Good (Or Bad) Health Starts With Your Blood

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Blood Should Be Only Slightly Thicker Than Water

This is Dr. Casey Means, a physician, lecturer (mostly at Stanford), and CMO of a metabolic health company, Levels, as well as being Associate Editor of the International Journal of Diabetes Reversal and Prevention, where she serves alongside such names as Dr. Colin Campbell, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. William Li, Dr. Dean Ornish, and you get the idea: it’s a star-studded cast.

What does she want us to know?

The big blood problem:

❝We’re spending 3.8 trillion dollars a year on healthcare costs in the U.S., and the reality is that people are getting sicker, fatter, and more depressed.

Over 50% of Americans have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes; it’s insane, that number should be close to zero.❞

~ Dr. Casey Means

Indeed, pre-diabetes and especially type 2 diabetes should be very avoidable in any wealthy nation.

Unfortunately, the kind of diet that avoids it tends to rely on having at least 2/3 of the following:

  • Money
  • Time
  • Knowledge

For example:

  • if you have money and time, you can buy lots of fresh ingredients without undue worry, and take the time to carefully prep and cook them
  • if you have money and knowledge you can have someone else shop and cook for you, or at least get meal kits delivered
  • if you have time and knowledge, you can actually eat very healthily on a shoestring budget

If you have all three, then the world’s your oyster mushroom steak sautéed in extra virgin olive oil with garlic and cracked black pepper served on a bed of Swiss chard and lashed with Balsamic vinegar.

However, many Americans aren’t in the happy position of having at least 2/3, and a not-insignificant portion of the population don’t even have 1/3.

As an aside: there is a food scientist and chef who’s made it her mission to educate people about food that’s cheap, easy, and healthy:

Where Nutrition Meets Habits…

…but today is about Dr. Means, so, what does she suggest?

Know thyself thy blood sugars

Dr. Means argues (reasonably; this is well-backed up by general scientific consensus) that much of human disease stems from the diabetes and pre-diabetes that she mentioned above, and so we should focus on that most of all.

Our blood sugar levels being unhealthy will swiftly lead to other metabolic disorders:

Heart disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are perhaps first in line, but waiting in the wings are inflammation-mediated autoimmune disorders, and even dementia, because neuroinflammation is at least as bad as inflammation anywhere else, arguably worse, and our brain can only be as healthy as the blood that feeds it and takes things that shouldn’t be there away.

Indeed,

❝Alzheimer’s dementia is now being called type 3 diabetes because it’s so related to blood sugar❞

~ Dr. Casey Means

…which sounds like a bold claim, but it’s true, even if the name is not “official” yet, it’s well-established in professional circulation:

❝We conclude that the term “type 3 diabetes” accurately reflects the fact that AD represents a form of diabetes that selectively involves the brain and has molecular and biochemical features that overlap with both T1DM and T2DM❞

~ Dr. Suzanne M. de la Monte & Dr. Jack Wands

Read in full: Alzheimer’s Disease Is Type 3 Diabetes–Evidence Reviewed ← this is from the very respectable Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.

What to do about it

Dr. Means suggests we avoid the “glucose roller-coaster” that most Americans are on, meaning dramatic sugar spikes, or to put it in sciencese: high glycemic variability.

This leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, glycation (where sugar sticks to proteins and DNA), and metabolic dysfunction. Then there’s the flipside: reactive hypoglycemia, a result of a rapid drop in blood sugar after a spike, can cause anxiety, fatigue, weakness/trembling, brain fog, and of course cravings. And so the cycle repeats.

But it doesn’t have to!

By taking it upon ourselves to learn about what causes our blood sugars to rise suddenly or gently, we can manage our diet and other lifestyle factors accordingly.

And yes, it’s not just about diet, Dr. Means tells us. While added sugar and refined carbohydrates or indeed the main drivers of glycemic variability, our sleep, movement, stress management, and even toxin exposure play important parts too.

