Natural High

Hi All.

I'm looking for input on people's views of the so-called Natural High. What have been your experiences? Is there some set of circumstances that you know will lead you to a non-chemical state of ecstasy? Have you ever had a totally inexplicable elevation in your mood? What causes someone to make the leap from happiness to ecstasy without any chemical aids?

The reason I put this in the paranormal forum is because I'm not sure that something that may not even fully be able to be quantified belongs in the Medical forum.

Do share your opinions and experiences!
------->naturally high

A natural high is a chemical frame of mind! During my college days, my friends referred to me as a Pepper Pusher. I love spicy food and there is no better way to get a buzz.

The way I understand it, chili peppers contain a substance called capsaicin, and it's what gives them that mean bite. Once your mouth is on fire, your brain goes into overdrive protection mode and produces endorphins, our body's natural painkiller. Endorphins are akin to opiates, hence the buzz.

Might I suggest the Kung Po Chicken or a nice steamy bowl of 5-Alarm Chili? Either course will hit the spot!

Yeah,this really isn't very paranormal. At all. If anything, i'd say it did belong in one of the more "normal" forums here.

[edit on 29-5-2008 by Levita]

Originally posted by Levita
Well, you've heard, i'm sure, of that incessant "high on life"- phrase ...

Then you developed a tolerance. Sorry couldn't help myself.

reply to post by maria_stardust

Hah, no. But no, i guess i can take the laugh. I did leave a space wide open there, before edit, so nice shot. What i couldn't resist saying is that yes, the people do need to send some sort of anti-drug message; but i'm in college, and i'm STILL hearing that one, and it was just a failure in the first place. There are better ways to be happy than take drugs. But there are better slogans too.

reply to post by Levita

Ah, yes. We live in a world full of campaigns and slogans. The "high on life" really is a catchy phrase, but, overused. Sort of like the "Got milk?" campaign that's been running for well over a decade. But anyway, that's waaay off topic...

I agree that there are better ways to be happy than to take drugs. Hence, the evolutionary masterpieces: chili peppers and chocolate.

Now I'm hungry for mole.

This "natural high" has a misleading name because its induced by a drug made in the body itself and people have even made a drug based on it. i think it was called '___' or something similar

Level 10 curry from CoCo-ichiban. Now that is some spicey food that sends you into a natural high and then some. You're still feeling that curry days after...in a bad way.

Natural High...

...or as the Forum "Paranormal" suggests, Supernatural High.

But it is in a way Para-normal because so many people dont feel it nowdays. My guess is that its entirely natural to feel light, clear-headed, happy but that so many dont naturally have it because of this subtle all-pervasive tension.

A few things that give me a natural high:

* Laughter of babies

* Spend an hour in a weightless, sensory-depriviation floatation-tank

* Shamanic Massages

* Very long, goalless, pointless walks

* Sitting in town observing people for awhile

* "Charged" Air before electric and tropical storms



[edit on 29-5-2008 by Skyfloating]

Have you ever had a totally inexplicable elevation in your mood? What causes someone to make the leap from happiness to ecstasy without any chemical aids?

Oh yes...
It's pure and wordless insight, coming from organs of cognition that your rational mind cannot (and should not) access.

Not only did I experience it, but my entire adolescence (and several years afterwards) was spent in that blissful state. I consider the memory of it - and my ability (or receptiveness) for it - the greatest treasure of my entire life. I would not relinquish it for anything - not even if I were offered full command of the world. :-)

More importantly, if you are experiencing it, I would urge you not to analyse it. There are areas where "critical thinking" fails because it's not equipped to deal with them, and pursuing such an analysis would only lead to waste of time - or, much worse, waste of the "bliss".

As for natural "high"-inducing substances, try topical (not oral!) application of the essential oil of Ylang-ylang, among other things.
(I'll let you find the ways of using it. )

Hot chili is also another natural "high" agent that really induces good mood.
(It's the Capsaicin in it.)













[edit on 29-5-2008 by Vanitas]

* "Charged" Air before electric and tropical storms

Oh YES!

(The idea itself is enough to make me hit the ceiling. )

Hence, the evolutionary masterpieces: chili peppers and chocolate.

Good choice, m'am!

Absolutely - and if you mix them, you get one high-inducing drink!

(Although I must say that chocolate in itself does nothing for me. I don't even like it very much, and can certainly "resist" it with no effort at all. But with chili... that's another story.)

