Against Molecular Ray Peat Forumnism
& Breakdown of Reichian Character Types for Breathwork: BW Newsletter, 1 July 2023
Table of Cawltents:
Against Ray Peat Forumnism
A Breakdown of Reichian Soma-types for Breathwork Analysis & Forthcoming Releases
List for Members - One Stop Link Shop (members only)
Favouring Small Parts
The inspiration for this weeks deep dive is a general trend I've noticed. One becoming more pronounced and extreme in recent times. I must admit I’ve been subject to it, with varying degrees of fervour and monetary investment over the years. Surfing the Ray Peat forum recently for a laugh or two as is my custom, I strongly felt that something needed to be put out there to counteract this force. That is, in alt health circles or whatever you want to call it, there is far too much emphasis on the molecular - even if there is a more holistic approach overall.
The butt of many jokes, this attitude flares up in a rather unhealthy, and frankly silly obsession with the interaction of chemicals and ‘how that will make me feel after my 3 decades on the couch chronically depressed after i ate that cherry tomato in 1987’. For sure, there are legitimate chronic health issues in the world, that’s not the argument here.
The strong overweening autistic fear of certain kinds of roughage & vegetables and the esoteric outlook on something like milk and potatoes I’ve always found amusing. At the same time with very fringe chemicals and isolated hormones, people are often extraordinarily on the causative relations of all these things. Fine, I don’t deny they may be useful.
But i can’t deny I feel a strong sense of neuroticism when glancing over most threads there. I believe this is best represented by an overwhelming focus on smallest component parts having almost inconceivable psychological impacts. There’s also the ‘I think I felt something bros’.
A frantic energy, an unhealthy obsession with molecular interactions and there impact on the organism at large. It’s clear in medicine that humans are very much capable of talking themselves into all manner of psycho-somatic symptoms and cures. For me much of what i observe on the forum is akin to the an aboriginal death bone: this is my belief.
I’m being completely unjust to Ray of course. I get what he’s about. It's not just the Ray Peat forum that inflicts consumers with health autism, self-inflicted hypersensitivity, and old-time placebo. Not at all. The use of drugs and supplements in our culture has reached all-time highs and continues to exponentially grow.
For example, 80% of US adults, for instance, use a supplement of one kind or another. You can see how this has grown by around 20% in the US alone since 2008.
"The global dietary supplements market size was USD 61.20 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow from USD 71.81 billion in 2021 to USD 128.64 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 8.68% during the 2021-2028 period."
The population is awash with various pharmaceutical interventions as well. Take hypertension, for example, a prevalent ailment in the US in particular, given the vast quantity of fatsos that live there:
"CDC High blood pressure costs the nation about $131 to $198 billion each year.' This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat high blood pressure, and loss of productivity from premature death."
And that’s just hypertension. (Hypertension is clearly a dysfunction of respiratory mechanics and it’s downstream impact on the vascular system. But anyway, more on that later).
This isn't pocket change - these are enormous sums of money, and in the case of health care, the damage is usually mutualised in one way or another in Western Nations, where relatively healthy and successful people end up footing the bill. Like myself, and I have what i believe to be perfectly legitimate resentment over it.
Pharmaceutical drugs overall indicate to us a state of bad health for sure; supplements don’t necessarily. Some may simply imbibe them to 'patch up' holes in their diets (something of very dubious utility). However, much of it is likely also due to not feeling up to scratch in various ways. Trying to patch up leaks that bad lifestyle choices create.
Could there be other reasons for hypertension? Other reasons people are falling apart? Could it in fact be related to the integrity of structure, or the efficiency of processes in the body? Could molecular interactions be downstream of structure and process? Could years of doing the wrong thing with posture and breath for example, be leading to hormonal and vascular disruptions that we treat with supplements and drugs?
It's not my purpose here to be black and white and completely piss on supplements or whatever else. I do not intend to give lifestyle advice nor be mean to Ray or the members of his forum. Even though the shrill terror at various foods makes me laugh, and I like to visit every now and then to see how the neurotics are getting on with slowly re-introducing cucumbers into their diets.
It is my intention to show you that pursuing molecular components as the prime goal is illogical and flawed. This trend is one of many that follows a rather disturbing pattern in our civilisation. A reduction to the smallest component parts to try and solve ‘problems’. I want to reintroduce a bit of balance and point out that there are more effective ways to bring about vibrant health and ‘bio-energy’ as Peaters’ like to say.
Some very, very cheap and unsexy interventions can be used for large payoffs.
Why Do We Do It?
I only know my answer to this, but humankind is primarily wired to achieve 2 things. Pump out some more units and continuously gorge ourselves, Mr Creosote-style. We have brains wired for for foraging to do this efficiently, and thus we enjoy novelty and new information. Anything or any one who gets in the middle of the feeding frenzy is usually widely disliked.
Take money printing, as a contemporary example. Without and increase in productivity, some of the world's ‘greatest economic minds’ actually thought it was possible to increase the volume of the monetary denominator (i.e. USD) to increase productivity growth. There hasn't been growth in wages of productivity since 1975 - but somehow, we convinced ourselves that a program of painting over the cracks is preferable to genuine reform. This is a focus on the technics and manipulation of ledger, the denominator to cover up what is really happening - or not happening in this case.
