Hello and welcome to my book on: Habit Stacking, Synaptic Pruning, and Diabetes Naturally. I hope you enjoy and find this book useful.

Our life is what our thoughts make it. Do every act of your life as if it were your last. In a word, your life is short. You must make the most of the present with the aid of reason and justice. Since it is possible that you may be quitting life at this very moment, govern every act and thought accordingly.

Marcus Aurelius

 Emperor of Rome, 121 AD -180 AD

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you are optimistic or pessimistic—and it may even affect your health. [1]

In 2007, Researchers at Oxford University compared the number of neurons in new born babies with that of adults and found the new born babies had a significantly higher number of neurons than adults.[2] As we mature, synapses or connections between neurons in the brain are pruned if they are not used, and the energy is redirected to maintaining synapses that are used.

You likely have strong habits and connections that you take for granted each day. There are many thousands of daily habits our brain is good at repeating over and over. When developing new habits, you can leverage the interconnectedness of behaviour to your advantage. One of the most effective methods for establishing a new habit is to identify a current habit and then stack your new behaviour on top of it. This technique is known as habit stacking. I have consciously developed habits that help me avoid consuming foods containing highly refined carbohydrates, sugar, and sugar alcohols. 

You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice because you are creating a new habit, after all. It is important to learn the value of positive thinking and to focus on having a positive outlook.

Habit Stacking is the foundation of Lifestyle Changes to Prevet and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally

Mark Ashford

[email protected]

[1] Mayo Clinic, "Stress Management,"  (2025).

[2] Nielsen RD Abitz M, Jones EG, Laursen H, Graem N, Pakkenberg B. Excess of neurons in the human newborn mediodorsal thalamus compared with that of the adult. Cereb Cortex. 2007 Nov;17(11):2573-8. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhl163. Epub 2007 Jan 11. PMID: 17218480., "Excess of Neurons in the Human Newborn Mediodorsal Thalamus Compared with That of the Adult," (2007).