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January 22, 2020

Heaven and Hell

Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley is another take on the psychedelic experience. It’s written by the author of Brave New World, and The Doors of Perception

It isn’t as good/interesting as The Doors of Perception, so not per se the most interesting (but also not too long) book.

I wrote a longer summary on Blossom Analysis, replicated here:

—

Key Quotes

“Like the earth of a hundred years ago [1856], our mind still has its darkest Africas, its unmapped Borneos and Amazonian basins.” Huxley remarks that we first need to map/explore our minds, only then form theories, classifications, etc.

He states that he knows of two ways to reach the depth of our minds (or its far-off destination), 1) mescaline (and LSD), 2) hypnosis.

Light is an important concept in the short book. Huxley states that in 2/3rds of our dreams there is no light. Whilst in the psychedelic experience there is almost always much bright light.

Another recurring subject is the absence of language. In many contemporary theories, language (or the absence of it) is often mentioned.

The third thing experienced is ‘objects’, by this he means geometrical forms, patterns, mosaics. An example of how this looks can be found on PsychonautWiki.

“Every mescalin experience, every vision arising under hypnosis, is unique; but all recognizably belong to the same species,” Huxley states that we don’t know why, researchers now are trying to identify what changes in the brain (and what underlies the experiences, but still makes them unique for every person – for instance, see this paper).

The theme of light is continued with an observation that many people see – brightly colored – gems. But, nowadays many people see pastel colors, so have we become too familiar with bright colors (e.g. through advertisements)? “Familiarity breeds indifference. We have seen too much pure, bright colors at Woolworth’s to find it intrinsically transporting.” This is an interesting observation, but in the PsychonautWiki link, there is (still) an overwhelming amount of bright colors in the visuals.

Huxley then observes that the beings some people see “… are content merely to exist,” which reflects nicely on his observations in The Doors of Perception that he felt the same (and thus also not motivated to do much).

In art (paintings), Huxley observes that we like some types more than others, “… natural objects a very long way off, and, second those which represent them at close range.” You could argue that these are also the domains that are extraordinary, that these are ones we don’t deal with normally (the average range), so observing them is ‘special’.

“But visionary experience is not always blissful. It is sometimes terrible. There is hell as well as heaven.” Seeing the world this way, Huxley argues, can be seen in the later Van Gogh landscapes and Kafka’s stories (e.g. The Metamorphosis).

Huxley again makes the link between negative psychedelic experience and schizophrenics. He makes a good point about schizophrenics not being able to ‘exit’ the experience, whilst most people on psychedelics do know quite well that in a few hours they will be back to ‘normal’.

He also argues that “If the liver is diseased,” then this may cause the negative psychedelic experience. There seems to be little to no proof of this hypothesis.

Huxley ends the book with the following: “My own guess is that modern spiritualism and ancient tradition are both correct. There is a posthumous state of the kind described in Sir Oliver Lodge’s book Raymond; but there is also a heaven of blissful visionary experience; there is also a hell of the same kind of appalling visionary experience as is suffered here by schizophrenics and some of those who take mescalin; and there is also an experience, beyond time, of union with the divine Ground.”

Key references/mentions

There is much reference to works of art (paintings, poems). Again he mentions the following book:

Referenced by

Heaven and Hell has been used as a reference book in the 1960s counter culture. After that, it has found less fame than The Doors of Perception (review).

About the author

(from the back of the book) “Poet, playwright, novelist, short story writer, travel writer, essayist, critic, philosopher, mystic, and social prophet, Aldous Huxley was one of the most accomplished and influential English literary figures of the mid-twentieth century.”

His best-known work is the dystopian novel Brave New World.

His other work on the psychedelic experience is The Doors of Perception (review).

January 22, 2020

The Grace of Kings

The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu is an amazing book in a genre that I normally don’t read. It’s a fantasy book that is set on some islands and represents technology as in the 16th age of China (or at least so I imagine).

The story is long, intriguing and very moving. It features love, politics, warfare, honour, betrayal, and more.

It features complex characters, situations that you can see from different perspectives, and highlights the difficulty of working together in this world.

I definitely can recommend it.

January 15, 2020

Lifespan

Lifespan by David Sinclair is an awesome book about how we can extend lifespan and the implication. Optimism abounds with Sinclair, but his research does keep him somewhat to the ground.

For many later parts in the book (the speculative/extrapolations) it’s difficult for me to judge where we’re going. But I dearly hope that he is right and that we will be living much longer than our parents.

And yes, that is healthspan, not only lifespan. Or in other words, I want to live in a healthy body, not extend the last phase forever.

At a later date, I will write down more extensive notes (when the longevity theme – 2020 goals – comes around).

Here is another good summary.

January 13, 2020

The Doors of Perception

The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley is a very interesting take on the psychedelic experience. It’s written by the author of Brave New World, a very interesting book too.

I’m reading it for my new venture, and it’s a fun read. Not per se necessary to understand psychedelics. Michael Pollan’s How To Change Your Mind might be a better (and longer) intro.

I wrote a longer summary on Blossom Analysis, replicated here:

—

The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley is a vivid first-person description of the psychedelic experience. It details a trip on mescaline (peyote, similar to LSD). His superior skill in writing makes the experience come to life. Huxley wonders about many aspects of life, describes his visual experience, and his interactions with a guide and his wife. A good, and short, introduction to the psychedelic experience.

Key Quotes

“Is the mental disorder due to a chemical disorder?” Throughout the book, Huxley asks if – at a level – it’s just a chemical imbalance. This matches our current understanding and hypothesis of what is going on in the brain. Nor he or scientists ignore the broader scope of interpersonal relationships (i.e. he isn’t preaching or arguing for a behaviorist interpretation of the mind).

“I swallowed four-tenths of a gram of mescalin …” This is on the high-end of a normal dose (PsychonautWiki).

“To see ourselves as others see us is a most salutary gift. Hardly less important is the capacity to see others as they see themselves.” This follows a part where he talks about our subjective experience/sensation (qualia) and how it’s difficult to (perfectly) understand others.

At various moments he talks about “Istigkeit” or “Is-ness“. He compares this to Being-Awareness-Bliss, and I think you can also understand it as a form of ego dissolution.

“When I got up and walked about, I could do so quite normally, without misjudging the whereabouts of objects.” The influence of psychedelics seems to be confined mostly to our ‘higher-level’ aspects of our brain, all – if not most – bodily functions and capabilities are not affected. Further on, Huxley remarks “… the body seemed perfectly well able to look after itself.”

“The suggestion is that the function of the brain and nervous system and sense organs is in the main eliminative and not productive. Each person is at each moment capable of remembering all that has ever happened to him and of perceiving everything that is happening everywhere in the universe.” This is a quote by Dr. C.D. Broad and highlights the ‘Mind at Large’ hypothesis. This seems like a top-down model and reminiscent of Plato (and that we have to go ‘back’ to this ideal state), and opposed to other ideas like those of Popper.

But there is logic and science to the “reducing valve”, the REBUS model and our, limited, understand of consciousness does say that there might be more criticality when under the influence of psychedelics.

Huxley also observed the following:

  1. The ability to remember and to “think straight” is little if at all reduced
  2. Visual impressions are greatly intensified
  3. Though the intellect remains unimpaired and though perception is enormously improved, the will suffers a profound change for the worse
    • (later on, he mentions again no will to do anything productive/work) “And yet there were reservations. For if one always saw like this, one would never want to do anything else.”
  4. These better things may be experienced “out there,” or “in here,” or in both worlds, the inner and the outer, simultaneously or successively.

