Alchemica

I had an interest in the minerals awhile ago, sorry it's not well referenced, these were just my notes: Didn't get to boron... A good article from 2007, so it's a bit dated, that covers vitamins and minerals. For zinc, see https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/201309/zinc-antidepressant It is an effective SSRI augmentation strategy. In addition, chronic zinc treatment induced increases in both 5-HT1AR protein levels and density of 5-HT1A receptor binding sites, it also increased tissue levels of serotonin metabolite and turnover. On the other hand, DA, DOPAC, HVA tissue levels increased while DOPAC/DA and 3MT/DA decreased in the PFC of rats after chronic zinc treatment. Acute treatment induced increases only in tissue levels of DOPAC, and DOPAC/DA - the antidepressant effects of zinc are mediated in concert with the modulation of the serotonergic system including postsynaptic 5-HT1ARs and allude to a possible involvement of dopaminergic neurotransmission in this action. Magnesium is a treatment option that may offer great potential for patients with MDD and treatment-resistant depression based on prior work in animals and humans. Combined magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation reduced anxiety but had no effect when used in isolation. A very small study found benefit from a combination probiotics/magnesium orotate formulation adjuvant administered with SSRIs for treatment resistant depression. See http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com.au/…/magnesium-a… and Magnesium and depression: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27910808 Selenium Accumulation of reactive species generated during the normal course of metabolism is highly toxic to biological macromolecules and is a major concern in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases and a significant factor for cognitive decline. The preferential retention of selenium in the brain suggests that it plays important functions. To date mood is the clearest example of an aspect of psychological functioning that is modified by selenium intake. Five studies have reported that a low selenium intake was associated with poorer mood. The underlying mechanism is unclear although a response to supplementation was found with doses greater than those needed to produce maximal activity of the selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase. Although the functions of many selenoproteins are unknown some play important roles in anti-oxidant mechanisms. Selenium likely plays a role in normal aging, schizophrenia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Selenomethionine enhances stress resistance, is effective in promoting neurogenesis, ameliorates aging indicators, improves the cognitive function of AD mice (rescues spatial learning and memory impairments in aged 3xTg-AD mice via decreasing the level of tau protein and tau hyperphosphorylation) and may be a promising therapeutic option for AD as it decreases the deposition of Aβ and tau hyperphosphorylation. Selenium affects the cells of the nervous system, and, thus, affects mood: neurotransmitters do not turnover as quickly in Selenium deficient individuals Low Selenium levels are correlated to depression, anxiety, confusion, and hostility. Supplementing for 5 weeks with 100 mcg of Selenium, lessened anxiety among patients who participated in a clinical trial. Hospitalized elderly, cancer, and/or HIV patients reported less anxiety after Selenium was added to their diets • Even though every aerobic cell is at risk of oxidative damage, the brain is especially vulnerable and this condition is a significant factor for cognitive decline. • Selenium compounds and selenoproteins exhibited a strong antioxidant role Selenium deficiency or altering the structure or deletion of selenoproteins is associated with severe brain injury. • Maternal Se status is associated with cognitive ability of the new born. However, the relationship between maternal Se and cognitive ability is not linear (inverted “U”) suggesting both deficiency and excessive Se intake may result in adverse neurobehavioral outcomes. • Selenium nutrition in the elderly prevents the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, mood disorder, and depression. However, Se supplementation to healthy individuals with adequate baseline Se with no symptom of mood disorder has not been shown to improve mood Selenium has potential antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects and "Se is capable of alleviating inflammatory signaling pathways. Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. Depression is also defined as an inflammatory disorder. Inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) participate in the progression of depression. They are also obesity-associated parameters. Due to TNFα induced depressive-like behaviors and the positive association between this proinflammatory cytokine and obesity, TNFα-activated signaling pathways and those inhibiting them have recently gained importance as potential targets and therapeutic tools, respectively. More studies are necessary to develop compounds with therapeutic nature against depressive disorders and obesity. PPARγ is an important signaling pathway that occurs at the crossroads of depression and obesity. Se, aside from its anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and antioxidative nature, affects also the way of PPARγ action. Se supplementation or fortification ... will be promising approaches for future hope during the treatment of these diseases." Chromium Chromium is antidepressive and may help regulate blood sugar. Chromium supplementation for glucose regulation has shown mixed, modest-sized effects in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Chromium has the potential to improve insulin, dopamine, and serotonin function, The antidepressant activity has been linked to a major role of the AMPA receptor and participation of NMDA glutamatergic and 5-HT1 and 5-HT2A/C serotonin receptors. Chromium treatment decreases the sensitivity of 5-HT2A receptors Plasma chromium concentrations were inversely associated with T2DM and pre-DM in Chinese adults [1]. A moderate dose of Cr was associated with improved glycemic control whereas a high dose, while showing some improvement, was not better [2]. Combined chromium and magnesium decreases insulin resistance more effectively than either alone [3]. Cr supplementation showed beneficial effects on blood markers of vascular inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress compared to placebo [4]. What's the difference between the nicotinate and picolinate? "In a recent investigation conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, a group of healthy, sedentary, obese women was given either chromium picolinate or chromium nicotinate (200 mcg twice a day) for nine weeks, The subjects were divided into four groups: 1) chromium picolinate, 2) chromium picolinate with exercise, 3) chromium nicotinate with exercise, and 4) exercise Plus placebo. Twice-a-week exercise was extensive, involving step aerobics, cycling for 30 minutes and resistance training. Supplementing with chromium picolinate resulted in statistically significant weight gain (+2.9%), caused by a gain in fat-free mass with a slight gain in fat mass. Exercise plus chromium nicotinate caused a significant reduction in bodyfat (-1.6%) and a lowered insulin response to an oral glucose load. Exercise by itself or with chromium picolinate didn't significantly affect bodyweight, fat mass or fat-free-mass levels. This is the first study to show that chromium nicotinate plus exercise can cause a significant decrease in bodyweight with a slight gain in muscle, but study authors didn't suggest a mechanism for this effect. Nonetheless, it would seem that giving chromium picolinate to healthy, obese women is contraindicated for weight loss. Using chromium nicotinate plus exercise, however, may increase the weight loss that normally occurs with regular exercise." [1] Inverse Association of Plasma Chromium Levels with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes: A Case-Control Study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28304331 [2] A Double-Blind, Randomized Pilot Trial of Chromium Picolinate for Overweight Individuals with Binge-Eating Disorder: Effects on Glucose Regulation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27835050 [3] Combined chromium and magnesium decreases insulin resistance more effectively than either alone. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27702717 [4] Impact of chromium dinicocysteinate supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic subjects: an exploratory analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27687012 For a review, see: Selenium, Vanadium, and Chromium as Micronutrients to Improve Metabolic Syndrome.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28197835

Started a more vigorous exercise thing for my head (benefits may extend to body hopefully). Acute Bouts of Exercising Improved Mood, Rumination and Social Interaction in Inpatients With Mental Disorders. Joggin' the Noggin: Towards a Physiological Understanding of Exercise-Induced Cognitive Benefits. I'm still unfit but fitness is improving. One of the biggest challenges for me was how depleting energetically it was becoming. I had to put all my energy reserves into exercise, and crash in between. I put a lot of time into diet but it wasn't delivering alone. Now with more vigorous exercise, I seemingly need some other repair/protective aspects it seems. I got some tic reduction with the exercise, then a massive flare up. That said, it does seem to be improving some emotional aspects. I've had some really emotional experiences with exercise. "In stark contrast to what we most often equate with exercise [runner's highs, positive emotions etc], emotional release can also free feelings of frustration, confusion, fear, anger, pain, sadness or loss that seem to come from deep inside the psyche." Moderate aerobic exercise may help attenuate negative emotions for participants experiencing regulatory difficulties [ref]. In a recent study, exercise protected against negative/angry mood induction [ref]. More vigorous exercise is seemingly promising for processing stronger negative emotions [ref ref] It is suggested to provide a healthy level of flexibility in the use of existing memories, and in the flexible processing of new information [ref]. It seems to have strong effects on the infralimbic cortex, part of the brain's emotional processing circuit. This is an old article but intrigues me... "Is it possible that exercise somehow accesses suppressed feelings that your body has warehoused for processing at a later time? It may sound somewhat radical, but the concept of “storing” emotions is commonly accepted among many bodywork practitioners like massage therapists, acupuncturists and chiropractors. While resolving issues that have long weighed you down is ultimately a mind-expanding, life-enhancing experience, the initial flood of feelings can be a little unnerving, to say the least. All the more reason to look closer at what causes this emotional release, what it may be saying about your life, and how you, might embrace this experience, using it to attain insights and to work through deep-seated challenges." [ref] Tamed down the "Bat out of Hell" fitness regime, which had it's benefits for breaking inertia and gathering scattered energy into a goal-drive but I've switched from "Harder, Faster = better" to "Push yourself to near maximal output, for longer". Got a nice high pace thing for quite a long time going. What would be your main supplements you'd incorporate to maintain/improve health for body and mind while pushing yourself physically? Trying to optimise a simple pre-workout for brain health and maintaining that, not kill my mind for a fitter body. It's not overly thermogenic but it should a healthy brain matrix while I do the work. Had most of the ingredients. Main constituents are acetyl-L-carnitine, creatine, taurine etc. Nicely neuroprotective stuff. I don't want to jump on board with the getting jacked on pre-workout powders but I do want to provide, particularly my brain, with good stuff for protection and repair. Unfortunately most of the sports supplements are IMO junk and the opposite of health. They often chuck the most exotic likely neurotoxic colours and flavours in, often with too much caffeine. Or they're plain piss weak things. I used to seek the dodgy pre-workouts for their sometimes scheduled ingredients but these days, I'm actually looking for some sustainable health. Protein Supplies Australia makes an all natural caffeine free pre-workout. It's not overly heavy on doses but I had the things to compound up a formula a bit cheaper than what that was. I'm not totally knocking caffeine, it's neuroprotective in some conditions, just the massive doses included aren't great. Happy with the concoction I whipped up as natural 'supporting energy from within non-depleting' blend. I'm trying to keep my diet healthy but need top ups of natural stuff - the blend doesn't pep you but it seems to be a nice clear headed focus and after trying it with exercise, I don't feel so drained. I was getting absolutely destroyed by exercise, this seems encouraging. Last time I got into using ALCAR I stank like fish, don't know why I seemed to break it down to trimethylaminuria levels but hopefully that can be avoided. I've mentioned the taurine effects which include: neuromodulatory, osmoregulatory, membrane stabilisation, and antioxidant action coupled with neuroprotective (taurine is a potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases, promoting neuronal proliferation, stem cell proliferation, and differentiation, via several mechanisms), anti-diabetic (it improved glucagon activity, promoted glycemic stability, modified glucose levels, successfully addressed hyperglycemia via advanced glycation end-product control, improved insulin secretion and had a beneficial effect on insulin resistance) and anti-depressive effects (regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the promotion of neurogenesis, neuronal survival and growth in the hippocampus). In three separate studies, carnitine sources showed significantly less post-exercise stress, including less formation of free radicals, and less tissue damage and muscle soreness after exercise. Both chronic and acute supplementation with L-carnitine with or without protein during training, have been reported to enhance exercise capacity and endurance. Orer and Guzel showed that single supplementation of 3 g or 4 g of L-carnitine to footballers before increasing speed run led to increased speed at corresponding lactate plasma levels, and decreased heart rate, suggesting a prolonged exhaustion exercise. Scientific data indicates that the active population can benefit from L-carnitine intake as it attenuates the side effects of high-intensity training by reducing the magnitude of exercise-induced hypoxia and muscle injury. see: L-Carnitine Supplementation in Recovery after Exercise [ref] I'm not dosing high on the BCAAs, not sure how I find them, never really felt them to be wonderful not exercising - they might actually be not what I need but I'll experiment, only made small batch which I'll play with. I might even add some Trp/5-HTP but mainly go for the catecholaminergic precursor aromatic aminos. Have to be cautious with BCAAs - higher weight mass and mood disorders can be associated with elevated concentrations of branched-chain (BCAAs) and aromatic amino acids (AAAs). Too high a level of BCAA causes neurobehavioral impairment by decreasing Trp which can be negative but also beneficial, lowering potentially neurotoxic tryptophan metabolites like kynurenic acid [1]. Using the appropriate BCAAs may assist with autism: dietary interventions that reduce mTOR activity rescue autistic-like behavioral deficits [2]. Higher BCAA/AAA ratios in childhood are significantly associated with somatic complaints in adolescence [3]. ALCAR has been shown to be very effective at alleviating things like depression, neurological decline and chronic fatigue. ALCAR supplementation is also a very safe method of improving insulin sensitivity and blood vessel health. ALCAR can also protect neurons and repair certain damage. L-carnitine has beneficial effects in ASD. [Ref] Current evidence suggested that acetyl-L-carnitine has beneficial effects on brain functions during aging and in conditions of neurodegenerative disease and it has antidepressant effects [4]. It exerts neuroprotective, neurotrophic, antidepressive and analgesic effects in painful neuropathies, also having antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activity. It exhibits positive effects on mitochondrial metabolism, and shows promise in the treatment of aging and neurodegenerative pathologies by slowing the progression of mental deterioration and has neuromodulatory effects on both synaptic morphology and synaptic transmission. It plays a role in mitochondrial β-oxidation and energy production. ALC has antioxidant properties. Additionally, ALC has been proposed to mediate the transfer of acetyl groups for acetylcholine synthesis, modulate nerve growth factors and gene expression, and counter glutamate-induced excitotoxicity Data suggests acetyl-l-carnitine has therapeutic potential in memory disorders. Results provide support for a link between the antidepressant action and improved energy production within the brain. It has anti-hedonic effects and improves EtOH induced deficits. Effects may be more relevant with IV administration over oral [5. 6] "Acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC), which has a novel and epigenetic mechanism of action, was investigated in a multicentric, double-blind, randomized clinical trials (RCT) in a population of elderly patients with dysthymic disorder. The drug was evaluated in comparison with fluoxetine for an observation period of seven weeks. LAC and fluoxetine resulted equivalent in their antidepressant efficacy. Of interest, a difference in latency time of clinical response was observed between the two drugs, namely one and two weeks for LAC and fluoxetine, respectively, potentially suggesting a more rapid effect elicited by LAC in humans. Although the rapidity in the onset of LAC therapeutic effects needs to be confirmed in studies with larger sample sizes and in mood disorders other than dysthymia, it is quite interesting in view of the fact that rapid effects have also been observed in preclinical models of depressive-like behavior A recent meta-analysis investigated the effects of LAC on depressive symptoms across published RCT. Again, LAC administration demonstrated efficacy when compared to placebo. Moreover, LAC efficacy was comparable to classical antidepressant agents, but with significantly fewer side effects. These findings are in agreement with another meta-analysis including 34 studies and 4769 patients with persistent depressive disorders. In that analysis, LAC treatment showed lower rates of adverse events and discontinuation than any other drug. In addition, a meta-analysis confirmed that LAC was more effective in older than in younger patients" Creatine may have cognitive benefits [7] Citrulline is able to stimulate locomotor activity via the dopaminergic pathway [8]. Oral L-Cit administration improves cognitive deficits [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23249694 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27640900 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28486439 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27100509 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2201652 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20595193 [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29224583 [8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28526389

