Sep, 2021

The Big Idea: eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and fermented foods to maintain a healthy microbiome and discourage disease.

• An unhealthy microbiome is associated with: infant colic, allergies, autism, auto-immune diseases, obesity, depression, schizophrenia, OCD, stroke, heart disease, systemic inflammation, and cancer.
• Vaginal childbirth is preferable to C-section.
• Breast milk helps feed an infant’s microbiome.
• Take antibiotics only when necessary, since they can decimate benefit beneficial gut bacteria.
• If antibiotics are unavoidable, supplement with probiotics quickly afterwards.
• Wash children’s hands regularly during flu season.
• Start each day with kefir or yogurt.
• Being around dirt, animals and people helps expose us to beneficial microbes.
• Ease up on the need to sanitize everything.
• Feed your gut microbiome plenty of dietary fiber.
• Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains.
• Limit red meat, which is converted to TMA and TMAO.
• Limit saturated fat, which feeds pathogenic bacteria.
• Consume fermented foods for probiotics.
• Consider following the Mediterrean diet or the traditional Japanese diet.

The Big Idea: Thinking doesn’t just take place inside the brain; it also takes place outside the brain.

• When your body (emotions/unconscious mind) is telling you something, listen to it; this is called interoception.
• Practice meditation to improve your interoception abilities.
• Regular walks can improve thinking.
• Physical demonstrations helps students learn abstract concepts better.
• Gestures can support understanding and learning.
• Gestures take away cognitive load, so the brain can focus more intently.
• Spending time in nature improves thinking; take a nature walk to help work out problems.
• Working in a room with a view improves thinking.
• Better design (collaborative spaces + quiet spaces, sense of ownership) improves thinking; aka neuroarchitecture.
• The memory palace technique, concept mapping, and physical models all take advantage of the power of spatial thinking.
• Imitating experts (apprenticeships) and coaching improves learning.
• Working in groups improves thinking.
• Teaching others (eg cascading mentorship) helps you master concepts.
• Debate and Socratic Method are great tools for teaching and learning.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool for understanding and remembering.
• Group mind (collective intelligence) can sometimes be more powerful than individual minds.
• Synchronized exercise or activity improves cooperation and emotional bonds between individuals.
• Membership in a group can be a potent form of motivation.
• Eating meals together improves group cohesion and cooperation.