The Best Natural Remedies for Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that usually results in pain in the big toe but can also affect other small joints in the feet and hands. Those who experience it know that it can even make simple tasks like walking painful and difficult. It can form when uric acids build up in the joints, especially the big toe. Fortunately, there are some excellent natural remedies that can help. But before I explore the natural medicines, let’s first review the foods to avoid when it comes to healing gout:

Certain foods contain high amounts of substances known as purines that can cause uric acid buildup as they are metabolized in the body. The foods that are best reduced or avoided include:

organ meats like liver or giblets
beef, bison
lamb
pork
anchovies
herring
mackerel
shrimp
lobster
scallops
poultry
alcohol (particularly beer)
asparagus
mushrooms
foods and beverages that contain high-fructose corn syrup 

THE BEST NATURAL REMEDIES FOR GOUT

CHERRIES AND CHERRY JUICE

Although many people opt for aspirin as the first course of action when they have a gout flare-up, aspirin can actually aggravate the problem. However, tart cherry extract has been found to not only alleviate the inflammation but reduce the pain of gout. Only two tablespoons of the concentrated juice, which is found in many health food stores, needs to be taken daily for effective results. Alternatively, eat approximately 20 cherries daily (tart or sweet are both effective).

CELERY AND CELERY SEEDS

James Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy, found more than 20 anti-inflammatory compounds in celery and celery seeds, including a substance called apigenin, which is powerful in its anti-inflammatory action. You can eat celery as sticks, add it to soups, salads, stews and curries. If you’re not sure how to use celery seeds, you can add them to soups, stews, or use as a salt substitute in many recipes. You can also eat celery seed bread in place of garlic bread. Or use both garlic and celery seeds for a taste sensation. Simply brush olive oil on whole grain or gluten-free bread and sprinkle with celery seeds (and chopped fresh garlic, if using) and bake in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven until golden brown.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Many people find drinking water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar helpful for gout. Choose apple cider vinegar that contains some sediment (known as the ‘mother,’ which is the natural probiotic cultures that turn apples or apple cider into vinegar). Also make sure that the one you choose has not been pasteurized, as pasteurization kills the beneficial microbes. Apple cider vinegar not only contains beneficial microbes that help reduce inflammation, it also contains chlorogenic acid, which research shows reduces inflammation linked to gout.

GINGER

Ginger has been found to be effective for many types of arthritis, including: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Research in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology link its effectiveness against uric acid crystals to ginger’s naturally-occurring compound known as 6-shogaol. Fresh ginger is superior to dried but both can be helpful. Add fresh or dried ginger to stir-fries, curries, soups, noodle dishes or vegetable dishes, or make it into tea. To make a ginger tea, simple chop a two- to three-inch piece of fresh ginger, add it to a quart of water, and boil on the stove for 45 to 60 minutes. Strain, add stevia (if desired) and drink three cups daily. Store any leftover tea in the fridge. You can also add an inch or two of fresh ginger root to your juicer when making fresh vegetable juices.

WATER

While most of us know that we need to rehydrate daily, it is important for those suffering from gout to drink plenty of water to flush excess uric acid from the body.

While being overweight can be a risk factor for gout, it is important to avoid high animal protein diets to lose weight as they can aggravate gout.

These Common Products Contain Formaldehyde, a Known Carcinogen.

According to Politico, the current EPA is suppressing and delaying the release of a “report that warns that most Americans inhale enough formaldehyde vapor in the course of daily life to put them at risk of developing leukemia and other ailments.”

Yikes.

THE EPA FORMALDEHYDE COVERUP

The agency completed the drafted report in late 2016, yet it continues to stonewall. This is hugely problematic, because even though we have long known about the hazards of formaldehyde, this new report paints formaldehyde as much more dangerous and carcinogenic than we previously believed.

The report links formaldehyde inhalation with a greater risk of developing nose and throat cancer, leukemia, and other diseases.

Unfortunately, formaldehyde is one of the most commonly used chemicals in the country. “The new assessment would give greater weight to warnings about the chemical’s risks and could lead to stricter regulations from the EPA or class-action lawsuits targeting its manufacturers, as frequently occurs after these types of studies are released.” 

