#50s and Beyond A Guide for Women

[paularoseauthor]

Navigating Wellness in Your 50s and Beyond a Guide for Women

Here's my guide tailored to women over 50, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Entering the 50s is a significant milestone for women; it certainly was for me. Hitting 50 marked a transition and change in various aspects of my life, including health and well-being. After all, 50 is half a century, so let’s care for ourselves with knowledge and make it fun! While the ageing process is inevitable (sadly), adopting a proactive and holistic approach can contribute to staying…

[thaoworra]

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association recently released the poems that made it to the finalist stage for consideration for the 2024 Rhysling Awards for Short and Long Speculative Poems of the year. Congratulations to all of the nominees! This will be the 46th year these awards have been conferred!

Short Poems (50 finalists)

Attn: Prime Real Estate Opportunity!, Emily Ruth Verona, Under Her Eye: A Women in Horror Poetry Collection Volume II

The Beauty of Monsters, Angela Liu, Small Wonders 1

The Blight of Kezia, Patricia Gomes, HWA Poetry Showcase X

The Day We All Died, A Little, Lisa Timpf, Radon 5

Deadweight, Jack Cooper, Propel 7

Dear Mars, Susan L. Lin, The Sprawl Mag 1.2

Dispatches from the Dragon's Den, Mary Soon Lee, Star*Line 46.2

Dr. Jekyll, West Ambrose, Thin Veil Press December

First Eclipse: Chang-O and the Jade Hare, Emily Jiang, Uncanny 53

Five of Cups Considers Forgiveness, Ali Trotta, The Deadlands 31

Gods of the Garden, Steven Withrow, Spectral Realms 19

The Goth Girls' Gun Gang, Marisca Pichette, The Dread Machine 3.2

Guiding Star, Tim Jones, Remains to be Told: Dark Tales of Aotearoa, ed. Lee Murray (Clan Destine Press)

Hallucinations Gifted to Me by Heatstroke, Morgan L. Ventura, Banshee 15

hemiplegic migraine as willing human sacrifice, Ennis Rook Bashe, Eternal Haunted Summer Winter Solstice

Hi! I am your Cortical Update!, Mahaila Smith, Star*Line 46.3

How to Make the Animal Perfect?, Linda D. Addison, Weird Tales 100

I Dreamt They Cast a Trans Girl to Give Birth to the Demon, Jennessa Hester, HAD October

Invasive, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff, Polar Starlight 9

kan-da-ka, Nadaa Hussein, Apparition Lit 23

Language as a Form of Breath, Angel Leal, Apparition Lit October

The Lantern of September, Scott Couturier, Spectral Realms 19

Let Us Dream, Myna Chang, Small Wonders 3

The Magician's Foundling, Angel Leal, Heartlines Spec 2

The Man with the Stone Flute, Joshua St. Claire, Abyss & Apex 87

Mass-Market Affair, Casey Aimer, Star*Line 46.4

Mom's Surprise, Francis W. Alexander, Tales from the Moonlit Path June

A Murder of Crows, Alicia Hilton, Ice Queen 11

No One Now Remembers, Geoffrey Landis, Fantasy and Science Fiction Nov./Dec.

orion conquers the sky, Maria Zoccula, On Spec 33.2

Pines in the Wind, Karen Greenbaum-Maya, The Beautiful Leaves (Bamboo Dart Press)

The Poet Responds to an Invitation from the AI on the Moon, T.D. Walker, Radon Journal 5

A Prayer for the Surviving, Marisca Pichette, Haven Speculative 9

Pre-Nuptial, F. J. Bergmann, The Vampiricon (Mind's Eye Publications)

The Problem of Pain, Anna Cates, Eye on the Telescope 49

The Return of the Sauceress, F. J. Bergmann, The Flying Saucer Poetry Review February

Sea Change, David C. Kopaska-Merkel and Ann K. Schwader, Scifaikuest May

Seed of Power, Linda D. Addison, The Book of Witches ed. Jonathan Strahan (Harper Collins)

Sleeping Beauties, Carina Bissett, HWA Poetry Showcase X

Solar Punks, J. D. Harlock, The Dread Machine 3.1

Song of the Last Hour, Samuel A. Betiku, The Deadlands 22

Sphinx, Mary Soon Lee, Asimov's September/October

Storm Watchers (a drabbun), Terrie Leigh Relf, Space & Time

Sunflower Astronaut, Charlie Espinosa, Strange Horizons July

Three Hearts as One, G. O. Clark, Asimov's May/June

Troy, Carolyn Clink, Polar Starlight 12

Twenty-Fifth Wedding Anniversary, John Grey, Medusa's Kitchen September

Under World, Jacqueline West, Carmina Magazine September

Walking in the Starry World, John Philip Johnson, Orion's Belt May

Whispers in Ink, Angela Yuriko Smith, Whispers from Beyond (Crystal Lake Publishing)

Long Poems (25 finalists)

Archivist of a Lost World, Gerri Leen, Eccentric Orbits 4

As the witch burns, Marisca Pichette, Fantasy 87

Brigid the Poet, Adele Gardner, Eternal Haunted Summer Summer Solstice

Coding a Demi-griot (An Olivian Measure), Armoni “Monihymn” Boone, Fiyah 26

Cradling Fish, Laura Ma, Strange Horizons May

Dream Visions, Melissa Ridley Elmes, Eccentric Orbits 4

Eight Dwarfs on Planet X, Avra Margariti, Radon Journal 3

The Giants of Kandahar, Anna Cates, Abyss & Apex 88

How to Haunt a Northern Lake, Lora Gray, Uncanny 55

Impostor Syndrome, Robert Borski, Dreams and Nightmares 124

The Incessant Rain, Rhiannon Owens, Evermore 3

Interrogation About A Monster During Sleep Paralysis, Angela Liu, Strange Horizons November

Little Brown Changeling, Lauren Scharhag, Aphelion 283

A Mere Million Miles from Earth, John C. Mannone, Altered Reality April

Pilot, Akua Lezli Hope, Black Joy Unbound eds. Stephanie Andrea Allen & Lauren Cherelle (BLF Press)

Protocol, Jamie Simpher, Small Wonders 5

Sleep Dragon, Herb Kauderer, The Book of Sleep (Written Image Press)

Slow Dreaming, Herb Kauderer, The Book of Sleep (Written Image Press)

St. Sebastian Goes To Confession, West Ambrose, Mouthfeel 1

Value Measure, Joseph Halden and Rhonda Parrish, Dreams and Nightmares 125

A Weather of My Own Making, Nnadi Samuel, Silver Blade 56

Welcoming the New Girl, Beth Cato, Penumbric October

What You Find at the Center, Elizabeth R McClellan, Haven Spec Magazine 12

The Witch Makes Her To-Do List, Theodora Goss, Uncanny 50

The Year It Changed, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Star*Line 46.4

Voting for the Rhysling Award begins July 1; a link to the ballot will be sent with the Rhysling Anthology, as well as with the July issue of Star*Line. More information on the Rhysling Award can be found here.

[fansplaining]

Do you have any advice, guides, or opinions on how write a good rec list?

WELL! This is Elizabeth, and as the longtime co-curator of "The Rec Center" newsletter (with @hellotailor) I do have *a lot* of thoughts about rec lists. 😊 I'm delighted you asked, because as I'm sure both Flourish & I have mentioned on the podcast, rec-list-making is way less prominent now than it has been in previous fandom eras, and I think that's a shame. Reccing can be a great critical tool, and rec lists make a fanwork space richer—not least because they can move readers beyond the mostly quantitative metrics of the AO3.

I'll put the rest of this under the cut:

So obviously there are different kinds of rec lists, including by category/trope, favorites about a character or a ship or fandom, etc. To me, a true ~authored~ rec list is one in which the writer(s) deliberately put together a batch of fics to make some kind of argument about the works/the ship/the fandom/the source material.

