Soothing Science

This is the day. You have listened to the first three episodes and changed the way you think about smoking and have /understood how hypnosis works. Now you have smoked your last cigarette and have become a non smoker. Reinforce this by listening to the self hypnosis episode on this podcast. This episode should not be listened to by people who have a dissociative disorder, a psychotic illness or PTSD associated with fire and smoke. People with these conditions should consult with their psychiatrist first. Soothing science website with donation link

In this episode we discuss what hypnosis is and how it works - paving the way for  the final episode.   Make sure you listen in order; each episode in this series builds on the former. Soothing Science webpage with donation link.

Episode 2 in my four part series that will teach you simple self hypnosis techniques to stop smoking.   This episode is all about the nature of smoking and how you have become hooked by it. I hope it will make you see smoking in a new way and will set the foundation for the change to being a non smoker. Soothing Science webpage with donation link.

I am excited to bring you this four part series which will help you to stop smoking using self hypnosis techniques. You need to listen to all four episodes in order. This first introductory episode lays out the structure of the program and introduces concepts and ideas. Soothing Science webpage with donation link.

This is the final episode of SSS2, and has a recap of what we've covered. I also look at the evidence for success for the various medical and commercial interventions for weight loss. We note how surgery has certainly a good success rate amongst the more severely obese, and that this fact is a bit confronting for a behaviouralist like me.  

This episode explores the myth of calories- how a perfectly respectable unit of energy has become a tool of the food industry to nudge you towards unhealthy foods. We also look at how portion size has increased over the years, and why this has occurred. And if you have ever been camping without a torch, you will know exactly why an overnight fast makes a lot of sense and may help you to be healthier.

Have you ever thought that you were full until someone offered you some chocolate or icecream? "Of course I'm not full", you said, "I have a separate stomach for dessert!".   Well, turns out this is partially true - this episode talks about sensory specific satiety - our tendency to be able to eat more if there is a variety of food on offer. This is one of the reasons that variety is not always helpful... Enjoy the show, and there is more information on these subjects here.

Back to nutrition and weight loss thankfully - coronavirus is on the backburner for the moment.  Today we cover the myth of moderation - was it Buddha who said "everything in moderation" or was it the ancient Greeks? Maybe it's in the Bible. Or was it the Coca Cola company? Regardless of who it was, it's a con.  And it's particularly a con when it comes to that toxic white substance known as sugar. Also today, the psychology of hunger- is it hunger you feel or the desire to taste a flavour?

This episode looks at simple, home based interventions that might help you avoid severe illness if and when you contract the corona virus. Science based, although as yet not investigated with trials, they are easy and relatively harmless, so I am certainly giving them a go. The common thread is that they influence the immune system, and will make you healthier and happier in general, even if you dont get Corona. For more info have a look at the Soothing Science website.  

Sigh, another corona virus podcast forced upon us. No one wants it but we just have to deal with it. In this episode, dealing with fear and anxiety ( and lets face it if you're not anxious you're not doing it right) and then my take on social distancing. The good news is you already know how to deal routinely with dangerous uncontrollable situations - you call it driving - and we can apply the same thoughts to living with Corona.

A break from the nutrition and weight loss theme for a quick episode with all I know about corona virus. I am reasonably worried - I think it is time to start taking personal precautions. In this episode I review the information I have come across in my somewhat obsessive reading about Covid 19/corona virus. Hopefully you will find it useful in making your plans. I do hope it's a complete over reaction and there will be no need to do anything different....but this virus is possibly something that is going to recalibrate our perspectives on a lot of things in the next couple of months. Have a look at this youtube channel for further updates - nothing to do with me - but its where I got a lot of the info from.  Medcram - episode 28  

In this episode we examine why is it that the scales can jump by a kg overnight. And what exactly is the definition of food anyway? - how would you answer this question and does your answer differ from that of Genghis Khan. We think about taste, and ask ourselves if our taste would be different if we grew up in a different culture.  I look at what is an edible food like substance, talking about the work of Michael Pollan.   And there is an exercise on savouring the taste of food.

