Simplifying Probiotics – A Path To Improving Your Gut Health

by Anna Hunt

Billions of beneficial bacteria, commonly referred to as probiotics, live in the human body. These bacteria are part of what keeps the body in balance in order to maintain overall good health. They reside in the human digestive system, specifically the intestinal tract also referred to as the gut, (as well as in the mouth, on the skin, in the colon, etc), and are integral to gastrointestinal 

Common Types of Probiotics

The best known of the probiotics are the Lactobacilli. There are a number of Lactobacilli species that are especially effective in creating an overall balance of the various microorganisms in the gut:

- Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is found in naturally fermented foods and is also used by the dairy industry to produce yogurt.

- Lactobacillus acidophilus is naturally-occurring in the human gastrointestinal tract. Certain strains are often included in probiotic supplements because they are believed to be able to survive gastrointestinal transit, being resistant to bile, low pH, and digestive enzymes.

- Other common Lactobacilli species include brevis, casei and sporogenes.

Other common probiotics include:

- Bifidobacteria, which are one of the major genera of probiotics found in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, including humans. Various species are often used in the food industry.

- Streptococci, which are often known for being the main culprit of strep throat and pink eye, although there are many non-pathogenic species that are part of the human microbiome. Streptococci are used in the production of Swiss cheese, reduced-fat cheese and yogurt.

- Bacilli, which are found in soils and in certain fermented foods, as for example kimchi. Certain species of Bacilli, such as Bacillus pumilus, are capable of degrading bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, which pollutes human bodies due to plastics overuse.

Why are Probiotics Important? 

Just as billions of beneficial bacteria can live in the body, the gut is also filled with harmful bacteria. The body needs probiotics to counteract these harmful bacteria in order to enable the production of vitamins and enzymes essential for healthy body function and prevent build-up of carcinogenic toxins. 

Artificial food additives, GMOs in our foods, chlorinated and fluoridated water, and use of antibiotics are all detrimental to healthy gut flora. Considering that many people follow a Western diet high in processed foods, starches and meats, it is easy for their gut to become unbalanced. Scientists believe that lack of balance of good and bad bacteria can lead to cancer, hypertension and many other types of diseases. Furthermore, our bodies are increasingly subjugated to chemicals from pesticides, herbicides and industrialized products such as plastics (containing BPA and BPS). Certain probiotics are able to handle these toxins better than our own detoxification processes. 

To read more about why probiotics are important, read: Are Probiotics the New Prozac? 

Natural Sources of Probiotics Probiotics are readily available to you in a variety of natural foods, including the following: Kombucha is an all natural fermented drink that is made of sweetened black tea. It is made using SCOBY – a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha beverages are full of probiotics and other healthy amino acids. You can purchase kombucha drinks, kombucha SCOBY or a kombucha tea starter kit from various manufacturers. If you plan to make your own kombucha tea, consider that it needs to be fermented to a specific pH of 2.5 to 3.0, or it will not develop the beneficial nutrients or may overburden the stomach. Additionally, Kombuchakamp.com is a great resource for all things kombucha. 

Yogurt is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. Yogurt can be made from cow milk, goat milk, soy milk, nut milks such as almond milk, and coconut milk. Most commercial dairy yogurts are made withLactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria, and at times other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are added. To offset the sourness of yogurt, large amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners are often added to commercial yogurts, therefore look for unsweetened natural yogurt or learn to make your own. Kefir is a liquid yogurt-like fermented product, often made out of cow or goat milk. It is high in both Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria probiotics. Kefir is made with kefir grains – also called kefir babies – which are a combination of bacteria and yeasts. 

Kefir grains will also ferment milk substitutes such as soy milk, rice milk, and coconut milk, as well as other sugary liquids including fruit juice, coconut water, beer wort and ginger beer. You can usually find kefir drinks at your local health food store or buy kefir grains to produce your own kefir drinks. Kefir grains reproduce easily and can be shared with friends. 

Kimchi is a fermented cabbage dish that originated in Korea and comes in many different varieties but usually contains vegetables such as napa cabbage, cucumbers, radishes and scallions. Kimchi contains many strains of probiotics including Lactobacillus kimchii, Lactobacillus brevis, and Bacillus pumilus. These bacteria are known to help the body eliminate BPA and pesticides. A variety of Kimchi products can be purchased in stores, or you can learn how to make kimchi at home.

Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from cider or apple must, with yeast and bacteria added to the liquid to facilitate the fermentation process. In addition to providing probiotics, apple cider vinegar has many internal and external health benefits, many of which are listed here. When purchasing apple cider vinegar, consider only organic raw products.

This list is by no means complete – with soy bean-based foods such as miso and natto also full of probiotics. In addition to these specific foods, healthy soil is a great source of probiotics, and hence a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables grown in organic soil will provide the body with lots of healthy bacteria. Reducing processed foods and ingesting more raw, organic produce will benefit your waistline in more than one way!

Resource Books:

How to Make Probiotic Drinks for a Raw Food Diet: Kefir, Kombucha, Ginger Beer, and Naturally Fermented Ciders, Sodas, and Smoothies by R.J. Ruppenthal

Delicious Probiotic Drinks: 75 Recipes for Kombucha, Kefir, Ginger Beer, and Other Naturally Fermented Drinks by Julia Mueller

Fermented Foods for Health: Use the Power of Probiotic Foods to Improve Your Digestion, Strengthen Your Immunity, and Prevent Illness by Deirdre Rawlings

Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Fermented Foods by Mary Karlin
Probiotic Supplements

There are various different types of probiotic supplements that you could buy at health food stores. Look for the following when buying a probiotic supplement:

• At least 10 probiotic strains
• 
  
• High culture count with both Lactobacilli (Lacto) and Bifidobacteria (Bifido) strains. Some supplements refer to these as L’s and B’s.
• 
  
• Capsules and/or probiotic strains that allow the supplement to resist stomach acid so the probiotics are released into the intestinal tract.
• 
  
• Upwards of 15 Billion live cultures per capsule. Consult your physician or holistic practitioner on what live cultures count is right for you if you are trying to address a specific physical issue or illness, or need to supplement the use of antibiotics or other prescription drugs.
• 
  
• Potency until time of consumption, especially if you need to travel with your probiotics and cannot refrigerate them.
• 
  
• No dairy, sugar, gluten, soy, corn, casein, yeast, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or any genetically modified or engineered ingredients.
• 
  

Recommended Products:

• ReNew Life Ultimate Flora Critical Care 50 Billion, Vegetable Capsules
• 
  
• Renew Life Ultimate Flora RTS Daily Capsules, 30 Count
• 
  
• Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra Ultimate Probiotics Formula
• 
  

Sources:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/8-surprisingly-simple-ways-detoxify

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/amazing-healing-properties-fermented-foods

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/08/16/10-signs-you-have-candida-overgrowth-and-what-to-do-about-it/

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/07/25/are-probiotics-the-new-prozac/

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/06/05/gut-biota-never-recover-from-antibiotics-damages-future-generations/

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/06/the-dangers-of-fluoride-based-antibiotics-plus-natural-solutions/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus_delbrueckii_subsp._bulgaricus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streptococcus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifidobacteria

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2012/11/01/kombucha-tea-a-panacea-for-many-ills/

http://www.happyherbalist.com/cautions.htm

Anna Hunt is a staff writer for WakingTimes.com and an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in research and editorial writing. She and her husband run a preparedness e-store outlet at www.offgridoutpost.com, offering GMO-free storable food and emergency kits. Anna is also a certified Hatha yoga instructor at Atenas Yoga. She enjoys raising her children and being a voice for optimal human health and wellness. Read more of her excellent articles here. 

SOURE

30 Statistics About Americans Under The Age Of 30 That Will Blow Your Mind

By Michael Snyder

Why are young people in America so frustrated these days?  You are about to find out.  Most young adults started out having faith in the system.  They worked hard, they got good grades, they stayed out of trouble and many of them went on to college.  But when their educations where over, they discovered that the good jobs that they had been promised were not waiting for them at the end of the rainbow.  Even in the midst of this so-called "economic recovery", the full-time employment rate for Americans under the age of 30 continues to fall.  And incomes for that age group continue to fall as well.  At the same time, young adults are dealing with record levels of student loan debt.  As a result, more young Americans than ever are putting off getting married and having families, and more of them than ever are moving back in with their parents.

