The neuroscience of gratitude, going beyond weight loss with GLP-1s, and the magic of human consciousness.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

-Proverb

An article I came across titled, “The Neuroscience of Gratitude and Effects on the Brain” provides a really good overview of how gratitude positively affects us physiologically. 

At its core, gratitude is a ‘state of thankfulness’.

It is a powerful emotion that can positively alter and change the way you view the world, how you view others, your own circumstances, and provide a host of physiological benefits. 

Let’s first dive a bit more deeply into the actual neuroscience of gratitude, how a more consistent practice can improve your overall health, and then finish by outlining some ways you can incorporate more active gratitude into your life. 

The Neuroscience of Gratitude

From a neuroscience perspective, gratitude activates a number of brain regions that are associated with positive emotions, social connection, and self-regulation, which are all areas I’m sure many of us wouldn’t mind improving in our own lives. 

Prefrontal Cortex: This is the part of the brain that is responsible for planning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Gratitude activates the prefrontal cortex, which helps us to focus on the positive aspects of our lives and to cope with stress more effectively.

Amygdala: This is the part of the brain that is responsible for processing emotions, such as fear and anger. Gratitude helps to reduce activity in the amygdala, which can lead to a decrease in stress and anxiety.

Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex: This is the part of the brain that is associated with social connection and empathy. Gratitude activates the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which helps us to feel connected to others and to appreciate the good things in our lives.

In addition to these brain regions, gratitude has also been shown to have a number of other positive physiological effects on the body, beyond the brain. 

Reduced Stress: Gratitude can help to reduce stress by activating the prefrontal cortex and decreasing activity in the amygdala.

Improved Sleep: Gratitude can help to improve sleep by reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

Increased Pain Tolerance: Gratitude can help to increase pain tolerance by activating the prefrontal cortex and decreasing activity in the amygdala.

Boosted Immune System: Gratitude can help to boost the immune system by lowering blood pressure and increasing levels of antibodies and white blood cells.

Reduced Risk of Depression: Gratitude can help to reduce the risk of depression by increasing positive emotions and decreasing negative emotions.

Overall, gratitude is a powerful emotion that has a number of positive effects on the brain and overall health. Practicing gratitude on a regular basis can help to improve your mood, reduce stress, improve sleep, boost your immune system, and reduce your risk of depression.

Simple Ways to Practice More Gratitude

Write it down. Keeping a gratitude journal or notebook is a really easy, great way to get you thinking more actively about what you are grateful for. 

I actually have an example sheet of an AM and PM Gratitude Journal I created as part of The Guide to the Gut Health Quest

In the morning, write down three things you are grateful for, to better start your day with more perspective. 

When you do this, you better set the tone for the day for your brain. This is where the stress mitigation aspect of gratitude comes into play. When more minor things go wrong during, and throughout your day, (and they inevitably will) when you begin your day by reminding yourself of some larger, more meaningful things you have to be grateful for, this tends to supersede the more minor inconveniences of the day, such as being stuck in traffic, running late for something, or someone screwing something up that then affects you. 

In the evening, before you go to bed, write down a combination of three things that happened to you that day that were amazing, that you’re thankful for, or any other kind of final reflection. 

These can be small things like someone praising you for your work on something, getting a little extra personal time with your children, and so, so many other things. 

This practice helps you end your day with a different dose of perspective from the morning; a dose of perspective that can help shine some light on even the crummiest of days, as you can always find three things to be grateful for. In fact, this exercise is probably even more important to do on the crummiest of days. 

This is all research backed, as keeping a gratitude journal has been shown to reduce and help mitigate stress, improves the quality of sleep, and builds emotional awareness (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005).

Send “thank you” notes. Take the time to express your gratitude to people who have made a positive difference in your life by writing and sending/giving them a hand written thank you note. 

Spend time with loved ones. Gratitude is a social emotion, so make time to connect with the people you care about.

Focus on the positive. Pay attention to the good things in your life, and try to focus on them even when things are tough. Another way to do this is to find the positive side of things that are stressing you out, or things that you recognize you are viewing negatively. 

For example, I am incredibly grateful for the privilege of being able to write this newsletter blog for you every week. 

I work a pretty busy schedule trying to run and build a growing business, and that comes with a lot of stressors in and of itself. More often than I’d prefer, I find myself with some very late nights, or very early mornings writing this blog due to a demanding schedule. 

Now, I could feel sorry for myself during these late nights and early mornings. It’s very easy to do so in these trivial moments of discomfort. 

However, I remind myself continually of how grateful I truly am to be able to write this blog. That I have the mental and physical capabilities to do so, that I have the passion for optimizing human performance and longevity, and that there are readers who actually may find some value in what I have to share. 

I’m grateful for the accountability of knowing I have this to write weekly, as it keeps me actively learning, researching, and applying to my own life more than I probably would otherwise, which makes me better, and keeps me healthier. I can honestly say I’m a healthier, happier person because of the knowledge I gain and apply in writing and sharing with you. 

This is just one example of how maintaining a dose of perspective through gratitude improves a situation in my life. Imagine how much our lives could improve if we approached our daily lives like this more and more. 

Even small acts of gratitude can make a big difference in your life over time, and the positive energy you put out into the world as a result reverberates back to you.

A recent study published in Nature Medicine titled, “Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists” has highlighted the expanding range of potential health benefits associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, commonly known as GLP-1s. These medications, initially developed for type 2 diabetes management, have demonstrated significant efficacy in weight loss and are now being recognized for their positive impact on various other health conditions. This research underscores the growing understanding of GLP-1's potential role beyond glucose regulation and its potential for broader therapeutic applications.

Now, that said, there is far more to unpack than what is on the surface of this study, and what it may truly be telling us about the potential health benefits of the hormone GLP-1, which, as discussed last week, we produce naturally, and is different than a synthetic GLP-1 receptor agonist, which is what these popular medications like Ozempic™️ Wegovy™️, and Mounjaro™️ are. 

First, let’s unpack the high level findings of the study, and then we can peel back the layers on what it may truly be telling us. 
The study, a comprehensive review of existing anonymous data from 2.5mm patients of the Veteran Affairs, analyzed the effects of GLP-1s on a wide spectrum of health outcomes. 

While the weight loss benefits are well-established, the review delves into the mechanisms by which GLP-1s contribute to improvements in cardiovascular health. Researchers found compelling evidence suggesting that GLP-1s can reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. This protective effect is likely mediated by several factors, including reductions in blood pressure, improvements in cholesterol profiles, and a decrease in inflammation.

Beyond cardiovascular benefits, the study explored the potential of GLP-1s in addressing other health issues. 

Emerging evidence suggests a link between GLP-1 therapy and improvements in conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The mechanisms by which GLP-1s exert their beneficial effects on the liver are still being investigated, but researchers believe that reductions in insulin resistance and inflammation play a crucial role. 

Furthermore, the review touched upon the potential of GLP-1s in managing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, although more research is needed in this area. Preclinical studies have indicated that GLP-1s may have neuroprotective properties, potentially slowing down the progression of these debilitating conditions.

The study also acknowledged the importance of considering potential adverse effects associated with GLP-1 therapy. 
GLP-1s can cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, particularly when initiating treatment or increasing the dose. Rare but more serious side effects, such as pancreatitis, have also been reported. The researchers emphasized the need for careful patient selection and monitoring to minimize the risk of adverse events.

Okay, now that we know more about the high level findings and the correlation to GLP-1s (remember, “GLP-1s” refers to the synthetic GLP-1 receptor agonists, not the actual hormone you produce naturally) let’s peel back the layers on what it may actually be telling us. 

On the surface, this study is definitely paving the way for the pharmaceutical industry and doctors to start prescribing these GLP-1 receptor agonists for more than just type II diabetes and weight loss. In the industry, this is known as “repurposing” and is quite common. 

Now, knowing what I know about the actual hormone GLP-1 and how it functions in the body, I do believe that these findings are in fact correlated to the use of GLP-1s, however, that doesn’t mean you need a GLP-1 to achieve these benefits. 

Key Takeaways

Losing weight is good for your health. 

I would say there is no doubt that “GLP-1s” can have a very positive effect on weight loss, and if someone is a metabolic emergency, and needs to achieve significant weight loss to either save their life, or to extend it significantly, when you do lose a significant amount of weight, all of the above biomarkers will be improved, bar none. 