Most of the lists we run in the newsletter are not like this, because we're pulling 5-7 works from our guest submissions bank—and since we don't (realistically, can't!) read the stories that are sent in, I have no idea if those 5-7 compliment each other in any real way. (When I put together one of these lists, I aim for balance: not all M/M, not all white characters, not all Western source material, etc.) (Yes, unsurprisingly, those are overrepresented in our submissions bank.)

But an authored rec list treats the rec list itself like a fanwork: you can tap into connective tissue that runs throughout the fics you choose, and you can put stories side-by-side that illuminate something when read together. You can approach this from two different directions: working from a broader pool of fics you like and pulling out a coherent batch, or starting with a theme, an argument, that connective tissue, and seeing what fits.

When I first got into my current fandom, I kept a google doc with fic titles, links, brief descriptors, and general thematic vibes etc., for future reccing use. (Obviously you can do this with AO3 bookmarks, but I use those differently, so this was a separate endeavor.) These were set up to transfer to "The Rec Center" easily, e.g.:

“Celestial Navigation” by kaydeefalls. 9K words, rated Teen. Canon-era: C & E go to NYC to try to recruit several mutants. Delicate balance sort of story with a soft revelation. No tropes.

When I actually go to rec something, I reread it—mostly because I want to get the content warnings right, but also because reading it to rec is more like reading for work: you wind up looking at the text with a different eye, always lowkey thinking about how you'll make your argument about it in writing. I haven't actually recced the fic above in the newsletter, but here's another X-Men fic I did rec at one point:

“Come Together” verse by blarfkey. 60K words across 4 stories, rated Teen.  Backstory: When Peter gets arrested for breaking Erik out of the Pentagon, Erik returns the favor and breaks Peter out in turn—and takes him to live with Charles. Beautifully awkward father-son bonding coupled with bitter, stubborn exes pining: *chef’s kiss*. The verse spans five years, with really believable character growth, which is really saying something, based on the emotionally-stunted starting point for all parties involved. Rec: Peter is the POV character here, so a+++, and the close third-person narration plays with the spaces between what he feels and what he says while capturing his voice beautifully. This means 50% dragging people and 50% feeling like an idiot, which is a total joy. A lot of X-Men stuff, canonically or...fanonically...sorry...is about found family, and I mean, this one is about finding your literal blood relations, but it’s also about building a true family, and I think the author gives that enough space to really sell it.  Content warnings: Canon-typical violence, torture, ableism, the unenlightened thoughts about women’s bodies that preoccupy heterosexual teenage boys 

That rec is from a whole list I did with @morgan-leigh a few (five???wtf lol) years ago, which I think is a good example of an authored rec list: Morgan and I had overlapping tastes and similar interpretations of the characters, so all the fics here feel like they're talking to each other in some way, and making an argument about who these characters are (in Morgan's beautiful words, many of these stories "capture the exquisite and venal dickishness of both our heroes" lol).

Obviously rec lists don't have to be super formal—we created this reccing format a long time ago to keep things standardized—and I certainly don't think recs need to sound like literary criticism (not that the examples above sound like literary criticism lol...you know what I mean). Some of my favorite rec lists are pure vibes and (performatively? in a good way) emotional, and that's great. If you're a fic author, you know what a delight those comments are to receive. And like someone's AO3 bookmarks, the all-vibes rec list is an opportunity to see if you, too, feel like the selected fics smack you in the face or whatever violent expression of appreciation people are using. They often don't give you a ton of information, but if you and the reccer have similar taste, you know you can trust their picks.

But! I would make the case for reccing as a chance to talk about fic in a way that you really wouldn't in a comment to the author or in a performatively emotional tag: critically, not in the "this is bad" definition of "criticism," but, like, in the lit-crit way. Why does this work—and how does it work? As with all literary criticism, "work" is totally contextual; a good rec list sets up that context, and gives you just enough information to want to click through and see for yourself.

All that being said, you don't need to overthink it—and I say this partly because I'd really love to see more rec lists floating around! The AO3 often primes people to sort in a top-down way, and though there are tons of great fics with lots of kudos, as the meme goes,

Rec lists let you include things that aren't super popular, that hit niche characterization or plot notes, that really worked for you specifically for whatever reason. They're pure human curation—not just recs, but an arrangement of those recs that creates a whole new work in the process. And that's something I really love about fandom! We don't want algorithmic 'if this, then that' for-you pages; we're interested in doing the actual work of reading, thinking about, and sharing what we like with others, and that's wonderful.

[luckybyler]

From an actually good question posted on Reddit, here’s how I think the Stranger Things grandparents are:

Joyce: I think she had low-ish-income parents who were good people with good values, loved her and fulfilled her basic needs (fed, roof over her head, clothes, school), but for some reason couldn’t take care of her or guide her much. Maybe they had problems with drugs or alcohol, or maybe they were old and frail (or her grandparents because her bio parents weren’t in the picture), or had some illness. That made her driven, self-reliant, but also drove her to make some bad decisions. However, because she remembered what actual love looked like, she was able to correct course and protect her kids. Probably dead by the time Jonathan was born.

Hopper: I’d say he grew up in a non-abusive, but strict, home, with a father who valued honor and war and stuff. I imagine his mom was a little homemaker lady who baked cookies and loved him a lot, but who also instilled the fear of God in him and in dad. Basically a “men rule the world and women rule the home” type of family (which is actually a super hyper traditional mindset).

Lonnie: Could have been literally any kind of parents, because his fucked-up-ness seems entirely like a Lonnie problem. He could’ve had the worst or the best parents in the world and it wouldn’t have made a difference. Maybe he killed them for the insurance and made it look like an accident.

Karen: She was super popular in school, so her parents must have been at least middle class, the picture of a perfect 50s marriage and active in the church. Not rich tho, so they encouraged her to latch on to her older boyfriend from a good family for dear life to remain financially stable.

Ted: Likewise, except I imagine his parents were slightly more affluent than Karen’s. I imagine they were the pronto-Ted and Karen and Ted was a proto-Mike as a kid, until life and depression beat every ounce of joy and personality out of him.

Sue Sinclair: She most likely had loving, strategic parents most likely went ABOVE AND BEYOND to give her EVERY. TOOL. at their disposal so she could have the middle class life she ended up enjoying, keeping in mind that she grew up as a black girl during Jim Crow. In Lucas on the Line Lucas says his dad met his mom when she was in typing school or working as a typist. Her parents probably made sacrifices so she (and her siblings, if any) could have a higher education. They couldn’t afford to make a single wrong choice or even to let her become a homemaker and depend on a man.

Charles Sinclair: We know what his white foster parents were like: assholes. He fled out of there the second he was allowed to (or had to) and probably went immediately to the military recruiter. That crucial decision made the difference between a life of poverty and the comfortable life he ended up having.

Claudia Henderson: Most likely loving, reasonably progressive parents who encouraged her to get some sort of higher education or to work. I think she has only known healthy relationships.

Mr. Henderson: no idea, but judging by Dustin and Claudia’s personalities, he was probably a loving, caring husband and father who died (and most likely left them a pension or life insurance). Maybe that means his own parents were ok people.

Susan Hargrove: Probably very traditional parents who taught her that women should be seen and not heard, or at least that being a housewife was her only alternative for a decent life. Maybe she rebelled against her parents by choosing “love” instead of convenience, and so ended up dating and/or marrying a long line of losers and abusers. Her parents gave her zero tools at all for her own life so she depended on whatever dude entered her and Max’s lives.

Mr. Mayfield: described in Runaway Max as a smart but unmotivated and undisciplined man who commits petty crime, he probably comes from a long line of petty criminals who don’t feel any drive to better themselves, not even for those they supposedly love.

Neil Hargrove: Most likely raised in an abusive home and grew up to perpetuate the cycle of abuse.

[esmeislewd]

How do you feel about this situation?

