Make Social Media Work For Your Mental Health

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Social Media, But Healthy

Social media has a bad reputation, and rightly so. It’s calculated to trick you into doomscrolling and rage-posting, and it encourages you to compare your everyday life to other people’s carefully-curated highlight reels.

Rebalancing Dopamine (Without “Dopamine Fasting”)

But it doesn’t have to be so.

Find your community

One of the biggest strengths social media has going for it is that it can, if used well, be a powerful tool for community. As for why that’s important from a health perspective, see:

How To Beat Loneliness & Isolation

Loneliness & isolation do, of course, kill people. By:

  • Accidents, e.g. household fall but nobody notices for a week
  • Depression and resultant decline (and perhaps even active suicidality)
  • Cognitive decline from a lack of social contact

Read more:

So, what’s “community” to you, and to what extent can you find it online? Examples might include:

  • A church, or other religious community, if we be religious
  • The LGBT+ community, or even just a part of it, if that fits for us
  • Any mutual-support oriented, we-have-this-shared-experience community, could be anything from AA to the VA.

Find your people, and surround yourself with them. There are more than 8,000,000,000 people on this planet, you will not find all the most compatible ones with you on your street.

Grow & nurture your community

Chances are, you have a lot to contribute. Your life experiences are valuable.

Being of service to other people is strongly associated “flourishing”, per the science.

Indeed, one of the questions on the subjective wellness scale test is to ask how much one agrees with the statement “I actively contribute to the happiness and wellbeing of others”.

See: Are You Flourishing? (There’s a Scale)

So, help people, share your insights, create whatever is relevant to your community and fits your skills (it could be anything from art to tutorials to call-to-action posts or whatever works for you and your community)

As a bonus: when people notice you are there for them, they’ll probably be there for you, too. Not always, sadly, but there is undeniable strength in numbers.

Remember it’s not the boss of you

Whatever social media platform(s) you use, the companies in question will want you to use it in the way that is most profitable for them.

Usually that means creating a lot of shallow content, clicking on as many things as possible, and never logging off.

Good ways to guard against that include:

  • Use the social media from a computer rather than a handheld device
  • Disable “infinite scroll” in the settings, if possible
  • Set a timer and stick to it
  • Try to keep your interactions to only those that are relevant and kind (for the good of your own health, let alone anyone else’s)

On that latter note…

Before posting, ask “what am I trying to achieve here?” and ensure your action is aligned with your actual desires, and not just reactivity. See also:

A Bone To Pick… Up And Then Put Back Where We Found It

Take care!

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  • Ageless Aging – by Maddy Dychtwald

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    Maddy Dychtwald, herself 73, has spent her career working in the field of aging. She’s not a gerontologist or even a doctor, but she’s nevertheless been up-to-the-ears in the industry for decades, mostly as an organizer, strategist, facilitator, and so forth. As such, she’s had her finger on the pulse of the healthy longevity movement for a long time.

    This book was written to address a problem, and the problem is: lifespan is increasing (especially for women), but healthspan has not been keeping up the pace.

    In other words: people (especially women) are living longer, but often with more health problems along the way than before.

    And mostly, it’s for lack of information (or sometimes: too much competing incorrect information).

    Fortunately, information is something that a woman in Dychtwald’s position has an abundance of, because she has researchers and academics in many fields on speed-dial and happy to answer her questions (we get a lot of input from such experts throughout the book—which is why this book is so science-based, despite the author not being a scientist).

    The book answers a lot of important questions beyond the obvious “what diet/exercise/sleep/supplements/etc are best for healthy aging” (spoiler: it’s quite consistent with the things we recommend here, because guess what, science is science), questions like how best to prepare for this that or the other, how to get a head start on preventative healthcare for some things, how to avoid being a burden to our families (one can argue that families are supposed to look after each other, but still, it’s a legitimate worry for many, and understandably so), and even how to balance the sometimes conflicting worlds of health and finances.

    Unlike many authors, she also talks about the different kinds of aging, and tackles each of them separately and together. We love to see it!

    Bottom line: this book is a very good one-stop-shop for all things healthy aging. It’s aimed squarely at women, but most advice goes for men the same too, aside from the section on hormones and such.

