The SHN #74: Stress, Microplastics, and A Fool's Wisdom

Welcome back to The Synergetic Health Newsletter! 

In this edition, we’ll explore the scientific pathways that stress and trauma affect human health.

After that, some intel on microplastics and their health effects— check out the whole video by Rhonda Patrick.

Then comes a summary of a book whose content will likely trigger you— the author thinks Stephen Hawking is a shell character and that NASA is a complete fiction.

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

September 17th, 2024. Greetings from Ubud, Bali, Indonesia!

I've just arrived in Ubud, the cultural and spiritual heart of Bali. After years of hearing about this place, I'm excited to explore its temples, waterfalls, rice fields, and iconic landscapes.

The housecleaner at my Canggu homestay, Sri, a younger Balinese girl who barely speaks English but never stops smiling, started crying when I left. Despite the language barrier, we had hilarious daily interactions trying to communicate, singing each others names, buying each other fruit, and poking fun at one another.

It was a lesson for me to show how rewarding it is to spread joy— reminding me of the Wayne Dyer quote “Perhaps the surest way to find happiness and joy for yourself is to devote your energies toward making someone else happy.”

I’ll miss my twice daily beach walks and interactions with Sri, but my nomadic life moves along.

🤕 The Physiological Toll of Stress and Trauma

Stress has become an unwelcome constant for many. But the impact of chronic stress, unresolved trauma, and persistent negative emotions extends far beyond discomfort. Recent advancements in psychoneuroimmunology and mind-body medicine are revealing the physiological consequences of these psychological burdens.

The Cellular Stress Response

At the cellular level, chronic stress triggers a cascade of events that disrupt our body's fundamental processes. When we're stressed, our body enters a state of perceived threat, leading to what scientists call a "hypoxic state." This condition impairs mitochondrial function, resulting in:

• Decreased water production, leading to cellular dehydration

• Reduced CO2 production, affecting tissue oxygenation

• Lowered ATP synthesis, compromising our body's energy currency

This cellular stress activates the Cell Danger Response (CDR), where cells release extracellular ATP (eATP) as a danger signal. This triggers a chain of inflammatory events throughout the body, potentially leading to chronic inflammation - a root cause of many modern diseases.

Neurological Impacts

Chronic stress also rewires our brain. Under normal circumstances, our prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates behavior, thoughts, and emotions, maintaining a balance of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine.

However, under chronic stress or unresolved trauma, this balance is disrupted. The amygdala, our brain's fear center, becomes hyperactive, while the PFC's function is suppressed. This shift pushes our brain into a fear-based state, chronically elevating stress hormones and depleting vital resources like magnesium, GABA, and melanin.

The Water-Trauma Connection

One of the cool discoveries is how trauma can be "stored" in our body's water networks. Intracellular water plays a crucial role in energy and information transfer at a quantum level. Trauma can disrupt these water networks, leading to what scientists call "decoherence of our quantum system." This disruption impairs the body's ability to efficiently transfer energy and information between cells.

Hormonal Dysregulation

Chronic stress and unresolved trauma significantly impact our endocrine system. The constant activation of our stress response leads to imbalances in key hormones:

• Cortisol: Chronically elevated levels can lead to immune suppression, weight gain, and mood disorders.

• Aldosterone: Imbalances can affect blood pressure and electrolyte balance.

• Vasopressin: Disruptions can impact water retention and social bonding.

• Prolactin: Abnormal levels can affect mood, immune function, and reproductive health.

These hormonal imbalances contribute to a wide range of health issues, from cardiovascular disease to autoimmune conditions.

The Melatonin-Melanin Axis

Chronic stress disrupts our melatonin production, an antioxidant crucial for mitochondrial health, cellular repair, and cancer prevention. This disruption throws off our circadian rhythms, impacting cellular health at a fundamental level.

Melanin also plays a vital role in our overall health. It helps protect against oxidative stress and aids in toxin removal. Chronic stress can deplete our melanin stores, leaving us more vulnerable to environmental stressors and toxins.

The Deuterium Dilemma

Another aspect of chronic stress is its potential to lead to deuterium accumulation in our bodies. Deuterium, a heavier isotope of hydrogen, can disrupt normal cellular processes when it builds up. This accumulation can impair mitochondrial function, alter our body's pH balance, and even affect DNA function.

