#not to even mention that it's already difficult to have a balanced diet with the proper amount of vegetables and grains

[kindaeccentric]

So a significant side effects of my medication is greater sense of hunger and weight gain. People obviously say it should be easy not to gain weight knowing it, because 'it's enough to just not eat more and exercise : )'. But I wonder if these people know how it feels to try to ignore hunger and exercise when your whole body aches just from taking a walk. Especially if your brain needs stimulation and when you're already struggling with disordered eating. It's a literal torture. Chronically ill people should never be shamed for gaining weight. Nobody should.

[lune-de-miel-au-paradis]

About Nina Cerasus’s illness the HCM

I mentioned in most of the chapters in Star-crossed and in Heavenbound (they both my fic you can read them here) that she has an illness that causes her character to have some plotlines and complexity. 

It is actually a rare disease in real life, and not many know about it, so I decided to make an extra post to share some extra info about it. Let’s dig in!

About HCM: 

It’s a type of heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). 

It basically causes the heart muscles to thicken, which in turn makes it more difficult to pump blood through the body’s system. HCM is a heart disease that can affect how effectively the heart can pump blood.

HCM is autosomal dominant condition, meaning that individuals have a 50% chance of inheriting, or passing on, the predisposition to this disorder to their children. (Nina inherited from her father Felix who already had a heart transplant surgery.)

What is it like to live with a disease like this? 

The symptoms that Nina exhibits include shortness of breath, chest pain, and a propensity for fainting or feeling dizzy. There’s also a heightened risk of heart failure or sudden cardiac death. Also the medications she needs to take, make her often have a cold nose, hands and feet. 

People with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) will benefit from a heart-healthy diet. This includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in added sugar, sodium, and trans and saturated fats.

So Nina usually eats a very healthy balanced meal.

Making lifestyle changes such as exercising more, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol are beneficial. However, if you have HCM you should speak with a doctor before increasing your physical activity. The recommendation for people with HCM is to avoid high-intensity exercise since it can worsen symptoms. This is why Nina has pilates classes with Master Plo, and meditating classes.

About drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks, always talk to your cardiologist! Because  caffeine is a stimulant that affects everyone differently. If you are living with HCM, know how the foods, beverages, and supplements you consume could affect your heart rhythm.

Like alcohol, caffeine can also cause dehydration, which can worsen the symptoms of HCM. Ask your doctor about caffeine and what levels of coffee, soda, tea, and other caffeinated products are safe for you to drink.

I made Nina a tea girlie. 

Women with HCM generally tolerate pregnancy well. The risk is however higher in women who are symptomatic before pregnancy or in those with severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. The incidence of arrhythmias does not appear to be increased during pregnancy and maternal mortality is low. But I made Nina make the decision to not have her own biological baby, and choose adoption instead in the Heavenbound storyline.

Author's Note: 

I have to say that people with this kind of disease can live a normal life.

But I slightly overemphasized Nina's illness at certain points for dramaturgical reasons.

For example, hyperspace travels take a toll on her, if she doesn't receive certain treatment beforehand. This idea came from the fact that all travel can be physically stressful for us, so traveling in space and hyperspace jumping can certainly have an even greater effect on a person, and there is also space radiation. Thus, Nina must receive a certain vitamin cocktail injection in my story before the trip. This is, of course, fiction!

Nina avoids alcohol, smoking and caffeine-based drinks mostly. In her early 20's and party years she drinks and occasionally smokes, and quits it after receiving some bad news of her health.

She drinks mint tea. She exercises often and takes the necessary medications despite the side effects. She chose not to have a baby because she does not want to pass on this disease and is also afraid of death caused by childbirth.

I also wanted to show the emotional side of what it's like to live with this type of illness. In Star-crossed fic I have written many emotions based on my own experiences. (Not everyone accepts this disease with such feelings, of course it happens differently for everyone.) But in Nina's point of view - even if it was a little exaggerated - I gave her a lot of emotions and memories from my life. 

In the first chapter and several other crisis situations, Nina experiences these  emotional "storms". 

These panic attacks usually happen to her after experiencing trauma. For example, when her mother died or when her father left them. When she found out about her illness and when Maul left her. (all mentioned in Star-crossed fic).It’s basically a panic attack mixed with deep repressed depression bursting out. 

She called these episodes "storms" because just like the rain clouds these episodes end eventually.

Under these episodes she usually feels chest pain, dizziness, nauseous and she can't stop crying for a long time. 

