10/11/24: Meditate vs medicate, pesticide conspiracy, energy from leaves

Happy Friday my friend,

Last email I included a wedding photo, and we received several requests for more pictures from our fairytale day in Glacier National Park. If you’d like to see the gallery from our special day, CLICK HERE, and thank you all for the warm and personal wishes. *If you click over to our registry, some items you can donate any amount, and I’ll happily give you a personal shoutout in an upcoming newsletter.

ECL TRIVIA: What is the only organ in the human body that can regenerate itself? (Answer below)

🌎 Planet Health

📝 CONSPIRACY FACT: Investigative journalist Carey Gillam exposed a private social network used to discredit activists opposing pesticide use. Funded in part by US taxes, this database contains personal information on activists, including home addresses and names of their children! Agrochemical companies and government officials routinely conspire to undermine grassroots movements promoting organic and regenerative agriculture.

🦠 BACTERIA PHOTOSYNTHESIS: A new study from the University of Liverpool published this week reveals new discoveries about how certain bacteria proteins process solar energy. “This study represents a significant step forward in our comprehension of how bacteria optimize their photosynthetic machinery, providing valuable insights that could inform future clean energy innovations,” says one of the researchers.

🌸 LOTUS LEAF ENERGY: Have you heard of hydrovoltaic electricity generation? Using “plant power,” Chinese scientists have discovered a way to draw energy from the leaves of lotus plants— enough to power small electronic devices! —  through hydrovoltaic electricity, which relies on the continuous “movement of water and its interaction with solid surfaces.” Read more HERE about how scientists are creating this “living leaf transpiration generator.”

🧑‍⚕️ Human Health

🧘‍♂️ ANXIETY BE GONE: If you’re feeling anxious about the events in the world, you’re not alone. However, researchers are working to identify if a practice as simple as meditation can be as effective as antidepressant medications, and they discovered “the two treatments were very similar," one of the study’s authors told MedPage Today. "That confirms our first finding, that meditation impacts anxiety pretty much the same as the drug escitalopram (Lexapro).”

📲 SCREENS & KIDS: How does screen-time impact your family’s communication? Alarmingly, scientists in Estonia are saying “that no form of screen use had a positive effect on language skills” in young children in “screen-heavy” households. According to this article published last week, the presence of screens disrupts the ability for children to engage in verbal communication with adults. (Great reminder to be cognizant of your screen/device use, especially in front of young ones!)

✈️ TRAVEL FOR HEALTH: Thinking of taking some time off? If you can, travel somewhere new. Research is exploring the idea that traveling may slow down the aging process in the body. Novel travel experiences and leisurely travel activities “might help alleviate chronic stress, dampen overactivation of the immune system, and encourage normal functioning of the self-defense system. Engaging in recreation potentially releases tension and fatigue in the muscles and joints,” the researchers state.

🦶Feet: Nature’s Masterpiece, Misunderstood

It boggles my mind how many people walk around with shoes that are not supporting their overall health.

With 33 joints and 26 bones, your feet are engineering marvels, yet almost everyone confines them to shoes that restrict their natural function.

You really should consider NOT doing this.

Why does this matter? Your feet are intricate sensory organs, connected to your brain to provide essential feedback. When your feet are cramped and restricted, your entire musculoskeletal system suffers.

Xero Shoes offers a radical approach to footwear. With a wide toe box, your toes spread naturally, and the zero-drop design keeps your body in its natural alignment. This simple yet revolutionary design promotes better posture, reduced foot pain, and improved well-being overall.

I've personally bought multiple pairs of Xero Shoes and can attest to their comfort, style, and surprisingly the number of compliments I receive from strangers! From casual sneakers to hiking boots, there's a pair for every occasion.

Xero Shoes is doing a bonkers sale with literally every style in the store on sale (up to 70% off!) for only a few more days.

See all the great designs and option HERE.

Creature Feature

🦑 LION’S MANE JELLY: You need to see this video of the world’s largest species of jellyfish recently spotted in the Salish Sea (the body of salt water between Olympia, WA and Vancouver, B.C.) and according to the cameraman, “the largest recorded had a bell with a diameter of 7 feet and tentacles extending up to 120 feet!” This is definitely a jelly you do not want to touch!

Nutrition 101

🥭 MANGIFERIN: Found in the bark, leaves, fruit, and stem of mango trees (hence the name), mangiferin is a xanthonoid known for its anti-inflammatory properties. The NIH touts its benefits as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiallergic, and even anticancer. Learn which specific diseases benefit from mangiferin here.

💬 Poll

⬅️ Last poll’s results

Do you think Siete products become worse now that Pepsi owns them?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yes, it will lose its integrity (81.1%)

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I have hope they'll keep clean ingredients (18.9%)

To a healing future,

— Rob

P.S. Xero Shoes are designed to let your feet do what they're supposed to. With a wider toe box, without lift, your toes wiggle and get the feedback they would if they were bare. It is my go-to shoe (fave style is the Hana or Prio). I get compliments on these shoes all the time. Check it out here because they are up to 70% off for only a few days.