The taurine is seemingly really useful for the impulsiveness and "feeling in control again" at high doses. It seems to settle the pathology. It does seem to modulate aberrant dopaminergic subcortical stuff subjectively for me, the tics etc. Added a bit of creatine from today... used it before, mainly with things not so great for mental health. Stick with this, the energetics of my brain seems very disturbed. Creatine and the Brain Creatine as a treatment for people with SSRI-resistant MDD is suggested [1]. Effects of creatine administration on brain energy metabolism and network organization may partly underlie its efficacy [2]. It targets similar pathways to ketamine [3]. Even a single treatment of creatine or exercise has partial effects as an antidepressant in mice with chronic mild stress-induced depression [4]. Combined creatine and exercise has synergic effects and is more effective than a single treatment. Dietary supplementation with creatine can improve learning, memory, and mitochondrial function and have important implications for the treatment of diseases affecting memory and energy homeostasis [5]. Supplementation with creatine for 6 weeks is associated with improvement in verbal fluency tests in bipolar disorder [6]. "Oral creatine administration may improve short-term memory and intelligence/reasoning of healthy individuals but its effect on other cognitive domains remains unclear. Findings suggest potential benefit for aging and stressed individuals. Since creatine is safe, future studies should include larger sample sizes. It is imperative that creatine should be tested on patients with dementias or cognitive impairment." [7] ' [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26907087 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26822799 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26660117 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27757384 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29339557 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27890303 [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29704637

I'm guessing this is in reference to non-alkaloid constituents only. Don't have any experiences to add but please keep it to legal soap ingredients Here's some info on what alcohol could potentially pull in the way of non-alkaloid constituents "Acacia was referred to as ‘the tree of life’, reflecting its healing nature. Early colonial botanists described medicinal attributes of Acacia species that were known by indigenous Australians" It is said the biological activities of the Australian Acacia gums were similar to those of Gum Arabic, rich in complex polysaccharides, and that these gums may have potential value as functional human food ingredients. They act as quite effective prebiotics. Neuroprotective effects of Gum Arabic have been established in the ageing brain and ingestion causes significant reduction in BMI and body fat percentage among healthy adult females. Barks and leaves are the most commonly used parts in all cultures (Australian Aboriginal, African, Asian and Arabs). Other parts used, in decreasing order, are: seeds ≥ gum˃ pods˃ roots ≥ woods˃ flowers ≥ twigs. Many Australian Acacias are potentially useful in the "treatment of diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. These Acacia species are rich sources of phenolic antioxidants" but I can't see the phenolic content of the gum [1] Phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of Australian Acacia: An ethnomedicine-guided bioprospective approach https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/files/9318404/88453

“The Social Network” – How the Gut Microbiome Governs Our Social Behaviour As I continue, I'm quite a bit into my fermented probiotic, polyphenol laden, omega-3 rich, veggie/herb/greens, vitamin and mineral rich and quality plant protein food and beverage bender with exercise (which includes fermented soy, fermented turmerics etc, most beverages are lacto-fermented etc), The fermented cabbage intake wasn't enough, nor caps of probiotic, nor more prebiotic food, this time I'm going balls to the wall. One thing I'm keen to observe as I shift the bacteria laden food I'm consuming is not just mood, cognition and anxiety parameters but if it shifts social engagement etc. I'm noting a few subjective things: - I feel way less perma-stressed, little less anxious, less fragmented with stress hormone pep. Much less emotional dysregulation - mood is more stable. More functionally grounded. Feels a bit literally soothing without needed to use soothing plant meds. I'm not chasing non food things to lift my mood. Even caffeine use is less tempting, not so much pep required to lift mood. - Hunger is down -people aren't giving me the typical annoying 'bloody humans' feelings that normally arise, normally a large portion of the population tends to give me the sh*ts. There's an emotional approach that feels softer. Not quite prosociality but tending that way Both urbanisation and social isolation may alter the microbiome to pathology "Urbanization is on the rise, and environments offering a narrow range of microbial exposures are linked to an increased prevalence of both physical and mental disorders." Urban environments are linked to immunoregulatory deficits - "prospective human and mechanistic animal studies strengthen the idea that an exaggerated immune (re)activity plays a role in the development of mental disorders" A normal, healthy, and rather non-parasitic microbiota may provide developmental cues that facilitate social behaviour. Socially shared microbiomes could drive the evolution of population-specific mating signals and it has been established common group membership and dietary intake can influence and predict gut microbiota composition. More complex socially driven behaviors can modulate microbiota populations [1]. Animals with an altered microbiome spent significantly less time with a conspecific and did not show the typical preference for a novel mouse when given a choice between a familiar and a novel interaction partner. A "possible mechanism predisposing those with an urban upbringing, relative to those with a rural upbringing, to develop mental disorders in which inflammation has been identified as a risk factor, is an exaggerated inflammatory response following psychosocial stress exposure. Increased inflammation in urban environments may be due to impaired immunoregulation, which is thought to be dependent, at least in part, on reduced exposure, especially during early life, to microorganisms with which mammals coevolved, as has been proposed by the “biodiversity” hypothesis, “missing-microbes” hypothesis, or “old-friends” hypothesis, which all have been evoked to explain the epidemic of inflammatory disease in urban environments." [2] We may be so removed from old-friends that it is altering social behaviour and as we spread our urbanicity, be spreading pathology: "social behavior affects the composition of the microbiota and vice-versa and differential expression of RNAs has been observed in cognitive disorders that are associated with altered social behaviour. It is well-documented that microbes can directly target the host's transcriptional regulatory machinery. There are several potential routes for microbes to interact with host cellular function and even behavior and some of these may be mediated by alterations of the epigenetic gene regulation in the brain." [3] "The development of the forebrain, esp. the neocortex, in social mammals and ultimately primates and humans depends on correct and timely signals from microbial symbionts—which is disturbed, when the microbiota is absent or disturbed. Likewise when the microbiome is disturbed, there is evidence of increased hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity in response to acute stress. The immune pathway within the brain–gut–microbiome axis may be a plausible mediator of the effects of this axis on social behaviour" Recent data provide evidence that related bacterial species can interact specifically with a variety of different neuronal populations. For example some bacteria affects the functioning of CNS neurons in the hippocampus and amygdala, and alter PFC funtioning. They can alter vagal tone, HPA axis activity, neuroinflammation/microglial activation, alter serotonergic transmission, levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, NMDA receptor subunit expression, GABAergic signalling and receptor expression etc [4] There are links to oxytocin with some Lactobacillus. Altering the microbiome has been shown to do things like: -improve mood, but only in those who have poorer mood at baseline and alter anxiety related measures -reduce cortisol output in response to an acute stressor -alter brain activity when processing information related to emotional facial expressions -improvement in sustained attention in healthy older adults [1] http://www.microbiomeinstitute.org/…/social-constructs-and-… [2] http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/04/24/1719866115 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4212686/ [4] https://academic.oup.com/…/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuy009/4985887 The microbiome in addictions What's also interesting to me particularly is how alterations in the gut microbiota affect pathological reward-related behaviour like the intake of drugs of abuse/alcohol and food etc. There seem to be changes in the microbiota that are associated with substance use [1] across an array of SUDs and eating disorders [2] Ethanol drastically changes the microbiome and increase in gut permeability and induces a pro-inflammatory responses. Microbiome alterations were shown to be correlated with alcohol use disorder-related symptoms, i.e. craving, depression and anxiety and manipulations in the gut microbiota may affect cocaine-related behaviors (Animals with reduced gut bacteria showed an enhanced sensitivity to cocaine reward and enhanced sensitivity to the locomotor-sensitizing effects of repeated cocaine administration [3]) and methamphetamine [4]. There is a strong negative influence of alcohol dependence on gut microbiota [5] and "Intestinal flora between cocaine users and non-cocaine users and have found that cocaine users have a higher mean relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and a lower abundance of Firmicutes than non-users; are more likely to smoke; have a lower mean percentage of body fat; and consume more alcohol than non-users." Phytonutrients impact the microbiome “eat the rainbow” AND eat prebiotic and probiotic foods" so to do omega-3's: Some of the health-related benefits of omega-3 may be due, in part, to increases in butyrate-producing bacteria. You can shift the microbiome with probiotics. Some of the other non-LAB are also now available as supplements. Probiotic intake induced an increase in Proteobacteria and in the Clostridiales spp. Patients taking probiotics had an increased numbers of butyrate-producing bacteria, especially Faecalibacterium and Clostridiales spp. Probiotic intervention modulated the fecal concentrations of butyrate in a manner dependent on the initial levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) [things like live B. bifidum cells affected the relative abundance of dominant taxa in the fecal microbiota and modulated fecal butyrate levels] [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5472629/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28482009 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27752130 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5575146/ [5] https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/.../s40168...