It can be absolutely soul crushing when you discover that the "bright future" that the system had been promising you for so many years turns out to be a lie.  A lot of young people ultimately give up on the system and many of them end up just kind of drifting aimlessly through life.  The following is an example from a recent Wall Street Journal article...

James Roy, 26, has spent the past six years paying off $14,000 in student loans for two years of college by skating from job to job. Now working as a supervisor for a coffee shop in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles, Ill., Mr. Roy describes his outlook as "kind of grim."

"It seems to me that if you went to college and took on student debt, there used to be greater assurance that you could pay it off with a good job," said the Colorado native, who majored in English before dropping out. "But now, for people living in this economy and in our age group, it's a rough deal."

Young adults as a group have been experiencing a tremendous amount of economic pain in recent years.  The following are 30 statistics about Americans under the age of 30 that will blow your mind...

#1 The labor force participation rate for men in the 18 to 24 year old age bracket is at an all-time low.

#2 The ratio of what men in the 18 to 29 year old age bracket are earning compared to the general population is at an all-time low.

#3 Only about a third of all adults in their early 20s are working a full-time job.

#4 For the entire 18 to 29 year old age bracket, the full-time employment rate continues to fall.  In June 2012, 47 percent of that entire age group had a full-time job.  One year later, in June 2013, only 43.6 percent of that entire age group had a full-time job.

#5 Back in the year 2000, 80 percent of men in their late 20s had a full-time job.  Today, only 65 percent do.

#6 In 2007, the unemployment rate for the 20 to 29 year old age bracket was about 6.5 percent.  Today, the unemployment rate for that same age group is about 13 percent.#7 American families that have a head of household that is under the age of 30 have a poverty rate of 37 percent. 

#8 During 2012, young adults under the age of 30 accounted for 23 percent of the workforce, but they accounted for a whopping 36 percent of the unemployed.

#9 During 2011, 53 percent of all Americans with a bachelor’s degree under the age of 25 were either unemployed or underemployed.

#10 At this point about half of all recent college graduates are working jobs that do not even require a college degree.

#11 The number of Americans in the 16 to 29 year old age bracket with a job declined by 18 percent between 2000 and 2010.



#12 According to one survey, 82 percent of all Americans believe that it is harder for young adults to find jobs today than it was for their parents to find jobs.

#13 Incomes for U.S. households led by someone between the ages of 25 and 34 have fallen by about 12 percent after you adjust for inflation since the year 2000.

#14 In 1984, the median net worth of households led by someone 65 or older was 10 times larger than the median net worth of households led by someone 35 or younger.  Today, the median net worth of households led by someone 65 or older is 47 times larger than the median net worth of households led by someone 35 or younger.

#15 In 2011, SAT scores for young men were the worst that they had been in 40 years.

#16 Incredibly, approximately two-thirds of all college students graduate with student loans.

#17 According to the Federal Reserve, the total amount of student loan debt has risen by 275 percent since 2003.

#18 In America today, 40 percent of all households that are led by someone under the age of 35 are paying off student loan debt.  Back in 1989, that figure was below 20 percent.

#19 The total amount of student loan debt in the United States now exceeds the total amount of credit card debt in the United States.

#20 According to the U.S. Department of Education, 11 percent of all student loans are at least 90 days delinquent.

#21 The student loan default rate in the United States has nearly doubled since 2005.

#22 One survey found that 70% of all college graduates wish that they had spent more time preparing for the "real world" while they were still in college.

#23 In the United States today, there are more than 100,000 janitors that have college degrees.

#24 In the United States today, 317,000 waiters and waitresses have college degrees.

#25 Today, an all-time low 44.2 percent of all Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 are married.

#26 According to the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of all Americans in the 18 to 24 year old age bracket lived with their parents during 2012.

#27 One poll discovered that 29 percent of all Americans in the 25 to 34 year old age bracket are still living with their parents.

#28 Young men are nearly twice as likely to live with their parents as young women the same age are.

#29 Overall, approximately 25 million American adults are living with their parents according to Time Magazine.