One way to do this, that Dr. Means recommends, is with a continuous glucose monitor:

Track Your Blood Sugars For Better Personalized Health

Another way is to just apply principles that work for almost everyone:

10 Ways To Balance Blood Sugars

Want to know more from Dr. Means?

You might like her book:

Good Energy – by Dr. Casey Means

…which goes into this in far more detail than we have room to today.

Enjoy!

Don’t Forget…

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  • Genital herpes is on the rise. Here’s what to know about this common infection

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released new estimates suggesting around 846 million people aged between 15 and 49 live with a genital herpes infection.

    That’s equivalent to one in every five people from that age group.

    At least one person each second (42 million people annually) contracts a new genital herpes infection.

    So what is genital herpes, and are cases on the rise? Here’s what to know about this common infection.

    Peakstock/Shutterstock

    First, what causes genital herpes?

    Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the herpes simplex virus, which also causes cold sores.

    There are two types of herpes simplex virus, HSV-1 and HSV-2 (and it’s possible to be infected by both at the same time).

    HSV-1 most commonly spreads through oral contact such as kissing or sharing infected objects such as lip balm, cups or utensils, and presents as cold sores (or oral herpes) around the mouth. But it can also be sexually transmitted to cause a genital herpes infection.

    An estimated 3.8 billion people under the age of 50 (64%) globally have HSV-1.

    HSV-2 is less prevalent, but almost always causes a genital herpes infection. Some 520 million people aged 15–49 (13%) worldwide are believed to have HSV-2.

    The initial episode of genital herpes can be quite painful, with blisters, ulcers and peeling skin around the genitals over 7–10 days.

    Not all people have severe (or any) initial symptoms. This means a person might not know they have been infected with a herpes virus.

    Herpes is a lifelong infection, which means once you contract the virus, you have it forever. After an initial episode, subsequent episodes can occur, but are usually less painful or even symptom free.

    Both oral and genital herpes are particularly easy to spread when you have active lesions (cold sores or genital ulcers). But even with no symptoms, herpes can still be spread to a partner.

    And although relatively rare, oral herpes can be transmitted to the genital area, and genital herpes can be transmitted to the mouth through oral sex.

    If an expectant mother exhibits a genital herpes infection close to childbirth, there are risks to the baby. A herpes infection can be very serious in a baby, and the younger the infant, the more vulnerable they are. This is also one reason why you should avoid kissing a baby on the mouth.

    Changing trends

    WHO’s recent figures brought together data from around the world to estimate the prevalence of genital herpes in 2020, compared with previous estimates in 2012 and 2016.

    This data shows no significant difference in the prevalence of genital herpes caused by HSV-2 since 2016, but does highlight increases in genital herpes infections caused by HSV-1.

    The estimated number of genital HSV-1 infections globally was nearly twice as high in 2020 compared with 2016 (376 million compared with 192 million).

    A 2022 study looking at Australia, New Zealand and Canada found more than 60% of genital herpes infections are still caused by HSV-2. But this is declining by about 2% each year while new genital infections that result from HSV-1 are rising.

    A woman holding her crotch area.
    Genital herpes can be quite painful, presenting as sores and lesions that in severe cases, may take up to a month to fully heal. Christian Moro

    There’s no simple fix, but safe sex is important

    Genital herpes causes a substantial disease burden and economic cost to health-care services.

    With such a large proportion of the world’s population infected with HSV-1, evidence this virus is increasingly causing genital herpes is concerning.

    There’s no cure for genital herpes, but some medications, such as antivirals, can help reduce the amount of virus present in the system. While this won’t kill it completely, it helps to prevent symptomatic genital herpes recurrences, improve quality of life, and minimise the risk of transmission.

    To prevent the spread of genital herpes and other STIs, practise safe sex, particularly if you’re not sure of your partner’s sexual health. You need to use a barrier method such as condoms to protect against STIs (a contraceptive such as the pill won’t work). This includes during oral sex.