A really cool paper, this is like an under-explored thing. Anyone here into fermented food and tried anything exotic? Come on people, get exotically fermenting up stuff.... I've done cacao fermentation (liked that), tried turmeric fermentation (didn't do this large scale to get a healing amount). Want to ferment things like green tea, ginseng and ashwagandha (more active compounds are formed fermenting these) Keen one day to ferment more healing food with some select quality probiotic strains. Fermented up an Aptenia brew (alcoholic) to get an apple tasting refreshing beverage but I was worried oxalates were being liberated rather than degraded so didn't pursue. Past the alcohol days anyway. Done plenty of Aptenia fermentations, some with added yeast, little bit of Sceletium. Sometimes the Aptenia fermented really well, other times it fouled. Fruits and vegetables, as a source of nutritional compounds and phytochemicals: Changes in bioactive compounds during lactic fermentation. Fermentation belongs to some of the most ancient food processes in human history. Microorganisms naturally present on the substrate, develop their fermentative activity. This leads to the transformation of the initial material and to modification of biochemical composition. Fermentation causes considerable changes that affect the organoleptic properties (taste, texture and in a lesser extend color), the nutritional value and the microbial safety of food. Therefore, human interest in fermentation lays on the four potential advantages for food: (1) improved shelf life and safety, (2) improved nutrition health properties, (3) organoleptic modification and (4) production of active principles of interest The increase of nutrient density by lactic fermentation is mostly due to a decrease of sugar content. Thanks to the activity of various enzymes, fermentation of fruits and vegetables tends to improve bio-accessibility and/or bioavailability of various type of compounds such as proteins, amino-acids, vitamins and antioxidants compounds (such as polyphenols). However, a common conclusion for several works is that the selection of starter can contribute to maintain or to increase antioxidant activity when compared to spontaneous fermentation. Changes in antioxidant activity point out that modifications of composition occur over fermentation. One of the main mechanism that could explain antioxidant activity variation is the release of bioactive compounds from conjugated phytochemicals. Metabolism of phenolic compounds by LAB has been reviewed by Rodriguez et al (Rodriguez et al., 2009). Interestingly, among LAB, Lb. plantarum is of great interest since it possesses enzymes leading to the production of high-added value compounds, such as powerful antioxidants As a whole, molecular nature of phenolic compound can be modified through fermentation leading to new derived compounds with biological activities potential including modification of microbiota populations and gut immunoglobulin levels. In addition, polyphenols bioavailability can be positively influenced by glucosidase, over fermentation, thereby increasing in situ radical scavenging potential as well as putative stimulation of natural antioxidant body defenses http://sci-hub.tw/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.09.031 Fermented plant medicines: Something as simple as fermented ginger has improved anti-inflammatory properties. Not sure how this applies to turmeric... Sceletium, even Aptenia: "...the process of bruising and fermentation alters the alkaloid profile, which we will deal with in some detail below. All that said, total alkaloid levels can range between 0.3% and 2.3% of dry weight. The average for cultivated material is generally around 0.8% total alkaloids, though there are certain high-yield stains that have been developed that can average double that. the fermentation of Kanna accomplishes the following primary outcomes: Lowers oxalic acid Lowers 4′-O-demethylmesembrenol Significantly converts mesembrine to mesembrenone and ∆7-mesembrenone May increase total alkaloid levels (by a very small measure)" https://sceletium.com/chemistry-pharmacology/ Ashwagandha: Ashwagandharishtha style preparations can be made. Ashwagandharishtha is a liquid polyherbal formulation traditionally prepared by fermentation process using the flowers of Woodfordia fruticosa. It contains roots of Withania somnifera as a major crude drug. Alcohol generated during the fermentation causes the extraction of water insoluble phytoconstituents. Yeasts present on the flowers are responsible for this fermentation. https://ayurmedinfo.com/2011/06/27/ashwagandharishta-uses-ingredients-dose-and-side-effects/ Lemon Balm (and other base plants) for Kombucha: The use of lemon balm for kombucha fermentation can yield a beverage with improved functional characteristics compared to the traditional kombucha prepared from black tea. Sweetened black or green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is the traditional and almost only recommended medium for preparing kombucha because of high levels of nitrogen sources (like purine derivatives, caffeine and theophylline) which are necessary for growth and reproduction of SCOBY cells. Although it has been noticed that some herbal teas cannot be used as alternative nitrogen sources due to the lack of purine derivatives (12), sweetened echinacea (Echinacea purpurea L.) and winter savory (Satureja montana L.) have been demonstrated as suitable tea alternatives, yielding a fermentation product in a shorter time and comparable to the traditional beverage with regard to the basic chemical and microbiological characteristics. Also, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) can be successfully used as nitrogen source for kombucha fermentation. This aromatic herb is cultivated throughout the world because of its application in several fields. In medicine it is used for the treatment of headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, nervousness, anemia, bronchitis, high blood pressure, rheumatism, and enhancing memory. Cacao: Differences in microbial activities result in different cacao flavour characteristics. Catechins and epicatechins were present in large amount in cacao and quite unstable during fermentation. While it's possible to increase interesting alkaloid concentrations and form polyphenol breakdown products which are active, there are several pathways, polyphenols also undergo enzymatic oxidation by polyphenol oxidase and condensate in high molecular weight tannins. That's where if you want the benefits of epicatechin (cognitive, cardiovascular etc healing), you're best without a fermented product. As raw as possible. For a spiritual effect, the cacao fermentation seems to add something.The traditional cacao fermentations tend to rely on more than yeast, the presence of yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria seems to be optimal. Maybe a kombucha is good, I didn't find my chocolate kombucha attempts brought out deeper chocolate flavour though but that was a one off trial. There are brewing cultures like prepared lambic culture that contains the Saccharomyces culture along with the lactic acid and Brettanomyces cultures. (Wyeast 3278). Don't know if they'd be interesting? Green tea: Lactic acid bacteria allow conversion of EGCG, EGC, and EC → GCG and GC in green tea Green tea antioxidant power when treated increased 55% compared to untreated tea. Yerba mate antioxidant power increased by 43% compared to untreated tea. You get interesting polyphenol profiles. Despite the benefits of polyphenols, many clinical studies and animal models have shown that these compounds, especially the polymers, esters, and glycosides, are abundant, but are not always absorbed by oral administration. The functional effect of the compound depends not only on the amount ingested, but on its bioavailability. Therefore, the enzymatic hydrolysis of polyphenols from food is a subject worth investigating. There are tannases etc. Ginseng: Having specific β-glucosidase activity can be used to enhance the health benefits of Panax ginseng in either fermented foods or bioconversion processes. Bifidobacterium strains to cause production of ginsenoside aglycones. It also bioconverts a wide variety of polyphenols. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Re continuously decreased, whereas ginsenosides Rd, Rg1, and Rg2 increased after 1-2 d of fermentation. [ref] Others: When common dietary polyphenols are subjected to fermentation, the newly formed biotransformation phytochemicals are more capable of causing a beneficial shift in microbial growth stimulation. New polyphenols are also created. This is sometimes beneficial, other times not - with cacao, polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, respectively was reduced by fermentation; Epicatechin is degraded to less anti-oxidant substances. It can however allow for hydrolysis of things like initial glucosides and aglycons. Fermented grape pomace yields more total antioxidants and antioxidant activity than its unfermented counterpart. Anthocyanins often form gallic acid and protocatechuic acid Remarkably, even fermented fish oil, an agent with well-documented anti-inflammatory and mood-support properties, has been shown to provide an enhanced anti-inflammatory activity versus its unfermented counterpart. Yes, you can beneficially ferment herbal products. Unfortunately I can't find much on how alkaloids and constituents or other actives change, other than in sceletium, during fermentation. Researchers have examined the in vivo properties of an herbal blend typically used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory disorders, comparing its effects in the unfermented and fermented form. Blood LPS levels were significantly lower when treated with the fermented blend, as was C-reactive protein, a primary marker of systemic inflammation. In separate work involving a singular traditional food or medicinal agent, the anti-inflammatory botanical Sophora flavescens, researchers, again using LPS as the inducing agent, found a more pronounced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity with the fermented form Magnolia flower as a source of polyphenols on fermentation increased the total phenolic contents, total flavonoids, and antioxidative and anticancer activities. Isoflavones ferment well, so do often other flavonoids. For more fermented roots, fruits, veggies and plant medicines, see here

Thanks for the input. The Galbulimima bark is one I'm yet to try. I went away from BCAAs and now for brekky have fermented soy protein. It seems good so far, most mood stabilising protein meal I've noted to get exercise done without needing to get pepped and has the satiating/whole body beneficial proteins and hypothetically the encrypted proteins with antidepressant, opioid and cognitive benefits etc with a good level of free aromatic aminos. Occasionally have a bit of acetyl-L-carnitine. Found my stress responses have gone down since I upped the probiotic food and such seems just as good a stress buffer, to the point where L-lysine/arginine blends weren't needed. Went back to taurine - why? Taurine and the brain, does it help give you those wings? - I've wondered why they put it in energy drinks etc? There's some suggestion taurine enhances exercise performance, supporting healthy VO2 max, exercise time to exhaustion and maximal workload but does it have much effect on the mind without heaps of caffeine in the mix? I've tried supposedly 'more active' homotaurine derivatives which are supposedly CNS active to not much effect. How much does this often considered to be pretty inert and boring compound do in the brain at high doses, for a reasonable time? Particularly, does it have therapeutic applications? Seeing it's such a cheap, safe thing that's found to have good effect in psychiatric conditions in some studies [1,2], I've been heaping taurine into my diet, not expecting really anything. There's something very 'modulatory' about it at high dose. I always dismissed it as pretty inert but they're even suggesting it as an option for ADHD. I stopped for a bit and things went a bit downhill. Taurine effects include: neuromodulatory, osmoregulatory, membrane stabilisation, and antioxidant action coupled with neuroprotective (taurine is a potential therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases, promoting neuronal proliferation, stem cell proliferation, and differentiation, via several mechanisms), anti-diabetic (it improved glucagon activity, promoted glycemic stability, modified glucose levels, successfully addressed hyperglycemia via advanced glycation end-product control, improved insulin secretion and had a beneficial effect on insulin resistance) and anti-depressive effects (regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the promotion of neurogenesis, neuronal survival and growth in the hippocampus). "Dysregulation of dopamine (DA) level has been associated with various psychiatric disorders... Taurine is a ubiquitous β-amine acid in mammals, which is involved in a variety of physiological and biological processes such as cell membrane stabilization, osmoregulation, detoxification, immune regulation, antioxidation, and neuromodulation. In recent decades, considerable attention has been paid to the role of taurine in the central nervous system. Notably, various evidences have shown that taurine is a neurotransmitter. Taurine has neuroprotective effects and a taurine additive has been suggested as a potential candidate for neuroprotectants. Recent results reported that high-dose taurine improves hyperactive behaviour and brain functional signals Low-dose taurine favors impulsive behavior and striatal dopamine uptake whereas high-dose taurine improves spatial learning, memory and striatal dopamine uptake. Supplementation of taurine could be a remedy for ADHD. Since high-dose taurine is non-toxic to humans and has been clinically used to treat various disorders, the findings in this study by using high-dose taurine (560 mg/ 100 g diet) did provide a rational suggestion for high-dose taurine on ADHD treatment. Notably, much evidence indicates that taurine strengthens the effects of dopamine and has a synergistic effect with dopamine in the brain, inhibiting the reduction of sucrose consumption and improving the learning ability and spatial memory of rats that are exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)" [3] Taurine is a psychopharmacologically active compound with potential for "a variety of therapeutic uses including as a neuro-protective, anti-cataleptic, anti-addicting, and analgesic agent." With regard to the dopamine elevating properties of alcohol, raised levels of taurine in the nucleus accumbens (nAc) is pivotal. Acute or chronic administration of psychotropic drug cocaine may increase extracellular release of endogenous taurine [4] [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29561067 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27835719 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29694913 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23392920

