The Wandering Mind – by Dr. Michael Corballis

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Our mind’s tendency to wander can be a disability, but could it also be a superpower? Dr. Corballis makes the case for such.

While many authors focus on, well, how to focus, Dr. Corballis argues in this book that our wandering imagination can be more effective at problem-solving and creative tasks, than a focused, blinkered mind.

The book’s a quick read (184 pages of quite light reading), and yet still quite dense with content. He takes us on a tour of the brain, theory of mind, the Default Mode Network (where a lot of the brain’s general ongoing organization occurs), learning, memory, forgetting, and creativity.

Furthermore, he cites (and explains) studies showing what kinds of “breaks” from mental work allow the wandering mind to do its thing at peak efficiency, and what kinds of breaks are counterproductive. Certainly this has practical applications for all of us!

Bottom line: if you’d like to be less frustrated by your mind’s tendency to wander, this is a fine book to show how to leverage that trait to your benefit.

Click here to check out The Wandering Mind, and set yours onto more useful tracks!

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    Alcoholic blackouts aren’t just forgotten memories—they were never stored, thanks to alcohol impeding long-term potentiation in the brain.

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  • The Science of Nutrition – by Rhiannon Lambert

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    While there are a lot of conflicting dietary approaches out there, the science itself is actually fairly cohesive in most regards. This book does a lot of what we do here at 10almonds, and presents the science in a clear fashion without having any particular agenda to push.

    The author is a nutritionist (BSc, MSc, RNutr) and therefore provides an up-to-date evidence-based approach for eating.

    As a result, the only part of this book that brings it down in this reviewer’s opinion is the section on Intermittent Fasting. Being not strictly about nutrition, she has less expertise on that topic, and it shows.

    The information is largely presented in double-page spreads each answering a particular question. Because of this, and the fact there are colorful graphic representations of information too, we do recommend the print version over Kindle*.

    Bottom line: if you like the notion of real science being presented in a clear and simple fashion (we like to think our subscribers do!), then you’ll surely enjoy this book.

    Click here to check out the Science of Nutrition, and get a clear overview!

    *Writer’s note: I realize I’ve two days in a row recommended this (yesterday because there are checkboxes to check, worksheets to complete, etc), but it’s not a new trend; just how it happened to be with these two books. I love my Kindle dearly, but sometimes print has the edge for one reason or another!

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  • The Body: A Guide for Occupants – by Bill Bryson

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    Better known for his writings on geography and history, here Bryson puts his mind to anatomy and physiology. How well does he do?

    Very well, actually—thanks no doubt to the oversight of the veritable flock of consulting scientists mentioned in the acknowledgements. To this reviewer’s knowledge, no mistakes made it through into publication.

    That said, Bryson’s love of history does shine through, and in this case, the book is as much a telling of medical history, as it is of the human body. That’s a feature not a bug, though, as not only is it fascinating in and of itself, but also, it’d be difficult to fully understand where we’re at in science, without understanding how we got here.

    The style of the book is easy-reading narrative prose, but packed with lots of quirky facts, captivating anecdotes, and thought-provoking statistics. For example:

    • The least effective way to spread germs is kissing. It proved ineffective among volunteers (in what sounds like a fun study) who had been successfully infected with the cold virus. Sneezes and coughs weren’t much better. The only really reliable way to transfer cold germs was physically by touch.
    • The United States has 4% of the world’s population but consumes 80% of its opiates.
    • Allowing a fever to run its course (within limits) could be the wisest thing. An increase of only a degree or so in body temperature slows the replication rate of viruses by a factor of 200.

    Still, these kinds of things are woven together so well, that it doesn’t feel at all like reading a trivia list!

    Bottom line: if you’d like to know a lot more about anatomy and physiology, but prefer a very casual style rather than sitting down with a stack of textbooks, this book is a great option.

    Click here to check out The Body, and learn more about yours!

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  • Spark – by Dr. John Ratey

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    We all know that exercise is good for mental health as well as physical. So, what’s so revolutionary about this “revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain”?

    A lot of it has to do with the specific neuroscience of how exercise has not only a mood-boosting effect (endorphins) and neuroprotective effect (helping to guard against cognitive decline), but also promotes neuroplasticity… e.g., the creation and strengthening of neural pathways, as well as boosting the structure of the brain in some parts such as the cerebellum.

    The book also covers not just “exercise has these benefits”, but also the “how this works” of all kinds of brain benefits, including:

    • against Alzheimer’s
    • mitigating ADHD
    • managing menopause
    • dealing with addiction

    …and more. And once we understand how something works, we’re far more likely to be motivated to actually do the kinds of exercises that give the specific benefits we want/need. Which is very much the important part!

    In short: this book will tell you what you need to know to get you doing the exercises you need to enjoy those benefits—very much worth it!

    Click here to get “Spark” from Amazon today!