    As herpes is now so common, testing is not usually included as part of a regular sexual health check-up, except for in specific circumstances such as during pregnancy or severe episodes.

    So it’s wise not to let your guard down, even if your partner insists they have received the all-clear from a recent check-up.

    If there are herpes lesions present around the genitals, avoid sex entirely. Even condoms are not fully effective at these times, as exposed areas can still transmit the infection.

    A woman happily embracing a man.
    Practising safe sex can help prevent the spread of herpes. cottonbro studio/Pexels

    Immune health

    If you are infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2 it’s more likely symptoms will appear when you’re stressed, tired or overwhelmed. During these times, our immune system may not be as functional, and dormant viruses such as herpes can start to develop quickly in our bodies.

    To reduce the risk of recurrent herpes infections, try to eat healthily, get at least seven hours of sleep each night if possible, and look out for when your body may be telling you to take a step back and relax. This self-care can go a long way towards keeping latent viruses at bay.

    While the prevalence has increased significantly in recent years, we have not lost the war on genital herpes just yet. Safe sexual practices, education and awareness can help reduce its spread, and the stigma around it.

    If you have personal concerns, you should discuss them with a medical professional.

    Christian Moro, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University and Charlotte Phelps, Senior Teaching Fellow in Medicine, Bond University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work – by Dr. John Gottman

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    A lot of relationship advice can seem a little wishy-washy. Hardline clinical work, on the other hand, can seem removed from the complex reality of married life. Dr. Gottman, meanwhile, strikes a perfect balance.

    He looks at huge datasets, and he listens to very many couples. He famously isolated four relational factors that predict divorce with 91% accuracy, his “Four Horsemen”:

    1. Criticism
    2. Contempt
    3. Defensiveness
    4. Stonewalling

    He also, as the title of this book promises (and we get a chapter-by-chapter deep-dive on each of them) looks at “Seven principles for making marriage work”. They’re not one-word items, so including them here would take up the rest of our space, and this is a book review not a book summary. However…

    Dr. Gottman’s seven principles are, much like his more famous “four horsemen”, deeply rooted in science, while also firmly grounded in the reality of individual couples. Essentially, by listening to very many couples talk about their relationships, and seeing how things panned out with each of them in the long-term, he was able to see what things kept on coming up each time in the couples that worked out. What did they do differently?

    And, that’s the real meat of the book. Science yes, but lots of real-world case studies and examples, from couples that worked and couples that didn’t.

    In so doing, he provides a roadmap for couples who are serious about making their marriage the best it can be.

    Bottom line: this is a must-have book for couples in general, no matter how good or bad the relationship.

    • For some it’ll be a matter of realising “You know what; this isn’t going to work”
    • For others, it’ll be a matter of “Ah, relief, this is how we can resolve that!”
    • For still yet others, it’ll be a matter of “We’re doing these things right; let’s keep them forefront in our minds and never get complacent!”
    • And for everyone who is in a relationship or thinking of getting into one, it’s a top-tier manual.

    Click here to check out the Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work and secure what’s most important to you!

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  • The Comfort Zone – by Kristen Butler

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin. Funny, how being comfortable can be a good starting point, then we are advised “You have to get out of your comfort zone”.

    And yet, when we think of our personal greatest moments in life, they were rarely uncomfortable moments. Why is that?

    Kristen Butler wants us to resolve this paradox, with a reframe:

    The comfort zone? That’s actually the “flow” zone.

    Just as “slow and steady wins the race”, we can—like the proverbial tortoise—take our comfort with us as we go.

    The discomfort zone? That’s the stress zone, the survival zone, the “putting out fires” zone. From the outside, it looks like we’re making a Herculean effort, and perhaps we are, but is it actually so much better than peaceful consistent productivity?

    Butler writes in a way that will be relatable for many, and may be a welcome life-ring if you feel like you’ve been playing catch-up for a while.

