BUMMER – June 12, 2025 – Erythritol may impair cellular functions essential to maintaining brain blood vessel health, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. Findings suggest that erythritol increases oxidative stress, disrupts nitric oxide signaling, raises vasoconstrictive peptide production, and diminishes clot-dissolving capacity in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Erythritol has become a fixture in the ingredient lists of protein bars, low-calorie beverages, and diabetic-friendly baked goods. Its appeal lies in its sweetness-to-calorie ratio, roughly 60–80% as sweet as sucrose with a tiny fraction of the energy yield, and its negligible effect on blood glucose. Erythritol is…
Author: Leonard Buschel
12 PUSHUPS TOO? – June 13, 2025 – MF: You mentioned you’re 15 years sober. Has that changed your fitness mindset? Cavalero: “I work a 12-step program and I’m 15 years sober and, that makes my life softer and easier. I’m able to follow a plan more simply with that element of my life in there.” Tony Cavalero has always been in motion—from his early days in ballet class to playing Division I lacrosse, to now pushing himself through cold plunges and brutal leg days. He’s also gearing up for his latest role in the new CBS comedy DMV, premiering…
VIDEO – NEVER ENOUGH – June 16, 2025 – Purdue introduced OxyContin, a brand name of oxycodone, in the 1990s and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 after the company was sued thousands of times … CONTINUE@ABCNEWS
OVER THE BORDER – June 11, 2025 – One of the less publicized effects of the drug cartel issue in Tijuana is the lack of governmental infrastructure for rehab projects. This environment encourages businesses that take advantage of relatives who are desperate for their loved ones to recover. These businesses use mainly a religious perspective in their rehab methods, but the government has no way to ensure effectiveness or account for human and civil rights. Especially on the city outskirts, where these rehab centers have won popularity because of viral social media videos that show how they “sponsor free treatment”…
“It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as though I had a right to be there.” – Jame Baldwin, b. Harlem, NY 1942. – d. France 1987
AND COWS HAPPY – June 5, 2025 – Skipping dessert really can leave you down in the dumps. No one who’s been on a diet has ever said “I love calorie restriction,” but a new study has found a not-so-surprising link between low-cal eating and depression.And some people have it worse than others. Of these adults, 29% had a healthy weight, 33% were deemed overweight, and 38% were considered obese. The dietary patterns were divided into four categories: calorie-restrictive, nutrient-restrictive (low in fat), sugar, salt, or carbs, established dietary pattern, or not on a diet. The majority of participants, 87%,…
VIDEO – BEWARE BE WARY – June 4, 2025 – A Texas woman has died after contracting a rare infection from a brain-eating amoeba while using tap water to clear out her sinuses. She started experiencing serious symptoms like a fever, headache, and “altered mental status” within four days of using a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water. Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the “brain-eating amoeba,” is a one-celled organism that lives in freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The woman received medical treatment for the suspected Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) infection, but according to the report, she started…
GRIEF MATTERS – June 4, 2025 – People frequently say things like, “You have to get sober for yourself. You can’t get sober for anybody else.” But I got sober for my children. The first years of sobriety were tough. Money was tight. At one point, I worked three jobs. I had to learn how to live with all of my emotions without the anaesthesia of alcohol. At first, it felt like my skin had been peeled off. What got me through that period was reminding myself that I was doing it out of love for my kids. We made…
DUH! – June 6, 2025 – Consuming alcohol has been linked to at least seven types of cancers—including colorectal, breast, hepatic, oral, laryngeal, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancers. Each year, alcohol-related cancers result in over 20,000 deaths in the United States; however, nearly 70% of U.S. adults report consuming alcoholic beverages. “Despite the well-established association between alcohol and cancer, alcohol consumption has continued to rise in the [United States],” stressed senior study author Sanjay Shete, PhD, Deputy Division Head of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Our findings suggest that many individuals are…
VIDEO – DRINKING TOO MUCH! – June 6, 2025 – In January 2025, the US Surgeon General released an important advisory that “highlights alcohol use as a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, contributing to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year.” However, the advisory also noted that approximately 72% of American adults drink alcohol at least once a week, and fewer than half realize that alcohol use contributes to an increase in cancer risk. In this video, we will explore the research linking alcohol to gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and suggest ways that…