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Related Posts

  • Bored of Lunch – by Nathan Anthony
  • Peas vs Green Beans – Which is Healthier?

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    Our Verdict

    When comparing peas to green beans, we picked the peas.

    Why?

    Looking at macros first, peas have nearly 6x the protein, nearly 2x the fiber, and nearly 2x the carbs, making them the “more food per food” choice.

    In terms of vitamins, peas have more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, C, and choline, while green beans have more of vitamins E and K. An easy win for peas.

    In the category of minerals, peas have more copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, while green beans have more calcium. Another overwhelming win for peas.

    In short, enjoy both (diversity is good), but there’s a clear winner here and it’s peas.

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Peas vs Broad Beans – Which is Healthier?

    Take care!

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  • How light tells you when to sleep, focus and poo

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    This is the next article in our ‘Light and health’ series, where we look at how light affects our physical and mental health in sometimes surprising ways. Read other articles in the series.

    Exposure to light is crucial for our physical and mental health, as this and future articles in the series will show.

    But the timing of that light exposure is also crucial. This tells our body to wake up in the morning, when to poo and the time of day to best focus or be alert. When we’re exposed to light also controls our body temperature, blood pressure and even chemical reactions in our body.

    But how does our body know when it’s time to do all this? And what’s light got to do with it?

    nymphoenix/Shutterstock

    What is the body clock, actually?

    One of the key roles of light is to re-set our body clock, also known as the circadian clock. This works like an internal oscillator, similar to an actual clock, ticking away as you read this article.

    But rather than ticking you can hear, the body clock is a network of genes and proteins that regulate each other. This network sends signals to organs via hormones and the nervous system. These complex loops of interactions and communications have a rhythm of about 24 hours.

    In fact, we don’t have one clock, we have trillions of body clocks throughout the body. The central clock is in the hypothalamus region of the brain, and each cell in every organ has its own. These clocks work in concert to help us adapt to the daily cycle of light and dark, aligning our body’s functions with the time of day.

    However, our body clock is not precise and works to a rhythm of about 24 hours (24 hours 30 minutes on average). So every morning, the central clock needs to be reset, signalling the start of a new day. This is why light is so important.

    The central clock is directly connected to light-sensing cells in our retinas (the back of the eye). This daily re-setting of the body clock with morning light is essential for ensuring our body works well, in sync with our environment.

    In parallel, when we eat food also plays a role in re-setting the body clock, but this time the clock in organs other than the brain, such as the liver, kidneys or the gut.

    So it’s easy to see how our daily routines are closely linked with our body clocks. And in turn, our body clocks shape how our body works at set times of the day.

    What time of day?

    Matt Garrow/The Conversation. Adapted from Delos, CC BY

    Let’s take a closer look at sleep

    The naturally occurring brain hormone melatonin is linked to our central clock and makes us feel sleepy at certain times of day. When it’s light, our body stops making melatonin (its production is inhibited) and we are alert. Closer to bedtime, the hormone is made, then secreted, making us feel drowsy.

    Our sleep is also partly controlled by our genes, which are part of our central clock. These genes influence our chronotype – whether we are a “lark” (early riser), “night owl” (late sleeper) or a “dove” (somewhere in between).

    But exposure to light at night when we are supposed to be sleeping can have harmful effects. Even dim light from light pollution can impair our heart rate and how we metabolise sugar (glucose), may lead to psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, and increases the overall risk of premature death.

    The main reason for these harmful effects is that light “at the wrong time” disturbs the body clock, and these effects are more pronounced for “night owls”.

    This “misaligned” exposure to light is also connected to the detrimental health effects we often see in people who work night shifts, such as an increased risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

    How about the gut?

    Digestion also follows a circadian rhythm. Muscles in the colon that help move waste are more active during the day and slow down at night.

    The most significant increase in colon movement starts at 6.30am. This is one of the reasons why most people feel the urge to poo in the early morning rather than at night.

    The gut’s day-night rhythm is a direct result of the action of the gut’s own clock and the central clock (which synchronises the gut with the rest of the body). It’s also influenced by when we eat.

    6.30 on digital display
    At 6.30am, your gut really begins to get going for the day. Rendra Dria Septia Aji/Shutterstock

    How about focusing?

    Our body clock also helps control our attention and alertness levels by changing how our brain functions at certain times of day. Attention and alertness levels improve in the afternoon and evening but dip during the night and early morning.

    Those fluctuations impact performance and can lead to decreased productivity and an increased risk of errors and accidents during the less-alert hours.

    So it’s important to perform certain tasks that require our attention at certain times of day. That includes driving. In fact, disruption of the circadian clock at the start of daylight savings – when our body hasn’t had a chance to adapt to the clocks changing – increases the risk of a car accident, particularly in the morning.

    What else does our body clock control?