    Is she advocating for complacency, then? No, and she discusses this too. That “complacency zone” is really the “burnout zone” after being in the “survival zone” for too long.

    She lays out for us, therefore, a guide for growing in comfort, expanding the comfort zone yes, but by securely pushing it from the inside, not by making a mad dash out and hoping it follows us.

    Bottom line: if you’ve been (perhaps quietly) uncomfortable for a little too long for comfort, this book can reframe your approach to get you to a position of sustainable, stress-free growth.

    Click here to check out The Comfort Zone, and start building yours!

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Related Posts

  • Where Nutrition Meets Habits!
  • Should We Skip Shampoo?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!

    In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small 😎

    ❝What’s the science on “no poo”? Is it really better for hair? There are so many mixed reports out there.❞

    First, for any unfamiliar: this is not about constipation; rather, it is about skipping shampoo, and either:

    • Using an alternative cleaning agent, such as vinegar and/or sodium bicarbonate
    • Using nothing at all, just conditioner when wet and brushing when dry

    Let’s examine why the trend became a thing: the thinking went “shampoo does not exist in nature, and most of our body is more or less self-cleaning; shampoos remove oils from hair, and the body has to produce more sebum to compensate, resulting in a rapid cycle of dry and greasy hair”.

    Now let’s fact-check each of those:

    • shampoo does not exist in nature: true (except in the sense that everything that exists can be argued to exist in nature, since nature encompasses everything—but the point is that shampoo is a purely artificial human invention)
    • most of our body is more or less self-cleaning: true, but our hair is not, for the same reason our nails are not: they’re not really a living part of the overall organism that is our body, so much as a keratinous protrusion of neatly stacked and hardened dead cells from our body. Dead things are not self-cleaning.
    • shampoos remove oils from hair: true; that is what they were invented for and they do it well
    • the body has to produce more sebum to compensate, resulting in a rapid cycle of dry and greasy hair: false; or at least, there is no evidence for this.

    Our hair’s natural oils are great at protecting it, and also great at getting dirt stuck in it. For the former reason we want the oil there; for the latter reason, we don’t.

    So the trick becomes: how to remove the oil (and thus the dirt stuck in it) and then put clean oil back (but not too much, because we don’t want it greasy, just, shiny and not dry)?

    The popular answer is: shampoo to clean the hair, conditioner to put an appropriate amount of oil* back.

    *these days, mostly not actually oil, but rather silicon-based substitutes, that do the same job of protecting hair and keeping it shiny and not brittle, without attracting so much dirt. Remember also that silicon is inert and very body safe; its molecules are simply too large to be absorbed, which is why it gets used in hair products, some skin products, and lube.

    See also: Water-based Lubricant vs Silicon-based Lubricant – Which is Healthier?

    If you go “no poo”, then what will happen is either you dry your hair out much worse by using vinegar or (even worse) bicarbonate of soda, or you just have oil (and any dirt stuck in it) in your hair for the life of the hair. As in, each individual strand of hair has a lifespan, and when it falls out, the dirt will go with it. But until that day, it’s staying with you, oil and dirt and all.

    If you use a conditioner after using those “more natural” harsh cleaners* that aren’t shampoo, then you’ll undo a lot of the damage done, and you’ll probably be fine.

    *in fact, if you’re going to skip shampoo, then instead of vinegar or bicarbonate of soda, dish soap from your kitchen may actually do less damage, because at least it’s pH-balanced. However, please don’t use that either.

    If you’re going to err one way or the other with regard to pH though, erring on the side of slightly acidic is much better than slightly alkaline.

    More on pH: Journal of Trichology | The Shampoo pH can Affect the Hair: Myth or Reality?

    If you use nothing, then brushing a lot will mitigate some of the accumulation of dirt, but honestly, it’s never going to be clean until you clean it.

