What Harrison Butker shared to the college graduates in his commencement address at Benedictine College on May 11 was his beliefs and opinions of today’s world.
Much like the divisive remarks short line sins being said every day and in late night from the big mouth chicks on The View and their plummeting 2.5 million viewers and what is being told by Stephen Cobert to his 2.95 million viewers and the Jimmy’s (Fallon’s 1.43 million Kimmel’s 2.27 million, of Late Night) practically wishing Trump Dead which USATODAY, MSNBC, CNN OR CBS says nothing about.
Whereas the ratings for the 2024 Women’s College Basketball national championship game between South Carolina and Iowa averaged 18.7 million viewers, peaking at 24 million on ABC & ESPN in April.
Shows you how many truly liberal viewers (Not many) we have in our country.
My take from this speech and what I saw and heard wasn’t ill will to women.
Harrison Butker just said women should embrace their role as a homemaker.
Andy Reid shows he’s clueless about misogyny with his reaction to Harrison Butker speech
Opinion by Nancy Armour, USA TODAY
Harrison Butker is a religious zealot so, while offensive, what he said in his now-infamous commencement address shouldn’t have been much of a surprise.
Asked on Wednesday if he was concerned Butker’s comments might cause a rift with the women who work for the Kansas City Chiefs, the coach replied, “I don’t think he was speaking ill to women.”
Butker told the women graduating from Benedictine College that they’d been fed “diabolical lies,” and then went on to suggest their one true purpose was to be broodmares. He railed against the evils of birth control and abortion because, again, women have no use beyond having kids. And God forbid we should be allowed to decide what is best for ourselves and our bodies!
He spoke wistfully of the days when men had primacy and women knew their place – “we set the tone of the culture and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction and chaos set in” – and urged male graduates to “fight against the cultural emasculation of men.”
If making abundantly clear how little value we have isn’t speaking ill to women, I’d hate to see what it would take to tip Reid over the edge. Advocating for a Taliban-style government? Taking away our right to vote or make our own financial decisions?
“He has his opinions and we all respect that,” Reid said.
Even when they’re wholly disrespectful to women.
Distasteful and ill-informed as they are, of course – Butker has the right to his opinions — I appreciate that Reid and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes were trying to keep the peace in the locker room with their “we don’t have to agree but we have to respect everyone’s opinions” bothsiderisms.
But there is a difference between saying Butker has the right to his opinions and trying to pass those opinions off as some minor disagreement. Butker wasn’t railing about whether there should be a tax on plastic bags or why it’s taking so long to get high-speed internet to rural America. He was taking aim at a woman’s right to self-determination & propagating the real diabolical lie, that women exist only for the service and convenience of men.
“One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman,” the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica said in a statement last week.
“We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God’s people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years,” the nuns continued. “These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers.”
The Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade has jeopardized the lives and health of thousands of women. There is also one horrifying story after another of women developing sepsis, needing hysterectomies and even dying because they are no longer entitled to basic health care.
And that “masculinity” Butker champions?
Violence against women remains appallingly high and even more appallingly disregarded. As we were reminded by that devastating video of Cassie being chased down and beaten by Diddy, it still takes visual evidence for a woman to be believed when she says she was physically or sexually assaulted.
Reid doesn’t live in that world and will never have to, so he can be oblivious to the misogyny of Butker’s speech. But women cannot. We live it, each and every day, and it’s unsettling to know Butker would reverse what progress has been made and take us back to the days when we had no standing, no voice, no worth.
Butker wasn’t just “speaking ill” to women with his views.
Healing and a feeling of personal wholeness only occur when the mind, body, and spirit are in balance. Balancing them all is necessary for a happy and fulfilled life. And in moments of crisis—especially in moments of crisis—it is vital for you to be vigilant in protecting that balance.
All three are connected: the mind, body, and spirit.
Weakness or imbalance in one of these can negatively affect the others. For example, severe emotional stress of the mind can cause high blood pressure and other illnesses in an otherwise healthy body. Similarly, physical illness or injury can cause depression in a usually healthy mind.
Healing intention is a conscious mental choice to improve your health or the health of another. It includes the expectation of improved well-being and the hope that the desired health goal can be reached. It also includes the understanding of personal meaning in your life and work, even when those two worlds may seem blurred during a quarantine.
Ultimately, healing intention includes the belief that healing and well-being will occur. If you don’t truly believe that you can be healed, or if some part of you is holding onto the disease or condition, you might disrupt or limit your own inherent capacity to heal on a subconscious level. Don’t underestimate yourself! By developing healing intention, you set the stage for healing to occur.
What Can I Do to Develop Healing Intention?
Awareness
Awareness addresses the question “How do I feel?” It helps you learn what your body is telling you and to connect what you think about to who you are.
You can become aware of your body’s subtle signals such as changes in energy level or mood. Bring these thoughts and feelings to your conscious mind. This allows you to change behaviors that don’t make you healthier. You can also learn new skills to change your automatic responses. Physical symptoms are messages from your body, telling you how it is doing and what it needs.
Some people turn to active practices like jogging, yoga, or even repeating a single word that makes them feel “centered.” Others use religious prayer, practices, and services. You can also just take a few moments to be quiet or to meditate.
Intent
Once you know how you feel, it’s essential to know what you want. If a health crisis or other situation changes your life from what you planned, this can be challenging. But it is important to create new goals and plans. These may be different, but they can also be meaningful and fulfilling.
On a spiritual level, once you connect with your inner self, you can direct your intention to bring this sense of peace and healing to yourself or others in your life.
Reflection
The story you tell yourself about your life is powerful. It can help you understand the central themes of your life and find meaning in them. When your sense of meaning in life changes, it can lead to feelings of distress. Getting that sense of purpose back is important for feeling healthy in your body and mind.
Meaning and purpose help you deal with emotions such as loss and grief, hope and despair, and joy and sadness. They allow you and your loved ones to accept the new normal, find a sense of feeling as well as the possibility to control your outlook on life.
Writing in your journal, writing stories or poetry, doing art, working with someone who has been in the same situation as you, or talking to a hospital chaplain might help you consider questions of who you are.
Try to answer these questions:
Who am I?
What is my purpose?
How do I fit into my family, my community, my life?
What are my spiritual beliefs?
If you have an illness or pain, think and write about the meaning of the illness or pain in your life. Reflection may help you to understand some of the central themes of your life and find meaning in them.
Experiencing Personal Wholeness
Personal wholeness is the feeling of well-being that occurs when your body, mind, and spirit are in harmony and balance. You can develop mind-body practices that support well-being and recovery from illness.
In fact, there are techniques that you can learn called mind-body practices that once you learn them, you can do anywhere—which right now is probably at home. These encourage you to tap into the connection between your thoughts and your physical responses in a positive way. Research has shown that these practices can be effective in reducing the negative effects of stress.
The key is to try and commit yourself to develop a mind-body practice. If you are unable to take an online class or attend a virtual workout, take advantage of one of the mind-body examples Healthy Journeys, or any number of videos on Youtube, like this one.
By adopting one, or more, of these exercises into your routine, you’ll be one step closer to balance and developing real healing intention. This is a conscious choice, so it is important to try and remain disciplined but by simply understanding the role healing intention and personal wholeness can play in your life right now, you can begin to feel the impact as we all continue to work through this challenging time.
In the quest for longevity and the elixir of everlasting youth, the world has turned its gaze to the remarkable regions known as “Blue Zones.” These enclaves of vitality and well-being have ignited curiosity and wonder across the globe — and it’s time to delve into their secrets.
Blue Zones are those magical corners of the world
Where people seemingly defy the aging process. They possess a playbook for life that involves a harmonious blend of healthy living, strong communities and a sense of purpose that rivals a New Yorker’s determination to catch a cab in the rain.
The story of Blue Zones begins with researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, who stumbled upon the first of these remarkable locales. But it was the indefatigable Dan Buettner who took the baton and ran with it, identifying these Blue Zones while diving deep into their secrets of a long, healthy life.
In a world where fast food and sedentary lifestyles often take center stage, there are pockets of the globe where residents are not only living longer, but also thriving in the process. Enter these regions where centenarians are not the exception, but the norm.
The Sardinian secret: where centenarians roam
Nestled in the rugged landscapes of Sardinia, Italy, the first Blue Zone unveiled its timeless secrets. Here, male shepherds are the undisputed champions of longevity, their daily routines including traversing mountainous terrain and feasting on plant-based fare.
But it’s not just about diet and exercise in Sardinia; it’s about strong family bonds that permeate the culture.
When it comes to living a long, healthy life, the people of Sardinia have cracked the code. This enchanting Italian island is home to some of the world’s oldest and healthiest individuals. So, what’s their secret?
At the core of general Sardinian longevity is the classic diet, a wholesome blend of nature’s bounty. Whole-grain bread, hearty beans, garden-fresh vegetables, an abundance of fruits and in some regions the unique touch of mastic oil. But it doesn’t stop there; Sardinians also eat pecorino cheese crafted from grass-fed sheep, packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Meat? Reserved for special occasions and Sundays.
In Sardinia, family isn’t just a word; it’s a way of life.
Strong family bonds also ensure that every member is cared for, a potent defense against depression, suicide and stress. Research shows that those living in such nurturing environments enjoy improved mental well-being and overall life satisfaction.
Grandparents additionally hold a cherished role in Sardinian society. They offer love, childcare, financial support and a wealth of wisdom. Their influence motivates the younger generation to uphold traditions and strive for success, contributing to healthier, more well-adjusted and longer-lived children. It’s a recipe for a population-wide life-expectancy boost.
As for those Sardinian shepherds, they know the value of a good walk.
Covering 5 miles a day, their cardiovascular health thrives, along with improved muscle and bone metabolism. No need for joint-pounding marathons or triathlons. And don’t forget the daily glass or two of red wine.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are starchy root vegetables that are a staple food source in many areas of the world. Though potatoes are the most-consumed vegetable in the United States, they’re often considered unhealthy due to their high carbohydrate content and use in the fast food industry.
However, potatoes have many nutritional benefits. They provide an array of essential vitamins and minerals such as potassium and fiber. They also contain antioxidants and other protective plant compounds.
All potatoes can be a healthy choice when cooked using methods that preserve their nutritional value. Varieties like purple, red, and sweet potatoes stand out due to their high nutrient content, but preparation is an important factor in how healthy potatoes are in general.
1. Purple Potatoes
Purple potatoes are packed with beneficial plant compounds, including anthocyanins (a type of antioxidant). Anthocyanins are polyphenol plant pigments that give foods like fruits and vegetables their purple, blue, or red colors. In addition to giving purple potatoes their saturated color, anthocyanins benefit health by protecting cells from damage and reducing inflammation, both of which can help lower chronic disease risk.
Research shows that people who consume diets high in anthocyanin-rich foods, such as purple potatoes, have a lower risk of certain health conditions, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.1
Purple potatoes may be a better choice for blood sugar control than other potato varieties because of their high polyphenol content. This is because pigmented potatoes have been shown to have a lower effect on blood sugar levels after meals than yellow and white potatoes.2 Purple potatoes are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Here is the nutrition breakdown for a 3.5-ounce (about 100 grams, or 2/3 cup) uncooked serving of purple potatoes:3
Potassium: 337 milligrams (mg) or 14% of the Daily Value (DV)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture website (USDA) does not include specific information about vitamin B6 and vitamin C content, but purple potatoes are a rich source of both.45
Prep tip: Try baking purple potatoes with olive oil and sprinkling them with salt and pepper for a simple and delicious side dish.
2. Red Potatoes
Red potatoes are an excellent source of flavonoid antioxidants like quercetin, kaempferol-rutinose, catechin, and rutin. Red potatoes contain twice the amount of flavonoids as compared to white potatoes.6They’re also a rich source of several nutrients, including vitamin C and potassium.
Here is the nutrition breakdown for a 3.5-ounce serving of cooked red potatoes:7
Calories: 87
Protein: 2.3 g
Carbohydrates: 19.6 g
Fiber: 1.8 g
Potassium: 545 mg or 12% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 0.212 mg or 12% of the DV
Vitamin C: 12.6 mg or 14% of the DV
Like purple potatoes, red potatoes are rich in vitamin C. One 3.5-ounce serving provides 14% of your daily needs for this critical nutrient. Red potatoes are also a good source of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and support heart health. Consuming adequate potassium is essential for blood pressure control because potassium helps the body excrete sodium through the urine. It also relaxes blood vessels.8
Prep tip: Try pairing red potatoes with other high-potassium foods like beans and lentils in soups and grain dishes for an extra nutritional boost. Leave the skin on, as red potato peels are high in anthocyanin antioxidants.6
3. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are edible roots that belong to the Convolvulaceae, or morning glory, family.9 Though they belong to different plant families, sweet potatoes are often grouped with tubers like white, red, and purple potatoes. However, sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients lacking in red, purple, and white potatoes, such as vitamin A.
Sweet potatoes are packed with provitamin A carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene into retinal and retinoic acid, the active forms of vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed for several critical processes in the body, such as immune function, cellular growth, and vision.10
Carotenoids also act as powerful antioxidants in the body, protecting cells from damage that may lead to disease. Diets high in carotenoids have been associated with reduced risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers.11
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C, and potassium. Here is the nutrition breakdown for a 3.5-ounce serving of baked sweet potato with skin:12
Calories: 90
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 20.7 g
Fiber: 3.3 g
Magnesium: 27 mg or 6% of the DV
Potassium: 473 mg or 10% of the DV
Vitamin A: 957 micrograms (mcg) or 107% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 0.285 mg or 17% of the DV
Vitamin C: 19.5 mg or 22% of the DV
Sweet potatoes are higher in fiber than red, white, and purple potatoes. They provide about 75% more fiber than the same serving of red potatoes. Fiber is essential for gut health and helps keep bowel movements regular and comfortable. Fiber also helps keep you satiated (feeling full after meals), which reduces the likelihood of overeating.13
Prep tip: Sweet potatoes are delicious baked, roasted, or steamed and mashed and can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. You can make sweet potato fries by slicing, them, drizzling them with olive oil and spices, and baking them.
Yam vs. Sweet Potato
Yams and sweet potatoes are often lumped together, but they’re completely different vegetables. Sweet potatoes are much richer in vitamin A. They’re sweeter than yams and are often used in dishes like soups or pies.14 Source Healthiest Potatoes: 3 Types That Are Best For You
Sardinians also enjoy wine in moderation, and it turns out, it’s good for more than just raising spirits. Cannonau wine, a local favorite, packs two to three times the artery-scrubbing flavonoids of other wines. It’s no wonder stress levels among the island’s men remain impressively low. Gather with friends, share a laugh and let your worries melt away.
Last but not least, the islanders swear by goat’s milk. This dairy delight contains components that may ward off age-related inflammatory diseases, including heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Sip on a glass and embrace the Sardinian secret to a vibrant, disease-free life.
Okinawa: The land of age-defying women
In Okinawa, Japan, women hold the crown for longevity. Their diet, laden with superfoods like tofu, miso and seaweed, is complemented by the concept of “ikigai” — a deep sense of purpose that infuses every aspect of life.
