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Andrew Belaveshkin MD PhD preventive medicine belaveshkin.com 📖Books: The will to live, The right food at the right time (⬜️🟥⬜️ t.me/belaveshkin)
15. Indifference to suffering and admiration for violence. Show emotional coldness toward others' struggles or distress unless it serves their interests. Admire violence or criminals, often secretly savoring tales of harm or brutality.
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Kitchen killer (and it’s not food). This is about the gas stove, a danger that is highly underestimated. Broadly speaking, this problem relates to any combustion indoors. Since ancient times, people have suffered from the smoke of hearths and stoves—they shortened life expectancy by at least 8 years, caused severe pneumonia in children, and increased the risk of lung cancer and COPD by 2.5 times. Even seemingly harmless firewood, candles, or gas produce a complex mix of chemical elements during combustion that can trigger various diseases.
For example, a working gas stove makes indoor air 2–5 times dirtier than outdoor air. The amount of aerosol particles it emits is higher than what you'd get standing next to a running car. Continuing with the car analogy, the risk of premature death from daily use of a gas stove is twice as high as the risk of dying in a car accident.
Children living in homes with gas stoves have a 42% higher risk of developing asthma compared to those with electric stoves (gas stoves are responsible for 13% of childhood asthma cases). On average, using gas stoves reduces life expectancy by almost two years. Combustion products also harm the elderly, increasing risks of dementia, arthritis, and other diseases.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and benzene are the most studied among gas combustion products. Nitrogen dioxide worsens chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may be linked to heart problems, diabetes, and cancer. Benzene levels increase throughout the house during cooking and remain elevated for hours.
What to do?
1. If you have a choice, an electric stove is the healthiest option. If you use a gas stove, please don't hesitate to take precautions. Always use a range hood (and ensure there’s proper airflow into the kitchen for the hood to work). Keep the hood running even after cooking. Close kitchen doors and cover dishes while frying to reduce exposure.
2. Any open flame indoors can be harmful in similar ways. Even smoldering incense in Buddhist temples increases the risk of lung cancer for monks inhaling the combustion products. Avoid smoldering incense, paraffin candles, and similar items in unventilated spaces, and always ventilate the room after use.
3. Heating systems with open flames (e.g., open fireplaces, wood stoves, kerosene heaters). The intense combustion process releases harmful products into the air. Just three hours of exposure to wood smoke can increase arterial stiffness and reduce heart rate variability. Long-term exposure accelerates atherosclerosis and raises the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Burning wood increases the risk of lung diseases by an average of 37% compared to central heating. To safely enjoy a fire, use a closed fireplace with panoramic glass, which prevents combustion products from entering your living space.
Gas and Propane Combustion from Stoves Emits Benzene and Increases Indoor Air Pollution Environ. Sci. Technol. 2023, 57, 26, 9653–9663
Household air pollution and arthritis in low-and middle-income countries: Cross-sectional evidence from the World Health Organization’s study on Global Ageing and Adult Health
Assessment of the health impacts and costs associated with indoor nitrogen dioxide exposure related to gas cooking in the European Union and the United Kingdom
Nitrogen dioxide exposure, health outcomes, and associated demographic disparities due to gas and propane combustion by U.S. stoves Science AdvancesVol. 10, No. 18
Dynamics of nanocluster aerosol in the indoor atmosphere during gas cooking PNAS Nexus (2024)
One of the most harmful foods is fried potatoes (in any form – pan-fried, French fries, hash browns, fish and chips, etc.). Potatoes contain far fewer beneficial compounds and more readily available starch than grains, legumes, or vegetables.
🍽️Their glycemic index reaches 95, and the calorie content of fried potatoes is 320 kcal per 100 grams (compared to 70 kcal per 100 grams of boiled potatoes). Moreover, frying any food, even healthy ones like fish, negates its potential benefits and increases health risks due to the harmful compounds formed during frying (from acrylamide to dozens of others).
🫣The fast food industry significantly increases the consumption of fried foods, including potatoes. Eating fried potatoes worsens the lipid profile, raises blood pressure, and increases the risks of diabetes and obesity. French fries have also been linked to a 12% higher risk of anxiety and a 7% higher risk of depression compared to people who do not eat fried foods.
🚩Consuming just three servings of fried potatoes per week raises the risk of diabetes by 19%. Studies show that people who ate fried potatoes two or more times a week for eight years doubled their risk of premature death. Fried potatoes significantly increase the risk of visceral obesity, even in people with a low genetic predisposition to weight gain.
As for regular potatoes, the data is mixed. Some studies indicate that boiled potatoes have virtually no impact on health risks, while others suggest that potatoes in any form may increase the risks of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, low to moderate potato consumption has been associated with lower all-cause mortality.
What to do?
✅1. If you consume potatoes, avoid eating fried potatoes regularly and limit them to occasional treats. The safest form of potatoes is cooled, such as in a vinaigrette, or diced in a salad. Adding lemon juice or vinegar to such dishes can lower the high glycemic index of potatoes.
✅2. Cooling boiled potatoes in the refrigerator turns some of their starch into resistant starches – these are not digested in the small intestine and serve as prebiotics for gut microbiota (this also applies to cooled rice).
✅3. Eliminating or significantly reducing potatoes, rice, and bread from your diet won't cause harm. Instead, it's much more beneficial to incorporate vegetables, whole grains, and especially legumes into your meals.