More lacto-fermenting teas, even some UV experiments at potential photoconversion. Enjoyed the fermented Hibiscus, Spearmint, Ashwagandha lacto-brews etc. Got some energy to do some experimenting. Thought I'd do some chamomile with a L. plantarum containing starter. Done my turmeric, ginger, Matcha and black pepper. Also done some Kudzu isoflavones with a broad spectrum culture. Trying Heimia at the moment The microbial fermentation of phytochemicals can be applied in diverse ways to enhance the medicines of plants. I've mentioned the benefits of fermented turmeric and many polyphenols Although apigenin is the major flavonoid in chamomile, various other phytochemicals also coexist in chamomile extract could be bioconverted and/or hydrolysed to have higher bioactivities. It has improved polyphenol profiles, antioxidative and cytotoxic activities and may be a superior medicine [1] Chamomile This ferments really nicely... In the past I would have gone phht at the concept of chamomile intoxication, or it ranking as a feasible interesting psychotropic for clinical level use. Probiotic chamomile tea sounds like the hippiest granny health tonic... out of all the lacto-fermentations so far, it the scariest potent one I've come across, blend that with some stuff and literally knock out potential IMO. Have to do more experimentation... Apigenin containing plants like chamomile are interesting as it's not just a GABAA modulator, it has been shown to have antidiabetic (this has been recently popular news [1]) , anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties in a number of cell and animal models [2]. It's also showing antidepressant effects [3,4] Apigenin is a ligand for the central benzodiazepine receptors exerting anxiolytic and slight sedative effects (competitively inhibited the binding of flunitrazepam with a Ki of 4 microM) There's notable effects at pushing the dose of plain chamomile for me, more anxiolytic than getting smashed (lightweights can sometimes relate to simple chamomile tea, I can't). Interestingly, the lacto-fermented chamomile seems to knock me much more than normal high dose chamomile, haven't had a chamomile experience as strong as the lacto-fermented one before... almost concerned at how strong it was vs normal. It's likely the bacteria hydrolyse the flavonoid glycosides in chamomile etc [5] but there could be something more funky. I've never tried pure apigenin but flavonoids may also be metabolised by the resident microbiota and the resulting products may have greater bioactivity, which differs from that of the parent compounds. The bacterial degradation of flavonols and flavones starts with the reduction of the C2-C3 double bond yielding the corresponding flavanonols and flavanones. In general, flavanones have shown little or no activity in benzodiazepine-binding studies [6]. Apigenin may partly convert into naringenin, which "does not produce anxiolysis by modulation of the GABAA receptor; however, the findings indicate that naringenin decreases motor movements" What a spectrum of fermentation microbes does is a good question. [1] https://www.independent.co.uk/…/camomile-tea-diabetes-contr… [2] https://www.nature.com/articles/srep31450 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26416673 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26826594 [5] https://www.tandfonline.com/…/full/10…/19490976.2016.1158395 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3087128/ Heimia: Heimia is a nice tea, an attunement to relate to I find but is there something that brings out the medicinal aspects that the traditional use alludes to that we haven't quite got right for optimal effects? Some of the more experienced people get an opaque milky sun fermented tea, that's the medicine they relate to. That makes me wonder if they are inducing some kind of (bacterial/yeast) bioconversion in their fermentation. Even as a clearer tea that's sun exposed for a day, I find it nice. Good flavours. Nice bit of meditativeish effect. Feeling of more that things are "OK". I want to see what providing some other conditions does to Heimia. I've got two batches, one I'm going to sun-expose and lacto-ferment with broad-spectrum probiotic strains. It's possible that the alkaloids will bioconvert and highly likely the polyphenols will... The other, I'm going to UV irradiate @254nm for some time, see if there's a UV conversion/some kind of photoisomerisation etc that takes place, hence the reason for using sun fermentation. Using 80g/L Heimia - mainly stem. Gave this over 6hrs of intense UV exposure @254nm. This didn't develop the same taste as sun fermented... much milder flavour. @equivalent 10g dry "shamanic inititiation dose" on just diet and exercise, after a bit of time, it feels seemingly on par with more traditionally sun fermented material at the same dose, light mellow relaxation with enhanced 'presence' so far. Nice walk in the sun. Wouldn't say it's uncovered anything different effect wise nor a drastic potency increase that warrants using UV, from initial impressions. @20g, the walk was "much more interesting" in the moonlight, saturation of being in the moment, somewhat anxiolytic, soaking up the present By day 4 this is a nice cloudy lacto-tea brew. Kudzu Kudzu is said to be a nervine, promoting feelings of well-being, it is said to have soothing effects, combat excessive stress and helps create a relaxed mood to work with emotions. Getting back to splashing around standardised extract in the diet. With Kudzu, which has puerarin as the main isoflavone glycoside (8-C-glucoside of daidzein), fermented Pueraria radix might be more effective than non-fermented versions [2] and can be useful as a functional food. Kudzu root in the diet is associated with a decrease in fasting glucose and improvements in both glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test) as well as insulin tolerance (indicative of insulin sensitivity) [3]. Lactobacillus strains facilitate the conversion of isoflavone glycosides (daidzin, genistin) into bioactive aglycones (daidzein, genistein) and this is used in traditional oriental medicine systems [4]. Dihydrogenistein and dihydrodaidzein are produced by Lactobacillus rhamnosus [5] and some Lactobacillus strains create equol [6]. When given orally, daidzein, daidzin, and puerarin decreased ethanol intake by 75%, 50%, and 40% so optimising diadzein concentration and other isoflavones may be promising [7]. While daidzin in vitro is a strong, selective and reversible inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase which is promising for many addictions from alcohol to cocaine, the other constituents may also act on the CNS receptor gene expression through the opioid system, exhibiting antagonist activity by influencing the opioid receptors mu, delta and the expression of endogenous opioid precursors (proopiomelanocortin) [8] The reversal of alcohol preference produced by these compounds may be mediated via the CNS and converting to more CNS active and permeable isoflavones may enhance the antiaddictive potential. Puerarin-related compounds have strong preclinical support in favour of use in neurodegenerative diseases, partly through ERβ. The actives modulate neurotransmitter levels [9]. Equol is potent in attenuating microglial activation and potentiates neuroprotection [10]. [1] https://dx.doi.org/10.1631%2Fjzus.B1600063 [2] https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ajava.2014.556.567 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23123226 [4] https://link.springer.com/artic…/10.1007%2Fs12257-012-0073-7 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29081087 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5813953/ [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8800381 [8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24501814 [9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28928659 [10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28264445 Fermenting protein Bioactive Molecules Released in Food by Lactic Acid Bacteria: Encrypted Peptides and Biogenic Amines Who's eaten fermented soy protein products to a good degree? Do they have CNS effects you can pick up, mainly looking towards feelings of anxiolysis, vs other proteins? Not just on the potential phytoestrogenic actions of the fermented isoflavones in less refined fermented soy, but the feeling of the protein, what do you think of it? Proteins: Soy and maybe Hemp - I have this totally bland soy protein, I want to ferment it... anyone seen a recipe for making a tasty fermented soy protein drink? Normally, enzymatic hydrolysis or fermentation is used to enhance the functionality of protein ingredients, which may lead to the production of short peptide sequences with various bioactivities. Many experimental evidences demonstrate that some LAB strains also produce anti-hypertensive, anti-thrombotic, cholesterol-lowering, metal-chelating, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, immune-modulating, chaperone-like and opioid/opioid antagonist peptides from food proteins Fermenting soy liberates opioid peptides (i.e., soymorphins-5,-6, and -7, and rubiscolin-5 and -6, respectively), displaying anxiolytic effects, food intake controlling action and enhancement of memory, have been described. These are produced by LAB proteolytic action toward soy betaconglycinine. These are similar to the β-casomorphins While I didn't find Lactium interesting, it is αS1-casein tryptic hydrolysate containing bioactive decapeptides that act on GABA receptors. Lactium (150 mg/day) may be helpful in reducing stress and stress associated symptoms promote relaxation and can be useful. There are neuromodulating peptides found from degrading β-conglycinin that extend beyond opioid peptides. Fermentation on soy protein increases digestability and changes the protein microstructure [1]. Fermentation increases the number of small bioactive peptides and free amino acids (AA) "Studies on the favorable effects of soy products have indicated that the effects are mostly exerted by the protein itself although isoflavones contained in an isolated soy protein fraction might make a minimal contribution to these effects. A number of animal and human studies showed that β-conglycinin, when compared with milk protein (casein), has anti-atherosclerotic, serum triglyceride-reducing, cholesterol-lowering, and anti-obesity effects" [2] There's potential for optimising things like: -the soymorphins and rubiscolins, displaying anxiolytic effects, food intake controlling action and enhancement of memory as mentioned earlier - Orally active decapeptides like soy-deprestatin, which exhibited antidepressant-like effects at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg via a novel pathway mediated by 5-HT1A, followed by D1 and GABAA systems [3] - dopaminergic undecapeptides [4] - Exogenous ghrelin-releasing peptides [5] - anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects have been suggested for some protein hydrolysates β-conglycinin is itself interesting for those without aversion to soy - it improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, exerting hypolipidemic effects through an acceleration in carbohydrate consumption associated with an increase in adiponectin in rats [6]. β-conglycinin may increasing insulin sensitivity, regulating lipid metabolism, improving renal function markers, and inhibit ACE activity in diabetes [7] [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28975646 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911586/ [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28970253 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29577906 [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27416956 [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25913002 [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25205218 I haven't seen fermented Hemp? Also want to ferment omega-3's into the protein blend, these lactoferment beneficially

Most references I can find to such structures on the 3,4-fused tricyclic indoles, the pyrroloquinolines, of this class go by the class name of 'tetrahydropyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinolines'. DMT forms the 5,5-dimethyl. Many marine alkaloids are biologically active products and possess the 1,3,4 ,5-tetrahydropyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline core as a common feature [1]. Their chemistry is detailed a bit here Fargesine was isolated from the roots and stems of Evodia fargesii [2] Haven't seen a more simple 3,4-fused tricyclic indole of DMT existing in plants? If this is very 5-HT2AR active? Maybe not? 1) the nature of the nitrogen becomes very different, from aliphatic to aromatic 2) it seems to lack the spacers of carbons needed for ergoline/tryptamine/PEA activity 3) Work with derivatives had indicated that the side chain probably could not lie in the plane of the aromatic ring

If I'm following right, do you mean, my chemistry is getting rusty, the 3,4-fused tricyclic indoles eg 'dehydrodimethyltryptamine'. Could come up with an IUPAC name, I'm getting rusty. Haven't seen that one in the literature, is it stable? There is Dehydrobufotenine: There is a covalent bond formed between the dimethylated nitrogen atom and the indolic 4-position. Problem is, it becomes a quaternary amine. Maybe fused N-methyltryptamine might be more interesting? As for names, I'll throw in chemdraw names, 5,5-dimethyl-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-5l4-pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline for the first and 5-methyl-1,3,4,5-tetrahydropyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline for the latter http://herbpedia.wikidot.com/dehydrobufotenine I'd be more interested in the non-quaternary forms maybe?

I was told it was Lesser Galangal, that's what it was given to them as at the community garden. So I went on that but then later looking, it doesn't look the same as pictures I see of A. officinarum - I think everyone is as confused when it comes to these. I'm waiting to see flowers to be more certain...

For identified K. galanga dried rhizome, I got stuck into 50g dry at a time. At 50g dry rhizome, I found this rather uninteresting and calming, one of the milder ones but I didn't ritualise and add layers to the same degree to boost effects. It's got an interesting flavour, be good in a soup etc. Only sampled that a couple of times at 50g doses. I've now sampled lots of Zingiberaceae. What's your favourite? Got any medicinal ones that you use? Today high dose Alpinia chinensis for lunch. There's turmeric and ginger but so much diversity to grow and get into you... Still have to properly try the native and I'd like to grow some variety. For me, these are useful as they are medicines and at the same time, can be used somewhat as active placebos to beneficial effect. You can use them medicinally and amplify a healing response. You can connect with them, cook with them etc. There's such a diversity of polyphenols in foods, one seemingly really healing way to go is to elevate your rhizome levels etc. Modern experimentation with these plants has been clouded by wide-spread confusion of the rhizome material. Some Alpinia species do seem to share some psychotropic effects. Some suggest 6cm/60g fresh rhizome or as little as 1 tsp of dried powdered material. (The Garden of Eden, Voogelbreinder S. 2009) The Alpinia I've grown, propagated and cared for which was said to be Lesser Galangal, waiting for flowers, is the one that I find most resonance to. It's not pungently flavoursome but brewed as a strong brew it seems healingly active and pleasant, something healing to turn to. From Apinia officinarum (volatiles, diarylheptanoids, lignans, flavonoids etc) [1], to Alpinia galangal [2] (volatiles, flavonoids and phenolics) to high dose Kaempheria galanga [3] to today Alpinia chinensis. This one tastes like a nice pleasant not too spicy ginger Haven't tried the Alpinia nutans but that's got a really nice scent but I'm scared off by also potentially containing hepatotoxic constituents. A. chinensis is a perennial herb found in the ravines and shaded woodlands of China. At 5.44g/100g, it has a much higher total polyphenol content than A. galangal and higher polyphenol content than turmeric (which has ~2g/100g) [4]. In Hong Kong, it is used in traditional medicine as an analgesic. A number of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were identified and ten labdane diterpenes detected but most analyses detecting such has been focused on the aerial parts. At 25g dry it seems a nice slightly stimulatory tonic, had it for lunch. Dose a little higher... TCM uses: To warm stomach and dissipate cold, disperse food and relieve pain. [1] Strong antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effects and activity attributed to opioid and benzodiazepine receptors have been implicated. It contains at least 12 flavonoids and 4 diarylheptanoids in the leaves. More generally, it exerts neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiobesity, anticancer, enzyme inhibitory/ NO modulating and remarkable antiviral properties. It is rich in galangin (3,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) and kaempferide (3,5,7-trihydroxy-4′-methoxyflavone) which have beneficial effects. https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2Fphrev.phrev_55_16 [2] Reported psychostimulant effects of the polyphenol enriched extract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28910196 [3] http://entheology.com/plants/kaempferia-galanga-galanga/ The rhizomes of K. galanga are chewed and swallowed, or made into a drink, it is said to be enthogenic, aphrodisiac, euphoric and productive of pleasant prophetic dreams (The Garden of Eden, Voogelbreinder S. 2009) This ranges in the literature from reported stimulant effects, "In Thailand, the dried rhizome has been used as cardiotonic and CNS stimulant, whereas acetone extract is found to have an effect on monoamine oxidase inhibition" to sedative effects - it possesses "central nervous system (CNS) depressant properties which supports its use in traditional medicine where it has been traditionally used to help restlessness, stress, anxiety, depression etc. Some of it's pharmacological effect is due to its total phenolic content and flavonoids including luteolin and apigenin. It has central mechanism involving opioid receptors and peripheral mechanism involving cyclooxygenase pathway [4] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2006.06.033.