You hear a knock on your door.

It is a well dressed woman, speaking English but with an accent you can’t recognize. They tell you you are a long lost princess of a small kingdom. You have never heard of it but the millions of dollars of the kingdom will be yours if you go and clam your birthright as ruler. The 53rd ruler. Would you accept?

If you choose to accept your birthright as princess, the 53rd ruler, you are told you will be making important political decisions and be seen as a symbol of the kingdoms honor and virtue. However when you arrive you find that you are hardly involved in politics and you are constantly being fit into royal dresses and constantly being dolled up in makeup.

You have servants that encourage you, as the 53rd ruler to try all the food at a meal, and encourage you to keep eating when you start to feel full. You are encouraged to sleep in and skip boring meetings if you are not up for it.

In time you become lazier and fatter. And as you start to change you are scheduled for more meals and your servants seem to always be brings you snacks and food. And if you ever feel horny you, as the 53rd ruler have access to consorts to take care of your physical desires, however they will insist on feeding you during the physical act, making you associate physical pleasure with food.

In time you grow even fatter and greedier. And you notice your servants are only giving you clothes that are much too small for you and your fat figure is always causing rips and tears. You also notice that you now spent much of the day being taken to public dinners with the people of your kingdom where everyone is praising you for your weight gain and telling how good of a princess you are. The people are happy to size up the 53rd ruler and encourage her to eat more.

You lose track of time until one day……….. you realize you have gotten so fat you can’t stand up with your own strength……. When a servant sees this they don’t help you….. they just make a phone call saying “she is ready”

What happens next is that you are lifted onto a massive thrown on a parade float and in a grand festival your subjects cheer for you waving goodbye and throwing flowers all around you… at the end of the parade you are taken to what looks like a warehouse where you see massively fat women who are comically obese with feeding tubes in their mouth sitting behind a gold plaque with the number on it.you see the numbers 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, and lastly 53.

You realize that there is no girl in behind the 53 marker……… that is where you are going. As your massive body guided into place you realize that the lower the numbers go the fatter the woman is………….. you see a feeding tube being lead up to your face, you taste the buttery sweet mixture as it starts to be pumped into your body. Your time as princess has ended, and now the kingdom must find number 54.

Oh gosh this is absolutely wonderful!!

I absolutely adore this scenario and wish it would come true sooooo much you have absolutely no idea! I want to be treated like a princess and fattened beyond anything I had ever thought possible that's really the best job I could possibly imagine.

All I want is to be pampered and spoilt as a symbol of wealth enabled and encouraged into increasing displays of gluttony~

[cto10121]

Twilight Clown Takes Round ♾️ + Part 8

Featuring typical anti text vomit, Edward being a ~manipulator, and another round of “Bella and Edward definitely broke up.” Om nom nom

Problematic!!1!

“Stephenie Meyer makes sex horrible”/ “Bella isn’t allowed to enjoy sex”/ “Bella enjoys sex” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Anyhoo, Bedward canonically has great sex. Homegirl was in post-coital bliss!!!! And no, she never apologized for it. If anything, Edward half-apologized for killing the vibe. And even he gave in to Bella’s 🥺 and gladly sexed her up twice.

The only reason why the pregnancy was so hard was because Bella is human, and her nudger was half-vampire and super strong. Meyer also wanted to draw associations with the historical dangers of pregnancy:

“You know, I recently read—and I don’t read nonfiction, generally—Becoming Jane Austen…And the author’s conclusion was that one of the reasons Jane Austen might not have married when she did have the opportunity…well, she watched her very dear nieces and friends die in childbirth! And it was like a death sentence: You get married and you will have children. You have children and you will die. [Laughs] I mean, it was a terrifying world.

“And Bella’s pregnancy and childbirth, to me, were a way to kind of explore that concept of what childbirth used to be. That made it very specific for readers who were interested in that, and it did take it away from some of the fans who were expecting something different. I was aware that it was taking Bella in a new direction that wasn’t as relatable for a lot of people. I knew that it was going to be a problem for some readers.” (Official Illustrated Guide)

Meyer wasn’t even thinking about sex in the first place. She was thinking about the plight of pregnant women in a patriarchal world where women’s healthcare has been historically subpar.

I honestly do not agree with the fandom’s hatred with the pregnancy plot. Without it, we would just have Bella’s change into a vampire and her adjusting to vampire life. It wouldn’t be bad, per se, but it’s not great and interesting conflict, nor would it connect to the romance.

With the pregnancy arc, there are multiple barriers to Bella and Edward’s union in ways Bella simply changing into a vampire wouldn’t. For one thing, the threat of the Volturi becoming involved would still be on the table. With Vampire!Bella, they literally would have no excuse.

“Edward Is A Manipulator!!!11”

Hoy boy.

Edward was canonically not mad about the Bella/Jacob kiss in the mountain. Even through Bella’s idealized POV, we know exactly when Edward is chill and when he is NOT chill about the Bella/Jacob connection.

Edward was deliciously jealous/murderous in these three instances:

Jacob’s “I’d rather see you dead than a vampire”

Jacob forcing a kiss on Bella

Jacob warming up Bella in the tent

Yes, he was jealous/hurt over Bella’s choosing to kiss Jacob and liking it. But he did tell the truth when he told Jacob that he would accept it if Bella chose to kiss Jacob. Because that is exactly what he did, forgiving and not blaming Bella for it. When Bella wept over leaving Jacob, he held her in his arms for the whole night. He even worried whether Bella should really be with him after all and had to be persuaded otherwise by Bella.

Also, in Eclipse, Edward admits Bella becoming a vampire would be great for him, and that he would love Vampire!Bella. He just doesn’t think it’s the best option for her.

"Bella and Edward Would Not Last!!11!!!" Round ♾️ and Beyond

Bella went comatose for almost a week, and Edward went to the Volturi to kill himself. He admits he would have returned and was actually planning to. They lasted approximately six months apart from each other. Even after the wedding and Renesmee, they agreed to face the Volturi together, knowing they would probably die in the attempt. There is literally no way these two would ever break up, much less after 50 years of marriage.

As for the “boy mom” accusation, I think Bella's (slight and ultimately negligible) preference for a boy stems from:

1) Her parentification issues. A boy she wouldn’t have to take care of the same way she would a girl (see: patriarchy, misogyny, etc.) and

2) Her obsession with Edward. Bella wouldn’t want or have a child on her own...except, of course, if it was Edward’s child as well. Then she’d be happy as a clam, as Breaking Dawn amply proves. Hence, why when she imagines the child, it’s a boy with Edward's brown hair and green eyes. No duh.

What makes boy moms so creepy is that they channel love energies normally due to their husbands unto their boy children. Bella has proven that between going with Renesmee and staying with Edward to die via Volturi, she would choose the latter. And I don’t think that is something a change of sex would change.

Hilarious fanfic, bro. I liked the vampire-with-a-psych-degree, they were my favorite character.

So let’s put aside the fact that Bella and Edward apologize to each other a LOT throughout the series for all the shit they have done to each other (Edward leaving and Bella loving Jacob being the most egregious). Edward was begging for forgiveness half the time during the series and Bella straight up called herself a monster for refusing to let Jacob go. Let’s put that aside.

Bella staying pregnant just to feel “special”???? Not only is this non-canonical, it makes no sense. You don’t need to be on the brink of death to be turned into a vampire. Bella could have gotten the abortion and just went ahead with the original plan. Bella stayed pregnant because she wanted hers and Edward’s baby.

Also, Bella endangering Renesmee???? How? They were found by Irina, who jumped to conclusions! Bella made preparations to save Renesmee via fake papers and her going with Jacob. But I suppose since everything is Bella’s fault, Irina and the Volturi do not count.

“I Only Watched the Movies”

Tale as old as time…truth as old as song…

Based Takes

Yep.