Nina is terribly ashamed of these episodes, she feels weak and vulnerable, which she hates. In such cases, she releases all suppressed anger and sadness by crying. When they are over, Nina is numb and quiet, her mind clears as she rebuilds her armor/or inner world. She represses and buries all the painful memories and thus tries to move on. (The first chapter of Star-crossed is basically an episode of one of her "storm.")

I know I kinda trauma dumped her, but don't feel bad about it. With these illnesses both physical and mental I wanted to give her character some complexity, and some dramatic deep feelings.

She is my character and I wanted to write a character who has the same illness as me. This is a kind of personal coping mechanism for me and I don't want to receive negative comments about it. If you don't like it, or triggered by it then, please move on to another blog and another story.

Taglist: @hellhound5925 @cloneloverrrrr @stardustbee @the-chains-are-the-easy-part @firstofficerwiggles

let me know if you would like to be added!

[steddieficrecs]

Best of Steddie

2/?

previous / next

Homo Erastus by Taureau

Steve's not homophobic. Really, he isn't. It's just that Eddie's boyfriends are all jackasses. Or... something.

Getting Together | Smut

cool just doing nothing with you by anniebibananie

“My place is empty, and I’m up anyway,” Steve said. “You could always come over. Smoking weed might do the trick to knock us out.”

Eddie eyes him suspiciously for a moment, as if Steve wasn’t finished. “You know I’m Eddie Munson, right? I’ve already tried weed. Weed is part of my balanced diet.”

Steve fluttered his eyelashes. “But you haven’t tried it with Steve Harrington.”

It's never easy, recovering from the trauma of a battle with the supernatural, but this time Steve has Eddie. And weed. Hopefully one of those two can help him sleep at least.

Getting Together | Mutual Pining

Keep It Steady, Eddie by outofmygourd

Eddie Munson doesn't mind working at the Family Video Store. It's a nice sense of normalcy (not to mention money) and he gets to see Robin more because of it. However, between working together and sharing the same best friend, he's also been seeing a lot more of Steve Harrington.

He wants nothing more than to enjoy mindless fun with his friends now that everything with Vecna is over, but Eddie's finding it hard to move on from what happened. Even if the strangest thing in his life right now was simply the fact he and Steve Harrington might actually be friends.

Slow Burn | pre V2 | Eventual smut

you don't have to be sorry for doing it on your own by elyzaapple

He gets the call and everything is slow motion. He’s barely able to understand what’s happening. The words are mumbled in his brain, he picks them apart like he’s sifting for a needle in a haystack. Claudia Henderson was found dead. Her son is waiting at the police station.

-------

Steve becomes Dustin's legal guardian after his mom's death. He's figuring it out along the way with the help of a certain curly-haired metal-head he can't seem to get out of his head.

Found Family | Canon Divergence

Mutual Future by knell

"Okay," Eddie says at last, voice betraying his cool demeanor. "I'll go first." He clears his throat, folds his hands politely in his lap. "I have never been more confused in my life than when I'm with you. And I've taken trig three times and am still not a hundred percent on what a hypotenuse is, so, like, it's not difficult to confuse me or anything. But you really take the cake."

Steve chews on his lip. "Sorry? I'm... confused too."

—

two dudes navigate their feelings in the most normal way possible.

Mutual Pining | Friends to Lovers

[queer-adhd]

TW disordered eating ; TW neglect ; TW self harm mention

I was wondering if you or your followers have advice for me, since you have so many neurodivergent followers. I've already got a dietician helping me out with the food part, but I'm struggling with the autistic/ADHD part.

At the age of 31 I found out I have a ton of food allergies and intolerances. Apparently I've also developed a histamine intolerance along the way.

This suddenly put a lot of things in perspective: I've always struggled with food, and I realised this is because my parents/childhood environment didn't take these issues seriously and just continually told me to stop making a fuss and finish my plate.

I think I ended up developing ARFID because of this. Seemingly everything I ate made me sick so I just stopped eating unless I was on the verge of fainting, or unless my ADHD made me seek out dopamine (back when I was still unmedicated). I think the fainting thing might be hypoglycemia? I was always told that's a diabetes-only thing but the symptoms match up with how I felt the majority of my life and I recently read it can also be caused by eating disorders.

Thanks to my dietician, I now know what I can digest and what I can't and it's had a major positive effect on my health so far. We've been working on these issues for a year or so now. She's been amazing for the food part, but doesn't know anything about neurodiversity.

