SEMILLA DE BRASIL PARA BAJAR DE PESO?

La semilla de Brasil, nuez amazónica, nuez boliviana, castaña de monte, castaña de Pará o coquito brasileño(Bertholletia excelsa), es un árbol nativo de Suramérica, específicamente de Bolivia, Brasil, sudeste de Colombia, Guyana, Perú, este y nordeste de la Argentina y sur de Venezuela.

El árbol que produce la nuez del mismo nombre, es la única especie del género Bertholletia. Se encuentra como árboles dispersos o en grupos hasta de 100, sobre suelos bien drenados en grandes bosques de las cuencas de los ríos Amazonas, Negro y Orinoco. Es un árbol grande que alcanza entre 30 y 50 m de altura. El tronco tiene de 1 a 2 m de diámetro. Puede vivir por 500 años o más. En la Amazonía peruana se han encontrado árboles de hasta 1200 años de antigüedad. El tronco es recto y no ramificado hasta la mitad de su altura, pero con una corona inesperada de ramas grandes sobre el pabellón de los otros árboles circundantes. La corteza es grisácea y lisa.

Las hojas son caducas, alternas, simples, oblongas, de 20 a 35 cm de largo y 10 a 15 cm de ancho. Las flores son pequeñas, verdosas-blancuzcas; cada flor tiene un cáliz dividido en dos, seis pétalos amarillo-crema desigualmente coloreados, y estambres numerosos.

Sus flores sólo se pueden polinizar mediante la acción de insectos lo suficientemente fuertes como para abatir las fuertes lígulas de las flores y tener acceso al polen y al néctar que éstas producen. Las abejas Eulaema mocsaryi y Xylocopa frontalis son los principales polinizadores de esta planta (Motta Maués 2002; Cavalcante et al. 2012). Otros visitantes florales son Xylocopa aurulenta, Epicharis rustica, E. affinis, Centris similis, Eulaema nigrita, E. cingulata, Bombus brevivillus y B. transversalis (Motta Maués, 2002) . Existe la falsa creencia de que las orquídeas Coryanthes vasquezii producen un olor que atrae a las abejas macho, que a su vez lo requieren para atraer a las hembras y acoplarse, por lo cual hay una simbiosis indisoluble entre el árbol, la orquídea y las abejas. Este mito se ha propagado en la literatura acerca de la nuez de Brasil, pero no tiene fundamento científico. Las nueces de Brasil, de delicado gusto, son una fuente excelente de selenio y una buena fuente de magnesio y de tiamina. Son ricas en proteína (14%), carbohidratos (11%), y grasa (67%). La proporción de grasas insaturadas de las nueces de Brasil está entre las más altas de todas las nueces.

CONTRAINDICACIONES:

1) Personas que sufren ulcera estomacal o intestinal, asi como personas que fueron operadas del sistema digestivo.No se recomienda que la semilla se consuma si usted tiene ulceras o si fue operada de su estomago o intestino, dado que esta semilla es irritante intestinal, al igual que lo es el chile, café, etc.Aun cuando usted no tenga ulcera cuide su intestino, comiendo alimentos saludables como frutas, verduras, yogurt y lactobacilos de forma habitual.

2) Embarazadas o en lactancia.Consuma frutas, verduras, visite a su ginecólogo y dele prioridad a su bebe ante todo deseo estético.

3) Mayores de 70 años y menores de 12 Años.No se recomienda que personas mayores o de la tercera edad consuman la semilla, debido a que es un relajante o bien un anti estresante natural. Y precisamente lo que necesita una persona mayor es la vitalidad al máximo.No se recomienda que niños consuman este producto, debido a que están en pleno crecimiento y desarrollo. Cuando un niño tiene problemas de obesidad es debido a otras causas ajenas a un intestino perezoso, como lo es el caso en las personas mayores.

4) Personas alérgicas. Aun cuando se trata de un producto natural, recuerde que muchas personas somos alérgicas a muchos productos naturales, como mariscos, maíz, nueces, huevos, etc. Si usted es una persona sumamente alérgica, no se recomienda que lo consuma o bien que extreme precauciones.