Okinawans also thrive through “moai,” lifelong social networks established from childhood that provide emotional and financial support. It’s a community ethos that keeps spirits high and stress levels low.
The inhabitants of Okinawa hold a treasure trove of wisdom. Despite facing years of adversity, they have crafted a lifestyle and environment that fosters remarkable longevity.
One of the defining characteristics of older Okinawans is their unshakeable sense of purpose. Ask them why they rise each morning, and they’ll readily articulate it. This imbued sense of purpose infuses their lives with responsibility and the feeling of being needed, even well into their 100s. It’s a powerful motivator that keeps them active and engaged.
Okinawans have also long embraced a plant-based diet. Their meals brim with stir-fried vegetables, sweet potatoes and tofu, delivering an abundance of nutrients with minimal calories. The mighty goya, with its antioxidants and blood sugar-regulating compounds, takes center stage.
While pork does make an occasional appearance in their cuisine, it’s reserved for special ceremonial occasions and consumed in moderation. Moreover, almost all Okinawan centenarians are or were gardeners, a practice that not only provides daily physical activity, but also yields a constant supply of fresh vegetables.
Soy also reigns supreme in the Okinawan diet, featuring prominently in dishes like tofu and miso soup. The flavonoids found in tofu may contribute to heart health and shield against breast cancer. Fermented soy foods promote a healthy gut microbiome and offer a cornucopia of nutritional benefits.
As for the moais, they offer both financial and emotional support in times of need. These tight-knit communities provide a profound sense of security, ensuring that no one faces life’s challenges alone.
Sunlight, a free and readily available resource, is a cornerstone of Okinawa life. Regular exposure to the sun stimulates the production of vitamin D, crucial for stronger bones and overall well-being. Even the island’s seniors maintain optimal vitamin D levels year-round by spending time outdoors daily.
Okinawan elders are no strangers to physical activity. With minimal furniture in their homes, they dine and relax on tatami mats on the floor, requiring them to get up and down numerous times each day. This routine builds lower body strength and balance, reducing the risk of debilitating falls.
Meanwhile, gardens are not just for beauty — they also serve as medicinal treasure troves. Mugwort, ginger and turmeric, staples of an Okinawan garden, boast proven medicinal qualities. Daily consumption of these herbs may offer protection against various illnesses.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable traits of Okinawans is their attitude. They exude affable smugness, embracing life’s simple pleasures and leaving the difficulties of the past behind. They radiate likability, drawing younger generations into their company, enriching their lives as they age gracefully.
In the pursuit of longevity and well-being, Okinawa stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration. Their time-tested practices offer a blueprint for a life filled with purpose, health and contentment.
Despite America’s reputation for having one of the world’s highest obesity rates,
there lies a small area in San Bernardino County, California that defies all odds.
In the city of Loma Linda, a surprising phenomenon emerges. Residents there live a staggering 10 years longer on average than their fellow Americans. Why? They’re predominantly Seventh-day Adventists, a community that draws its plant-based diet directly from the Bible — grains, nuts and legumes galore.
But that’s not all. These health-conscious folks avoid smoking, alcohol and often steer clear of red meat, shellfish, refined foods and caffeine. Their dedication to an active lifestyle, and their strong sense of faith and family, are cornerstones of their remarkable longevity.
The Seventh-day Adventist Lifestyle has been a cornerstone of the Loma Linda community since the 1840s. As the church thrived throughout the 20th century, so did its 430 members in this idyllic region, where they hold the belief that health is an integral part of their faith. The body is a temple.
(Today, approximately 9,000 Adventists call Loma Linda home —
and they are at the heart of America’s Blue Zone region.)
The 24-hour Sabbath observed by Adventists is not just a religious ritual; it’s a weekly respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. During this sacred time, they focus on family, spirituality, camaraderie and the wonders of nature. This break is a powerful stress-reliever, a builder of social networks and a source of consistent physical activity.
Adventists also find strength in numbers, often spending time with fellow community members who share their values. This sense of community and support enhances their overall well-being.
What’s more, the Seventh-day Adventist Church actively encourages and provides opportunities for its members to volunteer. This commitment to helping others not only keeps them active but also gives them a sense of purpose, staving off depression.
Maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) is an additional priority for Adventists. Those who combine a healthy BMI with regular physical activity and a sparing, if not entirely meatless, diet tend to enjoy lower blood pressure, healthier cholesterol levels and reduced cardiovascular disease risk compared to their heavier counterparts.
The Adventist diet pays off handsomely. Those who consume nuts at least five times a week experience about half the risk of heart disease and gain an extra 2 years of life compared to their nut-averse counterparts.
Their general dietary approach has been linked to other health benefits, including a 70% reduction in lung cancer for those who consume two or more servings of fruit daily. Legume lovers enjoy a 30 to 40% lower risk of colon cancer, while tomato enthusiasts reduce their chances of ovarian cancer by 70%.
Studies show that Adventist men who sip on five or six daily glasses of water also reduce their risk of a fatal heart attack by a staggering 60 to 70% compared to those who consume less.
In Loma Linda, the secrets to a prolonged and vibrant existence are no secret at all. The Seventh-day Adventist community offers a blueprint for longevity rooted in faith, healthy living, and a commitment to nurturing both body and soul. So, whether you’re an Adventist or not, these practices can guide you toward a life filled with vitality, joy and many more years to come.
In Central America, Costa Rica boasts one of the world’s highest life expectancies, despite modest incomes. The “Ticos,” as natives are locally known, thrive on a mix of faith, family and what’s referred to as a “life plan.”
Of particular note is the nation’s Nicoya Peninsula, an 80-mile stretch of land just south of the Nicaraguan border. While economic stability and excellent healthcare certainly contribute, there’s more to the Nicoyan secret than meets the eye.
It inspires optimism in elderly populations and this strong sense of purpose that results in longer-than-usual lifespans. This is part of the pura vida, or low-stress, laid-back lifestyle that the Latin American country is known for.
For some Costa Ricans, purpose and a positive outlook is an integral part of life, researchers say — and it could be helping them live longer, fuller lives.
Researchers studying the science of longevity have coined the term “plan de vida,” or “life plan,” the BBC reported, and they think it is one of the reasons why the residents of Nicoya, a 80-mile long peninsula located along the western coast of Costa Rica, regularly outlive the rest of us.
Within this rural beach community, the average age is 85 — but many residents live to be over 100 years old. In fact, residents here are three-and-a-half times more likely to live past 100 than the global average, the BBC reported.
Playa Santa Teresa Costa Rica is a tiny beach village on the Nicoya Peninsula, just north of Playa Mal Pais. What this little town lacks in size, it makes up for in culture and individuality. The town is made up of surfers and artists, giving it a laid-back, pura vida vibe.
The Santa Teresa Beach is remarkable. Forbes Magazine has voted this area of Santa Teresa and nearby Mal Pais as some of the beautiful beaches of the world. The pure white sandy beaches make it not only a haven for surfers, but for artists trying to capture the stunning views on canvas. You can explore a more remote jungle void of nay crowds or go horseback riding while enjoying stunning ocean views and a dazzling sunset. A perfect trip!
Highlights
Surfing
Unlike the more developed surfing beaches like Jaco and Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa is a paradise for the solo surfer with some experience. Santa Teresa has fantastic swells all year long, making it one of the best beaches in Costa Rica for surfing.
The semi-isolated town of Santa Teresa also lets you get aways from the city-feel and the quiet beach is less crowded than many other beaches in the country, allowing for the ultimate surfing vacation. As one of the best surfing areas in Costa Rica, novices and pros alike will be able to find suitable waves either in Santa Teresa or one of the many beaches nearby. You can also find many surf schools in Santa Teresa if you are looking to improve your skills.
Yoga
If you’re looking for the ultimate yoga vacation, look no further than Santa Teresa. The laid-back culture of the area is perfect for yogis and the smaller number of tourists guarantees a relaxed vacation.
With an abundance of yoga studios, you can find classes for all levels and types of yoga. Some examples include private classes, acro yoga, kid’s yoga, and couple’s yoga. Enjoy the ultimate yoga practice with an unbeatable scenery.
They often live with their families, who provide not only support, but also a profound sense of purpose and belonging. This close-knit family structure is a cornerstone of their longevity.
When it comes to staying hydrated, Nicoyan hard water is rich in calcium, a vital mineral that may explain their lower rates of heart disease and their strong bones, resulting in fewer hip fractures. It’s a simple, yet impactful, element of their lifestyle that contributes to their health and well-being.
One of the most potent ways to extend your years may be simpler than you think: Eat fewer calories. Nicoyans embrace this wisdom by consuming a light dinner early in the evening, aligning with the concept of caloric restriction for a longer, healthier life.
Centenarians in Nicoya have also always known the value of hard work, deriving joy from their everyday physical chores. Their active lifestyle, which includes physical labor, keeps them physically and mentally engaged throughout their lives.
Regular sun exposure — the sun itself being an abundant perk in Costa Rica — is a Nicoyan practice that aids in the production of vitamin D, crucial for strong bones and overall health. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to numerous health issues, including osteoporosis and heart disease. The Nicoyans’ smart sun habits, about 15 minutes on the arms and legs, help ensure they maintain adequate vitamin D levels.
Midday, especially during summer, is the best time to get sunlight. At noon, the sun is at its highest point, and its UVB rays are most intense. That means you need less time in the sun to make sufficient vitamin D. Many studies also show that the body is most efficient at making vitamin D at noon.
A good way to test if the sun is about 50 degrees above the horizon, or higher, is that your shadow should be slightly shorter than you are tall. If the shadow cast by your body is the same length, or longer, than your height you will not produce Vitamin D–even while your skin is exposed to direct sunlight. Vitamin D from Sunlight: How To Know If Your Sun Exposure Is Producing Vitamin D – Sunsafe Rx
Nicoyans additionally maintain a strong connection to their indigenous Chorotega roots and their traditions. This cultural bond shields them from the burdens of stress, contributing to their overall well-being. Their traditional diet, anchored by fortified maize and beans, may well be the ultimate recipe for longevity.
The Greek island of Ikaria offers a captivating blend of natural beauty, social connectivity and dietary wisdom. Residents navigate mountainous terrain with ease, fostering robust physical health, while their close-knit communities promote emotional well-being.
Today, Ikarians stand almost entirely immune to dementia and the chronic diseases that plague many Americans. Remarkably, one in three of these islanders reaches their 90s. It’s a phenomenon that demands exploration, and it turns out the recipe for their long and healthy lives is a blend of geography, culture, diet, lifestyle and outlook.
For starters, the long-revered Mediterranean diet, featuring abundant olive oil, vegetables and fruits, adds to their vitality — as does their practice of regular fasting, rooted in Greek Orthodox Christianity. An afternoon siesta further reduces stress hormones and guards against heart disease.
Mediterranean Diet – is a diet inspired by the eating habits and traditional food typical of southern Spain, southern Italy, and Crete, and formulated in the early 1960s. It is distinct from Mediterranean cuisine, which covers the actual cuisines of the Mediterranean countries, and from the Atlantic diet of northwestern Spain and Portugal. While inspired by a specific time and place, the “Mediterranean diet” was later refined based on the results of multiple scientific studies.
Drone View Of Ikaria Island In Greece Panoramic aerial view (below) of the traditional picturesque Armenistis village as seen from a drone, one of the most popular holiday destinations on the Greek island of Ikaria located in the Aegean Sea. The Mediterranean Ikaria Island is famous for the longevity and the alternative lifestyle closer to nature.
One of the most popular holiday destinations on the Greek island of Ikaria located in the Aegean Sea.
Armenistis is a little fishing village on a hill, center of the local economy of Icaria, with a sandy beach with transparent crystal clear water, hotel, rooms to let, supermarket, local shops, restaurant, taverns, bar and other facilities. A popular travel destination for summer holidays. Ikaria Island, Greece in November 2022.
That said, regular nappers have up to a 35% lower risk of heart disease-related mortality. The benefits may stem from lowered stress hormones or a rejuvenated heart.
The longest-lived Ikarians often come from the island’s highlands, where physical activity is a natural part of daily life. They tend gardens, walk to neighbors’ houses and do their own yard work. The lesson here is to engineer more mindless movement into our daily routines.
Ikarians also enjoy herbal teas with family and friends, and these brews pack an antioxidant punch. Wild rosemary, sage and oregano teas also act as diuretics, helping regulate blood pressure by removing excess sodium and water from the body.
Fierce Greek Orthodox Christians, Ikarians observe nearly half the year as a period of fasting. Caloric restriction, a form of fasting those trims about 30% of daily calories, is the only proven method to slow the aging process in mammals.
Christian fasting is a voluntary corporal abstinence, the goal of which is to revive the spiritual life of the believer. Abstinence from food is at the base of fasting rather than exhaustion of the body, so those who fast have to assess their abilities, preparation and willingness to do so. If we try to count the days of fasting in a year, we will find out that they number over 200.
During Lent, which is the longest fasting that lasts until Easter, it would be appropriate to recall some features that make fasting part not only of Christianity but also of our cultural traditions. Last, but not least, people who are not religious observe the fast, their aim being to relieve the body in search of health effects. In times when our food is “artificial” and our lifestyle is more sedentary, fasting finds its place in the life of modern man.
The top 5 places in the world where people live the longest, often surpassing 100 years, are known as “Blue Zones.” These regions are distinguished by their residents’ remarkable longevity and health. Here’s a brief overview of each:
In these countries, people live substantially longer than the worldwide average – and each place has its own secret source of vitality.
Explorers throughout history have searched for the legendary fountain of youth.
And while the elusive fountain has yet to be found, certain places across the world have emerged as centres where people live substantially longer than the worldwide average (around 71 years), and each has its own secret source of vitality.
We talked to residents in some of the countries where people live the longest, as ranked by the 2017 World Happiness Report, to uncover the reasons why these places seem to nurture longevity.
These are several regions in the world where people appear to live longer and healthier lives.
These places, called Blue Zones, include parts of California, Japan, Greece, Costa Rica and Italy.
These regions share several features including healthy diets, natural movement and a sense of community.
The Monastery of Osias Theoktisti is located in Pigi village, near Kampos, on the north side of the island. It is a monastery dedicated to the Blessed Theoktiste from Molyvos, Lesvos, who according to tradition, is connected to Paros and Ikaria.
It is not known exactly, when the monastery was built, but an inscription on it, indicates that the monastery operated in 1688, when its hagiography took place. Today, no monks live in the monastery.
From an architectural standpoint, the monastery consists of: the Catholic (i.e. the main temple where all the monks were gathered), fifteen cells that work as hostels and various auxiliary spaces. The Catholic architectural belongs to the type of aisled, barrel-vaulted basilica and has several murals.These murals refer to Cretan painting. Tradition says, that the painter Pantelis Hatzis, reader from Chios and one assistant of him, took the painting up to the monastery.
A little further from the main temple, you can visit the Chapel of Theoskepasti, formed in an impressive way, inside a cave, which on top is covered with a rock. Perhaps one of the most impressive chapels in the world! According to local tradition, the inhabitants carried the remains of Osias Theoktistis from the Catholic sanctuary, inside the cave and formed the area as a chapel. Inside the cave old carved iconostasis is preserved, dating from around 1894. Source: Theoktisti Monastery, Ikaria island.
