Card #260 – Neurological Influence

The position of neurological materialism, that consciousness is an epiphenomenon or secondary effect of biochemical process in the brain, is fundamentally flawed, but while you are incarnated in a corporeal body the condition of your brain is a huge player in your life experience, so take care of it! Avoid excess alcohol consumption, wear a helmet when riding a bike or motorcycle, and eat a high-omega diet — especially walnuts, which actually look like brains. A diet sufficiently high in omegas (according to recent research) may even allow nerve cells to regrow (once thought to be impossible). Stabilize your blood sugar (your brain lives off of glucose) by eating complex carbohydrates and avoiding refined carbohydrates and excess caffeine. Get sufficient sleep, and be wary of pharmaceuticals that affect your brain chemistry, such as serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (Prozac and related substances). Everyone’s chemistry is a bit different so carefully monitor the effects of anything that crosses the brain/blood barrier — alcohol, recreational substances, stimulants.

Consider this a propitious time to look into your neurological influences.