Negative Health Effects of Dehydration (Infographic)

How much water you need depends entirely on an individual’s lifestyle, activity levels, eating habits, and even surrounding climate. The best way to figure out what you need is to pay attention to your body’s many signals.

Dehydration actually sets in before you start feeling thirsty, and is often indicated by, oddly enough, feeling slightly hungry. If you find yourself feeling like a snack, try having a glass of water first, and see what happens.

For people who struggle in the mornings, having a couple of glasses of water right when you wake up will help boost your blood pressure to normal levels. It will also help clean out your system and get your metabolism started early.

Not staying hydrated can lead to negative health effects described in this helpful infographic:

Using Psychedelics For A Spiritual Journey (Video)

Using Psychedelics For A Spiritual Journey (Video) | Third Monk

A bag of shrooms can send your mind racing on a spiritual sprint, turning you into a soul surfing psychonaut. In this psychedelic speech, Jason Silva explains how a psychedelic experience can be a tool for interpersonal transformation.

Check out the in depth guide: A Guide to a Successful Psychedelic Experience by Timothy Leary

The program is a voyage chart, a series of signals, which, like the pilot’s radio provides the basic orienting information required for the trip. – Programming the Psychedelic Experience, Timothy Leary

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Smarter People Stay Up Late, Do More Drugs, and Have More Sex (Study)

Smarter People Stay Up Late, Do More Drugs, and Have More Sex (Study) | Third Monk image 2

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Sex. Drugs. Late nights.

You may be reading the first four words of my memoir. Or you could be simply listing three things that show signs of being a genius, according to various studies. There’s evidence that shows that if you’re spending less of your nights hitting the books and more time smoking weed and getting laid until 3am, then you’re probably wiser than the rest of us.

Researchers in England have found that students studying at prestigious universities such as Oxford and Cambridge spend more on sex toys than their peers at other universities. Cambridge and Oxford’s sex toy sales on just one website (Lovehoney.co.uk, who funded the research) totaled a staggering $31, 461. No word on what products they ordered, nor whether they kept their glasses on while they used them.

“The correlation probably has something to do with the open-mindedness that comes with intelligence,” says Annalisa Rose, 23, who works at Honey, a high-end sex shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

I think that the ability to engage in an open sex life comes with the abilities of introspection and logical thought, and those require some level of intelligence. If we’re talking about an open sex life that comes from an emotionally healthy place, sexual mores are mostly made up anyway and intelligent people can rationalize past them. – Annalisa Rose

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The 2nd part of our “genius trifecta” is drugs.

Smarter people are more likely to smoke pot or do a line than the average simpleton. This is because, according to many studies, a smarter person isn’t more likely to choose the “smarter” choice of not doing drugs but is instead more likely to pursue the more evolutionary novel choice, one that would inherently expand their horizons. Smarter people don’t necessarily ‘think smarter’ – they simply rationalize where they’re supposed to “feel.” So while a less intelligent person is less likely to pick up a heroin habit in the first place, the more intelligent person will rationalize it. (This explains every good jazz album ever made and also every Christian rock album ever made in the same sentence.)

So while a less intelligent person is less likely to pick up a heroin habit in the first place, the more intelligent person will rationalize it. (This explains every good jazz album ever made and also every Christian rock album ever made in the same sentence.)

A 2010 study that ran in Psychology Today (what, you don’t subscribe?) also states that those with an IQ of 125 or higher are exponentially more likely to use drugs. Says the study:

Net of sex, religion, religiosity, marital status, number of children, education, earnings, depression, satisfaction with life, social class at birth, mother’s education, and father’s education, British children who are more intelligent before the age of 16 are more likely to consume psychoactive drugs at age 42 than less intelligent children.

…there is a clear monotonic association between childhood general intelligence and adult consumption of psychoactive drugs. “Very bright” individuals (with IQs above 125) are roughly three-tenths of a standard deviation more likely to consume psychoactive drugs than “very dull” individuals (with IQs below 75).

Late nights, too, play a leading role in that of the smart person: an academic paper entitled “Why The Night Owl Is More Intelligent,” published in the journal Psychology And Individual Differences, says that for several millennia humans have been largely conditioned to work during the day and sleep at night.

Those that buck the trend, the paper suggests “…that more intelligent individuals may be more likely to acquire and espouse evolutionarily novel values and preferences than less intelligent individuals.”

The paper goes on to say that those who are more liberal and more inclined towards atheism are more likely to be intelligent, too.

Essentially, if you’re more of a forward thinker, if you’re trying something new and pushing your boundaries, you’re most likely more intelligent. This doesn’t mean that Toronto mayor Rob Ford is some kind of lucid genius, however. It merely suggests that smarter people are more likely to have more sex, do drugs, and stay up late.

So if you’re getting laid at 3am on Sunday morning and have a full bowl packed beside the bed and you aren’t going to church the next day, you’re probably a genius.

Either that or you’re incredibly good at living your best life.

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> Smarter People and Their Habits | Esquire

A Scientific Look at Orgasms (Video)

A Scientific Look at Orgasms (Video) | Third Monk

Orgasms for men and women have some differences and similarities. On a neurological level many of the same areas of the brain are affected.

