A Biology Lesson

The neuron! What an exceptionally complex cell. Let me give you some background information on these miniscule worlds.

Neurons (A.K.A. brain cells) are specialised cells that transmit electrical messages throughout the body. Each of these billions of cells has specific links and jobs; no two neurons are identical. These nerve cells are bathed in information chemicals (neurotransmitters and other hormones) which trigger cell function and have increasingly complex interconnection networks of pathways (I imagine these like telephone wires), through which reactions and thoughts travel in the form of electrical impulses.

These neurons are very effective at making new links between themselves and adapting. The brain’s skill to re-shape itself to the world has allowed the human species to conquer every ecosystem. This neuronal ability to change is known as Neuro-Plasticity. (I remember this by thinking of ‘plasticine’, which can be changed and moulded depending on the pressure that is applied to it.) Neural plasticity gives the nervous system enormous potential for change and growth. If neurons get damaged, others step up to take over the lost function. This is why sight-loss will be accommodated by stronger hearing, as the neurons within the brain make other connections enhance survival rates.

As neurons are used over and over, more myelin (fat) builds around its communication route (the axon), thus increasing the speed of nerve impulse transmission. Basically, the more you do something, the quicker you get at doing it again. The point in which these cells link is known as the ‘synapse’. It is these synapses that are affected when the body is expose to drugs, thus inhibiting some communication between cells.

Sensory input from the environment is essential in this learning process. Our entire body is designed to collect information from the environment to feed to the brain for analysis. The richer our sensory environment and the greater our freedom to explore it, the more intricate the patterns of learning, thought and creativity will be [1].

However, our perception is also based on our memories, but memories reconstruct throughout our lives. Your views of your past and present are based on memories that have been distorted based on your emotion at the time. Some memories aren’t even ours at all; they come from stories people have told us about ourselves. It is from these memories that we make the conscious decision whether our situation in life is a positive or negative one. More recently, the power of the subconscious mind has centred a lot of scientific research as it can perform at speeds that the conscious mind could only dream of (no pun intended).

The conscious mind is like the outer guard to the subconscious, which can accept or reject information from the outside world, deciding what to pass out to the subconscious mind which, in turn, emits the frequency for attraction. The conscious mind’s ability to override the subconscious mind’s programmed behaviours is the foundation of free will. Thoughts that are more likely to be accepted into the subconscious mind are those strengthened by emotion and repetition, even if these perceptions and philosophies were originally somebody else’s, in a process known as ‘conditioning’. Conditioning in a theory developed by Ivan Pavlov back in the 1890s who conditioned dog’s to salivate at the ring of a bell. Conditioning from environmental influences is so strong that research even shows that children who live in poverty are more likely to get ill purely because they perceive themselves as more vulnerable within a scary world [2].

Imagine the subconscious mind as the CEO of a company and the conscious mind as the PA outside. The PA gains information from the workers (AKA the five senses) and decides which information is important enough to pass onto the CEO. Once the CEO has all of the accepted information, they will work towards implementing these.

As mentioned previously, vibration is the language of the universe and you are communicating with it with every thought you think. Surprisingly, there are around one hundred billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, the same number of neurones in the human brain. These neurons each connect to tens of thousands of other brain cells, which stretch and connect over the different sections of the brain, communicating like a gigantic telephone network.

Children make around one to two MILLION new neuron connections every SECOND. However, depending on the stimuli and experiences they are exposed to, many of these synaptic connection are eliminated through a process known as neural pruning or synaptic pruning; a ‘use it or lose it’ scenario. It is therefore essential that children are exposed to healthy situations during this time so that advantageous connections can flourish. In addition, through repetition, the subconscious mind is more likely to accept information given to it. Napoleon Hill gave a good example of this in his book, Think And Grow Rich [3]. He described how he used the power of repetition to equipped his son (who was born without the ability to hear) with the skill of resilience so that he could succeed in creating his own business, using his ‘handicap’ to his advantage. Through this method, N.Hill proved how planting little ‘white lies’ into the minds of children, he himself using bedtime stories that became more dramatic each time, build the intentions into the subconscious of the child.