I keep getting stuck on the brain part of recovery. I've regained my ability to distinguish nausea from hunger, but I still constantly forget to eat. I've trained myself my entire life to ignore hunger. My sense of time is really bad, so a day will pass by and I'll only realise I forgot to eat all day around dinner time. My ADHD meds probably diminish my sense of hunger too. I enjoy cooking but executive dysfunction makes it hard even though I know I need fresh foods for the histamine thing. My ADHD makes me crave things I can't have whenever my menstrual cycle makes my meds less effective: I make sure I don't have any around, but the dopamine seeking thing makes it hard to eat something else at those times. Autistic sensory issues give me trouble with some safe foods which makes having a balanced diet difficult. I've also just been struggling to find safe foods in general because the various allergies are hard to combine and it takes a lot of research/focus to find new things I can safely add to my diet.

It's also taken me a long time to accept this is a type of eating disorder. Most doctors I talked to about these issues basically reacted the same way my parents did before I found my current dietician. So while I objectively know it's not my fault, I still constantly have to remind myself that I'm not just being difficult and that I really do need all of this. I try to do this with CBT techniques, but I also noticed a problematic trend: I don't seek out allergic reactions, but whenever I do react it feels like a validation of my struggles being real now that I know how to identify an allergic reaction. While I think I'm dealing OK with this at the moment, I'm kinda worried this has the potential to turn into a type of self-harm if my mental health were to take a bad turn in the future. I've already told my therapist, but she's not entirely sure how to deal with this either. (She's looking into it though.)

I can't be the only person struggling with issues like these? Given how ADHD/autism and allergies/histamine issues are comorbid. Does anyone recognise this situation? Any tips on how to deal with it? Or Tumblr/Discord/Reddit groups that talk about this? Or should I just give it more time?

END TW

-

Thank you for running this blog, by the way. Seeing other people's asks here and at Rouke's place has helped me figure out a few other minor health issues too. Your blogs seem to have had a positive impact for a lot of people. Really makes me appreciate the power of community.

So guess who had a response to this in his drafts and then got punched in the face by life repeatedly. Sorry! Here's what I had in drafts:

Ahhh I'm really glad that we've been able to help, even if it's just by linking people to other people who might know how to help better than us.

So I can't offer help on everything but I can confirm that ADHD also makes me forget to eat, and having a structured life kinda helps. I bring lunch to work with me and lunch break is a set time every day where everyone in my office stops to eat, so I don't forget.

I also think that possibly one of these might be helpful:

It's a vibrating wristwatch; it's got ten different alarms, so they're most often used for medication reminders but they're also honestly great for reminding you to eat. They're physical so they don't get silenced when I put my phone on do not disturb, and they haven't set off my sensory issues.

The lights are usually off unless you click the button to check, so the battery life is good and it's rechargeable via micro-usb cable instead of battery replacements.

Also, generally speaking I'd say that a safe food is better than no food or not enough food. Even if you're not managing to eat super healthy or whatever, jump on the opportunities you get where your brain or body says yes, particularly if they're rare.

Regarding the self harm aspect, I've definitely struggled with something similar. It's hard. Feeling validated like that is something very appealing, even if it's objectively miserable. I'd say that as long as you're not seeking them out, it's not too much of an issue. Maybe try and keep track of how often you find this happening; if there's an uptick, then it's time to break out the CBT and also potentially address any stressors in your life that might be contributing.

Also yes ADHD in general can be a contributor to disordered eating; our dopamine pathways are fucked. Food can be a major issue because of that.

As per, please anyone who knows more or has any insight chime in?

[drsixto]

"FOOD, MOOD AND GROOVE."

"Human Nutrition has always been a fad. I can tell you otherwise: Eat well! A Holistic Healthy whole food diet is my only recommendation as the gateway to healing, rejuvenation, and optimum health! The culprit to the western SAD diet is acidosis and its destructive force on our biological functions of body mind and spirit.

Dr. Sixto

Food, Mood and Groove and the art of Holistic Nutrition

Food is a substance consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and other nutrients used in the body to sustain growth and vital processes to furnish energy. The source from which we get these nutrients can have an influence on a person’s behavior and well-being, from feeling irritable or anxious, having mood swings, or on the flip-side, food can provide the optimum energy, clarity and more  balanced and a more alert and active state of being, not to mention a better self-image and self-esteem. As we start to practice the discipline of a Holistic Wellness lifestyle we start to feel “goodness” as never before, calmer, clearer, and more confident in the life that we are living.

In the Holistic Health field, nutrition is part of the set of disciplines needed to maintain optimal wellness. It has been noted in our field that much depends on nutrition for our bodies to function appropriately, and I do not mean just physically. New research is starting to emerge (and about time) on the link between our moods and how they are affected by the fuel we intake (place a lower grade gas in a car and you get knocks and eventually a congested underperforming engine).  How is it that food intake would not affect the passageways and highways where nutrition is driven to the physiological systems of our body, especially our brains?  Nutrition is a lifelong human relationship, as we age our food requirements change, and our metabolism changes. We need to understand these factors to maintain an optimum physical state and a mind that produces thoughts that match a healthy functioning organism. 

