If you think this post will be amazing, it probably will be!

My last post had a lot of great comments that were, in some cases, even more interesting than the post itself. I actually love that and it's very cool to me that this is something that happens at times. We learn a lot by sharing with others while they share with us as well.
I think that this is Steemit at its best:a huge community of such diverse and interesting people that we all can do nothing BUT learn because we are exposed to various cool stuff, willingly or not!

It also got me thinking about what people believe based on such a little evidence, something I noticed in my own life. I tend to give a lot more credit to things I WANT to work and enjoy vs things that might work better. I also reject the evidence easier when it contradicts my worldview. All in all, we are all biased and humane. No news here.

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----> Magnesium <----

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Magnesium is one of my favorite examples because everyone seems to LOVE magnesium. I like to talk about supplements and nootropics with people and many say they take magnesium and it helps them to feel calmer, sleep better, enjoy life, focus. These are actually! all the benefits the ads list when they sell their magnesium pill in various forms [ with B6, with calcium, with zinc].

Here's the funny thing. MOST magnesium supplement use a form of magnesium called oxide. Why is this bad?
It's not bad-bad as in it will harm you, but it is bad in that it's the least effective form of Mg based on absorption rate. [ |"his type of magnesium shows high levels of concentration, but poor levels of bioavailability (only 4%). ]. So sure, you take more but still only 4%!! gets to you really. It's just never a high enough dose to matter yet people LOVE IT!

This was interesting to me. It turns out most people have no clue this is the case, and think that all magnesium is the same and etc etc. But IT WORKS a lot more than it should. Well, this should not surprise me, after all I know how powerful placebo can be.

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PLACEBO Effect
a beneficial effect produced by a placebo drug or treatment, which cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself, and must therefore be due to the patient's belief in that treatment
From latin "placere" --> "to please"

You all head about it, I'm sure, that it's a way to feel better and get treatment by literally ingesting sugar pills. Medicine has been confused by this for a long time and to some extent, placebo effect is still so bizzare. It's mind over matter, the power of belief over your own sickness. It's kind of amazing.
According to WebMd,"one of the most common theories is that the placebo effect is due to a person's expectations. If a person expects a pill to do something, then it's possible that the body's own chemistry can cause effects similar to what a medication might have caused." The stronger you believe a drug or treatment will work, the better it will...independent of the actual treatment! That's pretty insane and maybe signals that our minds are more powerful then we give them credit for.
Of course, placebo works in reverse too. That's why doctors recommend to be optimist about your chances and try to have a sunny disposition, because it will make you feel better, quicker!

I don't believe though that this is a reason to give up modern medicine and fix yourself by "believing you will be healthy". No way, no how, and we have seen, over and over and over, again that people who go to the extreme using just holistic and alternative medicines usually do a lot of harm. What's worst, is that they usually harm other people.
I was browsing amazon and seen the medicine. This is where we are? Selling placeboes for 25$?! I hope all reviews are fake or else those ppl got scammed big time!!
Still, it's again a weird thing but we believe the placebo works best if it's packed nicely. So who knows, maybe just taking a teaspoon and sugar to cure depression won't work. Pack the same sugar in a nice bottle and sell it for 30$ and voilaaaa.

Wow, human mind, am I right?!?!

How to apply all this to Steemit!
Coming back to the title!
If every time you click on "razvanleulmarin" <-- that's me!--> posts you feel a rush of good feelings, serotonine, love, amazement and contentment.
IF when you upvote, you feel like you did the RIGHT thing.
Then, in time, you'll expect and get that feeling even before you even read it. Placebo effect! Expectations trump quality! BOOM!
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Well, if the post is shit, it might not last but then, is it ever? :D

Thank you for reading and commenting!