Signals of pleasure are delivered by pumping us full of dopamine, we experience a decrease in the feeling of fear and anxiety as well as an increase in the feeling of love and connectedness with your mate.

Physically men’s orgasms do not last as long and women can achieve multiples, each lasting 20 seconds or more.

The bottom line of this article is that orgasms are often, captain obvious here — over and out!

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4 Scientifically Proven Positive Psychological Benefits of Meditation

4 Scientifically Proven Positive Psychological Benefits of Meditation  | Third Monk image 2

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Speeds Up Brain Processing Potential

According to a research journal article published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in February 2012, meditation can alter the geometry of the brain’s surface. There was a study done at UCLA involving 50 meditators and 50 controls that addressed a possible link between meditation and cortical gyrification, the pattern and degree of cortical folding that allows the brain to process faster. This study showed a positive correlation between the amount of gyrification in parts of the brain and the number of years of meditation for people, especially long-term meditators, compared to non-meditators.

This increased gyrification may reflect an integration of cognitive processes when meditating, since meditators are known to be introspective and contemplative, using certain portions of the brain in the process of meditation.

Loosens Our Neural Pathways

4 Best Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Meditation

Rebecca Gladding, M.D. explains in an article published in May 2013 Psychology Today, how the brain functions better with meditation, and the positive affects it has on the brain, the longer you meditate.

Basically, Gladding explains how the brain can be molded by meditation. Specifically, the connection to our fear center and our “Me” Center (place where the brain constantly reflects back to you) wither away by meditating on a regular basis.

This loosening up lessens our feelings of anxiety, because the neural pathways linking our Me Center to our fear decreases. The unhelpful feelings of anxiety become regulated, meaning, sufficiently ignored, which enhances better neural pathways to form. New neural pathways include improved assessment and empathetic responses. The important thing that Gladding also mentions is that to maintain the benefits of meditation, you must keep meditating because:

the brain can very easily revert back to its old ways if you are not vigilant.

Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

4 Best Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Meditation (1)

A large cardiovascular study was done and published in November 2012, in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

There were 201 people with coronary heart disease given two choices:

(1) Take a health education class promoting improved diet and exercise.
(2) Take a class on transcendental meditation.

Researchers studied these participants for five years and discovered something interesting. Those that chose (2) the meditation class had 48% reduction to the overall risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

Meditations Improves Memory Recall

New research shows that meditation can further enhance the abilities of memory recall.

Catherine Kerr is a researcher at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and the Osher Research Center. She has found that those that practice meditation could adjust their brains waves better. They could screen out distractions and increase productivity faster than those that did not meditate. Less distractions gives room for the brain to integrate new information. This slight change in brain adjustment can dramatically aid in memory recall.

Kerr explained more in an article called, Meditation’s Effects on Emotion Shown to Persist, published in June 2013 at Psych Central

Mindfulness meditation has been reported to enhance numerous mental abilities, including rapid memory recall. Our discovery that mindfulness meditators more quickly adjusted the brain wave that screens out distraction could explain their superior ability to rapidly remember and incorporate new facts. – Catherine Kerr

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> Proven Benefits of Meditating | Thinking Humanity

Images of Sex and Birth Inside a MRI Machine (Video)

Images of Sex and Birth Inside a MRI Machine (Video) | Third Monk image 1

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When I think of MRIs I usually think of torn ACLs, but the picture above tells a much more interesting story. In case you can’t make out the picture above, that’s an MRI of child birth!

MRIs don’t affect the human body the way X-Rays do so there’s a wider range of topics that can be covered and investigated through MRIs.

The human anatomy is explored in this clip and we get to see what intercourse looks like through an MRI. I don’t think MRI porn will hit big outside of the scientific community but the images rendered are truly amazing.

Birth and Sex MRI

Birth and Sex MRI Gifs

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Interesting MRI research

MRI and Metal Experiment

Watch out for metal! This video puts in perspective the dangers of bringing in a metallic object into the MRI machine.

The Psychological Importance of Movement and Exercise – Ted Talk (Video)

The Psychological Importance of Movement and Exercise - Ted Talk (Video) | Third Monk image 2

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Exercise is the catalyst to learning and high brain function. Kids need to move around and activate the brain but these days schools have kids sitting for ridiculously long periods of time causing an uptick in the diagnosis of ADD-ADHD.

Children get fidgety and stop paying attention when they have not had enough movement. 20 minutes a day of movement is not enough. Exercise directly correlates to the way our brain functions.

Movement is beneficial throughout a humans life. Lack of exercise and movement may lead to a lack of motivation and depression in adults.

These two Ted Talks explore the importance of movement and exercise in school children and adults, as well as the benefits to the brain, its affect on learning and its affect on behavior.

The Importance of Movement and Exercise

Run, Jump, Learn! How Exercise can Transform our Schools: John J. Ratey, MD

Wendy Suzuki – Exercise and the Brain

Getting Stoned Before Sleeping – More Rest But Less Dreams (Study)

Getting Stoned Before Sleeping - More Rest But Less Dreams (Study) | Third Monk

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Some people who smoke cannabis before bed often struggle to recall their dreams the next morning. But there’s a simple reason why marijuana users tend to have less dreams.