We've even invented all sorts of sexy names or 'complicated financial instruments' for this. But it serves one purpose - the paint over the cracks, to roll over bad decisions every 3-5 years. It causes immense wealth inequality and generational resentment and significantly contributes to mass immigration since you always need new creditors and, most ironically, the hollowing out of natural growth.
But no matter - it's easy to do, a magic trick that temporarily covers up the truth. It's like a pill; because we're lazy and not only do we not want to face up to the facts, but we actually can’t see the facts. Underneath the paint, the rotten system disintegrates away while our geriatric leadership congratulate themselves on asset prices 'rising'.
In a way, the overall structure of the system, how it all fits together, why productivity is lagging, how secular or generational trends occur - the overall structure, is almost imperceptible to almost all of us. Instead of the general picture, we focus on the ledger and how it moves around. That’s all we can see.
Some newer subscribers here may be familiar with the so-called split-brain hypothesis that Kevin and I investigated through several podcast episodes.
In short:
Vertebrates exhibit widespread brain lateralisation. Birds and mammals evolved bi-hemispheric brains, providing advantages for cognitive tasks that require simultaneous but distinct use of both hemispheres, such as finding food while remaining vigilant against predators. This lateralisation also benefits social cohesion at individual and population levels, facilitating connections as potential mates or friends
(Rogers 2002).
During brain evolution, the cerebral hemispheres expanded particularly the frontal lobes in humans. This expansion allows us to step back from the world, introspect, and plan.
It enhances our ability to think creatively, take control, and develop broader empathy. It is also apparently true that the human brain became more-so asymmetrical, with reduced connectivity between hemispheres. The modern brain is characterised as two independent systems that offer distinct experiential worlds to the mind (Jancke et al. 2003). Consequently, evidunce suggests that asymmetry is tilting in favour of the left hemisphere.
Iain MacGilchrist makes the argument in his book that part of the reason we're such extremists when it comes to crippling bureaucratisation, legalism, stultifying organisation, language and abstraction obsessions with severe consequences for those being lived by them is that for neurological reasons we simply have difficulty seeing outside of them. A side effect of our peculiar development of left-hemispheric dominance 1.
MacGilchrist describes the left hemisphere as providing a unique ability to detach from the ongoing experience of flux represented by the right hemisphere. It achieves this through focused attention, denotative language, and sequential analysis, transforming the world into explicit, abstract, compartmentalised, fragmented, and static representations.
This enables efficient manipulation and interaction with the world, and we see it’s fruits in technology for example. We should know however that in contrast, the right hemisphere embodies intuitive perception and serves as a repository for conceptualised knowledge.
So what am I getting at here. Biology and medicine? Think of it this way - we have as first principles a cartesian split of body and mind. From this point, our bodies have many segments and each compartmentalised segment has a function or several functions and each function has a specialised practitioner.
Specialisation in biology and medicine began to kick off in the 19th century. There are approximately 139 medical specialisations in the US for example.
In medicine, particularly, the pursuit of components shows itself strongly in fields like molecular biology. The body is compartmentalised and reduced to its smallest component parts, genes, cells and whatever else. Cellular pathways are focused on in a very specific way, often separated from all other contexts due to the sheer complexity of trying to do that.
Again, this is all good stuff. But - it is from this point of view that we also tend to derive ‘cures’ or ‘treatments’. There is a single minded focus on these very small parts the literature I survey.
Take the whole covid fiasco as yet another example of this tendency worsening:
"Both McGilchrist and Sass share the concern that an increased reliance on the left hemisphere in everyday life, leads also to an increase in the prevalence of schizophrenia and of schizophrenic-like dispositions. McGilchrist and Sass are not arguing that humanity is dealing with a sudden epidemic of schizophrenia, but instead with an accentuated reliance on the world as delivered to us by the left hemisphere, meanwhile dismissing what it is that the right hemisphere knows and could help us understand. Sass highlights the fact that that we usually imagine madness as a place of mystery and uncontrollable passions, existing beyond the confines of civilised life, p. 20). Contrary to this popular belief, schizophrenia, considered to be the quintessential form of madness, is far from resembling a primitive or Dionysian condition. Instead, schizophrenia's principal psychopathological features are hyper-rationalism as well as disengagement from emotions and embodied existence" 4
(Jancke et al pp. 188)
To top it all off, most science is nonsense. Yes - the replication crisis. Ergo, it’s probable that most ‘cures’ as also nonsense. Or not that good. This is just one of the many dangers of being a left-brained extremist. We miss the forest for the trees.
In light of what we now know about the brain, how should we view singled-out ingredients, supplements, and pro-hormones, focusing on small parts of the body, on single pathways, and forgetting the whole unified field or structure of the body? And how that structure works in time.
There is in mainstream literature, very little focus on this. It’s actually pretty stunning. In fact, if a scientists outlines a problem with breathing as an example, he will say ‘the hormone profile causes the difficulty’. It’s rarely if ever the actual breath reflex that is leading to the hormonal profile. Hardly ever.
I don’t have a lot of evidence, but unlike the average scientist Im more than happy to make some claims. It seems clear to me that we focus on the smallest parts because of this severe cultural handicap.