Otras precauciones Como todo tratamiento químico o natural, al presentarse alguna intolerancia debe suspenderlo de inmediato, no arriesgue su salud por lo estetico.No lo deje al alcance de los niños, ellos no saben lo que hacen usted si. Conserve este producto en lugar fresco y libre de humedad extrema, recuerde que es un producto natural no procesado. Este es un producto natural, No es ni pretende ser un medicamento. Este producto no cura, es una ayuda para adelgazar con bastantes beneficios para nuestro cuerpo. Nunca tomar más de un trocito de semilla al día.

CONSIDERACIONES IMPORTANTES:

Muchos de los reportes sobre toxicidad de la semilla de Brazil, es la venta de productos no originales (como el llamado codo de Fraile, Cascabela Thevetia), así como su consumo sin la evaluación de un Nutriologo calificado. Asimismo es importante seguir un régimen dietético saludable bajo asesoría profesional. La semilla original, a la dosis adecuada y bajo supervisión, ha sido utilizada por muchas personas sin la presentación de eventos adversos. Asimismo, ha sido aprobada por laboratorios calificados en algunos Países. Es natural suponer que, si se administra a una persona que tiene otros problemas de salud asociados al sobrepeso u obesidad, no funcione: es obvio decir que lo primero es solucionar su problema médico de base.

Health Benefits of Brazil nuts

27 March, 2014 By Deepak Kevat

Going by the scientific name of Bertholletia Excelsa, Brazil nuts are a kind of nuts found in the Amazon forests of South America. These forests grow some of the most unique plant species in the world like Brazil nuts and Acai berries. These cannot be found in any other parts of the world. They are produced in these very rain forests and are considered as one of the most popular food items in many Latin American nations. It is much sought after by the native peoples of the Amazon forests as these nuts are not only delicious, but also give them good protein, fat content and other required nutrients.

The brazil nut belongs to the family of Lecyhidaceae and also goes by many other names. Some of them are para-nut, cream-nut, castania, castanha-do-para, castanha-de-brazil etc, to name a few. They appear creamy in colour and texture as they contain a high amount of fat in them.

Technically speaking, brazil nuts are not nuts, but the seeds of the brazil nut plant. Most people confuse them for nuts because of their brown, nut-like shells or coverings that these seeds have. The seeds are tasty on their own, but they are added to other dishes as well because of its rich flavour.

The tree from which these seeds are derived from can reach a maximum height of 45 metres or 150 feet. Not only are they tall, but their height helps them in playing a significant part in maintaining the rain forest ecology. The trees possess straight, smooth trunks which open up to form large branches of canopy. Like all other flowering plants and trees, these shed their leaves during the dry season. As part of the forest ecology, many animals are dependent on the produce of these trees for their survival. The nuts, sometimes on their own develop into trees naturally. Thus, they contribute helpfully to the maintenance of forest ecology. What is fascinating to know is that the flowers of these trees are thick. Hence, they cannot be penetrated by most insects that can otherwise pollinate other plants. There is a special kind of bee that is found only in these Amazon rain forests which can penetrate the thick flowers. Thus, there is a self-sufficient, but interdependent system of livelihood developed in these rainforests.

Brazil nuts develop inside a huge capsule and thus it looks like a coconut in its appearance. when you look inside, you will find a huge number of three-sided nuts. Each mature tree bears up to 300 such capsules or pods in a season. After pollination, a period of fourteen months is required for it to start developing. Each such capsule can weigh up to three kilos. They fall from the tree with a crashing sound every now and then but it does not result in any breakage. These nuts inside have very hard shells which are difficult to crack open. But if you are successful, then you get fat and protein-rich seeds. Each pod contains 25-30 such seeds. The kernel surrounding these parts is also edible on its own. They are required especially for their protein content in people who are vegetarian in their food preferences. The downside of the brazil nuts is their high fat content which leads to the nuts getting spoiled really quickly if not stored under proper, hygienic and cool conditions. Beware of the brazil nuts going rancid if not stored properly. The best way to preserve them is to put them in air-tight bags and store them in the refrigerator. This way, they will last for a much longer span of time.