#30 Young Americans are becoming increasingly frustrated that previous generations have saddled them with a nearly 17 trillion dollar national debt that they are expected to make payments on for the rest of their lives.

And this trend is not just limited to the United States.  As I have written about frequently, unemployment rates for young adults throughout Europe have been soaring to unprecedented heights.  For example, the unemployment rate for those under the age of 25 in Italy has now reached 40.1 percent.

Simon Black of the Sovereign Man blog discussed this global trend in a recent article on his website...

Youth unemployment rates in these countries are upwards of 40% to nearly 70%. The most recent figures published by the Italian government show yet another record high in youth unemployment.

An entire generation is now coming of age without being able to leave the nest or have any prospect of earning a decent wage in their home country.

This underscores an important point that I’ve been writing about for a long time: young people in particular get the sharp end of the stick.

They’re the last to be hired, the first to be fired, the first to be sent off to fight and die in foreign lands, and the first to have their benefits cut.

And if they’re ever lucky enough to find meaningful employment, they can count on working their entire lives to pay down the debts of previous generations through higher and higher taxes.

But when it comes time to collect… finally… those benefits won’t be there for them.

Meanwhile, the overall economy continues to get even weaker.

In the United States, Gallup's daily economic confidence index is now the lowest that it has been in more than a year.

For young people that are in high school or college right now, the future does not look bright.  In fact, this is probably as good as the U.S. economy is going to get.  It is probably only going to be downhill from here.

The system is failing, and young people are going to become even angrier and even more frustrated.

So what will that mean for our future?

Please feel free to share what you think by posting a comment below...

Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dream and Economic Collapse Blog. Follow him on Twitter here.

SOURCE: The Economic Collapse

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): Tap Into Empowerment

By Polly Anne Rice

Every individual is unique and the variations in their lives and life choices are physical manifestations of the distinctive energy, essence, and disposition they possess.  When an individual is searching for mental and emotional healing modalities, there is a need for therapy that is personal, effective, cost efficient, and uplifting so the person can move forward with their life in a positive way; emotional freedom techniques (EFT) surpass those expectations.

What Is EFT?

EFT is rooted in energy psychology, applying Ancient Chinese medicine theology, which focuses on the body’s energy grid.  The energy grid utilizes pathways and nodal points through which your chi, or life force, flows.  This theory states a traumatic event, negative psychological conditioning, or other experiences can cause a disruption in your energy flow through a blockage or imbalance, prohibiting the proper flow of chi; when your chi is imbalanced or blocked, mental and emotional illnesses, disorders, and issues will arise.

Gary Craig, the founder of the EFT technique, discovered by employing these medicinal philosophies, you would be able to tap specific acupressure points, the meridian or nodal points on the body’s energy grid, releasing the blockage and bringing your body’s energy flow back into a state of homeostasis.

However, EFT doesn’t just make use of acupressure point stimulation; this technique incorporates other psychotherapies already being used in conventional cognitive behavioral therapies, such as relaxation and memory recall, causing a long term cognitive restructuring within the brain.

When your brain reconstructs its cognitive processes, you no longer process thoughts or emotions the way you did before, meaning you can nullify the negative feelings or reactions you currently have, or have had for years, resulting in a neutral reaction to the same memory or situation when successfully employing EFT.

What The Research Says

EFT has proven to be a useful technique for a wide variety of disorders or illnesses; in various studies, EFT has successfully treated anxiety disorders, depression, hostility, aggression, posttraumatic stress disorder, addictions, phobias, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, panic, attention deficit disorder, hypertension, social anxiety, career issues, and somatoform disorders.  EFT also has improved colds, headaches, joint pains, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, rashes, lower cortisol levels, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia.  Let’s take a look at some of these studies and experiments a little closer.

In a case study cited by Feinstein (2010), a 52 year old woman with stage IV breast cancer decided against conventional medicine interventions and instead used EFT on numerous personal issues that surfaced after she was diagnosed.  The patient received six clinical EFT tapping sessions, lasting 60 to 90 minutes in length, then continued to use the methods daily until a follow up examination eight months after the diagnosis; the appointment revealed no trace of cancer, but some scar tissue where the cancer had been (Feinstein et al., 2010).