    Our recommendation

    When your hair seems dirty, and not before, wash it with a simple shampoo (most have far too many unnecessary ingredients; it just needs a simple detergent, and the rest is basically for marketing; to make it foam completely unnecessarily but people like foam, to make it thicker so it feels more substantial, to make it smell nice, to make it a color that gives us confidence it has ingredients in it, etc).

    Then, after rinsing, enjoy a nice conditioner. Again there are usually a lot of unnecessary ingredients, but an argument can be made this time for some being more relevant as unlike with the shampoo, many ingredients are going to remain on your hair after rinsing.

    Between washes, if you have long hair, consider putting some hair-friendly oil (such as argan oil or coconut oil) on the tips daily, to avoid split ends.

    And if you have tight curly hair, then this advice goes double for you, because it takes a lot longer for natural oils to get from your scalp to the ends of your hair. For those of us with straight hair, it pretty much zips straight on down there within a day or two; not so if you have beautiful 4C curls to take care of!

    For more on taking care of hair gently, check out:

    Gentler Hair Care Options, According To Science

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

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  • The 4 Best Stretches To Do Before Bed (And Even: To Do In Bed!)

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Contrary to the stereotype of early morning yoga sessions, the evening is actually the best time to improve flexibility.

    Not only that, but there are benefits to stretching on a soft surface, such as your bed, rather than the floor—in few words, it reduces the nervous feedback that limits your flexibility.

    The most comfortable yoga session

    Here are three great stretches to do of an evening:

    Frog pose:

    • Spread your knees wide, forming 90° angles at your ankles, knees, and hips.
    • Press your hips downward and experiment with tilting your tailbone upwards.
    • Hold for 1–3 minutes, breathing calmly.

    Half straddle stretch:

    • This stretch is done with one leg extended, and your other leg bent with foot against your inner thigh.
    • Keep your lower back elongated while folding forward.
    • Adjust the stretch’s focus by moving towards the middle or towards the extended leg, to stretch your inner thighs more or your hamstrings more, respectively.
    • Hold for 1–2 minutes per leg.

    Tabletop chest stretch:

    • From a tabletop position, walk/slide your hands forward and drop your chest down.
    • Hold for at least 1 minute, breathing deeply.
    • Variations:
      • Turn thumbs upward to engage side muscles.
      • Cross arms to stretch the ribs.

    Cross-legged forward fold:

    • Start in a cross-legged seated position and slightly shift your hips backwards.
    • Fold forward, allowing the spine to round.
    • Hold for 1–3 minutes, breathing calmly.

    This latter is especially good despite its simplicity, as it provides a deep stretch in the outer hips and lower back.

    For more on all of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like:

    Over 50? Do These 3 Stretches Every Morning To Avoid Pain

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

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  • How To Escape From A Despairing Mood

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    When we are in a despairing mood, that’s when it can feel hardest to actually implement anything we know about getting out of one. That’s why sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best:

    Imagination Is Key

    Despairing moods occur when it’s hard to envision a better life. Imagination is the power to envision alternatives, such as new jobs, relationships, or lifestyle, but sadness can cloud our ability to imagine solutions like changing careers, moving house, or starting fresh. With enough imagination, most problems can be worked around—and new opportunities can always be found.

    Importantly: we are not bound by our past or present circumstances; we have the freedom and flexibility to choose new paths. That doesn’t mean it’ll always be a walk in the park, but “this too shall pass”.

    You may be thinking: “sometimes the hardship does pass, but can last many years”, and that is true. All the more reason to check if there’s a freer lane you can slip into to speed ahead. Even if there isn’t, the mere act of imagining such lanes is already respite from the hardships—and having envisioned such will make it much easier for you to recognise when opportunities for change do come along.

    To foster imagination, we are advised to expose ourselves to different narratives, preparing ourselves for alternative ways of living. Thus, we can reframe life’s challenges as intellectual puzzles, urging us to rebuild creatively and find new solutions!

    For more on all this, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Behavioral Activation Against Depression & Anxiety

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails: