5 natural brain boosters for your overtired mind

5 brain boosters for your overtired mind.

TLDR: Tryptophan, GABA, saffron, Magnesium, and MSM are five substances that I use to support my cerebral health.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used to form serotonin.
GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that gets used up by drinking booze.
Saffron is a potential SSRI alternative.
Magnesium helps the mitochondria generate ATP, the “cellular currency”.
MSM may help protect the brain from oxidative stress caused by ethanol (alcohol)

Brains these days are tired

Information overload. Shift work. Drug and alcohol use. An aging population. Social isolation. Processed foods. Phew. That’s enough to make anyone tired.

The brain is very, very busy

The “encephalon” is the body’s biggest glucose hog. Neurones in all areas of the noggin are constantly signalling to one another. There is a huge, constant load on the nervous system just to keep us alive. It is busy even when we are relaxed!

Quite apart from all the background work, the cerebrum is constantly managing the active work of both the mind and the body. Thinking, sensing, creating, exercising, working, playing, driving, even making decisions about what to buy at the grocery store: all of this and much, much more is managed by this one amazing organ.

And so, it seems only right to learn a little about how it works. It seems only right, furthermore, to support its health as much possible, so it serves us for as long as possible. I studied Chemistry and Biology at Undergraduate level, and Neuromusic at Masters level. I hope that my explanations are accessible and accurate.

Disclaimer

This is not intended as medical advice. I am offering some information from a balanced and scientific viewpoint. However, I am not a doctor. Consult your healthcare practitioner before making any changes to your diet or supplementation.

Remember: there is a difference between healing and curing. Keep that in mind when reading about anything health-related.

Biology Background

Before we get started on my boosters, let’s get some basics under our belts.

Neurones, neurotransmitters and synapses

Neurones communicate with each other by releasing and absorbing chemicals called neurotransmitters. Most people have heard of Dopamine and Serotonin. What these molecules actually do is cross the tiny little spaces, called synapses, between the end of one neurone and the beginning of another.

How long they stay in the “synaptic space” depends on the person. The famous SSRI class of drugs (prozac and its ilk) are drugs that make serotonin stay longer in the synaptic space. Ritalin, used for ADHD and hyperactivity, also sits in the synaptic space and stimulates the neurones, keeping them “entertained” and helping the person avoid seeking outside stimulus.

Of my supplement routine, GABA, Tryptophan, and saffron are there to support neurotransmitter production in my body. I will elaborate more on this in a later post.

Table 1: Neurotransmitters in the Human Brain

This list is not exhaustive, but here are some important neurotransmitters:

Dopamine	GABA	Histamine
Serotonin	Glutamate	Glycine
Oxytocin	Epinephrine	Purines
Acetylcholine	Norepinephrine

Brainwaves and bio-electricity

Neural activity is bio-electrical in nature. Using specialised equipment, nerve oscillations can be measured and visualised. Brainwaves can oscillate between 0.5-80 times per second. The frequency at which they oscillate is written as “Hz” (Hertz).

Table 2: Brainwave Frequencies

Frequency band	Frequency	States
Gamma (γ)	above 35 Hz	Concentration; Flow state
Beta (β)	12–35 Hz	Anxiety dominant, active, external attention.
Alpha (α)	8–12 Hz	Very relaxed, passive attention
Theta (θ)	4–8 Hz	Deeply relaxed, inward focused
Delta (δ)	0.5–4 Hz	Sleep

Magnesium and the energy needs of the neurones

The cerebrum is the body’s biggest user of glucose. All that bioelectrical and biochemical activity needs a fuel source. Magnesium is a mineral that is used in the process of cellular energy generation, in the mitochondria, which are like little cells within cells whose job is to turn sugars into fuel for the body.

Magnesium deficiency is extremely common in populations who consume a typically “Western” diet. It is, however, very difficult to test for Magnesium status. Magnesium deficiency has many consequences, but here we will focus on energy. If you are short of Magnesium, your mitochondria may struggle to fully “burn” glucose to generate ATP. This would affect your neurones and your synapses, and hence your neural function.

