• Alzheimer’s disease affects over 50 million people worldwide, with poor sleep being a significant risk factor
• Disrupted circadian rhythms are common in Alzheimer’s patients and exacerbate cognitive decline; when your melatonin levels are balanced, you support the synchronization of your brain’s internal clocks, which enhances overall brain function and resilience
• Clinical studies show melatonin supplementation improves cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients, with decreased melatonin levels serving as an early indicator of the disease
• Melatonin functions as a powerful antioxidant, supports immune system health, aids reproductive success, reduces post-operative pain and has anticancer properties; it also helps maintain the integrity of your blood-brain barrier, an important defense that keeps harmful substances out of your brain
• Natural melatonin production can be optimized through morning sunlight exposure, minimizing evening blue light, maintaining a dark bedroom and reducing stress before bedtime

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/12/18/melatonin-alzheimers.aspx

• When using supplements, choosing the right ones for your need is only a part of the equation — taking them at the right time, with or without food, is also essential to maximize their effectiveness
• Water-soluble vitamins are best taken with food during daytime, while fat-soluble vitamins need to be taken with meals containing healthy fats, either in the day or evening
• Minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc also have specific timing requirements — calcium works best in divided doses, magnesium before bed and zinc during daytime with food
• Fitness supplements, like beta-alanine, beetroot juice and creatine, require specific timing around workouts and meals to maximize their effectiveness for athletic performance and recovery
• While supplement timing enhances benefits, a nutritionally balanced diet remains the foundation of your health; whole foods provide the most bioavailable nutrients and reduce the need for supplements

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/12/21/best-time-to-take-your-supplements.aspx

In conventional mental health treatment, benzodiazepines have long been a staple for managing anxiety, insomnia and various other conditions. Medications such as Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin are prescribed to millions, offering temporary relief to those grappling with overwhelming stress and panic.

However, as illuminated in film “As Prescribed,” the widespread use of benzodiazepines carries significant risks of dependency, severe withdrawal symptoms and profound impacts on individuals and their families.¹ The documentary explores the human cost of benzodiazepine dependence, the legislative battles to regulate their prescription, the divided stance within the medical community and the support systems emerging to help those affected.

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/12/21/benzodiazepines-as-prescribed-documentary.aspx

Laura Frontiero writes:

Did you know that autoimmune conditions have tripled in the last 30 years?

Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Hashimoto’s, lupus are your body’s way of waving a red flag – and mounting evidence suggests that flag is often planted in your gut.

The Gut-Immune Connection

Groundbreaking research has revealed that the root cause of many autoimmune disorders may lie in the gut microbiome.

Your gut lining serves as a critical barrier, carefully controlling what enters your bloodstream. When this delicate barrier becomes compromised (a condition known as “leaky gut”), it can trigger a cascade of immune dysfunction.

Toxins, undigested food particles, and harmful bacteria that leak through the damaged gut lining can provoke your immune system into a state of high alert, leading to chronic inflammation and misguided attacks on healthy tissues.

The Surprising Symptoms

This gut-driven immune confusion can manifest in seemingly unrelated ways:

Inexplicable joint pain and stiffness

Chronic skin conditions that won’t resolve

Persistent tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest

Brain fog and difficulty concentrating

While these symptoms may seem disconnected, they often share a common denominator: a leaky gut that needs repair.

How to Resolve Autoimmunity

Healing your gut lining is a critical step in restoring immune regulation and calming the systemic inflammation that fuels autoimmunity.

However, many leaky gut symptoms actually have no digestive component, which is why it often goes unnoticed and untreated.

There are 10 surprising symptoms you should know about – and I’ve created a resource that walks you through each one…

Plus, the science-backed strategies to help repair your gut and rebalance your immune function.
Decode Your Symptoms

If you’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition – or you are experiencing the symptoms in my guide – taking the actions I’ve outlined can help kickstart your healing.

Of course, that’s just the first step.

The next one should involve speaking with a healthcare provider and also getting a gut test.

This test reveals exactly what’s going on in your microbiome – including unseen infections, too many “bad” gut bugs, and the presence of sneaky pathogens wreaking havoc and fanning the flames of inflammation – so we can take targeted actions to resolve those issues.

Chances are good that once you resolve the root causes causing your immune system to be on overdrive, you can alleviate (or even reverse!) your autoimmunity.

