The SHN #32: Journaling for Health, Life As a Video Game, and Melanin

Welcome back to The Synergetic Health Newsletter! 

In this edition, we’ll explore a science-backed journaling method.

After that, how you can view your life as a video game.

Then, is Dr. Peter Attia wrong?

Like usual, I’ll include some links to things I’ve found particularly interesting recently.

Joe Burt

📓 Journaling for Better Health

In a recent Huberman Lab Podcast, Dr. Huberman discussed a journalling practice that has appeared in peer-reviewed publications over 200 times.

The protocol is four days of 15-30 minutes writing about a specific traumatic event in your past. Explained in the podcast is the brain rewiring that occurs as a result of such a practice, which can be spread out over a month, done on four consecutive days, or on whatever schedule works for you.

For a more detailed description and the science behind it, I recommend listening to the episode and reading the books and articles linked in the show notes page.

What I found most interesting is that the podcast came to my attention right in the middle of my research into potential therapeutic avenues to deal with past biological shocks.

I’ve been writing about these shocks and their impacts on health a lot recently, from a general overview of German New Medicine, to a lengthy post about small traumas, to a future investigation into biological decoding.

It seems that this writing protocol fits nicely with my research in that one way you can initiate the healing process is by bringing the traumatic event up to conscious awareness.

I’ve written about other ways to accomplish this, but this journaling protocol may be of more interest to some because of the depth of science behind it.

This practice is both free and doesn’t require a ton of time, so the most you have to lose is an hour or two.

I imagine that it would be beneficial for both large and small traumas, although it’s likelier you would have an easier time writing about an event that was more significant.

This review article states that “an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that when individuals write about emotional experiences, significant physical and mental health improvements follow.”

The therapeutic benefit of bringing the memory of a shocking/traumatic experience out of the subconscious and into the light of consciousness is something that is shared by both spiritually-oriented healing practitioners as well as research scientists. I love to see that.

Hopefully by now you realize the impacts that past shocks and traumas, however big or small, have on your health.

Discovering effective methods to identify and heal the enduring impacts of past traumas should be approached without shame. You don't have to endure ongoing pain from past hurts or remain trapped in repetitive behavioral patterns. Embrace the multitude of options available to address and overcome these challenges. Consider adding this journalling practice to your toolbox.

🎮 Life As a Video Game

A useful approach to living with your ego is to treat it as a character you are playing. Similar to a video game, you try to level up your character— keeping him alive while improving his attributes.

In video games, this is done by completing tasks, gaining mastery, or using cheat codes.

In life, you can use the same tools to improve the condition of your human character.

The major difference is that in a video game, there are less consequences for taking risks, you have unlimited lives, and you are less emotional about the performance of your avatar self.

Of course you, your character, lives in the real world, subject to the physical laws of the universe. Fortunately, there is no law that you need to be emotionally charged up about the state of your character— how it looks, how “successful” you are, where you live, what people are in your life, and so on.

The point I’m getting to is that when you are able to live in awareness, in being aware of being aware, you can observe this real-life avatar without judgement and attachment.

With this knowing, you can level up your character without fear of failing, without fear of being rejected. You recognize that challenges are opportunities for growth, much like completing quests in a game. You embrace the idea that each experience, whether deemed positive or negative, contributes to the development of your character.

In the realm of personal development, tasks could include learning new skills, gaining knowledge, or stepping outside your comfort zone. Mastery comes from honing your abilities, understanding your strengths, and acknowledging your weaknesses.

Cheat codes, in this analogy, might represent seeking guidance from mentors, learning from the experiences of others, or leveraging mindfulness techniques that accelerate your character's progress.

Obviously, life doesn't provide a reset button or unlimited lives, making each moment valuable. However, adopting a playful perspective allows you to navigate challenges with a lighter heart. The emotional investment in your character doesn't have to be overwhelming.

The external facets of your character—appearance, societal markers of success, relationships—are like customizable features in the game. They matter, but they aren't the essence of your character.

Living with awareness, being aware of being aware, allows you to detach from the ego’s vice grip. You become the observer of your character, approaching the journey with curiosity rather than judgment.

From this perspective, leveling up becomes a joyful process, an exploration of potentials, and an adventure without the fear of failure or rejection. Your character thrives, not in spite of challenges, but because of them.

🫀 Is Dr. Peter Attia Wrong? Many of you have probably heard his name, either in this newsletter or on the best-seller list. Dr. Peter Attia (@PeterAttiaMD) is a leading voice in the Medicine 3.0 movement and has written an immensely popular “longevity” book “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity”, which is currently #7 on Amazon’s charts.