Maintaining the organism in optimal condition requires a new discipline in the lives we live today. We don’t pay much attention to what we eat and certainly, we are lacking in the way we relate to the things we eat. Studies show that 76 percent of adults don’t meet the recommendations for daily fruit intake. Even more—87 percent—of adults don’t meet daily vegetable requirements. When we eat appropriately we cut out the perceived need for supplements to restore the necessary nutrient levels in our body as the health benefits and risks of dietary supplement use have become a bit controversial as of late.  In an article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine1, it was concluded that an adequate intake of many nutrients has a beneficial effect on health but this was only seen when the nutrients were consumed in food, not supplements.  Some nutrients also help each other out. Vitamin D, for instance, boosts the body’s absorption of calcium. By eating an orange, which contains calcium and vitamin D, you get to absorb more calcium. If you took a single supplement of calcium, it wouldn’t get that help. Whole foods are always more nutritious than their refined counterparts and this includes supplements.

In many instances, the vitamins and minerals found in food sources are easier to absorb than those in supplement form. With the added benefit of the other nutrients found in food, eating healthily gives far greater benefits than opting for supplements and eating poorly. A diet low in fat and proteins and eating more fruits and vegetables is good for your organism. The average American diet (SAD) is already high in ultra-processed, low-nutrient food. This is why we eat more than ever but are less healthy and have more deficiencies and increasing rates of chronic disease. By focusing on eating

a healthy diet of whole foods, it’s not difficult to get all of your nutrients through your diet.

"It is important to note how you interact with life daily as that interaction with your biological self is complex and interconnected.  Let’s look at it this way. What you consume can detract from your physical activity and the results as we know, slower metabolism and such, can have long-term negative effects on the various physiological systems, to say the least."

Take the most perfect nutrient in your system: blood. Blood naturally maintains a slightly alkaline nature. The wastes of cells that go into your blood are acidic in nature. If this condition is not neutralized and eliminated it reduces the alkalinity of the blood. The organism holds an urgent need for the body to ensure an acid-base balance, since the body, deprived of its acid-base (pH) homeostasis in blood pH balance can result in death within minutes.

What we lack in our food intake, fruits, and vegetables, are the anti-acidic variables in those nutrients that help balance the acid-base nature of the blood. If there is a deficiency of base-producing minerals and organic salts the body is forced to draw upon its own reserves contained in the blood and tissues to neutralize and detoxify the blood of the toxins. If arterial blood stays above a pH balance of 7.4, this acidic balance in the blood can lead to chronic acidosis and decomposition of body cells, tissues, and muscle. In order to maintain acid-base pH balance in arterial blood, the body maintains “diet-derived” alkaline reserves in the blood, other fluids, and tissues and stores extra backup alkaline reserves available for transfer into the blood when alkaline compounds in the blood, other fluids, and tissues run short. For example, a wonderful alkaline neutralizing source is potassium salts. Where is this source plentifully stored in the body? The bones. This may be why bone structures after years on an acidic SAD diet, may weaken with age since the SAD diet is naturally deprived of alkaline-producing reserves.

Mindful eating is another important factor in diet and health and may assure that your food intake is well-regulated. When eating mindfully, your brain, it has been shown, has a better ability to turn off the hunger switch in your brain by releasing tanycytes located in the hypothalamus region of the brain.

When you slow and chew your food, the brain has ample time to receive signals as to what types of food are being readied for digestion and has the time to accurately provide the correct bile mix to the stomach, therefore, reducing digestive issues. Being mindful when eating also puts into play the fact that your system is paying attention to what you are ingesting. This idea of a slower, more careful, or thoughtful way of eating may help us to enjoy our food more, choose more healthful foods and make us less likely to overeat. Flip the hunger switch before it’s too late.

Mindful eating helps us to pay attention to our actions and perhaps stop “the snack” when we're not hungry or eat what we're not craving. Mindful eating is about awareness and intention, two essential aspects of healthy thought processes. 

We get caught up in life. A life that in many instances does not ask us how we are doing, how we are feeling around a situation, nor what it is we need to do differently to feel a bit, just a bit better about our being.  We rush, we rush. When it comes to food we fail to experience the sensuality of food or even our relationship with it potentially falling into shame and guilt. At times we may even eat for the sake of eating. I know, I’ve been down that road only to cause a bumpy ride.

The CDC recommends adults emphasize a diet mixed with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products. It’s also recommended that adults steer away from foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars. 