“In the final stage of egolessness there is an “obscure knowledge” that All is in all – that All is actually each.”

“… when the cerebral sugar shortage … “ We now understand better how the brain works and that a sugar shortage is not how mescalin works. But that it binds to and activates the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor with a high affinity.

“What the rest of us see only under the influence of mescalin, the artist is congenitally equipped to see all the time. His perception is not limited to what is biologically or socially useful.” A great way of describing what artists (he mentions some painters and musicians throughout) might be able to perceive over ‘the rest’ of us.

“How could one reconcile this timeless bliss of seeing as one ought to see with the temporal duties of doing what one ought to do and feeling as one ought to feel?” This speaks to the ‘importance’ or euphoria that one experiences on psychedelics. The here and now feels as important is anything in the world. “This participation in the manifest glory of things left no room, so to speak, for the ordinary, the necessary concerns of human existence, above all for concerns involving persons.”

“Mescalin opens the way of Mary, but shuts the door on that of Martha. It gives access to contemplation – but to a contemplation that is incompatible with action and even with the will to action, the very thought of action. In the intervals between his revelations, the mescalin taker is apt to feel that, though in one way everything is supremely as it should be, in another there is something wrong. His problem is essentially the same as that which confronts the quietist, the arhat and, on another level, the landscape painter and the painter of human still lives. Mescalin can never solve that problem; it can only pose it, apocalyptically, for those to whom it had never before presented itself.”

What a wonderful reflection of your mind under the influence of psychedelics.

“The Highest Order prevails even in the disintegration. The totality is present even in the broken pieces.” This again refers to the Higher Mind.

“Most takers of mescaline experience only the heavenly part of schizophrenia.” This refers to a moment of terror he experienced and which brought him more empathy for those who are suffering from mental illness.

Alas the trip has to end somewhere, “… I had returned to that reassuring but profoundly unsatisfactory state known as “being in one’s right mind.” “

Huxley laments that only alcohol and tobacco are available without restriction. He mentions that we use them to escape daily life and its drudgeries. Prohibition is not what will prevent this, “The universal and ever-present urge to self-transcendence is not to be abolished by slamming the currently popular Doors in the Wall. The only reasonable policy is to open other, better doors in the hope of inducting men and women to exchange their old bad habits for new and less harmful ones.”

But, he is not advocating that we all should start using mescalin, “… there is a minority that finds in the drug only hell or purgatory.” The effects of mescaline (8 hours on average) are also much too long for most situations.

In the final parts of the book, Huxley comments on the “foppish” nature of speech, on how it isn’t everything that consciousness is.

Key references/mentions

Although the book is mostly his first-person experience, some other works are mentioned:

Referenced by

The Doors of Perception are mentioned in many works and scientific papers. If particular ones spring to mind, they will be added here.

About the author

(from the back of the book) “Poet, playwright, novelist, short story writer, travel writer, essayist, critic, philosopher, mystic, and social prophet, Aldous Huxley was one of the most accomplished and influential English literary figures of the mid-twentieth century.”

His best-known work is the dystopian novel Brave New World.

January 13, 2020

Eight Weeks to Optimum Health

Eight Weeks to Optimum Health by Andrew Weil was not my cup of green tea. I think the biggest problem was that his information is based on outdated science and many anecdotes. So although he is coming from the right place, I couldn’t agree with many of the specifics.

I can say that his advice is much better than the average American diet. It also does do a good job of seeing food as part of something larger and includes things like meditation. It’s more holistic than how we normally look at diet.

Some more notes:

  • Dietary advice includes the following: Brocolli, fish or flax, fruits and vegetables (organic – although that also loses some of it’s meaning nowadays), soy foods, whole grains, cooked greens, garlic and ginger
  • Antioxidants (but as far as I know the evidence is fleeting for them)
    • And he mentions quite a lot of supplements to take. At the same time I’m contemplating some supplements (vit D, B12), so it does make some sense
  • Walk and stretch (good advice)
  • I didn’t like his definition of spontaneous healing, it’s just our body doing it’s thing – nothing special about it or that it will be activated by X, Y, or Z. And yes we can sometimes beat cancer without a doctors interventions, but that doesn’t mean it should be the way to go.
  • The book relies on testimony – way too much
  • “… which gave me a means to access cellular memory” – WTF
January 3, 2020

Stillness Is the Key

Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday is already the third book I’ve read by him. The others were ‘The Obstacle Is the Way‘ and ‘Perennial Seller‘.

Holiday’s influences range from the ancient Stoics to Buddhists, to presidents of past ages and coaches of today.

The chapters consist of short lessons around the mind, body, and soul. Each has some connection to stillness. Inner calm is what he argues for, and does so with success most of the time.

I couldn’t agree with everything, finding a higher purpose is something that still doesn’t sit right with me. I can understand it at some level, and he even goes as far as saying you don’t need religion for it. Yet, I also think that you don’t need/there is no overarching purpose/reason for things.

Some of the topics/chapters are:

  • Become Present
  • Limit Your Inputs
  • Start Journaling
  • Seek Wisdom
  • Choose Virtue
  • Beware Desire
  • Bathe in Beauty
  • Enter Relationships
  • Say No
  • Build a Routine
  • Seek Solitude
  • Go to Sleep
  • Find a Hobby
January 3, 2020

The Dragons of Eden

The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan is a book that takes a look at another topic than he normally does (Astronomy). This book is about life, intelligence, evolution, and sometimes, of course, wanders back into space.

From the Wiki

“The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence is a 1977 book by Carl Sagan, in which the author combines the fields of anthropology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and computer science to give a perspective on how human intelligence may have evolved.”

I really enjoyed this book, but it was the most ‘outdated’ one I read. This is partly because it was written in 1977, partly because I think our theories about space are more cumulative and those in other fields sometimes overwrite/change the narrative more wholly in other fields (e.g. psychology). Still, a very good book.

Furthermore, it shows his general interest in science and love for learning more. In the book, he also argues for a balance between our ‘left’ and ‘right’ side of our brain. He says that we should need both sides. With perfect rationality, you can’t be creative (make bold conjectures). Without reason, only trusting your gut, you won’t test any of your theories (experimentation).

“Sagan discusses the search for a quantitative means of measuring intelligence. He argues that the brain to body mass ratio is an extremely good correlative indicator for intelligence, with humans having the highest ratio and dolphins the second highest, though he views the trend as breaking down at smaller scales, with some small animals (ants in particular) placing disproportionately high on the list. Other topics mentioned include the evolution of the brain (with emphasis on the function of the neocortex in humans), the evolutionary purpose of sleep and dreams, demonstration of sign language abilities by chimps and the purpose of mankind’s innate fears and myths. The title “The Dragons of Eden” is borrowed from the notion that man’s early struggle for survival in the face of predators, and in particular a fear of reptiles, may have led to cultural beliefs and myths about dragons.”

January 3, 2020

January 2020

Genetically modifying mosquitoes to prevent disease carries unknown risks

Source: The Next Web

Genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes that should not reproduce, seem to be doing that (and thus surviving in the wild).

“Thus, like GM soybean or corn, there is legitimate concern about the propagation of new genetic material in wild populations with as yet unknown consequences.”

The End of the Beginning

Source: Stratechery |By: Ben Thompson

“… there may not be a significant paradigm shift on the horizon, nor the associated generational change that goes with it. And, to the extent there are evolutions, it really does seem like the incumbents have insurmountable advantages: the hyperscalers in the cloud are best placed to handle the torrent of data from the Internet of Things, while new I/O devices like augmented reality, wearables, or voice are natural extensions of the phone.”

