At The Heart Of Women’s Health

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A woman’s heart is a particular thing

For the longest time (and still to a large degree now), “women’s health” is assumed to refer to the health of organs found under a bikini. But there’s a lot more to it than that. We are whole people, with such things as brains and hearts and more.

Today (Valentine’s Day!) we’re focusing on the heart.

A quick recap:

We’ve talked previously about some of these sex differences when it comes to the heart, for example:

Heart Attack: His & Hers (Be Prepared!)

…but that’s fairly common knowledge at least amongst those who are attentive to such things, whereas…

Statins: His & Hers?

…is much less common knowledge, especially with the ways statins are more likely to make things worse for a lot of women (not all though; see the article for some nuance about that).

We also talked about:

What Menopause Does To The Heart

…which is well worth reading too!

A question:

Why are women twice as likely to die from a heart attack as their age-equivalent male peers? Women develop heart disease later, but die from it sooner. Why is that?

That’s been a question scientists have been asking (and tentatively answering, as scientists do—hypotheses, theories, conclusions even sometimes) for 20 years now. Likely contributing factors include:

  • A lack of public knowledge of the different symptoms
  • A lack of confidence of bystanders to perform CPR on a woman
  • A lack of public knowledge (including amongst prescribers) about the sex-related differences for statins
  • A lack of women in cardiology, comparatively.
  • A lack of attention to it, simply. Men get heart disease earlier, so it’s thought of as a “man thing”, by health providers as much as by individuals. Men get more regular cardiovascular check-ups, women get a mammogram and go.

Statistically, women are much more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer:

  • Breast cancer kills around 0.02% of us.
  • Heart disease kills one in three.

And yet…

❝In a nationwide survey, only 22% of primary care doctors and 42% of cardiologists said they feel extremely well prepared to assess cardiovascular risks in women.

We are lagging in implementing risk prevention guidelines for women.

A lot of women are being told to just watch their cholesterol levels and see their doctor in a year. That’s a year of delayed care.❞

~ Dr. Gina Lundberg

Source: The slowly evolving truth about heart disease and women

(there’s a lot more in that article than we have room for in ours, so do check it out!)

Some good news:

The “bystanders less likely to feel confident performing CPR on a woman” aspect may be helped by the deployment of new automatic external defibrillator, that works from four sides instead of one.

It’s called “double sequential external defibrillation”, and you can learn about it here:

A new emergency procedure for cardiac arrests aims to save more lives—here’s how it works

(it’s in use already in Canada and Aotearoa)

Gentlemen-readers, thank you for your attention to this one even if it was mostly not about you! Maybe someone you love will benefit from being aware of this

On a lighter note…

Since it’s Valentine’s Day, a little more on affairs of the heart…

Is chocolate good for the heart? And is it really an aphrodisiac?

We answered these questions and more in our previous main feature:

Chocolate & Health: Fact or Fiction?

Enjoy!

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  • Pregnant women can now get a free RSV shot. What other vaccines do you need when you’re expecting?

    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.

    From today, February 3, pregnant women in Australia will be eligible for a free RSV vaccine under the National Immunisation Program.

    This vaccine is designed to protect young infants from severe RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It does so by generating the production of antibodies against RSV in the mother, which then travel across the placenta to the baby.

    While the RSV vaccine is a new addition to the National Immunisation Program, it’s one of three vaccines provided free for pregnant women under the program, alongside ones for influenza and whooping cough. Each offers important protection for newborn babies.

    voronaman/Shutterstock

    The RSV vaccine

    RSV is the most common cause of lower respiratory infections (bronchiolitis and pneumonia) in infants. It’s estimated that of every 100 infants born in Australia each year, at least two will be hospitalised with RSV by six months of age.

    RSV infection is most common roughly between March and August in the southern hemisphere, but infection can occur year-round, especially in tropical areas.

    The vaccine works by conferring passive immunity (from the mother) as opposed to active immunity (the baby’s own immune response). By the time the baby is born, their antibodies are sufficient to protect them during the first months of life when they are most vulnerable to severe RSV disease.

    The RSV vaccine registered for use in pregnant women in Australia, Abrysvo, has been used since 2023 in the Americas and Europe. Real-world experience there shows it’s working well.

    For example, over the 2024 RSV season in Argentina, it was found to prevent 72.7% of lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV and requiring hospitalisation in infants aged 0–3 months, and 68% among those aged 0–6 months. This research noted three deaths from RSV, all in infants whose mothers did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy.