Ikarians additionally place great emphasis on fostering social connections, which have been linked to overall health and longevity.
Instead of cow’s milk, Ikarians opt for grass-fed goat’s milk. Rich in potassium and the stress-relieving hormone tryptophan, it’s also hypoallergenic and is often tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant.
Ikaria, the island where age really is just a number, reveals a wealth of wisdom that can transform our lives. With a focus on simplicity, community and a connection to nature, the people of Ikaria have unlocked the secrets to a long and joyful existence.
In a world where the quest for longevity has never been more tantalizing, the Blue Zones beckon as beacons of hope. These remarkable enclaves of vitality remind us that, perhaps, the secret to a long and healthy life lies not in the elixirs of youth but in the tapestry of community, purpose and natural living.
Research suggests that gut health is central to overall health.
A prominent study found that eating 30 plants a week leads to a more diverse gut microbiome.
Dietitian Gabrielle Morse tries to eat at least 10 plants at breakfast, including fruits, nuts, and oats.
From kombucha and kimchi to the countless products on grocery store shelves that claim to be good for your gut, knowing how to tend to your digestive health can be a minefield.
Gut health has become a buzzword in the health world, with emerging research increasingly linking a diverse gut microbiome, a term used to describe the trillions of bacteria and other bugs that live in our digestive systems, to good overall health.
“Looking after your gut health really lowers your risk of things like colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, and it can look after your mental health,” Gabrielle Morse, a gut health specialist and registered dietitian at The Gut Health Clinic, told Business Insider.
“There’s a gut-liver axis, so our gut health looks after our liver. There’s a gut-brain axis, so our gut and our brain look after each other. There’s a gut-skin axis, so our gut and our skin look after each other,” she said.
But there is still a lot that experts don’t know, and the space is fairly unregulated, meaning food manufacturers can make claims that might not be backed by science.
So Morse keeps it simple, aiming to eat 30 plant-based foods a week to keep her gut health in check, an approach that comes from The American Gut Project, a large 2018 study that compared the eating habits and analyzed the stool of around 10,000 volunteers. It found that those who ate a wider variety of plants had more diverse gut microbiomes, meaning they had more “good” bugs in their gut.
And the definition of plants is not limited to fruits and vegetables. It includes whole grains, legumes, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, and even dark chocolate.
“It’s not restrictive. It’s about crowding your plate with extra items. It’s about challenging you to look for new foods,” Morse said. “I just love the fact that the message is to go for color and variety, no calorie counting.”
Morse shared what she eats on an average day to look after her gut health with Business Insider.
Breakfast
Morse almost always has oats for breakfast, often meal-prepping portions of overnight oats for the week. This is partly because oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that has been found to lower cholesterol.
She mixes Greek yogurt or kefir, which contain live cultures that help support the microbiome, with oats.
Morse aims to get at least 10 plant foods into her first meal of the day, including nuts, seeds, and fruits, to reach her weekly goal of 30.
To make the overnight oats, she combines:
50g of oats
Chia seeds
500g of Greek yogurt or kefir
Frozen mixed berries
Juice of an orange
Grated apple
Peanut butter
For the topping:
A generous handful of mixed nuts, including pistachios, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, and pecans
Peanut butter
Put the mixture in the fridge and divide it into portions the following day.
Lunch
For lunch, Morse either has leftovers from the night before or rustles together what she calls “taking lunch without making lunch.”
To make it, she buys a premade packet of mixed whole grains, which usually contain quinoa, buckwheat, and rice, she said. She’ll also pick up a bag of mixed salad leaves and some tinned mackerel in olive oil.
She mixes half the grains, fish, olive oil, and leaves together and seasons them with some black pepper and lemon juice. “And that would even be two lunches, so then I have the other half the next day,” she said.
Morse also carries a small Tupperware of mixed seeds with her so she can sprinkle some of those on top.
The dish is high in fiber from the whole grains and seeds, which is great for the gut, and high in protein and healthy fats from the fish and olive oil, she said.
Dinner
Morse approaches dinner by thinking about what food she has in the fridge first. “I can’t tell you that I have a spaghetti Bolognese or anything kind of conventional,” she said.
But she’s always thinking about how she can get as many plants as possible into her meal. “Virtually every dish, if I can, we’ll have some beans added into it for the protein, for the fiber, I know it helps me poop,” she said.
An example dinner is chopped onion, grated carrot and mushrooms sautéed with two different types of beans and some added stock and topped with cheese.
Morse pairs this with some quinoa, some buckwheat, and some rice.
Eating for a longer, healthier life doesn’t need to be complex and expensive.
Some of the most nutritious foods, such as beans, are cheap, accessible, and easy to cook.
You can also conveniently boost your health by drinking smoothies, tea, and even plain water.
It’s boring but true: If you want a long and healthy life, you should try your best to eat well.
Studies on the healthiest people in the world — i.e., people who remain sharp, strong, and youthful well into their 70s, 80s, 90s, and even 100s — show that diet is key.
That means avoiding ultra-processed foods and instead eating home-cooked meals rich in protein, fiber, and cruciferous vegetables.
But putting that into practice isn’t so easy for most people with busy jobs, kids, and ballooning grocery-store prices.
So, if you can’t drop everything and relocate to a parallel universe with Sardinian hills and an abundance of fresh produce, here are some useful diet tips that you can incorporate into your meals little by little:
Eat beans — seriously
Beans are one of the most accessible, nutrient-packed foods you can eat, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian and the author of “Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You from Label to Table.”
They’re full of protein and fiber and are easy to prepare in simple, healthy recipes such as soup, chili, pasta, and more, Taub-Dix previously told Business Insider.
“Beans are the most underrated food in the supermarket,” she said.
Beans are also a staple in “Blue Zones” diets, says Dan Buettner, an author who popularized research on the regions where people live the longest, healthiest lives in the world.
Anti Aging ingredients to add to your grocery list
Step away from the supplements. Some of the best ways to enhance your health are in your regular grocery store. Blue Zones and other healthy diets routinely include common longevity-boosting foods such as:
Olive oil, which is a versatile cooking ingredient. Research consistently shows it can help prevent early death in as little as a teaspoon per day.
Starchy carbs such as squash and sweet potatoes, which are traditional Blue Zones foods that provide steady energy and fiber for more balanced blood sugar.
Leafy greens, including herbs, which offer a wealth of lifespan-extending micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals as well as polyphenols, plant-based compounds linked to a lower risk of major causes of death such as cancer and heart disease.
If extending your lifespan via some kitchen wizardry feels daunting, don’t despair — smoothies are a tried-and-true longevity strategy backed by doctors, athletes, and biohackers, with no cooking skills required.
Dr. Mark Hyman, a 63-year-old longevity expert who says his biological age is 20 years younger, starts every day with a smoothie of berries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and whey powder for a total of 48 grams of protein.
The tech exec Bryan Johnson is famous for his intense (and costly) anti aging routine, which involves a “Green Giant” smoothie each day. The ingredients include creatine, which evidence suggests can improve physical and mental performance. It’s also packed with plant-based nutrients linked to better health, such as cocoa flavanols.
Drink water — and cool it on the alcohol
Sorry, happy-hour enthusiasts — the best thing to drink for your health is water, and it always has been.
Despite a bit of evidence (and a lot of wishful thinking) that alcohol such as wine may be good for you in small doses, most research suggests it’s best to avoid imbibing for optimal health.
It’s also important to steer clear of too many sweet drinks, such as sodas and juice, which are linked to a higher risk of illnesses such as liver cancer.
Instead, aim to stay hydrated with between 90 to 125 ounces daily, on average, although the amount varies based on your personal stats and habits. You don’t have to be bereft of all bubbles, though, since seltzer counts as hydration. And coffee or tea is not only allowed but encouraged, offering extra antioxidants and health benefits beyond mere hydration.
As of today, he is considered the best dementia care specialist in the country. To cure a family with dementia, all celebrities got out of their way to get a consultation from him. This includes patients from France, Germany, Great Britain and other countries – they all go straight to his. He is one of the most important endocrinologists in the country.
He’s written 32 scientific books, and there are 3 times as many scientific publications in journals in his professional arsenal. Carson is also known for his many TV appearances on health-related issues.
Dr. Ben Carson rarely gives interviews, nor endorse products like these:
𝑫𝒓. 𝑩𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 is a neurologist, neurosurgeon, medical researcher, and author.
He was professor of neurosurgery, oncology, at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. 𝑩𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 has a shocking announcement!
I was diagnosed with dementia like I’m not being able to complete tasks independently. I’m only 42 years old. My husband didn’t want to stuff me full of chemical drugs at such a young age. We consulted with many endocrinologists. Decided to try “LuCanna Farms CBD Gummies”. It helped me a lot. And I don’t take “LuCanna Farms CBD Gummies” any longer but it is still fine.
Below you will find important tips to help in your fight against dementia.
Dr. Ben Carson IS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT DEMENTIA IN MOST CASES:
CAN BE TREATED WITH THE HELP OF MODERN EXPERTISE!
Topics covered in the article:
What is the most important thing when it comes to treating dementia?
Why do 95% of dementia patients fail to cope with their diseases?
When is it possible to fight dementia
Donepezil (also known as Aricept) is not what you need!
Doctors sound the alarm while pharmacy chains accept patients
“As of today, Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors based drugs are the basis of practically all treatment methods. However, this is a delusion shared by illiterate patients and doctors. Donepezil is a straight path to illness and untimely death. This isn’t a treatment. If you come to your doctor with dementia and he prescribes treatment based on these drugs, run away from such a doctor immediately.”
Dementia is caused by damage to the brain that affects the brain’s nerve cells, disrupting the brain’s ability to communicate with its various regions. It can also be caused by blocked blood flow to the brain, causing the brain to lack the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Without oxygen and nutrients, brain tissue dies.
Your brain controls all the functions of your body. When your brain function declines, your overall health is ultimately at risk. Living with dementia can lead to many diseases and conditions. In 2021, people spend an average of 5 hours a day caring for families with dementia, as statistics show. In addition to physical and emotional exhaustion, the large amount of money can also lead to severe financial stress.
Aricept, which people seek at this time, can cause a cholinergic crisis, and it can cause great harm to the body when used in large quantities. May cause progressive muscle weakness, which can be fatal if respiratory muscles are involved. It’s actually a bad choice for people with certain heart conditions or a history of stomach ulcers. More importantly, it’s not a cure for Alzheimer’s!
List of threatening consequences of Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors-based therapy
Dizziness, headache, and asthenia(due to plasma levels of the drug peak in three to four hours when taking the drugs)
Insomnia and abnormal dreams
Bradycardia, could predispose patients to falls when moving
Muscle cramps
Fatigue
The development of complications, of course, depends on the time and amount of drug intake, as well as on the individual characteristics of a person. However, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID THEM ENTIRELY!
If Donepezil kills, why is it used?
Unfortunately, not many doctors today actually care about the health of their patients. I would even go as far as to say they couldn’t care less. They just do their job and get paid for it. They don’t care if you get well or not. That’s why without a second thought they prescribe whatever their superiors or the Ministry tell them to. And what they’re told to prescribe are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors-based drugs, since their sale brings good profits. And it also provides an effect, albeit a temporary one.
Donepezil, commonly known by the brand name Aricept, is a medication used primarily to treat symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. However, like all medications, it can have side effects. Here are some of the negative side effects associated with Donepezil:
Common Side Effects:
Muscle cramps
Insomnia
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Serious Side Effects:
Trouble urinating
Severe stomach/abdominal pain
Black stools
Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
Seizures
Slow/fast/irregular heartbeat
Severe dizziness
Fainting
Allergic Reactions:
Rash
Itching/swelling
Severe dizziness
Trouble breathing
Trouble Sleeping/Nightmares
These are not all the possible side effects of Donepezil.
If you experience any of these or other side effects, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider immediately. For a more comprehensive list and guidance, please consult a medical professional or refer to the patient information provided with the medication 1 2 3.
Remember, it’s crucial to follow your doctor’s instructions when taking Donepezil and report any adverse reactions you may experience.
The medication should be taken as prescribed, and any concerns should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
Patients, as a rule, do not know what consequences await them from the constant use of this drug, and doctors do not find it necessary to talk about it.
Treating dementia with chemically aggressive drugs should be illegal! But dementia can be cured! All you need to do is choose the correct treatment method!
Dr. Ben Carson:
I often have patients who have been treated with donepezil for several years. These are sick people, people who have aged far sooner than they should have..
Still, most often, patients find out they have bad memory and problems with reasoning, judgment, and problem solving during a check up. At the same time, up to that point, the patient, as a rule, felt fine and would never have thought that they had dementia. And then they are prescribed donepezil with an increased dosage..
As a result, memory and cognitive competence improve, but over time, the person’s condition begins to gradually deteriorate. The patient begins to complain of chronic fatigue, drooling or sweating a lot, slow heart rate, headaches, breathing problems.
Their legs begin to swell, and in the morning so does their face. They feel like bells are constantly ringing in their ears. Fingers go numb and limbs grow cold.
The doctors say that it’s all because of dementia. But in fact, it’s all because of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors!
Or rather, because of donepezil, which increases the production of hormones to abnormal levels!
HOWEVER, DO NOT THINK THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO TREAT DEMENTIA AT ALL. If forced to choose between treating dementia with donepezil and not treating it at all, then, of course, you should pick the first option. Dementia will kill you even earlier if left untreated. Just with other symptoms.
A scan of a dementia patient’s brain, where the nerves are wrapped in inflammatory cells…
Blocks Inflammation and Stops Brain Aging in Its Tracks!
Inflammation can give you brain fog and cloudy thinking. It can disrupt your attention and make it harder for you to focus on a task.
And it can cause you to suddenly forget names or words you know well.
How dementia is killing you from the inside out:
Gradual loss of memory.
Memory loss is the most obvious symptom, which is usually noticed by someone else. For example, forgetting recent events or information; repeating comments or questions in a short period of time; misplacing frequently used items or placing them in unusual places.
Poor thinking ability.
Whenever faced with new problems or new situations, the brain will become inflexible and unable to think. For example, it is difficult to come up with the correct words, and even speaking becomes difficult.
Difficult reasoning or problem-solving.
Problem-solving skills deteriorate, and tasks such as brushing teeth, making coffee, using the TV remote, cooking, and paying bills become more challenging.
Feeling down.
Increased or worsening anxiety, depression, confusion, agitation, paranoia, sadness, etc. It’s easy for them to get tired and restless. What’s worse, it can even lead to a change in interest, things that used to be enjoyable become distressed.
Causing hallucination!
It’s common in people with dementia, and sufferers see people or things that are not there from time to time, causing a more severe psychological burden. Sometimes, they can’t even distinguish between real and fictional things, so they often accidentally hurt family caregivers or even self-harm.
No matter how you look at it:
Dementia is a very dangerous disease. Perhaps even the most dangerous. I am very sorry for people who are diagnosed with dementia. I try to help them, but everything depends, first of all, on them.
