You Can Have a Better Brain!

Problems would often weigh us down as we cope with them while trying to get through the day and deal with other matters on mind. We might even develop a headache and then decide to turn in early and sleep over the problems. 

Lo and behold, after a good night’s rest we find ourselves better able to cope and deal with the pressing problems on the following day. I think we can also recall how why taking a bath or a shower we were able to remember things which had earlier slipped our mind or come up with a solution to a problem.

Well, for Archimedes of Syracuse, it famously led him to a Eureka moment. As told in Wikipedia: “According to Vitruvius, a votive crown for a temple had been made for King Hiero II, who had supplied the pure gold to be used, and Archimedes was asked to determine whether some silver had been substituted by the dishonest goldsmith.

Archimedes had to solve the problem without damaging the crown, so he could not melt it down into a regularly shaped body in order to calculate its density. While taking a bath, he noticed that the level of the water in the tub rose as he got in, and realized that this effect could be used to determine the volume of the crown. 

For practical purposes water is incompressible, so the submerged crown would displace an amount of water equal to its own volume. By dividing the mass of the crown by the volume of water displaced, the density of the crown could be obtained. This density would be lower than that of gold if cheaper and less dense metals had been added. 

Archimedes then took to the streets naked, so excited by his discovery that he had forgotten to dress, crying "Eureka!" (Greek: "εὕρηκα!," meaning "I have found it!"). The test was conducted successfully, proving that silver had indeed been mixed in.”

In more recent times, we could also find ourselves drained out as we multi-task and stay afloat by dealing with a flood of messages screaming for our attention from media platforms such as e-mails, sms, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram,YouTube and Facebook. 

What are the scientific explanations for the aforesaid experiences? In his article “Hit the reset button in your brain”, Daniel J. Levitin explained that our brains have two dominant modes of attention: the task-positive and the task-negative networks of neurons (like electrical circuits within the brain).

The task-positive network is called the central executive and it is active when we are actively engaged in a task; focused and undistracted. This part of the brain has helped us, inter alia, to harness fire, build airplanes and discover penicillin.

But such discoveries and inventions would probably come from the task-negative network which is recognized as the daydreaming mode.

The switch between the daydreaming mode and the central executive mode is controlled by the part of the brain called the insula which is like a seesaw: when one mode is active, the other is not. If this switching happens frequently, we will feel tired and a bit dizzy.

Following from this, we can see how important it is to get some rest and recreation after tackling our tasks. For example, take a walk in the park, smell the roses, take naps, go for an unhurried holiday or listen to music.

Here are two suggestions from Daniel J. Levitin which you may fine to be useful for leading a more productive, creative and energized life:
1. Partition your day into project periods. Your social networking should be done during a designated time, not as constant interruptions to your day.
2. If we can train ourselves to take true vacations without work and set aside time for regular contemplations and naps, we will be in a stronger position to solve problems in our world. 


Yes, we can have a better brain if we understand better how to make the most of it. By the way, we are only using less than 10% or so of our brain. Imagine if we could use more or just go watch Lucy (2014 film).


Daniel J. Levitin is the director of the Laboratory for Music, Cognition and Expertise at McGill University and the author of “The Organised Mind: Thinking Straight In The Age Of Information.

Learning Loyalty from Hachiko

While watching Animal Planet on television today, I heard the remarkable story of Hachiko's loyalty to his master.

As told on Wikipedia: "In 1924, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo, took in Hachikō, a golden brown Akita, as a pet. During his owner's life, Hachikō greeted him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died, never returning to the train station where Hachikō was waiting. Each day for the next nine years Hachikō awaited Ueno's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.

Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. Initial reactions from the people, especially from those working at the station, were not necessarily friendly. However, after the first appearance of the article about him on October 4, 1932 in Asahi Shimbun, people started to bring Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait."

As a tribute to Hachiko's loyalty, a statute of him can be found next to Shibuya train station. Click here to view.

Of late, there is also a reported 'Indian' Hachiko. Click here for the story and be inspired.

Live It Up With LIVITA!

Some time ago I was surprised to stumble upon Livita in a local super market. It was such a long time since I saw a bottle of it with the red, blue and white labels reminding me the colours adorning the Japanese national soccer team. And, there are even new products such as Livita with honey.

                                       

Before there was the ubiquitous Red Bull, Livita was already here to help people live it up with a boost of energy. I was not into it and do not recall taking one since my childhood. 

Out of curiosity, I bought a bottle that day. It tasted like medicine, say, Dhacodine -- it was initially unpleasant but leaves you with twist of sweetness at the end.

Does it work? I think it did. That said, there could be a host of biological and /or other factors which may affect your reaction to it and they may either enhance, nullify or moderate the intended benefits of this fluid in a bottle.

In any case, the ingredients of Livita such as niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and taurine augur well for this energy drink. (Interesting finding: If your body weighs 60 Kgs, it will contain 60 gms of Taurine, which is equivalent to 60 bottles of Livita.)

For more on Livita, please click here to find out more.
   

To round it up, please click here to view a clip by "DirectorStevie" on the effect of Livita just for comic relief while chilling out with a bottle of Livita (Yes, please do not exceed the recommended dosage.)

The Longest Bungee Jump

If you relish living life in the moment and live like there is no tomorrow, then bungee jumping could be just the thing for you to get the most out of your life ... F AA SSSS TTTTTTTT!

Click here to watch the longest bungee jump from a helicopter and here for the longest bungee jump from a building, namely Macau Tower.

Some amateurs to bungee jumping, who happened to be celebrities, had survived the thrill of bungee jumping from Macau Tower in a reality TV series called Running Man. Click here to watch this particular episode.

Zest Up Your Life with Lemon

Although not everybody is into citrus fruits like lemon, there is no denying that it is good for health. 

Personally, I enjoy lemon juice (including lime juice), hot lemon tea, iced lemon, hot lemon-and-ginger drink as well as lemon-and-honey not to mention lemon with grilled salmon or saba.

Read on the following two resources to spur an appetite for lemon, if you are not already enjoying the benefits of lemons:

1. The Health Benefits of Lemon; and

2. The Many Health Benefits of Lemon Water.