Stapleton, Sheldon, Porter, and Whitty (2011) conducted a randomized clinical trial on the effects EFT exerted over food cravings, the perceived power of food, psychological symptoms, and will power of 96 overweight and obese adults.  When the researchers initially retested the participants, immediately after receiving their EFT treatment, the participants had significant reductions in food cravings, food wielded less power over the participants, and will power was improved.  The improvements in cravings and the power of food were maintained at the six month follow-up.

Another randomized controlled study performed by Church, Brooks, and DeAsis (2012) with 30 first-year psychology students scoring in the moderate to severely depressed ranges on the Beck Depression Inventory.  The participants in the experimental group received four EFT sessions of 90 minutes; the treatment proved to be both clinically and statistically significant, as the average post treatment depression score of the EFT condition group resulted in not depressed.

In a controlled pilot study by Benor, Ledger, Toussaint, and Hett (2009) with Canadian college students with severe to moderate test anxiety, EFT accomplished benefits equal to that of five cognitive behavioral therapy sessions.

Click here for images of brain scans from an experiment by Andrade and Feinstein (2004) using EFT treatments for participants with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); these scans show the average brain scan procession over a course of four weeks with twelve sessions of EFT.  The first scan is what an ideal brain scan looks like and the second scan is the average scan of the participants with (GAD) before they began EFT sessions; the brain scans progress toward their natural or ideal homeostasis state through EFT, reducing dysfunctional brain wave frequencies.

This study contrasted EFT with cognitive behavioral therapy, combined with medication when necessary, as a control mechanism.  The EFT participants were more likely to maintain their new functional brain wave patterns compared to the cognitive behavioral group.  Moreover, Andrade and Feinstein (2004) noted people treated with antianxiety medications did reduce their anxiety symptoms, but their brain scans maintained brain wave frequency dysfunction, implying the medication acts as a cosmetic layer without actually addressing the real issue(s).

How It Works

The research shows you the beginnings of the wide applications for EFT, but I want to explain to you why and how it works because there are several stratums to consider.  The first level we will consider is the electroconductivity of the human body, then epigenetics, and finally the cognitive restructuring process.

Your body is a beautiful and amazing transmitter and receiver of energy as represented by its electromagnetic field.  The human body produces electromagnetic fields with cells and tissues that can be measured on the skin, while all of our organs produce biomagnetic energy.

Within these energy fields, diseases and disturbances can often be measured before their physical symptoms can be detected.   EFT literally taps into these specific energy fields to redirect their flow in a proper, balanced manner, alleviating electromagnetic and biomagnetic fields of disturbances and blocks.

Epigenetics is a subfield of genetic research, exposing an inherent variability within genetic expression previously thought impossible.  Your DNA does not actually come with a concrete, inflexible blueprint dictating your every thought, action, and countenance; conversely, it is a vast set of probabilities, combining information from your default genetic expression, your thoughts, your beliefs, your behaviors, and your environmental and biochemical influences.

All of these inputs interact on the cellular level, communicating with the entirety of your body about the information received,responding by activating or deactivating the potentials within your unique genetic expression.  This is why over time identical twins, people born with duplicate DNA, begin to look different; each individual has their own experiences, psychology, and environmental exposures offering an alternative expression of active and inactive genetic potentials.

As epigenetics proves genetic and cellular expression is affected by conscious thought and behavioral inputs, EFT offers somatic and cognitive inputs that activate positive, balanced potentials, while deactivating genetic potentials expressing imbalance and harm.

Researchers and practitioners assert the physical activity with the activation of mental processes alters the targeted response because the stimulation of acupressure points transmits signals to the amygdala and related brain structures, reducing hyperarousal to the given stimulus or memory; the brain then reconsolidates the memory, cognition, feeling, or mental picture, while the newly reduced or absent hyperarousal is retained as the new reaction to the initial stimuli (Feinstein, 2008).

Ruden (2010) asserts EFT techniques focusing on stress-producing cues, such as fear or traumatic memories, depotentiate the neural pathways maintaining maladaptive conditioned responses; this means the EFT techniques recode the conditioned responses that produce ill effects with desired behaviors or feelings. This creates a cognitive restructuring of the brain, so old paradigms no longer regulate your responses.