Systemic Health Implications

The combined effect of these disruptions can manifest in a wide array of health issues:

• Chronic Inflammation: The foundation of many modern diseases

• Autoimmune Disorders: As the body's communication systems break down

• Cardiovascular Issues: Due to ongoing stress and hormonal imbalances

• Digestive Problems: Stress directly impacts gut function and the microbiome

• Mental Health Disorders: Including depression, anxiety, and PTSD

• Chronic Fatigue: As cellular energy production is compromised

• Accelerated Aging: Due to increased oxidative stress and DNA damage

A Holistic Approach to Healing

Addressing stress, trauma, and negative emotions requires a multifaceted approach. It requires managing stress and healing at a cellular level. This might include:

• Trauma-informed therapies like IFS or somatic experiencing

• Mindfulness practices and meditation

• Breathwork

• Proper nutrition

• Movement practices

• Light therapy to regulate circadian rhythms and boost melanin production

• Social connection

This post is an attempt to show the physiological impacts of stress and trauma, for anyone who may not have heard about the actual biological underpinnings— which go far beyond just feeling "stressed out." Stress kills!

These factors fundamentally alter our biology, creating a cascade of effects that touch every aspect of our health. Hopefully by understanding these connections, we can be aware that a more informed, comprehensive approach to health optimization will lead to much better outcomes.

I may sound like a broken record but I will continue to beat the drum that optimal health and happiness requires minimizing stress, healing unresolved trauma (without being obsessive over it), and letting go of trapped negative emotions.

👩🏻‍🔬 Rhonda Patrick on Microplastics

The topic has been picking up steam for years now— and the problem only seems to be getting worse— but the ubiquitous nature of microplastics in the air, in our products, in our clothing, and basically everywhere else is having a major impact on the health of the population.

While I recommend listening to her entire podcast on the issue, here are three key facts I picked up as well as three recommendations for limiting your exposure to microplastics:

Three Key Facts

1) Microplastics and associated chemicals like BPA, BPS, and phthalates are pervasive in our environment and can accumulate in human organs, including the brain, liver, and reproductive system.

2) These substances can disrupt hormonal balance, impair fertility, and potentially increase risks for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions.

3) Microplastics and their associated chemicals enter our bodies primarily through ingestion (food and water) and inhalation, with some absorption possible through skin contact.

Three Action Steps to Consider

1) Install a reverse osmosis water filtration system at home to remove microplastics and other contaminants from drinking water. Add a remineralization filter to replace beneficial minerals.

2) Choose fresh, unpackaged foods over canned or plastic-packaged options, and store food in glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers instead of plastic ones. Never heat food in plastic containers.

3) Use a HEPA air filter in your home to reduce airborne microplastics, and opt for clothing made from natural fibers (like cotton, linen, or wool) instead of synthetic materials when possible.

🔬 Challenging Scientific Orthodoxy

In "A Fool's Wisdom: Science Conspiracies & The Secret Art of Alchemy," Steven Young presents a strong critique of modern science and its impact on our understanding of health and reality. Young argues that "scientism" - a worldview he describes as "stubbornly committed to being godless, soulless and spiritless" - has become a quasi-religious doctrine in modernity, opposed to divinity and denying the human soul.

Young, a nuclear physicist himself, contends that five fundamental theories form the core of scientism: atomism, gravity, heliocentrism, evolution, and germ theory. He writes that these theories are not believed because they make sense, but because they have been "installed" in our minds through various means of cultural programming.

The author's perspective on these theories is radical. He argues that quantum particles are purely mathematical constructs with no physical reality. He rejects the idea of Earth as a spinning globe in space, suggesting instead that we live on a flat, stationary plane. Evolution is described as a "creation myth with the creative process removed," while germ theory is portrayed as a deception that misattributes the causes of disease.

According to Young, these scientific theories are part of a larger conspiracy to disempower individuals and keep them dependent on centralized systems of control. He argues that empowered individuals mean less need for government, and so the government protects itself by disempowering the individual through the propagation of these theories. Triggered yet?

Here are some implications of these ideas for our physical, mental, and spiritual health:

Physical Health:

Young's rejection of germ theory leads to a complete reframing of how we understand disease. He argues that viruses and contagious particles are "theoretical fictions," and that symptoms we associate with illness are actually processes of detoxification. This perspective would radically alter our approach to healthcare, shifting from fighting external pathogens to supporting the body's natural detoxification processes.