Even if you don’t believe the ‘magic’ of the Law Of Attraction, you can’t deny the scientific facts. Optimism has proven to aid a person in seeing openings for success in ambiguous situations, noticing opportunities in disguise. Expectations also influence our perception of reality and confidence. Thus, feeling excited about achieving our goals causes our brain to release more neurotransmitters (communicators), notably dopamine, altering brain chemistry, circulatory and physiology.

During the early stages of evolution, genes were the primary policy-makers giving the single instruction: stay alive, and brains were simply the executives. But as brains evolved and developed the Lateral Frontal Pole Prefrontal Cortex, it became more highly developed, now able to use their higher faculties such as simulating the future, problem solving and rational thought. The newly developed part of the human brain took over more of the actual decisions, using tricks like learning and simulation to enhance survival. Following this trend, more responsibility seems to be given to the brain, giving genetics a back seat as they pronounce to the brain: do whatever you think is best to keep us alive [4].

Is it purely coincidental that humans are the only known species able to manipulate the effects of the Law Of Attraction AND the only known species to have developed the Lateral Frontal Pole Prefrontal Cortex part of the brain that can think into the future?

To better understand the workings of the brain and its connection with the universe, we need to delve deeper into the workings of our own biology., because it is by understanding our own biology, we can improve the health of our bodies so that we look better and feel better, inevitably leading towards a more vibrant aura.

Within about 7 years, every atom of the human body will be replaced by other atoms. Physically, you are constantly a new you. Furthermore, your brain is actually designed to live for around one hundred and twenty years, so why is the average life expectancy only in the seventies? And why is there such a health epidemic in the UK and USA right now?

If we can’t look after our brains, we can’t survive.

The brain uses about 30% of our calorie intake and is about 60% fat, so consumption of good, healthy fat is essential (such as omega three and folate). The brain is also directly linked to the gut, with more connections to our digestive system than the rest of the body. The gut is even referred to as the ‘second brain’. There is an entire ecosystem of bacteria and a vast neural network operating in our guts, comprising of around one hundred million neurons (which is more than the spinal cord). This strongly influences your mood, thus, the frequency you emit to the universe. Furthermore, 90% of serotonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter) is produced in the gut, making a healthy diet essential for happier living.

So what does this mean?

First of all, your body is self-regulating and self-healing. Every reaction you have is an intelligent response [5]. You are not a slave to your genes. Trust your body; it has allowed the human race to survive this long and will continue to allow it to thrive if we just listen. That means becoming aware of influxes such as the current cancer epidemic and asking, WHY?

Obviously, the best medicine is prevention. An effective immune system can’t get ill. Nowadays, we know all of this. There are enough books, documentaries and YouTube videos to spread the word and scientists have known for decades. But it isn’t just our diet that dictates our health.

Dr John Hagelin, a Quantum Physicist, claims that, “Our body is really the product of our thoughts. We’re beginning to understand in medical science the degree to which the nature of thoughts and emotions actually determine the physical substance, structure and function of our bodies.” This is supported by Dr Bruce Lipton, who describes our body as a petri-dish, our blood as the cultures and the brain as a chemist [6]. In sum, he is explaining how our internal thoughts and perceptions dictate our biological output and reality.

The neurotransmitter dopamine releases to give us a stimulating buzz. This is why boredom is associated with reduced levels of dopamine, which sends our brain on a quest to increase it through stimulation, whether that is by eating or doodling.

Repetition + Routine = Boredom! (and, later, cognitive decline). [7]

Through movement, we can trigger dopamine release and even reverse the shrinking of the hippocampus (mainly responsible for memory). Thus, increasing cognitive abilities [8]. We already know that the brain receives a wide variety of information from its environment that it has to process and analyse. It responds with increased heart rate and stimulation of the production of various hormones, such as cortisol. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, which controls alertness and energy. In the early morning, cortisol levels are low (who wants to be alert whilst sleeping?). This hormone rises as we prepare to wake up and lowers throughout the day, contributing to a healthy sleep pattern [9]. However, during adolescence it takes longer for this hormone to be produced; hence moody teenagers in the morning! [10] So the next time your teen is grunting their way out of bed, give them a break, their body is adjusting.