That right-brained activities - or physiological activities, are THE most important. That the entire structure and how it functions trumps any pro-hormone or silly pathway in isolation. And that even if these interventions work, if we don't fix the structure and the process that the body is, we're weakly 'painting over the ever-worsening cracks.' Or printing money to cover up the truth.
Pre-Warning
I'm getting granular and molecular here. The purpose is to highlight how important the integrity of the whole is above all else. And how the proper functioning of the entirety of the body is strongly correlated to the counter-balance of the right brain. Some of the studies I reference were not designed to give the frame I'm choosing the use them for. So be warned of that.
I understand the irony of me always taking the absolute piss out of Leggs Huberman and #SCIENCE, and right afterwards, using molecular science to prove a point - however, I am attempting to paint a picture of how structure trumps all. Please keep that in mind.
We understand now that exercise, sun and sleep are essential - I want to add to this structure, respiration and mastery of reactivity. The fundamental pillars of the bio-individual philosophy.
This isn't an exhaustive set of data, the intention is more to outline, with evidence, how structure and process trump any weaksauce molecular interaction we can interject 'with our little love of products'.
Finally, I'm not saying chemical interventions are not worthwhile; I'm making a general point and observation.
If our culture valued basic postural and respiratory habits from a young age, introduced the discipline of body and mind, much of what ails us personally and as a culture would probably not occur on the vast scale it does.
More importantly, for bio-individual practitioners, I suggest that a program of structural integration should be our foremost priority, and being bamboozled by supplements and product placements is not necessarily to our advantage.
Let's get into it.
(i) Posture and Thyroid
Posture, as I'm discovering more and more thanks to Kevin Mackay's excellent course, is to be found here
.It is the fundamental tributary, and I believe every single regulatory process in the body is downstream. As the most significant prognosticator of the human condition tells us:
"To straighten the crooked you must first do a harder thing - straighten yourself."
I believe the Buddha meant this quite literally. As a practitioner of Zen, and I'm sure anyone who's attempted Kevin's course can tell you - the Devil is in the details. The Buddha makes this clear when he refers to this straightening the crooked as 'a harder thing'.
I want to start with thyroid since this is everyone's favourite thing to discuss and at the top of every good esoteric supplement to-do list.
For starters: the thyroid gland is situated beneath the Adam's apple, chilling out at the lowermost part of the neck.
Individuals generally possess a pair of lobes united by a slender tissue bridge known as the thyroid isthmus. In addition, nestled on each lobe, one typically finds two sets of parathyroid glands.
Before investigating these topics in depth, I never realised that the arrangement, composition and even location of the thyroid are very different among individuals. This reminded me of the infamous gay dwarf Jamie Lewis when he used to speak about the organs and structures of individual bodies being wholly different from each other. And as a result, much stock advice, other than general principles, are therefore completely worthless.
As always, the Devil is in the details when fixing the physiology.
(ii) Forward head Posture Impact on Thyroid
"The thyroid is located close to the spinal cord, particularly the lowest cervical vertebra (C7). This could mean if one of these two vital parts of the body are injured or compromised, the other could be adversely affected as well. Your C7 vertebra supports the primary load from the weight of your head and neck – it's the bony part of your spine you can feel if you reach down and touch the base of your neck. A misalignment of the C7 could cause a pinching of the nerves and blood vessels that lead to the thyroid gland, which can disrupt its function."
(Shestra et al. 2014)
Shretsa et al. tell us that in a study of Hashimotos, an autoimmune thyroid disease, that 35.5% of the patient's vertebra did not line correctly or had some form of degenerative disc disease. The lack of thyroid may be causative, however it was entertained that structure may have some part to play. Totally non-koalafied, I would argue that poor posture is a giant piece of the causative pie:
"Out of 7094 patients with anti-TG and anti-TPO levels, we included 4383 patients with complete data on thyroid autoantibodies, spinal DDD, and the covariates. Of those, 1557 (35.5%) patients had AITD."
SCIENCE studies on Forward Head Posture (FHP) tells us more about what this interaction could be. FHP is characterised again by a forward positioning of the head in relation to the shoulders, often associated with rounded shoulders and a hunched upper back.
Some studies have suggested a potential association between FHP and thyroid dysfunction. One study found that individuals with FHP had higher levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and lower levels of free thyroxine (FT4), indicating a potential hypothyroid state 6.
Much of this is believed to stem from the compression of the so-called Carotid Triangle 10.
"In perfect harmony, each artery finds its counterpart in a corresponding vein. Arteries diligently transport revitalising, oxygen-rich blood, while veins carry away the oxygen-depleted blood, ensuring its purification in the lungs and replenishment with fresh oxygen."
Among the mighty conduits, the carotid artery reigns supreme as the largest. Positioned on both sides of the head and neck, these vital arteries serve as conduits for blood flow from the heart to the brain through the neck region. Within the carotid triangle and neck, the carotid artery bifurcates into two branches, channeling distribution of blood flow.
The external carotid artery supplies blood to the neck and face, while its counterpart, the carotid artery, propels the blood towards the brain. Within this intricate network of channels, several major branches play crucial roles, such as:
The superior thyroid artery nourishes the thyroid gland and extends its life-giving supply to the larynx.