The Process

There is a basic EFT procedure, consisting of tapping on each of eight energy meridian points while using an affirmation statement that coincides with a memory or a feeling. The procession of tapping can vary depending on the therapist or practitioner you are working with, as can the affirmation statements.

Some practitioners use the industry standard, “Even though I have (or feel) this fear of rejection, I deeply and profoundly accept myself,” while other practitioners prefer a stream of consciousness dialogue. With the latter method, you would tap as you say whatever comes to mind that you would like to work with, using a shorter phrase to repeat as you continue to tap on the proceeding points to reinforce the issue you are working on.

Even though the sequence of point tapping may vary, I am going to share with you what has worked for me, which also seems to be the most common. As you repeat your chosen phrase or issue, you tap on your karate chop point, or the side of your hand, followed by the inside of your eyebrows, then the side of your eyes, the bone under your eyes, under the nose, between your lower lip and chin, then your collarbone point, under the arm, and then the top of the head.  This would conclude one repetition.

You want to be sure not to tap too hard. You want to stimulate the meridians, but you do not want to cause bruising or pain. Look at the following chart for a visual representation of the proper tapping points.

Where Can I Learn It?

There are several ways to learn or administer EFT, such as with the help of a therapist or a certified EFT practitioner in both group and individual settings. If you are able, I suggest learning in a setting where you can have a certified EFT practitioner make sure you are accurately tapping your energy meridians. Because this method is so quick and easy to learn, you do not have to pour money into endless sessions with an EFT therapist. This is something you can do on your own, wherever and whenever you would like, empowering you in your health and healing.

There are also instructional DVDs you can use at home such as The Tapping Solution and Project Tapping: Tapping Into Abundance With Dr. Carol Look. These are great alternatives for those of you who live in areas where you do not have access to a certified EFT practitioner.

If you decide to learn or try EFT, I suggest staying well hydrated to increase your biological electroconductivity and to do one session right before you go to bed.  When you learn something new, or alter a pattern of thinking, and immediately go to sleep, you have several hours to integrate the new template in your brain without interruptions, resulting in a more effective and solidified change.

Spiritual & Personal Implications

By successfully implementing EFT into your daily routine, you empower yourself to take control over your emotions, thoughts, and how you choose to experience your life. Imagine eradicating irrational fears as they enter your consciousness or overcoming a traumatic event that has stifled some part of your life.

You no longer have to live captive to thought processes that do not serve your highest good or take medications that only serve as a temporary band aid while poisoning your system.  You would not have to try to suppress negative emotions or thoughts because as they enter your awareness, you can safely and painlessly extinguish them.

By bringing balance and inner peace to your life, you offer more balance and peace to the world.  Every energy field is interconnected, ebbing and flowing together to create an even larger field of energy.  By correcting your energy flow, you aid in balancing the whole.  You have the ability to heal yourself in many ways; EFT is quick, easy, cost effective, and encourages your unique zenith expression.

References

Andrade, J., & Feinstein, D. (2004). The neurological foundations of energy psychology: Brain scan changes during 4 weeks of treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. Ashland, Oregon: Innersource. Retrieved from http://www.eftuniverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2470

Benor, D. J., Ledger, K., Toussaint, L., & Hett, G. (2009). Pilot study of emotional freedom techniques, wholistic hybrid derived from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and emotional freedom technique, and cognitive behavioral therapy treatment of test anxiety in university students.Journal of Science and Healing, 5(6), 338-340. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2009.08.001

Church, D. (2010). Your dna is not your destiny: Behavioral epigenetics and the role of emotions in health. Anti Aging Medical Therapeutics, 13, 35-42.

Church, D., & Brooks, A. (2008, October). The effect of eft (emotional freedom techniques) on psychological symptoms in addiction treatment. Paper presented at Tenth annual energy psychology conference.
Church, D., & Brooks, A. J. (2010). Application of emotional freedom techniques. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, 9(4), 36-38.