Blocking inflammation and stop brain aging
If donepezil is out of the question, how do we treat dementia? Take, for example, the average senior citizen who developed dementia with age. Now their memory is getting poor. Let’s say they are taking donepezil and are not feeling well. What can they do to fight dementia? Can they do it on their own?
Let me reiterate – dementia is a complex and dangerous brain disease. This is no ordinary headache or forgetfulness, it is much more serious. The disease affects the entire body, so treatment must also be systemic. Simply relying on donepezil is INSUFFICIENT AND HARMFUL..
Dementia treatment should be comprehensive. And the products they use should not only protect and repair brain cells, but also keep the rest of the body safe.
Memory problems are mostly caused by inflammation. Inflammation can give you brain fog and confusion. It disrupts your concentration and makes it harder to focus on a task.
It can also cause you to suddenly forget a name or word you are familiar with. Anti Inflammatory Diets completely stop inflammation and clears the brain. It also helps nerve cells survive longer, preventing the brain from aging and shrinking. This is all thanks to these two foods with lutein and zeaxanthin.
It has a huge improvement in memory and learning ability, remembering telephone numbers is absolutely not a difficult task.
Enhancing your memory
The memory loss is due to decreased acetylcholine levels.
People’s brains produce less acetylcholine as they age. “product name” contains a special form of choline called alpha-glycero-phosphocholine, or alpha-GPC for short. Unlike other forms of choline, it can cross the blood-brain barrier. So it goes into your brain and helps it make more acetylcholine. Acetylcholine acts as a messenger to help your brain cells communicate with each other, and it also helps you store memories and quickly retrieve them when needed.
Then you can remember what you get when you walk into the room, remember what you need to buy at the grocery store. Patients begin to feel great at any time of the day, including after meals. They are no longer thirsty. No more swelling, rashes or itching genitals. The constant bathroom breaks also stop.
The butterfly effect for any dementia patient!
The “Butterfly Effect” in the context of dementia care is a metaphor for the significant impact that small, positive changes can have on the well-being of a person with dementia. It’s based on the idea that, like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can lead to large changes in the weather, small acts of kindness and changes in care can lead to substantial improvements in the quality of life for dementia patients.
are initiatives that focus on creating a dementia-friendly environment that caters to the emotional needs of patients as much as their physical needs. These approaches emphasize the importance of personal, compassionate care and aim to create a homelike atmosphere where patients can feel safe, understood, and valued.
The Butterfly Approach, in particular, is an emotion-based, person-centered model of care that has been implemented in various care settings, including hospitals and care homes.
It includes elements such as:
Removing institutional features to make spaces feel more like a home.
Focusing on emotional intelligence in staff recruitment.
Integrating activities organically into the day.
Encouraging the involvement of patients in domestic activities.
These small, yet meaningful changes can significantly enhance the day-to-day experiences of those living with dementia, leading to better health and safety outcomes 3. It’s about acknowledging each individual’s humanity and providing care that respects their identity and life story.
An anti-inflammatory diet works like the flap of a butterfly’s wing that triggers a healing chain reaction that restores the internal organs and improves the overall well-being. From the healing of blood vessels to the restoration of eyesight and joints.
Easy awakening
You wake up in the morning and just fly off your bed — you don’t need to force yourself to get up, kneading and rubbing your stiff legs, creaking your back and neck. From the very morning your body is full of energy and strength.
Excellent health and mood
All day. You sleep well and get enough of it. You feel rejuvenated. You don’t have to go to the toilet all the time at night. Nothing hurts or itches.
Tasty breakfast
Your menu will expand significantly. You will no longer need to follow a strict diet. You will remember the taste of those dishes that you can only dream of. No more low-carb diet. Enjoy the taste of your favorite food!
Enormous strength
You no longer need to worry about your legs when going outside, walking is no longer an exhausting task, you can walk or even jog all day without your legs getting tired or swollen. Sandals, shoes, socks do not bite into your swollen legs like a fork into a sausage.
Absolute serenity
You are completely calm and relaxed. No more constant pain that consumes your mind, preventing you from focusing on anything else. When nothing hurts, familiar things, sounds, smells play out in new, long-forgotten colors.
Excellent eyesight
Even severely damaged vision will begin to gradually recover. What used to be fuzzy will become clear. You can once again see the bus number from a distance, you can once again admire the beauty of nature.
And most importantly, you will extend your life! At the same time, even in extreme old age, you will feel healthy and energetic. You don’t have to burden your relatives with taking care of you. You’ll be able to take care of yourself.
Include these sips for better health and wellness.
Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD
The effects of drinks on overall health tend to be totally underrated. While it is true that your dietary choices can impact chronic inflammation, and eating a diet rich in healthy fats, vegetables, fruit and fish can help combat chronic inflammation, some beverage choices can help accomplish the same goal as well. So if you don’t know where to start to find these “top picks,” you have come to the right place. We dug into the research to find the best drinks to include in your anti-inflammatory diet.
What to Look For When Choosing Anti-Inflammatory Drinks
If you don’t know where to start when choosing your anti-inflammatory drinks, this short guide will help you navigate your best choices.
First: What to avoid. When choosing an anti-inflammatory drink, you want to skip ones high in added sugars and saturated fat, both of which can increase inflammation, according to research published in Frontiers in Immunology and the International Journal of Tryptophan Research, respectively. This can make ordering a fun latte at your favorite coffee shop a bit more challenging—but let’s think of the great goal here.
Instead, opt for drinks low in added sugar and saturated fat, as well as ones that contain plant compounds that can manage chronic inflammation. Many plant compounds have been linked to anti-inflammatory benefits, and some will be highlighted in this article, so keep scrolling.
The 6 Anti-Inflammatory Drinks You Should Be Buying
These sips may benefit your health goals if you are trying to manage chronic inflammation.
Green Tea
Green tea contains an impressive compound called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which has been linked to anti-inflammatory effects by acting as an antioxidant in the body, according to 2023 research published in Molecules. Just be mindful of how much added sugar you include in your green tea drink, as excessive amounts are linked to elevated chronic inflammation.
Juice gets a bad rap, but unlike sodas that are made with added sugars, 100% orange juice contains natural sugars along with a slew of important nutrients, like vitamin C and thiamin.
According to the results of a study published in the journal Advances of Nutrition, drinking 100% orange juice (without added sugars or colors) may be linked to a reduction of interleukin 6, a marker of inflammation.
Other data published in the journal Food and Nutrition Research showed that adults who drank 750 milliliters (or around 3 cups) of orange juice daily for eight weeks showed better anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers.
Opting for an orange juice with added turmeric may deliver even more anti-inflammatory effects. Uncle Matt’s Organic Ultimate Defense is made with organic oranges and 500 milligrams of organic turmeric per 8-ounce serving. A compound found in turmeric, called curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties.
Pomegranate Juice
Certain components of this fruit, including a group of plant compounds called polyphenols, have potential anti-inflammatory effects. Punicalagin is one polyphenol found in pomegranate (and its juice) that has proven to have anti-inflammatory benefits, per 2022 research published in Antioxidants. And if that’s not enough to convince you to enjoy this gorgeous-colored ruby red bevvie, consuming pomegranate juice has also been linked to a reduction in blood pressure.
Green Juice
Enjoying a blended drink made from watercress, spinach, kale—or really any leafy green veggie—is also amazing for helping manage chronic inflammation. Some data, such as a 2020 study published in Genes & Nutrition, shows that consuming leafy green veggies has anti-inflammatory benefits.
Watercress is one noteworthy leafy green veggie that can be an important part of an anti-inflammatory juice recipe. This aqueous veggie contains a compound called phenylethyl isothiocyanate, or PEITC, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidant properties, according to 2020 research published in Molecules. Watercress can be added to almost any green juice recipe. Or, you can always use a combo of greens!
Beet Juice
Squeeze the liquid out of this humble root veggie and you’ve got a vibrant red juice. It’s a natural source of betalains (betanin) and nitrates, making it a nutritional powerhouse. A review published in Phytotherapy Research found that betalains play a role in eliminating oxidative and nitrative stress and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Beet juice can be made at home using a juicer, or it can be purchased as a pre-made bottled option, like Arden’s Garden Beet It Better.
Milk
Despite the social media bad rap, dairy milk does not contribute to chronic inflammation, and in some cases, drinking it may have anti-inflammatory effects, according to a review of 27 trials published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. When you are choosing your dairy drink choice, opt for one without added sugars. (Chocolate- and vanilla-flavored milks are delicious, but can be laden with the stuff.)
Have plenty of nuts and seeds, particularly those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds
Consume oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel for another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids
Ensure you are including key micronutrients in your diet, including magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc and selenium.
Add lignans to your diet—like flaxseed and sesame seeds. They contain a type of antioxidant that has been shown to have antioxidant effects
Participate in regular movement that feels good to you
Get enough sleep
Bottom Line
Your beverage choices can help manage chronic inflammation naturally or promote inflammation, depending on what ends up in your glass (and your belly). Staying away from drinks with excessive amounts of added sugars and saturated fats and sticking to options like green tea, orange juice and green juice may help you on your quest for managing inflammation naturally. While plain water should still be your primary choice for hydration, opt for anti-inflammatory beverages when you’re craving some flavor.
Since Lyme disease can cause inflammation, consuming foods that may exacerbate this inflammation, such as those high in sugar, might not be beneficial for managing the condition.
It’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider or a dietitian for personalized dietary advice, especially when dealing with a condition like Lyme disease.
Here’s why I consider it the holy grail of longevity-boosting foods:
1. They strengthen your cells
Antioxidants help defend healthy cells, prevent further damage, and are involved in processes that repair DNA — and blueberries have a lot of them. They are very high in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which is what makes them blue.
One cup of blueberries contains 16% of the daily value of vitamin C, which is known to boost eye health.
Vitamin C can help prevent age-related macular degeneration and reduce cellular oxidative stress in the retina, essentially making your eyes less susceptible to decline.
3. They help with muscle recovery
Research is ongoing, but blueberries have been found to reduce muscle damage and soreness.
The vitamin C in the berries also promotes iron absorption and increases the production of collagen, the tissue that connects your bones and muscles. One cup of blueberries contains 24% of the daily value of vitamin K, which helps with building bones and blood clotting.
4. They boost your brain health
Along with physical benefits, studies have found that the antioxidants in blueberries could affect areas of your brain that are crucial for intelligence.
One study of over 16,000 people found that blueberries and strawberries were linked to delaying mental aging by up to two and a half years.
5. They reduce inflammation
Research has shown that the fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in blueberries can help reduce inflammation and additional risk factors for Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Since blueberries are high in soluble fiber, they help to remove the bile in our gut, as well as things like fatty acids, salts, metals and bilirubin — a substance created from the breaking down of red blood cells.
There are a number of ways to incorporate blueberries into your diet. I like adding them to salads and smoothies, snacking on them between meals, or mixing them into oatmeal.
While you’ll likely get the most from blueberries by eating them raw, and some studies show that baking and heat will lower the number of anthocyanins, consuming them in any form (like dried or frozen) will still provide benefits.
Ultimately, blueberries are one small piece of the longevity puzzle. Including them in a rich and varied diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and managing stress can all help you lead a happier, healthier and longer life.
Dr. Neil Paulvin is a longevity and regenerative medicine doctor and host of the Life Optimized podcast. As a leading expert in biohacking and human optimization, Dr. Paulvin is recognized for his exceptional work applying a hyper-personal approach to help his patients — including Fortune 500 executives, Olympic athletes and A-list celebrities — optimize their health. Follow him on YouTube and Instagram.
The saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is an old proverb that suggests eating nutritious foods like apples can contribute to good health. Apples are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which can support various aspects of health such as digestion, heart health, and weight management. However, it’s important to have a balanced diet and lifestyle for overall well-being. Would you like more detailed information on the health benefits of apples?
Certainly! Apples are a powerhouse of nutrition and offer a variety of health benefits.
Here’s what experts and research say about the goodness of apples:
Nutrient-Rich: Apples are packed with essential nutrients. They are a great source of fiber, which helps regulate appetite, supports a diverse gut microbiome, and can reduce blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels1. A medium-sized apple provides calories, carbohydrates, and a significant amount of dietary fiber, along with vitamin C, copper, potassium, vitamin K, and small amounts of vitamins E, B1, and B62.
Antioxidant Properties: Apples contain dietary antioxidants such as vitamin C, which help protect the body and cells from damage. The polyphenols in apples, which are also antioxidants, are largely responsible for many of their health benefits2.
Weight Management: High in fiber and water, apples can make you feel fuller, which may prevent overeating. Studies suggest that apples can reduce body mass index (BMI) and may have anti-obesity effects due to their polyphenols2.
Heart Health: Eating apples has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. This could be due to the soluble fiber found in apples, which is known to help lower cholesterol levels2.
Digestive Health: The insoluble fiber in apples improves intestinal transit and combats constipation. Eating apples with their skin maximizes fiber intake1.
Cancer Prevention: Research indicates that the antioxidants in apples might slow the growth of cancer cells and protect the cells in your pancreas, potentially lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes3.
Additional Benefits: Apples may also contribute to lung strength, bone health, brain health (including easing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related memory loss), and support for the immune system3.
It’s important to note that while apples are beneficial, they should be part of a varied and balanced diet. Eating a range of fruits and vegetables will provide a wider array of nutrients and health benefits. And remember, for the best nutritional value, it’s recommended to eat apples with their skin on, as it contains half of the fiber and most of the polyphenols2. Enjoy your apples and the boost they can give to your health!
Inflammation may be a health buzzword, but an anti-inflammatory diet is more than a trend—it can help you live a healthy life and age well.
“An anti-inflammatory style of eating is very important. Inflammation is a significant contributing factor in the development of chronic medical conditions,” says Nancy Mazarin, M.S., RD, CDN, a dietitian in Long Island, New York, who offers medical nutrition therapy and weight management.
That said, it’s important to clarify the different types of inflammation. Acute inflammation, the short-term inflammation that happens as the result of, say, scraping your knee or getting sick with a cold, is a healthy and normal body response. It’s chronic inflammation that’s so insidious. “We are sending out inflammatory cells when we are not injured or sick,” says Mazarin. As a result, diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes are all linked to inflammation. “We want to squelch the fire of chronic inflammation,” she says.
The types of eating patterns that are associated with less risk of disease also happen to be more anti-inflammatory, such as the Mediterranean diet, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) or MIND diet. While these aren’t completely plant-based, they promote consuming more plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. However, just because they are more plant-based forward, doesn’t mean you have to skimp on protein or even animal-based sources. In fact, animal-protein foods also have a place in these diets.
Whether you prefer black, kidney, white, cannellini, lima or pinto beans (or all of the above), beans are a top anti-inflammatory protein. For one, the pigments in colored beans (think pinto or black beans) provide anti-inflammatory antioxidant compounds that may help play a role in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes, according to a review in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition in 2018.
