely physical.

Serotonin's Role as a Modulator
Dr. Barbara S. Beltz, a professor of neuroscience at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass., refers to serotonin as a modulator. "It has widespread functions in 'setting the gain' of a variety of areas in the brain and nervous system. You can think of serotonin as a volume control in the brain and nervous system."

According to Dr. Beltz, other neurotransmitters allow communication between two neurons. Serotonin actually alters the efficiency and efficacy of communication between neurons that may use a variety of other chemicals as their primary neurotransmitter.

Fairness
Serotonin also affects our feelings of "fairness". UCLA scientists reported that the human brain responds to being treated fairly the same way it responds to winning money and eating chocolate; being treated fairly turns on the brain's reward circuitry. In the new Science study, they and their Cambridge colleagues report that people with low serotonin levels were found to be more sensitive to being treated unfairly.

"The same person may experience the same thing as fair and unfair on different days based on how the neurochemistry of the brain is functioning," said study co-author Matthew D. Lieberman, UCLA associate professor of psychology and a founder of social cognitive neuroscience. "When we feel something is unfair, that may have to do with how our brain causes us to experience the world. Our subjects are not aware their serotonin levels are affecting the way they experience the world. This suggests we should be more forgiving of other people's perspectives."
"A sense of fair play is not a purely rational process," he added. "It seems not to be the case that, like a math formula, if something is fair, it's fair for all time, in all situations."

Melatonin

Circadian rhythm
In humans, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, a gland about the size of a pea, located in the center of the brain but outside the blood-brain barrier. The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle by chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature.

Infants' melatonin levels become regular in about the third month after birth, with the highest levels measured between midnight and 8 AM.

Light Dependence
Production of melatonin by the pineal gland is inhibited by light and permitted by darkness. For this reason melatonin has been called "the hormone of darkness" and its onset each evening is called the Dim-Light Melatonin Onset (DLMO). Secretion of melatonin as well as its level in the blood, peaks in the middle of the night, and gradually falls during the second half of the night, with normal variations in timing according to whether the individual is more alert in the morning or later in the day.

Until recent history, humans in temperate climates were exposed to only about six hours of daylight in the winter. In the modern world, artificial lighting reduces darkness exposure to typically eight or fewer hours per day all year round. Even low light levels inhibit melatonin production to some extent, but over-illumination can create significant reduction in melatonin production.

Recently, my oldest daughter purchased a light box to help with her photography. She added more and more lamps to the box to increase the illumination. She had started the project at 10:30 p.m. intending to work for only an hour. She found herself staying up past 3 a.m. - surprised because she wasn't tired. The extremely bright lights had increased her serotonin levels, making her feel good AND insuring that the serotonin wouldn't be converted to sleep-inducing melatonin. Unfortunately, she paid dearly for the sleep deprivation the next day.

Antioxidant
Besides its function as synchronizer of the biological clock, melatonin also exerts a powerful antioxidant activity. Melatonin's capacity to absorb free radicals extends up to 10X the amount of other, conventional antioxidants.

In animal models, melatonin has been demonstrated to prevent the damage to DNA by some carcinogens, stopping the mechanism by which they cause cancer. It also has been found to be effective in protecting against brain injury caused by lack of oxygen in newborn rats. Melatonin's antioxidant activity may reduce damage caused by some types of Parkinson's disease, may play a role in preventing cardiac arrhythmia and may increase longevity; it has been shown to increase the average life span of mice by 20% in some studies.

Learning, Memory and Alzheimer's
Melatonin receptors appear to be important in mechanisms of learning and memory in mice, and melatonin can alter electro-chemical processes associated with memory. The first published evidence that melatonin may be useful in Alzheimer's disease was the demonstration that this neurohormone prevents neuronal death caused by exposure to the amyloid beta protein, a neurotoxic substance that accumulates in the brains of patients with the disorder. Melatonin also inhibits the clumping of the amyloid beta protein into neurotoxic microaggregates which seem to underlie the neurotoxicity of this protein, causing death of neurons and formation of neurofibrillary tangles, the other landmark of Alzheimer's disease.

Mood disorders
Melatonin has been shown to be effective in treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and is being considered for bipolar and other disorders where circadian disturbances are involved. It has been observed that bipolar disorder might have, as a "trait marker" (something which is characteristic of being bipolar, that does not change with state), supersensitivity to light, i.e. a greater decrease in melatonin secretion in response to light exposure at night.

Cancer
A systematic review of clinical trials involving a total of 643 cancer patients using melatonin found a reduced incidence of death. Melatonin levels at night are reduced to 50% by exposure to a low-level incandescent bulb for only 39 minutes, and it has been shown that women with the brightest bedrooms have an increased risk for breast cancer. Reduced melatonin production has been proposed as a likely factor in the significantly higher cancer rates in night workers.

Now What?
So, now that we know that higher levels of serotonin and melatonin are desirable, and lower levels can do all sorts of bad things to our bodies, how do we actually put all this information to use so we can sleep at night?

Next: Putting it All Together

The Insomnia Series
Falling asleep naturally Part 1
Falling asleep naturally Part 2: The Interaction of Biochemicals
Falling asleep naturally Part 3: Tryptophan and Insulin
Falling asleep naturally Part 4: Complex vs Simple Carbohydrates
Falling asleep naturally Part 5: Serotonin and Melatonin

Labels and Happiness

I was raised in a family with parents that operated on the theory that calling me stupid, incompetent, and lazy would make me work harder. In retrospect, they were right about working harder but it came at a very high price. I BELIEVED them and have spent the rest of my life trying to prove to myself that they were wrong.

That's the thing with labels - we believe them. Some of us believe negative labels and just give up while others beat themselves with the labels during those dark moments that we all experience.

I remember talking with a counselor at college who advised that I stop calling myself by those labels when I talked to myself. It was the wisest advise I've ever heard.

For those raising children now - tell your children how smart and talented and kind and beautiful they are; they'll grow up believing you.

For those of us without children or whose children are grown and gone - tell YOURSELF how smart and talented and kind and beautiful you are. Instill the new labels. Use meditation, hypnosis, positive affirmations, or whatever works for you. And learn to be happy no matter what your circumstances are.

We are all wonderful, valuable human beings linked to each other. We are ALL important to one another.

Make it a joy-filled day.

Synthesizing Happiness

I learned at the Hypnotherapy Academy that it's not what happens that matters, it's your perception of the events. Shakespeare said it best:

'Tis Nothing good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
William Shakespeare

I'm related to people that seem to be happiest when miserable or when they are making others miserable. I don't understand why that bring satisfaction to them. Maybe it's not satisfaction but a feeling of being in control when they otherwise feel so out of it. I keep thinking that they'd be so much happier just by changing how they look at the world.

We can make our own happiness just by changing our thoughts and attitudes. Sometimes that's easier said than done, of course, but time and persistence can work miracles if we just allow it.

How much happiness do you want in your life? What thoughts are you willing to change in order to be happy?