Church, D., & Brooks, A. (2010). The effect of a brief emotional freedom techniques self-intervention on anxiety, depression, pain, and cravings in health care workers. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, 9(5), 40-43.

Church, D. (2010). The treatment of combat trauma in veterans using EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques): A pilot protocol. Traumatology, 16(1), 55 – 65.

Church, D., Brooks, A. J., & DeAsis, M. A. (2012). Clinical study brief group intervention using emotional freedom techniques for depression in college students: A randomized controlled trial.Depression Research and Treatment, 2012, 1-7.

Cole, S. W., Hawkley, L. C., Arevalo, J. M., Sung, C. Y., Rose, R. M., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). Social regulation of gene expression in human leukocytes. Genome Biology, 8, R189.

Emotional freedom techniques. In (2012). Natural Standard:The Authority on Integrative Medicine. Retrieved from http://naturalstandard.com.library.gcu.edu

Feinstein, D. (2008). Energy Psychology: A Review of the Preliminary Evidence. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training. 45(2), 199-213.

Feinstein, D., & Church, D.  (2010). Modulating Gene Expression through Psychotherapy:  The Contribution of Non-Invasive Somatic Interventions. Review of General Psychology,14(4),  283 – 195.

Greeson, J. (2009). Mindfulness research update. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine , 14(1), 10-18.

Kandel, E. (1998). A new intellectual framework for psychiatry. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 155, 457-469.

Karatzias, T., Power, K., & Brown, K. (2011). A controlled comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of two psychological therapies for post traumatic stress disorder eye movement desensitization and reprocessing vs. emotional freedom techniques. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 199(6), 372-378. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31821cd262

Oschman, J. (2012, May 22). Science measures the human energy field. Retrieved from http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/sciencemeasures.htm

Poulter, M. O., Du, L., Weaver, I., Palkovits, M., Faludi, G., Merali, Z., Anisman, H. (2008). GABA receptor promoter hypermethylation in  suicide brain: Implications for the involvement of epigenetic processes. Biological Psychiatry, 64, 645-652.

Reefe, J. (2012). Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Its Health Benefits. Positive Health, (192), 1.

Ruden, R. A. (2010). When the past is always present: Emotional traumatization, causes, and cures. New York: Routledge.

Sakai, C.S., Connolly, S. M., & Oas, P. (2010). Treatment of PTSD in Rwandan genocide survivors using Thought Field Therapy.  International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 12(1), 41-50.

Salas, M. M., Brooks, A. J., & Rowe, J. E. (2011). The immediate effect of a brief energy psychology intervention (emotional freedom techniques) on specific phobias: A pilot study. Journal of Science and Healing, 7(3), 155-161. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2011.02.005

Sheldon, K. M., & King, L. (2001). Positive psychology: Why positive psychology is necessary. Retrieved from http://www.psicosport.it/news/Articoli – Sheldon – Why Positive Psychology is necessary.pdf

Stapleton, P., Sheldon, T., Porter, B., & Whitty, J. (2011). A randomized clinical trial of a meridian-based intervention for food cravings with six-month follow-up. Behavior Change, 28(1), 1-15.

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 **Disclaimer: Before engaging in any health program, it is best to contact a doctor or health provider you trust to make the best decision for your individual needs.**

About the Author

Polly Anna’s deepest passion since childhood has been helping humanity. She has embarked on a special spiritual and educational journey that has allowed her the ability to share her experiences, gain esoteric and scientific insight, and help others on their individual paths to personal growth and enlightenment.

She is educated in both the arts and sciences, graduating with honors with a bachelor’s of arts in theatre and entrepreneurship and she is about to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a master’s of science in psychology. She will then be working on her doctorate in psychology, consciousness, and cosmology. Beyond her education, she is a spiritual intuitive empath, and is gaining further credentials and certificates in neurolinguistic programming, spiritual guidance, transformative life coaching, and emotional freedom techniques (EFT). My background has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of myself, the human condition, and taught me how to conduct thorough research.

Polly feels there is nothing of greater importance than every individual on this beautiful planet realizing their authentic, intrinsic self and true worth. For more information on Polly Anna and her articles, check out her site PositivePollyAnna.wordpress.com

SOURCE WAKE UP WORLD