Essentially, this new report could lead to stricter regulations, which would be a win for all consumers. It’s been a long time coming. The National Toxicology Program has already deemed formaldehyde a known human carcinogen. Yet, companies continue to use it widely in manufacturing. And eventually, it winds up off-gassing into the air of our homes.

COMMON PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN FORMALDEHYDE

Until the EPA gets its act together and starts putting stronger regulations on formaldehyde, educate yourself. Here are some of the most common household items that contain formaldehyde and tips for reducing your daily exposure.

Mattresses and Pillows

Most mattresses are made out of polyurethane foam, which is petroleum-based—yes, even your beloved Tempur-Pedic. This foam is often infused with formaldehyde resin. The same is usually true for foam pillows.

Bed Sheets

Any sheets that are “wrinkle-free” or “permanent press” are usually treated with a formaldehyde resin. Since you are spending a third of your life in bed, you probably don’t want to be breathing in carcinogens every time you get snuggly. Instead, look for organic bedding. There are plenty of conscious, chemical-free brands out there, though they do tend to cost a little extra.

Furniture

Formaldehyde is widely used in the glue that holds particle boards together. Choose furniture made from real wood, or choose used furniture which has likely already off-gassed the bulk of its formaldehyde. And if you’d like to avoid toxic flame retardant chemicals while you’re at it, look for new furniture with this helpful label.

Air Fresheners

Artificial fragrances are loaded with chemicals, including formaldehyde. Do you really want to be spraying carcinogens into your bathroom air? Instead, opt for natural essential oil-based options, like clean soy or coconut wax candles or wonderful, non-toxic sprays like punny Poo-Pourri.

Conventional Nail Polish and Remover

Unless you’re actively buying clean, chemical-free nail polish brands, you may be inadvertently painting your nails with a cocktail of toxic chemicals. Nail polish contains the highest density of formaldehyde of any consumer products—up to five percent. And the same goes for nail polish remover, which is practically paint stripper. Always go the non-toxic route.

Clothing

If your fabric is shrink-resistant (especially wool), color-fast, stain resistant, or waterproof, it has most likely been treated with a formaldehyde resin.

HOW TO REDUCE FORMALDEHYDE IN YOUR HOME’S INDOOR AIR

Currently, formaldehyde is nearly unavoidable in your daily life. So, take extra precautions around your house to keep the air fresh.

Keeping your house low-humidity, freshening the air with open windows for a few minutes each day, and using a quality air purifier that reduces VOCs (volatile organic compounds) like formaldehyde are good practices to adopt.

And on the whole, be a more conscious consumer, because sometimes regulation come too late.

Pediatricians say Juice is Like Soda Without the Bubbles

In other words, it’s not the healthy elixir you think it is.

Nutritional awareness has reached a point where most people realize that soda and energy drinks are not healthy. Whether or not this affects a person’s decision to partake in these beverages is another matter, but the point is that their unhealthiness is now mostly an undisputed fact.

Juice, on the other hand, has somehow escaped the unhealthy label. Despite having a sugar content equivalent to that of soda (10 teaspoons per 12-ounce serving), it still enjoys a healthy halo, and thus continues to feature prominently on breakfast tables, in kids’ lunches, and on daycare menus. Particularly for kids, juice is seen as an easy way of getting important vitamins and minerals into their bodies, which may be why the average kid in the U.S. drinks 10 ounces of juice per day — double the amount recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

A trio of pediatricians wants this to change. In an article for the New York Times titled “Seriously, Juice Is Not Healthy“, the three doctors argue that it’s time we stopped pretending that juice is different from other sugary beverages.

One of the biggest concerns is the sugar content, which nobody needs these days, in light of the obesity crisis currently afflicting the United States. Studies have shown that drinking juice prior to a meal actually makes a person hungrier, leading them to overeat.

Juice is not the same as whole fruit because it lacks the fibre that fills a person up. That is why “children who drink juice instead of eating fruit may similarly feel less full and may be more likely to snack throughout the day.” The doctors also expressed concern over juice being a “gateway drink” to other sugary beverages. From the article:

“One-year-olds who drank more juice also drank more sugary beverages, including more soda, in their school-age years. Children’s excessive consumption of juice has been linked to an increased risk of weight gain, shorter stature and cavities. Even in the absence of weight gain, sugar consumption worsens blood pressure and increases cholesterol.”

