4/1/24: Sea rice, men VS women's brains, and superfund sites

Your Monday Motivation of inspiration, recipes, superfoods, and tips for mind, body, and spirit...

Author

Rob Herring
April 01, 2024

Happy Monday my friend,

If you celebrate Easter, I hope it was a pleasant and love-filled day for you. But now it’s April Fools! No pranks from me today, but did you ever wonder about the history of this unique ‘holiday’? Learn more here.

Monday Motivation

🌊BE THE CHANGE: Oklahoma Indigenous activist Rebecca Jim speaks out against the pollution of native lands and wild spaces, specifically Tar Creek, America’s oldest “Superfund site.” An issue that’s impacted her homeland and community’s access to clean drinking water since the 70’s, learn more about Superfund sites — areas of toxic waste disposal— and how they are impacting underserved communities.

🍍RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Juice made with pineapple, lemon, and… cucumber? Believe me, it works well in this recipe from Danielle “Danie” Marshall: Business owner of Danie’s Natural Juice Blends of Chicago. Other ingredients like ginger, celery, and spinach help round out flavor and add a healthy twist.

🍚SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Something called “sea rice” might be the next big superfood. If you haven’t heard of it yet, don’t worry— neither have most other people! Only recently championed by Spanish chef Ángel León (and also called “eelgrass”), this Mediterranean sea vegetable is incredibly rich in proteins and other nutrients on top of being one of the most sustainable, low-energy crops currently known on the planet.

 

🧠MIND: The human brain between men and women can’t be physically differentiated—unless certain scans are used to detect unique brain patterns! According to Stanford University, such scans were able to determine male vs. female brains with 90% accuracy. This article shows that men and women can and do indeed think differently; determining how could help the future of neuroscience and mental health.

💪BODY: Feeling hot, stuffy— and blue? People with depression may experience higher body temperature, research shows. While correlated, it’s unclear which causes the other. More importantly, scientists are exploring if cold or cooling temperatures could be used as a physical depression therapy, helping with treatment of symptoms and management.

🧘SPIRIT: Photographer Woosler Delisfort explores the less public dimensions of Black, Caribbean, and African spiritualities— such as Voudou and Catholicism, and how each of these intersect— in his photography project in Little Haiti, Miami, Florida. These photos capture dancing, celebration, community, and even a healing high priestess as beautiful manifestations of spirituality that the mainstream public doesn’t often witness.

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Thomas Edison

To a healing future,

Rob