OT: Living Well and Brain Health

[JMick]

Haven't heard anything about you being allowed to grow your own weed in CT., I highly doubt that is currently allowed or will be allowed.

Isn't it allowed in all the other legal states? Honestly I barely go through anything so the tax doesn't bother me. I only smoke about a half oz/year

 

[superjohn]

Isn't it allowed in all the other legal states? Honestly I barely go through anything so the tax doesn't bother me. I only smoke about a half oz/year

I know for a fact Connecticut is insane compared to other states when it comes to getting in the weed game. Way more hoops to jump through, way more licenses, and way more money. Like everything else Connecticut will massively screw up what should be a good thing.

 

[HooperScooper]

Isn't it allowed in all the other legal states? Honestly I barely go through anything so the tax doesn't bother me. I only smoke about a half oz/year

In Massachusetts:
You can grow up to six plants at home, or 12 if more than one adult lives there. You’re allowed to possess the amount harvested from those plants, even if it exceeds 10 ounces. You can gift your home-grown pot to friends, but you can’t sell it or barter it for other goods and services. Good news for would-be home-growers: The cannabis commission recently decided that retail pot shops can sell seeds and clones to consumers.

 

[WhiteDressWes]

I did a float session. Sensory deprivation tank, kinda freaked me out.

I pledged to Kickstarter for a float tank. If they meet their goal, I can expect this to be delivered in October:



There is one left at $700 off the normal retail, if you pledge and pay part of it now.

 

[JMick]

I know for a fact Connecticut is insane compared to other states when it comes to getting in the weed game. Way more hoops to jump through, way more licenses, and way more money. Like everything else Connecticut will massively screw up what should be a good thing.

It's a plant I'm not really sure how much they can screw it up. It's not like the state would be growing it or controlling supply

 

[mussels]

My attention has been focused on the relationship between living well and brain health for the past few years. This article provides one of the best overviews I've seen on this. Very off topic, but I hope some of my BY friends might benefit from reading this.

8 Things We're Doing Wrong for Our Mental Health

Live Well.
Kirk Sinclair
Norfolk, CT (the Icebox of CT, where it's snowing right now)

So an on-line article advises "Research has repeatedly shown that being on screens is linked to depression, isolation, and jealousy." then the boneyard discusses it for three on-line pages and counting. Seems about right.

 

[intlzncster]

Lol a slice is an eigth. Like how there are eight slices of pizza in a whole pizza. You can usually get them for $35 here. They were $50 when I was in college

Ha, I thought you meant "slice" as in literally a slice of Pizza sprinkled with herb. Your preferred choice of edible.

 

[JMick]

Ha, I thought you meant "slice" as in literally was a slice of Pizza sprinkled with herb. Your preferred choice of edible.

Some infused olive oil on a margherita pizza would be fantastic

 

[Mokum]

Lmao who considers a bong rip “micro-dosing”

I get that you’re in Amsterdam or something but cmon man

I actually never heard of micro dosing. I don't consider one hit to be much.

 

[temery]

How many miles overall?

Um, have you noticed your icon?

When I hiked the PCT in 1977 with three other guys it wasn't a finished trail and we often the only ones out there. We identified each other's footprints to know who was ahead, behind or lost. I had the same size feet and boots as one of the other hikers, but I tend to bounce when I walk, digging into the dirt as I walk, hence, diggerfoot.

 

[tdrink]

Exercise is my particular interest in this topic. I'm in direct contact with people involved in this research, one of whom lamented to me "exercise isn't patentable." I've read a couple times in the literature that if the benefits of exercise could be provided in a pill it would be by far the most prescribed pill ever. Our medicated society is in reality compensating for being a sedentary society.

On the basis of what I've researched if I had to pick one exercise activity that is the best it would be high energy dancing. This combines cardiovascular, foot falls, balance and social benefits. For example, contra dancing 4-5 times a week should really keep your brain humming. Unfortunately, this is not practical for many, at least not at that frequency. It's not practical for me.

What I think might be the second best would be trail running. This combines cardiovascular, foot falls, balance (negotiating trail obstacles) and meditative benefits. Activities that involve the foot striking the ground increase blood flow. Running, hiking and dancing are superior to biking, swimming or skiing in this regards. The drawback is that foot fall activities increase the chance of joint pain, though a wise approach and plenty of antioxidants in your diet can mitigate this.

