Norbert Somogyi

A rather promising, natural alternative to psychiatric medications - paleolithic diet, or in stronger cases the ketogenic diet. My theory (or at least one I resonate with, can stem from multiple sources) of the apparent efficacy for these diets (especially for the ketogenic diet) is that as hunters & gatherers we have historically had frequent and long periods of our lives when carbs were scarce. This triggered a state of ketosis, which induced heightened cognitive ability - required to hunt and just survive. Someone with cognitive issues just wouldn't survive in the woods. Ketogenic Diet was coined in 1921 (more like branded and reintroduced) as an alternative therapy for epilepsy patients. Used in 1920s and 1930s until epilepsy medications came around (with less efficacy and side effects - that required more pills with their own side effects - I'm looking at you, Big Pharma.). Another person I recommend is Dr. Chris Palmer - Also working in the growing field of Metabolic Psychiatry with promising results. Metabolic Mind - A related youtube channel with many people's stories of overcoming the mental illnesses with such dietary changes. It is reasonable for me to believe that at least trying out these dietary interventions (with supervision for keto, without supervision for paleo) won't harm anyone (I've had such experiences with cleaner diets - hard to maintain the diet though), and can potentially experience a heightened health and corresponding cognitive ability. With or without diagnosed mental illnesses. There are naturally niche cases where due to metabolic or other issues you will experience adverse effects (the potential long-term effects of especially the keto diet require a more careful approach) on either of these diets (perhaps carnivore could work there), due to some autoimmune conditions. Some can be kept at bay, some can be improved with these. Another intervention that can be used is vitamin D, as at least some if not all auto-immune diseases are shown to facilitate and maintain vitamin D resistance, which can potentially be mitigated with high dose Vitamin D procotols. P:S I recommed Dr. Josef's other videos as well, showcasing the nuances and methodological problems with the psychiatric field.

A solid list, but when it comes to the vegan diet - pay close attention to how you feel. Some can thrive on it, while others feel something is missing (even with perfect planning) and animal products along with meat has to be re-introduced. Pay attention to related biomarkers too. Others suggested nice additions, I'd add vitamin D to the list. The cofactors are mostly taken care of already, but K2 is hard to get by on a vegan diet (fermented foods like sauerkraut). Get your levels up and it can make a great difference in how you feel. Another thing to note is don't take your list as a holy grail, don't expect yourself to be able to stick to it 100% of the time. At least you won't get disappointed if you fail one or more steps. Have some room for chaos - where you can just let go, play and enjoy life. This is just as important as the other aspects of health which your list mainly includes. That is, unless you are someone like David Goggins and thrive in such means to live.

This ancient thread came to mind upon this question, Leo explains it in a way that resonates with me very well. I've tried to use spirituality as a means to transcend, but I was but a teen. It ended up as bypassing - escapism from my pain. Thankfully I learned to let go of it before it was too late, and have been building up myself ever since. Plenty of horizontal growth to do before I can learn to fly. From my point of view they go hand in hand, in different ratios in different points in different people's lives. Some may resonate with spirituality at an early stage of their self-development (which can but not always turn into a bypassing - escape from their pain and suffering), while some may find it threatening until later stages. No wonder most models of developmental psychology (Maslow, Wilber, SD, EDT etc.) include (if) spirituality towards the end of self-development. The model that includes spirituality in the most comprehensive way I have come across is Wilber's ladder or Stages of Consciousness. Skipping levels is rarely viable, and you can easily imagine how much development it takes to go through and reach a point in your path where spirituality can be embraced without issues. It is like light and shadow - The bigger your shadow (figuratively) is, the fiercer and longer the battle it will have against light (spirituality and awakening). In regards to answer for your question (besides not having a clear definition of what spirituality really means to you), I believe a lot of us have plenty of room to grow horizontally. Spirituality may not even necessarily become an integral part of our lifetime, and that's okay. When you reach a certain point of maturity and openness, spirituality will find you either way.