Reading the comments on the original article was interesting. There was much defensiveness of juice, particularly fresh, homemade juice made with fruit and vegetables, but even those appear to fall under the authors’ ban, saying, “There is no evidence that juice improves health.”

A pediatric dentist had sobering thoughts to share, describing the rampant tooth decay he sees in patients as young as 14 months old.

“I routinely treat children [whose] upper front teeth destroyed, often beyond repair, by sleeping with or carrying around bottles of juice. We have been led to believe, as the authors state, that juice is a healthy alternative to soda, and it is not. Would you put your baby to sleep with a bottle of Mountain Dew? Of course not (though I have treated too many of those toddlers, too). Juice is soda without the bubbles.”

SO WHAT SHOULD A CHILD DRINK?

It’s fairly simple. Give him or her water to accompany meals. Milk is another option, depending on your family’s views on it, though not necessary. Teach your child by omission that hydration need not taste sugary, that the satisfying quench of water is sufficient. Save juice for special occasions, then dilute it. With my own kids, I find this easiest to do by not buying juice or soda; when it’s not in the house, the temptation is not there.

As the authors say, “It’s much easier to prevent obesity than it is to reverse it.” Establish healthy beverage habits from the beginning and your child will thank you someday.

6 Everyday Habits for Better Brain Health

While nothing can prevent or cure Alzheimer’s, adhering to these six habits can lead to better overall brain health:

HEALTHY BODY, HEALTHY BRAIN

Diabetes, heart disease—even poor gum health—have all been shown to increase a person’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Conversely, individuals who exercise on a regular basis, consume diets that are rich in fruit, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats, and engage in proper mouth hygiene practices often experience a lower risk for developing Alzheimer’s in their later years. 

GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE

A recent study from the University of California, San Francisco found that older men who didn’t get enough high-quality sleep—woke up multiple times during the night, couldn’t fall back asleep, etc.—experienced cognitive issues equivalent to the effect of an additional five years of brain aging. Fitful sleepers had greater trouble planning, making decisions and were more likely to encounter issues with abstract thinking.  

BUILD A BUFFER AGAINST DEMENTIA

Cognitive reserve describes the mechanism by which a person’s mind helps compensate for damage to their brain. The term has recently become a buzzword among health care professionals because research indicates that people who have larger amounts of cognitive reserve are less likely to exhibit the classic signs of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia—short term memory loss, difficulty multitasking, etc.—even if their brain scans show mental damage. This is because cognitive reserve effectively makes the mind stronger and more nimble, enabling it to come up with ways to compensate for disease-related loss of functioning.

FANCY TRAINING PROGRAMS NOT REQUIRED!

Building a cognitive reserve buffer doesn’t require a bunch of fancy mental puzzles and exercises—though such activities can help. Rather, the key to constructing cognitive reserve lies in seeking out novel activities and experiences in your everyday life. For example, Shlomo Breznitz, Ph.D., co-author of Maximum Brainpower: Challenging the Brain for Health and Wisdom, says even simple tasks—using your non-dominant hand while eating, taking an alternate route to work—can strengthen your cognitive reserve. Discover six additional Ways to Boost Brainpower.

STRESS MANAGEMENT IS ESSENTIAL

Studies have shown that individuals who experience high levels of stress in middle age have a greater risk of developing dementia, even decades later. Cortisol and other hormones released during the stress response can contribute to brain inflammation and can damage the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for memory formation.

THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT

Maintaining strong social connections with friends and family throughout life is widely-regarded as an ideal buffer against a host of ailments—both physical and mental. Indeed, new research has even outlined the Deadly Consequences of Loneliness.

14 Amazing Health Benefits of Tomatoes

DECREASE BLOOD CLUMPING

Exciting new research in the journal Archives of Medical Science found that an extract of tomatoes may be a great alternative to aspirin for people with high blood pressure or at a high risk of heart disease. The researchers found that the tomato extract stopped the clumping that typically occurs in the blood of people with heart disease, thereby keeping the blood healthier. The study participants who were obese and experiencing high blood pressure had the greatest results.

You’ll need to eat more than ketchup to take advantage of these health benefits. While the study did not indicate the equivalent amount of tomato you’d need to get to reap the benefits, strive to eat fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce on a daily basis to initiate the blood clean-up effects. And, of course, if your physician has prescribed aspirin for this purpose, do not discontinue the drug without their approval.