Thanks @Responsible Choice Yeah I'm developing some feelings against BCAAs after a bit longer using them - think a good protein source is better. Agree, I keep on top of magnesium, B-vitamins and using ashwagandha. BCAAs and mood dips? NO modulatory amino acids like arginine/AAKG and anhedonic reactions? If you've taken them, how do these supplements make you feel? Got flattened by my exercise routine again, don't think I like BCAAs elevated too long. It feels super depressingly dull... Likewise, arginine (as AAKG) and other NO modulatory stuff can do some deleterious CNS things. I like the acetyl-L-carnitine and taurine and some Mg so far, that one seems like it could be a good aid. Fairly simple and it seems clean and no real issues but I think I can feel what seems like an anti-serotonergic aspect of dosing high on BCAAs, I'm likely better just using a good protein source. The BCAAs seem to impart a heavy mood feeling. Many people note mood issues with BCAAs but low levels may also be associated, through potential mTOR effects, with depression [1] Over arginine I was more interested in agmatine for it's CNS effects. L-arginine increases dopamine re-uptake in the rats nucleus accumbens and there is a complicated cross talk between DA/NMDA receptors and l-arginine-NO-GMP pathways. It's got almost an anti-hedonic feel. They don't seem subjectively nice, arginine and high levels of BCAAs in combination after a bit more use. I can feel the NO stuff peripherally, L-arginine-induced increases in regional cerebral blood flow which could be beneficial, this effect is seen particularly after injury I mixed up some L-lysine instead of BCAAs with the NO modulatory stuff, for my afternoon exercise - that was much nicer. Most of my problem is aberrant stress responses - two studies show L-lysine combined with L-arginine reduced anxiety in study participants and reduce stress levels and cortisol. The L-lysine also is promising for psychotic disorders. It modifies neuroendocrine activation during psychosocial stress in subjects with high trait anxiety [2] and combination of L-lysine and L-arginine is a potentially useful dietary intervention for people with high subjective levels of mental stress and anxiety [3]. There are interesting results from people trying the arginine/lysine combination for anxiety [4]. I've used L-lysine alone but this combination seems more interesting. Combinations of these amino acids may cause short term increases in growth hormone, particularly when coupled with exercise. A recent study shows that people with depression have reduced arginine bioavailability but this doesn’t mean that taking an arginine supplement would protect against depression [5] The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses can be modulated by nitric oxide (NO). NO working either as an amplifier or as a feedback regulator of neuronal excitation or inhibition, may alter acutely or chronically, among others, the homeostasis of many systems. [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4973973/ [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16117182 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17510493 [4] https://www.curezone.org/forums/am.asp?i=1929281 [5] http://neurosciencenews.com/arginine-depression-8541

I agree with what others say in this thread. I don't have your solution but for me, I really need to go through 'The Hells of Trying to Become Well'. It hurts but if you can find growth through that pain, sometimes that's the way forwardish. Anything pharmacological, even more spiritually plant medicine (unless used rarely with intent and full integration) was as others say, reducing intrinsic systems. I could find myself reliant on stronger plant medicines, they gave me some relief and turned into something to chase. I'm using a lot of anti-hedonism to attempt to restore more self-disciplined goal-directed socially orientated drive. In a place where I could seek the full pharmacopeia to try and feel well... but instead... In the morning, feel drained and like absolute Hell. Solution: vigorous exercise training. Felt absolutely drained after that. Solution: do boring shopping. Do gardening. etc. Healthy eating. Channel addictive urges into teas and the health food shop, that's what I did for awhile. Taking the focus off yourself to propagate plants for other etc, slowly things like that Normally I'd have this uncontrolled executive drive that would associate a fb post with a morning hit of dopamine, solution: I've been trying to re-write that so that a social interaction is the outcome. Got to adopt essentially re-writing substance cues with a healthier outcome If I feel like having something hedonistic food wise or anything of those hedonistic ways, from upping nicotine to feeling anything root chakra that's not serving my growth, solution: channel it into really cheesy creativity... Lately, I've been trying to restore some higher order PFC governed aspects. That means avoiding stoking hedonistic subcortical pathways. Re-writing eudaimonic wellness from OFC reward expectancy obsessions, through a social medial pathway, form those vmPFC/dlPFC Self governance pathways, through engaged more moral goal directed effort. I can feel this energetic shift when I have a day that's healing, like my frontal lobes have had a workout... I'm being very strict on myself. Keeping some unhedonistic stuff to keep neural progenitor cells doing their thing, keeping polyphenols high, omega-3's and lots of exercise. Wishing you all the best. PM me if you need to chat @kindness

Nice, small steps as you say, best wishes with getting back in the swing of things @Xperiment. Have to generate that intrinsic motivation system again which I know is really hard. I went too hard, too fast. Went from walking to running up to 4 times a day, pushing through pain until you get those strange 'highs' from exercise. That said, it was trying to break that inertia and stagnation that I had to do. Now I have a daily fast pace hour of fairly vigorous stuff early every morning and cram in more throughout the day. Better than walks but still more fitness gains to go Thanks for mentioning what you've tried.

I see how much mental illness, to my eyes, are a sort of inner 'death drive' of consciousness, which can either give way to resignation and pathology, or to a healthier resurrection. You've got to alchemise those death/negative barriers to life. Affirm new life from suffering, if you don't want to be ruled by it. You start with an unhappy consciousness, with no possibility of transcending its unhappy state. As Hegel would say, the life-and-death struggle is important, I'm not going to go abstractly philosophical. It's a spirited growth process to develop Self-consciousness. It's making quantum leaps from pathology, to less pathological that reaffirms life. From me to us. You pass through things that need to be slayed. As your social macrocosm reflects better health, so too does your mental health 'Me Barriers' Victim-hood: Life's not fair, Poor me! Why me? You are bound to suffering as unequals in a relationship of dependence to pathology. Bondage: Tied to suffering. Tied to medicines. Tied to professionals Alienation from self and social? What about me? Brain network dynamics are a reflection of social network dynamics, if that network is limited, more an I network than a a social network, you'll get pathology. Can't barriers: I can't do this etc You have dialects of Won't/Can't vs Can Growth vs stagnation Liberating negative emotions towards self and 'others' Fear vs love Prosocial vs selfish In being ruled by these processes, you are not making conscious choices, illness is ruling you. You're at the mercy of negative emotions. Selfish reward processing. Extreme hypofrontality. You write OFC circuitry of negative reward expectancies, causing obsessive negative loops You can look everywhere for a saviour, from medicine to God but what happens if you take that role to get yourself better, do it as an inside job? That is Self-love. In these states of (un)consciousness, your DMN is tied to pathological subcortical victim consciousness, you ingrain 'me loops', from obsessive fixation to self-feeding addictive reward dependencies, your sense of I is pathological and tied to social exclusion processing, you're not focused on the outer/social world, because it's too painful. You're not loving yourself and that reflects in non-mentalising/empathising. You're maintaining stress responses, epigenetically maintaining illness. 'Them Barriers' Developing a theory of mind, empathy, prosociality You move through Difference: I'm not like them etc Social victim and social defeat barriers: getting trodden down by others Into Self-empowerment where barriers are re-internalised as personal choices to overcome struggles Self-actualisation becomes the drive Work through establishing sense of meaning and purpose. You get to life as a creative force, rather than destructive. You move to generate over stagnate. You move from inner barriers to forming Us. You start engaging socially, with yourself more healthily, finding your tribe etc. As you liberate those pathology frameworks, consciousness becomes less tight, you make room for a Growth Mindset, you incorporate higher functioning mentalising socio-emotional and stronger task positive networks that are severely knocked out by many illnesses. Start engaging stronger goal-directed use of the theory of mind. Your sense of who you are moves from victim/unworthy etc, to worthy to being self-conscious and rekindling growth by conscious choice. You move past that hypofrontality by engaging through Will, executive and task-positive networks. You forcibly engage goal-directed behaviour to the best degree you can and strengthen frontal cortical functions. I've tried to write what it's like working biopsychosocial-spiritually with a brain that isn't functioning well to try and encourage better holistic health. I'm trying to enrich my environment multidimensionally to bring new life richness - I like to use things like the social, diet, plants, arts, creativity and fitness Forming new less pathological pathways is like a tree of life, forming new life pathways in the world and in the brain. Sometimes it's better you bring new ways of life to the constant strife - strengthen through pathways that may not be so ripe Minimising stress, life is not a test... Tap into simple easy flow that can be just enough challenge to encourage one to grow What was a story of pain and trauma can be modified, made liable and reconsolidated in new growth mindsets to new gains Utilising neuroplasticity to modify erroneous brain spasticity, we boost neurogenic niches, restore hippocampal plasticity, modify functional connectivity and bring the brain to greater elasticity. Meta-cognitive openings bring new pathways, ways of growing. Painful memories that were on replay turned around into creative ways, of new hearty expansive play In divergent creative thinking, one can bring new conceptual expansion to previous learning, empathy boosts and socio-emotional health restores, that's what I call a reason for yearning Wholes can be encouraged in the unwhole soul - forged in different thinking.Tapping into untapped potentials gives new roles to parts of the brain that were shrinking I like to see plants as psychointegrators - Used correctly they can set in motion a growth of pathways, of thinking, feeling, being. Acceptance and growth mindsets, hearty feeling that encourages better incorporation of new ways of seeing. Split parts left without roles, one stops a life of Self fleeing Retrieve concepts of past and reconsolidate to new functional pathways, rather than strengthen highways of pathology that are burning. What was dissociative splitting can be healed, through bringing light hearty acceptance to inner rifts. The brain has an ability to shift from pathways of fault, to stop it's never-ending internal pathological revolt One can be encouraged to thrive, allowing one to progressively strive through action, towards finding healthy ways to learn to grow, slowly, into life better holistic whole goals. From pathology to creative being brings new brainwave spectral power and taps into different brain regions, new Soul. Creating connections within and in the community brings environmental enrichment and states not driven by illness - It's a way of becoming more heartily whole Whereas strengthening old cognitive highways can boost erroneous thinking, we create byways that connect new pathways between old and less used regions. Tap into functions less explored and enrich environments that were sinking into stagnation and stale, form holistic new highways. Language to emotions, audio to visual, motion and motivation, you use a new repertoire to bring new ways to pathological thinking. Expansion over contraction boosts regions to form allegiance in ill brains that were dissolving and shrinking You bring growth content to the forefront, what was driving pathology loses it's grip, you tap into regions of the brain that function correctly and expand ideas to strengthen those that are experiencing a functional dip Consciousness becomes different, more mindful and no longer shrinking into lower brain recesses. One starts to become the witness to inner processes and new brain regions click into action and cause progress Inclusion shuts down pathways of social pain which encourages mentalising and socially connecting momentum gains. A life of pathology wanes and you begin each day empowered again. I've recently taken up running Acute Bouts of Exercising Improved Mood, Rumination and Social Interaction in Inpatients With Mental Disorders. I don't think walking etc is enough for mental health... It's got to be essentially you saying, with an internal choice "I'm going to kick this pathology's ass." This matches my experiences, when you start pushing yourself intrinsically through some more intense physical activity and with other environmentally enriching small steps, quite quickly, along with established CNS benefit of environmental enrichment with exercise as a component, it's great for a sense of some personal achievement and restoring some endogenous rewards. It breaks loops of pathology and gives some higher order cognition a chance to form. I'm using it for CNS benefits over weight still but there's beneficial potential side effects... After some masochistic days, drew some blood in my fitness adventures, pretty drained but quite quickly, the tics have gotten a lot better, the uncontrolled executive stuff, drive into life without feeling in control, that I couldn't sustainably reclaim improved Stress responses are much better, had to ease back a bit I got pretty exhausted today but you bringing the Yang to the day with pushing yourself and you find you become more receptive, the Yin flows in alignment. Exercise really needs to be a component, not a standalone, several studies have found that combining exercise interventions with cognitive training produces significant benefits compared to exercise or cognitive training alone. I'm trying to induce that window of plasticity and use it for learning and ingraining new things, socially and cognitively. Joggin' the Noggin: Towards a Physiological Understanding of Exercise-Induced Cognitive Benefits. Contemporary literature seems to support the idea that greater cardiovascular fitness can contribute to many improvements in cognition via multiple mechanisms that share in common upregulation of neurotrophins including BDNF, made more available by long-term improvements of cerebral circulation, yielding greater neurogenesis and improved capacity for adaptive brain plasticity. Short term, there's CBF changes, slight beneficial functional connectivity changes ↑ BBB permeability ↑ Serum BDNF ↑ Neuronal IGF-1 ↑ Serum and hippocampal VEGF BDNF expression rapidly improves and in weeks you start regulating the transcription of the genes - CREB/PKB activation takes hold Through restoring cardiovascular fitness: Angiogenesis improves in 10 days, along with things like transcriptional regulators of crucial proteins associated with the many diverse functions of cells like FOXO1 (main target of insulin signaling and regulates metabolic homeostasis in response to oxidative stress)/FOXO3a Slowly CNS inflammation decreases Improved cerebral circulation - in 3 weeks there's notable shifts Brain plasticity shifts in a slower timeframe, giving way to structural changes and cognitive benefits I'm pushing myself to my fitness level in a way that I can hopefully sustain. Exercise‐related improvements are dependent on continued exercise compliance. In one study, hippocampal neurogenesis was significantly elevated in mice after 10 days of aerobic exercise, but that this increase returned to baseline just 24 h after cessation of physical activity. Within 10 days of dropping exercise, CBF can return to prior baselines. Even a single bout of exercise changes regional blood flow and brain activation [1] Widespread exercise effects on brain structure and function at the systems-, cellular-, and molecular level of brain organisation. These neurobiological mechanisms may explain the well-established positive influence of exercise on performance in various behavioral domains but also its contribution to improved skill learning and neuroplasticity. Many growth factors and neurotransmitters, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and serotonin, increase with running and have been causally linked to running-induced upregulation of neurogenesis. Exercise plus learning enhances LTP, myelination and synaptogenesis. "Short-term exercise usually potentiates cell proliferation, while long-term exercise primarily enhances neuronal differentiation and survival. Chronic moderate running led to an increase of cell proliferation, survival, neuronal differentiation, and migration. In contrast, intense running only promoted neuronal differentiation and migration, which was accompanied with lower expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, and erythropoietin." [1] http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0085163 There's a review of the effects of exercise here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurobiological_effects_of_physical_exercise