Ben Thompson argues that there have been three revolutions/paradigm shifts in computing.

  1. One Room, Punch Cards, Batch
  2. Desktop & On-Premises, PC, Deliberate
  3. Everywhere, Cloud/Mobile, Continous

With VR, voice assistants, etc, we probably won’t go out of this third mode.

How Attachment Theory Works in the Therapeutic Relationship

Source: Aeon | By: Elitsa Dermendzhiyska

We are still unclear as to why talk therapy works, but in many cases, it works better than drugs. And why do most of them have about the same efficacy, whilst emploring very different modalities?

“Alan Kazdin, a professor of psychology and child psychiatry at Yale University, said in 2009 in a widely cited paper: ‘It is remarkable that after decades of psychotherapy research we cannot provide an evidence-based explanation for how or why even our most well-studied interventions produce change.’”

“[T]his alleged equivalence among various therapies is a product of statistics. It says nothing about what works best for each specific individual, nor does it imply that you can pick any therapy and obtain the same benefit.”

The emotional bond with the therapist has been shown to be a reliable predictor of success/healing. The author says that attachment is what is really important.

“On this view, the good therapist becomes a temporary attachment figure, assuming the functions of a nurturing mother, repairing lost trust, restoring security, and instilling two of the key skills engendered by a normal childhood: the regulation of emotions and a healthy intimacy.”

“This pattern of empathising, then re-framing and de-shaming looks uncannily like the mirroring-and-soothing exchanges between mother and infant in the first years of life.”

“… change in therapy occurs not so much in the intellectual communication between client and therapist but in a more imperceptible way – through a conversation between two brains and two bodies.” (this does make me think again of therapy with psychedelics where it’s about a person and his/her feelings in an altered state and without too much intervention (in that session) with the therapist)

“The chief value of psychotherapy, he says, lies in its potential to rekindle our epistemic trust and jumpstart our ability to learn from others in our social environment.”

MuZero: DeepMind’s New AI Mastered More Than 50 Games

Source: Two Minute Papers (Youtube)

Great video about DeepMind’s New AI. Even more generalization.

Elon Musk Is Planning for Climate Apocalypes

Source: Jacobin | By: Paris Marx

Wow, what a piece. I guess it’s good to read things from another perspective, but I can’t really get my head around how other people sometimes think.

Visa, Plaid, Networks, and Jobs

Source: Stratechery | By: Ben Thompson

Great piece about networks and a good history lesson on why credit cards are even a thing.

“It’s easy to forget just how many things a business that takes credit cards does not need to do: it does not need to extend credit, it does not need to collect payment, it does not need to handle excess amounts of cash. It does not, as Nocera noted, need to have much back office functionality at all. Instead banks provide the credit, Visa provides the infrastructure, and merchants pay around 3% of their sales.”

Reid Hoffman on Systems, Levers, and Quixotic Quests (Ep. 85)

Source: Medium | By: Tyler Cowen (Podcast with Reid Hoffman)

“I guess what I would say is that I tend to think in terms of systems — Dewey was a system thinker — but then I tend to think in terms of Archimedean levers, by which you change the systems.”

“Well, a few things. One is, philosophy allows you to articulate theses with clarity. One of the things that philosophy tries to do is say, “Well, what’s your actual argument? What’s your actual theory? What’s your actual position?” That actually ties into one of the things that I give advice to entrepreneurs and to myself, which is to write out your clearest set of investment theses about what it is you believe the world is and is becoming, what your strategy is at making it happen, and why you can have a rare or unique position in so doing. And then articulating theories around, for example, having a theory of human nature, so that if you say, “The reason why I think this product will succeed is because this is where humanity will go when these kinds of technologies and these kinds of products and services are made available to them within their cultures and within their incentives.” “

“I think it’s also important to choose when you compete, which is frequently an error. I’d say that some of the patterns of how you do that is at least very well described within a board game context.”

Biotech Raises $85 Million To Develop Anti-Aging Technology

Source: World Health Net (via H+Weekly Newsletter)

“Aging is similar to muscular dystrophy in slowing down the mitochondrial replacement process; Epirium claims to have developed technology that can reverse the decline of the ever important mitochondrial function in aging and disease.”

“Epirium claims to have developed a novel pharmacological approach to treat diseases caused by mitochondrial depletion and dysfunction, and the company has carried out proof of concept human studies with plans to move to clinical trials in 2020.”

One to watch, and of course, always stay vigilant.

Scientists use stem cells from frogs to build first living robots

Source: The Guardian | By: Ian Sample

“They are living, programmable organisms.” When talking about programmable ‘computers’.

The robots, which are less than 1mm long, are designed by an “evolutionary algorithm” that runs on a supercomputer. The program starts by generating random 3D configurations of 500 to 1,000 skin and heart cells. Each design is then tested in a virtual environment, to see, for example, how far it moves when the heart cells are set beating. The best performers are used to spawn more designs, which themselves are then put through their paces.”

Scientists Extend Lifespan of Worms by 500 Percent

Source: Futurism | By: Kristin Houser

“But now, in a study published in the journal Cell Reports in July, an international team of researchers has found a way to make the worms live a full five times longer. That would be equivalent to a human reaching their 400th birthday — and the scientists think the new study could be an important step along the path to making that a reality.”

There is quite the divide between us humans and C.elegans, but it’s good to see that this much progress has been made with them.

“Past research had found a link between two signaling pathways in C. elegans — the insulin signaling pathway and the target of rapamycin pathway — and aging. Specifically, scientists found that altering the former pathway doubled a worm’s lifespan, while altering the latter increased it by 30 percent. Logically, that means altering both pathways should increase the worms’ lifespan by 130 percent. But as the authors of this new C. elegans discovered, it actually increased their lifespan by upwards of 500 percent.”

I think this research was also mentioned in Lifespan by David Sinclair.

We May Not Have to Age So Fast

Source: WSJ/David Sinclair’s Newsletter

“We all age chronologically with the passage of time, but what about our bodies? Is physiological aging inevitable too? A growing cadre of biologists is starting to say no, thanks to developments in the field of epigenetics, which studies not our DNA itself but the processes that determine how our genes “express” themselves in directing our cells throughout our lives.”

“… epigenetic markers don’t just measure aging but help to cause it.“

The article mentions more of what is in Lifespan. It also highlights that research in mice is progressing fast, but human trials are still very limited.

Your Brain Is Not an Onion with a Tiny Reptile Inside

Source: PsyArXiv (via VeryBadWizards podcast)

“A widespread misconception in much of psychology holds that (1) as vertebrate animals evolved, “newer” brain structures were added over existing”older” brain structures and(2) these newer, more complex structures endowed animals with newer and more complex psychological functions, behavioral flexibility, and language. This belief, though widely shared in our introductory textbooks, has long been discredited among neurobiologists and stands in contrast to the clear and unanimous agreement on these issues among those studying nervous system evolution. We bring psychologists up to date on this issue by describing the more accurate model of neural evolution, and we provide examples of how this inaccurate view may have impeded progress in psychology. We urge psychologists to abandon this mistaken view of human brains.”

86% of introductory psychology books espouse this wrongheaded view.

“The idea of an older animalistic brain buried deep without our newer, more civilized outer layer is referenced widely. Carl Sagan’s (1978) Pulitzer prize-winning book “The Dragons of Eden” (which I recently reviewed) …

“The first problem is that these ideas reflect a scala naturaeview of evolution, in which animals can be arranged linearly from “simple” to the most “complex” organisms. This view is unrealistic in that neural and anatomical complexity evolved repeatedly within many independent lineages.” And the ‘newer’ animals are not per se better/more complex.