✅4. Fried potatoes in any form increase appetite, fail to provide lasting satiety and can trigger overeating due to the combination of starch, salt, fat, and frying. Prefer foods with a high satiety index to better control appetite.
✅5. Stop making stupid jokes about Belarusians and potatoes - it's not funny and is part of soviet-russian propaganda aimed at ridiculing and humiliating Belarusian culture and making it seem primitive (bulbashism, similar chauvinistic ridicule of Ukrainian culture - sharovarshchina).
📖Fried potato consumption is associated with elevated mortality: an 8-y longitudinal cohort study Am J Clin Nutr 2017 Jun 7;106(1):162–167
Consumption of fried foods and weight gain in a Mediterranean cohort: The SUN projectNutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases Volume 23, Issue 2, February 2013, Pages 144-150
Potato intake and incidence of hypertension: results from three prospective US cohort studies BMJ 2016; 353
Association of fried food consumption with all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: prospective cohort study BMJ 2019; 364
Potato consumption, by preparation method and meal quality, with blood pressure and body mass index: The INTERMAP study Clin Nutr 2020 Oct;39(10):3042-3048.
Current intake levels of potatoes and all-cause mortality in China: A population-based nationwide study
Fried food consumption, genetic risk, and incident obesity: a prospective studyFood Funct., 2024, 15, 2760-2771
Какой подарок самый лучший, который делает вас счастливее и который вы можете сделать сами себе абсолютно бесплатно? Подарите себе здоровье! Я могу помочь вам в этом и вот мой подарок вам – мои книги и мои курсы бесплатно.
✅1. Книги “Что и когда есть” и “Воля к жизни”. https://www.beloveshkin.com/p/blog-page_51.html
✅2. Курс Здоровое питание. https://www.beloveshkin.com/p/blog-page_91.html
✅3. Курс Здоровая осанка. https://www.beloveshkin.com/p/blog-page_3.html
✅4. Курс Здоровый дофамин https://www.beloveshkin.com/p/blog-page_32.html
✅5. Курс Осознанная стрессоустойчивость. https://www.beloveshkin.com/p/blog-page_86.html
✅6. Курс Здоровые привычки. https://www.beloveshkin.com/p/blog-page_5.html
Another year passed. This year, we are witnessing an ever-increasing pace of the primitivization, infantilization, and archaization of thought and behavior. For more than a century, leftist and rightist anti-civilization ideologies in various forms (from fascism and communism to rashism and trumpism), along with religious fanaticism, have waged a cultural war against civilization. Their goal is to destroy civilization and regress to the primitive state of a slave or savage, as they feel constrained by civilization and incapable of productive creation.
🤔Phenomena like "post-truth" are not new—they represent the typical behavior of a child or a primitive savage, for whom emotions outweigh reality. To "be natural" means reverting to animalistic behavior, rejecting thousands of years of cultural evolution. To "be natural" is to dissolve into a tribe, share collective irresponsibility, lose personal accountability, unleash hostility and distrust toward outsiders, abandon one’s rights, and obey the commands of leaders or anyone stronger, groveling before them to beg for scraps. Simultaneously, it means hating anyone weaker. This is the natural state of a primitive pack, whether in the form of the egalitarian primitive communism of Marxism or the rigid primate hierarchies favored by the right (you can choose your dehumanization program to taste).
😬The misunderstanding of cultural evolution gives rise to illusions that if barbarians are provided with all the necessary conditions, they will become civilized people. However, good things never happen by accident or on their own; they result from prolonged effort, powerful evolutionary pressure, and selection.
Civilization is not only the product of the joint productive efforts of generations of people and the cultural capital they built but also the transformation of our brains resulting from these cultural practices. Centuries of reflection on the Last Judgment have increased our planning horizons and reduced temporal discounting, curbing impulsivity and enhancing rational behavior. Education based on values and personal accountability to God improves abstract thinking and fosters independent thought, leading to the internalization of morality and the emergence of mature, autonomous individuals separate from the crowd. This process is accompanied by changes in brain activity: the development of self-control, self-awareness, rationality, the ability to delay gratification, negotiate with others, and follow laws. Cultural evolution reshapes and advances our brains.
📖This fascinating process is vividly described in the book The WEIRDest People in the World by Joseph Henrich. The author argues that Western thinking (WEIRD—Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) represents a unique form of cognitive development that shapes self-awareness, rationality, and social norms, distinguishing it from all other cultures. Despite the irony in the book, the difference between barbaric (childish, primitive) and civilized thinking is clear and can be measured in experiments and studies. Henrich demonstrates how historical processes, including the influence of the Christian Church and the evolution of family structures, led to the emergence of WEIRD cultures. He considers all other ways of life as less developed forms of social organization, closer to "barbarism."
✅Herodotus remains incredibly relevant today, as he insightfully observed: "The Greeks are governed by laws and are free, whereas barbarians are slaves to a man." (A civilized man is guided by abstract universal moral rules, a barbarian knows only personal service to the master). Barbarians are incapable of negotiation and do not share the values of civilization, making agreements with them futile; they understand only force. Hence, the Antient greeks believed: "Only with Greeks can you fight like Greeks; with barbarians, you must always fight like barbarians."