Disagree about biking. Mountain biking is my main form of exercise.

Constant balance adjustments and forced intervals getting up steep, obstacle strewn trails.

Also has connection to nature and great solitude. The only thing it’s missing is a good social connection. For that I play guitar in a jam band. That requires simultaneously being aware of and responding to other players while letting go and playing in a free flowing, uninhabited way.

 

[sledog]

Neurologists Rx 1000mg of Vitamin B-12 to keep circuits humming. Also, 'Brain and Health', the recently re-named 'Neuology' mag, has interesting stories.

 

[diggerfoot]

How many miles overall?

I've hiked 20,000 - 25,000 miles (I haven't kept track of how much hiking I've done short distances). Most of that was backpacking on wilderness trails; a majority of the long distance miles were on trails that were not finished at the time. Thanks for asking!

 

[diggerfoot]

Disagree about biking. Mountain biking is my main form of exercise.

Constant balance adjustments and forced intervals getting up steep, obstacle strewn trails.

Also has connection to nature and great solitude. The only thing it’s missing is a good social connection. For that I play guitar in a jam band. That requires simultaneously being aware of and responding to other players while letting go and playing in a free flowing, uninhabited way.

I never meant to imply that only dancing or trail running was great for brain health. All aerobic exercise and much of resistance training fits the bill. However, as to your disagreement, mountain biking offers everything trail running does .... except the foot impact on the ground.

Here's research on the benefit of foot impacts.

I've done all kinds of endurance activities. I do think mountain biking even short distances in a day surpasses road biking long distance (I've done both), because of the attributes you described.

 

[sledog]

A

good natural remedy for inflammation is daily consumption of tumeric. There is an herb called devils claw that works well for rhuematoid arthritis. You take it for thirty days. I have heard good things from people who have used it and am planning to give it a try myself.

Christian Wilde has been talking up tumeric for a while. He has in past recommended it for cardiac issues. No idea if it works, but sure hear him a lot.

https://www.myheartbook.com/buying_turmeric.html

 

[huskypantz]

I've tried meditation; it's pretty cool and the benefits were surprising. Anyone who leads a stressful life (so all of us) should try it. I'm sure it won't benefit everyone but it's worth a shot IMO. Even if it's just ten minutes. There are some good free apps out there. I think it's becoming more popular but still fighting an uphill battle against the meathead "me so tough, I don't need that monk BS" American attitude.

I do a decent amount of running - about 1000 miles/year - but I've never truly meditated. That said, the definition of me on my runs is essentially meditation. Controlled breathing, reflection on various topics and even some strategizing. I don't listen to music so all there is to do is look at scenery and think about life. Possibly an ancillary benefit of running..........

 

[DogPoundSr]

Just turned 65. I used to think 65 year old people weren't capable of much. I run, bike, do some strength/flexibility work, sometimes elliptical, and spin biking. On my 65th birthday I ran a 2 hour half marathon distance, followed it up by a 65 mile bike ride (4 1/2 hours). It wasn't easy (windy), but I got it done. (Did the same thing when I was 60, but my mile times are now faster now in both running and biking.) I listen to music during these activities. It's good to be old but young.

 

[Taco]

Just listened to a podcast on Hidden Brain about the importance of meaningful connections among males as being very important to mental health. Luckily for us all we have the BY so no need to worry about exercise or eating well! I feel better mentally just typing this!

 

[Rocktheworld]

the importance of meaningful connections among males as being very important to mental health. Luckily for us all we have the BY

Except the operative word there is “meaningful”

 

[Taco]

Except the operative word there is “meaningful”

Yeah, maybe I should get to the gym & the Whole Foods.

I suddenly feel very alone & my thoughts less clea

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

University of Georgia has expanded the work of other researchers on the benefits of baking soda.

Baking soda has been shown to be anti inflammatory. The U of G research determined baking soda shuts off overactive macrophages that attack the body. Apparently the bodies mesenchymal cells are involved in the process.