The oil content in the brazil nuts can be tapped and used in everyday cooking. The oil that is derived as a result is thick, rich and carries a distinctive flavour. It is not only used as a cooking agent in many households, but is also known to be a good lubricant. Even if the oil form is hard to find, you can easily get the seeds and extract oil from it yourself. Listed below are some of the health benefits of brazil nuts. The more you consume them, the better.

Health Benefits Of Brazil Nuts

1. High in calories

Studies have shown that Brazil nuts contain a high amount of calories. This implies that if you consume brazil nuts instead of other nuts, you are definitely going to lose weight. How does this work? The more calories that you consume, more the increase in the metabolic rate of your body. This being said, you are to burn more fat and body weight by consuming brazil nuts. They also contain a reasonable quantity of vitamins, anti-oxidants and minerals.

2. Reduces bad cholesterol

It is true that brazil nuts contain a lot of fat, but this is the kind of fat that helps reduce the LDL or bad cholesterol in your heart. Even the high calorie content in brazil nuts also comes from the fat content in the nuts. Alternately, it also increases the HDL or good cholesterol in your blood. People who consume brazil nuts are shown to be at a lesser risk to develop coronary heart diseases.

3. Good source of Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a major requirement for the human body. These brazil nuts are a good source of Vitamin E. it is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant. The human body requires it in a good amount to maintain the integrity of the cell membranes. These cell membranes can be either of the mucus membranes or the skin. These are protected by the harmful oxygen-free radicals. Accumulation of free radicals is harmful to the body.

4. High levels of Selenium

Selenium is an important factor for the functioning of antioxidants in the body. Consuming just 1-2 of these brazil nuts is beneficial for the same as they consist of extremely high levels of Selenium. It also contributes in the prevention of heart disease, liver cirrhosis and cancers.

5. Natural and Gluten-Free

Brazil nuts are natural ingredients used in making gluten-free products. Like other nuts – almond and pine, these are healthier alternatives for people who suffer from gluten allergy.

6. Excellent source of B-complex

These creamy nuts are not only rich sources of nutrients, they are also great sources of B-complex vitamins, especially Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B -6 and folates.

7. Good source of minerals

Brazil nuts also contain high levels of other minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. While copper reduces the chances of developing Anaemia, which is marked by the reduced levels of Red Blood Corpuscles and haemoglobin in the body. It also helps control bone disorders like Osteoporosis. Manganese is a good source of antioxidants enzyme.

8. Traditional medicine

The oil from brazil nut is used as a therapeutic oil in many massages and therapies. Once extracted, it has a yellow colour and is pleasant to both smell and taste. It acts as a lubricant and keeps the skin moist. In aromatherapy, it is used as a foundation or base oil for many traditional medicines. It is also used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries an ingredient in various concoctions and preparations.

9. Used in foods

Brazil nuts are often used in many culinary items. Apart from anything else, they can be eaten just like that. Otherwise, they can be eaten roasted, salted or sweetened with a little sugar or jaggery syrup. They can be used in fudges, puddings, pesto sauces, chocolate-bars etc as good flavouring and texturing agents. Alternatively, ground brazil nuts as per your choice and season your fruits or vegetables with a generous sprinkling of these nuts. They are used as major ingredients while preparing fruitcakes. They can also be used in main course dishes like meat and vegetables. For everyday cooking, albeit with some reservations, one can also use brazil nut oil.

10. Assists the thyroid glands

The high amount of Selenium in brazil nuts is helpful in the functioning of the thyroid glands.

11. Helps you lose weight

The high amount of calorie content in brazil nuts is beneficial for people who are trying to lose weight. The high protein content and fibre content ensure that you don’t feel hungry often. This avoids you from snacking excessively.

12. Reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes

As we mentioned before, consuming brazil nuts leads to a reduced risk of developing LDL cholesterol. Therefore, it is consequently also helpful in lowering your risk of getting a heart attack or a stroke. The benefits of these healthy fats often seem to outweigh the effects of small amount of saturated fats found in the nuts.

13. Useful to cure Acrodermatitis

Acrodermatitis Enteropathica is a rare disorder that is characterized by the body’s failure in absorbing enough amount of zinc from the foods that you consume every day. As a result, it leads to zinc deficiency in your body. Brazil nuts can help in the cure of this rare disorder as it contains high levels of zinc in it. Not only does it benefit people suffering from this disorder, but also those who generally suffer from zinc deficiency.