Reading:
Crypto as a form of addictive disorder. Internal dopamine Ponzi in the brain - the taste of free wealth with addictive uncertainty. https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/america-the-addicted
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https://www.belaveshkin.com/2024/12/the-first-lecture-by-randy-pausch.html
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Bad people tend to crystallize evil and support any form of evil and violence, even without direct benefit, simply because they derive pleasure from it. For example, Elon Musk publicly supports Putin and spreads Russian propaganda, supports Xi and deliberately opens Tesla showrooms in the Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the Uyghur genocide has been taking place for years, praises and supports the pro-Russian fascist party AfD, cheerfully talks about North Korea, supports Orban, shakes hands and supports Erdogan amidst protests, supports liar and anti-vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr., spreads anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories, and has made numerous sexist and misogynistic statements – in short, the whole package as usual. So, if Musk praises or reposts someone, it's almost certainly a scoundrel.
Of course, it’s essential to understand that these are not absolute universal laws but observations. When someone praises or criticizes someone else, remember these rules – they can reveal many unusual and interesting things that aren’t immediately apparent. You can very accurately understand the essence of a person by observing what and who they praise and what and who they criticize.
From ancient times, warriors and kings used tiger and leopard skins to emphasize their status and impress those around them. Over time, this trend made its way into men’s fashion, and from there, into women’s. Let’s explore what connects a leopard skin on a winged hussar with a leopard print on a dress or lingerie. And why are snake and crocodile patterns so popular, despite widespread fear of snakes?
It’s well-known that specific visual patterns trigger stronger and faster reactions in our brains than neutral ones. Snake skin patterns and leopard rosettes are among the most striking examples. Even primates, like humans, react twice as fast to snakeskin patterns as to neutral objects (15 milliseconds versus 25). Moreover, snake-related stimuli are highly distracting during tasks, as the brain processes these cues through specialized neural networks.
Interestingly, even without prior knowledge of leopards or snakes, young children respond to their patterns differently from neutral geometric shapes. The “Snake Detection Theory” suggests an evolutionary arms race between snakes, which use camouflage to hide in grass, and our visual system, which has evolved to spot them.
Predatory and reptilian prints naturally attract attention and heighten arousal levels. How does this relate to sexual attraction? Arousal itself is often non-specific, and we frequently misinterpret it (a phenomenon known as “misattribution of arousal”). Studies show that when we’re frightened, we can mistake our physical responses (like increased heart rate and rapid breathing) for feelings of attraction.
Essentially, we confuse fear with attraction because both originate in the same subcortical area of the brain. Being mindful of this can help us avoid misinterpreting our emotions, which might otherwise lead to problems like Stockholm syndrome or admiration for an abuser.
Conversely, shared experiences of fear or excitement can strengthen relationships. Research shows that couples facing thrilling or scary situations often feel closer and more attracted to one another.
What does this mean? Our brains notice leopard prints quickly. Danger, fear, and sexual arousal are interconnected. To avoid emotional misinterpretation, staying aware of your feelings is crucial. However, when used appropriately, prints like leopard, snake, and crocodile can be powerful and fitting in their context. They captivate attention and evoke emotions.
Lastly, other innate visual patterns also influence us profoundly—from honeycomb-like structures that trigger trypophobia to the connection between sounds and shapes, as illustrated by the famous "kiki-bouba" effect.
The Saliency of Snake Scales and Leopard Rosettes to Infants: Its Relevance to Graphical Patterns Portrayed in Prehistoric Art Front. Psychol., 22 November 2021
Snakes Represent Emotionally Salient Stimuli That May Evoke Both Fear and Disgust Front. Psychol., 09 May 2019 Sec. Evolutionary Psychology
Snake scales, partial exposure, and the snake detection theory: a human event-related potentials study. Sci. Rep. 7:46331.
Pulvinar neurons reveal neurobiological evidence of past selection for rapid detection of snakes
Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 30(4), 510–517
Self-expansion and flow in couples' momentary experiences: an experience sampling study J Pers Soc Psychol 2008 Sep;95(3):679-94.
In Herodotus's History (Book III, section 80) he notes a key feature that is so relevant today: "Where laws rule, people are free; where man rules, be it the best of the best, they are slaves." Herodotus points out the contrast between the Greek polis, where power belongs to the law, and the barbarian states, where they obey the leader.
Anti-anxiety vanilla. Vanilla has been valued since ancient times—the earliest evidence comes from a Canaanite Bronze Age burial in Israel, dated to 3,500 years ago. Studies show that the scent of vanilla and vanillin itself may potentially be an effective way to influence the brain’s neurochemistry through the sense of smell.
Research has revealed that the scent of vanilla is the most pleasant worldwide across various cultures and peoples, from hunter-gatherers to Manhattan residents. This preference may have evolutionary roots, suggesting an innate comfort derived from its sweet and nutty aroma
The mechanisms of influence studied in humans and animals include increasing serotonin and dopamine levels, elevating magnesium concentration in blood plasma, and increasing BDNF levels, which are responsible for neuroplasticity. Vanillin as a supplement also deserves separate attention, but that is another topic.
1. Anti-anxiety effect: Significantly reduces anxiety levels in humans and animals.
2. Antidepressant effect: Reduces depressive symptoms in animals and lowers negative mood and focus on negative memories in humans.
3. Pain reduction: Decreases pain in rats, reduces pain in dental patients, and lessens pain during blood draws in children.
4. Appetite suppression: Suppresses appetite and cravings for high-calorie foods with prolonged inhalation.
5. Improved sleep quality: Slightly enhances sleep (likely due to a combination of the above factors).
Of course, the physiological effects of scents are short-term and do not replace other therapies; however, they act quickly and can complement the arsenal of fast and short-term methods.