My suggestion is for you both to test your vitamin D serum levels in your blood (25(OH)D). There's a chance you are deficient (below 30 ng or 75 nmol), which reduces the chances of conception and a healthy pregnancy. Vitamin D appears to play a crucial role in all stages, so it's best to get those levels up (above 50-60 ng - 125-150 nmol). Here is an overview for more information Synergistic cofactors (Magnesium is always recommended), such as Zinc and Omega-3 also seem to play a crucial role in conception and ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Zinc supplementation however seems to reduce copper, which can hinder the physiological development of the fetus (pregnancy increases the need for it), so either get a complex or take them separately. You can also get these from dietary sources, but it is getting increasingly harder due to soil depletion and food-processing. You can not get sufficient vitamin D from food however, supplementation in combination with UVB (Sun) exposure is always best. This covers just supplementation (which may solve it by itself), but other factors are just as needed (especially for a healthy pregnancy). A calm environment with minimal stress, adequate sleep. Furthermore the conviction that you both want a child, and from each other.

This comment of yours and the responses prompted me to do some research around brain power, neuroplasticity and got to BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). Turns out you can drastically improve neuroplasticity even in later ages, and prevent or even partially reverse most forms of cognitive decline. Checking these seem to create a foundation for the mind to become resilient against setbacks, as well as be open to new challenges and experiences. The earlier, the better Supplements & compounds (VitD and cofactors like Magnesium, Omega 3, Zinc, Quercetin, Resveratrol etc.), lifestyle changes (sleep, exercise, socialization), interventions (light therapies, acupuncture, psychotherapies), psychedelics, diet (Mediterranean, Keto, or just naturally what your body feels best on). New experiences, traveling, hobbies - self-actualization in a sense. Different folks are at a different reaching distance from these due to environmental, cultural, emotional circumstances, genetics, ego-development etc. However I believe most people are the closest to supplements that can eventually help open their world to the rest of the methods naturally or artifically. In my case they opened me up to live through some Orange qualities - increased desire for autonomy, skepticism, boundary-setting, achieving, intellectual curiosity, fulfilling my needs without others' approval etc. - that I have been neglecting or even subconsciously shaming. My brain is in top-performance it has been since my teens, and life just keeps getting better. Naturally not everyone will reach Yellow in their lifetimes, however not everyone needs to. People can live a fulfilling life without it. They can fulfill their needs while also building connections and trying to decrease the hurt they inflict on others. A healthy, achieving orange that integrated the tamed the beast of red, embraced the morality of blue and is open to the empathy of green - maybe even touching into Yellow thanks to self-actualization this process can propell them to. Let's not forget Purple where our intimate connection to others and the world seems to be derived from. Our tribalistic, animistic nature that appreciates the sacredness of everything around us - and where our evolutionary development seems to be at. Even this is idealistic, but oh well. Yellow will rise to inflict changes in the workings of the world that create a more fertile soil for change as well as cooperation. Granted most folks will not even realize the existence of Spiral Dynamics or even developmental psychology. But hey, life and the internet is always full of surprises.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE There are actually two types of vitamin D. The first that was discovered is D2 (ergocalciferol), derived from plants/fungi. Later D3 (cholecalciferol) was discovered, which is animal sourced (or synthetized in human skin through UVB exposure) and more suitable for human and animal consumption. Research heavily favors D3, being much more effective compared to D2 (which sometimes is even counter-effective at correcting vitamin D deficiency). Yet, medical practice and doctors still majorly tend to prescribe D2. Here is an overview on VitaminDWiki Summarization by Perplexity The website "Overview Vitamin D3 not D2" on VitaminDWiki emphasizes the superiority of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) over vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) for supplementation and health benefits. Key points include: Vitamin D3 is more effective than D2: Studies consistently show that vitamin D3 raises and maintains blood serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D more effectively than D2. In contrast, vitamin D2 can lower serum levels of D3 and may even worsen certain health outcomes. Health risks associated with vitamin D2: Supplementation with D2 has been linked to increased risks of falls, muscle damage, and worsened conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). It has also been associated with increased mortality risk compared to the mortality reduction observed with D3. D2's limited utility: Despite its historical use as the first discovered form of vitamin D, D2 is now considered less suitable for human and animal supplementation. Many healthcare professionals still prescribe it due to outdated practices, although research strongly favors D3. Vegan alternatives for D3: While some individuals choose D2 because it is vegan, there are now vegan sources of D3 derived from lichen. Food fortification and supplementation: Some fortified foods and multivitamins still use small amounts of D2, but these are often negligible in impact. Long-term supplementation studies favor daily or loading doses of D3 for maintaining optimal vitamin D levels. The page includes numerous studies, graphs, and meta-analyses supporting these claims, highlighting that vitamin D3 is the preferred choice for supplementation across various contexts.

