Azaleas & Dogwoods in Bloom © John Suddath
We officially welcome the first day of spring this week. The weather in North Carolina can be highly variable, but the trees already are in bloom. In fact, we’re already seeing the sequence changing. With Easter being so late, it’s anyone’s guess what may be blooming by then. The big blooms in North Carolina are the azaleas with large gardens across most of the Piedmont.
In the Triangle we had a relatively mild winter, but early predictions are for a warm spring. Of course, you know what it means to try to predict more than 2 -3 days even though we have complex computer models, better tracking, etc. Add in the effects of climate change, and it’s still an incredible game that Mother Nature plays every day.
As if we didn’t already have enough division in the country, for some reason we’re having a big debate about daylight savings time. I don’t have a dog in this hunt, so I won’t comment one way or the other. What made it blow up this year?
Biohack Your Brain by Kristen Willeumier
As a lay person, I’m not qualified to comment on the scientific quality of the book. I will note that dozens of 5-star reviews on Goodreads qualify her assertions as “solid science.” The author has a readable style that combines information about the anatomy and functions of the brain along with recommendations of how to feed the brain. One person seemed to misunderstand the title and thought she was talking about hypnosis or psychedelic drugs as “hacking.” She follows conventional wisdom about diet, exercise, supplements, hydration, stress, meditation, and mental exercises. She makes some very specific and practical recommendations in each category.
For those of us who are older and concerned about our aging brain, she offers encouragement about the neuroplasticity of the brain. We can help maintain brain function by using it in a variety of functions. When we just vegetate, we lose brain functions. Doing a variety of exercises, both mentally and physically, are better than just doing rote daily exercises. Learning new things, words, ideas, routines, habits, languages, etc. challenge our brain to be more active.
The one topic I would like to have seen more information was about the microbiome, or the interaction between the brain and the gut combined to function as “the mind.” Research has shown this is important in the functioning of the brain and works both ways. The strongest case she makes for a vegetarian diet is: ”Pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and steroids used in conventional animal ranching are also deadly to healthy bacteria in the gut.” This large-scale mechanization and assembly line production also applies to poultry and pork.
What does it take to make a Happy New Year? Let’s broaden the question to what does it take to be happy? For music lovers, a holiday concert may make them happy. For sports fans, an afternoon of football games may make them happy. For folks who like to party, a drunken New Year’s Eve shindig may be the answer. If you’re old and tired, watching it all on TV may be the response to the holiday. How you celebrate tells a lot about who you are.
To me, the missing part in these celebrations is that any organized religious activity always is absent and silent. Do we need a gathering of thousands to generate any energy? It’s as those we’ve exhausted all our enthusiasm over Christmas, and that we have nothing else left to offer. Perhaps that is because religious leaders often have presented a sour, negative message of condemnation rather than joy.