Soothing Science Season 2 - SSS2 is a series of podcasts about nutrition, health and losing weight.  **Fixed on 29/11 - if you downloaded the botched recording I put up first it has been replaced*** Each episode will include some science, some psychology of weight loss and look at some of the myths that trap us in unhealthy lifestyles. This first episode looks at why the science of nutrition is inherently dodgy, the myth of exercise, and the setting of goals - and why we should never make our goal something a dead person can achieve. This is based on the work of Dr Russ Harris - acceptance and commitment therapy. Link to the website here, and link to some info about ACT - acceptance and comittment therapy here. 

This relaxation exercise is based on the relationship between people and horses. It is designed to help you relax and to help you to see things from different points of view. Hope you enjoy it.   some horsey sound effects from freesound and particularly from InspectorJ.

This episode is based on research done at Stanford university which shows that people with health professionals in their family live longer than those without. But it's not for the reasons you might think - its not about doctors and nurses treating their families or knowing which is the best hospital. No it's because we nag our family members into being healthier. And with this podcast you too can be nagged. Source material is here ( or will be soon)

This podcast was made against the backdrop of the recent shootings in New Zealand. The aim is to help to acknowledge, accept and learn from unpleasant and distressing emotions. To be able to know when to allow the to wash over us and when it is time to catch them and ride them like a surfer. There is a longer than usual introduction - listen to it the first time, but after that skip ahead to the thirteenth minute for the relaxation exercise.    Send me an email at soothingscience@gmail.com if you like.

How do you look after a vintage car? You put it in a garage, cover it with a dustcover, drive it sparingly and slowly. And don't crash it.   Well, apart from not crashing, this is exactly the wrong way to look after an old joint  - present thinking is that you are much better off taking your old worn joints out for a spin to preserve them. And within reason, the brisker you walk, the better the outcomes.  In this episode I look at some recent research about osteoarthritis, that reinforces the old maxim, use it or lose it.   Here is a link to the website where you can find links to the research.

This episode is a simple relaxation exercise - I did not get around to a science review this time - and it's all about focusing on your own intrinsic value. I've been listening to the story of one man's pathway to overcoming  the debilitating condition of borderline personality disorder, and it reminded me how important it is to replenish the well of self worth from time to time.  Hope you enjoy it. Here are some links: Brian Barnett's podcast about borderline personality disorder, if you are interested in that topic. ABC classic flow yoga nidra - a really nice relaxation exercise - much more pro than mine... Soothing Science website, with show notes ( although not much for this episode as there are no science facts to review)

This is a meditation exercise to do while walking, jogging or running. It encourages you to be mindful and appreciative of your body, and your surroundings, and to relish the transformation that exercise can bring. Make sure you do it in a safe environment - on a walking track away from traffic, as your attention will be split between my words and the environment, so best to stay away from busy places while you do it the first time, at least.

I started to make an episode about cramps - the science is fascinating....but it morphed into being mainly about Parkrun - a weekly festival of exercise in a park near you - and why you should give it a try. ( and take your jar of pickle juice in case you get a cramp)

This relaxation exercise uses archery as a metaphor for any task that requires focus and attention to detail. It's applicable to many situations - don't worry if you have no interest in archery. In the same way that by focusing on the tiny movements of the archer's fingertips and hands the whole flight of the arrow can be changed, we can all change the course of events by focusing on those parts of a situation that are within our control. Enjoy it and happy relaxing.

So by co-incidence I am uploading this episode on world mental health day - must be meant to be... I talk about research from university of Queensland professor Haslam about a natural treatment for depression - so natural that it doesn't even seem like a treatment. The treatment revolves around becoming involved in groups - building your social identity - and their research shows it is as effective as taking anti -depressants at preventing relapses. And I have a look at a paper by Dr Lisa Parker from Sydney Uni about the problems with mental health aps - how they may be leading us to believe that every problem in life is a mental health issue. At the same time, they don't pay attention  to some of the most important external causes of mental illness - such as unemployment and financial stress.