AND TOOTH DECAY – June 3, 2025 – People who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods, such as cold breakfast cereals, cookies, and hot dogs, may be more likely to develop early signs of Parkinson’s disease compared to those who consume very little. “Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health… The study included 42,853 people with an average age of 48 who did not have Parkinson’s disease at the start of the study. They were followed…
GOODBYE SAMHSA – June 6, 2025 – The country’s main mental health agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, commonly known as SAMHSA, is in the process of being dissolved. It has lost more than a third of its staff of about 900 this year as part of recent reductions in the federal workforce. President Trump’s budget bill cuts $1 billion from the agency’s s operating budget, and its mission is being folded into a new entity shaped by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Lawmakers, researchers and health care providers are concerned. At a hearing held by the…
VIDEO – ATTRACTION NOT COERCION – June 3, 2025 – Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel says there’s no evidence that forcing people into addictions treatment works, but she won’t weigh in on whether provinces should pursue involuntary treatment. Michel also says mental health will be a top priority for her in her new role. CONTINUE@Yahoo
HE ALWAYS WINS – June 5, 2025 – You might perhaps spy Vandyke drinking a frothy amber liquid as he raises a glass with connections. Or he might even be sipping another beverage that, at a cursory look, could be mistaken for a gin and tonic. But that will be his favourite drink of sparkling water “with a bit of lemon or lime in it” … or a zero alcohol beer. It’s been the same for 26 years, since the last time the trainer touched the demon drink. It’s been the same for 26 years, since the last time the…
CAN THEY FASTER? – June 5, 2025 – For the first time, researchers have created genetically modified fruit flies that can become addicted to cocaine. The flies will self-administer cocaine if given the option. The new model could prove immensely valuable for the development of new therapies to prevent and treat cocaine use disorder, a growing and deadly concern that affects about 1.5 million people nationwide. Heredity strongly influences the risk of getting hooked on the illegal drug, but the large number of genes implicated in addiction risk has made it difficult to determine which might be the best targets…
LIKE HOT APPLE PIE – June 6, 2025 – Jason Biggs knew he had to turn his life around after one particular event during his struggle with addiction. The 47-year-old actor, who has now overcome his struggle with addiction, shared that he caught himself hit “rock bottom” when he tried to retrieve his cocaine from the trash can. The American Pie star recalled, “One of my craziest stories was [that] I was doing cocaine by myself in my house, and I did what I said was the last line. You know, ‘It’s 4:00, my wife [Jenny Mullen] doesn’t even know…
THEY KILL YOU – June 5, 2025 – Overdoses and drug poisonings are now the third leading cause of death in people under age 20, behind firearms and motor vehicle crashes. As a parent, I wanted to know more about synthetic opioids and their uses. Why are they so dangerous, and how are overdoses treated? How can people tell if the drugs they are taking contain synthetic opioids? Crucially, what can parents and other family members do to help reduce the risk of overdose? To help us answer these questions, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen, an…
REALLY? – June 6, 2025 – You and I all know the horror stories. We experienced them ourselves, or have at least seen them, especially in…restaurants. Parents and children file in. The kids each have their brightly-coloured media devices, and the baby is playing with Mom’s phone in the stroller. Once they’re seated, the children (sometimes with headphones on) bury themselves in their cartoons, shows, videos, movies or games. Screen addiction is real. So is overcoming screen addiction, for young and old. Having studied, written and given media workshops on this topic for close to two decades, I have found…
MOVIES MATTER – June 6, 2025 – “InhuMAINE,” created by Rogan O’Donnell, was filmed almost entirely in Bangor and attempts to capture why the region has struggled with growing homelessness in the wake of the pandemic. The documentary also dives into other dangers and challenges people who are homeless face. O’Donnell and his co-director, Ryan Kapp, began filming the documentary in 2023 and finished earlier this year. The film creators spoke with numerous people who are homeless in Bangor about how they got there and the barriers they face to getting help. Some are newly homeless after escaping an abusive…
VIDEO – OH CANADA – June 3, 2025 – Containing 18 beds across two buildings on the site of the women’s jail, the facility will provide specialized care for individuals, both men and women, struggling with extreme mental-health challenges as well as severe brain injury from repeated drug overdoses. “These two homes are the first of their kind in British Columbia, designed for individuals with incredibly complex mental-health disorders, who have been certified for long-term involuntary care under the Mental Health Act,” B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne told reporters. “In many cases, residents may also be living with concurrent disorders…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 4,920,823 views since Nov 26, 2011 – “My son’s favourite song, even though he is a metalhead. He is the second youngest, I have three other daughters. And he never misses the chance to sing the lead vocal part when he goes to karaoke with them.” CONTINUE@YouTube