    Our body clock influences many other aspects of our biology, including:

    • physical performance by controlling the activity of our muscles
    • blood pressure by controlling the system of hormones involved in regulating our blood volume and blood vessels
    • body temperature by controlling our metabolism and our level of physical activity
    • how our body handles drugs and toxins by controlling enzymes involved in how the liver and kidneys eliminate these substances from the body.
    Driving at night in wet conditions
    If you can, avoid driving long distances at night, as you’ll be less alert. trendobjects/Shutterstock

    Morning light is important

    But what does this all mean for us? Exposure to light, especially in the morning, is crucial for synchronising our circadian clock and bodily functions.

    As well as setting us up for a good night’s sleep, increased morning light exposure benefits our mental health and reduces the risk of obesity. So boosting our exposure to morning light – for example, by going for a walk, or having breakfast outside – can directly benefit our mental and metabolic health.

    However, there are other aspects about which we have less control, including the genes that control our body clock.

    Frederic Gachon, Associate Professor, Physiology of Circadian Rhythms, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland and Benjamin Weger, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • Cordyceps: Friend Or Foe?

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    Cordyceps: friend or foe?

    Cordyceps is a famously frightening fungus. It’s the one responsible for “zombie ants” and other zombie creatures, and it’s the basis for the existential threat to humanity in the TV show The Last of Us.

    It’s a parasitic fungus that controls the central and peripheral nervous systems of its host, slowly replacing the host’s body, as well as growing distinctive spines that erupt out of the host’s body. Taking over motor functions, it compels the host to do two main things, which are to eat more food, and climb to a position that will be good to release spores from.

    Fortunately, none of that matters to humans. Cordyceps does not (unlike in the TV show) affect humans that way.

    What does Cordyceps do in humans?

    Cordyceps (in various strains) is enjoyed as a health supplement, based on a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and nowadays it’s coming under a scientific spotlight too.

    The main health claims for it are:

    • Against inflammation
    • Against aging
    • Against cancer
    • For blood sugar management
    • For heart health
    • For exercise performance

    Sounds great! What does the science say?

    There’s a lot more science for the first three (which are all closely related to each other, and often overlapping in mechanism and effect).

    So let’s take a look:

    Against inflammation

    The science looks promising for this, but studies so far have either been in vitro (cell cultures in petri dishes), or else murine in vivo (mouse studies), for example:

    In summary: we can see that it has anti-inflammatory properties for mice and in the lab; we’d love to see the results of studies done on humans, though. Also, while it has anti-inflammatory properties, it performed less well than commonly-prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, for example:

    ❝C. militaris can modulate airway inflammation in asthma, but it is less effective than prednisolone or montelukast.❞

    Source: Effects of the immunomodulatory agent Cordyceps militaris on airway inflammation in a mouse asthma model

    Against aging

    Because examining the anti-aging effects of a substance requires measuring lifespans and repeating the experiment, anti-aging studies do not tend to be done on humans, because they would take lifetimes to perform. To this end, it’s inconvenient, but not a criticism of Cordyceps, that studies have been either mouse studies (short lifespan, mammals like us) or fruit fly studies (very short lifespan, genetically surprisingly similar to us).

    The studies have had positive results, with typical lifespan extensions of 15–20%:

    Against cancer

    Once again, the studies here have been in vitro, or murine in vivo. They do look good though:

    In vitro (human cell cultures in a lab):

    In vivo (mouse studies):

    Summary of these is: Cordyceps quite reliably inhibits tumor growth in vitro (human cell cultures) and in vivo (mouse studies). However, trials in human cancer patients are so far conspicuous by their absence.

    For blood sugar management

    Cordyceps appears to mimic the action of insulin, without triggering insulin sensitivity. For example:

    The anti-hyperglycemic activity of the fruiting body of Cordyceps in diabetic rats

    There were some other rat/mouse studies with similar results. No studies in humans yet.

    For heart health

    Cordyceps contains adenosine. You may remember that caffeine owes part of its stimulant effect to blocking adenosine, the hormone that makes us feel sleepy. So in this way, Cordyceps partially does the opposite of what caffeine does, and may be useful against arrhythmia:

    Cardiovascular protection of Cordyceps sinensis act partially via adenosine receptors

    For exercise performance

    A small (30 elderly participants) study found that Cordyceps supplementation improved VO2 max by 7% over the course of six weeks:

    Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial and assessment of fermentation product of Cordyceps sinensis in enhancing aerobic capacity and respiratory function of the healthy elderly volunteers

    However, another small study (22 young athletes) failed to reproduce those results:

    Cordyceps Sinensis supplementation does not improve endurance exercise performance

    In summary…

    Cordyceps almost certainly has anti-inflammation, anti-aging, and anti-cancer benefits.

    Cordyceps may have other benefits too, but the evidence is thinner on the ground for those, so far.

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