Keep in mind that when stressed or depressed it is normal to desire high calories, and unhealthy treats.

This can be the organism’s natural reaction to fight or flight when the going gets tough, so it’s super important to be aware when your day is less than ideal. Set an intention to regulate and be aware of what is going down the tube and how often. It has been shown that foods full of fat and sugar can increase the likelihood of depression and anxiety, and that could equal the intake of more high-caloric and unhealthy foods to fight all the bad moods. This can set up the perfect storm of habitual unhealthy eating which can get to the point where you only feel good when junk goes in. Your brain knows what makes you happy or sad and being the perfectionist that the brain is, it will set the path of your intentions and in the case of unhealthy foods, a path of dietetic disaster.

What would be the long-term mental health effects of eating well? When you eat well, preferably a balance of 80% of your food intake be alkaline forming and 20% be acid-forming such as a healthy whole food diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, can help keep maintain a healthy mental attitude, stabilizing mood and keeping you out of the danger zone where it feels like only a slice of cake will save the day.

Eat well. A Holistic Healthy whole food diet is my only recommendation!

For further information on how you a loved one could benefit from a Holistic Wellness, Whole Health path, please do not hesitate to contact me at sixto@drsixto.com

To your Whole Health, naturally!

Sixto J. Sicilia, PhD

1 Chen, MS, MPH, F., Du, MS, MPH, M., & Blumberg, Ph.D., J. B. (2019, May 7). Association Among Dietary Supplement Use, Nutrient Intake, and Mortality Among U.S. Adults. Annals of Internal Medicine. Retrieved August 18, 2022, from https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M18-2478

[prodentimreview24]

ProDentim review

ProDentim is a dietary supplement designed for improving the health of gums and teeth. People who struggle with dental problems may benefit from adding this supplement to their routines. According to the website of ProDentim, consistently taking only one capsule on a daily basis shows visible results in no time.

Prodentim website link is in bio.

What is ProDentim?

As mentioned before, ProDentim is a unique supplement formulated specifically for dental health. Its unique blend of ingredients combines different nutrients with probiotics, which are known to be significantly beneficial to health. Each dosage contains around 3.5 billion strains of probiotics, which adds to the microflora diversity in the body.

In order to promote improved oral and dental health, ProDentim is a dietary supplement for oral care. ProDentim, to be precise, is a blend of beneficial probiotic bacteria that has the capacity to balance the oral microbiome. ProDentim contains only safe, non-toxic substances designed to maintain healthy teeth and gums. To date, the supplement has had no negative side effects while assisting millions of users in improving their tooth health. Additionally, a supplement was created by a doctor and supported by a committed medical advisory board.

Although bacteria develop best in the mouth, a daily supplement like ProDentim can combat these issues. ProDentim offers customers gluten and stimulant-free natural composition despite being a relatively new medication. You won’t need water to swallow the tablet because you can chew it. Although this formula isn’t intended to fix dental issues, it can foster a positive environment that will lower the likelihood of teeth and gum issues.

How to Use the Supplement?

Each bottle of ProDentim comes with thirty easy-to-consume capsules. According to directions provided by the company, only one capsule should be taken per day. You can take the daily dosage at any time of the day with a drink of your choice. It can be juice, smoothie, or plain water but make sure it is not an alcoholic drink. Also, do not mix it directly in the food you are eating and take it separately as directed by the guidelines.

Even though there is flexibility in timing, and one can take the supplement at any time, the recommended time is in the morning. This is because it works better and faster on an empty stomach as the absorption is also quicker. ProDentim is free of any stimulants or toxins, so it will not affect mood or energy. You only need to be careful about sticking to the fixed-dose only.

Taking more than the recommended amount may cause opposite and harmful effects. So, it is best to avoid taking more than one capsule per day. Secondly, make sure not to take ProDentim if you are already on other supplements or are taking other medicinal courses. It is always better to consult a healthcare practitioner before taking any kind of medicine, especially if you have health issues.

How Does ProDentim Work?

ProDentim works through its unique formula of 3.5 billion strains of both prebiotics and probiotics. This amount is much higher than other commonly used sources of probiotics and makes it fast and effective. It is also why a user may notice a difference in oral health after just the first few doses. Secondly, other natural ingredients that are known for their benefits to dental health are also added.

Mint, for instance, is one such ingredient and is primarily responsible for better breath and whitening of teeth while using ProDentim. The combination of natural ingredients and probiotics is also useful in getting the daily dose required for healthy teeth and gums.

