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It's How We are Designed

In the past, humans ate whatever food was available. When a food was in season, humans would eat it all because it wouldn’t be available again for a year. As a result, humans are conditioned to eat all of whatever is available.

We are also designed to eat the most calorie-dense foods we can find. So, if there is a choice between fatty salmon or grass, our brains urgently directed us to eat the salmon. This is a crucial survival behavior. This is called a craving, and i…

Weight-loss schemes (aka diets) make food addiction worse. They create nutritional deficits that cause cravings.

Many diets also contain addictive foods which trigger cravings. Diet "foods" are usually highly processed (addictive) foods. Point systems allow for splurges or cheats of processed foods which activate the addiction.

Artificial sweeteners are also addictive. They have been shown in research studies to be chosen by rats over heroin and cocaine.

Liquid protein diets are followed by t…

Why is it so challenging to quit overdrinking? The simple answer is – the desire to drink is programmed into our brains as an automatic habit.

When we want to change a habit, we need to realize that the same things that haven't worked for us in the past aren't going to work now. We need to change what we’re doing and use the power of our brains to become more conscious of our automatic programming.

We give up on trying to cut down or quit because we don’t have the right tools to succeed. We do…

In my most recent series of articles I'm discussing our brains role in forming habits - especially the habit of drinking alcohol. Let's dive in to today's topic!

Why do we give in to our desire for alcohol?

We discussed desire in a previous article. You can read it here. Remember, desire isn't involuntary. It’s learned, and you taught yourself. You’ve increased that desire so much that it seems involuntary.

Now, you may be feeling competing desires. Your thinking, rational brain says, “I want…

There's a healing art that is so simple it seems to come from nothing. There are no prescription medicines, no diets, no exercise routines, and no special equipment.  We need only our hands and our awareness to tap into the energetic source of healing power.

The Art of Jin Shin (also know as Jin Shin Jyutsu) facilitates the flow of energy in the body. It is based on the premise that the cause of all illness – mental, emotional, and physical – is a blockage in the flow of energy. This blocka…

Do you realize that your brain is designed to help you survive? This sounds like a good thing doesn’t it? And it is, but it can sometimes also cause some problems.

Your Brain is Rigged for Survival

Our brains provide us rewards when we do things that perpetuate our survival. These things include:

• Eating
• Seeking Shelter
• Sex

When we first do these things, the brain releases a little dopamine and this feels great! We get a reward, so to speak. Our brains use that as a feedback loop. When …

In my last article I discussed desire and how it is a learned behavior. You can read it here. Today I'm going to discuss how emotions play a role in habit creation.

Our emotions are created by what we think - so the emotion of desire is created by a thought. Staying on the topic of drinking alcohol - our desire for alcohol is created by a thought. So, what are the thoughts we have that create our desire for alcohol?

One of the most powerful thoughts we have is, “I want that.” It seems like suc…

As a culture, we drink alcohol. It's a normal part of life. As a matter of fact, in some social circles you have to make excuses for NOT drinking!

The first question you're asked when you are seated at a fine restaurant is "What can I get you to drink?"

Beer and wine commercials are everywhere on TV.

There are wine tastings everywhere these days...and they're lots of fun!

There's alcohol at almost every sporting event!

Why? What is it about alcohol that we have come to embrace in our societ…

Did you know that wild animals don't have the same stress-related illnesses that we humans have? Why is that? 

It's mostly due to the nature of the human brain. We can ruminate about our past and fret about the future. Psychoneuroimmunology (the study of how the mind influences the immune system), has shown that what we think IS our reality - whether it's real or not!

We were designed to experience acute stress - stressors that are short in nature and infrequent. When we are in danger, our ama…

From worldwide pandemics to difficult relationships, our world is filled with circumstances that cause stress. 

A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that dealing with persistent, long-term stress (like that from a toxic work environment or from caring for an elderly parent) can actually change the expression of your genes, leading to an increase in inflammation that can bring on a variety of health issues.

Learning how to cope with stress in a …