Dr. Mercola January 22 2009 57,683 views
The article is confusing and self-contradictory, including it's being composed of 75% water and 60% fat,
This whole article is flawed. I agree, however, that synthetic chemicals can't be good for our brains...
Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing when I read this article (i.e. all of the contradictions that are listed).
It's also good, Islander, to read that someone else finds the taste of goal milk to be, well, disgusting. At least now I have something to attribute that too. I must be a supertaster (grin).
Yes, and that 75% of your brain is water, while 60% is fat. And that apparently the brain behind this piece couldn't do math...
I'm a supertaster too. I use very little seasoning, can taste a hint of licorice in both stevia and ibuprofen, have to have my broccoli dead fresh and cooked just right so it's not bitter, can't drink goat milk no matter how fresh and unadulterated, and know well before anyone when a food is off. I also wonder: are we also "supersmellers?" Because I've gotten the name "Bloodhound" from several different people based on my ability to pick up a scent of something (a small rosemary plant, a pet stain, detergent, paint, etc) before anyone else, and often when they never do. Based on my sensitivities to chemicals and allergens, I'm also a canary in the coal mine, so perhaps there is a very good evolutionary reason for my super-senses.
I noticed that, AND I noticed that the brain is somehow 75 percent water AND up to at least 60 percent fat...both at the same time. Hmmmm....
Two very strange contradictions...
Wolfster, you must have noticed how closely taste and smell are related. I think we appreciate our food as much through smell as by taste on the tongue. We can't "taste" much of anything when we have a stuffy nose, right? And forget about enjoying a restaurant meal if you are sitting near a smoker (back when that was possible) or near anyone wearing fragrance!
Yes, I agree that the way things are written, the article contains some contradications.
However...
... if the author was on the one hand talking about 'volume' and then on the other hand talking about 'weight' it might be possible that the brain consists of 605 fat and 75% water. I'm not sure about the volumetric weight of the fat in the brain, but if it were considerably higher than the equivalent volume of water then it might just be possible that the physical 255 of the brain that is fat could make up 60% of the weight of the brain. I appreciate that this is a real stretch of the numbers, but am just demonstrating that it may be possible that the fat/water figures might not actually be contradictory. But we can't ever know that as the author of the piece was not clear about their use of terms.
... and regarding the trebling of brain size in the first year seeming to contradict the brain being almost adult sized at birth. Well this could just be (yet again) poor authoring and a dreadful proof-reader. However, (and again I'm stretching on this) they may have meant that the brain at birth contains almost as many neurons as the adult brain, but then the spaces between the nuerons expands by three times. A long shot I admit but am just making the point that perhaps these "facts?" are not as mutually contradictory as first appears.
However, even if we assume my suggestions are accurate (and as explained I'm not entirely convinced they are!), the fact that the statements cause readers to think "now those two statements are mutually contradictory" suggests that either
- the author needs some serious help with their writing skills or
- the proof readers (if any!) were just checking for spelling and syntax - not meaning!
they probably mean that the dry weight of the brain in 60% fat.
Anyway, Great Article!!
Just goes to prove that the Human Brain is STILL the least understood part of the Human Body. Funny how limited to little, if any, research dollars don't go to actual research in this field.
Floride can damage your brain.It can clog up the water in your brain so it does not move freely.In Germany during second world war floride was also used for brain control.
Not true! I CAN TICKLE MYSELF. Why do people always say they can't?
All in all, it's a no brainer ;-))
This article has obviously been published to
a) check if the readers have any brains
b) check if they're using them
Hmmm, I wonder. Obviously drinking more beer doesn't make you more intelligent though :)
islander: that comment is ripped off from a cheers episode
asdfqwerty, I agree it's not original; it's a paraphrase of an e-mail that stuck in my memory. I don't watch TV; I never saw an episode of "Cheers"; if you say that's where it came from, I sure won't argue. I thought it was funny and it just seemed to fit right there.
I've killed a few brain cells in my youth. Not sure if I'm better or worse for that.....