Do you like the scent of vanilla?
P.S. A realtor's empirical advice, which twice helped me quickly sell real estate, is to sprinkle vanilla (vanilla sugar) in the entryway five minutes before a potential buyer arrives.
Fragrance administration to reduce anxiety during MR imaging J Magn Reson Imaging 1994 Jul-Aug;4(4):623-6.
The Antidepressant-Like Effect of Vanillin Aroma Involves Serum Magnesium and Brain BDNF (2018) Volume 8, Issue 4 ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM)2021 Jan 7;21(3):1–17. doi: 10.1007/s13596-020-00531-w
Vanillin: a review on the therapeutic prospects of a popular flavouring molecule
Vanillin-induced amelioration of depression-like behaviors in rats by modulating monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain Psychiatry Res 2015 Feb 28;225(3):509-14.
10 examples of how misleading and persistent health myths arise Part 2 .
6. Misinterpretation of scientific observations.
Fractional feeding helps lose weight and build muscles. This idea originates from observations of patients after intestinal surgeries (where they need fractional feeding) and patients with diabetes and low blood sugar. These scientific studies were misinterpreted and turned into false theories. These findings were generalized to healthy individuals without clear evidence. The diet industry promoted the idea—"eat more often, feel less hungry." Many believed (and some still do) that frequent meals "boost metabolism" by preventing the body from entering "starvation mode." Books like Eat for Health by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, The Bodybuilder's Nutrition Book by Richard Semon, and The Zone by dietitian Barry Sears spread these myths widely.
7. Misinterpretation of real-life observations.
Liver Detox. The idea that you can cleanse your liver and gallbladder of stones with simple foods (usually a combination of olive oil, acidic juices like lemon, apple juice, grapefruit, and sometimes magnesium sulfate) is popular. You may experience spasms and even see "stones" in your stool. However, these are not actual stones but the result of digestive lipases acting on simple and mixed triglycerides, such as those found in olive oil, producing higher fatty acids (mainly oleic acid). The process involves saponification into large, insoluble micelles of potassium carboxylates (lemon juice contains a high concentration of potassium) or "soapstone." Essentially, it is the making of soap, and the "stones" appearing in the stool are soap pieces, not gallstones.
8. Marketing
The myth of "healthy" juices. In the 1960s-1970s, marketers began actively associating juices with an active lifestyle and healthy eating. Companies like Tropicana, Minute Maid (owned by Coca-Cola), and Dole spread the idea that drinking juice (especially orange juice) is the perfect way to start the morning.
9. Religion
Since the 19th century, Protestants considered the classic Victorian breakfast in the U.S. to be "carnal desire" and believed that it led to disease, madness, and increased libido. Sylvester Graham (known for creating a biscuit-like cracker to "cure" masturbation and quell sexual urges), followed by John Harvey Kellogg and others, promoted "grains for breakfast" to cleanse the soul and suppress animal instincts. Ultimately, high-glycemic sugary cereals with milk and orange juice (which were marketed as a source of vitamin C) became one of the most unhealthy, fortified breakfasts. The truth is that replacing oatmeal with eggs helps people lose weight more quickly and feel fuller throughout the day without affecting lipid profiles, leading to less overeating. Also, visceral fat truly suppresses libido.
10. Common prejudices.
Cracking knuckles causes arthritis. Habitually cracking your knuckles increases your risk of arthritis. Studies, including long-term investigations, have found no significant correlation between knuckle cracking and arthritis. The sound comes from the release of gas bubbles in the joint fluid.
10 examples of how misleading and persistent health myths arise. Part 1
1. Typographical Error.
Iron in spinach. Spinach contains an extraordinarily high amount of iron, making it a "superfood" for iron deficiency. This misconception is believed to have originated from a decimal placement error in a 19th-century nutritional report, exaggerating spinach's iron content by tenfold. Additionally, much of the iron in spinach is bound to oxalates, which inhibit absorption (just as zinc from pumpkin seeds and similar foods is poorly absorbed).
2. Translation error.
The myth of the tongue zone. The tongue is divided into distinct zones for different tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and (more recently) umami. This map suggests that specific tastes can only be perceived in specific areas. This idea stems from a mistranslation of a German research paper from 1901 by David Hänig, which showed slight variations in taste sensitivity across the tongue. However, these differences were small, and Hänig never suggested exclusive zones for specific tastes. The error originated from a translation in the 1940s into a popular American physiology textbook, from where it spread globally.
3. Authority bias.
The myth of mega doses of vitamin C. Nobel Prize-winning chemist Linus Pauling, who published Vitamin C and the Common Cold in 1970, argued that high doses of vitamin C could prevent colds, reduce their severity, and even cure them. Pauling’s reputation as a brilliant scientist gave his claims immense credibility despite later evidence debunking them. Pauling himself got this idea from Dr. Irwin Stone, a chemical engineer who worked in industrial research, where he specialized in using ascorbic acid (vitamin C) as a preservative for food and other materials. He eventually concluded that all diseases were caused by vitamin C deficiency (called "hypoascorbemia") and actively promoted this idea.
4. Military disinformation.
Beta-carotene in carrots improves night vision. British propaganda popularized This idea during World War II to explain why their pilots were successful at night (actually due to radar technology). The story credited carrots to mislead the enemy and promote vegetable consumption. While beta-carotene in carrots supports eye health and prevents vitamin A deficiency (which can cause night blindness), it doesn't give extraordinary night vision.
