May 2010 Archives

We'll start our journey into nootropics with something everybody is mostly familiar with: omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. There are many things involved in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and the contraindicating statements just confuse the people even more - we tried to boil it down to the basics that are easy to understand. 

The most important thing that many people don't know, is the ratio between them. It's important because omega 3 and 6 "compete" for the same metabolic enzymes when our cells are producing Eicosanoids - a form of signal transmitters in the body.

You can check out the Wikipedia entry on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eicosanoid for full details but basically our bodies can't differentiate between the two omegas, and use whichever is at hand. But end products/results are very much different. The omega 6 eicosanoids are generally pro-inflammatory; omega 3 are much less so. The amounts and balance of these fats in a person's diet will affect the body's eicosanoid-controlled functions, with effects on cardiovascular disease, triglycerides, blood pressure, and arthritis.

We live in a society that is built around an idea that rewarding something - usually with money - will motivate people, and punishing something - again usually with money - will discourage them. 

So why do people have a hard time motivating themselves to do better at work - even though they are going to receive a hefty bonus?

Perhaps you have a problem figuring out why is it so hard for you to be motivated? Or you're a business owner/manager - and you are trying to figure out what you can use to motivate your workers?

You should check out this information packed - science backed, 10 minute presentation. It will show you how motivation really works and why bonuses don't always work - at least when it comes to work that requires using your brain. 

The second - longer presentation, lasting some 40 minutes, goes into more details - but it's the exactly same speaker, telling the same story - giving more details and samples of studies and companies.

While there are many ways to hack your life and body, and we'll cover those on this blog, there is one thing that's an length ahead of others because it promises instant effect. 

What if I told you there is a pill that can if not instantly, then very quickly - make you smarter, faster, happier - make you better in one way or another?

You might think that's nothing new, drugs have been around for a long time. In the last few years and even decades news are full of stories about sportsmen that take them to break the records, students that take them so they do better at school and even housewives that need some extra juice to take care of the house and all the kids.  

And we were all taught that drugs are bad since they all have side effects and shouldn't be taken unless we really need them to cure some disease. Drug abuse deteriorates your health and makes you addicted to them, we were taught, right? But is that always true?  

What if I told you there are drugs/foods/substances that a "healthy" person can take, that would make that person smarter, faster or happier - simply put better than without drugs, and there were no bad side effects and no addiction (in the life threatening, sweating and hearth beating, sell your mother for a quick fix - if you skip your dose - way)?

What if I told you, that you already used some of them without even knowing?

You don't smoke? Cool me neither - I can't stand tobacco. You never had energy drinks or coffee? Not even tea? Never took Aspirin after hard workout so you don't end up with sore muscles the day after? Never took alcohol to loosen you up (and have more fun during the party)? You don't take any vitamin/mineral/amino-acid supplement?

If you haven't done any of these - then you should take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. 

If you did at least one of those then you should take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes - though you get to choose how deep you want to go ;)