Gut Feelings - The Second Brain

by Xanthippe 22 Replies latest jw friends

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  SecretSlaveClass

  Fascinating. Thanks Xanthippe!
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  nonjwspouse

  There has been research into linking Parkinsons with a gut protein.

  Dopamine production and uptake can get very messed up with all the chemicals we are around and medications we take, as well as the stress levels.
  
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  sparky1

  

  Dr. Michael Gershon has produced the preeminent work on this subject. I have a copy in my personal library. It can be purchased easily at Amazon.
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  Xanthippe

  Thanks Sparky that looks interesting, I think I've seen it in the library.

  nonjwspouse, it would be great if a there was a cure for Parkinson's related to balancing the gut. My cousins husband died of it, not a good way to go. Too little dopamine and the body and brain freeze up as in Parkinson's, too much and you can get bipolar disorder.

  We had a friend with bipolar and he wouldn't go to his doctor because he was on a high at the time his stomach was bothering him and he thought he knew better - he was a microbiologist. He died of a perforated stomach ulcer on his living room floor. Brain chemistry really matters and if gut health makes so much difference it certainly needs the research.

  Also when you think about it we need serotonin to prevent depression and people take heroin and use cannabis to produce a dopamine high. So if we can do that though diet then hand me the live yoghurt.
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  nonjwspouse

  Xanthippe the connection with parkinsons is of particular interest to me as well. My father lived with it over 17 years and had deep brain stimulation surgery.

  
  

  I know the signs and prompts of progression all too well, and when I have been noticing early signs, though not tremors, in myself it is not a good feeling. Probiotics have been in my diet for quite some time.
  
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  Ruby456

  there is a story that some yogis could pull out their intestines and wash them and then put them back inside through yoga practice- gross I know - but I'm taking this story as metophorical - that they paid attention to keeping their guts healthy and clean and knew how important this was.

  edit: last night bear grylls demonstrated how to keep yourself hydrated via the rear end if there no clean water around - then all the contestants had to do the same
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  Xanthippe

  Ruby gets the prize for the weirdest post.

  This is not a thread about strange religious practices or weird diets it's about an article in Scientific American based on solid research.
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  Ruby456

  well the article starts like this

  A primal connection exists between our brain and our gut
  

  this primal connection was already known and thanks to science finally catching up we now have "solid evidence" in fact science works with weird nowadays

  Indeed the article continues

  Is that voice in your head that is asking for a snack coming from your mind or is it emanating from the insatiable masses in your bowels? Recent evidence indicates that not only is our brain “aware” of our gut microbes, but these bacteria can influence our perception of the world and alter our behavior. It is becoming clear that the influence of our microbiota reaches far beyond the gut to affect an aspect of our biology few would have predicted—our mind.
  
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  flipper

  XANTHIPPE - Thanks for sharing ! Very interesting information. Definitely makes sense. No wonder there is the expression , " I follow my gut instinct " . It can be really true. LOL. I know it is many times in my case- since exiting the JW's almost 13 years ago I follow my intuition on many things in life as I've come to be able to trust my intuition and peripheral vision in analyzing things and relationships. I believe it comes from re-training those neurotransmitters in our brain to include critical thinking ability and not just seeing things in " black and white " or either " this or that " type of views in life that the WT Society forces their JW members to have. Life is usually never only " this or that " - there are virtually hundreds of choices to make constantly. It's nice to know that a healthy stomach can enhance our decision making ! Thanks for the information ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  Xanthippe

  on many things in life as I've come to be able to trust my intuition

  Yes so have I Flipper. Very little in life is black or white, I agree.

  Finding out that what we eat affects our brain chemistry is not exactly a revelation for many I'm sure. Finding that the human body and brain are even more complex than we thought is intriguing.