Any disruption in this intricate blood supply system may result in thyroid function, speech, and swallowing difficulties.
Moreover, the superior thyroid vein collects the blood drained from the thyroid gland and the larynx, allowing it to flow into the internal jugular vein 9.
Changes in posture, particularly those affecting neck alignment and cervical spine curvature, have also been associated with alterations in thyroid volume. Some literature indicates a relationship between neck posture and thyroid volume and found that a more extended neck posture was associated with increased thyroid volume.
#SCIENCE studies have examined the effects of neck flexion (forward bending of the neck) and extension (backward bending of the neck) on thyroid blood flow and hormone levels. One study reported that neck flexion reduced blood flow to the thyroid gland, potentially affecting its function. Another study found that neck extension increased thyroid blood flow 15.
It seems obvious to me. We can see that a compression of the area around the neck could lead to a contraction of the thyroid gland and a reduction in blood flow and subsequent drainage to this area.
Now a person may benefit from taking thyroid; however, if the proper oxygentation and postural habits had been taught at a young age, I wonder if the functionality of the thyroid function have been maintained?
Finally, given this blog often talks about Autonomic and vagus nerve interactions and responses - the vagus nerve:
"connects to the external laryngeal nerves which act upon the inferior thyroid artery." 11
So, I would suggest that if you have an underactive thyroid, which doesn't necessarily need to end up in super-chronic conditions like those referred to in the literature referenced, one of the first ports of call would be to sort out your posture, mainly how the neck sits. You would also want respiratory functionality to be good, with a decent thoracic flexibility to ensure sufficient oxygenation and blood flow to the tissues.
I'm shocked at how little literature is out there on this: however, it would be hard to reject the notion that sufficient blood, volume and drainage of the thyroid would be related to secretion and regulation of the gland. Plenty is saying how the musculoskeletal system is impacted by its dysfunction, but almost nothing about the inverse relationship.
Put it this way, if I was the deliver a kick to your testicles (or ovaries) every 10 minutes, and apply a rubber band to them - not wholly cutting blood flow off, but just a little - how do we think that would impact the functionality of the glans?
Again, just what I think.
(iii) Breath and Thyroid
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder characterised by repetitive episodes of complete or partial blockage of the upper airway during sleep. Some studies have found a potential association between OSA and alterations in thyroid function. For example, individuals with OSA may have a higher prevalence of thyroid disorders, including hypothyroidism. It has been suggested that intermittent hypoxia and sleep disruption associated with OSA may contribute to thyroid dysfunction. However, more research is needed to establish a definitive causal relationship8. Much evidence suggests that Apnea is related to poor posture. I believe it is also related to extreme tension in the chest and neck, and a dysfunctional thoracic capacity and rhythm.
Hypothyroidism, a condition characterised by low thyroid hormone levels, has been associated with decreased respiratory muscle strength and impaired respiratory function. Studies have reported reduced maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures and decreased lung volumes in individuals with hypothyroidism16. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy has been shown to improve respiratory muscle function in these individuals - however, I couldn't find any research on a combined approach or simply utilising breath work to enhance this mechanism. This would be a very fruitful area for research.
Thyroid hormones, particularly triiodothyronine (T3), regulate the respiratory drive. Animal studies have suggested that thyroid hormones influence the sensitivity of the respiratory centres in the brainstem, affecting the respiratory rate and tidal volume. However, the direct impact of thyroid hormones on respiratory function in humans is not well-established. We could picture that chronically inhibited breath and thoracic pressure, hypertension, and stooped posture cutting of vital blood and oxygen for the thyroid gland could have a severely inhibitory impact over time and become chronic in some people.
(iv) Spinal Integrity and Hormones
Cortisol represents something we're often awash in for all the reasons I've discussed. It is often referred to as the "stress hormone" because its levels tend to increase during times of stress. Poor posture, such as slouching or hunching forward, can contribute to physical stress on the body. This can activate the release of cortisol, leading to increased levels of this hormone in the bloodstream17. Some studies suggested this was not so much the case but did admit that they only made observations over short time frames. We are left to wonder how long-term postural intervention would influence hormonal cascades and to experiment with this on ourselves in the end. Aside from this, the existing SCIENCE STUDIES only reference' power posture' as a means of changing hormonal response. This is silly, and they should focus more on 'what is posture', changing posture over time, and measuring hormonal responses as it shifts as a permanent response.
Testosterone is another one with the same shortcomings. Again, subject to the replication crisis, the study design could be better. T is considered by many to be the holy grail, an essential hormone for both men and women - as we all know and is the basis of many molecule cell discussions online - rightly so. Studies (I hate myself for even saying this, I remind myself of Huberman every paragraph - sickening) have shown that assuming a powerful and confident posture, such as standing tall with an open chest and relaxed shoulders, can increase testosterone levels and decrease cortisol levels. On the other hand, adopting a submissive or slouched posture can reduce testosterone levels and increase cortisol levels, as one study by the Harvard business school suggested18.