Ingested?
In what preparation?
What amount?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Except the operative word there is “meaningful”

For all of its dysfunction and dubious components, The Boneyard offers more meaningful male communication than most men get elsewhere. If that generates a sense of sadness or eye-rolling, so be it.
This is a genuine caring community, and it often relies upon OT threads that share human milestones of joy & sadness, or that crowdsource credible advice in order to reveal what can get lost in differences of opinion & posturing related to our common passion for UConn Men's Basketball.
In addition, there are lots of laughs.

 

[Rocktheworld]

In addition, there are lots of laughs.

You were supposed to have one there

 

[Dogdeacon]

I never meant to imply that only dancing or trail running was great for brain health. All aerobic exercise and much of resistance training fits the bill. However, as to your disagreement, mountain biking offers everything trail running does .... except the foot impact on the ground.

Here's research on the benefit of foot impacts.

I've done all kinds of endurance activities. I do think mountain biking even short distances in a day surpasses road biking long distance (I've done both), because of the attributes you described.

The article or brief didn't give us the detailed data on foot impacts or how that blood flow is qualitatively different from maximum blood flow during any strenuous exercise. I.e. not sure if the "back-flowing waves thru the arteries" that occur and provide the benefit of "dynamically regulating blood flow to the brain" can be achieved in other ways. I'd think if its all 'blood flow' swimming would be among the better and similarly road biking can be - its all a matter of where and how hard you go.

I agree generally that mountain biking requires more brain engagement and coordination than road biking, but its easier to get an endurance or high intensity workout on the road where you can push and control pace. Likewise swimming in a pool can be very tiring and make you hungrier after than almost any other activity - so I think there's some blood flowing. But its very monotonous, some thought into perfecting the stroke and acuity to calculate the wall, but I find it 10 x better both fun and mentally to swim in open water.

Generally though the trail running thing is similar to those that describe walking is ok to get somewhere and running is only doable within a sport like basketball. If you can find any activity or sport that can get you to the place where you find yourself forgetting everything but that moment, next play, next step next whatever, that's where the mind-body benefits really sync up in my view.

 

[diggerfoot]

The article or brief didn't give us the detailed data on foot impacts or how that blood flow is qualitatively different from maximum blood flow during any strenuous exercise. I.e. not sure if the "back-flowing waves thru the arteries" that occur and provide the benefit of "dynamically regulating blood flow to the brain" can be achieved in other ways. I'd think if its all 'blood flow' swimming would be among the better and similarly road biking can be - its all a matter of where and how hard you go.

You bring up an understandable question. Brain health has many question marks. I see studies that focus on the amount and intensity of exercise in relation to preventing cognitive decline and no distinction is made between types, leading to the conclusion that any type of exercise should fit the bill just as well. Yet I also see studies comparing different types of exercise and distinctions are found. In general, biking and/or swimming seldom are shown to slow cognitive decline while dancing is the one consistent "winner." But this brings up question marks as well. Maybe foot impacts play a role, maybe balance plays a role, maybe the social aspect of dancing is really the key ingredient. Also, when I see these studies comparing different exercises on cognitive decline they are usually with older cohorts; the dancing of these older cohorts may inherently be more strenuous than the bicycling or swimming they are asked to do. Like I said, many question marks.

One reason for so many question marks is the multiple factors involved in living well. Positivity, sociability, activity and exercise seem to be all very important. Also, things like hugs and laughter release hormones important for brain health while stress releases hormones important for temporary "fight or flight" but detrimental to brain health. Thus, you could get the absolute "best" exercise possible (whatever that is), but if you don't have all the boxes checked you are at greater risk than someone who gets good exercise but not the absolute "best" (whatever that is). I suspect why dancing consistently does comparatively well in all cognitive decline studies is that it checks boxes that doesn't have to do with exercise. I'm not an avid dancer myself so I'm definitely not trying to push my own agenda on someone.

My own position on brain health is to live well in all facets. If you check off all the different boxes, and perhaps most important of all in our society is to get rid of chronic stress, then you need not be concerned about finding the "best" exercise, or "best" activity, etc.

On edit: In regards to the mountain biking v road biking (I've done both, though more road biking), studies have shown that some anaerobic spurts are beneficial, more so than going for a longer period of time without them. I've pushed myself to anaerobic levels while road biking, because that's the type of person I am, but such anaerobic levels are unavoidable (no pushing necessary, it has to happen) if you are mountain biking over very steep terrain and I still would give that the edge.