Welcome to Litsy!

Not a bad place to finish a book. This book wasn‘t bad for something that was assigned for class. I‘m into the idea of #alternativemedicine especially herbal remedies. I️ feel there‘s room for both alternative and conventional healing in the world and that there‘s validity and drawbacks to both. #unexpectedtexas

Five day holiday starts today.

Too bad I️ have four papers to write. Also finishing up this book. Not the worst thing I‘ve been assigned to read.

Reading outside in this cooler weather.
#bestseller #mindbody #assignedreads #assignedreading #readingoutside #outdoorreading #science #medicine

“You don‘t have to believe what you are feeling and you don‘t have to believe what your brain is saying. However bad you feel, you can carry on and you can still do better.”

More great advice for endurance athletes. However, I‘d also add that overuse injuries are very real and it‘s important to ease into pushing your limits.

“We feel sluggish in hot weather not because our muscles are worn out but because the central governor limits our physical activity in case we overheat.”

I️ need to remember this when I‘m walking 700 miles through the desert next year. 🏜

Book for class. Pretty interesting chapter about how our body tells us it‘s tired way before it‘s reached its actual limits which is how you can explain the feats of endurance athletes.

Our thoughts, beliefs, stress levels and world view all influence how ill or well we feel.

Interesting and worthwhile. A study of the way our minds can construct and control our physical experiences.
Reservations:
a) Sometimes not enough journalistic distance ie in describing an accidental pour of boiling water onto a "precious grandchild."
b) Audiobook narrator Genevieve Swallow switches annoyingly to a different accent for every person quoted.

Drug companies have no incentive to fund trials that will reduce dependence on pain medication, and neither have medical insurers, because if costs come down, so do profits. Video game companies may take the forefront in pain relief studies, harnessing mind power in virtual reality, but first they have to sort out squabbles over Oculus technology.

Current #audiobook. I saw it on the longlist for the Wellcome prize and I love science writing.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/30/wellcome-book-prize-reveals-longli...

The Wellcome Longlist has been announced. If you asked if I was interested in medical books the answer would be a resounding no. But I've followed this prize for a couple of years, and find it *fascinating*. And any list with Sarah Moss is worth a look... https://wellcomebookprize.org/

#24in48 #readathon

First up! I expect to do a little skipping around on this one, so will likely pick up something else to read alongside.

Very interesting, but author and audio book narrator ruin the book, the author by ridiculous descriptions of the people she uses to make a point (all "delicate features", "beautiful brown eyes" etc. -- WHO CARES!?) and the narrator by imitating the accent/dialect of EVERY SINGLE PERSON QUOTED.

What happened to scientific books? Why are they all so full of fluff? Because they could really have been summed up in a 25 page article? Probably.

This book is so interesting, it actually got me interested in trying meditation/mindfulness for the effect it can have on the brain to counter anxiety and stress (since I get nervous about everything). Too bad both the author and the narrator do their best to ruin the reading experience.

This is one of those audiobooks where the narrator thinks it's a good idea to imitate the accent of the person whose line she's saying. Just so we don't miss the fact that Italians don't speak perfect English. Or that all the scientists are American. Can someone please take Genevieve Swallow's audiobook narrator license away?

I had a unique and complex reason for reading this book, and I found the research presented to be helpful in drawing conclusions for myself. It's clear, unbiased, and enlightening. The patient stories add a much-needed element of humanity. Much longer GR review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1466703604

Whaaaa what? That sounds like a horror novel not a serious medical book! 🤓

Reading a section about using virtual reality games to help people with chronic pain and other conditions. When I got to this sentence I thought, "why, yes we have that already with books!" ❤️?

Starting up a new set of books - my usual pattern. One fiction (OMG can't wait for this one). One audio (Ditto. So excited.) One nonfiction (definitely interested).

Wow, this made me think! Cure is a well-written pop science book about the way our minds and bodies interact during illness. Author takes a skeptical approach. The research is fascinating and the personal interviews are heartbreaking and uplifting. See full review at https://loveonlit.wordpress.com

Friday is the PERFECT day to start this. Time to get CURED🙏🏻😏
#tgif

Today, I'm consulting a trusted handbook and a new find: Cure. This topic is very personal for me, and I've been very impressed with the sensitivity, research, and conclusions so far. The mind's effect on our health is not woo-woo nonsense. It's a fact. And it can be vital to medical treatment.

Interesting look at alternative health options by a skeptic.

The brain can do remarkable things but it also limits you.