How Food Affects Your Mind with Michael Pollan
Science of Perception Box
- 68 views
- 23 days ago
- 46:29
Humans have a symbiotic relationship with plants. Plants coevolved to suit our desires for nourishment, beauty, and altering consciousness. Journalist Michael Pollan has investigated the human connection to plants. This week on Science of Perception Box, Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch ask Pollan about modern trends like ultra-processed foods, industrialized agriculture, and consciousness-altering drugs from plants including caffeine, cannabis, and psychedelics. For more than 30 years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens, and in our minds. Pollan is the author of eight books, six of which have been New York Times bestsellers. In 2003, Pollan was appointed the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and the director of the Knight Program in Science and Environmental Journalism. In 2020, along with Dacher Keltner and others, he cofounded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics. Dr. Heather Berlin is a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Dr. Christof Koch is Chief Scientist for the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and the current Meritorious Investigator and former President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. Join us for new episodes every Thursday. Follow the show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever podcasts are found. Love the show? Write us a review on your podcast app, or tell a friend about the show. Visit unlikelycollaborators.com for more information. Episode Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (02:26) - The Profound Impact of Food on Mood and Perception (04:17) - Exploring Ultra-Processed Foods and Their Effects (06:45) - The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Food (10:29) - The Connection Between Food, Culture, and Education (17:46) - Michael Pollan's Journey into Food and Agriculture (21:42) - The Symbiotic Relationship Between Humans and Plants (22:55) - The Human Desire to Alter Consciousness (25:15) - The Transparent Experience of Coffee (25:47) - Caffeine's Benefits and Drawbacks (26:38) - Exploring Consciousness-Altering Substances (27:18) - Psychedelics and Cultural Evolution (29:02) - Creativity and Psychedelics (32:52) - The Nature of Ego and Consciousness (41:11) - Public vs. Private Self (45:31) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts
How Curiosity Quiets Anxiety with Dr. Judson Brewer
Science of Perception Box
- 63 views
- about 1 month ago
- 42:16
Anxiety can make us feel like we’re trapped in our brain. So how do we open the door and gain freedom? This week in our inaugural episode, Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch invite Dr. Judson Brewer to discuss the habit loops that increase anxiety, why anxiety contracts our Perception Box, and what steps we can take to change our relationship with anxiety and understand its evolutionary benefit. Dr. Judson Brewer studies the neural mechanisms of mindfulness. He is the Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, where he’s also an Associate Professor at the School of Medicine. Dr. Brewer is a leading expert in the science of self-mastery and breaking habits. His books include Unwinding Anxiety, The Craving Mind, and The Hunger Habit. Dr. Heather Berlin is a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Dr. Christof Koch is Chief Scientist for the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and the current Meritorious Investigator and former President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. Join us for new episodes every Thursday. Follow the show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever podcasts are found. Love the show? Write us a review on your podcast app, or tell a friend about the show. Visit unlikelycollaborators.com for more information. Episode Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (02:45) - Dr. Judson Brewer (05:54) - Habit Loops of Anxiety (08:16) - Breaking the Worry Cycle (10:52) - Will Power is a Myth (14:40) - Trigger, Behavior & Result (17:06) - Breaking Overeating Habit Loops (19:48) - The Feeling Body (22:40) - Opening the Perception Box (25:09) - Bigger Better Offers (28:01) - Curiosity, Compassion and Perception (31:40) - How Anxiety Can Box You In (35:14) - Learning to Allow Anxiety (36:05) - We Create Our Perception Boxes (37:40) - Perception Box Questions