I've moved away from seeking symptom reduction to seeking holistic wellness. It's a different approach. I've tried to include some of my photography of plants I've grown and got to know. Personally I'm starting to want to self-observe a few things, more subjectively, hoping it can be felt with a ripple effect into the community. Meaning and purpose. Have I made a positive difference today? Connection. Do I feel connected to myself, the Earth and others? Have I reached out to someone today and tried to connect? Whether it be working on a friendship or a family member or forming a new connection. Have I challenged myself in the community to connect? Physical wellness. Have I taken time to implement healthy diet and exercise? Cognitive wellness. Have I learned something today? Read something and grown from it? Emotional wellness. Am I taking time to reflect, understand myself and my emotions, am I feeling and working through them? Mental wellness on the whole. Do I feel holistically stable, positive, in a growth mindset, showing self-compassion and self-care? Spiritual wellness. Am I taking steps to develop spiritually, learn new ways of love, compassion, kindness? Put them into action? Creative wellness. Have I felt a creative experience, be it an attempt at art, creative writing, enjoying music etc We can shift a person’s view from a rational-reductionist view of treating symptoms to an awareness of the potential in deep relationship with plants. With the plants, I'm not just treating a symptom, I'm growing and evolving in healing relationship with the Web of Life. It's a conscious evolving process, that reaches out to deepen our connection to the Earth, deepens humanistic aspects like love and compassion and nurtures spirituality. http://kindredmedia.org/2018/01/herbal-medicine-moving-toward-source/ I'm slowly moving from purchasing herbs/growing plants for a symptom (a uniquely Western and rational, reductionist use of herbs) through the history, science and ultimately holistic understanding of our human relationship with plants and their potential to support our wholeness. It was not long ago that herbs were disparaged as folk lore and old wives tales. I was one of those maximally into “Better Living Through Chemistry”. We believed everything new was good and the old was quaint. We thought science was taking us progressively forward, Western medicine healing us... I came to the conclusion through much suffering, it often wasn't. There are still those who hold and propagate those negative views that plant medicines are mild and inferior to what your doctor prescribes. Are they are purposely avoiding the reality that plant medicines have a large, growing body of science revealing benefits to human health? Feeling the Pain Trauma, in its widest sense, creates our woundedness and consequent insecurity and how in doing so it interrupts the connections between our head, heart and body. As well as hindering the development of any these parts, insecurity also hinders the development of whole self. It's about repairing the connections between our heart, head and body, as well as developing the parts of ourselves that have been underdeveloped. This may be our heart in terms of being able to feel and label and understand our feelings. It may be our head in terms of developing our understanding ourselves in a cognitive way, from clarifying our own philosophy. For most of us there is a need to tune into and become more sensitive to our bodies. Through the heart, spirituality is about somehow our heart opening to a connection with Love. To being loved and therefore able to love. "As a whole, we humans have lost connection to our true purpose. We have lost connection to our true essence, to our surroundings, to nature and to the divine. We have become isolated and overly independent. Many of us are no longer in touch with the phases of the moon, or the change of the seasons, we are disconnected from ourselves and from our hearts. We have forgotten our ultimate connection to the web of creation, we now have a strong belief that we are separate. We have lost our way and we no longer know how to honor ourselves, or how to honor mother Earth, our home. Culturally, we are more focused on strengthening the ego and mental sheaths and when you focus on strengthening only a couple aspects of the whole, an imbalance manifests. We are whole, rather than the sum of our parts. We need to begin emphasising spirituality IN balance with the bodies (mental, emotional, physical, energetic), IN balance with our communities, IN balance with the earth and the divine, strengthening the whole rather than any of the separate parts. ...sheaths keep us in a cycle of disconnection. Over time our dysfunctional belief systems solidify, strengthening these sheaths, leading us further away from our true essence. The more power we give to the mental sheath the stronger it grows and the more disconnected we become. In turn the stronger these sheaths get, the more we feel separate, the more we push away love and true intimacy and the more our souls get depleted. The ego sheath has a desire to be right, and to know everything. It seems to keep us from trusting, from being open, it keeps us held in old paradigms and old belief systems." - Spiritual healing with Plants Why do some people who experience traumatic events and come out stronger and resilient, while others stumble and never seem to recover? I always shrunk from my trauma, illness and injury, these days I'm trying to grow. For me, it's not just dealing day to day with getting through illness, I have been in the losing Milly phase, trying to recalibrate to a new more social human world "Loss is tragically beautiful, and in life, it is inevitable, and it catches us when we least expect it. It turns our world upside down and creates a hole in our universe. We spend the days doing our best to find our way around this gaping hole, and oftentimes at night, we fall into it, spiraling in emotions and confusion and getting tangled up in hatred and loneliness. Losing someone close to you hits hard and is something that becomes part of you. You never learn how to get over it and move on, you just learn how to navigate around the vast hole that is their absence. But there can be a beauty found in this grief. The astonishing beauty that can be found in grief is clarity." Why do some find the upside of down, others not? "It’s like a type of death that brings forth new life. A new life that allows us to appreciate and see with a new set of lenses. Lenses that see past what once tripped us up so easily and so quickly. Lenses that give us the ability to rise above circumstances that we never thought we could. Lenses that cause us to see past words simply spoken, and places us at the heart of intention. The place where real truth and love dwells." "Hard times are like a storm that strips us. The torrential wind can leave us agonized, humiliated or confused. The fury can rip away our friends, jobs, comfort, sense of justice, and understanding of goodness. The same storm can blow away a humdrum life. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been wind-whipped by life, but some are better for it. Like Dorothy when she returned from Oz, they come back with wisdom, compassion, kindness, and a gentleness they might not otherwise have known." Why some people can use challenging—even traumatic—experiences as catalysts for positive transformation while others cannot? Are there practical things people can do to improve their lives? What are the factors that help people cope—even thrive? "Tools like meaning-making, optimism, connection, forgiveness, self-compassion, and grit can quell the effects of trauma. You can use emotional and physical interventions. Spiritual growth is a potent ally. Positive psychology like the broaden-and-build theory and explain the critical role rumination plays in post- traumatic growth. Personality traits like grit and resilience and explain the paradox of difficulties and the part they play in making healthy humans." First, any good health plan should start with Love. Mental health services make things so complicated. Lately I've been learning love, self-love, embodying love, filling myself with it as much as I can, trying to radiate it as love to others. From mindfulness programs to CBT to DBT to various psychological therapies and medicines... A really good thing would be to start with applicable lessons in love. Being love and being inspired by love (in any way whatsoever) is a really beautiful thing. Sometimes it's ourselves that we find hard to love. I have struggled with a lack of self-love for most of my life. I’ve experienced feelings of unworthiness, guilt and shame on a regular basis, self-depreciation. I was manifesting from the lowest sense of self-worth. It was crippling, suicidal depressions, turning to dangerous substances etc. These days, I'm feeling self-love that is empowering me to be the best me. To develop into True Self. I felt the abysmal emotions, angry, mainly at myself for a long time, it spilled into my world, I put up walls around myself so that others could not get too close, and never felt worthy enough for lasting friendships and intimate relationships. when you find that place of complete acceptance of the past for what it is and of yourself for exactly where you are right now it is a truly powerful moment of transformation. You release the shackles the tight grip that you may have on your own point of view and embody a new growing you. You slowly move from self-centeredness to embracing fears, it becomes a journey of depth and discovery, you stop running/escaping from yourself, you start being true to your self, you find autonomy and ambition, passion, love and more. There is a direct correlation between the degree and depth of your capacity to love yourself and your self-esteem, self-worth, self-valuation, your self-confidence and even your sense of self-power. I'm beginning to put loving attention to each task at hand. The more love that you put into whatever it is that you are doing, the more that you will cultivate a love-filled consciousness. The more that you begin to honor yourself and do what you feel is for your highest good, the more love that you begin to feel. "Guilt and shame- these are the lowest frequency emotions and the greatest blockages to self-love and joy. The frequency of guilt and shame is the exact polar opposite to your Christ or Buddha consciousness. Fears- the fear of not being good enough and the fear of not being loved are the top two fears in humanity, often created in painful and traumatic childhood experiences. Unworthiness and undeservedness- these states of mind, often the result of subconscious and unconscious programming will block you from embodying a state of unconditional self-love. If you feel that you don' deserve or that you are not worthy of being happy, successful, in love, etc. then this will be projected onto your holographic reality. The Absolute Perfectionist Persona- If you are always trying to be "perfect", often subconsciously to what other people or society would regard as "perfect", then inevitably you will constantly diminish yourself and never feel truly satisfied, content or love your Self." The most important step to loving others is to first love ourselves. Make choices that show yourself love. Eat food that make you feel good and nourishes your body. Find a way to get active in a way that makes you happy Make time to spend by yourself and to be creative. Praise yourself when you do something well and if you fail at something, be kind to yourself about it. "Part of your human journey is integrating these painful events into your life in a way that serves you, free from the pain and your stories of blame, shame or guilt. As the old sages say, “the only way to transcend pain is to acknowledge that you experienced it.” You can only “let go” of the attachment once you have dealt with the emotions that underlie your stories. In short “Pain suppressed is pain depressed.” Being able to fully ACCEPT yourself means transcending and taking the courageous journey with “Pain felt is pain dealt,” as you can’t heal what you can’t feel. By fully accepting yourself and all the events that have happened in your life, you will find courage to identify and control your relationship with your thoughts, as opposed to your thoughts driving you subconsciously." When we choose to let love in, we are choosing hope. We are choosing peace. We are choosing to trust. And this can allow for some beautiful things to happen. Try finding something extraordinary in the ordinary. Even the most mundane or simplest thing can be beautiful Once you have learned to see, accept and love yourself, the art of being able to open to love and compassion for all is a relatively natural step that unfolds. You open to the fact that as a Spirit and soul you are no different to all others and see that all humans are traveling the same journey towards awakening. You can transcend the human differences as you open to love for all. Slowly, we begin to take steps toward those passions and dreams. You develop a new way of thinking, being, and doing can be brought forth. Peace and love are what make up our true nature, we start to allow that peace and love to shine in our natural essence. That small self then becomes the grand self. "Healing is a journey that engages our whole being of heart, soul and spirit and is not a linear process. As we spiral through life we periodically reach new understandings allowing healing to reach deeper levels each time filling ourselves more fully with our true essential nature. As we become more our self our unique path is revealed and that which doesn’t serve us on our path falls away." Some plants to support Wholeness. Green Tea Tea consumption had significant acute benefits on mood and performance and creativity. While some suggest taking supplements of green tea to reduce metabolic biomarkers alone is ineffective, as part of a diet shift it seems good. Tea use was associated with reduced stress, increased calmness and increased electroencephalographic activity (increased alpha, beta and theta activities) in the midline frontal and central brain regions Green tea consumption in subjects with cognitive dysfunction (2 g/day for 3 months, approximately equal to 2 to 4 cups of tea/day) significantly improved cognitive performance. Along with the effects of lower doses of caffeine and small quantities of L-theanine, EGCG has sedative effects in the brain, partially through GABAA receptors, and consequently moderates an acute stress response in a dose dependent manner. Green tea is believed to lower the risk of dementia both through it's polyphenols and active metabolites that exhibit effects on nerve cell proliferation and neuritogenic properties. The consumption of green tea catechins is generally believed to suppress age-related cognitive dysfunction, The neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and iron-chelating properties