There seem to be two kinds of people.

One kind thinks that they can eat anything and that a happy meal is something worth eating. (It is neither a ‘happy’ nor a healthy meal).

They ignore or dismiss nutritional science as no more than guidelines for old folks and are convinced they are immortal and will survive and thrive on burgers, pizza, trans-fat fried chicken, and other fast ‘food’.

Modern foods are produced to cater to our brain’s dopamine response.

Teenagers are well represented in this group as well as many people under 40.

We know that our brain’s pre-frontal cortex (which is responsible for skills like planning, prioritizing, and making good decisions) only matures in our mid to late twenties so logical, informed, considered and intelligent decisions are compromised and good advice is rarely appreciated or taken.

Additionally, up until 40 years of age, our physical health tends to be sufficiently robust that symptoms of underlying health problems are masked and so we either miss or ignore impending problems. What we discover as we reach our 50s and 60s, is the rate at which we age, accelerates noticeably. And all because of modern foods, modern lifestyles, and our modern toxic world.

This group is broadly driven by the neurotransmitter, dopamine. When dopamine is not balanced by other neurotransmitters eg GABA, serotonin, oxytocin or is not supported by noradrenalin or particular microbially-activated minerals, dopamine runs amuck.

It gets a rise from ultra-processed foods and induces us to eat more.

It reacts to an impending reward (eg a bad sugar treat) and drives us to experience more of such possible rewards.

It is also at the core of ever-increasing amounts of sweet and fatty foods, for example, in order to get that ultimate dopamine hit.

It even induces us to cajole, annoy, frighten, or threaten others in order to get our dopamine reward levels to rise.

I highly recommend what I see as essential reading for anyone hoping for a great outcome for humanity and a rosy future for their kids: Get a copy of The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long. This is frightening reading as it explains the myth of free will, our addictions to feel-good foods and beverages, our insane drive to survive and thrive irrespective of our biological and environmental boundaries, and our uncontrolled populate-or-perish mentality.

Our planetary Climate Catastrophe; our corporate businesses and their insanity of shareholder value at any cost; our politicians who are the best that money can buy; land developers (biodiversity killers); and couples who contribute to over-population through their selfishness of a large family at any cost; all these are events, attitudes or actions which deliver disastrous outcomes for humanity and all from dopamine-driven motivations.

More, more, more and more.

The other kind of people are more food and health-focused.

They tread more lightly on the planet and value non-human animals; sustainable ecosystems; and living within our environmental constraints.

They are more future-focused and I have adapted a Futures Model from Simon Bowen (https://themodelsmethod.com) in order to present a way of living that we could all embrace. I invite you to consider my suggestions as a means to survive and thrive in a collaborative, considerate, and conscious way while we care for our Country and culture.

Here is a model of our future and the choices we need to make as to whether we want our health to be the very best possible state for us or if we are willing to accept becoming old and frail and end up growing old too quickly.

It should be obvious too that staying the same (on the yellow line) is not an option as time will make its lethal effects felt over the years if we try to maintain a fictitious status quo.

Did You Know that Modern Foods are the Leading Cause of Early Death

They are also the cause of illnesses which arise, persist over time and eventually take some of us to the final step a lot earlier than we would like or be forced to accept.

There seem to be two kinds of people.

One kind thinks that they can eat anything and that a happy meal is something that’s worth eating. (It is neither ‘happy’ nor a healthy meal).

They ignore or dismiss nutritional science as no more than guidelines for old folks and are convinced they are immortal and will survive and thrive on burgers, pizza, trans-fat fried chicken and other fast ‘food’.

Modern foods are produced to cater to our brain’s dopamine response.

Teenagers are well represented in this group as well as are many people under 40.

We know that our brain’s pre-frontal cortex (which is responsible for skills like planning, prioritizing and making good decisions) only matures in our mid to late twenties and so logical, informed, considered and intelligent decisions are compromised and good advice is rarely appreciated or taken.