PROTECT THE BLOOD

Due to their rich content of vitamins and carotenoids, along with potent healing phytonutrients known as flavonoids and lignans, research to be published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements later this year found that tomatoes have a protective effect against pollutants like excessive fluoride. Considering the widespread use of fluoride in our water supply, it’s a good idea to boost tomato consumption. Of course, it doesn’t replace water filtration.

REDUCE BREAST CANCER RISK

Tomatoes are rich in a collection of phytonutrients called carotenoids. You’ve probably already heard of beta-carotene and lycopene, but there are others just as critical.  And exciting research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that eating higher amounts of carotenoids—including alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and total carotenoids—reduces the risk of breast cancer. 

PROTECT AGAINST PROSTATE CANCER

Plentiful amounts of research, including a study in the journal Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, show that lycopene found in tomatoes helps to protect against prostate cancer.

IMPROVE DIABETES

According to research in the journal Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, scientists created diabetic conditions in animals and fed some lycopene while others were fed their typical diet free of lycopene. The biochemistry of animals fed lycopene returned to normal while the others stayed at diabetic levels. This study shows promise that lycopene (found in tomatoes) can help restore biochemical balance in diabetics.

PREVENT STROKE

Research in the journal Harvard Health Letter found that diets rich in tomatoes can help prevent stroke. The scientists chalk up the results to tomatoes’ rich lycopene content.

REDUCE HEART DISEASE RISK

Research shows the lycopene found in tomatoes, when eaten regularly, can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown in research to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. They have also been shown to prevent clumping in the blood (known as platelet aggregation) which is a risk factor for atherosclerosis.

REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF AGING

They contain an important phytonutrient called lycopene that has been proven in studies to fight aging and have anti-cancer properties. It appears to be particularly effective against prostate and colon cancers.

PROTECT DNA

Recent research in the medical journal Environmental and Molecular Mutagenasistomatoes and the lycopene found in them has the impressive ability to protect genetic material against damage, which may reduce the likelihood of disease.

STIMULATE FAT-BURNING

Great news! As long as you don’t pile on too much pasta and you choose a whole grain variety, that pasta dinner might actually help you to lose weight. That’s because tomatoes stimulate the production of the amino acid carnitine, which has been shown in research to speed the body’s fat-burning capacity by over 30 percent.

BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Excellent sources of vitamin C and carotenoids, tomatoes can help keep your immune system strong against infections. That’s good news as we’re seeing the rise of superbugs these days.

OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Exciting new research in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that lycopene found in tomatoes helps to regulate bone cell production and bone loss, suggesting that lycopene and tomatoes may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of bone conditions like osteoporosis.

BOOST EYE HEALTH

Because tomatoes are a rich source of the phytonutrients beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, they can help improve vision and protect your eyes from degeneration.

RADIATION PROTECTION

Research that will be published later this year in the Journal of Dietary Supplements found that oil in tomato seeds helps to protect against radiation. While this type of research is in its infancy and you’d need to eat a lot of tomato seeds to get sufficient tomato seed oil, it’s good to know that even in a small way, eating tomatoes with the seeds in them might be warding off some of the effects of radiation.

Get the Most Nutrition From Your Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be enjoyed in pasta, salads, soups, stews, wraps, curries and many of your favorite dishes. Some people claim that tomatoes should be eaten cooked for maximum nutritional value—that’s not the full story, however. While lycopene is best absorbed from cooked tomatoes, vitamin C and the enzymes found in tomatoes are best if eaten uncooked. Just adding a dash of olive oil on your raw tomatoes significantly increases the absorption of lycopene. Eating tomatoes in a variety of foods helps ensure the best nutrient absorption. Relish cooked tomatoes in soups, stews and curries. Enjoy raw ones in salads, sandwiches and salsas.

Research also shows that the form of lycopene found in yellow and orange tomatoes is better absorbed than from red tomatoes. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the red ones, but throw in some multi-colored heirloom tomatoes in the mix, too.

While lycopene supplements offer health benefits, research in the journal Advances in Nutrition shows that eating tomatoes is preferable to supplementation with lycopene, except for those with high blood pressure where the supplements were superior. Even if you choose to take lycopene supplements, it is always a good idea to eat tomatoes to benefit from their many other healing constituents.

