Our bodies are full of mystery, intrigue, and curious workings that we may never fully understand.
As researchers and scientists continue to make wonderful discoveries about the human body, how it works, and how it breaks down, we uncover more and more facts that astound us.
Trust Your Gut-Brain
The idea of “thinking with your gut” may not be just a figure of speech. Your guts (your digestive organs) contain a network of neurons called the enteric nervous system (ENS).
This system is sometimes referred to as the “second brain,” and it’s made of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your digestive tract, from your esophagus through to your rectum. These cells also communicate with the microorganisms in your gut to help regulate digestion, metabolism, and immune function.
Although it doesn’t appear to be directly involved in conscious thought and decision-making, your gut-brain regulates many bodily functions and can even influence your mood and emotions.
Photos Impair Your Memory
If you want to remember something, it might be better not to take a photo of it.
Multiple experiments by various research groups have shown that the act of taking a photo impairs your memory of the event.
The reason for this is not fully understood. Still, it may have to do with the fact that when you take a photo, you pay less attention to what’s happening and offload the responsibility of remembering the details onto your camera.
Similarly, digital technologies seem to be affecting our ability to navigate (because we rely on GPS) and also impacting our ability to learn new information.
Heartbreaks Do Hurt Your Heart
Although a “broken heart” from an ended relationship is not a damaged heart muscle, a breakup can cause very real physical symptoms.
Studies have shown that the stress and anxiety of a breakup can lead to an increase in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as well as reduced immune function and a tendency for chronic back pain.
Nature Heals and Sunlight Can Help Weight Loss
Sitting in a natural landscape, even for just a few minutes, can help reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve mood. This is sometimes referred to as “forest bathing,” and it’s surprisingly helpful for conditions such as depression, hypertension, and chronic pain.
Also, going outside and getting some sunshine in the early morning can help you lose weight.
Exposure to sunlight helps to regulate your metabolic hormones, which can impact your appetite and how your body processes food.
3D-Printed Organs
Organ transplants have been a life-saving medical procedure for many people, but the demand for organs far exceeds the supply. In addition to human-to-human transplants, some procedures use animal organs (such as pigs) to replace dysfunctional tissues, but this is not always ideal.
Soon, 3D-printed cells, tissues, and organs may provide a viable alternative to transplants. We are not quite there yet, but research is ongoing, and there have been some promising breakthroughs in this field of creating brand new, functional organs from scratch.
Healing Breath
Wherever you go, no matter your situation, you always have your breath with you. The vast majority of the time, we breathe without even thinking about it.
But your breath can also be used as a tool to help you relax and heal. Paying attention to your breath and breathing slowly and fully can help lower blood pressure, improve digestion, reduce stress and anxiety, improve decision-making, and even reduce pain.
So spend a moment now to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Concentrate on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body. Repeat this a few times and feel your body relax, your mind clear, and your stress melt away.
