What you eat affects more than physical health. Two new studies have added to the growing evidence linking the stomach and the brain.

In a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , researchers studied how junk food can trigger addiction behaviors. The brain chemical corticotropin-releasing-factor, CRF, is linked to motivation, and plays a role in drug and alcohol withdrawal and relapse. Researchers had rats eat normal food, then binge on sugar and chocolate-flavored snacks. When the rats went off the junk, they expressed CRF, just as do rats going through withdrawal. The rodents also had more anxiety and were less interested in normal food.

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Source: “Diet and the Brain”, Scientific American

The push to prevent skin cancer may have come with unintended consequences–impaired brain function because of a deficiency of vitamin D. The “sunshine vitamin” is synthesized in our skin when we are exposed to direct sunlight, but sunblock impedes this process. And although vitamin D is well known for promoting bone health and regulating vital calcium levels–hence its addition to milk–it does more than that. Scientists have now linked this fat-soluble nutrient’s hormonelike activity to a number of functions throughout the body, including the workings of the brain.

“We know there are receptors for vitamin D throughout the central nervous system and in the hippocampus,” said Robert J. Przybelski, a doctor and research scientist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “We also know vitamin D activates and deactivates enzymes in the brain and the cerebrospinal fluid that are involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and nerve growth.” In addition, animal and laboratory studies suggest vitamin D protects neurons and reduces inflammation.

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Source: “Does Vitamin D Improve Brain Function?”, Scientific American

Study indicates marijuana damages genetic material in ways that could increase the risk of cancer.

Source: “Marijuana Damages DNA and May Cause Cancer”, LiveScience.com

“EATING junk food could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, research suggests.”

“Junk diet link to dementia”, NEWS.com.au | Top Stories

“THOSE jittery people who suspect their decaf coffee has been laced with that demon caffeine are right.”

“There’s a dose of the devil in your decaf”, NEWS.com.au | Top Stories

“With apologies to The Atlantic, Spectrum has compiled a list of Adventist Ideas Whose Time Has Come.

OLD IDEAS STAGING COMEBACKS

■ Soy Milk

■ Conscientious Objection

■ Works (not for salvation, but for community)

■ Vegetarianism

■ Caring for Creation

■ The Sabbath School Lesson

■ Women’s Ordination

INNOVATIONS WE MIGHT SERIOUSLY REGRET

■ Video screens in church

■ Instant evangelistic conversion

■ Closing so many Adventist academies

■ Praise music

■ The historical-grammatical method

■ ‘Seventh-day Adventist’ as a corporate registered trademark

SEEMINGLY HORRIFYING IDEAS THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIAL

■ More congregational control over property and money

■ Contested conference elections

■ An Adventist blogosphere

■ Roy Branson, GC vice-president for evangelism and ethics

■ An Adventist Theological Society / Adventist Society for Religious Studies merger

GOOD THINGS WE HAVE THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT

■ The NAD’s SONscreen Film Festival

■ Adventist Peace Fellowship

■ Jan Paulsen

■ Green campus activism

■ Top notch medical personnel

■ A global church community

IDEAS THAT HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR USEFULNESS

■ Sunday worship as the Mark of the Beast

■ Ingathering

■ 3ABN

■ Mass-evangelism

IDEAS WE THINK WE LIKE— BUT THE JURY’S STILL OUT

■ Chapel Records hires Adventist DJs to remix the King’s Heralds and Take 6.

■ No more segregated conferences

■ Linda Shelton hosting a View-like show on Hope TV.

■ Someone from the 2/3rds world as the next GC President

IDEAS WE ALWAYS STOOD FOR AND ARE NOW COMING INTO THEIR OWN

■ Soul sleep

■ A weekly Sabbath day of rest and in-person community

■ Vegetarianism

■ Women in church leadership

■ No literal hell

■ Not smoking

■ Separation of Church and State

MODEST PROPOSALS FOR THE YEAR TO COME

■ Adventist Community Services and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency join forces

■ Pathfinders with an ecological focus

■ An weekly Sabbath from media

■ More Pastors’ Wives Making Music Videos

■ Loving our neighbors as ourselves

Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments below.

“

“Adventist Ideas Whose Time Has Come”, Spectrum Blog

Eating large fish can poison young children: “PARENTS have been warned against feeding large fish species such as swordfish, marlin and shark to young children because of the danger of mercury poisoning.”

Working Moms: Keys to Lower Stress: “Find a good husband and keep the faith”

Young becoming addicted to social networking sites: “A GROWING number of young Australians are becoming addicted to online social networking websites such as MySpace or Facebook, a study has found.”

Should Pastors’ Spouses Be Compensated?
Some church members in one church in the United States balked when a new pastor’s wife seemingly spent more time pursuing her education and career than she did teaching Sabbath School classes or cooking potluck entrées.