The first Saturday of October and the world is still turning but probably a bit slower than before…..so what better time than a massive ‘Dump’ to brighten up your day.
Personally–nothing I want to talk about.
Locally….cooler temps are here….high 80s day time and low 70s night….not much of a difference but believe me after the temps this Summer it does feel great. One of the largest antiquate car shows in the country begins this weekend….it is called Cruisin’ The Coast…..traffic will be horrendous.
Let’s get down on it!
I will start with food…..
I am a huge fan of walnuts….I eat them almost everyday with fruit and cheese but I did not know how healthy they are….
The next time you’re perusing the grocery store for healthy, whole foods to add to your diet, trust us on this: You don’t skip over the walnuts.
“Walnuts are packed with heart-healthy omega-3s, gut-supporting fiber, body and tissue building protein, and they’re rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as B6, vitamin E, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium,” says Vanessa King, MS, RDN King,registered dietitian and media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Their flavor is rich and earthy, and their folds can hold flavor from other ingredients, enhancing the overall taste of a dish.”
Not to mention, walnuts are incredibly versatile–and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. “Cook with walnut oil, add crunch to salads by sprinkling walnuts on top, add walnuts to baked goods like muffins for more texture, blend walnuts into smoothies and dips for a richer mouth feel, crush walnuts to sprinkle on breakfast cereals, oatmeal, and yogurt, and mix them into granola,” says King.
Yep, walnuts are great. But what happens when you eat them every day?
https://parade.com/health/what-happens-if-you-eat-walnuts-every-day
Good for gut health? Could that explain why with the wide variety of foods that I eat I have not had indigestion in many years?
I love my coffee….but have you ever heard of ‘mushroom coffee’?
If you visualize a cup of joe with mushrooms floating at the top — take a sigh of relief. That is not what this is.
Mushroom coffee is a delicate blend of ground mushrooms and coffee beans combined to brew a dark, smooth, and nutty coffee.
Mushroom coffee generally uses medicinal mushroom extracts rather than culinary mushrooms like shiitake and portobello.
Medicinal mushrooms have been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years.
The compounds extracted from medicinal mushrooms are called adaptogens, which may improve the body’s response to stress.
Since the 1970s, researchersTrusted Source have been interested in the adaptogens from medicinal mushrooms for their potential health benefits.
However, it’s important to note that most studies on medicinal mushrooms are based on animals or done in a lab, with few well-designed clinical trials including humans. This means that we can’t simply apply the results of these studies to humans or human diseases.
Plus, these studies aren’t specific to mushroom coffee — and it’s unclear whether there are combined positive or negative health effects of mixing mushrooms and coffee beans.
It’s safe to say that although medicinal mushrooms and coffee have some established benefits on their own, there are numerous unverified health claims about the benefits of mushroom coffee.
Mushrooms mixed with coffee? 6 and half ounces for about $30….I will stick with my regular cup of Joe….at least it is cheaper than the coffee that passes through a monkey’s butt. I will pass on this trend.
Speaking of my regular cup of java….
“People are going to sit up and realize how important longshoremen jobs are,” union leader Harold Daggett said as the the dockworkers strike began at midnight Tuesday. Those words might hit home with disruption to the supply chain of a commodity many Americans start their day with. Reuters reports that hundreds of containers of coffee beans are among those piling up at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. Coffee traders say stockpiles were already very low because importers have been keeping inventories low to avoid high storage costs.
“We have some 40 containers waiting to be moved,” the head trader at a major coffee importer tells Reuters. He predicts that some regions “might have a supply squeeze” if the strike continues much longer. Major ports already have a backlog that could take weeks or months to clear. According to Census Bureau data, around 80% of containerized coffee imports to the US come through ports affected by the strike, along with 75% of imported bananas, the New York Times reports.
It all started in the 60s with huffing fumes from model glue…..and today huffing has returned….