Adding certain foods to the diet is many times not enough for oral health. In fact, you may not even be getting different strains of probiotics as it is difficult to consume a variety of foods every day. Fermented foods are the most popular source of probiotics for the majority but are often not part of daily intake and have similar strains.

ProDentim adds to the gut microflora with a wide variety of strains. Using it is not only beneficial for health but can save time and money and cut down the hassle of changing diets every other day. It does not introduce foreign microbes but adds to the naturally occurring good bacteria, making it safe to use. The supplement is non-GMO, gluten-free, and less likely to cause allergic reactions or side effects. Due to its natural formulation, it is also free from toxins and does not contain any addictive substances.

[kyuuppi]

vegetable stew

Pairing: Kenma x Reader (f)

Contents: hurt/comfort; angst and fluff; body dysmorphia; eating disorder (negative thoughts, fat shaming, insecurity, mentions of starvation)

Word Count: 2.1k

Kenma has always been observant.

It was a large part of his success as a setter and even now his keen observational skills contribute to his career as a professional gamer. He tends to notice things others don’t and lately that means noticing how you’ve changed.

The more he thinks about it the more difficult it is to pinpoint the exact starting point of your behavior. Haven’t you always preferred baggy clothing?

He remembers the pretty blue sweater you used to treasure back in high school, wearing it every chance you got as soon as the weather report hinted at anything lower than 10°C. He loved that sweater too—not just because of the cute sweater paws it gave you or how it almost completely covered the shorts you wore beneath, offering an unobstructed view of your shapely thighs—but instead he relished in the way it seemed to make you feel. The confidence and joy in your expression was clear as day when you wore your favorite outfits and early on in your relationship he had quickly learned that somehow your happiness was synonymous to his own.

Hence Kenma’s current frustrations in seeing that spark of joy and self-confidence gradually diminishing in the past several weeks.

Although that particular sweater had long since left your wardrobe within the first few years of university, as well-loved and worn out as it was, the more recent favorites of yours have also seemed to have gone lately. It had been a while since you had worn the short yellow polka dot dress you had been so eager to show Kenma the first day you got back from the mall with your roommates. Every pair of shorts and colorful tennis skirts had also left your weekly rotation, leaving behind only dull sweatshirts with childhood cartoon characters and baggy joggers.

Objectively, Kenma hardly cared about what you wore. If fastening a potato sack around your form made you happy, Kenma wouldn’t bat an eye—the problem stemmed from the fact these clothes didn’t make you happy. Moreover, the bland clothing brought with them their own slew of behavioral changes.

You no longer wished to go out and you avoided taking pictures of yourself, your social media suffering from an obvious lack of cheeky selfies or “outfit of the day” posts as of late. However, the most concerning change of all was your refusal to eat.

Kenma had a habit of forgetting to eat himself. He rarely felt the mild twinges of hunger, his attention generally hyper-focused on something else whether it was a game, a video needing editing, or a class project he had pushed off for far too long. It was only when his own stomach growling would startle him or the hunger pains got unbearable that he would acknowledge the human requirement of sustenance (not that the instant ramen in his cabinets provided much nutrients anyhow).

You were much more in tune with your body and, unlike him, you looked forward to eating; scheduled your days around it, even.

Your mornings began with a balanced breakfast—a meal Kenma was rarely even awake in time for—followed by a generous lunch break in which you would intentionally put everything on pause. Regardless of how much work you had to do you always made time to put everything down and have a decent lunch. It was good for your soul, you would say. A time to live in the moment and relieve yourself of stress.

For dinner you often made it a point to eat with others, whether it was going to a rowdy Korean BBQ with some friends or a dinner date at home with just him, you enjoyed sharing a meal surrounded by the people you love. On top of it all, you frequently had snacks: small bags of crackers, slices of fruit, or a few cookies you made yourself.

You loved cooking almost as much as you loved eating; most of the times he invited you over you brought a large bag with you filled to the brim with ingredients he wouldn’t have a clue what to do with. You would chastise him about his awful eating habits, grimacing at the ramen and chip wrappers overflowing in the kitchen trash can before you diligently prepare a meal for you both, healthy and flavorful, full of the vegetables he hadn’t had since the last time he went home to visit his mom.

You made him look forward to meal times too, if only to see the way you light up when he compliments your cooking or the pure bliss when you take the first bite of your favorite side dish. Eating with you became one of his favorite parts of the day.

And so that last time you made him dinner—a steaming plate of curry with shrimp tempura—the normally delicious food suddenly turned sour on his tongue when he realized you had only made him dinner.

“I’m just not very hungry today,” you had assured him with a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes.

Foolishly, he hadn’t said anything at the time.

