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.