    This was similar to protection seen in a large multinational clinical trial that compared babies born to mothers who received this RSV vaccine with babies born to mothers who received a placebo. This study found the vaccine prevented 82.4% of severe cases of RSV in infants aged under three months, and 70% under six months, and that the vaccine was safe.

    A young baby sleeping under a yellow blanket with a toy bunny.
    Vaccinating mothers during pregnancy protects the newborn baby. StoryTime Studio/Shutterstock

    In addition to the maternal vaccine, nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, provides effective protection against severe RSV disease. It’s delivered to the baby by an intramuscular injection, usually in the thigh.

    Nirsevimab is recommended for babies born to women who did not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy, or who are born within two weeks of their mother having received the shot (most likely if they’re born prematurely). It may also be recommended for babies who are at higher risk of RSV due to a medical condition, even if their mother was vaccinated.

    Nirsevimab is not funded under the National Immunisation Program, but is covered under various state and territory-based programs for infants of mothers who fall into the above categories.

    But now we have a safe and effective RSV vaccine for pregnancy, all pregnant women should be encouraged to receive it as the first line of prevention. This will maximise the number of babies protected during their first months of life.

    Flu and whooping cough

    It’s also important pregnant women continue to receive flu and whooping cough vaccines in 2025. Like the RSV vaccine, these protect infants by passing antibodies from mother to baby.

    There has been a large whooping cough outbreak in Australia in recent months, including a death of a two-month-old infant in Queensland in November 2024.

    The whooping cough vaccine, given in combination with diphtheria and tetanus, prevents more than 90% of whooping cough cases in babies too young to receive their first whooping cough vaccine dose.

    Similarly, influenza can be deadly in young babies, and maternal flu vaccination substantially reduces hospital visits associated with influenza for babies under six months. Flu can also be serious for pregnant women, so the vaccine offers important protection for the mother as well.

    COVID vaccines are safe in pregnancy, but unless a woman is otherwise eligible, they’re not routinely recommended. You can discuss this with your health-care provider.

    When and where can you get vaccinated?

    Pregnant women can receive these vaccines during antenatal visits through their GP or in a specialised antenatal clinic.

    The flu vaccine is recommended at any time during pregnancy, the whooping cough vaccine from 20 weeks (ideally before 32 weeks), and the RSV vaccine from 28 weeks (before 36 weeks).

    It’s safe to receive multiple vaccinations at the same clinic visit.

    A pregnant woman sitting on a couch using a laptop.
    The RSV vaccine is now available for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program. Olga Rolenko/Shutterstock

    We know vaccination rates have declined in a variety of groups since the pandemic, and there’s evidence emerging that suggests this trend has occurred in pregnant women too.

    A recent preprint (a study yet to be peer-reviewed) found a decrease of nearly ten percentage points in flu vaccine coverage among pregnant women in New South Wales, from 58.8% in 2020 to 49.1% in 2022. The research showed a smaller drop of 1.4 percentage points for whooping cough, from 79% in 2020 to 77.6% in 2022.

    It’s important to work to improve vaccination rates during pregnancy to give babies the best protection in their first months of life.

    We know pregnant women would like to receive information about new and routine maternal vaccines early in pregnancy. In particular, many pregnant women want to understand how vaccines are tested for safety, and their effectiveness, which was evident during COVID.

    GPs and midwives are trusted sources of information on vaccines in pregnancy. There’s also information available online on Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation, a collaboration led by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

    Archana Koirala, Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Specialist, University of Sydney; Bianca Middleton, Senior Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research; Margie Danchin, Professor of Paediatrics and vaccinologist, Royal Childrens Hospital, University of Melbourne and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI); Associate Dean International, University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Peter McIntyre, Professor in Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Otago, and Rebecca Doyle, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland

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

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  • The CBT Workbook for Mental Health – by Dr. Simon Rego & Sarah Fader

    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.

    We have often reviewed psychology books here with a note saying “and no, it’s not just a book of the standard CBT techniques that you probably already know”.

    So today, this one’s for anyone who was ever thinking “but I don’t know the standard CBT techniques and I would like to know them!”.

    The authors outline specific solutions to many common quantifiable problems, with simple exercises that are well-explained and easy to implement.

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is not a panacea, but for the things it can be used for, it’s very effective and is a very good “first thing to reach for” to see if it works, because its success rate for a lot of problems is very high.

    What kinds of things is this book most likely to help with? A lot of common forms of stress, anxiety, self-esteem issues, cravings, shame, and relationship issues. Other things too, but we can’t list everything and that list already covers a lot of very high-incidence stuff.

    Bottom line: if CBT isn’t something already in your toolbox, this book will help you add all its best tips and tricks.

