#food is a medicine

[wearenotjustnumbers2]

Reminder that Palestinians in Gaza are being deliberately starved by Israel. Families in gaza are boiling plant leaves and eating them. They're also eating animals and birds food to stay alive. There are reported cases of kids and infants who died out of hunger and/ or cold. Starving people is part of genocide too. Remember how fast medicine was provided for the Israeli hostages, while Palestinians are starving for food and water and getting operations and amputations performed with no medication or anesthesia whatsoever.

[folklorespring]

If you want to support Ukrainians, DO NOT donate to Red Cross. Can't speak about their work in other countries, but they're useless in Ukraine. The only trustworthy international organisation I can think of is World Central Kitchen.

Donate to World Central Kitchen

And it's even better to donate directly to Ukrainian organisations. Here are a few good legit places:

hospitallers.life - "Hospitallers", Ukrainian paramedics on the frontlines

savelife.in.ua - "Come Back Alive", assistance to the army

prytulafoundation.org - "Prytula Foundation", assistance to the army, humanitarian causes

starenki.com.ua - "Starenki", helping elderly people

everybodycan.com.ua - "Everybody Can", helping disabled children, elders and hospitals

uanimals.org - "UAnimals", saving animals

[existennialmemes]

Not to sound like a terrifying communist or anything, but I think it's bad when we let people die from preventable causes.

[theonlyladyt]

Is Sugar In Fruit Bad For You?

Hello lovelies! when I first started my Reactive Hypoglycemia journey this was a question I had wondered. The endocrine specialist said I was prediabetic so this was the reason it could have possibly triggered Reactive Hypoglycemia in me. However since following the principles of the Diabetes Method and ensuring that all the foods were low and medium (or green and orange) on the glycemic index…

[greenlaut]

tea & dates

continuation of bitter tea & oranges

[ew-selfish-art]

Dp x Dc AU: Jazz Fenton, after years of fixing her brother’s injuries, becomes a Doctor with an inclination towards behavioral health and psychology- In order to make the difference she wants to see in the world she joins Dr. Leslie Thompkin’s practice. 

Jazz Fenton, M.D. has spent years of her life doing research, doing the hard work and the emotional labor, and finally, finally, she’s joining a practice she can feel 100% confident in. She’s goddamn good doctor and she wants to make the biggest impact that she can. 

Dr. Thompkins (who insists that she call her Leslie as they’re colleagues now), is a kind woman, sharp as a tack and keeps her practice open at odd hours to help the most unfortunate. It took some time for them to bond and trust to be built, but now Jazz is being allotted a few night shifts here and there. 

It’s incredible. Jazz gets to spend time with the kids who come in and really talk to them (in addition to getting them antibiotics, heating pads and pokemon themed bandaids) to help equip them with a few coping skills. Her passion for psychology never disappeared after all, but the expansive knowledge of how to heal the human body has made her find a sense of fulfillment like no other.

Having proven herself and worn Leslie down, Jazz now takes up about 1/3 of all the night shifts in the month. She’s hoping to get to 50/50 by the end of the year but she’s content with what she has. Danny keeps odd hours anyway so calling him after work on her walk home can happen any time of day and he will always answer enthusiastically. 

It’s a particularly busy night before he comes in. The Red Hood. 

He was known for being an ally to Leslie, despite being on contentious terms with the Bats, but Jazz had never asked directly. Never one to turn away a patient with bullet hole wounds, she hops into action to get his wounds cleaned, sewed up and gauze wrapped. She’s handing him a sheet (an Infographic! Dani made it with her! Graphic design is her passion!) on how to care for his wounds when he first seems to recognize that she’s not Leslie. 

“No, Of course not. I’m Dr. Fenton. I can’t blame you for not remembering but I did introduce myself as you bled in the entry way. You’re Red Hood, right?” 

“Hm. Didn’t realize the practice was expanding. Where can I find-” He grumbles before pushing her hand aside from where she had still been supporting his shoulder.