Chroming, aka huffing, isn’t a new phenomenon, but the practice—which involves inhaling hydrocarbons to get high, often via common household items like nail polish, permanent markers, and paint thinner—is reemerging, thanks partly to social media. Medical experts, in turn, are getting concerned. “People have been inhaling fumes for centuries,” pediatrician Dr. Betty Choi tells CNN, noting that this type of inhalant abuse reached its peak in the ’90s. “But in recent years, experimentation rates among teens have risen again.”
- Effects: In the short term, those who huff may experience euphoria, but also a feeling of lightheadedness, clumsiness, slurred speech, or a lack of inhibition. More serious consequences include nausea or vomiting, drowsiness, breathing issues, seizures, or cardiac problems, per Dr. Anthony Pizon, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. In some cases, use can prove fatal—even on the first try.
- Habitual users: Those who huff over the long haul could see further repercussions, such as ulcers, nosebleeds, paranoia and other mood changes, kidney and liver problems, heart and brain damage, and mental health issues, among others—not to mention addiction to huffing itself, creating a vicious circle.
- The numbers: In 2022, about 554,000 young people in the US between the ages of 12 and 17 used inhalants, per stats from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Last year, that number inched up to 564,000. There isn’t reliable data on how many kids die from huffing each year.
- Social media: New research from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that online platforms are helping to reinvigorate the longtime practice. “A lot of kids are unfortunately exposing themselves to it largely due to its appeal on TikTok,” Pizon says, per CBS News.
- Prevention: Parents should keep an eye out for physical signs, such as constant nosebleeds, sores on or near the mouth or nose, poor school performance, or lack of interest in activities. Should a child faint, hallucinate, seem confused, or have a seizure, that could be a sign of a chroming OD and parents should call 911 or a poison control center ASAP.
Just a little FYI for parents….
Now speaking of brain damage….
For years, researchers have studied the psychological factors associated with religious fundamentalism, which involves strict adherence to belief. Traits like authoritarianism, resistance to doubt, and cognitive inflexibility have indeed been linked to fundamentalist mindsets. However, a fascinating new study now reveals that brain damage can increase the likelihood of developing rigid, unwavering faith in God.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, took an innovative approach by examining two groups of individuals with focal brain lesions resulting from injuries or disorders. One cohort consisted of 106 Vietnam veterans who suffered traumatic brain injuries in combat decades ago. The other included 84 patients from rural Iowa who experienced strokes, surgical complications, or other brain injuries.
Did you use the site 23andMe to find your ancestry or to find what traits you have? If so you might want to check this out.
23andMe is not doing well. Its stock is on the verge of being delisted. It shut down its in-house drug-development unit last month, only the latest in several rounds of layoffs. Last week, the entire board of directors quit, save for Anne Wojcicki, a co-founder and the company’s CEO. Amid this downward spiral, Wojcicki has said she’ll consider selling 23andMe—which means the DNA of 23andMe’s 15 million customers would be up for sale, too.
23andMe’s trove of genetic data might be its most valuable asset. For about two decades now, since human-genome analysis became quick and common, the A’s, C’s, G’s, and T’s of DNA have allowed long-lost relatives to connect, revealed family secrets, and helped police catch serial killers. Some people’s genomes contain clues to what’s making them sick, or even, occasionally, how their disease should be treated. For most of us, though, consumer tests don’t have much to offer beyond a snapshot of our ancestors’ roots and confirmation of the traits we already know about. (Yes, 23andMe, my eyes are blue.) 23andMe is floundering in part because it hasn’t managed to prove the value of collecting all that sensitive, personal information. And potential buyers may have very different ideas about how to use the company’s DNA data to raise the company’s bottom line. This should concern anyone who has used the service.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/09/23andme-dna-data-privacy-sale/680057/
Just another IST PSA….
My DNA is not in the public domain and will stay that way.
That does it for me on this first Saturday of October….I hope that everyone has a wonderful day and as always…..Be Well and Be Safe….
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”