Alcohol, MSM, and the brain

Alcohol misuse has a devastating effect on our neurones. Not only does it cause dehydration, but elevated Blood Alcohol Concentrations, which occur when we drink more than one unit of alcohol per hour, cause oxidative stress on all organs, including the one in our head. MSM, methyl-sulfonyl-methane, is a powerful antioxidant which is also very safe to use. I have been taking MSM nightly for years.

Summing up

There is a lot to cover here. I will keep at it, and slowly explain my little supplement routine. Please feel free to comment below, and you can always drop me a like on social media, or even share this post on yours. Whatever works for you. Thanks for reading.

-Rachel

October 12, 2023May 6, 2025

Edible clays: An ancient healing practice of consuming certain types of clay (10/2023)

Edible Clays

History

Clays have been used both externally and internally for many centuries.

Humans have been using clay for receptacles and for construction since time immemorial. Cave paintings in places like France and Spain are often made of mixtures of clay and other materials. People working with clay would undoubtedly have noticed the drying and healing effect that it has on skin. The earliest recorded medicinal uses of clay come from the Mesopotamian societies that flourished over 3,500 years ago.

Is clay not just dirt?

Clay differs from soil in one important way: the particles are much smaller, smaller than 2 µm. Since the particles are so tiny, the relative surface area of clay is very large. This is what gives clays their many wonderful properties.

There are at least two points that make clay minerals so active in natural processes, and became the key for their wide applications: (a) The very large surface area that arises from the tiny size of the particles (nanoscale), and (b) The fact that those particles are electrically charged, leading to relatively strong electrostatic interactions.
Clay Minerals as an Ancient Nanotechnology: Historical Uses of Clay Organic Interactions, and Future Possible Perspective (https://t.ly/vwpUfs)

Pelotherapy

The term “application of mud to the body for therapeutic purposes) has been in use since 1934. Since the external use of clays has such a long history, naturally, there existed many names for the practice. They coined the term “Pelotherapy” as an umbrella under which all the other mud therapy names could nestle.

Peloid, from the Greek TTAOS ( = mud), was adopted by the International Society of Medical Hydrology at its recent annual meeting in Switzerland as a generic name applicable to any naturally produced medium such as is used in medical practice as a cataplasm for external treatment. Such media are known in the various countries as boue, fango, gyttja, liman, moor, mud, peat, schlamm, etc., these names being used in confusion for both specific media and in a generic sense. The new word, with its derivatives pelology and pelotherapy, will avoid this confusion and allow the local terms to be defined and used in their restricted sense.
https://www.nature.com/articles/133288a0

Geophagy

Geophagy is the practice of eating earth materials containing clay minerals.

Edible clays, for internal use, need to be sterilized using heat and pressure, such as autoclaving or steaming.

Different cultures consume clays in different ways. of course, this post is for information purposes only. Consult your healthcare provider before using clays for healing or detoxing.

Edible Clays: An ancient practice that is still alive today.

Gut health and clay

The importance of maintaining a healthy intestinal microbiome cannot be overstated. More and more research shows that the gut-mind connection is real. Serotonin is mainly produced in the gut. Inflammation in the colon directly affects the liver via the hepatic-portal circulation. A sluggish liver predisposes us to all sorts of metabolic problems. So, using edible clays, if it is appropriate, can be a huge part of any preventative medicine program.

The gut provides approximately 95% of total body serotonin, most of which exists in plasma. Although serotonin has intrinsic roles in the intestines and peripheral metabolism, it is capable of locally activating afferent nerve endings that are connected directly to the central nerve system.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/

Types of Edible Clays

There are probably loads of different clays that can be consumed. I only have experience with bentonite clay (at a detox retreat in Thailand) and green clay (nowadays).

