What is really the best for your brain?

There is a story that speaks to the ultimate nature of living beings.

I believe it was Ohio State University that conducted animal experiments to understand the effects of cholesterol. They fed mice a high-cholesterol diet for a period of time, and while the cholesterol levels of all the other groups of mice increased similarly, there was a contradiction: the cholesterol levels of a certain group of mice did not increase at all. 

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that this group of mice, when given food, was petted, kissed, played with, and spoken to, and they were treated lovingly while being fed instead of just mechanically feeding them without any interactions. The feeling of happiness during mealtime in these mice generated special chemicals in their brains, altering the cholesterol metabolism pathway and transforming cholesterol into harmless substances.

As this result illustrates, it’s not just about eating good food; the mental state and emotions during eating have a significant impact. Your mental state can turn nutrition into poison and poison into magical elixir. I think this applies not only to meals but also to everything you absorb, emotions, the words of others, and everything that happens in your daily life.

I don’t believe in common stereotypes that equate old age with illness, dementia, or reduced vitality. That’s because I’ve seen many elderly individuals who defy such aging-related decline in various fields.

First and foremost, we need to eliminate such a mindset. The mind is connected to the body, and it has the power to transform even toxins into nutrients. First, you need to understand that you are the one creating yourself and the world around you.

Furthermore, if I were to say something more ultimate, it would be that health is synonymous with “knowing oneself.”

Know your body, know your mind, know your spirit, know your emotions. And if there are factors that harm or degrade you, change them, overcome them. Sometimes, this involves physical exercise, meditation, yoga, fasting, or Zen meditation. Maybe for some people it is just laughing and dancing. Knowing what you want to do and recognizing moments of happiness are the catalysts for self-discovery.

Personally, I believe that “mindfulness” contributes the most to this.

Mindfulness allows you to become aware of the “true self” that can objectively observe yourself. (So then who is REAL YOU?) By focusing on the actions, thoughts, and emotions that usually go unnoticed, you reduce “unconscious actions,” which, in turn, I believe, enhances brain awareness.

While it may not be a direct way to optimize the brain, if being happy holistically contributes to the best brain, then it’s undoubtedly true that not suppressing, harming, or lying to oneself, but instead liberating oneself freely, is the way to permanently optimize the brain.