How to consume Brazil nuts?

It is a known fact that people tend to put on weight if you consume too much fatty foods. Brazil nuts indeed contain a high amount of fat, so the best thing you can do to avoid its side-effects is to consume it in moderation. Make a schedule of all the nuts that you have to consume in a week. Keep one kind of nut per day and consume accordingly. This way you will get all the required nutrients, without catching its negative effects. The presence of the compound Selenium, which is otherwise highly beneficial to the human body also has its limitation. Many research studies have shown that consuming more Selenium-rich foods can lead to gastro-intestinal discomfort. It can cause irritability, stomach upsets and fatigue. Also, consider eating brazil nuts without adding sugar or salt. While excess sugar leads to diabetes, excess salt content leads to high blood pressure. Another healthy tip that you can take into consideration is to look for organically-grown nuts instead of those grown with chemicals and fertilizers. This way, you will be completely safe from the effects of chemicals.

People who are generally allergic to all kinds of nuts should be cautious while consuming brazil nuts. Any allergic reactions can flare up and can be fatal. The reactions can range from simple skin itching to server forms of breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and in the most severe cases, even diarrhoea. Cross-reactions with respect to other fruits and nuts, when eaten together can also occur. So bear in mind that anyone who suffers from allergy should not consume these.

After reading the article, are you wondering whether Brazil nuts are healthy for you? It is a very good habit to consume all food items in moderation and same goes with Brazil nuts. Well, there are a number of health benefits of eating Brazil nuts, but remember to have just a few of them on a day as over consumption can lead to toxicity and overweight. It is recommended to have a few Brazil nuts twice or thrice per week.

The high levels of Selenium, in some individuals cause what is known as Selenium toxicity. It may result in nausea, vomiting, garlic odour in breath and in many cases, can also lead to emotional disturbances in individuals. Those who are prone to Selenium toxicity are more at a risk of developing dental cavities and experience loss of hair. Neuropathic pain is also another common complaint. Skin issues can also be a major symptom.

Now that you have learned about the different health benefits of Brazil nuts and some of its possible side-effects, use your discretion. Keep a check on the amount of Brazil nuts you consume every day. Like we stressed before, make sure you consume a limited amount, i.e, not more than 2-4 nuts per day, or about a handful of these nuts, stretched over a week.

THE AMYGDALA AND ITS ALLIES

The amygdala is a brain structure that is essential for decoding emotions, and in particular stimuli that are threatening to the organism. As a result of evolution, many of our body’s alarm circuits are grouped together in the amygdala.  Consequently, many sensory inputs converge in the amygdala to inform it of potential dangers in its environment. This sensory information comes to the amygdala either directly from the sensory thalamus or from the various sensory cortexes.

But there are several other regions of the brain that project their axons to the amygdala; examples include the hypothalamus, the septum and the reticular formation of the brainstem.

The amygdala also receives numerous connections from the hippocampus. Since the hippocampus is involved in storing and retrieving explicit memories, its connections to the amygdala may be the origin of strong emotions triggered by particular memories. The hippocampus also specializes in processing sets of stimuli (as opposed to individual stimuli)–in other words, the context of a situation. Hence it is because of the hippocampus and its close connections with the amygdala that the entire context associated with a traumatic event can provoke anxiety.

Major connections to the the amygdala also come from the medial prefrontal cortex. These connections appear to be involved in the process of extinction, whereby a stimulus that triggers a conditioned fear gradually loses this effect. This happens if that stimulus is repeatedly presented to the subject without the unconditional nociceptive stimulus that was initially associated with it to produce the conditioned fear.

The prefrontal cortex also seems to be involved in the final phase of confronting a danger, where, after the initial automatic, emotional reaction, we are forced to react and choose the course of action that can best get us out of danger. In people whose frontal cortex is damaged (people with “frontal syndrome"), planning the slightest task is very difficult, if not impossible.

Thus, the ability that our superior mental structures give us to voluntarily plan an emotional response suited to the situation is a wonderful complement to our system of rapid, automatic responses. The connections from the prefrontal cortex to the amygdala also enable us to exercise a certain conscious control over our anxiety. However, at the same time, this faculty can create anxiety by allowing us to imagine the failure of a given scenario or even the presence of dangers that do not actually exist.

