Does the idea of spending 10 days in total silence, prohibited from using your cell phone (and reading and writing!), while trying to meditate for 12 hours a day scare you? It terrified me. Which is why I knew I had to do it: a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat. For the last 5 years, […]
Small hinges swing big doors. Some of the tiniest habits, outlined below, have profoundly benefited my health (both mental and physical!), happiness, and productivity: Upon waking, I take 5 deep breaths and think of 5 things for which I’m grateful. Few things are better than your health/happiness than gratitude and starting your day in a […]
Just like we are all capable of far more than we know, we’re learning that our cells do way more than we originally thought. We live in a wonderful scientific age in which long-standing paradigms are being challenged, and one of the most exciting areas of rediscovery (imo) is immunology; we’re finding that immune cells […]
For the last 30 days, I did not touch the hot water knob in my shower, instead spending at least 5 minutes under icy water each day. Why would I take on such a masochistic experiment? General curiosity. Yes, curiosity may kill cats but has served me well as a scientist and the person who often […]
When I receive the flattering question of how do I manage to do lots of things while maintaining my relationships/sanity/fun time, in addition to my pro tips, I often point to my non-negotiable morning routine. Though I don’t complete the whole routine every day, I’ve integrated the best practices to optimize happiness, productivity, and health […]
Another reason to get in cold water; taking cold showers or going for a swim changes the way your liver processes fat, ultimately lowering blood levels of cholesterol and creating a beneficial, fat-burning #microbiome!
www.nature.com/nm/journal/v23/n7/full/nm.4357.html
nature.com
During cold stimulation, cholesterol is converted to bile acids in an alternative pathway. The bile acids then alter the microbiota, which in turn promotes more heat generation.
Maybe there is something to those 3-day juice cleanses! In this study, people drank fruit/vegetable juice (greens + apples + ginger + beet + pineapple) for 3 days, and significant reductions in body weight were observed, as well as shifts in microbiota and nutrient utilization. Pretty cool!
www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-02200-6
Health benefit of vegetable/fruit juice-based diet: Role of microbiome
nature.com
The gut microbiota is an important contributor to human health. Vegetable/fruit juices provide polyphenols, oligosaccharides, fiber and nitrate (beet juice), which may induce a prebiotic-like effect. Juice-based diets are becoming popular. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence of their hea...
Throwback article I co-wrote a couple years ago!
Seems coconut oil is back in the news. What I do I think about it? Check out this article I wrote back in 2015...
Super awesome research that could restore vision in blind people! Scientists made an implant with materials similar to solar cells, and after installing them into the eyes of blind rats, the rats could SEE for up to 10 months (about 30 human years!).
www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v16/n6/full/nmat4874.html
nature.com
A retinal prosthesis fabricated from an organic photovoltaic polymer can restore degenerative blindness in vivo, and over long implantation periods.