    Click here to check out Ageless Aging, and plan your future!

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  • Carrot vs Sweet Potato – Which is Healthier?

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    Our Verdict

    When comparing carrot to sweet potato, we picked the sweet potato.

    Why?

    Both are great! But there’s a winner in the end:

    Looking at the macros first, sweet potato has more protein carbs, and fiber, and is thus the “more food per food” item. If they are both cooked the same, then the glycemic index is comparable, despite the carrot’s carbs having more sucrose and the sweet potato’s carbs having more starch. We’ll call this category a tie.

    In terms of vitamins, carrots have more of vitamins B9 and K, while sweet potatoes have more of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6. B7, C, E, and choline. Both are equally high in vitamin A. Thus, the vitamins category is an overwhelming win for sweet potato.

    When it comes to minerals, carrots are not higher in any minerals (unless we count that they are slightly higher in sodium, but that is not generally considered a plus for most people in most places most of the time), while sweet potato is higher in calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Another easy win for sweet potato.

    Adding up the sections makes for a clear win for the sweet potato as the more nutritionally dense option, but as ever, enjoy either or both!

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    What’s Your Plant Diversity Score?

    Take care!

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  • Just One Heart – by Dr. Jonathan Fisher

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    First, what this is not: a book to say eat fiber, go easy on the salt, get some exercise, and so forth.

    What this rather is: a book about the connection between the heart and mind; often written poetically, the simple biological reality is that our emotional state does have a genuine impact on our heart health, and as such, any effort to look after our heart (healthwise) would be incomplete without an effort to look after our heart (emotionally).

    Dr. Fisher talks about the impact of stress and uncertainty, as well as peace and security, on heart health—and then, having sorted emotional states into “heart breakers” and “heart wakers”, he goes about laying out a plan for what is, emotionally and thus also physiologically, good for our heart.

    Chapter by chapter, he walks us through the 7 principles to live by:

    1. Steadiness: how to steady your heart amid chaos
    2. Wisdom: how to develop a wise heart in uncertain times
    3. Openness: how to safely open your heart in a threatening world
    4. Wholeness: how to show up with your whole heart without going to pieces
    5. Courage: how to lead with a courageous heart when fear surrounds you
    6. Lightness: how to live with a light heart in a heavy world
    7. Warmth: how to love with a warm heart when life feels cold

    The style is anything but clinical; it’s well-written, certainly, and definitely informed in part by his medical understanding of the heart, but it’s entirely the raw human element that shines throughout, and that makes the ideas a lot more tangible.

    Bottom line: if you’d like your heart to be healthy (cardiac health) and your heart to be healthy (emotional health), this book is a very worthwhile read.

    Click here to check out Just One Heart, and take care of yours!

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  • Here’s how to help protect your family from norovirus

    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.

    What you need to know

    • Norovirus is a very contagious infection that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
    • The best way to help protect against norovirus is to wash your hands often with soap and warm water, since hand sanitizer may not be effective at killing the virus.
    • If someone in your household has symptoms of norovirus, isolate them away from others, watch for signs of dehydration, and take steps to help prevent it from spreading.

    If you feel like everyone is sick right now, you’re not alone. Levels of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV remain remain high in many states, and the U.S. is also battling a wave of norovirus, one of several viruses that cause a very contagious infection of the stomach and intestines. 

    Although norovirus infections are more common during the colder months—it’s also called the “winter vomiting disease”—the virus can spread at any time. Right now, however, cases have more than doubled since last year’s peak.

    Read on to learn about the symptoms of norovirus, how it spreads, and what to do if someone in your household gets sick.

    What are the symptoms of norovirus?

    Norovirus is a very contagious infection that causes vomiting and diarrhea, which typically begins 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. Additional symptoms may include stomach pain, body aches, headaches, and a fever. Norovirus typically resolves within three days, but people who are infected may still be contagious for up to two days after symptoms resolve.

    Norovirus may cause dehydration, or a dangerous loss of fluids, especially in young children and older adults. See a health care provider if you or someone in your household shows signs of dehydration, which may include decreased urination, dizziness, a dry mouth and throat, sleepiness, and crying without tears.

