Mrs Zeta

It is best to take several supplements in low dose that a few ones at high doses. Apart from reducing the risk of side effects, a multiple combination of low-dose supplements enhances the benefit of each individual vitamin etc. so the net effect is a much more powerful effect with few side effects.

The general advice is not to pop these because of the risk of infection and scarring.

My comment is speculative. It does not apply to historical populations because this complex intellectual sophistication is just beginning to influence modern humans, so there is no precedent. Also, I believe that evolutionary pressure will shift from the current genetic model to a future neuronal level, i.e. the evolution of humans will not be primarily based on the DNA, but will dependent, instead, upon the brain (intelligence). I accept that this is speculative, but it is based on empirical observation just beginning to appear.

I believe that evolution by natural selection is coming to an end with reference to humans. It may be possible for humanity to continue evolving by means other than natural selection, for example through a developmental singularity process (see general discussion at http://www.accelerationwatch.com/developmentalsinghypothesis.html). This is based on the fact that, for the first time in human history, we have now access to global technology that can enhance human abilities in a very short time, rather than waiting for the slow process of natural selection to increase our fitness (as a race) any further. See a discussion here: https://acrobat.com/#d=MAgyT1rkdwono-lQL6thBQ

I am more than the total sum of my cells and genetics. I don't care if my individual cells are complex or not, what is important for me is my self as a whole entity. The same is true for every level of organisation: Our cells are more complex than the total sum of their individual components, our society is more complex than the sum of all the behaviours/actions of the people forming it etc. With each level of organisation there is emergence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence) of new behaviours that have properties over and above those of their individual components. Not only that, but each level (from molecules to cells, to brains, to whole organisms, to societies, to global integration) influences all the preceeding and all the following ones by 'reciprocal causation' and so for example, our society (e.g. an enriched or a deprived environment) affects our DNA through epigenetic changes. There is a lot of research supporting this.

This is not so much inflammation but changes in the blood flow within the nasal passages. The circulation of the nasal mucosa is very sensitive to small changes in temperature and this can increase the chances of sneezing, blocked and runny nose and even nosebleeds. Also, 'chill' is usually associated with fever which is the result of an actual (viral) infection.

That's my dachshund called Caridi Baldo Motivation Joy (Mojo)

I have already posted a few comments, but I thought it is better to introduce myself. I am Marios Kyriazis, a medical doctor and biomedical gerontologist living in London, although originally from Cyprus. My interest is antiageing medicine and anything else that has to do with ageing, longevity and healthy lifespans. See http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=59182278&trk=tab_pro

I don't understand your comment. I believe that I am more complex than an amoeba. My biological redundancy, mechanical abilities, the capacity to alter my environment, let alone cognitive functions have 'emerged' over a progressively more complex evolutionary development process. I believe in Nature and natural laws. I have the chance to observe Nature in a variety of diverse settings (medical, biological, agricultural, social etc). All I can see is a tendency to create situations that lead to greater complexity. Any loss of complexity is associeted with loss of function, and eventually death.

If you commit a crime in one of the countries you are a citizen of, the other countries will not be able to assist you (even if you are a citizen of those countries). For me the only clear benefit of having two or three passports is to be able to choose the shortest queue at the passport control when I visit one of those countries (if the 'Citizens Only' queue is too long I go to the 'Non-Residents' queue and show them my other passport).

For a start, search Medline for DNA/fractals, brain/fractals, neuron/fractals etc. Rather technical papers are http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20365626 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20954409 http://iopscience.iop.org/1009-1963/11/12/318 Also, below is an extract of my draft paper on the matter:… [b]Interconnectivity and relationship between progressively higher levels of complexity with reference to humans 1. DNA 2. Neuron 3. Brain 4. Society 5. Global Integration (Trans-humanism) Fractal geometry The complex and dynamical nature of the individual components of the model (1-4, and perhaps 5) is manifested in the underlying sophisticated geometry with power- law properties, which can be described in terms of objects with fractal dimension. The fractal dimension of the DNA has been described (for example, Cattani C. Fractals and Hidden Symmetries in DNA. Mathematical Problems in Engineering Volume 2010) who have discussed the geometrical rules that describe the distribution of nucleotides along the DNA molecule and described that the DNA is characterized by DNA walks with fractal shape. With regards to the neuron it has been proposed that Euclidean geometry is not suitable for a geometrical interpretation of its structural and functional properties, at least in humans (Pellionisz AJ. Neural geometry: towards a fractal model of neurons. Cambridge University Press, 1989), and neural fractal properties are widely manifest. In addition, the fractal properties of the brain as a whole have been described by several researchers. See for example, a full discussion here: http://www.dhushara.com/book/paps/chaos/bchaos1.htm. Finally, one level up from the level of individual brain, is the level of society integration. The dynamic, continual processes that characterise societal interactions operate within an integrating field and have properties that are describable by fractal geometry (Harle R. Chaos, archetypes, and the all-integrating field. Nonlinear Dynamics Psychol Life Sci. 2010;14(1):101-15). [/b]