“Hold on there, mister. You’re going home, you’re following this infographic and you’re going to get some sleep.” 

“Lady you don’t know-” His voice modulated ton came across antagonistically. As if he was trying to intimidate her. Ha, Jazz rolls her eyes at the inclination.

“Who I’m talking to? Who I’m dealing with? You’re hilarious. I can eat you vigilante’s hero complexes for breakfast. Tell me who I’m calling to pick you up and then you can say thank you.” Jazz snaps at him. It really had been a long night but his whole dialogue thus far is making her a bit batty. 

“Oh really Doc? You know Leslie’s tough shit, and from what I can tell you’ve got nothing on her-” 

“Trying to make me feel insufficient when I just saved your life? That’s cute. I’m sure a lifetime of abandonment by both of your parental figures gave you that. I’m also sure that you inherited this desire to prove you’re not going to be dependent on anyone who wants to help from whoever got you dressing up in tights to fight crime in the first place. Again, I’d love to talk at length about how predictable you-” 

“Bwah- wait- I’m Predictable? You’re probably some nepobaby who had parents who told her she could have the world-” But Jazz cuts him off with hysterical laughter- he couldn’t be further from the truth. Her parents loved her, but nepotism? With what, the ghosts? If anything she got that from Danny, but he doesn’t need to know about her ghostly titles. 

“You’re just some guy who came back from the dead and made his trauma everyone else’s issue. So shut it. And tell me how I’m getting you home from this clinic.” She seethes though her voice stays devastatingly level with each word. 

Speechless for a moment, he eventually relents to Jazz that he’s already called for help on the comms but it will be hours before they can come for a pick up. The sun had already come up and the night had been over for most of them before Hood had walked into trouble. She groans and the realizes the time for herself and the empty clinic around them.

“Fine. My shift just ended anyway. I’ll get you home in one piece and I swear to all the ancients that you’d better follow the directions on the infographic.” 

And that’s how Jazz ended up calling her brother while supporting the weight of a grown ass man (who no longer wanted to talk to her) on her walk home. 

The next time Red Hood appears in her clinic, he’s brought a dozen roses in addition to the cut on his neck that definitely needs to be pressurized like ASAP. Did he stop for the flowers on his way to the clinic? He’s going to pass out from blood loss! She doesn’t even like roses!

[reasonsforhope]

"In response to last year’s record-breaking heat due to El Niño and impacts from climate change, Indigenous Zenù farmers in Colombia are trying to revive the cultivation of traditional climate-resilient seeds and agroecology systems.

One traditional farming system combines farming with fishing: locals fish during the rainy season when water levels are high, and farm during the dry season on the fertile soils left by the receding water.

Locals and ecologists say conflicts over land with surrounding plantation owners, cattle ranchers and mines are also worsening the impacts of the climate crisis.

To protect their land, the Zenù reserve, which is today surrounded by monoculture plantations, was in 2005 declared the first Colombian territory free from GMOs.

...

In the Zenù reserve, issues with the weather, climate or soil are spread by word of mouth between farmers, or on La Positiva 103.0, a community agroecology radio station. And what’s been on every farmer’s mind is last year’s record-breaking heat and droughts. Both of these were charged by the twin impacts of climate change and a newly developing El Niño, a naturally occurring warmer period that last occurred here in 2016, say climate scientists.

Experts from Colombia’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies say the impacts of El Niño will be felt in Colombia until April 2024, adding to farmers’ concerns. Other scientists forecast June to August may be even hotter than 2023, and the next five years could be the hottest on record. On Jan. 24, President Gustavo Petro said he will declare wildfires a natural disaster, following an increase in forest fires that scientists attribute to the effects of El Niño.

In the face of these changes, Zenù farmers are trying to revive traditional agricultural practices like ancestral seed conservation and a unique agroecology system.