I wrote about something like this in another thread in this forum as well. I also did not want to post it in the Medical forum as that didn't seem appropriate.

After viewing Jil Bolte Taylor on TED, reading Eckhart Tolle & from my own experiences, I've decided to work on being able to access the right side of my brain as and when I like. I think that is where the Natural High of the brain resides. Recently I have been having some successes as well Good luck to your search.

Starred

[edit on 29-5-2008 by postmeme]

reply to post by maria_stardust


Wow that is so interesting, Maria! I had honestly never heard of spicy food having this effect on people at all. I've heard the rumors of it encouraging good health, but never good feelings. Thanks for the insight.

Anyone ever try sex?? I heard that can give you a funny feeling!


*sigh* sorry i had to.

Originally posted by Skyfloating
Natural High...

...or as the Forum "Paranormal" suggests, Supernatural High.

Duh, now that's what I should have called it all along. Natual High just sounds so trite and meaningless really today.

But it is in a way Para-normal because so many people dont feel it nowdays. My guess is that its entirely natural to feel light, clear-headed, happy but that so many dont naturally have it because of this subtle all-pervasive tension.

I think you're right. Even though it is a naturally occurring phenomenon, the occurrences seem so few and far between for most people that it feels unnatural.

A few things that give me a natural high:

* Laughter of babies

* Spend an hour in a weightless, sensory-depriviation floatation-tank

* Shamanic Massages

* Very long, goalless, pointless walks

* Sitting in town observing people for awhile

* "Charged" Air before electric and tropical storms



[edit on 29-5-2008 by Skyfloating]

I am horrible at pinning down my own emotions so if I feel great I just run with it and don't analyze. That is a nice long list of great pleasures in life and if you can willfully achieve a natural high this way then more power to you! Now that you mention it, I too feel excited or 'charged up' before a storm, but never thought about it after it was over. Thanks for bringing that up. Any ideas on the cause?


Thanks everyone for sharing their experiences and knowledge!

Originally posted by SantaClaus
Anyone ever try sex?? I heard that can give you a funny feeling!


*sigh* sorry i had to.

Haha of course you're totally right. I just didn't want to be the first to bring it up because I didn't want everyone to think I was that kind of girl. Besides the fact of it being an obvious and well known way to achieve a natural high.

Originally posted by Skyfloating
* "Charged" Air before electric and tropical storms

EXACTLY! Thats the words I was looking for...Charged Air...

There is something about the wind...either later in the evening, when its still kind of warm, a little windy....a nice wind though... That I have ALWAYS felt "different" while standing in...I just want to stand there and close my eyes and get lost in it...

And the wind before some storms, also has this affect on me as well. While the trees are swaying and the weather is still warm, that the cool drops don't send you running for the house. Instead you just stand there and experience it.

While I was in Las Vegas (just last week), I got this feeling one night, walking back to our Hotel. It was a warm night, probalby plus 25*C or so, much cooler than in the day. We were walking over the Pedway to the MGM Grande, and there was this huge amount of Wind full of Energy and I just had to stop and "Be" in the wind. It was amazing.

-Carrot

PS. In total agreement on Sex being a natural high as well!

We adrenaline junkies can get very high by sky diving, bungee jumping,
surfing monster waves, skiing over your abilities, or going out in the yard and spinning around until you fall down.

But playing kickass rock and roll with good musicians and reaching that trancendental zone where the music just creates itself is an experience that defies description.

[edit on 29-5-2008 by whaaa]

great posts to this topic. very interesting indeed. chilis, chocolate, baby laughter, people watching...

it's a simple concept really. a 'natural' high. something that gets one high naturally. it nearly defeats the purpose of this forum because everyone has their own formula. meaning, it's a personal and individualized phenomena. granted, it sounds like certain foods trigger certain chemicals in the brain more universally than other things, but the effects would be all over the board as well.

my take on it is that a natural high is produced from within, without any specific external stimulus. external stimuli can lead you to that high, but so can the mere thought. we are so accustomed to having something external from ourselves give us these highs; we forget it's all mind/body chemical reactions.

maybe we do not get naturally high these days because we bombard ourselves with what we like all day, every day. we do not "fast" or abstain from what pleases us long enough to get naturally high off of it. we live in a world of "me want now. me get now." it nearly eliminates natural highs.