“Instead, the correct view of evolution is that animals radiated from common ancestors. Within these radiations, complex nervous systems and sophisticated cognitive abilities evolved independently many times.”

“The final—and most important—problem with this mistaken view is the implication that anatomical evolution proceeds in the same fashion as geological strata, with new layers added over existing ones. Instead, much evolutionary change consists of transforming existing parts.”

“all vertebrates possess the same basic brain—and forebrain—regions.” All mammals have a prefrontal cortex (but the size of ours is bigger).

The whole notion that system 2 is better than system 2 (Thinking, Fast and Slow) is therefore also flawed/at least if you take from it that other animals don’t have planning or self-control.

How the Dutch Use Architecture to Feed the World

Source: ArchDaily | By: Niall Patrick Walsh

Interesting photo series about our Dutch greenhouses, great pictures, and illuminating to see.

Technologies to watch in 2020

Source: Nature | By: Esther Landhuis

Some technologies for better understanding/reading our biology (RNA, macromolecule), learning more about our microbiome, computational models of cancer (so you can do ‘simulations’), better gene therapy (in mice).

The Tragic iPad

Source: Stratechery | By: Ben Thompson

The article describes the missed chance of the iPad. It didn’t allow for many developers to make good money and missed offering the unique features it has (next to being a thing on which you watch things).

Imagining Our Future Through Tech

Source: A16Z Conference 2019

Data – Algorithms

  • but missing ethical & privacy, and business models
  • take selfies – detect skin cancer – who to send it to?

How will life look like in 2030

  • smart toilet – looks for health markers/problems
  • spider silk shirt – with sensors and actuators
  • room that reconfigers itself (for different needs during the day)
  • exact meals for you
  • physical and avatar looks (smart mirror)
  • smart coach (listens to meetings etc) – assumes ‘smart/creative’ AI
  • work examples – AI helping – AR contact lenses
  • bitcoin and influencer coin :S
  • exoskeleton – for helping move
  • Autopods
  • Rent cocktail bar for few hours (AR again to fit it)
  • CRISPR cat, glow in the dark

All very/too optimistic about the speed of progress and lots of things we’re not going to use. But interesting take nonetheless.

Why You Should Be Optimistic About the Future

Source: A16Z Conference 2019 | By: Kevin Kelly & Marc Andreesen

Richest man India, providing (almost) free internet for 500M poorest people.

Ideas – is it going to work (meh), when is it going to work (timing is the hard part) (i.e. fiber optics already in Paris 100y ago)

Business models (AI)

  • horizontal provider
  • vertical

Biological science is at a turning point. From discovery to doing something with it (programming it).

More from less – Andrew McAfee

Positive view of robots/drones/machines fighting each other – less people die (but not pro war, but if, then not people dying).

Andreesen Horowitz thinks we’re already in the ‘singularity’ (since 300 years or so ago). Many indicators are much better than before, and doing so exponentially (versus being static for ages). We already have many of the technologies and techniques to make our lives better, we just need to execute on some of them.

The next few are via H+ Weekly newsletter and Future Plus (monthly/bi-weekly) newsletter.

(from the second one itself) “These vaccines now form the backbone of child and maternal health efforts around the world. The results speak for themselves. In 2010, seven million children died before reaching the age of five. Adjusting for population growth, that figure today should be eight million – instead, it’s just over five million a year.”

Vietnam grapples with an unexpected surge in solar power

Source: Economist

(from Future Plus) “Vietnam went from almost no solar in 2017 to more than Australia by the end of 2019. It’s now ten years ahead of its original clean energy targets.”

“Building a new [coal] plant takes the better part of a decade. Solar farms, in contrast, incite far less opposition and take about two years to build.”

Overlevingskans voor mensen met kanker opnieuw toegenomen (Dutch)

Source: NOS (Dutch news website)

(from FP) “The Dutch Cancer Registry says that the five-year cancer survival rate in the Netherlands has increased from 42% in 1989 to 65% in 2018.”

Augmented Reality in a Contact Lens: It’s the Real Deal

Source: IEEE Spectrum

“Today, Mojo Vision announced that it has done just that—put 14K pixels-per-inch microdisplays, wireless radios, image sensors, and motion sensors into contact lenses that fit comfortably in the eyes.”

“The first application, says Steve Sinclair, senior vice president of product and marketing, will likely be for people with low vision—providing real-time edge detection and dropping crisp lines around objects.”

Wow, that is really cool and it would be great to see this type of technology available as a consumer product.

Facebook has trained an AI to navigate without needing a map

Source: MIT Technology Review

“A team at Facebook AI has created a reinforcement learning algorithm that lets a robot find its way in an unfamiliar environment without using a map. Using just a depth-sensing camera, GPS, and compass data, the algorithm gets a robot to its goal 99.9% of the time along a route that is very close to the shortest possible path, which means no wrong turns, no backtracking, and no exploration. This is a big improvement over previous best efforts.”

An AI Epidemiologist Sent the First Warnings of the Wuhan Virus

Source: WIRED

“The BlueDot algorithm scours news reports and airline ticketing data to predict the spread of diseases like those linked to the flu outbreak in China.”

Algorithms aren’t always so good at predicting things and I’ve previously read that the Google Flu prediction AI was really bad. So this is in a way good news to hear (now the trouble is in how far we can build on it and use it actionably).

“Khan says the algorithm doesn’t use social media postings because that data is too messy. But he does have one trick up his sleeve: access to global airline ticketing data that can help predict where and when infected residents are headed next. It correctly predicted that the virus would jump from Wuhan to Bangkok, Seoul, Taipei, and Tokyo in the days following its initial appearance.”

CRISPR Could Fry All Cancer User Newly-Found T-Cell

Source: Hackaday

“One of the human body’s greatest features is its natural antivirus protection. If your immune system is working normally, it produces legions of T-cells that go around looking for abnormalities like cancer cells just to gang up and destroy them. They do this by grabbing on to little protein fragments called antigens that live on the surface of the bad cells and tattle on their whereabouts to the immune system. Once the T-cells have a stranglehold on these antigens, they can release toxins that destroy the bad cell, while minimizing collateral damage to healthy cells.”

But it doesn’t always work (e.g. cancer pretending to be a healthy cell). Now they are working with a T-Cell that should identify every cancer cell.

“This T-cell interacts with a certain protein called MR1 that appears on the surface of every cell in the body. When it analyzes the MR1 proteins of cancer cells, it can tell that the metabolism going on inside the cell is distorted, and reports this miscreant cell back to the immune system.”

World First: Genetically Engineered Moth Is Released Into an Open Field

Source: Technology Networks

“The diamondback moth, also known as Plutella xylostella, is one of the most destructive insect pests of brassica crops such as cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and canola. … “The diamondback moth is a global pest that costs $4-5 billion annually and has developed resistance to most insecticides, making it very difficult to manage.” “

Before I’ve only heard of these ideas related to malaria and ticks (Lyme). And they also talk about the former: “Oxitec has now joined the fight against malaria, working to develop solutions to two malaria-transmitting mosquito species.”

“This study demonstrates the immense potential of this exciting technology as a highly effective pest management tool, which can protect crops in an environmentally sustainable way and is self-limiting in the environment.”

January 1, 2020

Eat for Health & Energy

This is the essay for the first theme of my 2020 goals.

Food is something we deal with every day. It’s something that most people in The Netherlands have an abundance of. The marketing, endless choices, well-meant health advice, and more stuff our ears almost every day.

So, how do we make a good choice, a better choice than the day before? That is what I want to find out over the period that I’m writing this essay.

