Month: July 2020

Noradrenaline is for Quitters

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 31, 2020

“Dopamine has the ability to buffer noradrenaline. So that stress that you feel when you’re in effort [related to noradrenaline], it is very hard for most people to keep that going. But when you get an [internal release of dopamine] because you get a sense that you’re on the right path … you gain a chemical advantage. … What actually causes quitting? When do we decide that something is futile? And it turns out that for every bit of effort … they’re are little bits of noradrenaline that are released in the brain and body. … Dopamine pushes back that level of noradrenaline and it gives you more gas.”
Andrew Huberman, Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, “Joe Rogan Experience #1513 – Andrew Huberman“

Although this quote seems to be mostly in the context of physical effort, I have little doubt it applies to mental effort as well.

I wonder how it applies to ADHD and the ability to focus, as well as Flow. I have heard it said by Merlin Mann that ADHD is an anxiety disorder; This axis of dopamine/noradrenaline may explain why that is the case or why dopamine-increasing medications work. I also believe that this continues to indicate why Flow is so important as it pertains to focus, goal setting, and willpower.

Tags ADHD, Anxiety, Dopamine, Noradrenaline, Willpower

Desperate Healthwise

Health Savings Accounts

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 30, 2020

A Health Savings Account (HSA) appears to be an interesting alternative to modern healthcare plans and their misaligned incentives. They could offer certain tax advantages to some money-savvy individuals.

This is not my area of expertise so I’m just going to quote directly from Wikiepedia and say further investigation is warranted. Here’s the quote:

“A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). The funds contributed to an account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. Unlike a flexible spending account (FSA), HSA funds roll over and accumulate year to year if they are not spent. HSAs are owned by the individual, which differentiates them from company-owned Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) that are an alternate tax-deductible source of funds paired with either high-deductible health plans or standard health plans.”
Wikipedia, “Health Savings Account“

Tags Healthcare, HSA, Money

Desperate Healthwise

Vitamin B12 and Vegans

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 29, 2020

According to Chris Masterjohn, B12 is interesting and unique because we can only absorb enough for a day from a single meal. To absorb more, you have to space the meals out about 5 hours in between. You can eat a day’s worth of B12 at each meal and store 2 days extra for the future. We store the excess amounts of B12 in our liver for future use, but only up to a maximum of 14 years or so (I forget the number).

What interests me the most is this may explain why many vegetarians and vegans believe that they do not require B12. This may have even confused former NASA scientist and vegan Ray Cronise who tested his B12 status after a remarkable 21 day fast and then believed that B12 was being created in his body. I think the reality is it was not created, but simply stored and released.

I believe this was this interview where Ray mentioned his 21 day fast and the B12 testing, but this was a few years ago when I listened to the interview; I actually heard it in audio format as a podcast so it very well could be a different second interview not available on YouTube.

So in short, it would be best to take a B12 supplement at each meal unless 100% sure enough B12 is present in dietary sources at each meal.

Tags Vegan, Vitamin, Vitamin B12

Desperate Healthwise

Fasting for Autoimmunity

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 28, 2020

There is some evidence both in rats and humans that fasting can have a therapeutic immune cell regenerative effect. Specifically, Multiple Sclerosis is mentioned. During fasting, a certain percentage of immune components are destroyed, and when refeeding occurs post-fasting, the newly generated immune components are disease free.

Source: “Valter Longo, Ph.D. on Fasting-Mimicking Diet & Fasting for Longevity, Cancer & Multiple Sclerosis”, 42 minutes

Link to the study: Diet mimicking fasting promotes regeneration and reduces autoimmunity and multiple sclerosis symptoms

Tags Autoimmunity, Fasting, Multiple Sclerosis

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Hyperbaric Oxygen for Cancer

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 25, 2020

There is some evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy kills cancer cells because it forces oxygen into the cancer cells and causes oxidative stress that the cells are generally are not capable of defending against, but poses no issue to our normal functioning cells—similar to the theory behind chemo. However I do not know the efficacy nor do I have an outlined treatment regimen. This research I believe is in its infancy. And cancer is a waaaay complicated topic and shouldn’t be oversimplified. But this is likely a low cost option.

I haven’t listened to this episode in years but I believe what was discussed was hyperbaric oxygen therapy plus ketones as a “long shot” treatment for certain cancers. I believe they also coined the term or reference a new field of medicine called “metabolic oncology.”

Source: Peter Attia Drive Episode 5, “Dom D’Agostino, Ph.D.: ketosis, n=1, exogenous ketones, HBOT, seizures, and cancer”

Tags Cancer, HBOT, Ketones

Desperate Healthwise

MDMA Treats PTSD

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 25, 2020

The molecule MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) has been used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in a single dose. If you suffer from PTSD, mark your calendar. It is being fast-tracked by the FDA and is expected to be legal in ~2022.

“Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling and potentially life-threatening mental health condition that can be caused by one-time or ongoing events including discrimination and oppression, war, sexual assault, childhood abuse, torture, accidents, and other stressful events. People who suffer from PTSD often relive their traumatic experiences through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged. Symptoms can be severe and long-lasting, creating negative impacts on a person’s daily life and well-being.
When administered in a clinical setting with trained therapy providers, MDMA has proven to be a powerful adjunct to psychotherapy, which assists individuals in processing traumatic experiences in a deep and profound manner, leading to the alleviation of suffering. Clinical research indicates that MDMA may catalyze therapeutic processing by allowing participants to stay emotionally engaged when revisiting traumatic experiences, without feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or other painful emotions.”
—MAPS.org

Help Veterans and Victims of PTSD

Please donate to the matching grant at capstone.maps.org before September 10th 2020, or MAPS.org thereafter.

Tags MDMA, PTSD

Desperate Healthwise

Introduction

Post author By Justin Reinhart
Post date July 22, 2020

Be sure to see the topics page.