    How can you help protect against norovirus?

    You can get norovirus if you have close contact with someone who is infected, touch a contaminated surface and then touch your mouth or nose, or consume contaminated food or beverages.

    The best way to help protect yourself and others against norovirus is to wash your hands often with soap and warm water, since hand sanitizer may not be effective at killing the virus. Other ways to help protect yourself may include cooking food thoroughly and washing fruits and vegetables before eating them.

    You can get sick with norovirus even if you’ve had it before, since there are many different strains.

    How can families help protect against the spread of norovirus at home?

    If someone in your household has symptoms of norovirus, isolate them away from others and watch for signs of dehydration. If you are sick with norovirus, do not prepare food for others in your household and use a separate bathroom, if possible.

    When cleaning up after someone who has norovirus, wear rubber, latex, or nitrile gloves. Then wash your hands thoroughly.

    Clean surfaces using a solution containing five to 25 tablespoons of bleach (that’s 12.5 fluid ounces, or just  over ¾ cup), per gallon of water. Leave the bleach-water mix on surfaces for at least five minutes before wiping it off.

    For more information, talk to your health care provider.

    This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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  • Viruses aren’t always harmful. 6 ways they’re used in health care and pest control

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    We tend to just think of viruses in terms of their damaging impacts on human health and lives. The 1918 flu pandemic killed around 50 million people. Smallpox claimed 30% of those who caught it, and survivors were often scarred and blinded. More recently, we’re all too familiar with the health and economic impacts of COVID.

    But viruses can also be used to benefit human health, agriculture and the environment.

    Viruses are comparatively simple in structure, consisting of a piece of genetic material (RNA or DNA) enclosed in a protein coat (the capsid). Some also have an outer envelope.

    Viruses get into your cells and use your cell machinery to copy themselves.
    Here are six ways we’ve harnessed this for health care and pest control.

    1. To correct genes

    Viruses are used in some gene therapies to correct malfunctioning genes. Genes are DNA sequences that code for a particular protein required for cell function.

    If we remove viral genetic material from the capsid (protein coat) we can use the space to transport a “cargo” into cells. These modified viruses are called “viral vectors”.

    Viruses consist of a piece of RNA or DNA enclosed in a protein coat called the capsid.
    DEXi

    Viral vectors can deliver a functional gene into someone with a genetic disorder whose own gene is not working properly.

    Some genetic diseases treated this way include haemophilia, sickle cell disease and beta thalassaemia.

    2. Treat cancer

    Viral vectors can be used to treat cancer.

    Healthy people have p53, a tumour-suppressor gene. About half of cancers are associated with the loss of p53.

    Replacing the damaged p53 gene using a viral vector stops the cancerous cell from replicating and tells it to suicide (apoptosis).

    Viral vectors can also be used to deliver an inactive drug to a tumour, where it is then activated to kill the tumour cell.

    This targeted therapy reduces the side effects otherwise seen with cytotoxic (cell-killing) drugs.

    We can also use oncolytic (cancer cell-destroying) viruses to treat some types of cancer.

    Tumour cells have often lost their antiviral defences. In the case of melanoma, a modified herpes simplex virus can kill rapidly dividing melanoma cells while largely leaving non-tumour cells alone.

    3. Create immune responses

    Viral vectors can create a protective immune response to a particular viral antigen.

    One COVID vaccine uses a modified chimp adenovirus (adenoviruses cause the common cold in humans) to transport RNA coding for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein into human cells.

    The RNA is then used to make spike protein copies, which stimulate our immune cells to replicate and “remember” the spike protein.

    Then, when you are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 for real, your immune system can churn out lots of antibodies and virus-killing cells very quickly to prevent or reduce the severity of infection.

    4. Act as vaccines

    Viruses can be modified to act directly as vaccines themselves in several ways.

    We can weaken a virus (for an attenuated virus vaccine) so it doesn’t cause infection in a healthy host but can still replicate to stimulate the immune response. The chickenpox vaccine works like this.

    The Salk vaccine for polio uses a whole virus that has been inactivated (so it can’t cause disease).