Additionally, up until 40 years of age, our physical health tends to be sufficiently robust that symptoms of underlying health problems are masked and so we either miss or ignore impending problems. What we discover as we reach our 50s and 60s, is the rate which we age, accelerates noticeably. And all because of modern foods, modern lifestyles and our modern toxic world.

This group is broadly driven by the neurotransmitter, dopamine. When dopamine is not balanced by other neurotransmitters eg GABA, serotonin, oxytocin or is not supported by noradrenalin or particular microbially-activated minerals, dopamine runs amuck.

It gets a rise from ultra-processed foods and induces us to eat more.

It reacts to an impending reward (eg a bad sugar treat) and drives us to experience more of such possible rewards.

It is also at the core of ever-increasing amounts of sweet and fatty foods, for example, in order to get that ultimate dopamine hit.

It even induces us to cajole, annoy, frighten or threaten others in order to get our own dopamine reward levels to rise.

I highly recommend what I see as essential reading for anyone hoping for a great outcome for humanity and a rosy future for their kids: Get a copy of The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long. This is frightening reading as it explains the myth of free will, our addictions to feel-good foods and beverages, our insane drive to survive and thrive irrespective of our biological and environmental boundaries and our uncontrolled populate-or-perish mentality.

Our planetary Climate Catastrophe; our corporate businesses and their insanity of shareholder value at any cost; our politicians who are the best that money can buy; land developers (biodiversity killers); and couples who contribute to over-population through their selfishness of a large family at any cost; all these are events, attitudes or actions which deliver disastrous outcomes for humanity and all from dopamine driven motivations.

More, more, more and more.

The other kind of people are more food and health focused.

They tread more lightly on the planet and value non-human animals; sustainable ecosystems; and living within our environmental constraints.

They are more future-focused and I have adapted a Futures Model from Simon Bowen (https://themodelsmethod.com) in order to present a way of living that we could all embrace. I invite you to consider my suggestions as a means to survive and thrive in a collaborative, considerate and conscious way while we care for Country and culture.

Here is a model of our future and the choices we need to make as to if we want our health to be the very best possible state for us or if we are willing to accept becoming old and frail and end up growing old too quickly.

It should be obvious too that staying the same (on the yellow line) is not an option as time will make its lethal effects felt over the years is we try to maintain a fictitious staus quo.

Let me elaborate on the model above:

The Top 3 Decisions We Need to Make Now:
Embrace the John Wick Effect – commitment, focus and sheer will. Set your ideal outcomes: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (SMART goals). Break down ideal outcome into smaller, manageable actions to provide direction and purpose to stay focused and motivated.

Develop a Detailed Plan and Take Consistent Action: Once your goals are set, develop a detailed plan of action. This plan should include step-by-step tasks, resources needed and a timeline. Taking consistent action is crucial; success often comes from regular, sustained effort rather than sporadic bursts of activity. This could mean daily or weekly actions that move you closer to your goals. Remember, a plan is only as good as the actions you take.

Cultivate a Growth Mindset and Embrace Learning: Adopt a growth mindset, which is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset fosters a love for learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Be open to feedback, willing to make adjustments, and ready to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Continuously seek knowledge and skills relevant to your goals, whether through formal education, self-study, mentorship, or practical experience.

And The Top 3 Drift Habits We Need to Stop Now:
Maintain a Healthy Diet: Nutrition plays a crucial role in health and organic foods reduce the toxins we ingest. Consume a whole food diet rich in wild and near wild fruits, high fibre vegetables, seeds and nuts, pulses and legumes are OK if your gut can handle them (mine can’t), lean proteins eg game meats and seafood and avoid bad fats from domestic animal meats and ultra-processed foods. With packaged foods, scan for ‘clean’ labels i.e. no soy or canola oil, avoid E-numbers and preservatives, avoid added calcium.

