008 - U.S. Food Czar, 9-Volt Nirvana, Dragons and Thymi - HealthHippie Week In Review - September 4, 2022
White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health
The most exciting news story of the week came from NPR, How the White House nutrition conference may tackle Americans' unhealthy diets. The article discusses the recommendations of the report, Informing the White House Conference, to be discussed on September 28. Re-calibrating America's relationship with food is the first (and arguably the most important) step to digging ourselves out of our current exorbitantly priced, low-value healthcare model (value=quality/cost). I'm hoping a "Food Czar" for the USA is named as an end-product of the meeting.
Skeptical Reflections of a Cancer Patient
What I've Learned From Having Cancer Is Nothing, is a reflection on common thoughts while living with cancer. Despite what the author says, you'll learn something.
The Best Diet for Healthy Aging
Michael Gregor explores how simple dietary modifications can profoundly impact one's health and well-being. The Best Diet for Healthy Aging. Spoiler alert: eat more plants!
The Joy of Why - Dreams
I found a new podcast I like, The Joy of Why. The latest episode on dreaming: Why and How Do We Dream, was great. (transcript) The discussion on lucid dreams and dream engineering was fascinating. I need to learn more about dream engineering. One of the best non-fiction books I've read in the last few years is Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.
Dragon Meet Maggots
I mentioned maggot therapy in 001 - Friendship, Psychedelics, and Maggots, Oh My. Now, maggot therapy has hit popular culture. Maggots made a cameo appearance In Episode 2 of House of Dragons. 'House of the Dragon' Episode 2's maggot scene is scientifically accurate I'm enjoying the Game of Thrones prequel.
Science behind Complementary Approaches to Irritable Bowel Syndrome
If you or someone you love suffer from IBS, the NCCIH has the evidence behind several complementary treatments: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Complementary Health Approaches: What the Science Says
Dreaming of You(rself)
Everything you might want to know about experiencing memories/dreams in the first and third person: You've Probably Seen Yourself in Your Memories. I hadn't considered this phenomenon before, but the article points out the implications for the law, traumatic and near-death experiences, and more.
Thinking about Thinking
Rather than continuously constructing images based on all your sensory input, your brain likely conserves energy by predicting what it should see based on your previous experience and context, keying in on aspects that do not conform. The article, Your Brain Is an Energy-Efficient 'Prediction Machine', discusses efforts to understand the predictive processing framework.
9-Volt Nirvana
Two items on transcranial electrical stimulation hit my awareness in one of those "messages from the universe" (or maybe it's just the algorithms doing their thing). I'm fellowship trained in neuro-electrophysiology but was unaware of the studies focused on using mild electrical stimulation to enhance brain function (my fellowship focused on monitoring, not therapeutics). Early in the week, I read the article Brain stimulation boosts memory for at least a month. Then, without searching, a previous episode of Radiolab, 9-Volt Nirvana, , was in my podcast queue. After reading and listening to the podcast, I wondered if this technology might improve my quest to learn to play the guitar. I found an article I plan to read: Differential Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation-tDCS-Depending on Previous Musical Training. The jury is still out on the efficacy and safety of transcranial stimulation. Although there are already commercially available devices, I will wait to see how the field develops before I try it out.
Seven Simple Actions to Improve Your Mental Health
I read an article with pragmatic and easily actionable advice on improving your mental health. Feeling stressed? Here are 7 simple actions to boost your mental health.
The Down-Side of Dangerous World Beliefs
All of us want our children and loved ones to be safe. But teaching kids the world is dangerous in order to improve their vigilance is terrible, ultimately, for their health, happiness, and success. I learned a lot from the article, Don't Teach Your Kids to Fear the World. As a counter-narrative to all the negative news about the world, see the book What Are You Optimistic About?: Today's Leading Thinkers on Why Things Are Good and Getting Better.
Current Models of Aging
Eric Topol tweeted a link to an interesting paper that summarizes current thinking on aging. New hallmarks of aging: a 2022 Copenhagen aging meeting summary. I especially appreciated the first figure in the paper that graphically shows how our bodies break down.
My Thymus, Myself
The Radiolab episode, My Thymus, Myself was a whirlwind tour of the function of the thymus. You should listen if you're interested in the immune system and who isn't these days? Understanding the thymus could significantly impact infectious disease, autoimmunity, and transplant medicine. Bonus, the story featured a shoutout to Duke Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Quote of the Week
"All great truths begin as blasphemies." - George Bernard Shaw
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