THE TWO PATHWAYS OF FEAR

Information from an external stimulus reaches the amygdala in two different ways: by a short, fast, but imprecise route, directly from the thalamus; and by a long, slow, but precise route, by way of the cortex.

It is the short, more direct route that lets us start preparing for a potential danger before we even know exactly what it is. In some situations, these precious fractions of a second can mean the difference between life and death.

Here is an example. Suppose you are walking through a forest when you suddenly see a long, narrow shape coiled up at your feet. This snake-like shape very quickly, via the short route, sets in motion the physiological reactions of fear that are so useful for mobilizing you to face the danger. But this same visual stimulus, after passing through the thalamus, will also be relayed to your cortex. A few fractions of a second later, the cortex, thanks to its discriminatory faculty, will realize that the shape you thought was a snake was really just a discarded piece of garden hose. Your heart will then stop racing, and you will just have had a moment’s scare.

But if your cortex had confirmed that the shape really was a snake, you probably would not have just been startled. You would probably have taken off with all the alacrity that the physiological changes triggered by your amygdala allowed. 

Thus, the fast route from the thalamus to the amygdala does not take any chances. It alerts you to anything that seems to represent a danger. The cortex then makes appropriate adjustments, suppressing any reactions that turn out to be inappropriate. Thus, we see, from an evolutionary perspective, how these two complementary pathways may have become established. From the standpoint of survival, the consequences of mistaking a garden hose for a snake are less severe than those of mistaking a snake for a garden hose.

But the cortex is not the only part of the brain that puts in its two cents by specifying the nature of the object. The hippocampus can also come into play by giving you information about contexto.

Copyleft

The content of the site The Brain from Top to Bottom is under copyleft.

The concept of "copyleft" is a method of providing free access to the results of original work and of encouraging people to reproduce and even modify this work on an equally free basis. 
Copyleft is thus diametrically opposed to the traditional concept of copyright, which nowadays people seem to be trying to use to cover absolutely everything, from genes to intellectual property. In the libertarian spirit, the concept of copyleft promotes freedom of expression and staunchly opposes the idea that knowledge can be the private property of a small elite.

Site developed, researched, and written by:

Bruno Dubuc

http://www.cns.nyu.edu/home/ledoux/overview.htm

BOOKS REVIEWS -RÉSUMÉS DE LIVRÈS-обобщенную кн-EX-LIBRIS-

BOOKS REVIEWS -RÉSUMÉS DE LIVRÈS-обобщенную кн-EX-LIBRIS-

SUICIDE GAMES

BY

Haidji

SG- SUICIDE GAME IS A METAPHOR ABOUT THE SOCIETY WHERE PERSONS ALMOST KILL THEMSELVES TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND FORGET THEIR DREAMS, BUT, IN THE BOOK YOU WILL FIND ALSO REAL LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, LOYALTY, HOPE AND AN UNEXPECTED FINAL SHOWING THE GOOD ESSENCE OF THE HUMAN SEDE.
Paperback, KindleEdition, e-Book

http://www.amazon.com

LA DEPRESIÓN Y EL SUICIDIO COMO PROBLEMAS DE SALUD PÚBLICA

Dr. Arturo Morlet Barjau

http://psiquiatrasenveracruz.com.mx

La depresión es el diagnóstico psiquiátrico que describe un trastorno del estado de animo, transitorio o permanente, caracterizado por sentimientos de tristeza, infelicidad, culpa, ansiedad, síntomas físicos inexplicables, cansancio, insomnio o hipersomnia (dormir en exceso) además de provocar una incapacidad total o parcial para disfrutar de las cosas y de los acontecimientos de la vida cotidiana.

Es un padecimiento frecuente (4-6% de la población mundial), poco reconocido por los familiares e inclusive por otros especialistas y que puede traer consecuencias que van desde la incapacidad en las esferas, personal, social o laboral hasta el suicidio. Cada día se suicidan por esta razón 3 mil personas y lo intentan 20 000 en el mundo de acuerdo a la OMS. Existen en el mundo, aproximadamente 350 millones de personas con este problema.

