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BRAIN DAMAGE LEADS TO SPIRITUAL BLISS JILL BOLTE TAYLOR was a neuroscientist working at Harvard‚ brain research center when she experienced nirvana.  AJ Mast for The New York Times Dr. Taylor says the right, creative lobe can be used to foster contentment. But she did it by having astroke. On Dec. 10, 1996, Dr. Taylor, then 37, woke up in her apartment near Boston with a piercing pain behind her eye. A blood vessel in her brain had popped. Within minutes, her left lobe the source of ego, analysis, judgment and context began to fail her. Oddly, it felt great. The incessant chatter that normally filled her mind disappeared. Her everyday worries about a brother withschizophreniaand her high-powered job untethered themselves from her and slid away. To read the full storyclick here Kidney function can predict successful aging
The levels of cystatin C, a measure of kidney function can help in predicting whether a person will age successfully or not. It is believed that the functioning of kidneys is directly related to the process of aging. And that it can tell whether a person is aging successfully or not. To assess the relation between kidney function and the process of aging, American researchers checked cystatin C levels in 2,140 men and women 65 year of age or older who were free of heart disease, chronic lung disease (such as emphysema), and cancer, and also had no serious cognitive or physical problems. During follow-up, which averaged just over 4 years, 873 of these subjects developed cognitive or physical disability, lung disease, heart disease, or cancer.
The results showed that the functioning of kidneys could offer clues in identifying people who are prone to unfavourable outcomes due to aging. The lower a person's level of cystatin C, the more successful years of life they had ahead of them. It was found that people with the highest levels of cystatin C had 27 percent fewer successful life years ahead of them as compared to those with the lowest levels.
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