What’s more, beans are also packed with fiber, including a specific type of fiber—known as resistant starch—that can benefit your gut health, notes a study in the journal Nutrients in 2022. That starch provides food for good gut bacteria to promote a healthy microbiome, which may also lessen inflammation, adds Mazarin. Consider whipping up Slow-Cooker Baked Beans for immune-fighting benefits.
2. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat with anti-inflammatory properties, says Mazarin. One meta-analysis, published in the journal Nutrients in 2020, on the relationship between fish consumption and heart disease looked at 40 studies. The authors concluded that each additional 20 grams of fish eaten per day (less than one ounce) was associated with a 4% lower risk of developing or dying from heart disease. That said, the authors believe that eating two ounces per day is ideal for reaping these benefits.
Why is fish so good for your health? Omega-3s improve heart and blood vessel function—and because they’re anti-inflammatory, too, say researchers. Fish is also packed with vitamin D and selenium, nutrients that have additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. That means that eating fish may provide more benefits than simply taking an omega-3 supplement. When it comes to choosing omega-3-rich seafood on your plate, “the fattier the fish, the better,” says Mazarin. If you do not eat fish, plant sources of omega-3s include flaxseeds and chia seeds. What better way to reap these benefits than with these easy-to-make Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa?
Lentils are grouped with beans because both are considered legumes, but if you’re more of a bean-eater, it’s time to add more lentils to your plate, too. Lentils are packed with polyphenols, plant compounds that have antioxidant properties that, in part, can help reduce inflammation. Consuming them may be linked to a decreased risk of diabetes, obesity, cancer and heart disease, according to a 2021 review in the Pharmaceuticals. Like beans, lentils also have prebiotic fiber to promote a healthy gut. In addition, fiber may play a direct role in reducing chronic inflammation and promoting a healthy weight, which can also keep inflammation at bay, per 2023 research in Advances in Nutrition. Not sure where to start? Try our delicious Braised Black Lentil & Quinoa Bowls.
It’s okay to go a little nuts. Like beans, these plant proteins also have anti-inflammatory properties, says Mazarin. Good things tend to happen when you eat nuts every day. Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, have been found to decrease inflammation, per a 2023 review in the journal Nutrients. The authors say that nuts are packed with compounds like unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, selenium, copper, fiber and antioxidants that, alone and together, help counteract damaging oxidative stress and lessen inflammation. Additionally, nuts have as much protein in them as fish, egg or meat. One ounce of almonds, for example (around 23 pieces), offers six grams of protein, the same as one large egg. Sprinkle any nuts on a salad, oatmeal or yogurt bowl, or grab a handful as a snack to sneak in some extra protein.
We all know that ultra processed foods aren’t the healthiest choice, but a new study has found that some can have worse effects on your health than others.
Published in The BMJ on May 8, 2024, the research followed for more than 30 years more than 100,000 people who’d never had cancer, heart disease or diabetes. The data looked at lifestyle and dietary habits, and tracked how their health changed. Study authors concluded that eating more ultra processed food led to a slightly higher risk of death, but that certain types of processed foods had an especially strong link.
Ultra Processed foods are easy to grab in the grocery store without realizing it. So what are some examples of processed foods? And how do they impact your health? Here’s what to know.
What are ultra processed foods?
Ultra Processed foodshave undergone an extensive transformation of the original food and often contain only extractions of it.
A 2019 commentary in the journal Public Health Nutrition defined ultra processed foods as “industrial formulations of processed food substances (oils, fats, sugars, starch, protein isolates) that contain little or no whole food and typically include flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives.”
Examples include meat products like ham and hot dogs, potato chips, soda, commercial bread, candy and more.
The difference between whole, processed and ultra processed foods
Processed food, on the other hand, has undergone only some processing from its original, natural state. This could be adding salt, sugar or other additives to ensure freshness. Examples include fruit juice, refined flour, canned fish and beans, fresh bread, cheese and pre-cut fruits and vegetables.
Whole foods, as the name implies, have gone through either no or minimal processing. A key indicator of whole foods is that most to all of their nutrient density (vitamins, minerals and fiber) remains intact. Examples include steel-cut oats, whole fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, grains such as quinoa or wild rice, dry beans and legumes, fatty wild fish, lean poultry or meat, and yogurt.
What are the health effects of eating ultra processed foods?
A handful of corn chips during a football game or a store-bought cookie after dinner won’t make a huge difference in your overall health. However, when these foods become staples in your diet, research shows that adverse physical and mental health implications may arise.
A 2022 cross-sectional examination in the journal Public Health Nutrition found that individuals who consumed the greatest amount of ultra processed foods were significantly more likely to report mild depression and more anxious days per month. The authors noted that the associations with adverse mental health outcomes and ultra processed foods might be due to higher amounts of biologically active food additives and low-essential nutrients.
Another study published in the August 2023 issue of the Journal of Affective Orders found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with depressive symptoms, especially in people with obesity.
Increased risk of cancer and other fatal conditions
A 2022 study published in The BMJ found that men who ate a large amount of ultra processed foods had a 29% greater risk of colorectal cancer than those who had smaller amounts. The men with the highest ultra processed-food intake ate mostly ready-to-eat products derived from meat, poultry or fish. Another study in the BMJ found that consumption of highly processed foods was linked with higher mortality risk, especially from cardiovascular disease.
Excess ultraprocessed food consumption has also been linked to obesity, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and early death.
How much ultra processed food is safe to eat?
Recent research on ultra processed foods clearly shows the greater the consumption, the greater the risk. That means that occasionally having ultra processed food is not likely to lead to early death — rather, it’s when you’re eating these foods much more than nutrient-rich whole foods that it becomes a problem.
While there are many anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your rotation, focus on beans, fatty fish, lentils and nuts if you’re looking to add high-protein sources, too. Not only are these foods versatile but they all fit into a nutritious and balanced diet.
The dawn of American democracy didn’t come in 1776,
with the Declaration of Independence.
It didn’t come in 1788, when the Constitution was ratified by the states, or in 1789, when George Washington took office. According to Harry Rubenstein, chair and curator of the Division of Political History at the American History Museum, the symbolic birth of our system of government didn’t come until its noble ideals were actually put to the test. On September 19, 1796, 228 years ago, Washington published his farewell address, marking one the first peaceful transfers of power in American history and cementing the country’s status as a stable, democratic state.
This moment, Rubenstein says, “is crucial for creating the in-and-out system of government that we have. And this is unique. In that time and era, politicians would gain power, or kings would stay in office until they die.” At that nascent stage in American history, before precedents such as the two-term limit were even set, many were uncertain about what would happen after a galvanizing figure like Washington resigned office. But at this critical juncture, the leadership of Washington and others proved more than adequate to preserve democracy. “Stepping down is unique,” says Rubenstein. “It’s a powerful statement about Washington and American democracy.”
In addition to the symbolic importance of voluntarily leaving office, the content of Washington’s farewell address—which was published in newspapers across the country and as a pamphlet—was important in establishing the values of the quickly maturing American democracy. The 51-paragraph document covered Washington’s decision to retire, the importance of a unified national government, the folly of getting involved in foreign affairs and other issues.
“What the farewell address aims to do is call for national unity: an end to the squabbling between the parties, between Federalists and Republicans, and an end to the sectionalism of West, North and South,” Rubenstein says. “It’s a call for trying to form something larger than local interests.” For an infant nation that had resembled more of a loose association of independent states under the Articles of Confederation just years earlier, this message of unity was significant.
The candle holder Washington used in writing the address.
Photo courtesy American History Museum
Of course, Washington’s lofty written standards weren’t always achieved in real life.
“I think his desire for national unity, while hard for people to act on, was something that most aspired to,” says Rubenstein. “It’s just that everyone wanted everyone else to agree with their position.” Even during Washington’s presidency, the buildup of partisan politics that would characterize our government was beginning. “You start to have the birth of the parties, especially during his second administration: the squabbling between the two parties, between Hamilton and Jefferson,” Rubenstein says.
But Washington’s core message would remain at the heart of the public conception of the country as a unified nation. “His intention is to urge people to put aside their differences, and not get caught up in the squabbles of the international community,” says Rubenstein. “As an administrator, he was witnessing all these tugs and pulls, and so this is his last major statement. These are the beliefs that he’s hoping people will follow.” The importance of checks and balances, the danger of foreign alliances, the authority of the Constitution, and the need for national unity were adopted with conviction in the years to follow by legislators across the political spectrum.
The American History Museum is home to a critical relic of the farewell address.
“According to family tradition,” Rubenstein says, “Washington worked on his farewell address by the light of this candle stand.” During the pre-electric era, candle stands with reflectors were often used to increase the light output of a candle at night, and were used on desks in a manner similar to a reading lamp. This brass stand was passed down among Washington’s descendants before being sold to the government in 1878.
In addition to the symbolic importance of voluntarily leaving office, the content of Washington’s farewell address—which was published in newspapers across the country and as a pamphlet—was important in establishing the values of the quickly maturing American democracy. The 51-paragraph document covered Washington’s decision to retire, the importance of a unified national government, the folly of getting involved in foreign affairs and other issues.
“What the farewell address aims to do is call for national unity: an end to the squabbling between the parties, between Federalists and Republicans, and an end to the sectionalism of West, North and South,” Rubenstein says. “It’s a call for trying to form something larger than local interests.” For an infant nation that had resembled more of a loose association of independent states under the Articles of Confederation just years earlier, this message of unity was significant.
A Locked Door, A Secret Meeting And The Birth Of The Fed
G. Edward Griffin sat down with Book TV at FreedomFest in Las Vegas to talk about his book, “The Creature from Jekyll Island,” which is a history of the creation of the Federal Reserve System. FreedomFest, which is held annually in Las Vegas, is the largest libertarian conference in the country.
At the time, the U.S. government had no way to deal with the panic. There was no institution that could step in to stop the run on healthy banks. So the job of stopping the panic fell to one man: J.P. Morgan (of JPMorgan fame).
In 1907, the U.S. economy was in the grip of a financial crisis.
Unemployment was up. The stock market was down.
People started panicking. They were lining up overnight to pull their money out of healthy banks. This can be deadly for an economy: Healthy banks have to shut down, businesses can’t get credit, they lay people off, and the economy gets worse. He summoned dozens of the leading financiers in New York to his private library on Madison Avenue and essentially ordered them to contribute to a $25 million pool that would be used to backstop the system. Then he locked them in and made them stay there through the night, until they all agreed to his plan.
The plan worked — it essentially ended the Panic of 1907.
But some powerful people in Washington wondered: What about the next panic?
Do we really want the fate of the U.S. economy to hinge on one rich guy in New York?
One person in particular decided this was a problem: Sen. Nelson Aldrich, chairman of the Senate finance committee. Aldrich knew there was something America could do so that it would no longer have to rely on one guy to end panics: The U.S. could create a central bank.
This was not a new invention. Countries in Europe already had central banks. And, during panics, the central banks basically did what J.P. Morgan did in the U.S.: act as lenders of last resort for healthy banks. When depositors were lined up out the door yelling for their money, banks that were basically sound could borrow from the central bank.
But just consider that name: central bank. Throughout American history, both of those words — “central” and “bank” — had been deeply unpopular. The thought of a bunch of rich bankers in New York controlling a powerful central bank did not inspire confidence.
Still, Aldrich realized he needed bankers’ help to draw up a plan for a central bank.
So he came up with a plan to gather in secret.
He told a handful of New York bankers to go on a given night, one by one, to a train station in New Jersey. There they would find a private rail car hitched to the back of a southbound train. To conceal their identities, Aldrich told the bankers to come dressed as duck hunters and to address each other only by first name.
The train headed south, and the bankers got off in Georgia. They spent the next week holed up in a private club at a place called Jekyll Island. (Apparently, the name didn’t sound as sketchy then as it does today.)
In November 1910, six men – Nelson Aldrich, A. Piatt Andrew, Henry Davison, Arthur Shelton, Frank Vanderlip and Paul Warburg – met at the Jekyll Island Club, off the coast of Georgia, to write a plan to reform the nation’s banking system. The meeting and its purpose were closely guarded secrets, and participants did not admit that the meeting occurred until the 1930s. But the plan written on Jekyll Island laid a foundation for what would eventually be the Federal Reserve System.
At the time, the men who met on Jekyll Island believed the banking system suffered from serious problems. The Jekyll Island participants’ views on this issue are well known, since before and after their conclave several spoke publicly and others published extensively on the topic. Collectively, they encapsulated their concerns in the plan they wrote on Jekyll Island and in the reports of the National Monetary Commission.
Like many Americans, these men were concerned with financial panics, which had disrupted economic activity in the United States periodically during the nineteenth century. Nationwide panics occurred on average every fifteen years. These panics forced financial institutions to suspend operations, triggering long and deep recessions. American banks held large required reserves of cash, but these reserves were scattered throughout the nation, held in the vaults of thousands of banks or as deposits in financial institutions in designated reserve and central reserve cities.
During crises, they became frozen in place, preventing them from being used to alleviate the situation. During booms, banks’ excess reserves tended to flow toward big cities, especially New York, where bankers invested them in call loans, which were loans repayable on demand to brokers. The brokers in turn loaned the funds to investors speculating in equity markets, whose stock purchases served as collateral for the transactions. This American system made bank reserves immobile and equity markets volatile, a recipe for financial instability.
At Jekyll Island, Aldrich and the bankers came up with a plan. They knew many Americans thought a central bank could become too powerful, too influential in the economy. So they came up with a classic American workaround: They decided the U.S. should create lots of little central banks, scattered all around the country.
The plan they came up with still had a long way to go. It got shot down the first time in Congress. The plan for a central bank was debated, changed significantly, and renamed. But the basic idea held up. And on Dec. 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law.
Creating the Fed didn’t solve the nation’s economic problems.
In fact, a few decades after the Fed was created, its policies made the Great Depression worse. And the Fed has changed significantly over the course of a century. But even after all those changes, there are still a dozen Federal Reserve banks scattered around the country in cities like Dallas, Richmond and, of course, New York.
The United States Federal Reserve has received a good deal of flack over the years. Whether it’s ire over looming interest rate hikes or full-blown conspiracy theories, the Fed is perpetually at the center of a debate in America and abroad.
We haven’t always had the Fed to kick around — or to save our economic hides, depending on how you see it. But secrecy has been a part of the Federal Reserve (what is Janet Yellen thinking?) since its beginning.
The birth of the Fed is the subject of “America’s Bank: The Epic Struggle to Create the Federal Reserve.” Author Roger Lowenstein told Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal just how difficult it was for the Fed’s architects to draft plans for a U.S. central bank.
On secrecy:
Back then, the people who wanted to create the Federal Reserve couldn’t even admit that that’s what they were doing. They had all kinds of disguised names for it. They went off on fake hunting trips to disguise their purpose. It was just anathema to the body of politics then.