La depresión se presenta con frecuencia de manera estacional (DE) en algunos Países, especialmente en invierno y se considera relacionada con la respuesta del cerebro a la disminución de la exposición a la luz natural. Nadie entiende completamente cómo ni por qué sucede. Las teorías actuales sobre las causas del DE se concentran en el papel que podría tener la luz solar en la producción en el cerebro de hormonas clave. Los expertos creen que dos sustancias químicas específicas en el cerebro, melatonina y serotonina, podrían estar involucradas en el DE.

Actualmente existen tratamientos efectivos para tratar la depresión que consisten en antidepresivos, los cuales no generan dependencia o abuso y ocasionalmente y de manera breve, ansiolíticos. Asimismo la Psicoterapia, especialmente cognitivo-conductual e interpersonal, han mostrado resultados objetivos.

Existe mucha resistencia a la ayuda profesional por el Psiquiatra en vista de prejuicios al respecto y el hecho popular de pensar, casi siempre, que este especialista solo atiende a personas que han perdido la razón lo cual, es totalmente falso.

HECHOS IMPORTANTES

·      Cada año se suicidan casi un millón de personas

·      Ocurre una muerte cada 40 segundos.

·      En los últimos 45 años las tasas de suicidio han aumentado en un 60% a nivel mundial

·      El suicidio es una de las tres primeras causas de defunción entre las personas de 15 a 44 años en algunos países y la segunda causa en el grupo de 10 a 24 años

·      Las tasas entre los jóvenes han ido en aumento hasta el punto de que ahora estos son el grupo de mayor riesgo en un tercio de los países, tanto en el mundo desarrollado como en el mundo en desarrollo.

·      Los trastornos mentales (especialmente la depresión y los trastornos por consumo de alcohol) son un importante factor de riesgo de suicidio en Europa y América del Norte; en los países asiáticos, sin embargo, tiene especial importancia la conducta impulsiva.

·      La OMS indicó que los países con mayor tasa de     suicidio son los de Europa del Este, mientras que las más bajas con los de América Central y del Sur.

·      Las autoridades sanitarias consideran que este problema puede rebasar a la mortalidad por diabetes,

·      Uno de cada 10 intentos es concluido, según los datos oficiales, lo que coloca a México en el noveno país de muertes auto infligida

·      El 42% de los casos de suicidio se registró en jóvenes entre 15 y 24 años de edad, seguido por el rango de edad de 25 a 34 años lo que supone una tasa de mortalidad "global" de 16 por 100 000 habitantes y estas cifras no incluyen los tentativas de suicidio, que son hasta 20 veces más frecuentes que los casos de suicidio consumado.

·      Se estima que a nivel mundial el suicidio supuso el 1,8% de la carga global de morbilidad en 1998, y que en 2020 representará el 2,4% en los países con economías de mercado y en los antiguos países socialistas.

·      La OMS publica un informe mundial con estimaciones sobre el suicidio: en el 2012 se suicidaron en todo el mundo 804.000 personas. En nuestro país el INEGI ofrece datos anuales: en 2012 los suicidios crecieron un 11,3%, pero en los jóvenes entre los 15 y 29 años el incremento fue del 25%.

En las tres últimas décadas, la tasa de suicidios en México se cuadruplicó al pasar de dos por cada 100 mil habitantes a 7.6, hasta el 2011, según las últimas cifras disponibles.

Finalmente, si la Depresión y otros problemas mentales son una de las razones de mas importancia para el suicidio en el Mundo, es conveniente reconsiderar las políticas de salud para tratar este problema, así como la difusión en los medios publicitarios y su detección temprana en Hospitales, comunidades y los diferentes grupos sociales dentro de los cuales, los que viven en pobreza son los mas vulnerables.

Bibliografía:

1.   Organización Mundial de la Salud: Prevención del suicidio un imperativo global, 2014

2. Primer informe de la OMS sobre prevención del suicidio. 4 de septiembre del 2014, Ginebra, Suiza.

3.     Instituto Naciona de Estadística y Geografía (México). 2015

4. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

5.  Kaplan & Sadock's: synopsis of psychiatry : behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry, 2015