Dr. Attia is a well-respected voice and I enjoyed his book, but not everybody agrees with what he says. Professor Bart Kay, an internet researcher best known for his ties to the carnivore diet, claims that Dr. Attia is scientifically illiterate in this video. 

Dr. Anthony Chaffee, another well-known proponent of the carnivore diet, comments on the video:

“It is pretty shocking that someone as prominent as Dr Peter Attia simply doesn't understand the difference between causative and associative studies and evidence. And then to say in such a condescending way that no one can deny his position if they understand math and statistics, when he himself is clearly in error, is honestly a little embarrassing for him.”

In the video, Kay discusses the relationship between cholesterol and atherosclerosis, familial hypercholesterolemia, and the confusion regarding risk and causality, among other things. One major disagreement is that LDL cholesterol causes atherosclerosis, a commonly shared belief among cardiologists. Kay believes that it is NOT causative.

There are, to say the least, strong emotions and opinions on both sides of this argument.

The emotional nature and uncertainty surrounding even the most foundational aspects of what causes disease is unfortunate, but allows me to stay unbiased. I’m happy that I’m able to listen to both sides and also am able to share them with you.

Doctors like Attia and others have used statin drugs to lower cholesterol as a primary tool in their disease-prevention toolbox. Other doctors, researchers, and individuals would rarely, if ever, use statins because of their risk profile and their supposedly illusory utility.

And what if heart disease was mostly a result of a biological shock? Just saying. No one knows for sure, and especially not me.

Despite what this post may seem like, I love Dr. Attia and the work he’s done. His contributions to the field of health and longevity are massive, and go beyond his views on cholesterol and heart disease.

I’ve written in the past about his exercise routine, his views on zone 2 cardio training, and in a discussion on healthspan vs. lifespan.

Dr. Attia’s advice is to focus on minimizing your risks of developing one of the “four horseman” of chronic disease: Atherosclerotic disease (cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease), cancer, neurogenerative disease (alzheimer’s, etc), and metabolic disease (everything hyperinsulinemia to insulin resistance to fatty live disease to type 2 diabetes).

Some of the current best practices here, according to Attia, are aerobic exercise, adequate sleep, appropriate levels of physical strength and stability, maintaining bone density, avoiding or minimizing alcohol, having a healthy emotional life, calorie restriction if “overnourished”, and keeping LDL and ApoB levels low.

For more Attia content, go here; for more Kay content, go here.

𝕏 Thread of the Week

💪 Go Ham on Your Post-Workout Protein: A new study is all the rage in the evidence-based health community which says that “The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans.” This means that your body can utilize A LOT of protein after you exercise, a point often debated in health circles. While many have argued that you can only use ~30g of protein at a time, this study debunks that.

👅 Does Tongue Scraping Work? This study showed that 7 days of 2x/daily tongue scraping had a significant effect on Mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli bacteria and also decreased oral malodour (an unpleasant smell). However, a more recent study showed that— among patients with periodontis— tongue scraping made no difference in the amount of bacteria or odor in their mouths.

A professor of dental medicine, Dr. Martinna Bertolini, “would only recommend tongue scraping to patients with halitosis, because they’re the only ones who really need it.” I’ve used my tongue scraper only a handful of times and I haven’t been convinced enough to make it a regular practice.

🇪🇸 Get Unlimited Spanish Lessons for $179/Month: I’ve been using Baselang, an online Spanish learning program (referral link) for around six months now. I love it. The teachers are great and it can very cheap per hour if you have the time to dedicate to it. I’ve made great strides and am looking forward to how I progress over the next several months. They just raised the price from $149 to $179 tho 😕 

❄️ Why Seasonality Matters: Here is a link to a webinar about the importance of considering seasonality for your health goals. There are aspects in our environment that change with the seasons, which affects the mitochondria in our cells differently. The hour-long video is especially relevant for those living in the northern hemisphere, where there are significant changes in temperature and light.

🎙️ Want to watch 2.5 hours of habit discussion? Peter Attia interviews James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. (Video)

✍ “Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else.” C.S. Lewis

💬 “We only become aware of the presence of the Soul after we have freed ourselves of selfish desires, and in proportion to our desire to serve the interests of mankind do we individualize this infinite power within us.” -Joel Goldsmith

📚 My favorite quotes from Kamal Ravikant’s “How to Live Your Truth” (Tweet)

“Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” -Neil Gaman

📅 My Scheduling Page: Go here to book a 15-minute free call to chat about my awareness coaching and energy healing services.

✔️ That will do it for this time! Hopefully you got some value out of it. If you have any questions/comments/things you’d like to learn more about please don’t hesitate to reach out.

🔗 If you know anyone who loves learning about these types of topics, send them this link!

📰 To read all past newsletters, go here.