So, it makes sense that deep physiological and neurological mechanisms are involved beyond merely 'feeling confident' or some other nonsense. And fixing posture to be a consistent feature of your life would often lead to better hormonal profiles. I contend it's 'not just looking powerful' in anycase. That seems quite ridiculous and reductionist.
Of course, posture also makes itself known during sleep and waking hours. I found several references to Growth hormones as crucial for growth, repair, and overall well-being. Research suggests that maintaining good posture, particularly during sleep, can enhance growth hormone release 20.
Breathing and oxygenation is a big one. I've written about this before, including the impact of the thoracic expansion and degree of oxygenation of tissues - including a defence of Wim Hof (I think it was last week). Posture influences the way you breathe. Slouched posture can restrict the movement of the diaphragm and limit the depth of your breaths. Shallow breathing can result in reduced oxygen intake, which may impact the production and release of hormones. Proper posture allows for full, deep breathing, promoting oxygenation and supporting hormonal balance. We will take a close look at this next - and it's not simply 'MUH T BRO'; reparation and your ability to take in enough oxygen and metabolise it has been suggested by some to be an entirely necessary field of study simply in and of itself.
(v) Respiratory Endocrinology - A New Field?
The oxygenation and gaseous exchange, or respiration in general, of tissues plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and can have significant impacts on hormone regulation. Some scientists like Olli Polo suggest an entire new field should be introduced - respiratory endocrinology:
A textbook of endocrinology from 1985 stated that "respiration does not have a significant element of endocrine control." (1) With growing body of evidence on the interaction of respiration and hormones during the past 15 years, this statement has subsequently been omitted. (2) Today, the control of respiration encompasses both voluntary (cortex) and involuntary (emotional, metabolic, neural, and endocrine components) control mechanisms.
The endocrine and nervous systems have complex interactions. The nervous system produces and liberates biochemical agents, which may act as locally or systemically via circulation. Several hormones serve as neurogenic mediators within the CNS. Circulating hormones can have local or autocrine effects in the cells in which they are produced. Locally synthesized hormones can diffuse into adjacent or nearby cells to exert paracrine effects. The effect of a single hormone can differ in various tissues or in the same tissue at different eras of life span. The presence of other hormonal or nonhormonal regulators may reinforce or hinder the action of a hormone. Most complex processes under endocrine control, such as respiration, are influenced by several hormones.
And more:
A number of hormones, including hypothalamic neuropeptides acting as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the CNS, are involved in the physiologic regulation of breathing and participate in adjustment of breathing in disease. In addition to central effects, some hormones also control breathing at peripheral chemoreceptors or have local effects on the lungs and airways. Estrogen and progesterone seem to protect from sleep-disordered breathing, whereas testosterone may predispose to it. Progesterone and thyroxine have long been known to stimulate respiration. More recently, several hormones such as corticotropin-releasing hormone and leptin have been suggested to act as respiratory stimulants. Somatostatin, dopamine, and neuropeptide Y have a depressing effect on breathing. Animal models and experimental human studies suggest that also many other hormones may be involved in respiratory control.
From this paper and summarising my own researches on gaseous exchange and tissues oxygenation, I will briefly summarise many of the relationships they elaborate on.
Oxygenation and Insulin Sensitivity: Research has shown that impaired tissue oxygenation, particularly in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, is associated with insulin resistance and poor glucose metabolism. Inadequate oxygen supply to these tissues can lead to reduced insulin sensitivity, contributing to the development of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. Improving tissue oxygenation through exercise, increased physical activity, and optimising cardiovascular health has been found to enhance insulin sensitivity and glucose control.
Hypoxia and Hormonal Responses: Hypoxia, a condition characterised by reduced oxygen availability to tissues, can trigger hormonal responses. For example, in response to hypoxia, the body releases erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells and enhances oxygen-carrying capacity. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which are transcription factors activated in low oxygen conditions, have also been found to regulate various hormonal pathways, including those involved in metabolism, inflammation, and stress responses.
Oxygenation and Endocrine Disorders: Studies have investigated the association between tissue oxygenation and various endocrine disorders. For instance, impaired tissue oxygenation in the ovaries has been observed in conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This oxygenation deficit may contribute to hormonal imbalances in PCOS, including increased androgen levels. Additionally, tissue oxygenation concerning thyroid disorders, adrenal dysfunction, and hormonal changes associated with aging has been studied.
Oxygenation and Stress Hormones: Adequate tissue oxygenation is crucial for optimal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the stress response. Studies have shown that inadequate tissue oxygenation can lead to dysregulation of the HPA axis and increased secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol. Chronic stress, often associated with reduced tissue oxygenation, can contribute to sustained elevation of cortisol levels, which may harm health, including impaired immune function and increased risk of chronic diseases.
So again we are faced with the same question - Chicken or egg? Many papers simply suggest the reason for the physiological response is the hormone problem. ok…maybe that’s sometimes, but what if we invert this. What if its the other way around?
These studies highlight the importance of adequate tissue oxygenation for hormonal regulation and overall health. Optimising tissue oxygenation through lifestyle interventions like regular exercise, maintaining cardiovascular health, and ensuring proper oxygen delivery can positively influence hormone balance and mitigate the risk of associated health conditions.