Another simple 20 minute relaxation exercise that involves progressive muscular relaxation and visualisation. After developing a nice relaxed state we meditate on the stars and how we can bring different perspectives to mind, which can help us appreciate our world and bring fresh ideas to solving problems. 

I have been thinking about flat earthers lately. This has led me on to wonder why exactly do I believe the things I do - for example that the earth is round. And the answer has more to do about trust than science. This episode looks at the connections between trust, belief and science, and asks you the question - "what flat earth beliefs do we all have - about ourselves and our health?"

Today's episode gives you 2 simple relaxation exercises that you can do yourself anytime you want to. The first just takes a few seconds and is an ancient breathing techniques used by anyone who wants to settle their nerves - from yogis instructing their pupils to Navy SEALS before battle. The second exercise is a meditation where we look steadily at an object or scene and allow this view to relax our mind. It's one I do on the bus or ferry on the way to work. Think of it as an alternative to looking at pointless stuff on your phone. Hope you enjoy, adrian.

Today's episode looks at Turmeric, the latest fashionable supplement available in various forms from capsules to lattes. Of course it's a spice that has been used in Asian cooking for hundreds of years and it seems that in places like India where Turmeric is widely consumed rates of arthritis and dementia are lower. So there is some circumstantial evidence it's good for us. This podcast takes a look at that evidence, but also explores whether the hype is driven by our own desire to find a simple exotic solution for our difficult lifestyle problems.   

This relaxation exercise focuses on kindness. Kindness is in short supply on the internet - yet kindness encourages change more successfully than a twitter tirade.  In this exercise we focus on the relationship between a person and their pet as an example of kindness and use this to develop a kindly approach to our own selves. This all sounds a bit corny, but you will find that by practicing being kind to yourself during relaxation that you will find it easier to stick to your New Years resolutions.   Soothing Science website

It's time for New Year's resolutions. Time for change. One of mine is to do these podcasts more frequently - this one has been at the back of my mind ever since I saw an article about prostate cancer in July last year. The article reported  that we may be able to reduce our risk of prostate cancer by having more ejaculations. But that's only part of the story - it's about the lifestyle changes that we can make that will reduce the risk of many cancers - in women and men. Breast, prostate, bowel, lung....many of the big killers -are partially preventable by the very sort of New Years resolutions that most of us make - this podcast and part 2 will help you to stick to your resolve.

Today's relaxation/meditation exercise is based on the Sydney Botanic Gardens. It is designed to help you move from a mental state of hustle and bustle to one of soothing serenity. Just like stepping into the Gardens; stepping into an oasis in the city and kicking off your shoes on the soft grass.

I have split the show into two parts, as requested by listeners. The first part is about the science of viruses, and a recently published analysis of a cure for the common cold that actually works - about 30% of the time.

The first half of this episode is about the science of sleep - why we sleep, why we sleep the way we do, and how to get a better nights sleep. In the second half we do a soothing relaxation episode based around a cabin in the mountains. The relaxation exercise starts at about the 18th minute.

Soothing Science is a podcast that will help you to reduce your stress levels. In this first episode Dr Adrian talks about why he is making the podcast - about how there is an epidemic of stress in our society at the moment, and how we no longer practice many of the tried and true methods that different cultures have evolved to help with this. We then do a simple exercise based on breathing and muscle relaxation and some pleasant beachside imagery, and by the end of that we think you'll feel really good. Please note that the relaxation exercise starts at about the 12 minute mark. You should only listen past that point while you are sitting or reclining free of distractions. The start of this part of the podcast is clearly announced and you should not listen to it in any circumstances where you could be in trouble if you fell asleep or became drowsy. This is not the podcast to listen to while driving!  Soothing Science website and show notes. Happy relaxing...