It’s motivated by a feeling of drift. I have Queal as my basis, I (or Lotte) cook most days. But I snack random things at the office, I have no idea what is in my meals exactly, and I don’t know exactly what better choices there are.

This might be a bit exaggerated. I don’t normally eat fast food, there might be no more than a few lost saturated fats in my diet, and I eat as many greens as your average rabbit.

Still, I think I can do better. So here are the learning goals and a plan of attack.

Learning Goals

  1. What foods should I be eating every day/week?
  2. How many calories should I be eating (and are calories really a good measure)?
  3. What are good (and easy) meals I can eat, and what is in them?
  4. I hear that fasting can have many benefits, should I do it?
  5. I eat mostly vegan, do I need to supplement anything?
  6. When to eat best for energy (next to sleep, sports, etc)?
  7. What about protein, it should be high for sports (I think) and low for longevity?
  8. And what about IGF-1, it’s good for sports, bad for ageing?
  9. (added Aug 2020) How to prevent the common cold?

Plan of Attack

  1. Recap what I’ve already read (books)
  2. Visit trusted sources (web/books)
    1. And read underlying research if possible/needed
  3. Write down what I’ve learned
    1. And write down the longer arguments (appendixes)
  4. Make an implementation plan (creating new habits)

What I’ve Learned

“For most of our leading killers, nongenetic factors like diet can account for at least 80 or 90 percent of cases. As I noted before, this is based on the fact that the rates of cardiovascular disease and major cancers differ fivefold to a hundredfold around the world. Migration studies show this is not just genetics. When people move from low- to highrisk areas, their disease risk nearly always shoots up to match the new setting.” – Dr. Greger, How Not To Die

Bad food can kill us. Unless we do other stupid things, it is probably the thing that will do us in. Below all the things I’ve learned and want to implement.

Calories

Based on my height (194cm) and weight (90-94kg), my basal caloric need per day is 2219 kcal (also see Appendix 1). This is the amount I need if I sit still the whole day.

At an earlier date, I’ve calculated that this would translate to the following:

  • 222g carbs
  • 166g protein
  • 74g fat

On very active days I will burn about 3500-4000 kcal. That is with doing a full session in the gym to running 10km. This was taken earlier from my Fitbit. But I think this is an overestimation.

I estimate that I burn through 3000-3300 kcal per day.

Daily Dozen

I want to eat 3000 kcal, but where should they come from? Here I’m basing most of my research on Dr. Greger – his books How Not To Die, How Not To Diet, and his website Nutrition Facts.

One of his main recommendations is to try and eat a variety of foods called the ‘Daily Dozen’. Here is a short summary of the list, see Appendix 2 for further analysis.

  • Beans ☑ ☑ ☑
    • Black beans, black-eyed peas, butter beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), edamame, English peas, great northern beans, kidney beans, lentils, miso, navy beans, pinto beans, small red beans, split peas, tempeh (which is made from beans, duh)
    • 3 servings
      • 1/4 cup hummus or bean dip
      • 1/2 cup of cooked beans, split peas, lentils, tofu, tempeh
      • 1 cup of fresh peas or sprouted lentils
    • €0,20-€0,50 (per serving)
  • Berries ☑
    • Acai berries, barberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, concord grapes, cranberries, goji berries, kumquats, mulberries, raspberries, strawberries
    • 1 serving
      • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen
      • 1/4 cup dried
    • €0,20
  • Fruits ☑ ☑ ☑
    • Apples, dried apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, clementines, dates, dried figs, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, lychees, mangos, nectarines, oranges, papaya, passion fruit, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums (black), pomegranates, pluots, prunes, tangerines, watermelon
    • 3 servings
      • 1 medium-size fruit
      • 1 cup cut-up fruit
      • 1/4 cup dried fruit
    • €0,50 (per serving, or free at the office)
  • Cruciferous ☑
    • Arugula, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, mustard greens, radishes, turnip greens, and watercress
    • 1 serving
      • 1/2 cup chopped
      • 1/4 cup brussels or broccoli sprouts
      • 1 tbsp horseradish
    • €0,50
  • Greens ☑ ☑ ☑
    • Same as above plus, beet greens, sorrel, spinach, swiss chard
    • 2 servings
      • 1 cup raw
      • 1/2 cup cooked
    • €0,50 (per serving)
  • Vegetables ☑ ☑
    • Artichokes, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, carrots, corn, garlic, mushrooms, okra, onions, purple potatoes, pumpkin, sea vegetables (nori, dulse, arame), snap peas, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini
    • 2 servings
      • 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
      • 1/2 cup raw or cooked non-leavy vegetables
      • 1/4 cup dried mushrooms
    • €0,30 (per serving)
  • Flaxseeds ☑
    • Flaxseeds
    • 1 serving (1 tablespoon)
    • €0,06
  • Nuts (and Seeds) ☑
    • Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, chia seeds, hazelnuts/filberts, hemp seeds, macademia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts
    • 1 serving
      • 1/4 cup nuts/seeds
      • 2 tbsp nut/seed butter (including peanut butter)
    • €0,05-€0,30 (or free at office)
  • Grains ☑ ☑ ☑
    • Barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oats, popcorn, quinoa, rye, teff, whole-wheat pasta, wild rice
    • 3 servings
      • 1/2 cup hot cereal or cooked grains, pasta
      • 1 cup cold cereal
      • 1 tortilla or slice of bread
      • 1/2 bagel
      • 3 cups popped popcorn
    • €0,10-€0,50 (per serving)
  • Spices ☑
    • All you can think of (salt-free) (garlic, ginger, nutmeg, oregano, etc)
    • 1 serving (e.g. 1/4 tsp turmeric)
    • €0,05
  • Beverages ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑
    • 2 litres of water +
    • green tea, etc
    • €0,00 (free or a few cents for tea)
  • Exercise ☑
    • 90. min moderate OR 40min. vigorous
    • Moderate examples: bicycling, dancing, housework, hiking, surfing, swimming recreationally, yoga
    • Vigorous examples: backpacking, circuit weight training, football, jogging, running, swimming laps
    • €0,00-€3,30 (if €100 gym, per day)

See a picture of this here.

I will strive to get as many as possible done on this list every day. And at the same time not get lost in the woods by wanting to do it perfect.

Some things I already do very well (beverages, exercise), others I do only sometimes (nuts, 3 fruits).

I think this advice is also in line with most other nutritionists and can be summarized as ‘eat greens, don’t eat too much’.

Below I’ve listed my cheatsheet as to how I will get as many of these as possible.

Other Things To Eat

Next to those things listed above, I have also thought about the ingredients listed below.

  • Salt ☑
    • I should get between 3-6 grams (see video here)
    • I’m more concerned about not getting enough (because no processed foods)
    • And that I should also get enough iodine (which isn’t in seasalt, and is very much in bakers salt)
    • In four pieces of bread, you should get enough iodine for the day (from ‘Wat is nu gezond?‘)
    • The bread I’m making myself, I make with iodinated salt.
  • Dark Chocolate ☑
    • Maybe positive because it contains flavanols
    • But not much conclusive research
    • It’s also processed, so cocoa powder is probably better
    • Could sometimes be a good snack (better than white/pink chocolate)
  • Garlic ☑ (allicin)
    • Is shown to prevent and shorten common cold duration
    • Half a clove (fresh) or 2 prepared
    • And it could help prevent cancer
  • Coffee ☑
    • There is a high chance I will get my caffeine fix in a pre-workout (good for the gym, but haven’t found a good one for the gut/microbiome)
    • I personally found that a cup helps me be a bit more alert, but I’m not particularly sensitive
    • And that I felt (after drinking a few cups per day for a few months) that I’m not the most productive/creative with it
    • So, I aim to drink one cup of coffee or less on workdays
    • Without milk, or (in the weekends) with soy/oat milk
  • Alcohol ✖
    • It’s not good for you (not even red wine, ok)
    • But good socially and widely accepted
    • I aim to drink fewer than 2 drinks on weekdays (mostly 0)
    • And drink a maximum of 5 drinks when with friends/going out
    • Still, one of my goals to improve, I do think that becoming older (chronologically speaking that is), that the temptation is lower and social situations less geared towards heavy drinking

Feeding the Microbiome

This part is mostly based on The Good Gut (also see this video, 3). There is much overlap for feeding your microbiome and eating healthy in general. Very specifically it also recommends eating fermented foods and prebiotics.