5. Deceptive marketing.
Supplements for longevity. William Sinclair is known for developing various products, especially related to NAD+ and resveratrol. He actively promoted them without reliable evidence, offering them as treatments for people and profiting from selling patents and expertise. The industry of pushing useless supplements often involves buying commissioned studies and faking scientific research to deceive consumers. For example, the myth that shark cartilage supplements can prevent human cancer was popularized by the 1992 book Sharks Don't Get Cancer. Similarly, commissioned studies on goji berries, collagen, and other supplements contribute to these misleading ideas.
Штотыднёвыя этэры працягваюцца, далучайцесь. In English soon!
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Would you buy a product without a label showing its ingredients or expiration date?
Would you shop at a store known for frequent cases of customer food poisoning?
Would you buy meat with signs of decay and a foul smell?
Would you silently eat whatever the seller decided to put in your basket?
Would you eat food with glaring spelling mistakes on the packaging?
Would you feed your friends or children with food from the trash?
Would you buy loose cottage cheese from a dirty stranger's hands?
Would you pick up a fish lying on the sidewalk for your dinner?
If you wouldn’t do this with food, then why do it with information? It’s even more dangerous—spoiled food can be thrown out, but lies cannot be unseen, and admitting you’ve been deceived is far more complicated.
Apart from the basic traits of the dark tetrad (Machiavellianism, sociopathy, narcissism, and sadism), these individuals rarely show these signs directly and publicly, masking them, camouflaging their tendencies, and displaying a range of other behaviors. This masking, however, quickly flies off under any inconvenience or careful observation. Each of these traits alone is not diagnostic but, in combination, they are highly characteristic.
1. Inability to admit fault or mistakes. Never admit their guilt or errors. Instead, they attack others or play the innocent victim to evoke sympathy. Present themselves as victims of circumstances to manipulate people and gain support. Refuse to reflect on their actions or admit wrongdoing, even when confronted. Quickly justify their behavior by blaming others to divert attention from themselves.
2. Lack of gratitude. Rarely express genuine gratitude or acknowledgment of others' help, except through insincere flattery. Devalue others' assistance, viewing it as something they were obligated to provide. Use help received from others as leverage to manipulate or exert pressure.
3. Cynicism and distrust. Consistently exhibit sarcastic or pessimistic attitudes toward people and their intentions, despite appearing outwardly friendly. Believe that most people are motivated by self-interest and hidden agendas ("You were paid for it, weren’t you?").
4. Manipulative generosity. Perform "generous" acts solely for personal gain or to create a favorable impression. Never help discreetly and use any assistance they provide as a tool for manipulation or control.
5. Contempt for vulnerability. Mock or disdain people who show weakness, ask for help or share their emotions. Avoid situations where they might appear vulnerable, often feigning openness but revealing nothing significant.
6. Need for control. Always strive for dominance, even in trivial matters such as choosing a restaurant or movie. Struggle to accept others' opinions unless it benefits their interests. Frequently provoke conflicts to assert control or demonstrate their "strength."
7. Habitual deception. Lie about even minor things without necessity. React with anger when caught in a lie, refusing to admit dishonesty.
8. Superficial charm. Make a strong first impression, often appearing charismatic and likable, but this charm fades over time. Use compliments or fake empathy strategically to gain trust or approval. Verbally support ideas they don't honestly care about if it serve their goals.
9. Hidden envy and vindictiveness. Show interest in others' achievements only to undermine or devalue them. Disguise hostility toward more successful individuals, incapable of genuine admiration. React strongly to criticism, even if constructive. Hold grudges for extended periods, often using them as justification for revenge.
10. Disregard for boundaries and rules. Openly disdain rules and encourage others to break them. Violate personal boundaries under the guise of humor or curiosity, ignoring requests to stop. Treat others' needs or rights as secondary to their own desires.
11. Predatory observation and adaptability. Carefully observe others to identify weaknesses for manipulation. Adapt rapidly to situations to exploit them, changing their behavior or values to suit their audience.
12. Constant passive aggression. Use silent treatment or feigned indifference to punish or manipulate others. Employ veiled threats or "jokes" that create tension or intimidation. Employ condescending remarks like, "You can do it your way, but I wouldn't recommend it."
13. Devaluation of others. Instill self-doubt in others through subtle remarks, e.g., "Are you sure that's the right decision?" Frequently provoke or manipulate people into questionable actions to portray them negatively. Provoke others for bad behavior.
14. Love of drama and risk. Create or escalate conflicts to draw attention to themselves. Thrive in chaos, mainly when it affects others more than themselves. Engage in risky behavior for thrills, even at the expense of others' safety.
Ketamine and schizophrenia. The use of ketamine is dramatically increasing. From 2017 to 2022, its consumption grew by more than three and a half times, mainly due to the emergence of ketamine clinics and wide off-label use. There are over a thousand such ketamin clinics in the U.S. alone, contributing to a market worth over $5 billion. More people are using ketamine for mood enhancement and recreational purposes. It genuinely works—elevating mood in cases of depression within hours rather than the months required for antidepressants.
What does ketamine do? Understanding ketamine’s effects is easier if you imagine it as essentially imitating schizophrenia—through the same molecular mechanisms and producing similar symptoms.