Address deficiency states of the many and varied phytonutrients with the Holy Grail to Health range. PhytoMedicine 3.0 helps to achieve and then maintain a healthy weight, provides essential nutrients and reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and most cancers.

Avoiding processed foods; excessive bad sugars and bad fats; and limiting alcohol intake are all important. Also beneficial are mindful eating habits, such as paying attention to hunger and fullness cues and not eating in response to emotions; and limiting meals with time restricted eating (eat over 8 hours and nothing but water and unsweetened hot beverages during the remaining 16 hours). Two meals a day is more than adequate as we tend to grossly over-eat.

Regular Physical Activity: Exercise is vital for maintaining good health. Aim for at least 3 to 5 minutes of high intensity aerobic activity every day. Also, include 10 minutes daily of muscle-strengthening activities, ideally with bands and a bar. Regular and appropriate physical activity helps control weight, combats health conditions and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy and promotes better sleep.

Prioritize Mental and Emotional Well-being: Mental health is as important as physical health. Practice stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises and daily gratitude lists of 3 things achieved in the past 24 hours. Cold water immersion is beneficial. Ensure adequate sleep, as it is vital for both mental and physical health. Cultivate a strong social support system and engage in activities that promote a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Avoiding harmful coping mechanisms like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or drug use is also crucial.

Health is not the sum of the foods we eat.
It is the product of the interactions of their components.

A good deal of what I have observed of the symptom controls offered by Big Pharma and Corporate Medicine is like a ritual rain dance:

It has no effect on the weather that follows but those who engage in it think it does.

It also seems to me that most of the medicines and synthetic drugs are directed at improving the dancing, not the weather.

Adapted from a quote by Russell Ackoff

And Now For Some Light Reading

A review of research on brain health with findings that are also relevant to metabolic health throughout our body:

Mariam Bashir, Zelle Humma, Haseeba Shahzad (2021). Neuroprotective Role of Polyphenols in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders. International Journal of Applied Chemical and Biological Sciences, 2(2), 25-35.

Here is a summary listing the major functional foods (although my suggestion is to source the wild types of each food where possible):

Neuroprotective Effect of Natural Products Against Alzheimer’s Disease.

The diverse array of bioactive (phyto) nutrients present in wild and near wild plant foods plays a pivotal role in the prevention and cure of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease and other neuronal dysfunctions. Accumulated evidence suggests that naturally occurring phyto-compounds, such as polyphenolic antioxidants found in (wild and near-wild) fruits, (non-starchy) vegetables, herbs, spices, seeds and nuts, may potentially hinder neurodegeneration, and improve memory and cognitive function. Nuts such as walnuts have also demonstrated neuroprotective effects against AD. The molecular mechanisms behind the curative effects rely mainly on the action of phytonutrients on distinct signalling pathways associated with protein folding and neuroinflammation. The neuro-protective effects of various naturally occurring compounds in AD is evaluated in this review.

This is well worth scanning and re-reading many times even if you just gloss over the heavy biochemistry, pharmacology and scientific jargon.

Some gems:
COVID19 infection may double the risk of Alzheimer’s (and other metabolic conditions)
An anti-ageing diet, mainly plant-based appears to offer protection against AD, other neurologic and many metabolic conditions
Calcium availability is implicated in the early stages of many diseases (Yay! for Karuah ChancaPlus and Active Magnesium)
Calcium balance within the fluid in our cells (the cytoplasm) can affect the inner lining of our cell walls leading to a myriad of diseases or stated another way: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (a cellular organelle) as an intracellular Ca2+ store not only sets up cytosolic (fluid contents of cells) Ca2+ signals, but among other functions, also assembles and folds newly synthesized proteins. Alterations in ER homeostasis, including severe Ca2+ depletion, are upstream events in the pathophysiology of many diseases. Is that clearer? Ha Ha. I love this stuff.

Join me on a deep dive here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10144079/

And some insights from an excellent 2023 review of an updated understanding of the endoplasmic reticulum that we may have first heard about in high school.

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