How Can We Increase Creativity And Intelligence?

Curt :-)

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Hi all. Hope you are all well :):

So aside from eating a pro-thyroid diet, what can one do to improve creativity and/or intelligence? Short or long term, and there any hacks/supplements/practices that work? I would be particularly interested in hearing from any artists that may be on the forum, or from anyone who is now performing better at the office etc.

Curt
 

paper_clips43

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Something I read on here, although I can not remember where, really stood out to me.

I guess Ray Peat spends one day a week not talking or using any form of communication.
Instead he spends all day drawing, painting, and being creative.
At least I think that is what I read, please feel free to correct me.

This is something I am really interested in.
I am looking forward to implementing this into my habits very soon.
 

Ben

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Don't follow culture and trends, or any particular belief system, instead follow whatever comes from within. Be aware of your real self underneath all of the thought patterns, judgements, and opinions. Challenge yourself by doing things out of the routine, like hanging around people you don't normally hang around, or listening to music you don't normally listen to. Synthesize writing, drawings, art, music, or anything in the sort to increase your creative abilities.
 

jyb

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For short-term creativity and learning, smoking tobacco has to be mentioned. Otherwise anti-serotonin drugs for a more subtle effect.
 

Ben

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jyb said:
For short-term creativity and learning, smoking tobacco has to be mentioned. Otherwise anti-serotonin drugs for a more subtle effect.
Or e-cigs, nicotine gum, or nicotine patches. Chewing and smoking tobacco has loads of preservatives and other substances that are toxic.

I know that nicotine could exert such an effect through the dopaminergic or muscarinic receptors, but why do you think it boosts creativity/learning in the short term?
 

Blossom

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jyb said:
For short-term creativity and learning, smoking tobacco has to be mentioned. Otherwise anti-serotonin drugs for a more subtle effect.
I just worry about the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke. RP has spoke about the dangers of carbon monoxide in one of the Herb Doctors radio programs. I know smoking is a heated topic and it's not something I want to seem as if I'm discouraging because I smoked for a long time myself. I would really review what RP has to say about carbon monoxide before I used cigarettes for creativity. I use nicotine gum or patches which don't have as many negatives as smoking imo.
 

jyb

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Ben said:
I know that nicotine could exert such an effect through the dopaminergic or muscarinic receptors, but why do you think it boosts creativity/learning in the short term?

I've experienced it when I experimented with tobacco, the learning effect can be felt with even just 1 cig per day. I believe it's a common benefit, not just me.

I just worry about the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke.

Yes, I'm not saying it's a good thing to do. But I think its important to mention it, to answer the original question.
 

Blossom

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I would probably still would be smoking today if I felt I could get away with it. I used to smoke 10-15 cigarettes a day so it wasn't something I could keep to a minimum. My mother smoked when pregnant with me so I feel it might have left an imprint along with DES making me more susceptible to nicotine 'addiction'. After 30 years I felt I had to give it up for my own health reasons. My mom currently has been given 5 years to live due to end stage COPD and I'm of the opinion that 4 packs a day for 55 years didn't help her any. But enough of that! I love lisuride for creativity personally.
 

Ben

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Blossom said:
I would probably still would be smoking today if I felt I could get away with it. I used to smoke 10-15 cigarettes a day so it wasn't something I could keep to a minimum. My mother smoked when pregnant with me so I feel it might have left an imprint along with DES making me more susceptible to nicotine 'addiction'. After 30 years I felt I had to give it up for my own health reasons. My mom currently has been given 5 years to live due to end stage COPD and I'm of the opinion that 4 packs a day for 55 years didn't help her any. But enough of that! I love lisuride for creativity personally.
How did you obtain lisuride, as it's not prescribed in the US, and would it be considered "peaty"? It acts as an agonist for 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors.
 

Blossom

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It was recommended to me by a Peat practitioner as the best option for antagonizing serotonin. I ordered it from Mexico under the brand name dopergin. It is used like bromocriptine to lower prolactin. I believe it was j.who posted that it is the safest ergot alkaloid derivative. It's like LSD without making you high.
 
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Curt :-)

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@ paperclips, that's very interesting! I'd love to have a day of just creative pursuits without any internet, media, social media etc. Did Ray speak of a particular reason behind doing this? Sounds like it might be something to do with exercising the creative part of the brain?
@ Ben, totally agree man. There is so much distraction from what's really important these days.
Thanks for the responses :):
 
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Curt :-)

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Bump. Anyone else have any thoughts? I'm not keen on marijuana or anti-serotonin drugs. I'd love to play with those kind of medications but they would be a royal pain in the **** to get in Australia.
 