Scientists have discovered that ketamine, unlike cocaine, reduces the activity of neurons that release the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Since these GABAergic neurons inhibit dopamine-releasing neurons in the VTA, ketamine temporarily "removes the brakes" on dopamine release, resulting in a short burst of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc).
In other words, while other drugs "step on the gas" ketamine "releases the brakes." Although both ketamine and cocaine increase dopamine release from the VTA into the NAc, the dopamine surge from cocaine lasts longer than from ketamine. Ketamine’s dual action produces a unique combination of dopamine-driven positive reinforcement and low addiction potential. The brief dopamine spike it induces is too short to create addiction (while the prolonged dopamine elevation from antidepressants also avoids forming dependency).
Ketamine as a model for schizophrenia. Ketamine is associated with psychosis-like symptoms in healthy individuals. Its dissociative effects stem from its ability to increase "background noise" in the brain, making sensory signals less distinct or pronounced. This phenomenon might explain the distorted reality perceptions in individuals with schizophrenia or psychosis.
Similar to schizophrenia, ketamine use triggers both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, paranoid ideas) are explained by a glutamatergic system imbalance, which leads to hyperactivity of dopaminergic transmission in the mesolimbic pathway. This hyperactive state mimics mechanisms observed in schizophrenia.
Ketamine can also induce symptoms resembling the negative manifestations of schizophrenia (social isolation, reduced cognitive function, emotional blunting). These symptoms are linked to hypofunction of glutamatergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex, resulting in reduced dopaminergic activity in the mesocortical pathway.
Chronic ketamine overuse causes severe, irreversible changes in the brain and global reorganization of neural networks. It leads to the death of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (an irreversible phenomenon), persistent cognitive impairments, psychotic and dissociative symptoms, and a reduction in gray matter volume.
Additionally, ketamine alters the dopaminergic system by decreasing dopamine in the midbrain. This change may explain why long-term ketamine abuse can result in symptoms resembling schizophrenia or mood disorders. Motor impairments often develop, including abnormal visual patterns (a schizoid gaze) and walking abnormalities.
Despite its rapid efficacy in severe depression, ketamine has limited applications. It is prescribed only for treatment-resistant severe depression under the supervision of specialists. Self-administration, in other cases, may provoke psychotic symptoms. Chronic irrelevant overuse of ketamine may have pronounced and irreversible adverse effects on brain function.
- The image showed prefrontal and occipital atrophy (arrows) in a brain section of a ketamine addict.
The ancient Romans began the New Year with solemn promises to the god Janus (from whom the name January derives): to become better in the new year, to do good things, and to stop doing bad things. Janus was the god of all beginnings and endings, boundaries, transitions, doors, windows, bridges, and time. He was also the god of the beginning and end of war; the doors of his temple were always open during war and closed during peace.
Starting from ancient times and later within Christianity, the beautiful tradition of New Year’s resolutions has remained popular. Modern New Year’s resolutions you make today can be traced back to a Protestant idea: pledging to God to make the most of your potential. Failing to use your time or potential was considered a grave sin. In its original form, Protestantism emphasized each individual's personal responsibility before God, the necessity of self-examination, and the continuous pursuit of moral perfection.
New Year’s resolutions can be seen as an expression of this idea. They symbolize renewal and the thoughtful start of a new chapter in life, based on self-assessment, repentance for past mistakes, and setting goals to correct them. As in Protestant ethics, there is a deep-seated belief here that a person can transform their life and improve the world around them through discipline, effort, and inner work.
Thus, New Year’s resolutions are not just a list of wishes or promises made to oneself. They represent an acknowledgment of one's responsibility for the future and serve as a reminder of the need for continuous development, resonating with the ideals of Protestantism. The pursuit of self-improvement holds a central place in Protestant ethics and worldview. The Protestant tradition underscores that everyone is accountable for their life and actions. This inspires a drive toward moral and spiritual growth, self-control, and the search for ways to improve oneself.
New Year’s resolutions have traditionally been understood as a promise to perform a good deed or to change oneself for the better, relying on one’s free will. It was believed that the goal should be realistic and not stem from pride. Ecclesiastes warns, "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it... It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it" (5:4-5).
📖"The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous" by Harvard professor Joseph Henrich
📖A more complex complementary book: "The Dopaminergic Mind in Human Evolution and History" by Fred H. Previc, Cambridge University Press.
Wool, not acrylic. You might have heard that wool is better because it has antibacterial properties, while acrylic fibers cause cancer. This is not true, but wool is much better for other reasons. 🤔Let’s break them down.
✅1. Thermal insulation.
Wool contains around 80% of its weight in the air, which slows air passage during temperature variations. It has a much greater thermoregulatory capacity than other fibers, enabling it to maintain a constant body temperature by insulating against cold and heat. Thermal conductivity of wool: 0.04–0.05 W/(m·K) (low, retains heat well), while acrylic: 0.2 W/(m·K) (4-5 times higher, much faster at passing heat). Importantly, acrylic loses its insulating properties when wet, while wool does not.
✅2. Moisture absorption.
Wool’s ability to absorb moisture and its breathability means that wool textiles can maintain an ideal microclimate close to the skin during physical activity, summer, and winter.
Wool absorbs moisture from the air, unlike acrylic fibers, which practically do not absorb moisture. Wool: up to 30% of its weight. Acrylic: less than 1% (moisture is not absorbed, causing a "greenhouse effect" feeling). Perhaps because of this, wool fabrics (garments), after wear, have a less intense odor than acrylic.