    Click here to check out The CBT Workbook for Mental Health, and get tooled up!

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  • To tackle gendered violence, we also need to look at drugs, trauma and mental health

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    After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years to address men’s violence towards women. This includes up to $5,000 to support those escaping violent relationships.

    However, to reduce and prevent gender-based and intimate partner violence we also need to address the root causes and contributors. These include alcohol and other drugs, trauma and mental health issues.

    Why is this crucial?

    The World Health Organization estimates 30% of women globally have experienced intimate partner violence, gender-based violence or both. In Australia, 27% of women have experienced intimate partner violence by a co-habiting partner; almost 40% of Australian children are exposed to domestic violence.

    By gender-based violence we mean violence or intentionally harmful behaviour directed at someone due to their gender. But intimate partner violence specifically refers to violence and abuse occurring between current (or former) romantic partners. Domestic violence can extend beyond intimate partners, to include other family members.

    These statistics highlight the urgent need to address not just the aftermath of such violence, but also its roots, including the experiences and behaviours of perpetrators.

    What’s the link with mental health, trauma and drugs?

    The relationships between mental illness, drug use, traumatic experiences and violence are complex.

    When we look specifically at the link between mental illness and violence, most people with mental illness will not become violent. But there is evidence people with serious mental illness can be more likely to become violent.

    The use of alcohol and other drugs also increases the risk of domestic violence, including intimate partner violence.

    About one in three intimate partner violence incidents involve alcohol. These are more likely to result in physical injury and hospitalisation. The risk of perpetrating violence is even higher for people with mental ill health who are also using alcohol or other drugs.

    It’s also important to consider traumatic experiences. Most people who experience trauma do not commit violent acts, but there are high rates of trauma among people who become violent.

    For example, experiences of childhood trauma (such as witnessing physical abuse) can increase the risk of perpetrating domestic violence as an adult.

    Small boy standing outside, eyes down, hands over ears
    Childhood trauma can leave its mark on adults years later. Roman Yanushevsky/Shutterstock

    Early traumatic experiences can affect the brain and body’s stress response, leading to heightened fear and perception of threat, and difficulty regulating emotions. This can result in aggressive responses when faced with conflict or stress.

    This response to stress increases the risk of alcohol and drug problems, developing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and increases the risk of perpetrating intimate partner violence.

    How can we address these overlapping issues?

    We can reduce intimate partner violence by addressing these overlapping issues and tackling the root causes and contributors.

    The early intervention and treatment of mental illness, trauma (including PTSD), and alcohol and other drug use, could help reduce violence. So extra investment for these are needed. We also need more investment to prevent mental health issues, and preventing alcohol and drug use disorders from developing in the first place.

    Female psychologist or counsellor talking with male patient
    Early intervention and treatment of mental illness, trauma and drug use is important. Okrasiuk/Shutterstock

    Preventing trauma from occuring and supporting those exposed is crucial to end what can often become a vicious cycle of intergenerational trauma and violence. Safe and supportive environments and relationships can protect children against mental health problems or further violence as they grow up and engage in their own intimate relationships.

    We also need to acknowledge the widespread impact of trauma and its effects on mental health, drug use and violence. This needs to be integrated into policies and practices to reduce re-traumatising individuals.

    How about programs for perpetrators?

    Most existing standard intervention programs for perpetrators do not consider the links between trauma, mental health and perpetrating intimate partner violence. Such programs tend to have little or mixed effects on the behaviour of perpetrators.

    But we could improve these programs with a coordinated approach including treating mental illness, drug use and trauma at the same time.

    Such “multicomponent” programs show promise in meaningfully reducing violent behaviour. However, we need more rigorous and large-scale evaluations of how well they work.

    What needs to happen next?

    Supporting victim-survivors and improving interventions for perpetrators are both needed. However, intervening once violence has occurred is arguably too late.

    We need to direct our efforts towards broader, holistic approaches to prevent and reduce intimate partner violence, including addressing the underlying contributors to violence we’ve outlined.

    We also need to look more widely at preventing intimate partner violence and gendered violence.

    We need developmentally appropriate education and skills-based programs for adolescents to prevent the emergence of unhealthy relationship patterns before they become established.

    We also need to address the social determinants of health that contribute to violence. This includes improving access to affordable housing, employment opportunities and accessible health-care support and treatment options.

    All these will be critical if we are to break the cycle of intimate partner violence and improve outcomes for victim-survivors.

    The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.

    Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney; Lucinda Grummitt, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, and Steph Kershaw, Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney

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

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Related Posts

  • Is chocolate milk a good recovery drink after a workout? A dietitian reviews the evidence
  • Drug Metabolism (When You’re Not Average!)

