Protect Yourself:
• Sadly, in medicine we are at risk of violence from the people we are trying to help, and must be resolved not to fight back. This article has many pearls, the most pragmatic being the three positions you can stand in when encountering trouble: the thinker pose, the timeout pose, and the hands up. All poses keep your hands close to your face for protection.
• The “reverse yell” was another interesting concept. As someone begins raising his/her voice, you react by dropping the volume when you respond. Works well with unruly patients.
Inflamed Mind:
• Author in the UK arguing that inflammation causes depression in many cases. This article covers a few points Professor Bullmore makes in his book Inflamed Mind. He talks about vagal nerve stimulators to treat depression. Gum disease. Gut bacteria. Obesity and other factors leading to CNS inflammation.
• Fits nicely with new research arguing for paradigm shifts in Alzheimers and many other brain diseases. Ditch the sugar and vegetable oils.
What to listen to:
• Leon Bridges just released a new album. Begin streaming immediately.
Game Changer:
• One should generally avoid “pills and powders” for nutrition. One exception is MCT oil for getting the body in fat burning mode, providing energy during fasting. I had avoided MCT oil powder because it seemed another degree removed from real food; “oil powder.”
• But this stuff. Nonperishable. Not messy. Supposed to be easier on the stomach (if MCT oil bothers you). It is a powdered coffee creamer than won’t kill you (yes you read that correctly). And finally, a small amount thickens a protein shake. I haven’t tried it in soup or other food yet.
It just feels wrong:
• Been diving into some morality books recently, very much enjoyed Moral Tribes. Written by philosopher / scientist Joshua Greene, who helped discover the link between emotion and reason in moral discussion: the “dual-process” theory of moral judgment. “Morality fast and slow” is morality with two camera modes: automatic and manual.
• The automatic mode is more emotional, gut reaction, controlled in the VMPFC brain center. The manual or cognitive aspect resides in the DLPFC.
• When an action seems to support the “greater good” (Greene is a Utilitarian), but it “feels wrong,” the DLPFC may not be able to overrule the VMPFC. Greene says the automatic mode snap judgement works well within groups with the same social conventions, but falls apart between tribes. He argues for a “metamorality” of deep pragmatism. Will unfold this more in the future.
Quote:
“Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”
– Rumi, 13th-century Persian poet