This also tells us that the ability to breathe appropriately, most of the time - is absolutely critical to the functionality of the complex cascades.
The inability to breathe has the opposite impact, and you create a snowball effect with all the systems of the body; the worse, you do it for longer. You may even visit the Peat forum, desperately searching for any…molecular interactions that could help you.
When the entire time, it's simply that, over time, because of your physiological habits, you've exerted extreme pressure on the functionality of all these things.
Habituating good breathing is the focus of my new business and work. A session or 2 is simply not good enough. For example, it has been noted that if your rhythm is interrupted for even a few minutes, the baseline venous return and oxygenation can take hours to recover.
Over a lifetime, I firmly believe this can lead to the structural collapse of the body, including Alzheimer's or hypertension, as elaborated before.
These are primarily structural problems; seeing them otherwise will not help anyone.
(vi) Stress Responses and Muscle Tension - Reactivity and Hormonal Response
In this significant section, you should ask yourself one thing. I can take all the supplements of chemicals I want for stress, but if I'm the same highly reactive being with the same framings I've always had, what good are chemicals going to do but offer a momentary relief? What happens when I run out of them? Will I get stressed?
Is the chemical changing the response, or is it me taking the chemical making me think that the chemical is changing the response when Im changing the response?
Why not aim to master my physiology to manage stress? Why not master my reactivity through reframing or meditation so I am not as reactive anymore?
The way our body reacts to stress can vary in intensity depending on two things: how dangerous the situation is and how we personally perceive and handle the stress. It has been shown in relatively early #MUHSCIENCESTUDIES how our thoughts and emotions can either activate or deactivate stress. Some evidence suggests that reframing is a powerful tool since the brain is a predictive mechanism, as elaborated in the book "The Experience Machine" by Andy Clark - by simply changing what the brain should predict, we also shape our reactivity (very much worth reading). Recent research has shown that our body's autonomic nervous system is not as independent as we thought 21.
When we experience repeated stress, our body's easily accessible resources for dealing with stress run out. In order to keep functioning, our body starts using more difficult-to-access resources and activates mechanisms that slow down the process of exhaustion. It's like our body is adapting to the ongoing stress and trying to cope with it 22.
The process starts in the hypothalamus, which activates the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland releases a hormone called corticoliberin, which triggers the production of another hormone called adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) or corticotropin. ACTH then stimulates the adrenal glands, which release corticoadrenal hormones from a specific part of the hypothalamus called the paraventricular nucleus (PVN)22.
The adrenal glands also release hormones called glucocorticoids, such as cortisol and cortisone. These hormones help our body by mobilising carbohydrate reserves and increasing the amount of slower-acting sugars in our blood. They also reduce allergic and inflammatory reactions caused by tissue damage during the stress response by decreasing the activity of our immune system, especially a type of white blood cell called eosinophils 22.
Once this process becomes established and uncontrollable, the blood vessels in organs needed for a fight-or-flight response constantly expand, while the blood vessels in organs controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system continually narrow. This narrowing of blood vessels can harm the tissues relying on them and make it difficult for our muscles, which are always tense, to eliminate waste products produced during this state.
Stress can manifest through two distinct mechanisms19:
Mental stress is associated with negative and biased representations of the situation.
An autonomic sup-conscious stress exhausts the physiological resources of the organism.
These two mechanisms work together simultaneously. They impact each other, but they follow different causal paths. When we reach the exhaustion phase, feelings of disempowerment and depression arise, accompanied by anger towards oneself and a sense of powerlessness. Our body's resources become increasingly limited. Waste products accumulate in the muscles, causing breathlessness, and the arteries and heart start functioning poorly.
Excessive cortisol, a hormone released during stress, weakens our immune defences and can also harm the tissues of our central nervous system as it spreads through the bloodstream. Initially, this effect can be stimulating because it increases the movement of ions in nerve membranes, particularly calcium. However, once this chemical reaction is exhausted, the neurons themselves become depleted and, in some cases, even die due to depolarisation.
Studies have shown that the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and spatial relations, tends to decrease in volume in individuals who have experienced this prolonged stress response. This damage to the hippocampus leads to uncontrollable psychological reactions of disorientation.
Glucocorticoids, including cortisol, also stimulate other brain regions. They affect the functioning of the frontal lobe, which may explain why people under stress often make poor decisions. They also heighten activity in the amygdala, intensifying feelings of fear. The amygdala, in turn, reinforces the action of the pituitary gland, while the hippocampus can inhibit it.
So mastery over reactivity has immense impacts. Mindfulness therefore, has immense impacts, and is cheaper than DHEA.
(v) Musculature and Tegridy
Muscle tension can have an impact on hormones, mainly through its association with stress and the activation of the body's stress response system. Here are some key points regarding the scientific implications of muscle tension on hormones:
Muscle tension is often a physical manifestation of stress. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is released when stress triggers the body's stress response. Cortisol helps the body mobilise energy and cope with stress. Chronic muscle tension and the associated chronic stress response can elevate cortisol levels. Prolonged elevation of cortisol can adversely affect hormonal balance, immune function, metabolism, and overall health.