    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 Your Medications Run Out… Of You

    Everybody knows that alcohol can affect medications’ effects, but what of smoking, and what of obesity? And how does the alcohol thing work anyway?

    It’s all about the enzymes

    Medicines that are processed by the liver (which is: most medicines) are metabolized there by specialist enzymes, and the things we do can increase or decrease the quantity of those enzymes—and/or how active they are.

    Dr. Kata Wolff Pederson and her team of researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark examined the livers of recently deceased donors in ways that can’t (ethically) be done with live patients, and were able to find the associations between various lifestyle factors and different levels of enzymes responsible for drug metabolism.

    And it’s not always how you might think!

    Some key things they found:

    • Smokers have twice as high levels of enzyme CYP1A2 than non-smokers, which results in the faster metabolism of a lot of drugs.
    • Drinkers have 30% higher levels of enzyme CYP2E1, which also results in a faster metabolism of a lot of drugs.
    • Patients with obesity have 50% lower levels of enzyme CYP3A4, resulting in slower metabolism of many drugs

    This gets particularly relevant when we take into account the next fact:

    • Of the individuals in the study, 40% died from poisoning from a mixture of drugs (usually: prescription and otherwise)

    Read in full: Sex- and Lifestyle-Related Factors are Associated with Altered Hepatic CYP Protein Levels

    Read a pop-sci article about it: Your lifestyle can determine how well your medicine will work

    How much does the metabolism speed matter?

    It can matter a lot! If you’re taking drugs and carefully abiding by the dosage instructions, those instructions were assuming they know your speed of metabolism, and this is based on an average.

    • If your metabolism is faster, you can get too much of a drug too quickly, and it can harm you
    • If your metabolism is faster, it also means that while yes it’ll start working sooner, it’ll also stop working sooner
      • If it’s a painkiller, that’s inconvenient. If it’s a drug that keeps you alive, then well, that’s especially unfortunate.
    • If your metabolism is slower, it can mean your body is still processing the previous dose(s) when you take the next one, and you can overdose (and potentially die)

    We touched on this previously when we talked about obesity in health care settings, and how people can end up getting worse care:

    Let’s Shed Some Obesity Myths

    As for alcohol and drugs? Obviously we do not recommend, but here’s some of the science of it with many examples:

    Why it’s a bad idea to mix alcohol with some medications

    Take care!

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  • Perfectionism, And How To Make Yours Work For You

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    Harness The Power Of Your Perfectionism

    A lot of people see perfectionism as a problem—and it can be that!

    We can use perfectionism as a would-be shield against our fear of failure, by putting things off until we’re better prepared (repeat forever, or at least until the deadliniest deadline that ever deadlined), or do things but really struggle to draw a line under them and check them off as “done” because we keep tweaking and improving and improving… With diminishing returns (forever). So, that’s not helpful.

    But, if we’re mindful, we can also leverage our perfectionism to our benefit.

    Great! How?

    First we need to be able to discern the ways in which perfectionism can be bad or good for us. Or as it’s called in psychology, ways in which our perfectionism can be maladaptive or adaptive.

    • Maladaptive: describing a behavioral adaptation to our environment—specifically, a reactive behavioral adaptation that is unhealthy and really is not a solution to the problem at hand
    • Adaptive: describing a behavioral adaptation to our environment—specifically, a responsive behavioral adaptation that is healthy and helps us to thrive

    So in the case of perfectionism, one example for each might be:

    • Maladaptive: never taking up that new hobby, because you’re just going to suck at it anyway, and what’s the point if you’re not going to excel? You’re a perfectionist, and you don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
    • Adaptive: researching the new hobby, learning the basics, and recognizing that even if the results are not immediately perfect, the learning process can be… Yes, even with mistakes along the way, for they too are part of learning! You’re a perfectionist, and you’re going to be the best possible student of your new hobby.

    Did you catch the key there?

    When it comes to approaching things we do in life—either because we want to or because we must—there are two kinds of mindset: goal-oriented, and task-oriented.

    Broadly speaking, each has their merits, and as a general topic, it’s beyond the scope of today’s main feature. Here we’re looking at it in the context of perfectionism, and in that frame, there’s a clear qualitative difference:

    • The goal-oriented perfectionist will be frustrated to the point of torment, at not immediately attaining the goal. Everything short of that will be a means to an end, at best. Not fun.
    • The task-oriented perfectionist will take joy in going about the task in the best way possible, and optimizing their process as they go. The journey itself will be rewarding and a tangible product of their consistent perfectionism.