On the “hunting trip” to Jekyll Island … and conspiracy theories:
You gotta hand it to the conspiracy theorists, because, in fact, there was a conspiracy…
I call it a patriotic conspiracy, but there was a senator from Rhode Island, a guy named Nelson Aldrich…. Late in his career, he decided we needed a central bank. So, he organized — now I’m not making this up, it doesn’t come from Warner Bros. studio or anything —
He organized a faux hunting trip to an island off the coast of Georgia [Jekyll Island] where there was an exclusive resort where J.P. Morgan was a member. [Morgan] made sure there was no one else in the club. And the senator, three bankers, the assistant secretary of the treasury — who, by the way, didn’t tell his boss — went down there for a week. They were plied with wild turkey, quail, stuffed oyster. They wrote what became the first draft of the Federal Reserve Act.
On how financial turmoil in the early 20th century led to the Federal Reserve Act:
There had been a financial panic, and there had been a banking panic. So what happened in 1907 was that every bank stopped lending. People ran to their banks. And in that day and age, I really mean ran to the banks…. And what do you know, the banks didn’t have the funds to loan them… America had just a series of panics, money shortages, squeezes and, not infrequently, full-fledged depressions. So that was why they thought — as did every country in Europe — the U.S. needed a central bank.
On what would have happened if there wasn’t a Federal Reserve:
I could say that we wouldn’t have had the Federal Reserve to help us through the Depression, but the Federal Reserve wasn’t much of a help during the Great Depression. So, they kind of blew it. If you get to 2008, I think things would really get interesting, because we had five, six banks failing. Those five, six banks would have become 10, would have become 30, would have become thousands. It’s very easy to see 2008 steamrollering into another Great Depression.”
So pervasive is its influence that Americans today can scarcely imagine a world without the Federal Reserve. To begin with, the Fed—America’s central bank—issues the Federal Reserve notes that we call “money.” It sets the short-term interest rate that affects the market for mortgages, car loans, corporate debt, and even the level of the stock market.
It manages, sometimes adroitly and sometimes wan tingly, the supply of credit whose ebb and flow alternately buoys and batters’ business. It supervises—or it is supposed to supervise—the nation’s banks. And as Americans were vividly reminded during the meltdown of 2008, the Federal Reserve acts as the lender of last resort, providing loans to banks when credit shuts down.
Barely a century ago, the Fed did not exist. Every other industrialized nation had such a central bank to oversee its banking system and to assure stability, yet America’s financial system—if system one can call it—was antiquated, disorganized, and deficient. The United States boasted the world’s largest economy, its vast territory was ribboned with railroad tracks and telephone wires, its cities were bursting with factories churning out iron and steel. Yet, almost as if history had missed a turn, its banks were disconnected and isolated, left to prosper or flounder (or fail) according to the reserves of each individual institution.
As Paul Warburg, one of the heroes of this story, was to observe with his trademark acuity, America’s banks resembled less an army commanded by a central staff than they did an inchoate legion of disjointed and disunited infantry. It was hardly surprising that throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth, the United States—alone among the industrial powers—suffered a continual spate of financial panics, bank runs, money shortages, and, indeed, full-blown depressions.
This book tells the story of how, culminating in the days before Christmas 1913, the Federal Reserve came to be. It was not a gentle or an easy birth, nor was it swift. To Americans of the early twentieth century, especially farmers, the prospect of a central bank threatened the comfortable Jeffersonian principle of small government. To a people for whom local autonomy was sacrosanct, the notion of a powerful bank, joined to the even more powerful federal government, was deeply unnerving. Opposition to central authority had animated the minutemen at Lexington and Concord, and the battle to establish the Fed resembled a second American revolution—a financial revolution.
America had, of course, experimented with central banking early in its history. After the War of Independence, a military success but a financial disaster, the government was saddled with debt. When in due course the Constitution was ratified, providing a greater degree of political unity, Alexander Hamilton proposed a financial equivalent, a Bank of the United States, modeled after the Bank of England. Thomas Jefferson was mightily opposed, as were his many followers. Nonetheless, President Washington was persuaded, as was a majority of Congress, and in 1791, the Bank, headquartered in Philadelphia, opened for business.
To modern eyes, the Bank was a strange beast, 20 percent owned by the government and 80 percent by private investors. It was authorized to hold the government’s deposits but not, specifically, to be the nation’s monetary steward or to perform other functions of a central bank. Nonetheless, the Bank began to play this role. In particular, it strengthened the previously shoddy credit of the federal government. The twenty years of its initial charter were generally prosperous, and the number of private banks, which received charters from the states, swelled from five to more than one hundred.
But the Bank was doomed by the rise of the anti-federalists, both in the White House, in the person of James Madison, and in Congress. Rechartering failed by one vote in each chamber. Thus, in 1811, America was returned to a condition of monetary innocence, or laissez- faire, money again being the business of individual banks in the states, each of which issued notes according to its respective powers. Inflation followed, and when the government’s credit became overtaxed by the War of 1812, banks suspended operations, causing Madison to rethink matters. In 1816, Congress, now with Madison’s endorsement, chartered the Second Bank of the United States.
The Second Bank, though endowed with more capital, was in most respects a replica of the first. It succeeded at restraining the state banks from issuing too many notes, thus keeping a lid on inflation. It worked to mute excesses in the business cycle. And the Bank’s notes were widely accepted as a common currency, no small thing for a nation pushing across an unsettled continent. But the Second Bank met a fate no better than the first.
Although Congress approved its recharter, the margin was not sufficient to override the determined veto of Andrew Jackson. In 1836, the national bank was, for the second time, allowed to expire. Once again, the country experienced inflation, this time followed by a severe depression. In 1841, Congress chartered a third bank. President John Tyler, a southerner preoccupied with states’ rights, vetoed it. And there, for some seven decades, matters rested.
Given the two Banks’ overall effective records (and allowing for some stumbles by each), the question must be asked: Why such a haste to abolish them? Despite their success, many Americans regarded the Banks with profound suspicion. Alexis de Tocqueville, the French political thinker who toured Jacksonian America, noticed in his travels through what was still a frontier society a pair of seemingly inconsistent facts.
The notes of the Second Bank were valued equally “on the edge of the wilderness” as they were in Philadelphia, testifying to the people’s general regard for its credit; nonetheless, the Bank had become the “object of intense hatred.” De Tocqueville’s diagnosis was that “Americans are obviously preoccupied by one great fear,” which he identified as fear of a tyrannical government or, as he put it, of “centralization.” De Tocqueville was plainly bewildered. To him— to most any Frenchman—the Bank of France seemed a natural outgrowth of the national government, no less French than the Court of Versailles. But in America, such a bank did not seem natural. It reawakened Americans’ primal anxieties, the colonials’ fear that their hard-won liberties would be crushed by a far-off king.
Even after independence, the pattern of settlement—the way that the frontier continually pushed westward—ensured that a perpetual class of outsiders would resent and resist the power structure in the East and especially the Northeast. For the opposition to central banking was always a matter of geography as much as anything else. In the vote to establish the first Bank in the House of Representatives, only three congressmen from southern states voted in favor; only one from the North was opposed. It was no accident that Jackson, the slayer of the Second Bank, was a rough-hewn soldier and Indian fighter, the first president not from the Eastern Seaboard.
Many early Americans were not merely suspicious of a federal bank; they were suspicious of any big bank, a prejudice that loomed especially large in rural areas. To merchants and city dwellers, banks were a boon, but farmers and debtors (often the same people) resented being hostage to banks, especially large metropolitan banks. And most of America, for a very long time, was rural: when Jackson was elected president, only one of fifteen Americans lived in cities.
Although Europe also had agrarian traditions, farmers in Europe lived in villages. They were surrounded by neighbors, accustomed to interdependence. In America, farmers were dispersed and isolated. They relied less on labor (which was scarcer) and more on capital— which is to say, they relied on banks. It has been wittily suggested, not without cause, that American farmers hated banks because they needed loans. Jefferson in particular was suspicious of finance, a profession he considered ethically tainted. It is worth noting that Jefferson never visited a town until he was almost eighteen. Jackson similarly frowned on financiers. He squashed the Second Bank largely because, he felt, it was a tool of eastern elites.
Jackson’s heritage was remarkably enduring. Even generations later, the reformers who sought to establish the Fed could not admit to favoring a “central bank”—the very phrase was forbidden. Rhode Island senator Nelson W. Aldrich, the first legislator in the twentieth century to draft a bill for a national bank, felt as though he were battling not just with the populists and anti-bank agitators of his own time but also, as he phrased it, with “the ghost of Andrew Jackson.”
Before Congress could consider legislation, the public had to be persuaded of or at least exposed to the idea of establishing a unifying financial institution. In the first part of our story, bankers and others launch a campaign to win over influential citizens in business, universities, and the press. The reformers were a mixed bag— economists, bankers, idealists bent on modernizing the system, and, as well, Wall Street financiers with the more self-serving ambition of enhancing profits.
New York bankers wanted a central bank in part because they wanted to assume a greater role on the world stage. The America of the late nineteenth century was an industrial powerhouse but a financial also-ran. The U.S. dollar was a second-rate currency; incredibly, the dollar was quoted in fewer currency markets than the relatively puny Italian lira or Austrian shilling. In monetary terms, America remained a stepchild of the Bank of England, whose interest-rate maneuvers could, and often did, plunge Wall Street into recession. Financial independence required a more resilient currency, and one whose supply was regulated not in London or in Paris but in America itself.
But what sort of bank would issue this currency and what rules would it live by? These questions had preoccupied Americans since the Civil War. They fought—unceasingly—over whether the money supply should be pegged to the country’s gold reserve, or to silver, or to some other standard. Bankers of the Gilded Age were worried about inflation, as bankers always are; however, for strapped American farmers, money was in chronic undersupply. Farmers, industrialists, bankers, consumers, workers, all had conflicting interests. What became clear to all—after a disastrous panic in 1907, when the banks literally ran out of money—was that the prevailing system in which each bank stood on its own did not work.
The system’s inadequacy was seen most clearly by a newcomer, Paul Warburg, a German expatriate. He was stunned by the primitive condition of American banking and relentlessly lobbied his fellow financiers to embrace reforms modeled on the central banks of Europe. As Warburg acclimated to his adopted country, he recognized the need to cultivate the political establishment, then thoroughly Republican, and recruited the powerful Senator Aldrich to his cause.
Aldrich, however, was unprepared for the progressive tide that was reshaping American politics. Social activism was on the rise and Americans—not unlike in our own time—resented the widening gap between rich and poor, evident in the palatial mansions of railroad tycoons and industrial barons. The progressive movement was an effort to balance the scales. Since progressives were all for modernization, they should have looked favorably on proposals for a central bank, but progressives were innately wary of bankers—even of reform-minded bankers.
And they deeply mistrusted Senator Aldrich, who had acquired his great wealth in shady, backroom dealings with monopolists. Aldrich was so out of favor that he opted to abscond from public view, along with a band of Wall Street advisers, and rewrite the nation’s banking laws in secret. Aldrich’s clandestine effort, a stranger-than-fiction mission to a remote Georgia island, would forever link the Fed’s founding to the wildest claims of conspiracy theorists and cranks.
In the second part of the story, as Warburg’s proposals are painstakingly translated into legislation, bankers pass the baton to politicians. No sooner did this process start than, in 1912, the electorate installed the Democrats in Congress. The Democrats were hostile to a central bank. After all, they were the party of Andrew Jackson. Moreover, they were concentrated in the West and South and naturally feared that a central bank would enhance the power of the big banks in New York.
But the Democrats could scarcely overlook the pressure for reform that was sweeping the country. Moreover, the Democratic president-elect, Woodrow Wilson, was a good way to evolve from his small-government predecessors. Though hardly a New Deal– style activist, Wilson was more willing to balance concern for individual freedom with a desire to promote national unity and the overall health of society.
On the specific issue of central banking, Wilson—a student of American government—was favorably disposed of. The task of reconciling banking reform with the party’s states’- rights traditions fell, improbably, to a southern congressman—the Virginian Carter Glass. A child of the Civil War, a rebel in his bones, Glass was ambitious enough to see that modernizing banking could be his ticket to a place in the national spotlight. But he had to devise a program that did not run afoul of his party’s prejudices.
Prodded by Wilson, pressured by Warburg and by Main Street bankers, Glass advanced a bill that, in its way, mimicked the constitutional experiment in federalism. The Federal Reserve would be unlike the central banks of Europe—for it would not be one bank but twelve. Power would be shared between the center and the periphery, between the federal government and the private banks that it was designed to serve. If the establishment of the Fed constituted a landmark moment, when the direction of society veered from laissez-faire toward government control, it was nonetheless intended to be a compromise.
Glass’s aim was to reconcile a set of overlapping tensions— between local and federal authority, between private and public interest, between farmers and merchants, as well as between small-town bankers, big-city banks, and Wall Street. His aim was to pool the nation’s banking reserves, in accord with the principle of collective security, without creating a powerful monster that violated American traditions and the prevailing sentiment against large banks. What he and the other founders could not have envisioned was the degree to which these tensions would persist.
Indeed, in the political climate of today, it is doubtful whether the Federal Reserve Act could be passed. A century later, opposition to the federal government, such as in the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party, is as impassioned as ever. In 1913, Glass had to overcome the fear that a central bank would become a tool of Wall Street; in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, when the Fed and the Treasury provided bailouts or credit to the biggest banks, such fears ran rampant.
And just as opponents of the Fed’s establishment protested that it would lead to inflation, the modern Fed’s sustained policy of near-zero percent interest rates has prompted critics to warn that a dangerous inflation looms ever nearer. More generally, in an America still nursing its wounds from the financial crisis, both its central bank and its prominent private banks have become objects of vitriol and mistrust. Truly, the battle for the Fed in 1913 foretells our differences today.
The United States has been characterized as a liberal democracy since its inception, although the specific balance between its constitutional republic elements and liberal democratic principles has evolved over time. The term “liberal democracy” generally refers to a representative democracy with protections for individual rights and freedoms, and the U.S. Constitution established such a system with its emphasis on checks and balances, separation of powers, and the protection of individual liberties.
The transition to a more inclusive democracy in the U.S. has been gradual, with significant milestones such as the introduction of universal suffrage and the expansion of civil rights. For instance, the 19th Amendment in 1920 granted women the right to vote, and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s led to legislation that furthered racial equality and voting rights.
It’s important to note that the terms “constitutional republic” and “liberal democracy” are not mutually exclusive; rather, they describe different aspects of the U.S. political system. The U.S. remains a constitutional republic because it has a constitution that limits the powers of government and guarantees certain rights, and it is also a liberal democracy because it has democratic processes and protects individual liberties.
Sugar doesn’t directly cause cancer or make cancer cells grow. And sugar is a normal part of a nutritious and balanced diet.
Eating an excessive amount of sugar over time may lead to weight gain and hormonal imbalances. These conditions are linked to an increased cancer risk.
During cancer treatment, eat the foods that you can tolerate best. Whenever possible, try to include whole foods such as vegetables, grains, and protein-rich options in your diet.
If you have cancer, you don’t need to remove all sugar from your diet. Sugar isn’t a direct cause of cancer, and removing it from your diet won’t cure cancer or stop cancer cell growth. No single food can prevent, cure, or treat cancer.
Does sugar feed cancer?
It’s a myth that sugar feeds cancer cells. Sugar doesn’t directly cause cancer cells to grow and multiply. And sugar isn’t classified as a substance that causes cancer.