✅3. Durability.
Wool withstands up to 20,000 deformation cycles, maintaining its shape, which makes it especially useful for items subjected to frequent bending or stretching. Wool is made of the protein keratin, which has a spiral molecular structure. This spiral gives the fiber natural resilience and elasticity. Acrylic fiber can withstand 7,000 bending cycles before signs of material fatigue, such as cracks or breaks, appear.
✅4. Degradation.
When washing and wearing, acrylic breaks down into microplastic. The smaller the wool particles, the safer and faster they decompose (collagen), while the smaller the plastic particles, the more dangerous they become. Studies estimate that around 1,900 microplastic particles can be released from one sweater with each wash. Microplastic fragments remain in the home, and you can inhale them with the dust.
✅5. Appearance.
Acrylic clothing indeed loses its appearance faster with wear compared to wool. Acrylic fibers have a smooth surface, which makes them prone to friction. Pilling on acrylic forms more quickly, especially in areas of high friction (e.g., cuffs, armpits). Acrylic is less elastic than wool and worse at withstanding repeated stress, causing the fibers to lose shape and break down. Wool, however, has a natural keratin structure that helps fibers recover from deformation. Wool is resistant to stress and can fully recover in moisture.
✅6. Electrostatic.
When rubbed against other materials (such as fabrics or skin), acrylic easily accumulates static electricity. Acrylic accumulates 2-3 times more electrostatic charge during wear than wool. Higher electrostatic charge contributes to dust accumulation. Wool, on the other hand, accumulates little and quickly dissipates static electricity.
✅7. Fast Fashion.
Besides fast food, refuse "fast fashion". Cheap Chinese clothes for single-use consumption look cheap, enrich a hostile China, and impoverish you. Opt for local manufacturers using natural wool. The negative impact of microplastics on the environment has already been sufficiently discussed and written about.
The emergence of the printing press was one of the factors that intensified and fueled hatred and war during the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. The Nazis understood from the very beginning the importance of radio for brainwashing. Goebbels stated that "the future belongs to those who own the radio," and Hitler echoed, "without radio, we wouldn't have been able to come to power."
Today, we see how social media has transformed from a means of communication into an anti-reality and a tool for brain decay, archaization, and, ultimately, the degradation of societies that cannot protect themselves. The problem with modern social media is not that they want to convince a person but that they aim to deconstruct the person down to their worst primal instincts.
▶️1. More lies, less truth.
Fake news spreads 6 times faster than trustworthy news. This is because fake headlines are more sensational and emotionally charged, engaging users more effectively. Over 70% of users cannot distinguish fake news from real news.
▶️2. More negativity, less positivity.
Posts with negative emotional tones get 30% more likes, shares, and comments than positive or neutral ones. On Facebook, posts containing words with strong negative connotations (e.g., "horrible," "hated," "disaster") have 20% higher chances of being noticed by users.
▶️3. More hatred, less kindness.
Hate-provoking content is suggested first by default and is tailored to provoke the strongest emotional response from the user. Research has shown that TikTok actively recommends an incredible amount of misogyny, sexism, and conspiracy theories to empty experimental profiles.
▶️4. More polarization, less unity.
Politically polarized posts spread 67% faster than neutral ones. 90% of messages inciting mass hatred were fake. Over 64% of people joined hate-provoking polarized communities by algorithmic recommendation.
▶️5. More online, less in person.
Online content significantly outpaces real-life interactions. Online: about 46 hours a week. In-person communication: 8-20 hours a week (including work interactions). The average modern person spends 2-5 times more time online than face-to-face.
▶️6. More passivity, less choice.
The user doesn’t choose what to watch but passively consumes what social networks suggest. 70% of content on YouTube, 90% on Instagram, and 99% on TikTok comes from recommended videos suggested by algorithms. Social media owners fully and indefinitely control what others see, shaping their opinions. Imagine if 90% of products were placed in your cart without your consent in a store? You'd be feeding this into your mind.
▶️7. More bots, fewer humans.
At least 50% of political debate discussions, comments, likes, and reposts are made by bots, not real people. Estimates suggest that 5-25% of profiles on social media are bot networks used to manipulate public opinion. Their content is generated by AI, and they are active in all languages and adapt to various user groups. AI is more likely to persuade a person than a real person online.
▶️8. More diseases, less health.
Excessive use of social media is linked to the risk of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep disorders, attention and concentration problems, and increased suggestibility. Even a short break from social media noticeably improves well-being.
📖Opinion amplification causes extreme polarization in social networks Scientific Reports volume 12, Article number: 18131 (2022)
How algorithms popularise and gamify online hate and misogyny for young people
The spread of true and false news online Science 2018 Mar 9;359(6380):1146-1151. https://open.substack.com/pub/belaveshkin/p/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-own
Today, December 21, as it has for over four thousand years, the sun's rays align precisely on the day of the winter solstice to illuminate the face of the sun god Amun in the Luxor Temple for 20 minutes. For the ancient Egyptians, events from their religious texts were literally embodied in the heavens and could be observed as stars, planets, and their movements. The Correlation Theory (not scientifically proven and regarded skeptically by many scholars) posits that the pyramids were built according to a unified plan: the Milky Way was perceived by the Egyptians as the celestial Nile, while the layout of the pyramids symbolized the god Osiris, the lord of the celestial realm and a symbol of rebirth.