    Others use a small part of the virus such as a capsid protein to stimulate an immune response (subunit vaccines).

    An mRNA vaccine packages up viral RNA for a specific protein that will stimulate an immune response.

    5. Kill bacteria

    Viruses can – in limited situations in Australia – be used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

    Bacteriophages are viruses that kill bacteria. Each type of phage usually infects a particular species of bacteria.

    Unlike antibiotics – which often kill “good” bacteria along with the disease-causing ones – phage therapy leaves your normal flora (useful microbes) intact.

    A phage
    Bacteriophages (red) are viruses that kill bacteria (green).
    Shutterstock

    6. Target plant, fungal or animal pests

    Viruses can be species-specific (infecting one species only) and even cell-specific (infecting one type of cell only).

    This occurs because the proteins viruses use to attach to cells have a shape that binds to a specific type of cell receptor or molecule, like a specific key fits a lock.

    The virus can enter the cells of all species with this receptor/molecule. For example, rabies virus can infect all mammals because we share the right receptor, and mammals have other characteristics that allow infection to occur whereas other non-mammal species don’t.

    When the receptor is only found on one cell type, then the virus will infect that cell type, which may only be found in one or a limited number of species. Hepatitis B virus successfully infects liver cells primarily in humans and chimps.

    We can use that property of specificity to target invasive plant species (reducing the need for chemical herbicides) and pest insects (reducing the need for chemical insecticides). Baculoviruses, for example, are used to control caterpillars.

    Similarly, bacteriophages can be used to control bacterial tomato and grapevine diseases.

    Other viruses reduce plant damage from fungal pests.

    Myxoma virus and calicivirus reduce rabbit populations and their environmental impacts and improve agricultural production.

    Just like humans can be protected against by vaccination, plants can be “immunised” against a disease-causing virus by being exposed to a milder version.The Conversation

    Thea van de Mortel, Professor, Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University

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

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  • Reading At Night: Good Or Bad For Sleep? And Other Questions

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    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? You can always hit “reply” to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom!

    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

    ❝Would be interested in your views about “reading yourself to sleep”. I find that current affairs magazines and even modern novels do exactly the opposite. But Dickens – ones like David Copperfield and Great Expectations – I find wonderfully effective. It’s like entering a parallel universe where none of your own concerns matter. Any thoughts on the science that may explain this?!❞

    Anecdotally: this writer is (like most writers) a prolific reader, and finds reading some fiction last thing at night is a good way to create a buffer between the affairs of the day and the dreams of night—but I could never fall asleep that way, unless I were truly sleep-deprived. The only danger is if I “one more chapter” my way deep into the night! For what it’s worth, bedtime reading for me means a Kindle self-backlit with low, soft lighting.

    Scientifically: this hasn’t been a hugely researched area, but there are studies to work from. But there are two questions at hand (at least) here:

    1. one is about reading, and
    2. the other is about reading from electronic devices with or without blue light filters.

    Here’s a study that didn’t ask the medium of the book, and concluded that reading a book in bed before going to sleep improved sleep quality, compared to not reading a book in bed:

    Does reading a book in bed make a difference to sleep in comparison to not reading a book in bed? The People’s Trial-an online, pragmatic, randomised trial

    Here’s a study that concluded that reading on an iPad (with no blue light filter) that found no difference in any metrics except EEG (so, there was no difference on time spent in different sleep states or sleep onset latency), but advised against it anyway because of the EEG readings (which showed slow wave activity being delayed by approximately 30 minutes, which is consistent with melatonin production mechanics):

    Reading from an iPad or from a book in bed: the impact on human sleep. A randomized controlled crossover trial

    Here’s another study that didn’t take EEG readings, and/but otherwise confirmed no differences being found:

    Two hours of evening reading on a self-luminous tablet vs. reading a physical book does not alter sleep after daytime bright light exposure

    We’re aware this goes against general “sleep hygiene” advice in two different ways:

    • General advice is to avoid electronic devices before bedtime
    • General advice is to not do activities besides sleep (and sex) in bed

    …but, we’re committed to reporting the science as we find it!

    Enjoy!

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