[energyanon]

*hugs* I'm glad you are sticking around. (Both here and everywhere.) Great to hear you have deep diving into astrology!! It's such a great tool :) What draw you deeper into it?

Me too, that damn brain of mine likes to be a vengeful bitch sometimes but I have given her the happy chemical, so she may rest now.

It’s actually a long story;

TLDR; basically I had a dream that set me off all things spiritual and finding a purpose in life

But the story is; while I was still in the deep deep stages of depression where nothing was worth it and I had 0 connection or belief in the universe, I had a dream. And this dream was that I was 50/60 frolicking about with a bunch of other older women in the country side and we were just a little community. We did all the things we wanted to do, we played, we nurtured the child parts of ourselves, we made dinners for each other. And the thing was there wasn’t a man involved in this, I wasn’t married or anything I was just enjoying sisterhood with a bunch of other women. And it was fucking freeing. Because we were only with each other there was no need to uphold beauty standards or be anything more than what we were or to act in certain ways we just enjoyed life and let the sun age us etc. and I woke up and I was like

Holy fuck. My whole life I’ve been feeling desperately unloved because I had that stupid little voice in my head that told me if I don’t have a relationship then I’m less than. And broken family etc didn’t help that feeling. So I’ve always searched for being “loved” elsewhere and in order to do that I’m a people pleaser and I have to live life in a certain way. But this dream was like.. actually no you don’t.. you can literally just BE there’s actually 0 rules in this world and if you aren’t harming anyone or harming yourself then nothing is that serious.

So then through that came this like.. intense spiritual freedom I guess where nothing was that bad, like all cares about what other people thought aswell just 🤷‍♀️ none of it matters. And I realised that I don’t want a life that needs to be successful what I actually want is simple, it’s just community.

And so I would say it was one hell of a spiritual awakening. And then I was watching a tiktok and it just so happened to be about Ariana grandes new BF and how his something or other is in her 5th house and I was like holy fuck is that how you read astrology, so I started to research it knowing now where to start, and like beyond personal planets and houses are the ASPECTS, and my god do the aspects make all the difference and then how the whole birth chart and those aspects play out with one another and then singleton planets and then asteroids which can show you your greatest trauma and it was all like holy shit tits we’re all connected.

And so that’s how it happened. And now it’s wild j went from 0 faith in the universe all together to seriously feeling like I’ve been placed on such a specific path and I can see how everything up until now has been apart of that path and I’ve always been protected and guided no matter how shit it was at the time

I’m currently desperately trying to find anything I can about Yods and it’s driving me insane I can’t find anything on how to properly read it in relation to all the planets aspecting each other.

anyway if anyone knows anything about Yods let me know cause I have two of those fuckers in my charts and I’m not sure how to read them

[tonybina-india-2020]

Day 6: Dera Amer Wilderness Camp - Jaipur

14th March 2023

Had a delectable home cooked meal last night, but first we sat through a traditional Rajput puppet show, put on by a mother and son duo, that didn’t make any real sense to me, however it was enjoyable and I smiled all the way through it.  The old girls voice resounded around the courtyard and she sang with such gusto and enthusiasm, she also accompanied herself by banging on a tabla drum whilst her son pulled the strings of the puppets and manipulated them across a make shift puppet  stage.

Afterwards we sat out in the courtyard and enjoyed a home cooked meal, washed down with Kingfisher and an Indian wine called Fratelli.

This morning I was up with the larks and exercising, pulling punches here and there, squatting and kicking, side lunging, front crawling and finishing with a quick round of jab, cross, hook and uppercut !  Breakfast was simple, a choice of porridge, eggs ( any way ) and toast, or all three, whilst we ate Mr Durga Singh ji regaled us with stories and thoughts on the Indian Government and its policies.

Before we left him, probably for the last time, he presented Rita and Dave with a cake and Rita with a scarfe to celebrate their 25th Anniversary.

It was with a sad heart we boarded the Toyota and headed into the city

Our local guide joined us and led us through the old city of Jaipur and into the even older city of Amber, which he said was over a thousand years old and it certainly looked like it as well.

We parked up at the roadside intending to jump into a jeep that would take us up the steep, winding hill to the fort.

The moment we alighted from the bus the snake charmers began in their heinous trade, I couldn’t bear to look at them. I’m no snake lover, but what they do to these poor Cobra’s is beyond cruel. 

It absolutely appalls me that the two most sacred animals to a Hindu, the Cobra, considered to be the bearer of our ancestors souls and the elephant which is a living incarnation of our God Ganesh, the elephant God and bringer of luck are treated in such a way. Such hypocrisy for money.

We took the jeep up to Amber Fort, winding our way slowly up a narrow road, whilst a parallel road took up those visitors with no compassion up on the back of elephants.

The huge Amer Palace Fort sits atop a small hill, and is located at a distance about 11 km from the main city. The magnificent Fort is an extensive palace complex that has been built with pale yellow and pink sandstone, and with white marble for Rajah Man Singh.

We wandered from courtyard to courtyard, taking in the opulence of this monumental palace which was finished in 1589.  Our guide explained  to us that once the frieze had been painted on the walls, it was wiped over with fresh coconut and the oils from the fruit kept the paintings fresh and looking like new.

We wandered through the Fort and back down to our jeep via a disused stepwell. Stepwells are wells or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. They are highly decorated and descend about 50 feet. Plunging into the earth, stepwells were built  in drought-prone regions of India to provide water all year round, ensuring communities had access to vital water storage and irrigation systems.

These places also provided a space for women to talk and gossip with each other as men were not allowed there. Rather like the WI, I should think !  We then had a 30 minute uneventful journey to the Dera Amer Wilderness Camp. This camp was the brainchild of the Singh family. They have returned around 180 acres of land to its natural state for the use of all wildlife. They believe in sustainable farming  and look to have a positive effect on the environment.

They have adopted 2 elephants that were rescued from the nearby Fort. These two ladies trudged up and down the hot, slippery cobble, winding streets with 4 passengers on their backs, day in and day out seven days a week.  Now these two great dames, Laxmi ( the large one  ) and Rangmala ( the greedy lady ) live a life of contentment at the Camp. They both have a mahout who cares only for them, there is no commercialism, no riding on the back of them,  no painting them plus they are free to roam at leisure.

Both Rangmala and Laxmi have a balanced diet and are cared for in every way possible, it was a joy to see how obviously contented they were with their mahouts.

We had lunch and dumped our stuff in out tent, read luxury, and joined Rangmala on a walk around the Forest, our guide told us that leopard had been spotted on occasion but apart from claw marks on trees and a few paw prints we saw no other evidence of them.  We walked  through shrub with the elephant, she stopping every few hundred yards to search for food, her sensitive trunk picking off morsels from tree branches or roots from the earth beneath her huge feet.

She shashayed along, we following behind, occasionally stopping to stroke her or just to look in her beautiful brown eyes. More than once she cleared her trunk and doused us in elephant sputum, it felt like a rain shower it was so plentiful.

As evening fell, the lights went on, the candles were lit, the bonfire blazed and the Wi-Fi went down.

We gathered together around the fire and had sundowners, after which we had dinner.

We heard thunder roll in the distance, the cicadas cheeped somewhere deep amongst the trees and the night grew warm and heady.

[ablackwomansurvivingrape]

Domestic violence survivors struggle to find affordable housing

About 20 years ago, Kelly Mays found herself bouncing from place to place after her abuser — who she said was stalking her at the time because she broke up with him — would damage whatever home she tried to settle in. 

“I moved probably half a dozen times. I ended up being homeless. I was couch surfing and I was a single parent at the time," said Mays, 47, of Westland.

She found herself evicted and permanent housing became elusive.

In Michigan, 36% of women and about a quarter of men experienced some form of intimate partner violence — which is abuse or aggression within a romantic relationship — according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Safe shelter is crucial for people fleeing domestic violence. But the acute shortage of affordable housing in Michigan makes it more difficult for survivors of abuse to find a home to call their own.

