OK, so I just recently re-read a book that talks about something that may be very relevant to this thread. I pieced together the below info to summarize the relevant information spread out in a few chapters and I've also taken some of the author's references and listed them below so people can look into this and research for themselves. You may want to research pineal gland dysfunction for several reasons. Just for background the pineal gland is a small pinecone shaped gland located almost directly in the geometric center of the brain, but it is not considered part of the brain and is not protected by the blood brain barrier. The pineal gland converts the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin (a neurotransmitter) and, in turn, melatonin. Seratonin is a key neurotransmitter whose pathways are involved in mood and targeted in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate our sleep cycles. Interestingly the pineal gland is also the gland that is commonly referred to as the 'third eye' because it contains photosensitive cells like the ones found in the retinas of the eyes. This explains why REM sleep disorders also usually go hand in hand with not being able to remember dreaming.Common forms of pineal gland dysfunction are caused by calcification. As I stated earlier, the pineal gland is not protected by the blood brain barrier and as a result the pineal gland accumulates fluoride (like we put in our tap water). Because the gland accumulates fluoride, it contains the body’s highest fluoride concentration. The fluoride attaches itself to the tiny crystals that naturally occur in the pineal gland and cover them with hard mineral deposits. They create white, bone-like lumps that doctors can see in X-rays. For example, one of the ways that they use to tell if you have a brain tumor is if the pineal gland is being pushed to one side, as this usually indicates a tumor has grown on one side displacing it to the other. Research shows that this accumulation of mineral deposits, or calcification, inside the pineal gland depresses melatonin synthesis, which in turn impacts our moods, sleep cycles, and dreams. Several studies have actually been conducted into the pineal gland's role towards neurological disorders. In August 2009 the Parapalegia News published a study called “The Pineal Gland, Melatonin & Spinal-Cord Dysfunction” in which 100 percent of individuals with MS who were consecutively admitted to a hospital had pineal calcification compared to only 43 percent for similar-aged controls with other neurological disorders. In addition, groups that have a low MS incidence (e.g., African Americans, Japanese) also have less pineal calcification. Please note I am not saying anyone here has MS, but I am just referencing the trend as 'other neurological disorders' were grouped in with it. Interestingly the most important key to eliminating calcification is a healthy diet. Drinking lots of purified water (and fluoride free) will help your liver and kidneys flush out all these toxins. Eating a diet of fresh, organic raw foods insures you won’t have pesticides and preservatives accumulating in your body and creating mineral deposits. The body has a great ability to take care of itself as long as you give it what it needs. Other references for the above information: 1. Mabie, Curtis P. and Wallace, Betty M. (1974) “Optical, physical and chemical properties of pineal gland calcifications.” Calcified Tissue International. 16, 59–71.2. Baconnier, S. S., Lang, B., et al. (2002) “Calcite microcrystals in the pineal gland of the human brain: first physical and chemical studies.” Bioelectromagnetics 23(7): 488–95.3. Johnston, Laurance. “The Pineal Gland, Melatonin & Spinal-Cord Dysfunction.” Parapalegia News, August 2009.4. Luke, J. (1997) The Effect of Fluoride on the Physiology of the Pineal Gland. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Surrey, Guildford. In Fluoride Action Network. Health Effects: Fluoride & the Pineal Gland. (accessed December 2010).And finally, the book that brought all of this information together was David Wilcock's 'The Source Field Investigations' from 2011.