This phenomenon can be explained by how marijuana affects the sleep cycle, specifically a stage known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Cannabis and REM Sleep Activity

The brain is most active during REM sleep and most dreaming is thought to occur during this stage. Numerous studies have shown that using marijuana before bed reduces REM sleep.

During the night, the brain cycles through 4 different stages of sleep, spending the most time in deep sleep (or slow-wave sleep) and REM sleep. The amount of time spent in these two stages is closely related. In fact, studies show that cannabis lengthens the time the brain spends in deep sleep, which leads to less REM sleep.

Deep Sleep Vs REM Sleep

It’s not clear whether the effect of marijuana on REM sleep is actually harmful. In fact, experts are still not sure why we need REM sleep.

On the other hand, deep sleep is believed to be the most important sleep stage for repairing and restoring the body. Likewise, studies show that when deprived of sleep, the brain prioritizes deep sleep over REM sleep.

While more research is needed, it’s possible that the ability of cannabis to increase deep sleep, even at the expense of REM sleep, might turn out to be a good thing. Getting into Lucid Dreaming can help produce vivid dreams even after smoking weed.

Marijuana, REM Sleep, and Dreams | Leaf Science

Benefits of Daily Meditation – Empty Your Cup So That It May Be Filled

Benefits of Daily Meditation - Empty Your Cup So That It May Be Filled | Third Monk image 1

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Meditation is a state of mind, body and spirit where you are calm, focused, aware, and connected with your true essence. For most, getting to this state of meditation is a bit of a journey. That is why there are so many different mediation techniques to choose from including three for stoners.

So do not be discouraged if a seated meditation isn’t right for you. Try several different techniques until you find one that resonates with you. Then, practice daily.

The benefits of working towards a state of meditation are numerous, here are some that shape your life on a daily basis.

It Will Give You Better Body Awareness

When you take the time each day to slow down and notice your body, you will start to become more aware of how your body feels after you eat certain foods, after you do certain activities, after you spend time with different people.

This awareness is absolutely invaluable to your long-term health and one of the first and most noticeable benefits of a daily meditation practice. Your body is constantly sending you valuable information – you just need to slow down long enough to hear what it is saying.

It Will Improve Your Relationships

The practice of meditation will help you to become more connected with yourself – with how you are feeling, what you are thinking and how your life is affecting you. The more you take the time to slow down and tune into yourself, the more you are going to become aware of the role you are playing in the relationships you have.

From this place of awareness you will be better able to feel what relationship habits you have that are not beneficial for you, and which ones are. This knowledge will empower you to make any changes needed, so that you can have more harmonious relationships with everyone you interact with.

It Will Help You Communicate Better

All your new found self awareness will help you to more effectively communicate what you are thinking and feeling to those around you.

The more you are aware of yourself, the more you are going to be able to help others become aware of what is going on with you. This will improve your communication skills with everyone from your partner, to your boss to the stranger who bumps into you on the street.

It Will Sharpen Your Ability To Focus

Meditation is essentially a practice in focus. It is really the art of drawing your mind to the present moment and being with what is, right now.

Meditation practices teach you how to be around distractions without getting pulled off course by them. The longer you practice, the more you will notice your ability to keep your mind on the current task at hand, rather than watching your mind jump from one thing to another.

It Will Encourage You To Love Yourself More

Mediation is the fastest road to self-love. By setting aside time each day where you are going to sit and be with yourself, there is a good chance that all of your ‘stuff’ is going to come up. All of your insecurities, all of your doubts, all of your fears, everything that is sitting below the surface will rise to the top.

Then, if you are able to continue your practice of sitting and being with yourself and all of your emotions, eventually you will break through. You will begin to see yourself in a new light – in a true light. You will begin to see that you are not your issues, you are not your emotions, you are not your job – you will start to connect with your true essence.

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> 5 Ways Meditation Will Change Your Life (For The Better) | Collective Evolution

Ashikaga Flower Park: Home to the Most Beautiful Tree in the World (Ashikaga, Japan)

Ashikaga Flower Park: Home to the Most Beautiful Tree in the World (Ashikaga, Japan)  | Third Monk image 2

Travel 50 Miles north of Tokyo and you will find the peaceful city of Ashikaga. Founded in 1921, it is home to Japan’s oldest and largest Wisteria tree found in Ashikaga Flower Park.

This tree is described as the most beautiful tree in the world.

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Relax With Ashikaga Flower Park Wisteria Tree

The tree is huge, an impressive nearly 2,000 square meters (half an acre). The tree’s life began in 1870, and is meticulously cared for. Due to the weight of its vines, they must be held up by steel supports.

This allows visitors of the park to walk beneath its amazing canopy and bathe in the pink and purple light reflected by the beautiful hanging blossoms.

tree-tunnel Ashikaga Flower Park

Ashikaga Flower Park

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> Most Beautiful Tree in the World | Off Grid World