Osiris was a god who helped the Egyptians, but his brother Seth, consumed by envy, attacked him, cutting his body into 14 pieces and scattering them across Egypt. Each part of his body was possibly associated with a specific location tied to mythological or religious significance. Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, was associated with the goddess Isis, Osiris’s wife. She gathered the scattered pieces, embalmed them, and was able to briefly revive her husband to conceive their son.
This theory suggests that the Egyptians may have viewed the pyramids and significant temples as symbolic "fragments" of Osiris's body, placed across Egypt (with the pyramids of Giza representing Orion’s Belt) along the Nile (the celestial Milky Way). The goal was to sanctify the land of Egypt, making it a reflection of cosmic order and the divine body—a component of a grand project to bring the god back to earth.
By the time of Christianity, people still looked to the heavens, but the narrative had become simpler. Instead of Isis (Sirius), there was the Star of Bethlehem in the east; instead of Osiris, Orion’s Belt or the three kings (wise men). During the winter months, it can be observed that a line drawn through these three stars indeed points to the spot where the Sun rises.
This phenomenon becomes particularly noticeable around the winter solstice (approximately December 21-22), when the Sun's position on the horizon at sunrise aligns with the direction indicated by Orion’s Belt. In this sense, the three kings, guided by the star, truly arrive at the birthplace of the god (the new sun).
How do you quickly understand a person? Listen to whom he praises and whom he scolds. Plato stated that "like attracts like," meaning that people with similar qualities are naturally drawn to each other. It can be not easy to discern people’s intentions. Even in ancient times, simple methods were developed to help evaluate praise and criticism, to understand what is what. To do so, one needs to pay attention to three things: who is praising or criticizing, who likes whom, how the subject and object are related or connected, and finally, where the action is directed – at the person or at the deed.
Xenophon mentioned the principle of Spartan King Agesilaus: "When he heard someone criticize or praise a person, he considered it equally important for himself to have a clear understanding of both those who were giving the praise or criticism and those who were being praised or criticized." The life-hardened writer Henry Fielding described this asymmetry: "Slander from some masters is as good a recommendation as praise from others."
1. "Condemnation by fools is praise." So, if you are being actively and relentlessly criticized, condemned, or denounced by "fools" (enemies, people you do not want to resemble, your opponents), it is likely that you are doing things right.
2. If you are praised by people who are role models, experts, or specialists, it is likely well-deserved praise. Roman poet Gnaeus wrote, "praise from people worthy of praise is pleasant." As Cervantes noted, "praise is only good when the one who praises is good." Criticism from such people is usually truthful and accurate, and it is crucial to accept it and thank them.
3. If you are praised by your enemies, your opponents, you will likely have made a mistake and failed to notice it. You may have acted in their interests and become a “useful idiot.” “If your enemy praises you, you’ve made a fool of yourself.” Your opponents' praise push you to make more mistakes and foolishness.
4. Dependency and interest (financial or otherwise) or personal bias of the person praising or criticizing.
If the person offering their opinion is financially interested, there is no point in listening to them. It is no coincidence that even in science, results of company-funded research and independent studies can differ so dramatically. Similarly, praise from someone who owes you something may be mere formality. The physician and encyclopedist Abu al-Faraj correctly observed that “the best praise is that which comes from a person to whom you have done nothing good.”
5. Where is the praise directed? The action or the person?
Any praise or criticism that is ad hominem is meaningless by default. When discussing actions, focusing on their results and intent is essential. I cannot avoid quoting one of my favorite Stoics, Montaigne: “It is the deed that deserves praise, not the person.”
6. If you like bad people, praise them; you are likely a bad person (and vice versa).
Therefore, it is not surprising that criminals and psychopaths of all kinds adore Putin, including Musk and Trump. The same applies if you are attracted to violence, rudeness, and mockery. Yes, Trump’s fans likely are either deceived or bad people (i.e., people inclined to use lies, violence, and rudeness in their everyday lives). Therefore, I have bad news if you like people like Lu, Pu, Xi, etc.. If you dislike a good person for no reason, it may also indicate an internal trauma or an exaggerated projection of your psyche. Once again, for healthy ethics, it is natural not to like and feel disgust towards bad people and to prefer good ones.
7. Who is around this person? Honest, good people, or liars and criminals?
The people a person surrounds themselves with and the company they keep reflect their true nature. "From the nature of his ministers, a prince is to be judged of." This idea appears in chapter 22 of The Prince, where Machiavelli discusses how a ruler’s ability to choose competent advisors reflects his wisdom and leadership capacity.
Do you know how to use this?
Don’t destroy a rule or tradition if you don’t understand why it’s there in the first place. (Chesterton's fence)
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Your best advisor is the best version of your future self. Aim to impress only three people: your child Self, Future Self, and the Best Possible Self. Trying to impress random people is foolish if they aren’t who you aspire to be. Also, seek advice from this same trio. Follow for more visuals in Rewellme app!
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Sic semper tyrannis is a latin phrase meaning "thus always to tyrants". In contemporary parlance, it means tyrannical leaders will inevitably be overthrown. The phrase also suggests that bad but justified outcomes should, or eventually will, befall tyrants.
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The myth of "healthy" juices. In the 1960s-1970s, marketers began actively associating juices with an active lifestyle and healthy eating. Companies like Tropicana, Minute Maid (owned by Coca-Cola), and Dole spread the idea that drinking juice (especially orange juice) is the perfect way to start the morning.
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The most underrated feeling with amazing health benefits. https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf
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