Pictured: Remberto Gil’s house is surrounded by an agroforestry system where turkeys and other animals graze under fruit trees such as maracuyá (Passiflora edulis), papaya (Carica papaya) and banana (Musa acuminata colla). Medicinal herbs like toronjil (Melissa officinalis) and tres bolas (Leonotis nepetifolia), and bushes like ají (Capsicum baccatum), yam and frijol diablito (beans) are part of the undergrowth. Image by Monica Pelliccia for Mongabay.

“Climate change is scary due to the possibility of food scarcity,” says Rodrigo Hernandez, a local authority with the Santa Isabel community. “Our ancestral seeds offer a solution as more resistant to climate change.”

Based on their experience, farmers say their ancestral seed varieties are more resistant to high temperatures compared to the imported varieties and cultivars they currently use. These ancestral varieties have adapted to the region’s ecosystem and require less water, they tell Mongabay. According to a report by local organization Grupo Semillas and development foundation SWISSAID, indigenous corn varieties like blaquito are more resistant to the heat, cariaco tolerates drought easily, and negrito is very resistant to high temperatures.

The Zenù diet still incorporates the traditional diversity of seeds, plant varieties and animals they consume, though they too are threatened by climate change: from fish recipes made from bocachico (Prochilodus magdalenae), and reptiles like the babilla or spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), to different corn varieties to prepare arepas (cornmeal cakes), liquor, cheeses and soups.

“The most important challenge we have now is to save ancient species and involve new generations in ancestral practice,” says Sonia Rocha Marquez, a professor of social sciences at Sinù University in the city of Montería.

...[Despite] land scarcity, Negrete says communities are developing important projects to protect their traditional food systems. Farmers and seed custodians, like Gil, are working with the Association of Organic Agriculture and Livestock Producers (ASPROAL) and their Communitarian Seed House (Casa Comunitaria de Semillas Criollas y Nativas)...

Pictured: Remberto Gil is a seed guardian and farmer who works at the Communitarian Seed House, where the ASPROL association stores 32 seeds of rare or almost extinct species. Image by Monica Pelliccia for Mongabay.

Located near Gil’s house, the seed bank hosts a rainbow of 12 corn varieties, from glistening black to blue to light pink to purple and even white. There are also jars of seeds for local varieties of beans, eggplants, pumpkins and aromatic herbs, some stored in refrigerators. All are ancient varieties shared between local families.

Outside the seed bank is a terrace where chickens and turkeys graze under an agroforestry system for farmers to emulate: local varieties of passion fruit, papaya and banana trees grow above bushes of ají peppers and beans. Traditional medicinal herbs like toronjil or lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) form part of the undergrowth.

Today, 25 families are involved in sharing, storing and commercializing the seeds of 32 rare or almost-extinct varieties.

“When I was a kid, my father brought me to the farm to participate in recovering the land,” says Nilvadys Arrieta, 56, a farmer member of ASPROAL. “Now, I still act with the same collective thinking that moves what we are doing.”

“Working together helps us to save, share more seeds, and sell at fair price [while] avoiding intermediaries and increasing families’ incomes,” Gil says. “Last year, we sold 8 million seeds to organic restaurants in Bogotà and Medellín.”

So far, the 80% of the farmers families living in the Zenù reserve participate in both the agroecology and seed revival projects, he adds."

-via Mongabay, February 6, 2024

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735! (Or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!)

1. Thai tiger numbers swell as prey populations stabilize in western forests

“The tiger population density in a series of protected areas in western Thailand has more than doubled over the past two decades, according to new survey data. […] The most recent year of surveys, which concluded in November 2023, photographed 94 individual tigers, up from 75 individuals in the previous year, and from fewer than 40 in 2007. […] A total of 291 individual tigers older than 1 year were recorded, as well as 67 cubs younger than 1 year.”

2. Work starts to rewild former cattle farm

“Ecologists have started work to turn a former livestock farm into a nature reserve [… which] will become a "mosaic of habitats" for insects, birds and mammals. [… R]ewilding farmland could benefit food security locally by encouraging pollinators, improving soil health and soaking up flood water. [… “N]ature restoration doesn't preclude food production. We want to address [food security] by using nature-based solutions."”

3. Harnessing ‘invisible forests in plain view’ to reforest the world

“[… T]he degraded land contained numerous such stumps with intact root systems capable of regenerating themselves, plus millions of tree seeds hidden in the soil, which farmers could simply encourage to grow and reforest the landscape[….] Today, the technique of letting trees resprout and protecting their growth from livestock and wildlife [… has] massive potential to help tackle biodiversity loss and food insecurity through resilient agroforestry systems. [… The UN’s] reported solution includes investing in land restoration, “nature-positive” food production, and rewilding, which could return between $7 and $30 for every dollar spent.”

4. California bars school districts from outing LGBTQ+ kids to their parents

“Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the SAFETY Act today – a bill that prohibits the forced outing of transgender and gay students, making California the first state to explicitly prohibit school districts from doing so. […] Matt Adams, a head of department at a West London state school, told PinkNews at the time: “Teachers and schools do not have all the information about every child’s home environment and instead of supporting a pupil to be themselves in school, we could be putting them at risk of harm.””

5. 85% of new electricity built in 2023 came from renewables

“Electricity supplied by renewables, like hydropower, solar, and wind, has increased gradually over the past few decades — but rapidly in recent years. [… C]lean energy now makes up around 43 percent of global electricity capacity. In terms of generation — the actual power produced by energy sources — renewables were responsible for 30 percent of electricity production last year. […] Along with the rise of renewable sources has come a slowdown in construction of non-renewable power plants as well as a move to decommission more fossil fuel facilities.”

6. Deadly cobra bites to "drastically reduce" as scientists discover new antivenom

“After successful human trials, the snake venom antidote could be rolled out relatively quickly to become a "cheap, safe and effective drug for treating cobra bites" and saving lives around the globe, say scientists. Scientists have found that a commonly used blood thinner known as heparin can be repurposed as an inexpensive antidote for cobra venom. […] Using CRISPR gene-editing technology […] they successfully repurposed heparin, proving that the common blood thinner can stop the necrosis caused by cobra bites.”

7. FruitFlow: a new citizen science initiative unlocks orchard secrets

“"FruitWatch" has significantly refined phenological models by integrating extensive citizen-sourced data, which spans a wider geographical area than traditional methods. These enhanced models offer growers precise, location-specific predictions, essential for optimizing agricultural planning and interventions. […] By improving the accuracy of phenological models, farmers can better align their operations with natural biological cycles, enhancing both yield and quality.”

8. July 4th Means Freedom for Humpback Whale Near Valdez, Alaska

“The NOAA Fisheries Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline received numerous reports late afternoon on July 3. A young humpback whale was entangled in the middle of the Port of Valdez[….] “The success of this mission was due to the support of the community, as they were the foundation of the effort,” said Moran. [… Members of the community] were able to fill the critical role of acting as first responders to a marine mammal emergency. “Calling in these reports is extremely valuable as it allows us to respond when safe and appropriate, and also helps us gain information on various threats affecting the animals,” said Lyman.”

9. Elephants Receive First of Its Kind Vaccine

“Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus is the leading cause of death for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) born in facilities in North America and also causes calf deaths in the wild in Asia. A 40-year-old female received the new mRNA vaccine, which is expected to help the animal boost immunity[….]”

10. Conservation partners and Indigenous communities working together to restore forests in Guatemala

“The K’iche have successfully managed their natural resources for centuries using their traditional governing body and ancestral knowledge. As a result, Totonicapán is home to Guatemala’s largest remaining stand of conifer forest. […] EcoLogic has spearheaded a large-scale forest restoration project at Totonicapán, where 13 greenhouses now hold about 16,000 plants apiece, including native cypresses, pines, firs, and alders. […] The process begins each November when community members gather seeds. These seeds then go into planters that include upcycled coconut fibers and mycorrhizal fungi, which help kickstart fertilization. When the plantings reach about 12 inches, they’re ready for distribution.”

July 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[reality-detective]

Food is fundamentally beneficial to our health and many doctors were murdered for this 🤔

[ruporas]

feeding the stray cat (ID in alt)

[kagooleo]

johto’s champion and chronicler for the deity of the ilex shrine, it’s lyra!🌿

this one took me a while due to trying out different techniques (studying a Lot of art nouveau) and making a couple changes to her outfit (the details help), but I’d like to think she’s learned a lot in her journey and wanted to reflect her experience more in her champion fit

her specialty would be in fairy types and her meganium’s divergent evolution is grass/fairy 🧚🪷

and a bonus w/ the johto gang after the photoshoot!

[antoniofoote-health]

Nature's pharmacy at its finest! Herbs have been used for centuries to promote healing and wellness. Let's embrace the wisdom of traditional remedies and harness the healing power of nature.

[cherrieguroo]

medicinal alcohol icecream date moodboard !!

requested by moth :3

[creature-wizard]

This is very random but, can we talk about the rise in “toxin free eating/clean eating”? Because all of this is so wild to me. The rise in “cleanliness” in general is so weird. (Not saying caring about hygiene is weird that’s not what this “cleanliness culture” is about.)

I’m sorry but drinking raw milk isn’t going to give you this missing nutrition BIG DAIRY has been keeping from you so they could fill you with toxins. Pasteurizing milk is a process so you don’t fucking die!!!

An uptick in bird flu cases have been reported in Dairy cows recently, and with all the dumbasses drinking raw milk that’s just putting yourself and so many others at risk.

But do they see that risk no. They are too busy posting tiktoks about how Air Fryers give people autism. And how “processed” foods are filled with evil toxins and give people autism. (Why the fuck does everything now a days give you autism) What do they think processes food are?? Putting a food in a wrapping is processing it.

Sugar, pasteurized milk, chemicals in an ingredient list you don’t understand, aren’t giving you autism or parasites or “toxins”. It’s crazy they will say they have a borax deficiency and start eating LITERAL BORAX THE LAUNDRY DETERGENT, but demonize sugar or oil. Stop moralizing your EDs and spreading false information to feed your delusions. Let’s also not ignore the political rhetoric that also helps prop up these ideas. (That’s way bigger conversation I don’t want to get into. Also I’m saying “your” and “you” not at YOU but at them. Sorry for any typos, I hope you understand what I’m trying to get at.)

We can and should talk about this! So many people today have been led to believe that Food In The Past was so much better and nobody got sick from anything they ate, which was just. So Not True. Like the reality is that food today is way safer than food in the past, and the health problems people suffer today were absolutely suffered by people in the past. Like you only have to read something like the Lacnunga to see this for yourself.

[raineandsky]

Your writing always makes my day!!! Request idea: hero and villain accidentally crossing on some kind of public event. The moment hero notices villain, he starts following the criminal in order to prevent whatever is going to happen. But eventually instead of doing evil stuff (as hero had expected) villain faints near some shop, hero catches him before villain hits the ground and then stands there for a second like “What the hell just happened”. Of course then he tries to figure out what is wrong with his nemesis and to help

Sorry if it’s too specific🪿

i'm glad i can brighten your day a little! this was a fun one to write - thank you for the request!

The hero never took himself for someone to recognise faces. But he sees the someone in baggy clothes, a bag thrown over their shoulder, a world away from what the hero would think he’d recognise, and he still knows, somehow, that it’s the villain.

His nemesis is trying a new technique, perhaps. Trying to blend into the masses, shedding his noticeable identity to go under the radar. The hero is more than happy to show him that it hasn’t worked—he can smell something evil from a mile away.

The villain slips into the crowd and the hero follows. He can just see him ahead; shirt flapping behind him, bag clamped to his shoulder with tight fists. The villain careens to the left and disappears. Ha, the hero thinks, he’s noticed me and he thinks I’ll lose him. That won’t work on me.

The hero pushes through the crowd and the villain is thankfully still there, stumbling slightly. He puts a hand out blindly, trying to lean on something that isn’t there. The hero strides closer, mentally preparing to deal with him, when the villain loses his balance and topples right over.

The hero’s moving in before he can think about what he’s doing. He manages to catch the villain, just, before he can crash to the floor. A few onlookers gasp dramatically; someone approaches worriedly to help.

“It’s okay,” the hero says, as if this is, in any way, okay, “he’s with the right person.”

The villain, it appears, is out cold. The hero scoops him up as best he can with civilians crowding around. It’s something of a sloppy bridal carry—he doesn’t have much choice, but his face heats up slightly regardless. With a beeline towards some of the onlookers, they quickly part and let the hero through to find somewhere quieter.

The city and these goddamn events—it doesn’t seem like there’s anywhere even slightly secluded, and naturally people are curious about a hero carrying someone through the midst of it all.

And through all of it: why? Clearly something’s going on with the villain. Well, that’s a given, since he’s a villain, but the hero assumes fainting isn’t part of the job. He’d never admit it to the villain—god, imagine how smug he’d be—but he’s worried. Is he hurt? What’s wrong with him?

The hero finally spots a little alley, miraculously undisturbed, and practically dives into it. He carefully lays the villain on the pavement, wasting no time checking vitals. Okay, he has a heartbeat. Promising. He’s breathing. Alive, by all accounts. Probably thanks to the hero, given his head-first dive for the unforgiving concrete.

Like the villain can hear the hero’s racing thoughts, he slowly opens his eyes. They lock onto the hero’s face, half-there at best, his mouth moving in a vain attempt to speak.

“It’s okay, [Villain],” the hero says, even though it still really isn’t, “I’ll look after you.”

“Oh,” the villain slurs. “O’ay.”

He reaches for the hero, his fingers flexing thoughtlessly, and the hero edges closer. He gets dangerously in reach, and the villain grabs a fistful of the hero’s shirt like a lifeline. The hero freezes, unsure what to do as the villain weakly pulls him closer, and submits himself to sitting here and waiting for whatever this is to pass.

The hero waits with him for the better part of ten minutes as he slowly comes around. He knows they’re in the clear when the villain’s eyes glance at him again, and this time he seems to actually see him.

“Oh, Jesus.” He pulls his hand back like the hero’s burning. “How long have you been sat there?”

“Well, I was there when you passed out,” the hero says flatly, “so… a while.”

The villain was already pale, but he’s basically a ghost now. “Right.”

The hero casually brushes the new crinkles on his shirt. “Are you going to tell me what that was about?”

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” the villain snaps. He goes to pull himself up but the hero stops him.

“No,” the hero says sharply. “You’re just as human as everyone else I look after in this city. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Oh, ew,” the villain cries dramatically. “Look, I’m fine, okay? You’ve had your moment of heroics, now back off.”

The villain goes to pick himself up slowly, and the hero watches with a worried frown. This conversation has answered exactly zero of the hero’s questions. “Please, just tell me what’s going on, [Villain]. I don’t want to have to worry about this when I next fight you.”

The villain brushes his clothes off with a scowl. “You’re not leaving this alone, are you?” He sighs, glancing nervously down the alleyway before turning his eyes back to the hero. “It’s hypotension.”

“What?”

“Hypotension. My blood pressure is too low sometimes, and I just…” The villain makes a motion like he’s about to topple again. “Go out like a light. I’m quite proud I’ve gone this long without anyone noticing, honestly.”

The hero moves in to help the villain to his feet as he stands. “I’m horrified no one knows about this, [Villain]. Something bad could happen to you.”

“I’m horrified this happened at all. If I find out this has ended up on file somewhere in the agency, [Hero], I swear to god,” the villain seethes, “you’re so dead.”

The hero laughs awkwardly. “Hey, I know where the line is between moral and personal.”

He’s not lying. There’s no section for villains’ medical issues in the files, anyway.

[the-astral-express-archive]

Honkai: Star Rail | Food & Drinks (7/?)