Housing helps survivors regain their footing. However, finding affordable units is one of the biggest barriers survivors face. Some organizations across southeast Michigan offer supportive housing and wraparound services, like helping clients with security deposits and employment assistance, but they say that demand for housing outweighs supply. 

“Housing is the one thin line between being able to move forward or having to go back” to an unsafe situation, said LaTonya Shephard, residential survivor advocate and team lead at First Step in Wayne County, a nonprofit providing services for victims of domestic and sexual violence.  

Survivors need refuge beyond temporary shelters. Oftentimes, lower incomes and the shortage of affordable units stand in the way of taking that next step. This can force a person back to their abuser or to couch hop or live in their cars, advocates said. 

That’s what many survivors faced when they left Turning Point’s shelter, said Sharman Davenport, CEO of the Macomb County organization that serves people facing domestic violence and sexual assault. 

One of Davenport’s goals when she came into her role 3½ years ago was to develop a housing program. 

Last year, Turning Point received grants to launch two housing programs that would fully cover clients' costs for up to two years or help with rent payments for a year, while also offering case management and counseling.

“Our demand at this point is pretty high. We're really looking for more units,” Davenport said. To date, Turning Point is helping to house 30 individuals in units across the county and is working to assist an additional 20 clients. 

The goal: guide survivors and their children toward financial and emotional stability, so they can start living a life, as Davenport puts it, "free of violence." 

Survivors face a barrage of barriers

Domestic violence is one of the main causes of homelessness among women and their children, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). 

The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports upwards of 50%of all homeless women said that domestic violence was the immediate reason for their housing insecurity. At some point in their lives, more than 90% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse, a NNEDV fact sheet notes. 

Intimate partner violence is a pattern of abusive behavior, said Aimee Nimeh, president and CEO of HAVEN in Oakland County, which also runs a transitional housing program. Clients get help with rent payments, security deposits and finding permanent housing. 

Abusers do more than strike their victims. They  may control finances, making it harder for their victims to build credit, or work. And so when victims leave and attempt to secure a roof over their head, they don't have financial resources to do so.

“If you have been living in a situation where somebody's been sabotaging your credit, has been sabotaging your ability to have employment and to have access to your own money, then that can be a really difficult transition to make,” Nimeh said. 

Survivors may come to agencies with just the clothes on their backs, little in the bank and without important documents, like Social Security cards and IDs. 

"Sometimes they've had to quit jobs because the perpetrator of their intimate partner violence knows where they work ... so they're coming in with very little income on hand, and having a housing stock that's priced way out of their range is a challenge," said Celia Thomas, chief operating officer for Detroit-based Alternatives for Girls. 

Since last year, the nonprofit has helped domestic violence survivors in Detroit and Wayne County with legal advocacy, food assistance and housing.

“Usually, housing is a need among so many other needs,” said Nimeh of HAVEN.

Housing is 'paramount' to safety 

The demand for housing programs is high, especially with emergency shelters at capacity. The average shelter stay is 60 days but it can take anywhere from six to 10 months to land housing, the NNEDV reports. 

Safe and affordable housing is “paramount to keeping survivors safe,” said Nimeh.

Even organizations helping survivors struggle to locate places at the right price and landlords willing to rent out their properties. 

Overall, Michigan has a lack of affordable housing.

Seventy-three percent of extremely low income families —  those with annual incomes of $25,750 or less for a family of four — spend more than half of their income on housing, according to a National Low Income Housing Coalition analysis. There are 35 affordable and available units per 100 extremely low income households in the state, making Michigan one of 13 states below the national average. In other words, the state needs roughly 200,000 units for these households. Metro Detroit alone needs 100,000 units, the coalition estimated.

"Being able to find good, quality safe housing in the city is challenging because the prices of rental properties are going up, the prices of good quality rental properties are skyrocketing," Thomas said of Detroit's market, adding that the city is not alone. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Detroit is $990, according to the real estate website Zumper.

Advocates say wraparound services, such as employment assistance, should be paired with housing help. 

“Any one of us is a paycheck or a situation away from losing our housing,” said Shannon Smith, director of Housing and  Community Development at Lighthouse, a social services nonprofit in Oakland County. 

'Nowhere for me to stay'

Organizations have also been struggling to find landlords willing to rent out their properties, said Nagham Dabaja, a coordinator for the Survivors of Violence Empowerment program at the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), which offers a 24-month transitional housing program. 

Agencies cannot guarantee that clients will stay during the full leasing period, and so that may mean a month-to-month tenancy, Dabaja said. Some landlords may want rental income to come directly from renters, and not the agencies helping them. Others may worry that abusers could show up to the property itself and cause problems. 

That’s something Mays, a professional counselor at a mental health care nonprofit and a slam poet, is all too familiar with. One abuser from two decades ago would prevent her from staying in one place too long, forcing her to move about half a dozen times.

"There was nowhere for me to stay," she said.

Years later, a different abuser sent her to the hospital on her child's first birthday. He kicked her so many times, she said, that she was left partially deaf in one ear. 

Her abusers, she said, would use manipulation tactics: If she talked to male waiters at a restaurant, she’d have to pay for her own meal, not eat at all or take it to go; if she “didn’t act right,” one abuser would take the car that was under his name away from her.

Mays, who relied on HAVEN to get back on her feet a decade ago and who now speaks to other survivors through the agency, says there is a “huge connection” between safety and home for those facing domestic violence. 

“A lot of times they stay because homelessness seems a lot more frightening than the violence that they know," she said. 

How to get help

First Step: 734-722-6800; www.firststep-mi.org/

Turning Point: 586-463-6990; turningpointmacomb.org/

ACCESS: 833-782-6348; bit.ly/ACCESSprogram 

HAVEN: 248-334-1274 or 877-922-1274; www.haven-oakland.org/

For a full list of ways to get help by county, go to bit.ly/domesticviolenceprograms 

The U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233

[sciivfhospitaldelhi]

Know All About Surrogacy: A Comprehensive Guide

Surrogacy has emerged as a significant option for individuals and couples who are unable to conceive naturally, offering hope for those struggling with infertility. It involves a woman carrying and giving birth to a child on behalf of another person or couple. This guide will help you understand key aspects of surrogacy, focusing on who benefits from surrogacy, whose sperm is used, who chooses surrogacy, age limits, and the new surrogacy law in India.

Who Benefits from Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is beneficial for individuals and couples facing various fertility challenges. It is often chosen by:

Infertile Couples: Couples who cannot conceive due to medical issues, such as blocked fallopian tubes, uterine abnormalities, or repeated IVF failures, benefit from surrogacy.

Same-Sex Couples: Surrogacy provides an option for gay couples who wish to have biological children.

Single Parents: Single men and women who desire to have biological children may opt for surrogacy.

Women with Health Conditions: Women with medical conditions that make pregnancy risky or impossible may also turn to surrogacy to build their families.

Whose Sperm is Used in Surrogacy?

The sperm used in surrogacy can come from:

Intended Father: In most cases, the intended father's sperm is used to fertilize the egg, ensuring a genetic connection to the child.

Donor Sperm: If the intended father has a fertility issue, or in the case of a single woman or a same-sex female couple, sperm from a donor may be used. Sperm donation can be done anonymously or through a known donor.

Combined Sperm Donation: Some couples may use donor eggs or sperm depending on their reproductive health condition, but the intended parents typically play a role in the decision.

Who Chooses Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is chosen by various groups of people who cannot have children naturally. This includes:

Couples with Infertility Issues: Couples struggling with infertility due to medical reasons such as uterine issues or repeated miscarriages often choose surrogacy as a solution.

LGBTQ+ Couples: Same-sex male couples choose surrogacy to have a genetically related child.

Single Individuals: Both single men and women who wish to become parents may opt for surrogacy to have their biological child.

What is the Age Limit for Surrogacy?

The surrogacy process in India has specific age limits under the new law:

Surrogate Mother: The surrogate mother must be between 25 and 35 years old. She must also have at least one healthy child of her own and should not have been a surrogate more than once.

Intended Parents: The intended parents should typically be aged between 23 to 50 years for women and 26 to 55 years for men. However, these age limits may vary depending on specific fertility clinics and cases.

What is the New Law of Surrogacy in India?

India introduced the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. The new law emphasizes ethical practices and ensures the protection of the surrogate mother and child. Some of the major provisions include:

Altruistic Surrogacy Only: Under the new law, only altruistic surrogacy is permitted, which means the surrogate mother cannot be paid or compensated beyond medical expenses and insurance. This eliminates the practice of commercial surrogacy that was common in the past.

Eligibility Criteria: Surrogacy is allowed only for Indian couples who are legally married for at least five years and unable to conceive naturally. They must provide a valid medical certificate to prove infertility. Same-sex couples, live-in partners, and single individuals are not eligible for surrogacy under the current law.

Surrogate’s Rights and Protection: The law protects the rights of surrogate mothers by ensuring they are well cared for during the pregnancy. The surrogate mother must be a close relative of the intended parents, have previously given birth to a healthy child, and must be between 25 and 35 years of age.

Ban on Commercial Surrogacy: Commercial surrogacy, which involved financial payment beyond medical and insurance expenses, is now banned in India. The focus is on ensuring that surrogacy is a process motivated by goodwill rather than profit.

Surrogacy Board: A national and state-level surrogacy board has been established to oversee and regulate surrogacy practices across the country.

Conclusion

Surrogacy is a remarkable option for couples and individuals who wish to become parents but face challenges with natural conception. The new surrogacy law in India emphasizes ethical practices and ensures the safety of both the surrogate mother and the child. While the restrictions may seem stringent, the law aims to protect vulnerable women from exploitation and regulate the surrogacy industry effectively.

For those considering surrogacy, it is important to consult a best surrogacy centre in Delhi or a reputable fertility clinic to ensure that the process is conducted legally and ethically, in compliance with the latest regulations.

[surrogacycentre-india]

Altruistic Surrogacy in Delhi: A Guide to the Process and Legalities

Altruistic surrogacy has become an increasingly popular option for couples in India who are unable to conceive naturally. Delhi has emerged as a hub for surrogacy services, offering world-class medical facilities and legal frameworks to support intended parents. This blog explores the process of altruistic surrogacy, its legal aspects, and how to find the best altruistic surrogacy centre in Delhi. We will also discuss surrogacy costs in Delhi and the role of surrogacy clinics in Delhi NCR in helping couples achieve their dreams of parenthood.

What is Altruistic Surrogacy?

Altruistic surrogacy is a form of surrogacy where the surrogate mother carries a child for intended parents without receiving any financial compensation, except for medical expenses and other necessary costs. In India, commercial surrogacy has been banned since the introduction of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, making altruistic surrogacy the only legal option.

This form of surrogacy is considered an act of goodwill, where a surrogate agrees to carry a baby for a couple facing infertility issues, usually a close relative or friend of the intended parents.

The Altruistic Surrogacy Process in Delhi

Altruistic surrogacy in Delhi involves several steps, each of which is critical to ensure a smooth and legal process:

Finding a Surrogate In altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate is typically a family member or a close acquaintance. The intended parents and surrogate must both meet the legal requirements set out by the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, which includes age restrictions, medical fitness, and proof of relationship.

Medical Screening and Legal Agreements Once a surrogate is identified, she undergoes extensive medical screening to ensure she is physically fit to carry the pregnancy. Legal contracts are also established, outlining the rights and responsibilities of both the surrogate and the intended parents. These agreements are essential to protect all parties involved and ensure the process adheres to Indian law.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Embryo Transfer The IVF process is used to fertilize the intended mother’s eggs with the father’s sperm (or donor eggs/sperm if necessary). The fertilized embryo is then transferred into the surrogate’s uterus, where it can develop into a healthy pregnancy.

Pregnancy and Delivery Throughout the pregnancy, the surrogate will receive medical care and support from the surrogacy clinic in Delhi NCR. After the birth, the child is legally handed over to the intended parents, finalizing the surrogacy process.

Legal Aspects of Altruistic Surrogacy in Delhi

The legal framework surrounding surrogacy in India is designed to protect the rights of both the surrogate and the intended parents. Key legal aspects include:

Eligibility Criteria for Intended Parents: Couples must be married for at least five years and fall within a certain age bracket (23 to 50 years for women, and 26 to 55 years for men). They must also be medically certified as infertile and unable to conceive naturally.

Surrogate Eligibility: The surrogate must be a close relative, married, and have at least one biological child of her own. She cannot act as a surrogate more than once in her lifetime.

Ban on Commercial Surrogacy: Under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, commercial surrogacy is banned, meaning no monetary compensation can be offered to the surrogate beyond medical expenses.

Legal Parentage: After the child’s birth, the intended parents are granted full legal parentage, with the surrogate relinquishing all parental rights.

Surrogacy Cost in Delhi

While altruistic surrogacy removes the need for large compensations to the surrogate, there are still medical and procedural costs involved. The surrogacy cost in Delhi typically includes:

Medical expenses for IVF and embryo transfer

Medical care for the surrogate throughout pregnancy

Legal fees for contracts and parental rights

Delivery and postnatal care

On average, the cost of altruistic surrogacy in Delhi can range from INR 10 to 15 lakhs, depending on the clinic and specific medical requirements.

Choosing the Best Altruistic Surrogacy Centre in Delhi

Finding the right altruistic surrogacy centre in Delhi is crucial for a successful and smooth experience. The best centres offer a combination of advanced medical technology, experienced fertility specialists, and compassionate care. Key factors to consider when choosing a surrogacy clinic include:

Success Rates: Look for a clinic with a proven track record in surrogacy success, particularly in IVF and embryo transfer procedures.

Experienced Specialists: The expertise of the medical and legal team is critical in ensuring a safe and legally compliant surrogacy journey.

Comprehensive Support: The best surrogacy clinics provide psychological counseling, legal advice, and continuous support for both the surrogate and intended parents throughout the process.

Surrogacy Clinics in Delhi NCR

Delhi NCR is home to several leading fertility clinics that specialize in altruistic surrogacy. These clinics offer state-of-the-art facilities and tailored treatment plans, ensuring that every couple receives the highest level of care. Whether you are looking for guidance in finding a surrogate or seeking assistance with the legal and medical process, a top-rated surrogacy clinic in Delhi can help make your dream of parenthood a reality.

Conclusion

Altruistic surrogacy in Delhi offers a compassionate and legally sound way for couples to start their families, despite infertility challenges. With clear legal guidelines and the support of top surrogacy centres in Delhi NCR, intended parents can embark on this journey with confidence. If you are considering altruistic surrogacy, consult with a trusted surrogacy clinic to explore your options, and take the first step toward fulfilling your dream of parenthood.

Start your surrogacy journey today by consulting with a leading altruistic surrogacy centre in Delhi!

[activelifestyleinsights]

Strength Training for Women Over 50: A Complete Guide to Staying Strong and Healthy

As women age, maintaining strength becomes essential not only for physical health but also for confidence, independence, and overall quality of life. The good news? It’s never too late to start strength training, and the benefits are immense.

The Strength Training for Women Over 50 article is a must-read if you want to feel empowered, strong, and capable well into your 50s and beyond.

This guide covers everything you need to know, including:

Why strength training is crucial for women over 50 – Learn how lifting weights or using resistance bands can help you prevent muscle loss, protect your bones, and support overall health.

The best strength training exercises for women – Tailored specifically for women over 50, these exercises are safe, effective, and designed to fit seamlessly into your daily routine.

How to start and progress safely – Whether you’re a beginner or have experience with fitness, this guide shows you how to build a workout plan that grows with you.

The role of nutrition in strength training – Learn how to fuel your body to support muscle recovery, bone strength, and long-term health.

If you’re looking to maintain your energy, improve your strength, or even reverse the effects of aging, this guide provides the tools and insights you need to make it happen.

Strength training isn’t about lifting heavy weights or spending hours in the gym. It’s about incorporating the right exercises into your lifestyle to keep you feeling vibrant and capable as you age. From simple bodyweight exercises to low-impact resistance routines, you’ll find everything you need to get started.

Take the first step toward a healthier, stronger future. Read the full guide here and discover how strength training can transform your life after 50.

fitover50 #bestoftheday #fitover40 #getwellsoon #fitness #fitnessjourney #fitnessgoals #fitnessmotivation #fitnesslife #fitnessmodel #gymmotivation #fitnessblogger #powerworkout #confidence #bodypositive

[concepts-influencer-marketing]

Calcium-Rich Foods: A Guide to Strengthening Your Bones and Health

Calcium is a crucial mineral that plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. It’s also essential for muscle function, nerve transmission, and blood clotting. While dairy products are the most well-known sources of calcium, there are plenty of other calcium-rich foods that can help you meet your daily needs. In this blog, we'll explore a variety of calcium-rich foods, their benefits, and how to incorporate them into your diet.

Why Is Calcium Important?

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with 99% of it stored in the bones and teeth. Adequate calcium intake is crucial at every stage of life, particularly during childhood, adolescence, and older age. A calcium-rich diet can help:

Build Strong Bones and Teeth: Calcium is the building block of bones and teeth, providing structure and strength.

Prevent Osteoporosis: Consistent calcium intake can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weak and brittle bones.

Support Muscle Function: Calcium is essential for muscle contractions, including the heart.

Aid in Nerve Transmission: Calcium helps transmit signals between nerves, ensuring proper body function.

Top Calcium-Rich Foods

Here’s a list of calcium-rich foods that go beyond the traditional glass of milk:

1. Dairy Products

Milk: One of the most well-known sources of calcium, with about 300 mg per 250 ml serving.

Yogurt: A single serving of yogurt can provide 30-40% of the daily calcium requirement.

Cheese: Hard cheeses like cheddar are particularly high in calcium, with around 200 mg per ounce.

2. Leafy Green Vegetables

Kale: This leafy green is a powerhouse of nutrients, including calcium. One cup of cooked kale provides about 180 mg of calcium.

Spinach: While spinach contains calcium, it also has oxalates that can hinder absorption. Still, it remains a good source, providing 245 mg per cup when cooked.

Collard Greens: A cup of cooked collard greens can offer around 266 mg of calcium.

3. Fortified Foods

Fortified Plant-Based Milk: Almond, soy, and rice milk are often fortified with calcium, offering a comparable amount to cow's milk (about 300 mg per cup).

Fortified Orange Juice: Some orange juices are fortified with calcium, providing around 300 mg per cup.

Fortified Cereals: Many breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium, delivering up to 1,000 mg per serving.

4. Fish with Bones

Canned Salmon: Salmon with bones provides a significant calcium boost, with about 180 mg per 3-ounce serving.

Sardines: These small fish are packed with calcium, offering 325 mg per 3.75-ounce can.

5. Nuts and Seeds

Almonds: A handful (about 1 ounce) of almonds provides around 80 mg of calcium.

Chia Seeds: Just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds offer around 179 mg of calcium.

Sesame Seeds: One tablespoon of sesame seeds contains about 88 mg of calcium.

6. Legumes

White Beans: These beans are a good source of calcium, providing about 160 mg per cup.

Tofu: Tofu made with calcium sulfate is especially high in calcium, offering up to 350 mg per half-cup.

7. Fruits

Oranges: Besides being rich in vitamin C, oranges contain around 52 mg of calcium per fruit.

Figs: Dried figs are a sweet and calcium-rich snack, with about 241 mg per cup.

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

The recommended daily intake of calcium varies by age and gender. Here’s a general guideline:

Children (4-8 years): 1,000 mg/day

Teens (9-18 years): 1,300 mg/day

Adults (19-50 years): 1,000 mg/day

Women over 50 and Men over 70: 1,200 mg/day

Tips for Maximizing Calcium Absorption

Getting enough calcium is important, but ensuring your body absorbs it efficiently is equally crucial. Here are some tips:

Pair Calcium with Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Sunlight, fatty fish, and fortified foods are good sources of vitamin D.

Limit Sodium and Caffeine: High sodium and caffeine intake can lead to calcium loss through urine, so it's best to consume these in moderation.

Eat a Balanced Diet: A well-rounded diet with a variety of nutrients will support overall health and calcium absorption.

Conclusion

Calcium is a vital nutrient that supports many aspects of health, particularly bone strength. While dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, there are plenty of other foods—such as leafy greens, fortified products, fish, nuts, seeds, and legumes—that can help you meet your calcium needs. By incorporating a variety of these calcium-rich foods into your diet, you can ensure that your body gets the calcium it needs to stay strong and healthy.

[pashterlengkap]

JD Vance contradicts Trump, praising “admirable” anti-abortion & IVF laws

Sen. J.D Vance (R-OH) has expressed support for conservative proposals to further restrict abortions and fertility treatments. His support contradicts recent statements made by his Republican presidential running mate, former President Donald Trump, opposing further restrictions on both. Trump’s first presidency rolled back national legal protections for both. Vance voiced support for these restrictions in his foreword to the 2017 Index of Culture and Opportunity, a collection of essays that largely focused on the role of women in modern families. The collection’s 29 essays were written by conservative authors for The Heritage Foundation, the right-wing think tank that later authored Project 2025, a blueprint to help Trump roll back the federal government and civil rights protections. Related JD Vance begs gay billionaire Peter Thiel to fund his & Donald Trump’s campaign The Trump campaign is far behind Harris’ when it comes to fundraising. Could the gay tech mogul bail them out? The collection said the increasing number of single-parent households was on the “wrong track,” Forbes reported. One of the essayists wrote that they’d like abortions to one day become “unthinkable.” Another essay, written by Jennifer Lahl, founder of the anti-abortion Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, said that IVF was harmful to women and criticized women who have children later in life for “spending a large portion of their most fertile years building their careers.” Other essays criticized food stamps and disability benefits programs for incentivizing people not to seek work. Another said that hunger is “a great motivator for people who are able to work to find work.” Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Vance’s foreword to the collection praised the essays as “admirable” for their “willingness to house culture and opportunity under the same intellectual roof.” He also said that “the prevalence of single-parent families” and “declining participation in civic institutions like churches” are destroying “social capital” and upward mobility for America’s middle class. Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder told The New York Times that Vance “does not agree with every opinion” in the essay collection. The Heritage Foundation also wrote that Vance “had no role in producing or approving the contents” of the 2017 essay collection. Nevertheless, the 2017 essay collection somewhat echoes Vance’s past statements on parents and childbirth. Vance has previously said that “childless cat ladies” — including stepmother Kamala Harris and adoptive father Pete Buttigieg — are determined the country “miserable.” He has said that people without children have “no physical commitment to the future of this country,” and that “postmenopausal females” (that is, women above the age of 50) exist mostly to help raise other people’s children. Vance also wrote the foreword to Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America, a book by Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation. In his book, Roberts wrote that contraceptives, IVF and childless individuals have all ruined America. Vance’s foreword compared Democrats and left-leaning liberals togardeners who have poisoned American soil and “wolves” who must be shot dead. Vance also wrote a blurb endorsing Unhumans, a book by anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec which said that liberals aren’t human. The book suggested overthrowing the U.S. government and praised historic dictators who murdered thousands of their own citizens. Trump has recently said he supports abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy and has said he wants to provide free access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) — a conception method used by many LGBTQ+ families — even though anti-abortion advocates believe that IVF’s discarding of any unused fertilized embryos is “murder.” Trump has only… http://dlvr.it/TCmzrv

[healthcareproducts115]

Comprehensive Guide to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Causes, Effective Treatments, and Long-Term Management

Introduction

Hashimoto Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland, is increasingly recognized as a significant health concern, particularly in women. The condition leads to chronic inflammation of the thyroid, often resulting in hypothyroidism — a state where the thyroid is unable to produce sufficient hormones. Understanding Hashimoto Thyroiditis is crucial for effective management, as early detection and treatment can significantly improve quality of life.

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Understanding the Thyroid Gland

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What is Hashimoto Thyroiditis?

Hashimoto Thyroiditis, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland, leading to its gradual destruction. First identified by Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto in 1912, this condition has since become one of the most common causes of hypothyroidism worldwide. As the immune system continually assaults the thyroid, it becomes unable to produce adequate amounts of thyroid hormones, leading to a host of metabolic disturbances.

Causes of Hashimoto Thyroiditis

The exact cause of Hashimoto Thyroiditis remains elusive, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors is believed to contribute to its development. A genetic predisposition is often evident, with the disease frequently running in families. Environmental triggers, such as excessive iodine intake, viral infections, and exposure to radiation, have also been implicated. Hormonal changes, particularly in women, may exacerbate the condition, explaining why it is more prevalent among females. Central to the disease is autoimmune dysfunction, where the immune system erroneously identifies thyroid cells as foreign and mounts an attack against them.

Risk Factors Associated with Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Certain factors increase the likelihood of developing Hashimoto Thyroiditis. Women, particularly those between the ages of 30 and 50, are at higher risk, with the condition being up to ten times more common in women than men. A family history of thyroid disease or other autoimmune disorders, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, also heightens the risk. Additionally, excessive iodine consumption, either through diet or supplements, can trigger the onset of the disease in susceptible individuals.

Symptoms and Signs of Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Hashimoto Thyroiditis often progresses insidiously, with symptoms developing gradually over months or even years. Early on, patients may notice subtle signs such as fatigue, weight gain, or sensitivity to cold. As the disease advances, more pronounced symptoms emerge, including dry skin, hair loss, muscle weakness, and depression. In some cases, the thyroid gland may enlarge, forming a goiter, which can cause discomfort and difficulty swallowing. If left untreated, Hashimoto’s can lead to severe complications such as heart disease, infertility, and myxedema coma, a life-threatening condition.

Diagnosis of Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Diagnosing Hashimoto Thyroiditis involves a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. During a physical examination, a doctor may detect an enlarged thyroid or observe symptoms indicative of hypothyroidism. Blood tests are crucial, particularly those measuring thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, free T4, and the presence of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb), which are often elevated in Hashimoto’s patients. In some cases, an ultrasound may be performed to assess the size and structure of the thyroid gland, and a biopsy may be recommended to rule out other conditions.

Impact on Overall Health

The effects of Hashimoto Thyroiditis extend beyond the thyroid, impacting various aspects of health. Metabolically, the slowed production of thyroid hormones can lead to weight gain, lethargy, and a decreased ability to tolerate cold. Mentally, patients often experience depression, memory problems, and a general sense of mental fog. Furthermore, Hashimoto’s is associated with an increased risk of developing other autoimmune conditions, such as celiac disease and lupus. Without appropriate treatment, the long-term consequences can be severe, affecting cardiovascular health, reproductive function, and overall well-being.

Conventional Treatment Options

The cornerstone of treatment for Hashimoto Thyroiditis is hormone replacement therapy, typically with levothyroxine, a synthetic form of T4. This medication helps restore normal hormone levels, alleviating symptoms and preventing complications. Dosage is tailored to the individual, with regular monitoring to ensure optimal levels. In addition to hormone therapy, other medications may be prescribed to address specific symptoms, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs or antidepressants. Surgery is rarely required but may be considered in cases of large goiters or if thyroid cancer is suspected.

Lifestyle and Dietary Changes

Lifestyle modifications play a critical role in managing Hashimoto Thyroiditis. Diet, in particular, can influence the course of the disease. Foods rich in selenium, zinc, and vitamin D support thyroid health, while those high in sugar and processed ingredients should be limited. Gluten and dairy are often avoided, as they can exacerbate autoimmune responses in some individuals. Managing stress is equally important, as chronic stress can trigger or worsen symptoms. Techniques such as meditation, yoga, and regular physical activity are beneficial in maintaining balance and reducing the impact of the disease.

Integrative and Alternative Therapies

Beyond conventional medicine, many patients explore integrative and alternative therapies to support their thyroid health. Supplements such as selenium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids have shown promise in supporting immune function and reducing inflammation. Acupuncture and chiropractic care are often sought to alleviate symptoms like fatigue and joint pain, while mind-body techniques such as mindfulness and biofeedback can help manage stress and improve overall well-being. While these therapies are not a substitute for medical treatment, they can complement traditional approaches and enhance quality of life.

Long-Term Management and Monitoring

Effective management of Hashimoto Thyroiditis requires ongoing monitoring and adjustment of treatment. Regular blood tests to check TSH and free T4 levels are essential, as these values guide medication adjustments. Over time, the dosage of thyroid hormone replacement may need to be modified based on changes in the patient’s condition, weight, or other health factors. Consistent monitoring ensures that symptoms remain controlled and reduces the risk of complications. Additionally, patients are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay informed about their condition to better manage it over the long term.

Coping with Hashimoto Thyroiditis

Living with Hashimoto Thyroiditis presents both physical and emotional challenges. Many patients struggle with feelings of fatigue, frustration, and anxiety, particularly if the disease is not well-controlled. Support from family, friends, and healthcare providers is crucial in navigating these challenges. Joining a support group, either in-person or online, can provide valuable connections with others who understand the condition and offer practical advice.

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Jaipur stirred by Raffles

IMC WEB DESK NEW DELHI: There are times when all you want is move away from the city bubble and find yourself immersed in splendor. Well for all those beings, Raffles Jaipur has opened its heritage doors wide open.

This goes above and beyond the top-notch!

An ode to Rajasthani craftmanship, Raffles Jaipur reveals herself slowly.

Conceived by Randolph Grey Design, Raffles Jaipur meets the landscape evolution as it reflects a shift to the wants of a modern-day traveler yet keeping its magnificent past intact.

Carved from pure white marble, the retreat has been handcrafted by skilled artisans, blending the age-old traditions and techniques of Mughal and Rajputana architecture.

50 guestrooms and suites are each unique in layout and décor, all with an expansive balcony complete with an outdoor soaking tub or plunge pool.

Design details within stay include painted corniced ceilings and golden murals, as well as furniture with camel bone inlay, locally-sourced artifacts and carpets woven in Jaipur.

Upon arrival, a Shikar tent alludes to royal Mughal expeditions, while hand-carved sandstone columns in the hotel’s courtyard, each inspired by different eras of Rajasthani architecture, allude to the region’s past.

Opulent Mughal furnishing and patterned marble floors adorn a spacious grand hall, from which a hidden mirrored door guides guests to a light-filled atrium, reminiscent of the design of women’s quarters in the Mughal court.

Inspired by the primarily plant-based culinary tradition of the Zenana, food at Arkaa, the hotel’s specialty restaurant, uses local ingredients sourced from nearby micro-farms.

And all these ingredients come together to create that Kashmiri gucchi pulao with crackling spinach raita and their own reinvented jaituni paneer. The haldi tawa macchi, with fresh turmeric and stone-ground spices infusing your perfectly cooked Indian Ocean catch will only leave you with the fondest memories.

Libations at Writers Bar feature freshly-ground spices and herbs sourced from the hotel’s garden, including the Jaipur Sling, a localised take on the famed Singapore Sling.

With views of the rolling Aravalli Hills, rooftop bar Sehara serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes with an emphasis on Italian specialties.