How to Slow Aging by Balancing These 6 Hormones

Many hormonal changes occur in our bodies when we hit middle age. Some of these changes cause wrinkles, low energy, fat gain, and other signs of aging.

Unfortunately, most people have accepted fast aging as normal, but that doesn’t have to be the case for you. You can regulate your hormones, and as a result, slow the aging process.

Below are some of the hormones you should regulate to slow aging, plus how to do it naturally.

1. HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE

The human growth hormone plays a vital role in keeping us young. Adequate amounts of this hormone enhance muscle growth and prevent fat gain. However, administering injections is not the best way to boost growth hormone. Injections can actually shorten your lifespan, according to research. 

Luckily, you can maintain optimal growth hormone levels through exercise, getting quality sleep, and maintaining a healthy diet. Research shows that sprinting for 30 seconds can boost your growth hormone levels by 450 percent for up to two hours.

2. ESTROGEN

Estrogen keeps women’s skin glowing and makes you feel feminine and vibrant. Excess estrogen can make your entire body tender, cause reproduction problems, and migraines. Low estrogen levels are problematic, too. They reduce skin elasticity and weaken your bones.

You can keep your estrogen levels balanced by eating lots of healthy fats like avocado, nuts and nut butter, and olive oil.

3. CORTISOL

Many of us know that the body produces excess cortisol when we are stressed. When cortisol levels are elevated for a long period, the body becomes inflamed. That inflammation speeds up the aging process and increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Managing your stress will help lower your cortisol levels. You may also want to increase the intake of B vitamins by eating foods that are rich in B vitamins. Alternatively, you can take B vitamins supplements.

4. PROGESTERONE

It’s is important to keep your progesterone balanced, if you want to stay energetic as you age. Unbalanced progesterone increases fatigue and causes sleeplessness.

Nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, sulfur, and vitamin E can help boost progesterone production.

5. TESTOSTERONE

Both men and women produce testosterone. However, low testosterone levels have more side effects on men than women. Lack of testosterone can promote aging, since it causes fat gain, low sex drive, and muscle loss.

Increase your testosterone by doing strength training, eating plenty of protein, and getting enough vitamin D.

6. INSULIN

Our bodies accumulate fat quickly when insulin levels are unbalanced. This is something you don’t want, because fat gain increases signs of aging.

There is no better way to manage insulin than cutting back on sugar and processed foods. Also, exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity.

11 Fascinating Facts You Never Knew About Your Brain

It only weighs 3 pounds. It runs on about 20 watts of electricity. It’s what sets us apart from other animals.

Figure it out yet? We’re talking about the human brain.

While it’s undoubtedly the most important organ, we tend to forget about it while it’s quietly keeping the body breathing, walking, and talking. The brain does so much, in fact, that scientists still don’t understand exactly why and how it carries out all its complex functions. What we do know about the brain, however, is seriously awe-inspiring. Case in point: these 11 facts.

1. THE HUMAN BRAIN IS SHRINKING

For the first 2 million years of human evolution, the brain grew. And grew and grew, until the time of the Cro-Magnons, a brawny incarnation of humans with huge jaws and enormous chests. That was 20,000 years ago—and since then, our brains have shrunk in size, losing a chunk about the size of a tennis ball.

Though scientists don’t believe this change is anything to be concerned about, they also don’t know exactly why it’s happening.

2. THE BRAIN IN YOUR SKULL ISN’T YOUR ONLY BRAIN

Guilty of blowing your budget at the grocery store when you shop hungry? There’s a reason for that: each of us has a so-called “second brain” in the intestines.

All kidding aside, recent research has shed more light on what experts call the gut-brain connection. Sure, the mass of 100 million neurons in the intestines deals mainly with digestion, but that’s not all. The enteric nervous system also produces serotonin (the neurotransmitter that balances our moods) and may have an impact on depression. 

3. YOUR BRAIN IS BETTER AT SOME THINGS AT 70 THAN IT WAS AT 22

As you age, you get better at some things and worse at others. Contrary to popular belief, cognitive function doesn’t just drop off after middle age.

Though your brain processes information most quickly at age 18 or 19, its ability to understand complex emotions improves until your 50s, and your grasp of vocabulary will likely be its best in your 70s.

4. YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS REALLY RUNS THE SHOW

Think you’re in control of your life? Think again. Researchers believe that 95 percent of decision-making occurs in the subconscious mind. You’re not consciously deciding whether or not to stop at a red light or continue breathing in or out—the subconscious is taking over.

Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing—experts say the subconscious mind is much more rational than the conscious mind.

5. A BAD ATTITUDE COULD PERMANENTLY ALTER YOUR BRAIN

Every time you have a thought, the brain shoots neurotransmitters across its synapses to pass the message from cell to cell. The more you think a certain way, the easier it becomes for those synapses to connect—and the more likely you are to have those thoughts in the future.

Yes, that means negativity actually rewires the brain. Complaining more often actually makes you more unhappy—so keep that in mind the next time the barista gives you whole milk instead of skim.

6. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A “PHOTOGRAPHIC” MEMORY

Just imagine it: During a test, you could conjure up an image of your notes to give you the answers. There’s no need to add phone numbers to your address book—you’d know them all by heart. Having a photographic memory sure would be nice.

Convenient as seems, scientists say there’s no such thing. The closest thing? Eidetic imagery. People with this rare ability can vividly remember an image with near-perfect accuracy after having seen it for only a few seconds. It’s most common in children, but often fades as their brains grow and learn to process information more efficiently.

7. YOUR BRAIN CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE—SORT OF

A 2012 study revealed that the frontopolar cortex draws on past experiences to predict future events. In the experiment, researchers gave their subjects four slot machines to play. What the patients didn’t know is that the probability of winning on one of the machines changed unexpectedly throughout the experiment. Researchers were surprised to see that their subjects were able to devise a strategy to win the most money by observing the trends in winning—using the frontopolar cortex. Pretty impressive. (No word on why you always lose money in Vegas, though.)

8. NO, YOU’RE NOT PSYCHIC—BUT SCIENTISTS DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT CAUSES DÉJÀ VU

Hate to break it to you, but that feeling of already having been here you sometimes get when walking into a room doesn’t make you clairvoyant. At least 30 percent of us will experience déjà vu—French for “already seen”—in our lifetime, and it’s most common in people under 25. Some even experience this unsettling feeling for the first time by age 6!

Scientists still don’t know exactly what causes this condition, since it’s extremely difficult to research, and no one really knows how to trigger it in a lab. Methods to induce déjà vu in clinical settings (like squirting warm water in a patient’s ear) have rarely worked. The operating theory is that misfiring neurons produce this feeling of having “already seen” something. And, since we do know that people with epilepsy or dementia experience the condition more often, the theory makes sense.

9. SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO EXPERIENCE STIMULI MORE VIVIDLY

Ever watched a Kanye West interview? He speaks so ardently about his music. This is the guy who said, “I am Warhol. I am the No. 1 most impactful artist of our generation. I am Shakespeare in the flesh.”

Maybe there’s a reason for that. Like Duke Ellington, Pharrell Williams, and Stevie Wonder, Yeezy has synesthesia, a condition in which one sense is perceived as another. Specifically, West sees music as brilliant colors. Only one in 2,000 people experience this condition, and it takes many forms—you might feel voices brush against your skin, or taste food as explosions of colors and texture.

10. UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR DREAMS

It sounds like something right out of “Inception,” but lucid dreaming—or the ability to interact with and control your dreams—is real.

Though scientists used to be pretty skeptical, they now believe lucid dreaming happens during REM sleep, when you realize you’re dreaming and consciously decide to enter the dream. Never had one? It’s not too late—the average person has three to five dreams every night, and you might be able to hack into one of them by following these tips.

11. WHILE YOU SLEEP, THE BRAIN PARALYZES THE BODY

When your dreams feel real, it’s a wonder you aren’t sleepwalking, running, and jumping all over the place in the middle of the night. Guess what—the brain’s responsible for keeping you safe from harm while your mental self is off in dreamland, too.

During REM sleep, specialized neurotransmitters switch off the cells that allow your muscles to move. (We shudder to imagine what would happen if this wasn’t the case!)

And not just during sleep—when you think about it, your noggin protects you from harm all day long. That’s reason enough to treat it to some brain food, if you ask us.