Maybe you had a large lunch, maybe you had a stomach ache, maybe you just didn’t want curry today—at that point in time he had no reason to think there was something seriously wrong. He had no reason to think you were starving yourself.

It wasn’t until weeks later when all the evidence stacked up, the many different signs piecing themselves together like a puzzle until it was impossible not to see the picture, even if a few were still missing.

Your baggy clothing, your refusal to eat anything, your off-handed comments about how the female characters in whatever fighting game he was playing had such nice figures—it became crystal clear what you were doing and it made him feel sick.

Kenma doesn’t generally care about others’ looks; he tends to worry more on how he is perceived than how he perceives others but he is confident that he rather likes your body as it is. He would rather die than admit how often he finds his gaze wandering when your legs are bare or how his eyes naturally trace the curve of your waist down to the width of your hips his fingers twitch to touch—he has had many thoughts about your body, none of which have ever been negative.

Even so, he doesn’t mind if you want to change yourself. He isn’t foolish enough to think he has the right to dictate how you decide to present yourself to this world, but he refuses to allow the reason for your change to be one that stems from low self-esteem or insecurity.

When you step into Kenma’s apartment, weary from a long day of classes and the extra hours spent at the gym, the last thing you expect is to be greeted by the scent of some type of stew, warm and hearty. Your stomach clenches longingly but you quickly reprimand yourself—you already reached your tiny caloric limit for the day.

You have hardly made it into the living room when Kenma comes out from the kitchen, dyed hair tied in a low bun but messy, several strands poking out and sticking across his sweaty forehead. A dark blue apron is tied around his waist and his right hand holds a ladle, the perfect image of a frazzled housewife. If you weren’t so shocked by the scene you would have laughed.

“Welcome back,” he greets softly.

“Are you...cooking something?”

Kenma looks slightly embarrassed by your incredulous tone but not offended. In all the years you have known Kenma you have never seen him in the kitchen for longer than the three minutes required to heat up a bowl of noodles. Him slaving away in front of the stove for a bowl of homemade soup is nearly unfathomable to you.

“Vegetable stew...it’s my mom’s recipe,” your boyfriend explains sheepishly.

The mental image of Kenma shyly FaceTiming his mother as she patiently walks him through chopping up carrots and mixing spices makes your lips twitch upwards and you make your way past him to curiously survey his work.

“You didn’t have to go through the effort, I could have cooked you something, y’know,” you comment as you lean over the large pot on the stove.

The contents are a rich brown color with hints of potatoes, carrots, and onions peaking out. You’re gifted another pang of hunger and you quickly step back as if it would prevent you from falling into temptation.

Kenma quietly slips into the kitchen directly behind you, his chest nearly brushing your arm as he speaks.

“It's okay, I wanted to cook for us this time.”

You freeze.

Immediately, you break into a cold sweat, the prospect of eating sending you into a state of anxiety. You can’t eat—you don’t deserve to eat. Not when your arms are so flabby, your waist so undefined, your inner thighs so close to each other—

“I appreciate it,” you start.

Your voice sounds unnaturally high even to your own ears.

“But I’m not hungry—I had a really big lunch.”

Turning, you try to offer him an apologetic smile but his face looks off. His lips are pulled into a slight frown and his eyes seem to be looking through you, as if he knows you’re lying.

“Y/n...I don’t like what you’re doing.”

You attempt to laugh but it comes out hollow.

“I’m not doing anything bad, just dieting a bit.”

“I think you’re being a little extreme.”

You huff, starting to feel defensive. You don’t want to have this conversation, not now, not ever.

“Kenma, I’m totally fine, I promise.”

“I’m worried about you,” he insists.

“I’m telling you there’s nothing to worry about, I’m being safe.”

“Skipping meals isn’t healthy.”

“Kenma, being this fat isn’t healthy!”

The words escape before you can think to stop them and you can already feel the shame pricking at your eyes as you turn away. You don’t want to see your boyfriend’s look of disgust once he realizes you’re right, once he realizes how fat and unattractive his girlfriend is. Kenma is skinny, he deserves a petite girlfriend who is just as tiny, a girl with slender legs that look cute in shorts and a stomach that lays flat regardless of the time of day. He deserves the sexy girls in his video games, in shape from years of training and perfected suited for tight leather bikini tops.

You don’t realize you’re shaking until Kenma wraps his arms around your shoulders, burying his face into the side of your neck. He lets out a shuttered sigh and if you didn’t know any better you’d think he’s crying as well.

“I love you,” he murmurs against your skin, “and I don’t like seeing you hurting yourself. If you want to lose weight, I’ll help you. We can make healthy foods together and eat them together and exercise together—just please stop skipping meals.”

