On Stress and the Brain

Stress inhibits neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons) in the brain.  Help!!!

Aerobic exercise (which increases the availability of oxygen and nutrient-filled blood in the brain, nourishing the brain) increases neurogenesis.  Yeah!!!


D.

In the Words of Eckhart Tolle: Meaning and Purpose

I am not a follower of Eckhart Tolle, but found this passage to be of some importance.  It reads as follows:  "As soon as you rise above mere survival, the question of meaning and purpose become of paramount importance in your life.  Many people feel caught up in the routines of daily living that seem to deprive their life of significance. Some believe that life is passing them by or has passed them by already.  Others feel severely restricted by the demands of their job and supporting a family or by their financial or living situation.  Some are consumed by acute stress, others by acute boredom.  Some are lost in frantic doing;  others are lost in stagnation.  Many people long for the freedom and the expansion that prosperity promises.  Others already enjoy the relative freedom that comes with prosperity and discover that even that is not enough to endow their lives with meaning.  There is no substitute for finding true purpose." (1)

D.

(1)  Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth:  Awakening to Your Life's Purpose.  New York, Pengin Group, 2005, p. 257.

Iphones, Blackberries and Other 'Smart' Devices

According to a recent article in the journal, Cortex, we are not addicted to our mobile devices, we are in love with them.  (Gleaned from brain imaging studies.)

D.

Should She or Shouldn't She

I recently came across a letter I wrote a while back in response to an article in the January 2005 issue of Canadian Living Magazine. I thought that the contents of the letter would make a good post for this particular blog.  So, here it goes.  (You'll be able to figure out, from the contents of the letter, what the article I was responding to was all about.)

Dr. David Posen "missed the mark" with his usage of the word "should" in "Happy New You" (paragraph 3, page 54, January 2005).  Even though he was trying to convey to us some examples of positive reprogramming of that little inner voice, the word "should" carries with it too many connotations of guilt and obligation to form any part of a healthy relationship with ones self.  It is never the right word to use for positive self-talk or reinforcement.  Better phraseology would be "my needs are important" or "I think I will do that for myself because it is something I enjoy doing".  In fact, one could even argue that he contradicts the initial content of his previous paragraph where he mentions standing up to the "shoulds" and "musts".  Even when trying to use "should" in a positive manner, as Dr. Posen attempts to do when he writes, "I should be able to do something for myself...I should start taking better care of myself" the feelings of guilt and obligation still lurk beneath these suggested phrases.  Such feelings perpetuate the process of "beating ourselves up" because we should be taking better care of ourselves, but we are not.  This can only detract from the goal of achieving a "happy new you".  The less we fill our heads with "should messages", the more at peace we will be.

D.

Think Fast!

It may be that accelerated thinking can improve your mood.  Six experiments at Princeton and Harvard universities in 2009 found that fast thinking "made participants feel more elated, creative and, to a lesser degree, energetic and powerful".  So, things like brainstorming or quickly doing a crossword or other puzzle  can boost a person's mood.  Small bursts of feeling good can lead to upward spirals in general mood.  The key here, though, is that the thoughts must be not only fast, but varied as well. People generally believe that one's ability to think fast indicates a positive mood.  This, in itself, may be the cause for the findings.  (Remember, too, that the simple act of smiling can have a positive effect on one's mood as it seems to trick the brain into thinking we must be happy if we are smiling.)  Or, it may be that thinking quickly triggers the brain's novelty-loving dopamine system.

Be wary, however, of fast, repetitive thoughts.  These can trigger anxiety. Repetitive thoughts which accompany slow thinking tend to sap a person's energy and cultivate depression.  Slow, varied thinking tends to lead to the kind of calm repose and peaceful happiness associated with meditation.

D.

Another Mood Food - Good or Not So Good?

Dark chocolate contains mood-lifting compounds like tryptophan, magnesium (debateable whether magnesium acutally boosts mood or not, though one study showed that it helped reverse depression in some people), tyramine, phenylalanine and anandaminde-related lipids which inhibit anandaminde hydroloysis in the brain, acting as cannabinoid mimics like those present in marijuana.  There's a glitch though:  the sugar that chocolate contains can lead to a sharp rise in blood sugar levels, followed by a sharp drop.  This can leave you feeling 'down' as your mental and physical energy levels suddenly dip. It is best to aim for a 70 percent or higher amount of cocoa solids, without added milk solids or other dairy products,  for maximum health-related compounds as well as less sugar.  There's another glitch:  as with coffee, the caffeine (and some other chemicals which chocolate contains like phenylalanine and tyramine) can bring on feelings of anxiety in susceptible individuals.  And, if you suffer from panic attacks, or episodes of tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, or ectopic heart beats, be wary of consuming regular coffee, tea or dark chocolate as each of these items can bring on one or more of these events.

And, as a final note, stimulants such as caffeine have been shown to increase aggression and anger levels in some individuals.

D.

Out of Character

David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo argue in their new book, Out of Character, that no action is purely good or bad and that speaking of one's true character misses the point because character is a fluctuating state.  It constantly oscillates to adjust to our current needs.  

This moral relativism may make some of you uneasy.  I know that I'll have to think long and hard about this one to figure out where I stand on the issue (and Cyndi Lauper might have to rewrite her song, True Colors!).

D.