Log Of Curious Events

[charlie]

[glow=red]Ray Peat Right Again![/glow]​

 

[Blossom]

[highlight=#ffff00]Ray Peat right again![/highlight]

 

[charlie]

 

[SQu]

Stunning quote!

 

[Swandattur]

That is a great quote! I have noticed that in my life recently. It makes a huge difference if you can see the possibility of a worthwhile future, of happiness. Sometimes you just need a new perspective on life. I think when I feel better and more positive, it helps my husband to do better, too.

 

[Swandattur]

I have started reading a book called "The Meditator's Handbook" by Dr. David Fontana. What exactly meditation is and what it does for you has always seemed perplexing to me, but this book explains it well. I feel that I will be able to try some form of meditation after learning from this book.

 

[Peata]

I have started reading a book called "The Meditator's Handbook" by Dr. David Fontana. What exactly meditation is and what it does for you has always seemed perplexing to me, but this book explains it well. I feel that I will be able to try some form of meditation after learning from this book.

I went through Headspace 10 min for 10 days just recently. I would like to continue on with meditation. If you get time to sum up some of the things about what meditation is and does would be interesting.

 

[Swandattur]

On a much more mundane subject, I have noticed other things about my diet etc. One is that either my homemade deodorant is doing an excellent job or my diet has changed things, because it seems like I don't even need a deodorant except one time when I was briefly in the hospital for abdominal pressure/pain getting my heart checked.
Another thing I've noticed for some time is if I eat too much starch (or maybe it's grain starch) I get this fuel oil or gasoline like smell in my nose. Maybe that is telling me when I've had too much or else the wrong starches. I will have to test to see if it's any starches or just grains, or which grains. Just thought this was interesting.
I am still doing much better mood-wise than I have in years. It's nice not to have to struggle with very depressed moods on a regular basis. Actually, I've only had very mildly depressed moods lately. I think just making lifestyle changes could help with these. Looking back on it, I think high stress maybe led to more depression. Of course, I think changing my diet to a healthier one is definitely part of the picture. Eventually, a better diet and avoiding unhealthy things for my body should pay off by strengthening both body and mind.
The doctor I went to for my abdominal pain/pressure ordered an ultrasound on my abdominal organs. He did suggest an X-ray, but I asked if I could have an ultrasound instead, and he was very agreeable about that. I should hear today on those results.
I did hear yesterday that my thyroglobulin levels had come way down which is supposed to be a good sign in my case, I understand. I guess the the thyroid nodules look the same, but maybe the other thing means the inflammation has gone down. Just thought I'd mention these things in case it might encourage anyone else about dealing with the medical system. I was able to get an ultrasound instead of an X-ray. That was a relief to me.
If I hadn't mentioned it before my blood sugar levels when I check them have gotten better except one time I ate a thin sliver of poundcake and took a leisurely walk and got a higher blood sugar reading. Not sure what was in the pound cake. I would have assumed the usual, but for all I know somebody might have substituted some margarine in there. Maybe polyunsaturated fats in food could cause blood sugar to go up. Or maybe it was for some other reason. Several months ago any starch would cause much higher blood sugars. Now it doesn't seem to cause so much trouble. I just think lower blood sugars may correspond with something going right. Maybe my body is not having to compensate so much.

 

[Swandattur]

Peata, I would be glad to summarize those things when I have read the book and hopefully :) absorbed it. So far the author is saying (I think) that mediation is another way of seeing yourself and the world. One point he makes corresponds with what the Dali Lama says in a book I've also been reading about the way Buddhist monks see learning, I think. It's about the difference between the way science and Bhuddism learn about the world. They feel that they can perceive a lot about the world through meditation, as I understand it. This other author says something similar, that it is allowing the collective unconscious to reveal truths about the world. You, the meditator are also part of this. You find your real self that you have always known but forgotten. I guess it gives you entry into another aspect of the world which in normal life is hidden. The author says children naturally have access to this spiritual place or way of perceiving. He says all religions and spiritual belief traditions have some means of coming in contact with the Collective Unconscious (to use Jung's designation which the author uses). Dr. Fontana says the Christian religion lost much of it's tradition of meditation, but that early groups like the Gnostics practiced meditation. Maybe this is also what Ray Peat is talking about when he says as we age we tend to lose our mental flexibility and creativity. Of course, he is talking about maintaining better health to retain this creativity, but also the right attitude and environment are part of it. So, I think they must really be talking about the same thing. Anyway, I hope I have understood and explained it well enough to give a summary of it so far.