Clay Chemistry

Clays are minerals. This implies that the particles are not tightly connected like molecules, but rather they are held together by electrostatic forces within a well-defined structure. Minerals form crystals when they are arranged in regular, repeating sheets. That is why you can “shear” a crystal, or cut it along its fault line. It’s why a diamond can be faceted.

Montmorillinite is a mineral with the chemical formula Al₂H₂O₁₂Si₄ (Aluminum, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Silica). Bentonite is a type of clay that contains the mineral montmorillinite.

Montmorillonite is a subclass of smectite and a natural aluminomagnesium silicate clay, with potential protective effect for the digestive tract mucosa, and anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal activities. Although the exact mechanism of action has yet to be fully elucidated, upon administration, montmorillonite may adsorb bacteria, bacterial enterotoxins, viruses and other potentially diarrheagenic substances. It may also bind to mucin and modify mucus properties, thereby enhancing the mucus barrier function.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/71586775

French green clay

This is my favourite clay for everyday use. As it comes from France, quality control (QC) is assured. QC is important for sterilization and checking if the clay is free of contaminants.

I simply place a small amount of clay in a glass of water and leave it to soak overnight. In the morning, I drink the cloudy water, and leave the settled clay behind. Please, don’t gulp down the solid matter – this can cause blockage in the intestines.

Documentary: Eat White Dirt

And, so I leave you with this curious documentary that I came across while researching this post. Apparently, Georgia has abundant edible clays, but rather oddly, kaolin is the mineral of choice for these ladies.

July 18, 2023November 9, 2023

4-6: A powerful breathwork technique to enhance the wellness of your mind and body.

Discover powerful breath work techniques to enhance the wellness of your mind and body. — Discover a powerful breathwork technique to enhance the wellness of your mind and body.

Discover a powerful breathwork technique to enhance the wellness of your mind and body. Yoga has numerous pranayâma practices, each with a specific purpose.

Diya Motwani cited one of my favourite breathing techniques in her article “Three Ways to Incorporate Self-care in 2023¨. It is always nice to get a mention in the International Press.

If you want to learn how to use breathwork to take care of both your mind and body, please read on!

4-6 Breathing: A Simple Breathwork Technique

Counting the breath is one of the simplest ways to learn to breathe better. Most people are breathing far too quickly. Breathing too fast puts stress on the heart. The heart wants the blood to be fully oxygenated, and that’s hard to achieve if we are breathing too fast.

Let’s try to slow the breathing down just a little, and see how we feel. Start by closing your eyes and checking in with yourself. A brief body scan can reveal areas where tension is being held, such as the jaw, hands, or hips.

Let’s breathe!

Breathwork technique for mind and body wellness — 4-6 Breathwork technique

Sitting comfortably, breathe in through your nose whilst counting 1-2-3-4. Try to make your breath last the whole time.

Then, breathe out through your nose, counting 6-5-4-3-2-1. Again, try to make your breath last the whole time that you’re counting.

Repeat for as long as you can. A nice length of time for breathwork is ten to twelve minutes.

Don’t worry if you notice little pauses after the inhale, or after the exhalation. This is perfectly normal. For this breathwork technique, we are focusing only on the lengths of the inhale and the exhalation.

Mind and Body Wellness

The breath is the bridge between the body and the mind. Most of us would love to be able to tell our thoughts to just STOP. But, we cannot. Nor can we just tell a racing heart to settle down. The breath, however, is under our conscious control. Becoming friends with the breath is the first step to becoming friends with the mind.

Breathing for Longevity

There are so many health buzzwords around these days: inflammation, toxicity, intermittent fasting, mindfulness, and the list goes on. It can be confusing to navigate the world of self-care and wellness. Rest assured, if you feel a bit lost, you’re not alone.

Good breathing, however, would underpin and accompany any diet, exercise, therapy or lifestyle change. Breathing is common to everyone, and it is safe to say that the better you breathe, the better you feel.

If you try this technique, and it feels good, please let me know. I care about the outcome.