Adequate (higher than adequate when it comes to conservative views - 70+ ng/mL) levels of vitamin D appears to induce or maintain beneficial structural changes in the eye. Preventing, improving or even treating certain conditions. For example dry eyes, glaucoma, myopia, possibly age-related macular degeneration etc. - Study overview can be found here Other studies and related overviews in vision category can be found on the website - here P.S: It drastically improved my eyesight as well. Did not clear up my astigmia (cylinder - visual focal point issues), but feels as if my eyesight is as good as it used to be a few years ago. However it's not permanent, seems to be fluctuating - due to my fluctuating vitamin D levels in my speculation.

Here is an overview examining the potential of the incredible immunomudolatory potential of vitamin D - preventing and/or fighting influenza, respiratory infections, enveloped viruses (Hepatitis, Corona, Ebola, pox, bird flu etc.). I haven't been sick since I've been supplementing with vitamin D (at least since my dose was at least 10,000 IU/day - different people react differently to xyz doses). Even a flu that was not really advertised in my country, that made almost everyone around me sick for days or weeks - washed it off overnight. Now as my levels are close to optimal, whatever flu I seem to encounter (my immune system turns up - feeling heat and/or lower energy), I feel a little low for a few hours then everything goes back to normal. This is without drastic lifestyle changes such as healthy diet (my diet has almost always been moderately healthy - need to cut down on sugar) or exercise (I'm still slightly overweight). I'm also smoking, and it seems it is also fighting off the damage I've caused on my lungs (still, need to cut it out once and for all).

@Judy2 You don't need to set unrealistically metaphysical goals for meditation right away, different people use it for different reasons. Focus, clarity, calmness, reduction of background noise (overthinking), general well-being - granted that doesn't fully utilize the potential of meditation due to shorter sessions in comparison - but who cares? As long as it is helping you, and the regularity and discipline you can form will help you either way. Furthermore no need to punish yourself for your mind derailing from time to time, it is natural. The mind doesn't like to stay in one place for long, you need to train it up. Meditation is like training a muscle, although progression is not as linear. Either way, the more you do it the less derailing you will experience. I've begun with guided meditations long ago (The Honest Guys youtube channel - for anyone who remembers from 2015-ish), they were great! Later on I experimented with different techniques, but what worked best for me is expanding my focus to whatever bodily sensations I have during the session. It's a little hard to explain, but it's like focusing on your field of awareness all at once - might be a little too much as a beginner. Try to focus on your breath, the sensations of the air flowing in and out of your nose - or just an imaginary point. Good luck!

@BlueOak Thank you for sharing your experience! I can attest to the ego-reframing experience (spiritual bypassing as a teenager, lots of meditation - had a so-called satori experience), which led me through a journey of spiritual ego initially and then rediscovering myself as a human and what it means to me. Even though my ego reformed, there is at least one almost impercivable crack in the whole structure - which is shined upon whenever I come near infinity. Instead of total denial, I panic while fear washes over my whole being. Guess it is still better this way, because you could think of this experience that had a lasting impact, forming a crack where divine light shines through. Whatever seed is put in there, the constant source of light helps it grow - a spiritual photosynthesis so to speak. I also like your description of whole and different parts of ourselves experiencing infinity differently, reminds me of holism and IFS.