Personally, that means I will drink some kefir almost daily (made at home).

Update June 2020: the kefir wasn’t that tasty, so I have updated this to a home-based ginger-drink.

  • Kefir ☑
    • 1 small glass per day
    • €0,05 (bought starter once, now just add some sugar and things to flavour it)

The recommendation is also to eat 28g of fibre (men, 25g for women) per day (so more than generally recommended).

Supplementation

Before doing this research (January 2020), I wasn’t really using any supplement for health. I was using Creatine and NAC only for sports.

So, I think you can survive – and thrive – without them. But they might be beneficial for the reasons listed below.

  • Vitamin B12 ☑
    • 2500mcg cyanocobalamin serving 1x p/w
    • (I have 1000mcg so once every 3 days)
    • Reason: because of good sanitation, it isn’t in our food anymore (it used to be on the dirt)
    • This form is the best supported/bioavailable
    • If you’re over 65, raise it to 1000mg per day
    • €0,02 per day (€0,04 per pill, from bulkpowders)
  • Vitamin D ☑
    • 2000 IUs of D3 1x p/d
    • (I have 5000mg, so once every 2 days)
    • Reason: we’re not in the sun enough, so no need to take it if in the sun (without too many clothes) for more than 15 minutes
    • €0,01 per day (€0,01 per pill, from bulkpowders)
  • Creatine ☑
    • 3-5g per day (when doing sports)
    • “Creatine use can increase maximum power and performance in high-intensity anaerobic repetitive work (periods of work and rest) by 5 to 15%” (source, via wiki – also see here)
    • It might lead to a bit of bloating, so maybe not take it if cutting weight
    • €0,04 per day (5x per week)
  • NAC ✖
    • To be honest, I can’t find research that conclusively supports taking this (a prodrug for L-cysteine – an amino acid)
    • So, once it’s gone, I won’t be getting it again

When to eat? (for longevity, weight loss, energy levels)

Conclusion: late breakfast, no late-night snacks.

Breakfast might not be necessary, but skipping breakfast (on average) also doesn’t lead to weight loss (video). The main reason mentioned is that the group that did eat breakfast, exercised (read: moved) more. There was no change in metabolic rate.

What is also mentioned (and I’ve read before too), is that calories later in the day are worse for you (i.e. let you gain weight more) than during the earlier times. So late-night snacking or eating a very large dinner, is also out the door.

Where to get food?

I was inspired by a new look at The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan to think a bit more about where I get my food.

In the book, Pollan challenges your view of organic food (and shows how meat is made too).

What I do want to do more (and have yet only done once) is order more local food. Here I can buy interesting vegetables for cooking, and I would still want to eat some eggs and I believe that here they can do this in a way that is more sustainable/less harmful. The website for this is Rechtstreex.

Update June 2020: We are now getting a lot of vegetables and fruits via Rechtstreex.

What about IGF-1?

Conclusion: Difficult to say. I should watch my sports performance, but not really strive for higher or lower IGF-1 I think.

“Should your levels of IGF-1 [insulin-like growth factor] remain too high when you reach adulthood, however, your cells will constantly receive a message to grow, divide, and keep going and growing [which may of course be what you want for muscle growth]. Not surprisingly, the more IGF-1 you have in your bloodstream, the higher your risk for developing cancers, such as prostate cancer.“

“The release of IGF-1 appears to be triggered by the consumption of animal protein. This may explain why you can so dramatically bolster the cancer-fighting power of your bloodstream within weeks of eating a plant-based diet. … One of the ways your body tries to protect itself from cancer—that is, excessive growth—is by releasing a binding protein into your bloodstream to tie up any excess IGF-1.”

From a study, mention in this (not super) YouTube video, it’s mentioned that the cancer risk is also higher if you have low IGF-1 (i.e. it’s an u-shape). He also talks about low-carb and intermitted fasting (and by that having low IGF-1 despite eating meat/keto).

How to prevent common colds?

Eat half a clove of raw garlic (e.g. in a salad).

And a teaspoon of nutritional yeast could also be helpful if experiencing physical or mental stress (the former I have because of sports).

Cheatsheet

Here is my cheatsheet (check-list) for the day, cooking, and week. As mentioned earlier, this is aspirational and I won’t check off everything every day. That is ok.

Waking (6 am)

  • Vitamin B12 and/or D (if needed)
  • 300ml of (green) tea

Breakfast (10 am)

  • Homemade bread with hummus
    • 1 serving beans
    • 1 serving spices
    • 1 serving salt (iodine)
    • 3 servings grains
    • 1 serving flaxseed
    • 1 serving nuts
    • 660kcal, 24g protein, 9.2g fibre
  • Serving of (frozen) blueberries (75g, 1/4 cup)
    • 1 serving berries
    • 36kcal, 0.7g protein, 1.8g fibre
  • 1 litre of water (with citrus) and (green) tea combined

Fruit (11.30 am)

  • Kiwi and/or apple
    • 1 or 2 servings fruits
    • (kiwi) 42kcal, 0.8g protein, 2g fibre (more with skin on)
    • (apple) 95kcal, 0.5 protein, 4.4g fibre

Lunch (1 pm)

  • Queal Ready (100g)
    • 1 serving grains
    • 0.5-1 serving berries – if Berry Good
    • 400kcal, 26.6g protein, 6.6g fibre
  • Update June 2020: Greens salad, e.g. spinach with herbs/spices
    • Update August 2020: Will probably update this to a smoothie with garlic and nutritional yeast also added.
  • 600ml of water (with citrus)

Exercise (2 pm)

  • Weightlifting and/or Bodybuilding
  • 60 to 90 minutes + warm-up
  • 600ml of water

Second Lunch (4 pm)

  • Protein shake + creatine + 2 scoops Queal Steady (66g)
    • (protein) 197kcal, 34.8g protein
    • (Steady) 275kcal, 13.9g protein, 4.6g fibre

Subtotals until now:

  • 21 checkmarks (water and sports included)
    • 16 of those from Daily Dozen
  • 1705 kcal
  • 101g protein
  • 28.6g fibre (and that is another check!)

Dinner (6-7 pm)

So here it gets trickier/less standard, the cheatsheet reflects mostly what I haven’t yet gotten and/or foods that I think are good.

  • 2 servings beans (e.g. black beans, tempeh)
  • 4 servings (cruciferous) green (e.g. broccoli, spinach, cauliflower)
  • 2 servings grains (I’ve already had some, but most dinners do include this)
  • 1 or more servings spices (e.g. turmeric, pepper, garlic)
  • 600ml water (at least 2 cups of water in the evening)
  • 1 serving kefir (a small glass when getting home/during dinner)
  • 1725 kcal left, 70g protein left, 0g fibre extra needed

(historic note 27 jan 2020) I’m totally lying/misremembering/overeating above what I state here. If it’s really just 1300kcal during the day, then I’m eating 2000 in the evening. I really want to start tracking this and probably need to add some more foods during the day! I will start with some more Queal (Steady) at lunch. (update 20 feb 2020, now at 1700kcal so closer to what is expected).