Pop into my article “Leaky Gut Signs: 10 Common Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore” for all the details: https://laurafrontiero.com/10-common-symptoms-you-shouldnt-ignore/

Take Good Care,

Laura

‘Keep fit’ fads and movements from 1910 to 2010 – presenting 100 years of women’s fitness in 100 seconds.

https://www.flixxy.com/100-years-of-fitness-in-100-seconds.htm

…this is a dense scientific discussion on the fine details of the specifics of resistance training as a form of health. I felt it was important to bring it to the public as it is somewhat controversial, but it clearly will only be useful for a small segment of the population.

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/12/22/concentric-vs-eccentric-exercise.aspx

Joseph Mercola writes:

At face value, fake meat sounds like the perfect solution to end world hunger, protect animal welfare and save the planet from environmental destruction. Even a brief look below the surface reveals a much more nefarious reality, however.

To help raise awareness about this latest assault on human health, I recently spoke with host Polly Tommey on “Tea Time,” a program by Children’s Health Defense, about the dangers of fake meat products.

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/12/22/fake-meat-dangers.aspx

Imagine a life where your body’s internal “battery” runs low every single day, demanding constant recharging just to keep going. For millions of people living with Type 1 diabetes, this is the exhausting reality—one where insulin injections act as the lifeline, replacing what the body can no longer produce on its own. But what if the body could be taught to recharge itself again?

In a world-first medical breakthrough, this question has moved from possibility to reality. A woman’s own stem cells have been successfully used to reverse her Type 1 diabetes, a condition once thought to be irreversible. Scientists turned her blood stem cells into insulin-producing powerhouses, effectively “rebooting” her pancreas and allowing her body to produce insulin naturally for the first time in years.

This achievement isn’t just a milestone for one patient; it’s a bold step toward a future where Type 1 diabetes may no longer require a lifetime of management. So, how did this groundbreaking transformation happen? And what does it mean for millions waiting for a cure?

https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/health-healing/in-a-world-first-a-woman-s-stem-cells-were-used-to-reverse-her-type-1-diabetes/

The Dallas Morning News ran a story yesterday headlined, “Texas lawsuit accuses 3M, DuPont of concealing harm from ‘forever chemicals.’” It almost took forever to get someone in government, somewhere, to do something.

Doing the job the federal health agencies used to do, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton yesterday sued DuPont, 3M, and other manufacturers of so-called PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called “forever chemicals” since they never degrade or break down. The chemicals are commonly used in waterproofing and non-stick coatings, such as on cookware or in protective sprays, and in thousands of other consumer products from carpets to pesticides.

But “these companies knew for decades that PFAS chemicals could cause serious harm to human health, yet continued to advertise them as safe for household use around families and children,” Paxton said in a statement.

The lawsuit (linked here) alleged that exposure to PFAS is connected to high cholesterol, increased risk of childhood infections, harmful reproductive and developmental effects, pregnancy-induced hypertension, decreased birthweight, testicular and kidney cancers, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, and memory loss related to personal item placement. Well, it didn’t actually say the memory loss part, but you never know. It would explain a lot, especially to my wife, who has to help me find everything.

Anyway, Texas became the third state to sue the PFAS manufacturers this year, joining Connecticut and Minnesota. The CDC’s web page on PFAS admits that “many PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment,” and clinically notes “exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.”

So that’s not too good.

The lawsuit’s allegations, if true, are damning. The lawsuit alleges that DuPont knew PFAS were toxic as early as the 1960’s, because exposed workers were getting sick. In 1981, DuPont did an internal blood sampling study of pregnant or recently pregnant employees. Of the eight women in the study who worked with Teflon, two (25%!) bore children with birth defects in their eyes or face, and at least one more had detectable levels of PFAS in their umbilical cord.

Paxton’s lawsuit alleges that DuPont lied and told its employees in writing the pregnancy study showed the chemicals were safe. It then slowly and quietly reassigned pregnant workers to other divisions.

The government has known about the problems with PFAS for decades. One EPA enforcement action was issued in 2004. But our fabulously funded government agencies have not even managed to get a warning label on products containing PFAS. The CDC’s PFAS webpage links to hundreds of other government websites about the chemicals. Nearly every major government agency is involved in PFAS research, including the obvious ones like EPA, FDA, and NIH, as well as more surprising ones like the DOD, the Navy, and the Air Force.

You know, between all the forever PFAS in our bloodstreams and fat tissues, the mRNA spikes in our cells (injected or shedded), and the microplastics building up in our brains, it’s getting pretty crowded in here.

Either way thanks, Texas! Thank you for at least doing something.

Finally, if you have time and interest, read the well-written and informative lawsuit. You can start at paragraph 20 (“Factual Allegations”) to skip the legalese.  https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/PFAS%20Manufacturers%20Lawsuit%20Filed.pdf

https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/1500-pardon-st-thursday-december