Blossom

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I know pot is estrogenic according to Peat. Maybe you can get cyproheptadine in Australia. There is always the dopamine agonist vitamin b6 that haidut mentioned which should be easy to get. I believe I read in the Ray Peat email depository that if pot is used it should be taken orally instead of smoked. Vitex herb may also work because it promotes progesterone and lowers prolactin but it takes several weeks to start working. I'm currently waiting on my lisuride delivery and have been using 10mg of b6 and I can tell it does lower my prolactin. I'm not sure about creativity though because I've been too busy unfortunately to even get the time. I would normally just say a person needs to make the time but I know if I don't take classes I will be stuck working in the medical field. So maybe b6 or vitex work.
 

aquaman

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I find it comes from energy. When sleeping consistently and waking at consistent times, and not drinking coffee, and when eating more consistent foods, I find that creativity, social freedom and relaxation increases. Well, relaxation with the ability to draw on positive energy, not anxious/adrenaline-based energy
 

Blossom

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Blossom said:
I know pot is estrogenic according to Peat. Maybe you can get cyproheptadine in Australia. There is always the dopamine agonist vitamin b6 that haidut mentioned which should be easy to get. I believe I read in the Ray Peat email depository that if pot is used it should be taken orally instead of smoked. Vitex herb may also work because it promotes progesterone and lowers prolactin but it takes several weeks to start working. I'm currently waiting on my lisuride delivery and have been using 10mg of b6 and I can tell it does lower my prolactin. I'm not sure about creativity though because I've been too busy unfortunately to even get the time. I would normally just say a person needs to make the time but I know if I don't take classes I will be stuck working in the medical field. So maybe b6 or vitex work.
It seems that it is the balance that is useful with dopamine and serotonin. Just like we strive to be more progesterone dominant for a benefit I think we should also strive to be dopamine dominant in a sense to counteract the negative effects of serotonin. So having the right balance ideally should result in overall improvement in functioning which includes creativity. If you have a good balance already you may not need additional supportive measures.
 
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Curt :-)

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@ Auqaman, you mentioned NOT drinking coffee. I actually don't drink much because it always leaves me with low-ish blood sugar. Do you not recommend it because of the "anxious/adrenaline based energy" thing that you mentioned?

@Blossom, thanks for your response. B6 sounds good, easy to get. I'll try it. I'm currently playing around with BCAA's, and quite liking their effects. Haidut's posts have been fantastic.
I feel im not quite there yet in terms of being as sharp as I once was, but that just may be a time thing.
Also Blossom, I wrote a big response to your creativity thread and my computer crashed. Grr. I'll get back to you on that one :):
 

Adnada

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paper_clips43 said:
Something I read on here, although I can not remember where, really stood out to me.

I guess Ray Peat spends one day a week not talking or using any form of communication.
Instead he spends all day drawing, painting, and being creative.
At least I think that is what I read, please feel free to correct me.

This is something I am really interested in.
I am looking forward to implementing this into my habits very soon.

Peat spoke of this in an interview. He points out the limitations placed on thought when confined to language (particularly one language). Multilingual students have higher critical thinking and problem solving abilities. To interact with art, be it sculpture or music, fosters non-lingual forms of thought, and therefor creates new angles and dimensions of understanding. Culture, often using language, limits our understandings as well.

This also reminds me of Ray's talk about what constitutes a fact. There is the thing in itself (the reality, the experience), and then there is the interpretation of it, which is certainly influenced by culture and language.

I have found quiet (non verbal) action very beneficial. I enjoy gardening, drawing, and occasional drumming.
 

sm1693

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I'm leaning towards the belief that creativity is the result of a fully functioning thyroid/sex hormone cascade because these are the systems that (seemingly) allow me to enter the flow state with the most reliability.

To work on getting into this state from a practical perspective (outside physiological requirements), one must frequently enter into process orientation (versus thinking orientation). Taking part in an activity that gives immediate feedback and demands constant course correction for success is the best way I have found to enter this creative state.

The activity itself doesn't actually matter, it could be dancing, playing guitar, rock climbing, or playing video games. The activity to enter your mind into the creative state doesn't even have to be the activity in which you are striving to be creative; your "zoned" state can simply be transferred onto the next activity you do, if it lasts.

There is also the concept of momentum where the "zoned" states a person experiences became longer in duration, and closer and closer together to where the person is in flow state during their whole waking day and possibly their sleep as well.

To see examples of momentum in flow, check out the Youtube series "Classic Albums" to see the greatest rock bands in history making their most ground-breaking albums. Talk about being in the "zone"!
 

miko

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I think anti-serotonin drugs, mailny acting to block 5-HT2c receptors are good option. I have depression and in past I was taking many SSRI drugs, and they worsened my creativity. Serotonin agonism on 5-HT2c receptors cut the release of dopamine. Strong 5-HT2c antagonist helps with that. I think cyproheptadine, mianserin etc. are good options. 5-HT2c and 5-HT2a antagonism decrease anctivity of HPA axis, so it will help with cortisol-related cognitive functioning impairment.

Another good option is to increase dopamine activity with drugs like selegiline, tianeptine, bupropion.
 

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