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 93M views 15 years ago – It’s physically impossible to be in an ill temper when listening to this song. I’m 44 and it still slams like the 90s. – If you’re here that means you have impeccable taste in music, I love you all. CONTINUE@YouTube
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – June 10, 2025 – Brian Hyman is the author of Recovery with Yoga: Supportive Practices for Transcending Addiction (Nautilus Book Awards Silver Winner). He is a yoga and meditation teacher, recovery activist, speaker, and father. He’s taught yoga at Cliffside Malibu since 2012, and he’s been sober since 2009. Brian is a member of Yoga Alliance and International Association of Yoga Therapists, and he’s a Legacy Ambassador for Lululemon. Brian has contributed popular guided meditations and courses to Insight Timer, where his offerings have received more than one million plays. Q. If you are in…
VIDEO – SPREADING HER LIGHT – June 6, 2025 – Television presenter Ulrika Jonsson has marked one year of sobriety by sharing a powerful before-and-after photograph on Instagram. The 57-year-old posted what she described as a “drunk” selfie alongside a recent image to illustrate her transformation. The former Gladiators host used the milestone to reflect on her journey away from alcohol, which she said had helped her shed “crippling shame”. In her candid social media post, Jonsson revealed the extent of her previous struggles with drinking.The former Gladiators host used the milestone to reflect on her journey away from alcohol,…
VIDEO – SCIENCE MAY ONE DAY DO SO… – June 4, 2025 – People rely on memories of rewards to function and survive. Associated with positive experiences, these memories provide context for evaluating present and future choices. For example, if foods high in sugar are associated with a positive experience, this can reinforce the behavior of eating the food that provided the reward. Similarly, a flavorful meal at a specific restaurant increases the likelihood you’ll become a returning costumer. Everyday human behavior is guided and shaped by the search for rewards. This includes eating tasty meals, drinking something refreshing, sexual…
VIDEO – IN THE MARKET? – June 3, 2025 – As the non-profit celebrates 50 years of service, CEO Paula Lipinski explained staff need to make decisions that will keep the organization going for another 50 years. One of those decisions is selling the houses they use for the Recovery Home program. Eleven buildings are owned by ATS. Lipinski praised her predecessors for outside the box thinking to turn historic downtown Traverse City houses into recovery homes to help people. The homes serve as transitional housing for people leaving treatment. “That’s the benefit of those homes, but the deficit of…
GIN NOT GUNS – June 4, 2025 – While fans of the show have heard mention of Dakota’s previous addiction on the show, he takes it back to where it all began — when he was a 17-year-old basketball player looking for something to help him manage his knee pain. The Mormon Wives star is opening up about his first marriage and grappling with addiction from teenager to adulthood. Dakota “had no idea” what the pills were, but he took them. “Then I went and practices, and I remember I had zero pain. It was the best thing in the…
RIP Sly – WATCH – Official Video for “Family Affair” (Questlove Rhythm King Edit) by Sly & The Family Stone. So psyched for the premiere of Sly Lives on hulu today! Only other thing I’d love to see Questlove do is release the whole Sly and the Family Stone set from Summer of Soul. WATCH@YouTube
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – June 5, 2025 – Overdose deaths have decreased every single month. That very same day, the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in testimony before Congress, made no reference to overdoses, the number one killer of Americans 18 to 44 years of age. A week later, in his agency’s 72-page “Making America Healthy Again” manifesto, the word “opioid” was never mentioned. Instead, he went on to propose that CDC should be disassembled, along with the other principal agencies responsible for addressing the overdose crisis. Those proposals, as part of the administration’s 2026…
NOT ANYMORE – June 4, 2025 – For decades Keeley Knowles’ life consisted of shoplifting thousands of pounds worth of goods to fuel her heroin addiction. Previously known as “Birmingham’s most prolific shoplifter”, Ms Knowles had been to jail 28 times but is now 18 months clean and on a mission to give addicts hope. “I have no doubt in my mind that I would have died,” she said. “I thought I was unfixable.” Her saving grace, she explained, was West Midlands Police’s Offending to Recovery programme, which is being expanded into Coventry, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton. The Offending 2…