In addition, research shows that teenagers have greater social anxiety and are emotionally hypersensitive [11]; so try to be understanding if they aren’t beaming with excitement each morning! Anxiety is the feeling of unease. It is sometimes given a bad name, avoided and medicated, even though it is a natural emotion. Surprisingly, when feeling anxious, you produce glutamate, which allows for more brain plasticity (meaning that your neurones make connections easier). Hence, it’s best to try and control your anxiety and learn whilst in this state. So if at any point you or your children feel unsure about trying something new, just remember that this is the best thing for their minds and their health! Tackling new challenges not only improves brain plasticity but it also leads to more efficient minds that are less likely to develop negative responses, such as depression and dementia, and becoming more resilient.

Nutritionist, Microbiologist and Neurologist, Ruari Robertson, has done his research when it comes to human health. During his TED Talk, ‘Food For Thought: How Your Belly Controls Your Brain’ [12], he describes the current medicinal choices of human beings as “a war waged on microbes through antibiotics”. He explains how the gut is the body’s second brain and that it is our diet that effects our mood, intelligence and memory. This is supported by Jamie Oliver [13], who is baffled by the number of people who spend their lives panicking about homicide, yet diet and pharmaceutical related death is the biggest killer on the planet, consequently taking ten years off of the life expectancy of the next generation.

In one study, vitamins and other vital nutrients were added to the poor diets of young offenders at a maximum security institution, which lead to over 25% fewer disciplinary offences and 40% less violent incidents [14]. Mood boosting vitamins and minerals include folic acid, iron, omega 3, vitamin B12, vitamin C, selenium and zinc; although we all know that a balanced diet is essential.

One of the other contributors to poor diet and mental health is the consumption of processed and refined foods, whereas these negative effects can be healed by consumption of good, organic foods.

In terms of LOA, if you feel good on the inside, you will emit a feel good energy field that will enhance the speed of your desires manifesting. After all, it’s impossible to think happy thoughts when your stomach is cramping or to meditate when your nose is constantly dripping and you can’t stop coughing! Drink filtered water and eat your leafy and greens (and if the kids won’t touch them, sneak them into your gravy... shhh...)

References

[1] Hannaford, C. 2005. Smart moves: why learning is not all in your head. Great Ocean Publishers.

[2] Cole, S. 2009. Social regulation of human gene expression. 18(3):p.132-137. Sage Current Directions In Psychological Science.

[3] Hill, N. 1937. Think and grow rich. Republished 2015 by Mindpower Press.

[4] Dawkins, R. 1976. The selfish gene. Oxford University Press.

[5] Bergman, J. 2014. Depression: The mechanical cause, How to rewire your brain. CreateSpace.

[6] Lipton, B. 2016. Dr. Bruce Lipton On How Physical Thoughts Travel Outside Of Our Bodies & Affects Others. Youtube. Interviewed by the United Intentions Foundation.

[7] Mann, S. 2017. The science of boredom: the upside (and downside) to downtime. Robinson.

[8] Ashby, F. et al. 1999. A neuropsychological theory of positive effects and its influence on cognition. 106(3):p.529-550. Psychological Review.

[9] Steptoe, A. and Serwinski, B. 2016. Cortisol awakening response. 1:p.479-487. Stress: Concepts, cognition, emotion and behaviour.

[10] Platje, E. 2013. Long term stability of the cortisol awakening response over adolescence. 38(2):p.271-280. Psychoneuroendoctrinology.

[11] Somerville, L. et al. 2013. The medial prefrontal cortex and the emergence of self-conscious emotion in adolescence. 24(8):p.1534-62. Psychological Science.

[12] Robertson, R. 2015. Food for thought: how your belly controls your brain. TED Talk.

[13] Oliver, J. 2010. Teach every child about food. TED Talk.

[14] Gesch, B. 2016. Adolescence: Does good nutrition= good behaviour? 22(1):p.55-65. Nutr Health.