3 Things I Wish I Learned Earlier: Medical and Research Addition

There are some things that almost every student knows, like how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. However, there is information that still surprises me at the age of 20.  Here are three things I have learned, and maybe learning them will surprise you, too.  

1. Laughter

When you think of laughter, you may think of the mental benefits such as stress relief and varying feelings of happiness. What you may not know is that laughter also has benefits for relationships, such as making people feel more connected.

What about the physical benefits? First, laughter can increase pain tolerance, boost the immune system and cause muscle tone. It can also decrease inflammation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. So, maybe there is some truth to the saying that laughter is the best medicine. 

Many people have taken this information and started laughter classes such as laughter yoga. Laughter yoga combines laughter exercises and yoga breathing techniques to bring more oxygen to the body for energy. You may be thinking that it is hard to truly laugh while exercising but research shows that fake laughter can be just as beneficial as real laughter. This is especially true when you are with another person because hearing another person laugh can cause the other to start genuinely laughing. We can fake it until we make it! 

As I grow older, I want to be a professional and mature person, but I also want to make sure I stay relaxed and light-hearted enough to laugh throughout the day, not only because I like to, but also because of the mental, social and physical benefits. The next time you laugh while you’re exercising or studying, it will make you look smart because you’re doing something for your mind, your body and your heart. 

2. Brain Synchronization

You have most likely heard of our two brain hemispheres: the left side is more logical and the right side is more creative. Most people use one side more than the other. While I thought that this was just human nature, I have learned that balancing both hemispheres can be beneficial. This process is called whole brain synchronization. Brain syncing is using both hemispheres at the same time during a physical exercise or a mental exercise. 

An example of a physical exercise is tapping your left foot while circling your right arm. If you think back to elementary school, you may remember trying to do exercises like tapping your head while circling your hand over your stomach. This is the same idea. There are ways to use both hemispheres of the brain by doing a meditation, such as picturing an object and counting backward from 100. Using both sides of the brain repeatedly can increase cognitive performance, memory, intellectual functioning and mental health. In regards to intellectual functioning, people have reported it as being a self-induced state of flow, or being in the zone. 

To communicate between the two hemispheres, our brain needs to use the corpus callosum. Like a muscle, the more it is used, the more developed it becomes. Researchers have studied Albert Einstein’s brain and found that the connectivity between the two hemispheres was enhanced compared to a number of other human brains because of the thickness of his corpus callosum. This study argues that this was one of the reasons he was as smart as he was. When I first read this I thought it sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. However, brain imaging has shown it is possible to have short term and long term changes to our brains through meditation. 

3. Cycle Synching

Women’s hormones change over the period of a month, not a day like men. I have heard people use this information to explain mood swings and food cravings, but I did not know what was actually happening to women during this time until recently. The specific main hormones that change during this 28-day period are progesterone and estrogen. The way in which these hormones change impacts a woman’s brain function, cognition, emotions, sensory processing and appetite. 

Using this knowledge, cycle synching was created. This concept was named by functional nutritionist Alisa Vitti. Although the name may not sound familiar, you may be familiar with her app, “Flo.” She first described this concept in her book, “Woman Code,” and she has helped many women ease premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Through her method, women can match their lives to their cycles through food, exercise and how they spend their time. The United States women’s soccer team coach credited it as one of the strategies used that helped them win the 2019 World Cup! 

Let’s break down the four phases of the menstrual cycle and cycle syncing

1. Menstrual 

This part of the cycle lasts for about one to five days, and estrogen and progesterone levels are low. This is an ideal time to reflect and journal. In this phase cycle synching users recommend restful exercise like yoga or taking walks. Drinking soothing tea can help with cramps. 

2. Follicular

This can occur between day 6-14. During this phase, estrogen and progesterone are on the rise. This is a time when learning is easier, thinking is clearer and people have more motivation. The foods that are recommended are foods that will metabolize estrogen like broccoli, kimchi and sauerkraut. Some exercises that are recommended are hiking, light runs and flow based yoga. 

3. Ovulatory

This phase is around day 15-17. Since estrogen peaks here, women usually feel their most social during this time, and it is the time to try a high intensity work out or spin class. The foods that are recommended are foods that support the liver and foods that are anti-inflammatory like fruits, vegetables and almonds. 

4. Luteal

This occurs between day 18-28. Estrogen and progesterone levels are high, and then start falling, which causes the cycle to start over. Hormone levels at this time cause our brains to be more detail oriented. During this part, it is recommended to do exercises more focused around strength training. During this phase women should eat magnesium rich foods that fight fatigue like dark chocolate, spinach and pumpkin seeds. 

An easy way to remember this is that each phase is a season, starting with winter as menstrual, follicular as spring, ovulatory as summer and luteal as fall. Remember that every woman is different. Women do not have to live by these rules. In fact, sometimes this is not possible since our society is built around the schedule of hormonal changes during the day which expects a similar performance each day. 

What shocked me the most about each of these three pieces of information was the relatively small changes that I can make to my life that will have a big impact on my health. After researching, I already feel an instinct to laugh more, utilize brain power and listen to my body, but the information has made me feel more confident in these decisions. Laughing, using my brain and hormones changing are things that happen to me everyday, but I didn’t know as much as I thought I did about them. There is power in our bodies and we have the ability to potentially experience these positive benefits if we understand them.