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By Laura Owens healthy living F eeling hurt? An over-the-counter pain reliever such as acet- aminophen or ibuprofen might help you feel a little better. In a February 2018 review published in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, researchers looked at past studies of OTC meds and found that they decreased sensitivity to emo- tionally painful experiences (in women; the effect was the op- posite in men). In another fi nding OTC meds reduced subjects' discomfort with parting with possessions. But what's disturbing is other studies found OTC pain meds decrease empathy, the abil- ity to process information, and damp down emotional reactions to pleasant and unpleasant photos. "In many ways, the reviewed fi ndings are alarming," wrote lead author Kyle Ratner. "Consumers assume that when they take an over-the-counter pain medication, it will relieve their physical symptoms, but they do not anticipate broader psycho- logical effects." I f you don't love curry, you might want to learn to love it. Senior citizens in India, a country where the bright yellow spice cur- cumin found in curry is a staple, have lower rates of Alzheimer's and higher cognitive performance. In a January 2018 study published in American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry researchers found that curcumin improved memory and mood in people with mild age-related memory loss. Curcumin has already been shown to have an an- tioxidant and anti-infl ammatory effect. "Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain infl ammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer's disease and major de- pression," said Dr. Gary Small, director of geriatric psychiatry at UCLA's Lon- gevity Center and of the geriatric psychiatry division at the Semel Institute for N e u r o s c i e n c e and Human Be- havior at UCLA, and the study's fi rst author. D id you know that every time you walk outside in your bare feet you benefi t from the earth's natural electric charge? You connect your body to earth's healing energy. "The ground under your feet may actually be the single most-powerful med- icine on the planet," says Marty Zucker, a long-time health journalist and co-author of the book Earthing, "because of Moth- er Earth's natural endowment of 'electric nutrition,' a virtually limitless supply of free electrons that give the ground we walk on its negative electric charge." A 2015 summary published in the Jour- nal of Infl ammation Research looked at more than a dozen studies on the effects of grounding (also referred to as earthing). Results suggest grounding may improve sleep by normalizing day–night corti- sol rhythm, reduce pain and stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic to parasympa- thetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed wound heal- ing, and reduce blood viscosity (thickness). So whenever possible, pull off your socks and shoes and head outside for at least a half hour. Any conductive surface works (soil, grass, sand, or concrete). Notice how you feel. Sense your stress level down shift. Earth's energy is free, it's easily accessible, and since the beginning of time, it's healing. OTC PAIN MEDS DECREASE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS EARTHING: THE BENEFITS OF BEING BAREFOOT CURCUMIN IMPROVES MEMORY AND MOOD I f you don't love curry, you might want to learn to love it. Senior citizens in India, a country where the bright yellow spice cur- cumin found in curry is a staple, have lower rates of Alzheimer's and higher cognitive performance. In a January 2018 study published in American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry researchers found that curcumin Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry researchers found that curcumin Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry improved memory and mood in people with mild age-related memory loss. Curcumin has already been shown to have an an- tioxidant and anti-infl ammatory effect. "Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain infl ammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer's disease and major de- pression," said Dr. Gary Small, director of geriatric psychiatry at UCLA's Lon- gevity Center and of the geriatric psychiatry division at the Semel Institute for CURCUMIN IMPROVES MEMORY AND MOOD April/May 2018 15 Rock Body YOUR