So one thing this study is telling us may just be that yes, if you lose a significant amount of weight, all of your other health biomarkers naturally improve like reductions of risk of disease, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation. 
I don’t think any of this is news to us.

So, these health improvements are on the surface linked to the use of “GLP-1s”, but in the end, what it’s probably more so telling us is that losing a significant amount of weight (which yes, a GLP-1 can aid in) is good for all of your health biomarkers. 
Improved release of the actual GLP-1 hormone is really where it’s at.

First, let’s distinguish between the hormone produced by the intestines known as GLP-1 and the synthetic medications known as “GLP-1s” a bit more.

The GLP-1 hormone is produced and secreted in the intestines and is a mechanism the body uses to reduce inflammation and improve your overall insulin response, as well as slowing the digestion of food for better assimilation. 

A GLP-1 receptor agonist is a synthetic molecule that binds to GLP-1 receptors and mimics the release of the GLP-1 hormone in the body. 

In short, and as I discussed last week, improving your body’s natural production and secretion of GLP-1 is very beneficial for your health. 

So, on top of many of the improvements in many health related biomarkers discussed in the study probably being a natural product of weight loss, the rest could probably be attributed to the mimicking of a GLP-1 like hormone in the body.

Again, I believe these correlations to the use of GLP-1 to be true, however, I think the causation is due more so to the patients seeing weight loss from these GLP-1, and the health benefits of GLP-1, or in this case, a synthetic GLP-1 like molecule in the body. 

In fact, I’ve written extensively on Berberine, a plant based molecule that is probably the most potent GLP-1 producing molecule you can supplement with, and something I use regularly. Funny enough, one thing I wrote about was its well studied benefits at being more effective than statins at reducing plaque buildup in your blood vessels and improving your lipid profile. 

Now, note that one of the biggest byproducts of GLP-1 use in the study was the reduction of risk of heart disease and biomarkers related to that. 

Summary

The actual GLP-1 hormone produced within the body is very effective at improving metabolic health by improving your insulin response, is a sign of good gut health (which is linked to a reduction in all disease and all cause mortality), and improves your inflammatory biomarkers related to disease. 

In short, this hormone is extremely beneficial for longevity, and is something I’ve been supplementing with for years now, well before the introduction of these synthetic GLP-1s.

Losing weight in general is going to improve most, if not all biomarkers related to improved healthspan. 

The question now is, whether to use a synthetic GLP-1, or do what you can to improve the production of it naturally in the body?
This I will discuss in depth next week, so stay tuned.

The Telepathy Tapes 

I’ve stated before that I don’t make a ton of recommendations on books and media unless I think it’s truly something that would impact and/or resonate with most people.
 
So at minimum, when I do recommend a book or piece of media, I genuinely think it’s something that will cut through and connect with almost everyone (as you can never guarantee something will resonate), and this podcast series is something I cannot recommend enough. 

If you listen to it with an open mind, it is an all out paradigm shifter. It will leave you feeling more hopeful about the human condition, with more belief in just how truly magical consciousness, and “the soul” truly is, as well as growing you spiritually. 
Or at least I can attest that that’s how I felt after listening to it, as well as anyone I’ve personally recommended it to that’s already listened to it. 

I closed my neuroscience of gratitude segment by stating that the energy you put out into the world reverberates back to you, and this podcast series will make you realize that more than you know. 

The Telepathy Tapes delves into the claim that nonverbal autistic individuals possess telepathic abilities beyond anything many of us could possibly imagine. 

Launched and hosted by documentary filmmaker Ky Dickens, the series centers on the work of neuroscientist Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, who has been researching this phenomenon for over a decade. The podcast features interviews with families and presents anecdotal evidence suggesting that nonverbal autistic children can communicate telepathically with other nonverbal autistic individuals from all over the world, as well as their parents and teachers at times. 

As a listener, you are invited to “witness” sessions where these children guess numbers, words, or images that others are thinking. 

But wait, there’s more.

Each episode grows and grows well beyond the simple guessing of numbers and images to telepathy at far more extraordinary and amazing levels. 

And naturally, the scientific community has issues with things they cannot materially measure, so I invite you to listen and decide for yourself. 

To listen on Apple Podcasts CLICK HERE.

To listen on Spotify CLICK HERE.