What I think needs to be mentioned here is that Spiral Dynamics is but a model, a western one at that. Is it useful? Hell yeah! Does it apply equally to the development of all human beings/societies on this planet? I don't think so. To me it appears to mirror Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which I think works in tandem with the integration and transition between the stages up to Yellow (perhaps Turqoise). The previous discussion about community, networking, career being a necessity to develop into Tier 2 reflects that as well. Strictly adhering to the models, it is a necessity and in most cases I think it actually is. However a yogi meditating in a cave for decades may tap into Coral (acknowledged by Beck, hinted at by Wilber) or beyond, without going through these stages since the environment drastically differs from one SD usually considers. Would it be the same as someone who went through these stages and integrated them? I don't think so, but the manifestation may be similar - at least on an individual level. For a long time I considered that kind of action a selfish escape, but nowadays I've been thinking if there is a potential effect of their manifestation of consciousness on the collective as a whole. I also think that progression when you consider this model is messy, not linear at all. It got incredibly messy since the globalization and the internet. It's more like those vertical soundwave visualizers you see on music players like WinAmp, seemingly randomly manifesting (even though there is a delicate balance within the chaos), but there's a hint of progression (like increasing the potenciometer of Preamp gradually over the years). A quote from Clare Graves (The father of SD) - "The psychology of the mature human being is an unfolding, emergent, oscillating, spiraling process marked by progressive subordination of older, lower-order behavior systems to newer, higher-order systems" "The map is not the territory" - Leo, 2020?

From my perspective the body appears to be an interface of consciousness. A thriving body resonates well with consciousness and can allow it to expand within, while a polluted body clouds the mind and leaves little room for expansion. Judging by how some yogis for example, stay healthy and energetic well into the 100s. This does not mean that a thriving body expands consciousness by itself (although I'm sure it can happen, but usually an intent and focus needs to be there), nor that people with severe addictions or health issues can not (Alan Watts is a good example, Eckhart Tolle is another - I'm sure there are other outliers - Hey Leo!). Genetics definitely play a big factor too.

The /r/vitaminD subreddit has been undergoing fundamental changes, and the new moderator u/vitaminDJesus (hah) came up with a comprehensive guide & FAQ when it comes to vitamin D supplementation. You can find it here Unfortunately it lacks scientific references or studies (which has been proposed as a criticism, supposedly will be done later), but is a great base-line for people starting out with D3 supplementation.

Magnesium is 100% a factor, as shown above in the website I referenced. K2 is recommended especially at higher levels levels / doses. There are videos and posts around the internet (Dr. Michael Holick, Rhonda Patrick, Dr. Berg etc.), but this is currently a niche part of medicine. I only found about it a few months ago, despite researching ways to improve my health for years. It is not part of mainstream culture, because drastically improving your health and well-being with over-the-counter supplements (and lifestyle changes) does not profit big pharma, nor does it grant you frequent visits at the doctor.

The case with Tellogen Effluvium is very interesting! here is the case study I found (the study you read is most likely cited here too, 200K IU twice a month treating it). Glad to hear it is working for you too! When it comes to acquiring Vitamin D from the sun, there are numerous factors involved in how much vitamin D you produce from sunlight. Skin color (darker skin produces less in comparison, ancient northern migration potentially induced pigment devolvation to increase vitamin D production) Altitude (near the equator is ideal) time of day (depending on where you live, mostly between 10 AM - 2-3 PM, best when your shadow is shorter than you) time of year (depending on where you live, 2-3 months up to 5-6 months near the summer - angle of incidence of the sun) Age (aging increases skin thickness, reducing vitamin D production) Sunscreen decreases absorbtion by 95-99% It does not work through glass Some other factors Here are some suggestions to optimize vitamin D production from the sun I believe it is reasonable to consider people who spend the most of the time in the sun when it comes to determining optimal vitamin D levels. People natively living in equatorial Africa, or lifeguards for example. Some lifeguards are reported to have levels of 100-125 ng/ml, without toxicity. Perhaps those levels are closer to the optimum range than 30-50 which is usually recommended. Definitely below toxicity, if even vitamin D can be toxic by itself (and not just such levels negatively influencing other factors such as calcium or potassium). I wouldn't go above 150 unless medically supervised though, for example for autoimmune diseases or cancer.