According to some, if you look hard enough you will see that the universe has self-similarity (a fractal property). The DNA, neuron, brain, societies and Universe have been described using fractal laws and believed to be self-similar in progressively larger (or smaller) scales.

It is easier to explain if you think about you life. During your life you (or anyone) achieves only a few truly remarkable things, the rest of your time has been spent on mundane things such as brushing your teeth, standing around, sleeping and watching television etc. But those things are necessary in order for your achievements to materialize. The same with life in nature, we are a much more complex species, but the other less complex organisms are generally needed in order to support our development directly or indirectly. Even within the human species there are individuals who are much more sophisticated than others. Some are destined to become very sophisticated creatures, others (the majority) are just going to remain as 'human plankton'.

The problem with high blood pressure is that it is often associated with other seemingly unrelated conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol etc.

There are a few papers on hypnotoxin in Medline for example http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7546322

Nature has a tendency to create progressively more complex structures. Starting with organic life, this went from the creation of molecules, to cells, organisms, societies and now global integrative systems. Each level is progressively more complex than the previous one. It is therefore normal for one of nature's creations (in this case it happened to be humans) to evolve and reach higher intellectual sophistication.

Say you buy two new laptops. The first one is an ordinary laptop with nothing pre-installed. The second one is exactly similar but with many programmes preinstalled and downloaded (word processing, photos, music tracks, films, adobe, thesaurus etc). Both are switched on and in idle mode -no programmes actively running. If I had to choose which one had the most 'energy' inside, I would choose the second, even though they both use the same amount of electrical energy at that passive stage. The second one with the information in it has the potential to do stuff (a characteristic of energy). Energy does stuff, no energy equals uselessness i.e death.

If you buy a new computer with all the circuits in place, but no pre-installed programs, then it won't function. If you don't input information into the brain, it won't function. Not only that, but if you fail to continue intentionally supplying your brain with meaningful information, it will soon degenerate, and cease to function (brain ageing)

There is a simple cause, and I am surprised nobody has discussed it. It is called uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, i.e. the process of energy production within the cell somehow 'bursts' and allows dramatic levels of energy to suddenly escape. Although I haven't seen any research supporting this.

OK, I think what I am coming to understand is that information does not carry energy but it can optimize energy. For example (and sorry to use a biological case in this forum), our brain has enough energy resources provided by the food we eat. But inputting information in the brain optimises the use of this energy. The information (intentional cognitive stimulus) modulates the use of energy by the neuron and thus the cell functions optimally. Without the purposful information the cell would just sit there metabolising quietly (just like in the case of my fellow passengers in the train today!) Any loss of energy associated with, say, aging, would then be compensated by an optimal use of the remaining resources, a process encouraged by the additional (not background) cognitive information we input.

The information we perceive via our senses is essentially patterns of photons, sound waves etc. These signals are being picked up and manipulated by the brain. Is this process associated with an increase amount of energy reaching the brain? I don't mean increased metabolism therefore more energy, what I mean is does information (of any sort) carry energy? More generally, if we input information and data into a computer, does its internal energy increase? If we input meaningful information into a system, does its entropy decrease?

Gerovital is still sold to the public for 'anti-ageing' purposes. However, there is very little new research about its effectiveness.

Evolution by natural selection has been effective at producing increasinlgy more complex creatures. However, humans may now be able to continue evolving by means other than natural selection, which, let's face it, is a very slow process. We can now evolve via a developmental singularity process which means that more intellectual sophistication will be achieved quicker, and more efficiently, in the same individual. The consequence of this is that death by ageing will become unecessary. For full reasons and a discussion see here: https://acrobat.com/#d=MAgyT1rkdwono-lQL6thBQ

See this for a view that human indefinite lifespans are an inevitable consequence of evolution: www.elpistheory.info