Body fat can increase cancer risk due to its effects on hormone levels. More specifically, body fat around your midsection can increase levels of hormones such as estrogen and insulin. Both of these hormones are linked to a higher risk of developing some types of cancer.
Excess body fat is linked to an increased risk of the following types of cancer:
Breast
Colorectal
Esophageal
Kidney
Liver
Oral
Ovarian
Pancreatic
Prostate
Stomach
Sugar is a natural and normal part of a balanced diet. But the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend no more than 12 tsp (48 g) of added sugars per day — for people with or without cancer. There’s no specific guideline for sugar intake and cancer prevention.
Why do people think that sugar feeds cancer cells?
All body cells use sugar (glucose) for fuel. This fact has led some to mistakenly conclude that sugar makes cancer cells grow quickly. And that cutting out sugar will stop the growth of cancer cells. But research hasn’t shown either to be true.
Glucose is needed by all cells, not just cancer cells. Even the brain uses glucose as its primary source of energy. It’s not possible to restrict glucose from cancer cells without also affecting the supply to healthy cells.
The growth of all cells — including cancer cells — is fueled by the breakdown of not only sugars but also fats and proteins. In other words, all body cells are nourished by nutrients from food. So, cutting out all food to slow cancer growth isn’t a viable answer.
To date, there’s no proof that sugar feeds tumor cells any more than it feeds other cells in your body. There’s also no proof that completely cutting out sugar improves your chances of cancer survival.
EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT
Eating during chemo: Chemotherapy can affect your nutrition in multiple ways.
The best foods for people with cancer are ones that you enjoy and can tolerate, especially during treatment. This will be different from person to person.
Proper nutrition can help with recovery after cancer treatments, reduce side effects, and help support immune health. But eating well during treatment isn’t always easy. For some people, cancer treatments like chemotherapy may cause side effects such as:
Nausea
Reduced appetite
Food aversions
Dry mouth
Diarrhea
If you can’t eat a balanced diet during treatment because of low appetite or other side effects, that’s OK. Know that the side effects are temporary. You can resume a more balanced eating pattern when treatment ends or when you start feeling better.
In the meantime, you can work with an oncology dietitian to help manage these side effects. During treatment, a dietitian will encourage you to choose foods that:
Add sources of protein to help with healing: This may include animal protein such as chicken, fish, and cheese. It can also include plant-based protein like tofu, beans, and nuts.
Are high in calories to prevent weight loss: If you have a low appetite, make every bite count with high-calorie foods such as peanut butter, cheese, and avocado.
Provide fluids to prevent dehydration: Soups, smoothies, and meal replacement beverages are good options.
What are the best foods to eat to prevent cancer from coming back?
The advice for preventing cancer recurrence is to follow a healthy eating pattern, such as the “New American Plate” proposed by the American Institute for Cancer Research. This eating pattern calls for:
Filling two-thirds or more of your plate with plant-based foods, including vegetables, whole grains, and beans
Limiting one-third or less of your plate to animal-based proteins, such as chicken, fish, or eggs
This eating pattern also limits sugar-sweetened drinks, ultra-processed foods, and processed meats, including bacon and deli meats.
What foods should people avoid when going through cancer treatment?
Certain foods carry a higher risk of contamination and infection than others. So, it’s important to avoid these foods during cancer treatment. This is particularly important if your immune system is weakened from chemotherapy, or is immunocompromised.
People in cancer treatment should also try to avoid alcohol. Alcohol can interfere with medications and worsen some side effects.
As mentioned above, it’s best to limit added sugars to no more than 12 tsp (48 g) of added sugars per day. This is about 200 calories from sugar. Unfortunately, most people in the U.S. get approximately 350 calories per day from sugar (about 21 tsp).
It’s important to know that the natural sugar in foods — like fruit — isn’t part of the 12-tsp limit. The limit applies only to “added” or “free” sugars, such as:
Actual sugars (like white, brown, icing, turbinado, and caster)
Syrups (like maple, high-fructose corn, and agave)
Ingredients ending in “-ose” (like maltose, glucose, and sucrose)
Honey
Molasses
Fruit juice
A nutrition facts label will list both total sugars and added sugars. The total sugars listed includes the sugars that are naturally present in a food (like fruit) and added sugars.
Added sugars are the sugars that are added to foods. The added sugars listed above are what you should pay attention to when reading a food label to understand its sugar content.
How to reduce sugar intake
You can reduce sugar intake by cutting back on sweet foods and drinks, such as soda, candy, and baked goods. These contain high amounts of added sugars. The leading source of dietary sugars for people in the U.S. is sweetened beverages, such as soda and fruity drinks.
Reducing your sugar intake is easier if you find substitutions for sweet foods so you don’t feel deprived. For example, try eating fruit such as strawberries or frozen grapes instead of candy. Swap soda for carbonated water infused with a squeeze of citrus, fresh mint, or cubed pineapple.
When you crave a sweet treat, it’s normal and healthy to enjoy them in moderation.
The key is to be mindful of your portion size.
How much ultra processed food is safe to eat?
Recent research on ultra processed foods clearly shows the greater the consumption, the greater the risk. That means that occasionally having ultra processed food is not likely to lead to early death — rather, it’s when you’re eating these foods much more than nutrient-rich whole foods that it becomes a problem.
What about added sugars in meal replacement beverages?
Your care team may suggest meal replacement beverages during cancer treatment.
These drinks contain protein, vitamins, and minerals to nourish your body.
You may be concerned that these drinks also contain sugar.
So, it’s likely confusing if you’re advised to cut out soda, but to drink meal replacements. But consider this comparison:
A ready-to-use meal replacement drink contains about 14 g (2.5 tsp) of sugar but it also has 27 vitamins and minerals and 10 g of protein.
A can of soda contains 40 g (10 tsp) of sugar, with no vitamins, minerals, or protein.
Think of meal replacement drinks as “mini meals” for when your appetite is low. The small amount of sugar in these drinks isn’t a concern if they help nourish you with essential vitamins and protein during treatment.
A little sweetness can be enjoyable. It’s fine to have a normal amount of added sugar in your diet, even if you have cancer. A teaspoon of sugar in your coffee or a piece of candy will not cause cancer cells to grow.
But you can have too much of a good thing. More than 12 tsp of added sugars per day may lead to weight gain, which is linked to an increased cancer risk.
During cancer treatment, people should eat what they’re best able to tolerate. And they should not worry too much about counting grams of sugar.
GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
Took me a while to find it but the show is called Beyond Belief with George Noory. We are all energy. God is ..His spirit is. With God the HS gives us discernment. I believe it is all energy ..different forms of energy. He’s interviewing Blu and her eyes are so genuine ♡ shines through her Love the message but does anyone else see how large her pupils are? I really do believe in feeling energy…Intuition and energy are way stronger than words. 100% S20 E14 – Gene Keys, Ayahuasca, & Earth Healing – YouTube
I want to know her and the episode is called Gene Keys, Ayahuasca, & Earth Healing. Can we talk about how cool her hair is??
Einstein never said that / this is the first law of thermodynamics/ has nothing to do with intuition – which is on our gut – the second Brain of sorts – and it’s due to the neuro chemicals that are made in the gut / but yes how someone speaks and how they present something – you can sense it – versus feeling,
This is explained amazingly
Intuition transcends mind, intellect, and the senses. Intuition is our faculty closest to Being. It’s the fine feeling level and it is not influenced by anything on the outside, but comes from our depth, from Source. Divine guidance perceived from within. So what does it mean when I’m in the company of certain people and my stomach gets so upset I feel nausea?
Gene Keys, Ayahuasca, & Earth Healing / The Health Cure
That can mean different things to different people depending
on your point of attraction
some people do give me the shits!
In challenging times, how can we attune and ground ourselves to the healing energy of Earth? As a speaker and mystery school teacher, Blu shares the story of her awakening journey transforming her profound hearing loss into her greatest gift.
By directing her energy inward through the use of the Gene Keys modality, Blu discovered her extrasensory perceptions to read the energy of others, and now guides women to understand their intuitive gifts to balance the planet’s masculine and feminine energies. She discusses her experiences with the psychedelic Ayahuasca, and the songs of the Shipibo people that help to activate the plant medicine’s power to clear energetic fields and understand our potential for beauty, love, and unity.
In challenging times, how can we attune and ground ourselves to the healing energy of Earth? As a speaker and mystery school teacher, Blu shares the story of her awakening journey transforming her profound hearing loss into her greatest gift. Blu is the founder of Florescence, a modern mystery school for women, and hosts the The Deja Blu Podcast – YouTube
At some point in the conversation you feel a feeling of unease building up in your gut.
For me, this feeling can be compared to an impending volcaniceruption...
Do you know that feeling when you are sitting at a table and have a conversation that is based, for example, on the exchange of worldviews and their diversities.
This feeling usually appears when I feel I have an oversized perception of things. Which can be incomprehensible to an ordinary thinking person. For me, normal people are just an illusion, since the unconscious person is thoughtless in their responses. IMO below conscious human behavior.
I think and feel that when people sit together in a small room, so many energies collide that it can often lead to enormous energetic charges and discharges on the invisible levels. These violent energy levels/ emotional attacks can cause tremendous psychological damages to a person that doesn’t carry a protective shield. The first chore is always the last chore. Clear those chambers in your brain of the dustiest memories. If your world of thoughts are renewed, that spave in your conscious seeing in the material dimension will also reveal itself.
The spirit is always awake and wants to be fed, because it is woven into its primal desire to collect all kinds of information for the source being all knowing.
Over the years in which the conscious person collects this spiritual nourishment, they will build a mental funnel that is able to pass on only the most important essences of that information to the almighty creative spirit. Because as the word information implies, should be used to inform as something is brought into shape through these words
Why do people say that you are paranoid because you have a more accurate perception of your environment when they do not. Are you aware that when you create a sphere of calm and your mental power is so strengthened, that you can change your sphere of influence simply by fixating on a being or an object, with your thoughts and your eyes, therefore, control and move it.
Something is created from an idea, and the higher vibration levels only good ideas that are essential for the future are nourished with creative energy if the idea comes from a pure heart. This type of sorting out of negative vibration pushes our state of mind to its limits, because it is extremely exhausting to absorb information: to filter it and at the same time be able to keep pure thoughts while living a normal everyday life for an empath.
It often makes the body very tired and often puts it into a short sleep and in these short sleeps we often communicate on higher levels with a higher spirit and communicate what was experienced. When a person sits on their knees with their arms bent to pray, to me, from another perspective, it looks like someone is sleeping in a fetal position. When people assume a fetal position, it is for physical or psychological protection. It can indicate a desire to escape or to be cared for when one feels helpless.
As such, adopting a fetal position during prayer symbolizes our willingness to become like children before the Lord, submitting to Him and crying out for His protection. Praying in this position also requires physical effort if you are saying them out loud and thus can serve as an act of penance. Fetal prayer is especially appropriate for the Advent season, in which we celebrate the Immaculate Conception and birth of Christ and await His return. Every time we pray, confess, or do penance, our faith is reborn. Every trial we endure, we endure because of our belief in the world to come.
Every mental and psychic impulse of will, feeling or consciousness of any kind creates an impression in the extremely sensitive, subtle Devachan matter and retains it. This is a similar (only much more subtle) process to that we know from our records, radio and other sound and light wave recordings, where the waves emitted are engraved in a receptive mass. which later can then later be reproduced, made visible and audible.
IN THIS way, everything that has ever happened, is happening or will happen on our planet is recorded in the devachan matter and retained for all eternity. The great sages and Spiritual leaders of the human race are able to gain insight into this chronicle of our planet at any time. This is called the Akashic Chronicle.
The Akashic Chronicle – the memory of the universe
It is also called “the book of life”. It is not a book to pick up but a knowledge plan of the past, present and future and the key to healing. All events, experiences and insights are recorded, documented and stored here. It is the memory of the universe. Everything that exists, every human, every flower possesses the Akasha energy. It is the vibratory field of love. The Akashic Chronicle is where everything is stored; what you experienced from your past and also from a previous life.
It contains all the information you need to answer your questions about your topics. It helps to solve the blockages. Every feeling, every action and every thought is written down here. It’s like a cosmic hard drive that you can retrieve when needed. In it you will find your potential and your spiritual origin.
The Akashic Chronicle – your Akashic Record
It is also your birthright to read in your Akashic Record. Void your life on your feelings. Everything you have experienced so far has left its mark on this chronicle and will help you to resolve blockages, fears and insecurities.
You too can find access to your Akashic Chronicle.
From meditation to deep relaxation and the path of love to yourself, it will be opened to you.
Once you have access, you will get answers to your questions. Never let stress from the past block you, other people hurt you, but learn to walk the path of self-love, the love of your heart. You set your own limits. Your inner voice gives you the answers to your questions. Learn to trust your soul and walk the path of self-love. You are learning more and more who you were and what you are. You learn to see your own value. Follow your intuition, remain true to yourself, and always let negative things from the past dissolve in love.
~Giorgia Boschetto
Don’t believe us? There’s so much more to being highly intelligent than being book smart. It’s not just the academics; highly intelligent people are all around us, and there are certain ways you can spot them.
Check out the following 20 things highly intelligent people do that others don’t.
Manage their time
Time is a precious resource, and smart people will always manage it effectively. They’ll plan jam-packed schedules with a fine-toothed comb and always ensure they can attend to the important stuff. Generally they multi-task and they’re always spot on when it comes to time.
Adapt to change
They say that the only thing constant in life is change.
While many people reject and avoid change, highly intelligent people embrace it.
They can easily adapt to anything life throws at them and have a head on their shoulders that can resolve any problem.
Ask questions
One thing highly intelligent people do is ask a lot of questions. Rather than simply receiving information, they absorb it by querying it and sourcing further information. The more clarity and understanding they gain, the more the information is retained.
Express emotions
According to Verywell Mind, emotional intelligence is more important than having a high IQ. Being able to express your emotions and empathize with other people helps you to tackle life and engage with the world. Highly intelligent people are very assertive when it comes to their vulnerabilities, ensuring they express themselves clearly.
Learn from mistakes
It’s human nature to make mistakes, but so many people continue to repeat them or pass the blame. Intelligent people know that mistakes are just a part of life, and they are willing to make them because they know the experience will enhance their development.
Voice their opinion
Highly intelligent people don’t shy away from voicing their opinions. It may not always be the most popular voice in the room, but they enjoy providing a different perspective on a situation. They love the conversation that flows from sharing opinions and will always be ready to offer an alternative point of view.
Are honest about their limits
Intelligent people are aware of their weaknesses as much as their strengths. They’ll never claim they can do it all and have no issue seeking out help in their weaker areas. They can delegate and ask for advice when it is required, never pretending they can take on something they’ll struggle with.
Take time to reflect
If something is important, a highly intelligent person will always take time to reflect on it. A crucial decision will never be made without considerable thought, and tricky situations will be thoroughly processed in solitude. Inc.com says that most intelligent people like spending time alone, giving them more time for reflection.
Seek knowledge
Highly intelligent people stay smart because they are thirsty for knowledge. They are avid readers, love documentaries, and always interact with experts in the room. They also have many interests and will soak up information at every opportunity they’re given.