of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) make it promising for neurorescue. Diet induced neuroinflammation was restored by EGCG supplementation and homocysteine-induced neurodegeneration and neuro-inflammation in the brain was attenuated. It inhibits brain damage and promotes regeneration in the cerebral cortex of rats. EGCG was able to effectively inhibit volatile anaesthetic-induced neurodegeneration and improve learning and memory retention, which is relevant to my case. Teas significantly reduced AChE activity and partially reduced fat accumulation. Green teas reduced memory deficits. They reduced reactive species accumulation and reduced plasma triglyceride levels. The tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been shown to ameliorate metabolic abnormalities and fatty liver. Spearmint Tea Spearmint is known to have cleansing and uplifting properties. It is said to elicit a sense of focus and positive mood. Spearmint may be a beneficial nutritional intervention for cognitive health. Recent studies show that compounds isolated from Mentha spicata are promising for neurodegenerative therapy. Spearmint contains vitamins, antioxidants, and vital nutrients. It is rich in limonene, carvone and congeners, and cineol. It's a potent antioxidant. It has carminative, anti-spasmodic, anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, sedative and stimulant action. It's like the benefits of teas providing catechin, epicatechin with flavonoids like rutin and luteolin. It's also rich in rosmarinic acid, it's the highest of Lamiaceae (more than Rosemary). Based on available research, it appears that spearmint is well tolerated in recommended doses up to 500 milligrams daily or taken as a tea twice daily for 30 days. Extract doses seem higher. Results point towards 1,8-cineole as a good candidate for NMDA antagonism, with a weaker AChE inhibitory effect. Cognitive function task scores suggest improved reasoning, significantly improved attention/concentration and planning from baseline after 30 d of treatment. Day one, subjects experienced acutely improved attention/concentration from pre- supplementation. It was well-tolerated and may improve certain aspects of cognitive function. Using spearmint as an extract improved quality of working memory and spatial working memory accuracy, caused improvement in ability to fall asleep. Overall treatment effects were evident for vigor-activity, total mood disturbance, and alertness and behaviour following wakefulness, with trends observed for improvements after spearmint Hibiscus Tea Hibiscus flowers are used to destroy all life obstacles, spiritual and material, and to assist in realisation of all goals. They are said to purify the physical and spiritual heart, and to promote wisdom. Ayurveda says it increases devotion, promotes wisdom and aids in meditation. It purifies the heart. Hibiscus flower normalises blood pressure and exerts a protective effect on the heart. New research is underscoring the possibility of using hibiscus to normalise blood sugar. Possibly Effective for: High blood pressure. Some early research shows that drinking hibiscus tea for 2-6 weeks decreases blood pressure in people with mildly high blood pressure. Other early research shows that taking a hibiscus extract by mouth for 4 weeks may be as effective as the prescription drug captopril for reducing blood pressure in people with mild to moderate high blood pressure. However, an analysis of results from various clinical studies suggests that there is not enough evidence to draw strong conclusions about the effects of hibiscus in reducing high blood pressure. Hibiscus Sabdariffa (Roselle) is a supplemental herb that is derived from the plant's calyces, which are the collection of sepals separating the blooming flower from the stem. The calyces have traditionally been steeped into tea where the anthocyanins (red-blue pigmentation) is steeped into the water and drank for medicinal purposes. Hibiscus sabdariffa derived polyphenols are known to ameliorate various obesity-related conditions. The mechanism includes the regulation of energy metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways, transcription factors, hormones and peptides, digestive enzymes, as well as epigenetic modifications. Low doses of Roselle tea or supplements appear to be effective in reducing blood pressure, and may be anti-diabetic. It is unlikely that Roselle can cause weight loss independent of a reduction of appetite. It has antidepressant activity through 5-HT, DA and NE systems. Reishi Reishi is said to be considered a supreme Shen, or ‘spirit-enhancing’ tonic. "Reishi is said to balance, restore and cultivate Jing, Shen and Qi energies in the body, which together are the three fundamental energies that give us life, Jing being our deepest reserves of life force, Qi being the daily energy that sustains us and Shen being our spiritual energy/awareness or connection with the infinite." It acts to harmonize and relax the nervous system as a whole, with a particular emphasis on the heart. It works to heal, balance and energize the heart and its energetic-etheric components Oral administration of the polysaccharides and water extract from G. lucidum promoted neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation to enhance neurogenesis and alleviated cognitive deficits - it could serve as a regenerative therapeutic agent for the treatment of cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases. It can enhance immunity and antioxidant activities G. lucidum mushroom have numerous health properties to treat diseased conditions such as hepatopathy, chronic hepatitis, nephritis, hypertension, hyperlipemia, arthritis, neurasthenia, insomnia, bronchitis, asthma, gastric ulcers, atherosclerosis, leukopenia, diabetes, anorexia, and cancer. Regular administration of the Reishi suspension improved the energy supply to the brain cortex and decreased the prevalence of inhibitory neurotransmitters that are characteristic of alcohol consumption. The alcohol-induced increase in liver proliferation was significantly suppressed by regular administration of the G. lucidum water suspension. It has anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects, alleviates oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, the water soluble polysaccharides showing neuroprotective effects and has nerve growth factor-like neuronal survival-promoting and brain-derived neurotrophic factor-like neuronal survival-promoting compounds, it protects against the immunological effects of excitotoxicity Cinnamon The important thing if you're using it higher dose medicinally is to get a good one. Cassia contains higher traces of coumarin (around 4%), while the amount of coumarin in Ceylon cinnamon is only around 0.04% While I did a lot of cinnamon metabolite sodium benzoate, it's nice to get back to the plant. While benzoate looks good for augmenting treatment of psychosis with good significant effect, neurodegenerative things/cognitive deterioration and enhancing learning, recently it's been found it can impair memory performance and increase brain oxidative stress in mice. Using the whole bark is seemingly much more healing. The bark contains proanthocyanidins, catechin and epicatechin along with the precursor for benzoate, cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamon could be beneficial to counteract deleterious dietary effects in stressed conditions. It could effectively prevent the cognitive dysfunction and the impairment of energy and glucose homeostasis induced by amyloid-β deposition by reducing neuroinflammation and enhancing insulin signaling. It efficiently inhibits tau accumulations, Aβ aggregation and toxicity in vivo and in vitro models. Indeed, cinnamon possesses neuroprotective effects interfering multiple oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory pathways. Cinnamon modulates endothelial functions and attenuates the vascular cell adhesion molecules. Cinnamon PPs may induce AD epigenetic modifications. Cinnamon seems to be effective and safe approaches for treatment and prevention of AD onset and/or progression. "A Cochrane review on cinnamon states that long-term blood glucose control is essential in reducing the risk of complications associated with diabetes mellitus such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), retinopathy and nephropathy. Insulin is one of the key hormones that regulates energy and metabolism use as well as transporting sugar from the bloodstream into cells. Cinnamon has been studied as a therapy for improving glycaemic control through its insulin-mimicking biologically active properties that enhance glucose uptake and utilisation in the cell by: -modulating hepatic glucose metabolism through changes in pyruvate kinase (PK) and phosphenol pyruvate carboxikinase (PEPCK) -inhibition of intestinal glycosidase -translocation and synthesis of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) -insulin receptor de-phosphorylation and auto-phosphorylation. In type 2 diabetes, higher amounts of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) are indicative of poorer control of blood glucose levels. Once haemoglobin has been glycated, its ability to transport oxygen, as well as collect carbon dioxide to return to the lungs, is lost leading to advanced glycated end product (AGE), elevated HbA1c and plasma glucose which are associated with retinopathy, nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. In a clinical trial, 2g of cinnamon a day for 12 weeks alongside regular medication for type 2 diabetes, significantly reduced glycated HbA1c, as well as diastolic and systolic blood pressure compared to placebo.A recent double-blind trial reported that 3g of cinnamon significantly improved all components of metabolic syndrome such as insulin, blood pressure, antioxidant status and lean body mass when compared to a placebo" Calendula Calendula is used to bring comfort to those who are nervous and prone to fear, as well as those who have gone through a profound shock or trauma to the system. It is used to temper anger and rash behaviour. Calendula can also be used to encourage emotional warmth and tolerance, compassion and the ability to truly listen to what others are saying" At "the level of the individual soul, it opens our hearts to receive the spiritual light, to receive the Word of another with that same receptivity and warmth we experience in the Calendula blossom. Thus Calendula is an excellent balm for human relationships, for cultivating receptivity and empathy. Rather than be wounding or cutting in our communications, Calendula teaches us to touch each other gently and profoundly with light and warmth of our words." Calendula has anti-oxidant, neuroprotective, antiviral, antigenotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties. The flowers of C. officinalis are rich in polyphenols, contain flavonol glycosides, triterpene oligoglycosides, oleanane-type triterpene glycosides, saponins, and a sesquiterpene glucoside. Dose is tea of 2 tsp of dried herb to a cup of hot water, three times a day The leaves can also be used for culinary purposes. Spirulina. This stuff isn't the trendiest anymore but I find it's a good addition and you can get some cheapish sources. Containing high levels of protein and many polyphenols, including chlorophyll a and C-phycocyanin, it has antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects. Spirulina also appears to protect and enhance cognitive function. Research has shown spirulina enriched diets enhance striatal dopamine recovery and induce rapid changes to microglia activation after injury of the dopamine system. A Spirulina diet can protect against neuroinflammation and decreased antioxidant defence in brain. Promising pre-clinically for neurodegenerative things and MS. In autoimmune CNS conditions, it could potentially improve neuroinflammation, protect from demyelination and axonal loss. It modulated the expression of genes related to remyelination, gliogenesis and axon-glia processes. Included in the diet, it promotes activation of BDNF/CREB neuroprotective signaling pathways in neuronal cells. It increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase gene expression and decreasing damage from oxidative stress Goji berries. Super approve. Cheap, neuroprotective and seemingly a good addition. Using them for 14 days increases subjective feelings of general well-being, and improves neurologic/psychologic performance in a study. They have antiglaucoma, immunoregulatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antiaging, neuroprotective, and blood sugar level reducing activities. They promote in vivo proliferation of neural progenitor cells. In another study, treatment alone did not promote hippocampal neurogenesis when compared to the normal control, but could lessen the suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis induced in disease/toxin states.They can be a useful strategy for treating memory impairment induced by several neurodegenerative diseases. Chamomile Chamomile is OK, got some promise, you just have to often exceed a tea bag dose. Shorter term, chamomile extract produced a clinically meaningful reduction in generalised anxiety disorder symptoms over 8 weeks, with a response rate comparable to those observed during conventional anxiolytic drug therapy and a favorable adverse event profile. We're talking chamomile extract 1500mg/day though, not a tea bag. Long-term chamomile was safe and significantly reduced moderate-to-severe GAD symptoms, but did not significantly reduce rate of relapse. Lower doses of chamomile extract can significantly improve sleep quality Apigenin has gained interest as a neuroprotective agent It's not just limited to sleep, it has antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal activities, angiogenesis activity, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic effects. Besides, it is beneficial for knee osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis, premenstrual syndrome, and gastrointestinal disorders. Grape Polyphenols! Just as I was playing with polyphenols... http://neurosciencenews.com/dhca-grape-depression-8426/ "Conventional pharmacological treatments are estimated to produce temporary remission in less than 50 percent of patients, and they are often associated with severe adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent need for a wider spectrum of novel therapeutics. ...currently available antidepressants are largely restricted to targeting the systems that regulate serotonin, dopamine, and other related neurotransmitters, and these treatments do not specifically address inflammation and synaptic maladaptations that are now known to be associated with MDD. A bioactive dietary polyphenol preparation–a combination of three grape-derived polyphenol products, including a select Concord grape juice, a select grape seed extract, and trans-resveratrol–was effective in promoting resilience against stress-induced depression in mice. Of course, Cacao!