    The good news is: you get to choose! You’re not stuck in a box.

    If you’re thinking “I’m a perfectionist and I’m generally a goal-oriented person”, that’s fine. You’re just going to need to reframe your goals.

    • Instead of: my goal is to be fluent in Arabic
      • …so you never speak it, because to err is human, all too human, and you’re a perfectionist, so you don’t want that!
    • Let’s try: my goal is to study Arabic for at least 15 minutes per day, every day, without fail, covering at least some new material each time, no matter how small the increase
      • …and then you go and throw yourself into conversation way out of your depth, make mistakes, and get corrections, because that’s how you learn, and you’re a perfectionist, so you want that!

    This goes for any field of expertise, of course.

    • If you want to play the violin solo in Carnegie Hall, you have to pick up your violin and practice each day.
    • If you want to be a world-renowned pastry chef, you have to make a consistent habit of baking.
    • If you want to write a bestselling book, you have to show up at your keyboard.

    Be perfect all you want, but be the perfect student.

    And as your skills grow, maybe you’ll upgrade that to also being the perfect practitioner, and perhaps later still, the perfect teacher.

    But just remember:

    Perfection comes not from the end goal (that would be backwards thinking!) but from the process (which includes mistakes; they’re an important part of learning; embrace them and grow!), so perfect that first.

    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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  • The Fruit That Can Specifically Reduce Belly Fat

    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.

    Gambooge: Game-Changer Or Gamble?

    The gambooge, also called the gummi-gutta, whence its botanical name Garcinia gummi-gutta (formerly Gardinia cambogia), is also known as the Malabar tamarind, and it even got an English name, the brindle berry.

    It’s a fruit that looks like a small pale yellow pumpkin in shape, but it grows on trees and has a taste so sour, that it’s usually used only in cooking, and not eaten raw which makes this writer really want to try it raw now.

    Its active phytochemical compound hydroxycitric acid (HCA) rose to popularity as a supplement in the US based on a paid recommendation from Dr. Oz, and then became a controversy as supplements associated with it, were in turn associated with hepatotoxicity (more on this in the “Is it safe?” section below).

    What do people use it for?

    Simply put: it’s a weight loss supplement.

    Less simply put: least interestingly, it’s a mild appetite suppressant:

    Safety and mechanism of appetite suppression by a novel hydroxycitric acid extract (HCA-SX) ← this talks more about the biochemistry, but isn’t a human study. Human studies have been small and with mixed results. It seems likely that (as in the rat studies discussed above) the mechanism of action is largely about increasing serotonin, which itself is a well-established appetite suppressant. Therefore, the results will depend somewhat on a person’s brain’s serotonergic system.

    We’ll revisit that later, but first let’s look at…

    Even less simply put: its other mechanism of action is much more interesting; it actually blocks the production of fat (especially: visceral fat) in the body, by inhibiting citrate lyase, which enzyme plays a significant role in fat production:

    Effects of (−)-hydroxycitrate on net fat synthesis as de novo lipogenesis

    More illustratively, here’s another study, which found:

    ❝G cambogia reduced abdominal fat accumulation in subjects, regardless of sex, who had the visceral fat accumulation type of obesity. No rebound effect was observed.

    It is therefore expected that G cambogia may be useful for the prevention and reduction of accumulation of visceral fat. ❞

    ~ Dr. Norihiro Shigematsu et al.

    Read in full: Effects of garcinia cambogia (Hydroxycitric Acid) on visceral fat accumulation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

    As to why this is particularly important, and far more important than mere fat loss in general, see our previous main feature:

    Visceral Belly Fat (And How To Lose It)

    Is it safe?

    It has shown a good safety profile up to large doses (2.8g/day):

    Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of hydroxycitric acid or Garcinia cambogia extracts in humans

    There have been some fears about hepatotoxicity, but they appear to be unfounded, and based on products that did not, in fact, contain HCA (and were merely sold by a company that used a similar name in their marketing):

    No evidence demonstrating hepatotoxicity associated with hydroxycitric acid

    However, as it has a serotoninergic effect, it could cause problems for anyone at risk of serotonin syndrome, which means caution is advisable if you are taking SSRIs (which reduce the rate at which the brain can scrub serotonin, with the usually laudable goal of having more serotonin in the brain—but it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and serotonin syndrome isn’t fun).

    As ever, do check with your pharmacist and/or doctor, to be sure, since they can advise with regard to your specific situation and any medications you may be taking.

    Want to try some?

    We don’t sell it, but here for your convenience is an example product on Amazon

    Enjoy!

    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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