Well, rather it is advised. I would recommend Magnesium altogether as it is depleted by D3, while there are other cofactors that help improve your D3 utilization and/or reduce risk-factors such as hypercalcemia (K2, especially at higher D3 doses - might not be needed on a low calcium diet). It is increasingly harder to acquire these from diet alone, as the soil in general is being depleted by abusive agricultural practices for the last ~100 years.

Transgender is associated with autism, low vitamin D, low BMD (Bone-Mineral Density) etc. - studies overview Can be a rather simplistic take, but my experience overlaps. No sense of gender confusion that I recall, but I feel much more comfortable in my skin as a man than ever, once I started to optimize my D levels.

He's saying that these symptoms force him to stop taking D3 (they can be temporary, I hope it sorts out sooner or later), even though taking it is important (which I agree with).

I'm just a guy who researches online and experiments on himself, so take my words with a grain of salt. Do you take Magnesium? It is essential for vitamin D. That's what I would think of when it comes to diarrhea, when it is too much. Alternatively your body is sensitive to that specific form (Glycinate appears to be ideal for most, works for me too). When you eat a lot of it from diet, less of it is needed. I've had a span of 1-2 weeks with irregular bowel movements when it comes supplementing with D3, (did not happen until I approached 20K/IU, you may react better to D3 in general) but it sorted itself out over time. Perhaps vitamin D was improving my immune system to sort out the gut-bacteria that does not belong in my gut, while enriching the healthy ones. A transition was needed. I'm not an overly healthy eater, by the way. Prolonged vitamin D deficiency maybe can cause the body down-regulate certain bodily processes to maintain energetic equilibrium, prioritizing those that are essential for survival over those that are not. When the system has enough energy to reboot those processes, it can be painful at first. Here's a study and some research to look into the relationship between vitamin D and gut health, and correspondingly acid reflux. Keep experimenting, take things slower or sporadically and see what happens. You can also take a look at this comprehensive website for more information

@Emerald Thank you so much for sharing this! I saved this post, for later down the line when I regain the desire to get back into dating. Even as a man, this is very insightful to be able to appreciate a healthy female perspective when it comes to dating.

Oh yeah, that's definitely true! He did not try to fix her though that much, rather the relationship instead. Either way it was doomed from the start unfortunately.

Strength and sobriety to you!

Hey man, thank you for sharing this! I have a friend who just got broken up over a similar relationship, an incredible level of intimacy. She was vulnerable and intimate from the start, but turns out she is dealing with very bad anxiety. My friend fell for her immediately and is now swimming in grief, after he tried to fix it a few times. There's a certain pattern to the type of girls you attract, and that is true to my friend and myself as well. Neither of us are attracting girls that are content and have a healthy self-esteem, because neither of us are there. There's a lot of shit to work through, which doesn't seem to be sorted by meditation (tried), can't say much about 5-MeO. I went to a few retreats like Ayahuasca and Psylocibin, but they don't solve these things by themselves, unless I guess you are for some reason close to such a breakthrough. In my case I tried years of therapy and inner work (on-and-off), and now optimizing my health which seems to be the biggest influence in terms of how I view myself relationships. You can try to dwell into Attachment Theory, a useful resource - YouTube EDIT - Additional thoughts: I realized there's a drastic difference in my relationship to people and love based on how content I am in the moment. When I feel content and not looking for love outside, things feel like a breeze in comparison. Maybe you need to cultivate some Self-Love (along with Shadow Work, the dark side is just as important), from which you will not only find it easier to detach from depending on a relationship to love - but getting closer to love as well. It's also easier to love if you have love to give.

Hey, I appreciate your stance on the effects of porn on the brain. Seems to affect the brain in a similar fashion as drug addictions. Makes me rethink my relationship with it, even after all this time. There's definitely a huge issue with porn, both on an individual level and the collective. I've just tried to think about benefits, but even after asking DeepSeek I hardly find any convincing arguments for it. NoPorn seems to be a healthy alternative for most. I'm conflicted on the NoFap thing. I've been at both ends, and nofap sometimes brought me more issues than benefits. I understand that was due to how the energy was stuck since I did not do anything else to improve my life at a time. However I don't think sexual energy transmutation is a viable alternative for anyone at any point in their life. There's a big chance it leads to improvement over time, but there's a threshold beyond which it can cause more harm. That's why even the NoFap Forums recommend a comfortable frequency even after the standard 90 day reboot, like 2-4 weeks or 1-3 months. The frequency is individual, however I'd argue that even 90 days is not enough for most people. Especially for those who take NoFap as the only thing that they change about their lives. Regarding the prostate cancer thing, I'd be curious to know what was the counter-effect for people over 50. The suggested theory is interesting, but I think there's more to it. The frequency of masturbation can be a marker of someone's well-being, the more you are inclined to do it the less content you are with your life. Seeking pleasure elsewhere. These studies are unfortunately overly simplistic, do not incorporate a healthy quantity of factors and perspectives that could lead to cancer. I know it's hard to make a randomized controlled trial with not only physical health but also developmental psychology involved. Therefore here's an overview about more materialistic factors - Overview Prostate Cancer and Vitamin D

I've been on both sides of this debate, periods of me justifying my porn addiction (99% to myself) as well as periods of me justifying nofap to myself and others. Porn addiction was an outlet for me, a temporary comfort from my suffering related to my subpar family environment and corresponding trauma and depression. Resistance, lack of awareness and corresponding acceptance. I don't know where I would be if I would have been exposed to porn later in my life (or not at all), but I believe most likely I would be in a better place. I most likely would have had more moments earlier where I would have had to face hard-truths about the life I lead growing up. I most likely would have had more motivation to socialize and seek female companionship. There's a certain clarity of mind I did get (and still do) on longer streaks without PMO. There is a possibility that I would have been suicidal, but thankfully I will never know. NoFap was basically the same for me, on the other side of the coin. A self-induced escape from the addiction, trying out various micro-managing methods to be free from it once and for all. Naturally, I did punish and guilt-trip myself whenever I failed (leading to binges), especially during the earlier phases. It was progression however, since I did develop mentally and physically (indirectly mainly) during those years. A breakthrough that led me to distance myself from porn for a year or so, and 3+ months from fapping. The best I ever felt, however I did change little else when it comes to the circumstances I live in so it was superficial. Altogether though, I grew a lot and even landed a girlfriend, along with some spicy adventures with women. This was followed with a phase of experimentation, what streaks are most comfortable for me. It was good, but apparently I was still missing pieces. It did not cure my depression, just weakened it. I could feel the effects of PMO, just paid much less attention to it. There still was emotional turmoil attached to it. I even visited a tantric healer who taught me some practices, and tried semen-retention which worked surprisingly well. The transmutation of my sexual energy worked for me, but not as a life-time practice. Here I am, around 10 years later after trying NoFap for the first time. I'm at a much better place, rather content and comfortable in my skin - not lonely and anxious when it comes to relationships (or lack thereof). I can only thank the period of NoFap I had in my life. Nowadays I indulge myself in PMO, mostly out of boredom, but the effect is miniscule in comparison (on the mental level - while on the physical level I still notice it - but they are interconnected so it is hard to tell). Ever since I started to optimize my vitamin D levels (and corresponding cofactors), I often feel just as great as I did on month+ long streaks of nofap. I don't know if there is a direct relationship, but it will be worth investigating later on. Thank you for reading up to this part, to be continued.