Spin that positive Self-narrative over illness... Personality Traits, Ego Development, and the Redemptive Self. People high in neuroticism tend to construct life stories with a more negative emotional tone, compared with individuals lower in neuroticism. You have to make a movement from a demonstrably negative situation, typically involving fear, anxiety, sadness, or anger, to a positive outcome. You reshape ego function, through the stages to greater health, slowly. You go and re-shape your life a bit but in a greater way that's embracing greater tolerance for cognitive complexity, more advanced perspective taking, and more nuanced understandings You tap into sensitivity to suffering, improve in morals, adopt prosociality Adults at midlife whose autobiographical narrative accounts more closely approximate the redemptive self exhibit higher levels of positive societal engagement and enjoy better psychological well-being, compared with adults whose life-narrative protocols show fewer instances of the themes of the redemptive self. Psychologically healthy and socially engaged adults generally narrate their lives in a prototypical fashion labeled the redemptive self, consisting of five themes: (a) a sense of childhood advantage, (b) empathy for others' sufferings, (c) moral steadfastness, (d) turning of negative events into positive outcomes (redemption sequences), and (e) prosocial goals. The redemptive self was positively associated with four of the Big Five traits: extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability http://sci-hub.tw/10.1177/0146167216665093

I'd call myself pretty uncreative, until recently a vacuumous sponge for info and stuff. That does your head in. You strengthen heavy analytical and linguistic frameworks that might not serve you properly. Still I can try to strengthen an undeveloped aspect. Here's some simple writing, it's not top level but that's where I'm at: From root to crown, The Heart field magnifies, a pulse of life The energetics of doing, growth needs brewing, causes some internal stewing What was suffering and misery through right action give rise to progressive flight Night transmutes through strife, being positive and engaging new life In purging the energetics of never become new feathers. What happens when you creatively re-write the narrative of you in a larger context beyond yourself? It's very different taking an analytical stance/given of you and writing creatively to a broader divergent You. We've been given a socio-cultural narrative, you can accept that and play their game, or creatively re-write it and play a new one. For some of us that given narrative encompasses illness and suffering. I'm not an expert creative writer but creatively re-writing illness narratives engages a different part of you. A new Self. A new You. I noticed for myself, things changed somewhat when I moved from consumptive rituals (tea rituals, medicine rituals, listening to music, reading, even photography is fairly consumptive etc) to engaging creative rituals. It's like being the caterpillar only having consumptive rituals, when you overcome that required activation energy and imprint your worthiness of creative existing into the matrix of the universe in your own creative way, you start to build the transition state to metamorphosis Today I started my day with more quasi-drumming. It just brings me connection to myself and tapping into and synchronising with something aliveish that's not me. Then off for my run etc Creative Cognition and Brain Network Dynamics Creative thought may benefit from dynamic interactions of the default and control networks. Such processes typically involve the top-down modulation of self-generated information: "creative thought, particularly creative idea generation and evaluation, may also involve goal-directed, self-generated cognition". Engaging that creative you causes increased right-hemispheric connectivity during rest. There is right prefrontal areas that get activated as well as the anterior cingulate cortex associated with creative versus uncreative story generation. Something as simple as evaluating and revising self-generated poetry involves relatively increased cooperation of the default and control systems. Idea generation was associated with widespread activity of default regions, whereas idea evaluation was associated with both default (e.g., MPFC and PCC) and control network activity (e.g., DLPFC and ACC). Using conceptual expansion via Verbal creativity, during "creative writing" is associated with verbal and semantic memory as well as semantic integration. Expanding a concept causes activation in a semantic and conceptual integration network comprising the frontopolar cortex, anterior inferior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex and the temporal poles. Creative achievement has been connected to decreased cortical arousal, as demonstrated by an increased EEG alpha power Higher creativity scores were associated with an increased functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the posterior cingulate cortex causing a stronger interaction within the default mode network - the 'You' http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/schacterlab/files/beatybenedecksilviaschacter2016.pdf The Western mind often falls into consumption, language, control, ego, analysis, power. Heavily strengthened through domination and socio-cultural influences is the 'Left Brain'. We pack info in, learn, absorb, take in negative schemas that probably don't serve us well. In this frame of mind we are stuck in stagnant past. We undertake this absorption to information and analysis over-load. Prefrontal function becomes knocked out through stress and over-reliance on this mode. We slip into being ruled by subcortical processes with no top-down executive control and goal-oriented activity. When we reverse that mode, strenthen the undeveloped emotional and social, the spiritual, surrender to Right Brain, we restore some balance. Catharsis, stress responses normalise Yin and Yang dance to equilibrium Higher prefrontal functions start to normalise.

Nice to meet you @Quarzo If you ever need a non-judgemental chat, always up for that, send me a message anytime, my mental and social skills aren't the best so don't feel you're alone, it's a good community to get some health and connection back. Best wishes.

Know that feeling of limited community, I'd suggest looking into starting up plant meets if you can find those connections locally, it's like coming home having those meets for me and you can establish better healthy community connection. Sometimes I think efforts to dissociate/move away from the culture can bolster ego pathology whereas merging into it as the unique you with a gift to share tames it. Learn to relate to the plants as proxy to the larger community maybe, for me that's currently propagating things and giving plants to grow free boxes etc, find that contribution to what you're dissociating from so you can feel like you're "being the change you want to see"

Thanks for sharing, if you can find new ways of community that let you be you and grow -. Don't fall into the trap of totally disconnecting from the world. For me, the community garden has been vital. Inclusive away from the cultural destructive ways. The more you disconnect the more you can suffer IMO. Not saying rush into the madness of the world but find your tribe and maintain connections, build connections within and in the world. I'd suggest things like in states where cognition is malleable, exploring creative divergent thinking, while tapping into feelings, to broaden your concept of you to new levels of inclusion and acceptance. With creative divergent thinking seems to come deeper empathy and emotional health that's not dissociating which can become pathology Do you have any inclusive healthy community opportunities like that in your life @TheMooseZeus?

I had a recent experience of going from being disconnected and dissociated from society and community to feeling the love of reconnection Slowly each day my goal is to, through embodied action, break a barrier between you and me There's no glory in seeing differences that don't encourage healing growth - Are you including others with mutual respect and reciprocity, or building barriers in the community? Just a sprinkle of your love to yourself and others starts to liberate healing entropy. We each have different journeys but it's through environments of inclusivity that people can heal and be free. I don't believe we should segregate people just because they are unique individuals and live a life differently. In the right encouraging frameworks pathology gives way to divinity I see so much suffering and lack of inclusion, in doing such We create community centred on pathology. I see pathology in our social structures, power divisions and egocentricity - The western world is so much you vs me. It's not until you see divinity in all creation that you feel breaking those barriers that stop you from feeling worthy of a we, you embrace a stance of greater equality. It's not until one decides they're worth it that they undertake the journey to break free, that they can be a whole person in the community. Being locked into illness is to be stuck prisoner of me, you feel unworthy of a we It's like being stuck in an abysmal unconscious sea Social defeat breaks you down daily Slowly, you start to see Beyond the shackles that hold you to misery Expanding beyond pathology empathetically You adopt acceptance towards your journey and others radically You embody action creatively Connecting with others in loving relationships and uplifting is by definition Pure Divinity While breaking apart and creating divisions maintains you selfishly With each step towards embodying that Divine essence you regain freedom. We bypass the more concrete, cognitive-oriented parts of the brain to access the symbolic, creative subconscious, uncovering deeper, intuitive feeling etc that is sometimes complicated but restores wholes. You can bring unconscious process driving you pathologically into creative conscious impulses that can set you free. Cognitive frameworks build divisions while feeling Heart brings unity You get to a place where you hold space for yourself and others compassionately You empower your presence, you have a divine loving aspect that you deserve to be Conscious loving choice with a growth mindset can set you free Diverging and connecting to loving conscious choices elevate you back cortically The pathological self-feelings, loops of lower mind, start to flee You embody a broader concept of Me You let divine manifest in the strangest ways, judgement of self or others isn't healing liberation, you could feel worthy to just be You learn to love your Self and the reconnect to we Mindfully breaking pathology by creating loving connecting spaces between you and me Us connecting and contributing to a better community That is what I define living life purposely

How does Ayahuasca go vs conventional mindfulness training? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29615905 In some states, particularly if someone is locked into extreme (pathological) cognitive frameworks, you cannot retrain/instill mindfulness without causing strengthened cognitive pathology with many conventional approaches IMO. I'd like to see a dissociation of the effects of β-carbolines only studied. I don't believe the more visionary aspect is always required. Particularly in mental illness, where you need to reach therapeutic mindful states without always going through profound ego deaths and rebirths. Recent research has shown that the β-carbolines may also have a relevant contribution to the overall effects. Specifically, harmine, THH, and the harmine metabolite harmol, stimulate adult neurogenesis. It also enhances GABAergic transmission onto basoamygdala projection neurons and appears to have distinct effects on functional connectivity and EEG parameters. Acutely, strong and widespread clusters found between β-carbolines circulating levels and spectral changes in the EEG suggests these compounds do contribute quite strongly to the effects, sans extreme psychoactivity. "Compared to non-users, habitual ayahuasca consumers show lower hopelessness and depression levels, and higher scores on certain personality traits like agreeableness and openness The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire or FFMQ (Baer et al., 2006; Cebolla et al., 2012) is a self-reported questionnaire that measures five mindfulness components: (1) Observing: noticing external and internal experiences, e.g., body sensations, thoughts or emotions; (2) Describing: putting words to, or labeling the internal experience; (3) Acting with awareness: focusing on the present activity instead of behaving mechanically; (4) Non-Judging the inner experience: taking a non-evaluative stance toward the present experience, thoughts or emotions; and (5) Non-Reacting to the inner experience: allowing thoughts and feelings to come, without getting caught up in, or carried away, by them. Sample items for each sub-scale include: Observing “When I take a shower or bath, I stay alert to the sensations of water on my body”; Describing “I’m good at finding words to describe my feelings”; Acting with awareness “I am easily distracted”; Non-Judging “I tell myself I should not be feeling the way I am feeling”; and Non-Reacting “I watch my feelings without getting lost in them.” From a neurobiological perspective, our findings can be linked to the selective modulation by ayahuasca of specific brain regions and networks. In a neuroimaging study using MRI, we found associations between Non-Judging increases and post-acute neurometabolic and connectivity changes (Sampedro et al., 2017). Reductions in the levels of the excitatory glutamate–glutamine complex in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) correlated with Non-Judging increases 24 h after ayahuasca intake and at follow-up 2 months later. In the same study, increased functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the PCC and between the ACC and the medial temporal lobe (MTL) also correlated with Non-Judging at the two assessment time points. Thus, desirable effects at the psychological level were linked on the one hand to neurometabolic reductions in the PCC, a region which is key to the sense of self (Vogt and Laureys, 2005) and is abnormally hyperactive in certain psychiatric conditions (Hamilton et al., 2011). On the other hand, enhanced Non-Judging relied also on increased neural network cross-talk and on an increased coupling of activity between the ACC, a key center of self-monitoring and other aspects of executive function (Kelly et al., 2009) and the MTL, a limbic region processing memory and emotion (Dolcos et al., 2004). "

That;s really awesome @mysubtleascention, thanks for the detailed response and how these systems of inspired art work - to put what is at my impression heartfelt compassionate healing intent behind art for others is a magical intent, Well done. I'm still a bit easily distracted by dissolving loops in my head, that said, it's getting better, I could see if one could attune to total presence, merge with the complete experience more in these works of art, that would be powerfully magic.