Appendix 1 – Caloric Need

Based on Calculator.net I would need to eat the following amount of calories per day:

  • Sedentary: little or no exercise 2415
  • Exercise 1-3 times/week 2767
  • Exercise 4-5 times/week 2948
  • Daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week 3119
  • Intense exercise 6-7 times/week 3472
  • Very intense exercise daily, or physical job 3824

If I would have to estimate, I would be needing 3300 kcal per day to maintain my weight.

At about 500 calories in deficit (eating for instance 2800 calories) I would lose about 500 grams per week (MayoClinic).

Or if you spread that out over a week it might look like this:

  • Monday: 3000 kcal
  • Tuesday (no sports): 2000 kcal
  • Wednesday: 3000 kcal
  • Thursday: 3000 kcal
  • Friday: 3000 kcal
  • Saturday (no sports): 2000 kcal
  • Sunday: 3000 kcal

The total would be a deficit of 4100 kcal or 585 kcal per day.

I would want to get a bit leaner sometime soon. And after I’ve done most of the research for this article I might attempt this and document it.

Finally getting that six-pack

Appendix 2 – Daily Dozen

There is no incentive from the industry/medical to promote food healthy. It’s like smoking in the 50s. Take control yourself.

My translation of daily dozen:

  • Beans: Hummus (beans), 1 serving during lunch, most days.
  • Berries: 75g frozen berries (blueberries) or mix, most days.
  • Fruits: at least 1 (serving) apple, kiwi, banana per day.
    • Citrus skin (grated) in water/drink
    • Vary the fruits with some more exotic/different ones
  • Cruciferous vegetables: some during dinner
  • Greens: some during dinner
  • Vegetables: some during dinner
  • Flaxseeds: 1 tbsp of broken/powdered flaxseed with some nuts – or already in homemade bread
  • Nuts: Mix of nuts (with flaxseed) in a small container (1/4 cup or less) – or already in homemade bread
  • Grains: some during dinner or home-made bread
  • Spices: add to dinner (and get tumeric and garlic in there many times) – and/or already in homemade hummus
  • Beverages: lots of water, 2 to 3 cups of a variety of teas (green, black, ginger, etc)
  • Exercise: yes, 5x per week weightlifting/bodybuilding, biking 20 minutes, walking 20 minutes (but slow pace for both – with Max)

Some more detailed meals

  • 2 Whole-grain pieces of bread with hummus and avocado
    • 180g bread (472kcal 4.3g fat 88g carbs 17.6g protein 2g salt)
    • 1/4 cup hummus (190kcal 11g fat 18g carbs 6g protein)
    • 1 avocado (322kcal 29g fat 17g carbs 4g protein)
    • Vegan
  • Queal Ready 100g + Flaxseeds
    • Ready (400kcal 12.3g fat 42.6g carbs 26.6g protein 0.6g salt)
    • Flaxseeds (tbsp)
    • 1 serving berries, 1 serving seeds, 1 serving grains
    • Vegan
  • 3 home-made thin-slices of bread with hummus + Flaxseeds
    • 130g bread (340kcal 3.1g fat 63.5g carbs 12.6g protein 6.2g fibre 1.4g salt)
    • 1/4 cup hummus (190kcal 11g fat 18g carbs 6g protein 3g fibre)
    • Flaxseeds (tbsp)
    • Vegan
  • Protein shake + creatine
    • Protein powder 1,5 scoop (197kcal 3.7g fat 5g carbs 34.8g protein)
  • 1/2 cup of blueberries
    • About 75g (36 kcal 0g fat 8g carbs 0.7g protein)

Daily dozen,

  • Beans
    • Amount: 1.5 cups (235ml*1.5=350ml, 1.5x small glass) of cooked beans OR 3/4 cup (176ml) hummus (some breads with royal spread of hummus)
    • Why: contains fibre (good against heart disease and almost all others)
    • How to incorporate: Eat hummus and cook with beans a few times per week
    • “What are some of the truly potassium-rich foods? The healthiest common whole-food sources are probably greens, beans, and sweet potatoes.“
    • “Folate is a B vitamin concentrated in beans and greens.”
    • Costs: €1.90 per 900g dry. With some olive oil, tahini, herbs (and/or roasted paprika, garlic, etc). Guesstimated cost of 50g prepared product (1 serving), €0.20
  • Berries
    • Amount: 0.5 cup (120ml – 75g) of frozen blueberries/mix
    • Why: contains fibre (see above), antioxidants, may prevent cognitive decline, polyphenols (which contain antioxidants amongst others), protective against cancers
    • “Some berries have more than 1,000 units [of antioxidants]”
    • “Berries offer potential protection against cancer (chapters 4 and 11), a boost to the immune system (chapter 5), and a guard for the liver (chapter 8) and brain (chapters 3 and 14). An American Cancer Society study of nearly one hundred thousand men and women found that those who ate the most berries appeared significantly less likely to die of cardiovascular disease.”
    • “The colors are the antioxidants.” i.e shop for the brightest fruits.
    • Costs: €1.99 per 1kg frozen. So at 100g (47kcal) it’s €0.20
  • Fruits
    • Amount: 3 fruits
    • Why: same as above, also mention of longer telomeres
    • Apples, Citrus (skin of it, scraped), kiwi – all mentioned favourably
  • Cruciferous
    • Arugula, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, mustard greens, radishes, turnip greens, and watercress
    • 1 serving
      • 1/2 cup chopped
      • 1/4 cup brussels or broccoli sprouts
      • 1 tbsp horseradish
  • Greens
    • Same as above plus, beet greens, sorrel, spinach, swiss chard
    • 2 servings
      • 1 cup raw
      • 1/2 cup cooked
  • Vegetables
    • Artichokes, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, carrots, corn, garlic, mushrooms, okra, onions, purple potatoes, pumpkin, sea vegetables (nori, dulse, arame), snap peas, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini
    • 2 servings
      • 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
      • 1/2 cup raw or cooked non-leavy vegetables
      • 1/2 cup vegetable juice??
      • 1/4 cup dried mushrooms
  • Flaxseeds
    • Amount: 1 tbsp
    • Why: lower blood pressure (original article, via HNTD)
      • Other research also links to lower breast and prostate cancer
    • How to incorporate: Add a tablespoon to lunch or when eating a mix of nuts (see next one)
    • Extra: Another video about Flaxseeds
      • 3 tbsp is 30% of magnesium needs, B1, 20% phosphorus, 10% selenium
    • “Though lignans are found throughout the plant kingdom, flaxseeds have around one hundred times more lignans than other foods.117 What are lignans? Lignans are phytoestrogens that can dampen the effects of the body’s own estrogen.”
    • “Mother Nature packs them a little too well. If you eat flaxseeds whole, they’re likely to pass right through you without releasing any of their nutrients. So, for best results, first grind up the seeds with a blender or coffee or spice grinder, or buy them preground or “milled.” “
  • Nuts (and Seeds)
    • Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, chia seeds, hazelnuts/filberts, hemp seeds, macademia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts
    • 1 serving
      • 1/4 cup nuts/seeds
      • 2 tbsp nut/seed butter (including peanut butter)
  • Grains
    • Barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oats, popcorn, quinoa, rye, teff, whole-wheat pasta, wild rice
    • 3 servings
      • 1/2 cup hot cereal or cooked grains, pasta
      • 1 cup cold cereal
      • 1 tortilla or slice of bread
      • 1/2 bagel
      • 3 cups popped popcorn
  • Spices
    • All you can think of (salt-free) (garlic, ginger, nutmeg, oregano, etc)
    • 1 serving (e.g. 1/4 tsp turmeric)
  • Beverages
    • 2 litres of water +
    • green tea, etc
  • Exercise
    • 90. min moderate OR 40min. vigorous
    • Moderate examples: bicycling, dancing, housework, hiking, surfing, swimming recreationally, yoga
    • Vigorous examples: backpacking, circuit weight training, football, jogging, running, swimming laps

Sources

Most sources are linked throughout the article, but here are some more great links.

