Some stuff you may not realize...

	Hi there, Kermit! The time sure has flown this year hasn’t it? Is it really Christmas time already… wow! Well, it’s at this time of the year, I think we all take stock of the year we’ve had before we start looking forward to the new year ahead. This Christmas, I just wanted to take some time to look back at some of the topics we’ve covered this year, and go back over some of the things we’ve learned together. So, here is my top 5… 5. Sleeping and Smart Phones Researchers found that screen time with your phone is really no different from watching TV right before getting some shut-eye. The most interesting part about this study was that it didn’t really matter when participants got their screen time in. The study did not just look at how long before bedtime people used their phone. The results revealed two very interesting conclusions. The first result was that “Longer average screen-times during bedtime and the sleeping period were associated with poor sleep quality, decreased sleep efficiency, and longer sleep onset latency.” Which pretty much confirms our previous beliefs about looking at a screen before bed – whether TV, computer, or phone. However, perhaps more surprisingly, the second result indicated, “Longer average screen-time was associated with shorter sleep duration and worse sleep-efficiency.” So, not only does screen-time during your nighttime routine affect your sleep patterns, your average screen-time in general does. 4. Shoes Don’t Really Help Knee Pain An expert survey on shoes claiming to help people who suffer from knee pain, all you may have bought was a sales pitch. Researchers for the Institute of Aging research concluded that the so-called latest and greatest shoe boasting such knee pain erasing claims, Asics’ "Gel Melbourne OA," was really no better than any other standard walking shoe is for knee pain. The bottom line is that the only way to diminish knee pain is through diet and low-impact exercise. You see, no matter what shoe you have on, a new pair of shoes doesn’t fix years of wear and tear. 3. Dormant Butt Syndrome? Dr. Chris Kolber, a physical therapist at the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, coined a term for a condition that affects a broad range of people from elite athletes to complete couch potatoes. That term being “dormant butt syndrome.” While it is unlikely that this term will remain its title as medical communities begin to take it more seriously in the coming years, dormant butt syndrome is characterized by “the gluteus Maximus or the glute muscles just not functioning as efficiently as they should.” This condition is often caused as much by daily inactivity as it is by sleeping in a fetal position at night. According to Dr. Kolber’s research, our posteriors do most of the work in holding up the weight of our body. Therefore, a weak rear end puts even more strain on the joints in the lower half of your body. Without a boost from the bottom, the hips, knees, and ankles can all suffer. And, because everything is connected in the body’s design, the pain that starts at the ankle can lead to a pain in the back, and that can all be a real pain in the… well, you know. 2. Avoid the Elevator The first step you take towards improving the health of your body and mind may be a step up. The April 2016 edition of Neurobiology of Aging featured the results of a study from researchers at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, who compared the brain volume of adults between the ages of 19 and 79. The study shows that there are significant differences in brain deterioration between those who did and those who did and who did not do one simple activity that we could all be doing more of… Take the stairs. Those who climbed the stairs showed the less brain deterioration and had brains that appeared physically younger in MRI images as opposed to those who did not, meaning that an activity as simple as taking the stairs, instead of taking the elevator at work, out shopping, or going to a doctor’s appointment, can have major positive effects on your brain’s age and activity, not to mention on your overall health. 1. Happiness is the Key to Better Memory Researchers at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge and The University of Barcelona discovered that the way we feel about a particular experience greatly impacts how and even if we remember what happened. There’s a tendency for us to assume that the very worst things that happen to us are the things that we will remember the most, but this research group actually found the complete opposite. As it turns out, when we are able to associate positive emotions with an experience, those are the experiences we will remember the best. The reason for this is because positive emotions act as a kind of reward for our brains, and when an experience is linked to a reward, we will remember both the reward and the experience associated with that reward. Think about the best thing that ever happened to you. Whatever it is, I’m sure that you remember more than just the event. You probably recall the people you were around, the smell of the place you were, the taste of the air, and the feel of the wind. Think about it another way: even when we have negative emotions associated with an experience, we will definitely remember that experience, but it is more likely that we will remember it because of the positive steps we took to overcome the bad thing that happened. It seems, then, that making a conscious effort to associate positive thoughts with all we do is the best step we can take toward improving our memories. So this Christmas, let’s make some positive memories. Thanks for sharing 2016 with us! We look forward to sharing more with you in the following year. We also hope that we have shown you to some great life-enriching formulas and supplements at our Primal Labs™ Store – we have heard from so many of you about how beneficial they have been for getting your health back on track. From all of us here at Primal Labs, Merry Christmas!