Adrenaline and Noradrenaline: Muscle tension, particularly in response to acute stress or perceived threats, can activate the release of adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) from the adrenal glands. These hormones are involved in the body's "fight-or-flight" response, preparing the body for action. Increased muscle tension can be part of this physiological response, helping to mobilise energy and prepare the body for physical exertion. It is possible to remain in this state consistently over time.
Muscle tension, specifically in the context of relaxation techniques or physical touch, can trigger the release of oxytocin, often called the "love hormone" or "bonding hormone." Oxytocin is associated with feelings of social connection, trust, and relaxation. Specific activities that promote muscle relaxation, such as massage, stretching, or deep breathing exercises, can stimulate the release of oxytocin 23.
It's important to note that the impact of muscle tension on hormones is often mediated through the body's stress response and the release of stress-related hormones. Chronic muscle tension and persistent stress can disrupt hormonal balance and adversely affect health. Conversely, targeted relaxation techniques and activities promoting muscle relaxation can help counteract stress and positively impact hormonal balance.
(vii) Controlling & Reframing Cognitive Reactivity
Reactivity and personality traits we'd consider to be pathological representations of reactivity are often associated with peculiar hormonal profiles. Again, I want to attack this back to front because many of these traits are considered a result of - not leading to - which is the fundamental premise I'm questioning here.
For example, if you can become a less reactive person, what does this do for all the chemical interactions in your body?
High reactivity is often associated with increased stress levels, leading to elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone; its release is part of the body's natural stress response. However, chronic high reactivity and persistent stress can result in dysregulation of cortisol, leading to prolonged elevated levels or disrupted cortisol patterns throughout the day 24.
High reactivity often involves an increased sympathetic nervous system response, releasing adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine). These hormones prepare the body for the "fight-or-flight" response, triggering increased heart rate, blood pressure, and energy mobilisation 22.
Stress and reactivity can impact insulin regulation and glucose metabolism. Studies have shown chronic stress and high reactivity can contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. This may increase the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes 25.
High reactivity and chronic stress can influence reproductive hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. Prolonged stress can disrupt the normal balance of these hormones, potentially affecting fertility, menstrual regularity, and libido.
So what is the solution then? - not to be reactive. Do you need chemicals for this? Except in extreme cases - no.
What do you need? You need mindfulness, yoga, and whatever else. When you see your reactivity for what it is over-tie, you simply drop it.
No expensive products are required. Simply self-discipline. And reframing.
(viii) Data on Whoremones and Meditation
In recent years, mindfulness practice has gained significant attention for its potential benefits on mental and physical well-being. While there is a growing body of research on mindfulness, including its effects on hormones, it's important to note that the field is still evolving. Nonetheless, I can provide an overview of the existing research on mindfulness and hormones 26. Some nice data I found:
Mindfulness-based practices have been shown to reduce cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone. Several studies have found that individuals who engage in mindfulness techniques, such as mindfulness meditation or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), exhibit lower cortisol levels compared to those who do not practice mindfulness 27.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone involved in stress response and is often considered a marker of overall health and well-being. Mindfulness practices may increase DHEA levels, potentially promoting a more balanced stress response.
Mindfulness practices have been associated with increased serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in mood regulation and well-being. Balanced serotonin levels are generally linked to positive mood and decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety. Like an adpotgen, serotonin is kept in the right quantities 26.
Some studies have explored the effects of mindfulness practice on insulin sensitivity and blood glucose regulation. While results have been mixed, specific research suggests that mindfulness interventions may positively impact insulin resistance and glucose control in individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions 27.
Mindfulness practices have been associated with increased oxytocin levels, often called the "love hormone" or "bonding hormone." Oxytocin is involved in social bonding, trust, and positive social interactions. I know you all want to be edgy and cool, but this is still good stuff and worth having every now and then, when you’ve had enough of being tough. In fact such chemicals as very important for overall health and regulation of the nervous system itself and ‘safety circuits’.
It's important to note that the mechanisms by which mindfulness practices influence hormone levels still need to be fully understood. However, the impact of mindfulness on hormones is likely mediated through the reduction of stress and the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and a sense of calm.
Another vital thing to note is this: mindfulness, the literature is new, but there are vast volumes already on the beneficial impact on physiological pathologies. Things that ail us.
Diskushun
In this blog, I have put meditation forward as a physiological practice - it is a straightening discipline. It reduces reactivity, and there is a growing body of evidence that suggests all sorts of other benefits as a result.
No doubt this is due to the increasing control of the excesses of the nervous system in a highly stimulatory environment.
Again, ask yourselves - we can look at all these specific things and a trillion chemicals to help - or why not simply try a course of mindfulness, with posture and breathwork - combine this with good food, exercise and sunshine - and see what happens over time? Even if you’re not interested in the ‘higher levels’ of psycho-physical practices, as we’ve seen, all of these things functioning well are a requirement of being vital; they’re not optional.
And if really chronic - add in your supplements, fine. But set your body straight first, not just with the gym but by really looking at your system and how it’s meant to work.
Descendence into the Primordial
Now was a mishmash of data and interactions. Indeed, many volumes could be written from an enormous number of perspectives since the body is an interacting whole - it's not simply molecular interactions.