He also writes about how many common healing plants are illegal or demonized because they threaten the profit-driven pharmaceutical industry. Instead, he advocates for natural medicine, arguing that it makes us stronger while conventional healthcare makes us more frail and dependent.

Mental Health:

Young proposes that belief in scientific theories like evolution can cause psychological harm. He suggests that teaching children they evolved from apes and are covered in germs can lead to major psychological problems later in life.

The author also suggests that fear of invisible pathogens, induced by belief in germ theory, can cause manic behavior and unnecessary worry. By rejecting these theories, he argues, we can free ourselves from these sources of mental distress.

Spiritual Health:

Perhaps the most significant implications are in the realm of spiritual health. Young argues that scientism "nullifies your soul and invalidates all inner meaning." By rejecting scientism and embracing alternative perspectives, he suggests we can reconnect with our spiritual nature.

He discusses practices like shamanic ceremonies, purgative psychedelics, and heat-intensive therapies (e.g. sweat lodges) as means of spiritual purification. Young argues that these practices can help "banish false beliefs from our mind by lifting the veil, giving us direct contact with spirit, affirming the true nature of life and consciousness."

Also emphasized in the books is the importance of humility in spiritual development, arguing that we must be able to humble ourselves before the "eternal truth of the universe" to avoid living in darkness and believing in what he terms "fables and pseudo-science."

Overall, Young's ideas represent a radical departure from conventional scientific understanding. He proposes a worldview where many of the fundamental theories of modern science are rejected, replaced by alternative explanations that he believes are more conducive to physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Yes, these ideas are highly controversial and contradict established scientific knowledge. His book requires you to question your assumptions about reality.

If this post piques your interest, definitely check out the book. If it triggered you— perhaps you actually haven’t done the work to find out the truth for yourself.

What I’ve found to be true when discussing sensitive topics is that the person who gets triggered and emotional defending their position is actually unsure of their position and its likely been installed by indoctrination (see quote below), not through independent study and confirmation. If you KNOW the truth of something, you wouldn’t be so emotional and confrontational in your attempts to defend that truth— it wouldn’t register like that.

I use this heuristic for myself— if I find myself trying to defend my position on something and getting emotional— I know that there are potential blind spots that I need to look at.

𝕏 Thread of the Week

🧘🏻‍♀️ Supercharged Meditation: This article talks about how meditation science is entering an exciting new era, exploring advanced practices that go beyond simple stress relief. Researchers are now combining meditation with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) to better understand the causal effects of meditation on the brain.

Early studies show promising results, with neuromodulation enhancing meditation outcomes in areas like working memory, anxiety reduction, and self-compassion. The "neural efficiency hypothesis" suggests that brain stimulation may help meditators progress faster while expending less energy.

🇺🇸 United States Healthcare—There Is No Such Thing: The health of American citizens is as broken as the healthcare system that’s supposed to take care of them. It’s disease-care, with profit motives in place that are directly in opposition to getting people healthy. Despite spending the most on healthcare, we have the lowest performance.

All that spending is not giving us the results we would expect.

Why? Money, of course.

"The healthcare industry doesn't profit from healthy people."

"There's no money in the cure, the money's in the medicine."

"A patient cured is a customer lost."

"The medical establishment has a vested interest in keeping people sick but alive."

"Pharmaceutical companies make more money from treating symptoms than curing diseases."

"Hospitals don't make money from empty beds."

"The medical industry thrives on chronic conditions, not on health."

"There's no financial incentive in prevention when the profit is in treatment."

A sad but true state of affairs.

Still, people put incredible amount of blind faith and trust in their doctors and their “solutions”— which often are at best band-aids that fail to address the root cause— which only makes the problem worse in the end.

No, this is not what health is supposed to look like.

🔗 One Hitters

♫ Healing house music Spotify playlist (Link)

🏃🏻‍♀️ Exercise is an extremely inefficient tool for weight loss (Quote)

🌍 The world population hoax (Video)

💬 “If your entire life is devoted to that which you know in your heart is meaningless, then you give birth to the mental process we label depression.” -Wayne Dyer

📚 Read my e-book, “Self-Development for Authentic Living” for free.

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

📰 To read all past newsletters, go here.