  1. Youtube: Dr. Gregor’s Daily Dozen Checklist
    1. https://nutritionfacts.org/app/uploads/2018/03/metric.png
  2. Youtube: How Not to Die: An Animated Summary
  3. Youtube: How the Gut Microbiome affects the Brain and Mind
  4. Red Pen Reviews – great website that reviews nutrition books
December 30, 2019

Public Commitment 2020

This year I’ve started thinking about my goals halfway through December 2019. I wanted to combine what I’ve learned before, add some good new habits, and learn even more.

(recap of 2019 here)

As always these are the ‘goals’ and don’t fully reflect all the ongoing daily tasks/habits/etc. (but this year the overlap may be greater)

Without further ado, my goals for 2020.

Theme – Upgrade

In 2020 I plan to integrate what I’ve learned into new habits. My goal with this is to improve my life satisfaction and contribute more to society than ever before.

I plan to tackle several topics (see below) and dive deep into each one per 1-2 month(s). I will finish each one with an essay (which I will make during the period of time). I will also update/upgrade my habits or beliefs with regard to that topic.

Every two weeks I will check in with myself if I want to continue with this topic or move on to another one.

In the end, I will be happy (goal) if I will be able to tackle 6 of these topics. If I do more, that is of course also great.

One more note: A friend gave me feedback that most goals/themes are things only I can do/accomplish. By working together you can, of course, accomplish much more. So I’ve updated some goals/themes and should note that I should actively encourage working together/collaborating in achieving my goals.

The topics are partly replacing the goals (as per last year), but some goals are also mentioned separately below.

  1. Eat for Health & Energy
  2. Flexible Weightlifter
  3. Reason and Science
  4. Effective Altruist
  5. Dog Whisperer
  6. Financial Independence
  7. Writing
  8. Stoicism (Philosophy of Life)
  9. Making (electronic) Music
  10. Longevity
  11. Meditation
  12. Religion
  13. Entrepreneurship/Marketing

1. Eat for Health & Energy

I want to recap the books I’ve read about this and see what things I (and Lotte together) can make to have even better food habits. I think that some part of my food intake is too ‘random’ and that I can have some more ‘standard’ meals ready and know what is in each of them. Also, which ones give me enough energy in the gym (and during work). And how to still get enough protein whilst eating mostly vegan.

This theme will be done together with Lotte and during the month(s) I will share what I’ve been learning with her (and the other way around).

2. Flexible Weightlifter

For this topic, I want to learn (or better, do) more with weightlifting and being technically better at it. This requires flexibility and practice.

My plan for sports at this moment is to go 5 times per week. Three of these will be solely weightlifting. Two will be mostly bodybuilding (chest, back, abs) with one or two weightlifting exercises too. And of course, stretching every time.

This theme will be first done alone, but with help from a coach when I will focus on this one.

2. Reasons and Science

David Deutsch and Karl Popper will be my starting guides, but I plan to find out more from other sources too. I want to have a better grasp on what knowledge is, how to increase it, and how to think about some of those large questions (including consciousness). I understand that there is little consensus, but I hope to find some direction for myself.

Also here, discussion with friends is crucial.

4. Effective Altruist

Here I want to re-read some of the Effective Altruism (EA) books. Based on that I hope to introduce some new discussion topics for EA Rotterdam, and maybe see if I can find other ways to improve my impact (e.g. finding ways to motivate others to donate effectively).

Discussions with fellow members of the EA (Rotterdam) community will help my understanding and possibly also impact/reach.

5. Dog Whisperer

Max is already quite well-behaved. But I think we can do more. Learn new tricks, learn to walk alone more (and take more long walks through nature together), and be an even easier dog to sit for others.

This can be done together with Lotte, Onno, and other people who regularly interact with Max.

6. Financial Independence

Again, learn more about what I read, possibly implement some changes, update my financial model (message me if you want to have it).

7. Writing

As Goal 1 below states, I want to keep on writing for fun (and write quite a lot for work too). So why not learn better how to do this. Both with theory (and recapping what I’ve already read. As maybe a month of writing based on a prompt too (there is a subreddit for this).

8. Stoicism (Philosophy of Life)

I really like the works of some Stoic philosophers (both ancient as contemporary). How could it be if I could translate some of their work into my own words? (say 20 mini-essays? or just one long one after the month or so is over?). A good goal maybe for during vacation if I can find Kindle editions of all of them.

9. Making (electronic) Music

I really like electronic music (techno) and I think it would be a fun hobby to try and make some of my own. It would be awesome if I could find a style of my own (e.g. by using samples from movies/tv series as the ‘voice’ here and there). First, of course, I would have to learn the basics of FL Studio (editing program).

10. Longevity

I was really grasped by this subject, both in the summer of 2018 and again this year. I even started a small website but eventually didn’t do much with it. There is much happening there, much of it is just hype. It would be awesome if I could read more and draw some conclusions (and know where to look in the future to see ‘real’ updates).

11. Meditation

I think this might not become a full-blown month-topic. But I can imagine getting back to meditating more often (daily). And then also writing a small piece about my experience with it (I estimate that I’ve meditated for about 500 days now, so about 83 hours, not much – but it’s a start).

12. Religion

I didn’t have a religious upbringing and I fervently oppose much of what the organised religions say. But that is without understanding or knowing too much about their origins and having read the books themselves.

Subtopics I would be interested in are: talking with people from different religions, reading the books, looking deeper into the origins of religion (also from a more evolutionary/skeptic perspective), seeing also the positive things it brings to individuals/communities.

13. Entrepreneurship/Marketing

It’s something I think about/do most of my days. But I think a systematic review of what I’ve read/done could also be a good topic (maybe even one that spans 2 months or more).

Goal 1: Write Nova (and possibly other short stories)

I’m working on my second novella. This time about a couple that wants to have a child. They are contemplating why (to have kids), how (genetic upgrades), and live with the consequences.

I really like the writing process and I think that after this one I will also write some other stories. Suggestions are welcome. I like to combine something tech-related with a character-driven story.

Goal 2: Improve this website

  • Add Book Review specific page
  • Add essays (based on themes)

Goal 3: Do something crazy for love

Just like in 2018, I want to organise a nice day or do something else (unexpected, so you can’t guess honey) for Lotte.

Goal 4: Write essays about 6 topics

As per the above.

Goal 5: Start a new and successful venture

Behind the scenes, I’ve been working on this for quite a while. I’m not yet ready to release something, but when I do I will be contacting people in this field of study to learn more and collaborate.

And

Lotte and I will be taking a long trip around Asia. She will be away for 4,5 months, I a bit over 2 months. So that will also be an important and fun part of 2020 (and gives me plenty of time to read (and possibly write too)).

Ps.

A last thing I was thinking about is that I shouldn’t want to be always working or ‘being on’. So just like with the number of themes (6 is good), I think that a target of being productive for 4 hours per day is also a good thing to keep in mind.

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