Set clear goals
Intelligence and ambition are extremely intertwined. Intelligent people have a lot of drive, so they will set clear goals that they will strive to achieve.
Progress is monitored on milestones, and ultimately, they will accomplish these goals, but the way in which goals are set is highly subjective.
Get their priorities straight
It’s extremely difficult to do everything well, and smart people know this. They value the importance of prioritizing to ensure that the essential things get attention first. They are aware of their time constraints and will not let the most crucial balls drop in favor of something less important.
Stay clear of small talk
When you’re intelligent, small talk can be a chore. Deep, thought-provoking conversation is truly valued, and basic niceties can be a little draining.
This often comes across as socially awkward, but it is simply a lust for deep connections over polite pleasantries.
Keep an open-mind
Believe it or not, open-minded people are often very intelligent. Business Insider claims they don’t close themselves off to new ideas or opportunities, as they are always looking for fresh solutions. New ideas are thought-provoking, and intelligent people are receptive to different outcomes and alternative perspectives.
Debate rather than argue
When opinions differ, intelligent people will engage in a civil debate rather than an aggressive argument. Although they want to express their point of view,
They also understand that they’re not always right and enjoy hearing another perspective. Intelligent people thrive on healthy debate–not arguments.
They’re observant
Highly intelligent people don’t always need to be heard. In many social situations, they will simply sit back and observe. They notice the small intricacies and nuances that other people would turn a blind eye to, which helps them learn a lot about other people and situations.
Solve problems
There’s no problem that cannot be solved when you’re extremely intelligent. They can always reorder the puzzle pieces to make it fit in an alternative way, and ultimately, the challenge is welcomed. They thrive on the rewarding feeling of success when a problem has been effectively rectified.
Keep promises
Smart people never make empty promises. Not only do they empathize with how other people may feel when promises are broken, but they also value their own integrity and will stay true to their word. An intelligent individual will never make a promise they can’t keep.
Have a creative hobby
When the creative juices are flowing, they benefit the mind. Most intelligent people have some form of creative hobby that keeps the cogs turning, which then seeps into other areas of life. The Association for Psychological Science even found that creative hobbies are linked with greater job performance!
Stand up for their beliefs
Finally, highly intelligent people tend to have firm beliefs that they will always stand by, unlike other people. Even if their beliefs are not the most popular,
they will always be true to themselves. They have thoroughly considered them and not just taken someone’s word for it to arrive at this belief.
If you feel obliged to buythings rather than pleasure in doing so, this might be the right time to re-evaluate your priorities and take action to change your current behavior. Below are a few tips that may help you step out of the seemingly endless loop of materialism and a more grounded, grateful, and simplified lifestyle.
Kansas City Chiefs’ placekicker Harrison Butker speaks to college graduates in his commencement address at Benedictine College on May 11. (photo: Benedictine College)
Editor’s Note: Harrison Butker, 28, the placekicker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League, delivered the commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, on Saturday, May 11, 2024. A transcript of his remarks is below.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Class of 2024: I would like to start off by congratulating all of you for successfully making it to this achievement today. I’m sure your high school graduation was not what you had imagined, and most likely, neither was your first couple years of college.
By making it to this moment through all the adversity thrown your way from COVID, I hope you learned the important lessons that suffering in this life is only temporary. As a group, you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don’t stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society. It is through this lens that I want to take stock of how we got to where we are, and where we want to go as citizens and, yes, as Catholics. One last thing before I begin, I want to be sure to thank President Minnis and the board for their invitation to speak.
When President Minnis first reached out a couple of months ago, I had originally said No. You see, last year I gave the commencement address at my alma mater, Georgia Tech, and I felt that one graduation speech was more than enough, especially for someone who isn’t a professional speaker. But of course, President Minnis used his gift of persuasion. [Laughter] It spoke to the many challenges you all faced throughout the COVID fiasco ,and how you missed out on so many milestones the rest of us older people have taken for granted. While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique. Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values in media, all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder.
Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith, but at the same time is delusional enough to make the Sign of the Cross during a pro- abortion rally. He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.
He is not alone. From the man behind the COVID lockdowns to the people pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America, they all have a glaring thing in common. They are Catholic. This is an important reminder that being Catholic alone doesn’t cut it.
These are the sorts of things we are told in polite society to not bring up. You know, the difficult and unpleasant things. But if we are going to be men and women for this time in history, we need to stop pretending that the “Church of Nice” is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice.
It is safe to say that over the past few years, I have gained quite the reputation for speaking my mind. I never envisioned myself, nor wanted, to have this sort of a platform, but God has given it to me, so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths about accepting your lane and staying in it.
As members of the Church founded by Jesus Christ, it is our duty and ultimately privilege to be authentically and unapologetically Catholic. Don’t be mistaken, even within the Church, people in polite Catholic circles will try to persuade you to remain silent. There even was an award-winning film called Silence, made by a fellow Catholic, wherein one of the main characters, a Jesuit priest, abandoned the Church, and as an apostate when he died is seen grasping a crucifix, quiet and unknown to anyone but God. As a friend of Benedictine College, His Excellency Bishop Robert Barron, said in his review of the film, it was exactly what the cultural elite want to see in Christianity — private, hidden away, and harmless.
Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail.
But make no mistake, before we even attempt to fix any of the issues plaguing society, we must first get our own house in order, and it starts with our leaders. The bishops and priests appointed by God as our spiritual fathers must be rightly ordered. There is not enough time today for me to list all the stories of priests and bishops misleading their flocks, but none of us can blame ignorance anymore and just blindly proclaim that “That’s what Father said.” Because sadly, many priests we are looking to for leadership are the same ones who prioritize their hobbies or even photos with their dogs and matching outfits for the parish directory.
It’s easy for us laymen and women to think that in order for us to be holy, that we must be active in our parish and try to fix it. Yes, we absolutely should be involved in supporting our parishes, but we cannot be the source for our parish priests to lean on to help with their problems. Just as we look at the relationship between a father and his son, so too should we look at the relationship between a priest and his people. It would not be appropriate for me to always be looking to my son for help when it is my job as his father to lead him.
St. Josemaría Escrivá states that priests are ordained to serve, and should not yield to temptation to imitate laypeople, but to be priests through and through. Tragically, so many priests revolve much of their happiness from the adulation they receive from their parishioners, and in searching for this, they let their guard down and become overly familiar. This undue familiarity will prove to be problematic every time, because as my teammate’s girlfriend says, familiarity breeds contempt. [Laughter]
Saint Josemaría continues that some want to see the priest as just another man. That is not so. They want to find in the priest those virtues proper to every Christian, and indeed every honorable man: understanding, justice, a life of work — priestly work, in this instance — and good manners. It is not prudent as the laity for us to consume ourselves in becoming amateur theologians so that we can decipher this or that theological teaching — unless, of course, you are a theology major.
We must be intentional with our focus on our state in life and our own vocation. And for most of us, that’s as married men and women. Still, we have so many great resources at our fingertips that it doesn’t take long to find traditional and timeless teachings that haven’t been ambiguously reworded for our times. Plus, there are still many good and holy priests, and it’s up to us to seek them out.
The chaos of the world is unfortunately reflected in the chaos in our parishes, and sadly, in our cathedrals too. As we saw during the pandemic, too many bishops were not leaders at all. They were motivated by fear, fear of being sued, fear of being removed, fear of being disliked. They showed by their actions, intentional or unintentional, that the sacraments don’t actually matter. Because of this, countless people died alone, without access to the sacraments, and it’s a tragedy we must never forget.
As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the Church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries, there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, Church leaders leaned into their vocations and ensured that their people received the sacraments.
Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.
That goes even more so for our bishops, these men who are present-day apostles. Our bishops once had adoring crowds of people kissing their rings and taking in their every word, but now relegate themselves to a position of inconsequential existence. Now, when a bishop of a diocese or the bishop’s conference as a whole puts out an important document on this matter or that, nobody even takes a moment to read it, let alone follow it.
No. Today, our shepherds are far more concerned with keeping the doors open to the chancery than they are with saying the difficult stuff out loud. It seems that the only time you hear from your bishops is when it’s time for the annual appeal, whereas we need our bishops to be vocal about the teachings of the Church, setting aside their own personal comfort and embracing their cross. Our bishops are not politicians but shepherds, so instead of fitting in the world by going along to get along, they too need to stay in their lane and lead.
I say all of this not from a place of anger, as we get the leaders we deserve. But this does make me reflect on staying in my lane and focusing on my own vocation and how I can be a better father and husband and live in the world but not be of it. Focusing on my vocation while praying and fasting for these men will do more for the Church than me complaining about her leaders.
Because there seems to be so much confusion coming from our leaders, there needs to be concrete examples for people to look to in places like Benedictine, a little Kansas college built high on a bluff above the Missouri River, are showing the world how an ordered, Christ-centered existence is the recipe for success. You need to look no further than the examples all around this campus, where over the past 20 years, enrollment has doubled, construction and revitalization are a constant part of life, and people, the students, the faculty and staff, are thriving. This didn’t happen by chance. In a deliberate movement to embrace traditional Catholic values, Benedictine has gone from just another liberal arts school with nothing to set it apart to a thriving beacon of light and a reminder to us all that when you embrace tradition, success — worldly and spiritual — will follow.
I am certain the reporters at the AP could not have imagined that their attempt to rebuke and embarrass places and people like those here at Benedictine wouldn’t be met with anger, but instead met with excitement and pride. Not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it, but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify him. Reading that article now shared all over the world, we see that in the complete surrender of self and a turning towards Christ, you will find happiness. Right here in a little town in Kansas, we find many inspiring laypeople using their talents.
President Minnis, Dr. [Andrew] Swafford, and Dr. [Jared] Zimmerer are a few great examples right here on this very campus that will keep the light of Christ burning bright for generations to come. Being locked in with your vocation and staying in your lane is going to be the surest way for you to find true happiness and peace in this life.
It is essential that we focus on our own state in life, whether that be as a layperson, a priest, or religious. Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2024, you are sitting at the edge of the rest of your lives. Each of you has the potential to leave a legacy that transcends yourselves and this era of human existence. In small ways, by living out your vocation, you will ensure that God’s Church continues and the world is enlightened by your example.
For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.
I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.
[Applause lasting 18 seconds]
She is a primary educator to our children. She is the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father. She is the person that knows me best at my core, and it is through our marriage that, Lord willing, we will both attain salvation.
I say all of this to you because I have seen firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will in their life. Isabelle’s dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, “Heck, No.”
As a man who gets a lot of praise and has been given a platform to speak to audiences like this one today, I pray that I always use my voice for God and not for myself. Everything I am saying to you is not from a place of wisdom, but rather a place of experience. I am hopeful that these words will be seen as those from a man, not much older than you, who feels it is imperative that this class, this generation, and this time in our society must stop pretending that the things we see around us are normal.
Heterodox ideas abound even within Catholic circles. But let’s be honest, there is nothing good about playing God with having children — whether that be your ideal number or the perfect time to conceive. No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control.
It is only in the past few years that I have grown encouraged to speak more boldly and directly because, as I mentioned earlier, I have leaned into my vocation as a husband and father, and as a man.
To the gentlemen here today: Part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in. This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. Other countries do not have nearly the same absentee father rates as we find here in the U.S., and a correlation could be made in their drastically lower violence rates, as well.
Be unapologetic in your masculinity, fighting against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy. You might have a talent that you don’t necessarily enjoy, but if it glorifies God, maybe you should lean into that over something that you might think suits you better. I speak from experience as an introvert who now finds myself as an amateur public speaker and an entrepreneur, something I never thought I’d be when I received my industrial engineering degree.
The road ahead is bright. Things are changing. Society is shifting. And people, young and old, are embracing tradition. Not only has it been my vocation that has helped me and those closest to me, but not surprising to many of you, should be my outspoken embrace of the traditional Latin Mass. I’ve been very vocal in my love and devotion to the TLM and its necessity for our lives.
But what I think gets misunderstood is that people who attend the TLM do so out of pride or preference. I can speak to my own experience, but for most people I have come across within these communities this simply is not true. I do not attend the TLM because I think I am better than others, or for the smells and bells, or even for the love of Latin. I attend the TLM because I believe, just as the God of the Old Testament was pretty particular in how he wanted to be worshipped, the same holds true for us today.
It is through the TLM that I encountered order and began to pursue it in my own life. Aside from the TLM itself, too many of our sacred traditions have been relegated to things of the past, when in my parish, things such as ember days, days when we fast and pray for vocations and for our priests, are still adhered to. The TLM is so essential that I would challenge each of you to pick a place to move where it is readily available.
A lot of people have complaints about the parish or the community, but we should not sacrifice the Mass for the community. I prioritize the TLM even if the parish isn’t beautiful, the priest isn’t great, or the community isn’t amazing. I still go to the TLM because I believe the holy sacrifice of the Mass is more important than anything else. I say this knowing full well that when each of you rekindle your knowledge and adherence to many of the church’s greatest traditions, you will see how much more colorful and alive your life can and should be.
As you move on from this place and enter into the world, know that you will face many challenges. Sadly, I’m sure many of you know of the countless stories of good and active members of this community who, after graduation and moving away from the Benedictine bubble, have ended up moving in with their boyfriend or girlfriend prior to marriage. Some even leave the Church and abandon God. It is always heartbreaking to hear these stories, and there is a desire to know what happened and what went wrong.
What you must remember is that life is about doing the small things well, setting yourself up for success, and surrounding yourself with people who continually push you to be the best version of you. I say this all the time, that iron sharpens iron. It’s a great reminder that those closest to us should be making us better. If you are dating someone who doesn’t even share your faith, how do you expect that person to help you become a saint? If your friend group is filled with people who only think about what you’re doing next weekend and are not willing to have those difficult conversations, how can they help sharpen you?
As you prepare to enter into the workforce, it is extremely important that you actually think about the places you are moving to. Who is the bishop? What kind of parishes are there? Do they offer the TLM and have priests who embrace their priestly vocation? Cost of living must not be the only arbiter of your choices, for a life without God is not a life at all, and the cost of salvation is worth more than any career.
I’m excited for the future, and I pray that something I have said will resonate as you move on to the next chapter of your life.
Never be afraid to profess the one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, for this is the Church that Jesus Christ established, through which we receive sanctifying grace.
I know that my message today had a little less fluff than is expected for these speeches, but I believe that this audience and this venue is the best place to speak openly and honestly about who we are and where we all want to go, which is Heaven.
I thank God for Benedictine College and for the example it provides the world. I thank God for men like President Minnis, who are doing their part for the Kingdom. Come to find out you can have an authentically Catholic college and a thriving football program.
Make no mistake: You are entering into mission territory in a post-God world, but you were made for this. And with God by your side and a constant striving for virtue within your vocation, you too can be a saint.
therapy 
Related Video: 
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/headshot/joseph-stromberg-240.jpg)
Love the message but does anyone else see how large her pupils are? I really do believe in feeling energy…Intuition and energy are way stronger than words. 100% 
That can mean different things to different people depending 