 

[Swandattur]

This also makes me think of that quote in the Bible in which is something like, you can only gain access to Heaven if you have the faith of a little child. Maybe Heaven is this same place really. Not getting religious religious here, just seeing a parallel.

 

[SQu]

Great to hear your progress, especially the moods. Good luck with the ultrasound.

 

[Peata]

Thanks for the summary, Swan. Does sound like things I read years ago. Keep us updated on your progress. It seems you're making improvements. That's good to hear.

 

[Blossom]

That's a great update! I'm so glad to hear you are feeling better than you have in a while. Maybe others who read your post will be able to avoid x-ray damage because you shared your success in getting an ultrasound instead. Beautiful

 

[Swandattur]

Peata, The book is from about twenty or so years ago, but I like how it explains meditation. It's helping me understand it better.
Sueq and Blossum, thanks for the good wishes.
It is encouraging when medical people pay attention to your preferences.

 

[Blossom]

Peata, The book is from about twenty or so years ago, but I like how it explains meditation. It's helping me understand it better.
Sueq and Blossum, thanks for the good wishes.
It is encouraging when medical people pay attention to your preferences.

That is very encouraging. I just love hearing positive reports like yours!

 

[Swandattur]

My abdominal ultrasound showed no problems with any body organ except my liver is slightly fatty, which I was told is not unusual for someone who is older and not anything to worry about. My blood test did show pretty high liver enzymes; so they told me to see a gastroenterologist. I'm not sure I want to, but I guess I can opt for the tests I want, such as blood tests and refuse any I don't care to have. I do think I should have another blood test later to see if the liver enzymes have gone down again. I've read you should have a blood test for celiac and for hepatitis if you have high liver enzymes. So maybe the gastroenterologist would do that. Anyway, thought I'd update since I mentioned the tests.
I'm doing pretty reasonable moodwise except I keep feeling overwhelmed by everything in my life. Maybe things are, in fact, a bit overwhelming right now. There are more things to deal with than usual lately, partly since I wasn't paying attention to things except for what I had to while depressed. Hopefully, some of it will settle down, and I think if I attack some of the disordered things that are worrying me it will help. When you feel overwhelmed, it's hard to get started. Maybe I just need to start plowing through one thing at a time. Whatever is causing my liver enzymes to be raised could be making me more tired, and therefore overwhelmed. Perhaps ECT treatments caused the rise in liver enzymes.

 

[Swandattur]

Just thought I'd update. I've been working at reducing my Ativan , which is a benzodiazapene. I suspected it was causing depression, because medications like that have done it in the past. (Antihistamines do the same thing.) Even taking only a .5 mg. at night before bed was doing this. I have cut back to a quarter tablet (it's hard to cut the tablet down that much). I tried to cut back further, but I may need that small amount in order to sleep. The other medications I'm on tend to be stimulating, so sleep can be difficult. It might be it's just withdrawal symptoms that cause the inability to sleep, but whatever, I think this minuscule amount works without causing much if any lowering of my mood. Maybe later I can get off entirely. If I hadn't noticed before that this kind of medication causes depression in me, I might have had a hard time sorting it out, because of the withdrawal symptoms. You can't just quit it, and see what happens. I had to get down to the quarter of a tablet to really tell if there was a difference. Anyway, it has been a little rocky and still overwhelming. Maybe now things will get better. I have to remember when various aspects of life seem the most discouraging that when I'm in a better frame of mind, many of these same things are more challenging than discouraging. Of course, getting enough sleep helps with that.

 

[Swandattur]

I wanted to add something else related to this. As I mentioned, I can't take antihistamines like Benedryl (diphenhydramine) without becoming depressed the next day. My sister used to take it all the time, but now it does the same thing to her. I've read that the amount of Benedryl you take alters which receptors are affected, so too much can make you wired whereas a smaller amount should be sleep inducing. Just something to think about.

 

[Peat's_Girl]

Yesterday, I ate some squid.

;D

 

[Peat's_Girl]

I don't know what I'm doing... Just being annoying.