.           As dusk sets and the dark night follows, these conditions set in motion a chain of molecular actions from your eyes to the pineal gland, necessary to stimulate the production of melatonin. Continue reading →

Most cells in our body are not human, but microbial; the ratio of 'them' to 'us' is about 10:1. Disturbances of the interactions between host and the so-called microbiome, or simply biome, can lead to disruptions of a healthy balance. Indeed, the nature and variety of bacteria in our intestines seem to have a profound impact on many aspects of our health. Continue reading →

Bacteria which naturally occur in the intestine are important for health, but recent studies have consistently shown that a modern lifestyle depletes the variety of microbes in the gut. How exactly lifestyle factors affect the diversity of the microbiome is not clear yet, but there are some important clues. Continue reading →

            Music is one of the oldest forms of therapy, and has been used since the beginning of humankind to influence the body and mind in a positive way. The influence of music on the mental and physical condition has been described already in ancient Greece. Pythagoras, for example, was intrigued by the fact that people liked consonant sounds. He found that harmonic music works soothingly and dissolves ailments and sorrows of the mind, body and soul. Continue reading →