If I've succeeded here, my purpose was the imbue the reader with the understanding that fundamental functional processes in the body cannot be separated from its structure. Having issues I think, with more confidence than ever before, can be traced to our habits of body and mind.
And that bad habits that lead to the poor structure are probably why there are malfunctioning thyroids, hormonal cascades, dwindling bio-energy - all the things that Ray Peaters are obsessed with finding molecular or supplemental suctions for. Again I’m being really unfair - you’re not all like that i get it.
Little or no thought is given to habitual structural integrity - outside of exercise or weight lifting - but even these things are not good if the structure itself is terrible. In fact, they could be worsening the problem. Lumping muscle on tension on top of a problem only makes it harder to sort out.
Finally, I've mentioned it a lot now. Still, my brief surveying of the literature indicates that aside from seeing everything in terms of molecular interactions (which is valid, don't get me wrong), medicine tends to see the bodies of people suffering from hyperthyroidism or hormonal problems as being born with a tendency for the hormonal issue.
I only have a hunch, and by no means qualified to make claims of this sort - but I'd like to see studies on the opposite being the case. There is some behaviour in kids in school, for example, having poor posture - but what about adults with chronic issues? Why isn't there more on how their poor bodily habits and respiratory activities are not a result of - but lead to the chronic problems they're experiencing in their later adulthood.
It's absolutely insane to me this isn't looked at more - but as I said in the opening - this is to be expected when left-brained asymmetry rules the roost in this civilisation. The left brain cannot perceive the whole and its interactions.
Recently, a family member was pushed through various specialists and GPs for a diagnosis. One thing I've noticed, being an amateur prognosticator, is the woeful and embarrassing ignorance so-called medical professionals and specialists have. Of not only their own fields, but an almost jaw-dropping ignorance of other fields. How their supposed 'speciality' may be impacted by or impact another system, or another filed of knowledge.
"I'm sorry - I just treat the molecules of the foot - you'll need to go to the brain doctor for the pain problem. Here’s some drugs. I have no idea how it will effect anything else or even if I’m diagnosing the right thing. Cheerio."
These Aren't necessarily dumb people; after all, they had the fortitude to get through medical skrewl. So what's the explanation?
It MUST BE the cognitive deficit of left-brained abstractionism and the complete inability to access the 'overall' intelligence of the right brain. Its ability to temper such stupidities with a higher view. Same stupid shit we saw during covid. Same stupid shit we see from wordcels and abstraction cells of all colours, arrogantly wanting to supplant the organic and the vital for their dumb little theories and concepts.
These people aren't 'stupid' as such; they are neurologically incapable of acting in any other way. They simply can't see any other way of handling something since their neurological functioning will not allow them to do so. They are the henchmen of the system, as much as they are victims of it themselves.
Descendence - the true answer…
As part of our discussion this week, Kevin and I discussed the notion of 'self-transcendence' and what we thought it was.
One of the great crimes of Western Modernity, while I acknowledge the trend that perhaps leads to its greatest advancements, is the 'top-down' approach to our ways of thinking. This whole 'I think therefore I am' thing precludes the entirety of functional biology as being ruled by thought or thought as the first principle.
We concluded that this is only partially correct - and that’s being generous. Ignoring the vast ocean reactive and homeostatic features of the body seems really ridiculous, knowing what we know now. Seeing thought for anything other as one regulatory mechanism or one flare-up of this vast subconscious web is yet another vain attempt of left-brained consciousness to assert itself. It's more correct to say, 'I feel, I think, I have emotions, I have sensations, I have breath, I have movement etc. etc therefore, I am'.
A supplement heavy approach. Or ‘a which chemical does what’ approach, for me, represents the excess of the bottom-down approach.
The attempt of abstraction to supplant the organic by attempting to impose its conceptions over small sections of the totality of living process.
To master oneself, I believe, therefore, requires a bottom-up approach. That is mastery of the lower before you can even contemplate the qualitative nature of the higher.
Descendence…
As we can see, what is required by descendence is simple in its scope but immensely difficult in its execution:
1. Mastery of the dynamic processes of the body, i.e. respiration
2. Mastery of the skeletal, fascia and musculature of the body, i.e. posture
3. Mastery of reactivity and the mammalian reactivity to 'externalities'.
4. Management and deliberate use of ancient mammalian excitation, tension and excitatory management circuits.
There are methods, ancient and modern, available to get a handle on all these things. They require an overall understanding of the body in space and time and some idea about micro-interactions.
This work will always continue, and the most excellent forms of thought arise from mastery and seamless functionality of physiology. Thought is built on top of this primordial system.
Thought cannot impose itself on it, separate from it, since it is being driven by it, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.
That's your choice.
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A Breakdown of Reichian Soma-types for your Work & Next Weeks Speshul Release
Over the prior few weeks, we've investigated many elements of Wilhelm Reich's vegetotherapy. We now understand that he developed it to address "character armouring." This term refers to a chronic stiffness in the muscles that act as a barrier to emotions and energy. Neo-Reichians like Alexander Lowen believe that blocking energetic sensations, especially at a young age, can lead to either bodily rigidity or emotional withdrawal.
We went into detail about this topic last week, so if you haven't had a chance to review that post, please do so.