Your throat feels like it's stuffed with cotton so you can only nod in agreement, raising one hand to weakly wipe at the hot tears staining your cheeks.

The two of you stand like that, huddled in the middle of the kitchen, for several long minutes until the last of your tears have gone before Kenma gently pushes you to sit down at the coffee table. He prepares two steaming bowls full of vegetable stew for you both and you silently eat as Kenma tells you how low calorie the broth is and how many nutrients his mom said were in the vegetables he used. He tells you about a new fitness game on the Nintendo Switch that you two can play together. By the time you finish your meals, Kenma has already promised to wake up early to go jogging around the neighborhood together even though you know he absolutely hates waking up early and exercising when he doesn’t have to.

Your chest aches with how much he loves you, how far he’s willing to go just if he thinks it will help you and make you happy.

A small part of your mind begs you not to listen. It insists you’ll be fat forever if you don’t starve yourself; no pain, no gain. But the more rational part of you gazes into those soft golden eyes, filled with concern and love as he rambles on about the best sources of protein—all stuff he had learned from his professional volleyball player friend Hinata—and you know your answer.

Kenma loves you, he would do anything to see you happy and healthy and you would do anything to please him.

You love him more than you hate yourself.

[feathers-scales-and-tails]

My ‘unhealthy’ chickens

My blog has a lot of cute chicken photos on it, and sometimes I get comments such as “wow I want a chicken like that!” Which is lovely! I’m glad to spread the chicken love! However I want to take a second to address this. Just like with dogs, there are many breeds of chicken which are unhealthy and have health consequences because of this. I have a couple of birds like this. I just want to make people aware that if they seriously want a bird like this, to take into account what health issues may come with them.

Sooty - Frizzle feathers

Sooty is a fan favourite, and one of my favourites too. I do admit that I love the frizzle feather gene, it just looks so cool! However frizzle feathering causes some issues and I didn’t intentionally get a frizzle, Sooty hatched from a mystery egg. Her Dad was the only frizzle in the flock, with 13 other roosters, so she was a surprise to say the least!

Weather intolerance: Due to the feathers sticking out like that, birds can’t warm up in the cold since their feathers don’t provide a protective barrier and body heat escapes. This also means they have no natural shelter from rain and wind. Sooty doesn’t have to worry about any of this, it’s never cold where I live and she lives inside. She really struggles in the heat, however that’s likely due to her leg and foot feathering which I’ll discuss later, rather than the frizzle feathering.

Flight: Birds can’t fly well, since their primary wing feathers are curled or brittle. This puts them at risk of leg and spinal injuries if they try to fly from too large a height. Sooty did severe nervous damage to her spine when she was 8 weeks old, causing her to become paralysed in the legs for 3 months. Thankfully, she fully recovered after 5 months of physiotherapy.

Sooty’s wings look like this. Not all frizzle feathered birds have flights this poor, however it is a potential consequence of the feather type.

Communication: Another issue frizzle feathers cause is communication within a flock. Sooty used to get pecked a lot by her top hen Kath, because Kath thinks Sooty is always challenging her to fight! Chickens use their neck feathers, called hackle feathers, to communicate a whole bunch of things. From fear, to aggression, to even asking another flock member to clean their feathers. Since frizzle feathers stick out like that, the bird struggles to move them into the positions used for communication so can’t talk to their flock very well. Sooty’s curled hackle feathers make it look like she’s always challenging another hen to a fight

You can see how those raised hackles kinda look like Sooty’s ‘mane’ of curled neck feathers! Thankfully, Sooty is second in command and her head hen, Kath, seems to have learnt that Sooty just looks like that! So she doesn’t get attacked very frequently anymore.

Unethical breeding: The gene which causes frizzle feathers in homozygous form (two copies of the gene) also causes serious issues. These birds are called Frazzles or ‘over frizzled’ and their feathers are very weak, often falling out and leaving the bird naked. It can be painful for them, and if they’re left outside, they certainly wouldn’t survive. Therefore frizzles should never be bred together. To breed frizzles you should use a frizzle feathered bird with a smooth feathered bird. However, this means you hatch only 50% frizzles, so some unethical breeders breed frizzle x frizzle to reduce the amount of smooth feathered birds they get.

A Frazzle chicken

Heart failure: These feathers have also been linked with enlarged hearts, increasing risk of heart failure. Since the feathers cause loss of body heat, it causes an increase in metabolism and other physiological functions to keep the body temperature at the appropriate level. This means the heart has to work harder, increasing its size and putting more strain on it. Sooty tires out easier, and when she used to be out ranging she’d frequently come inside to sleep on the couch while her flock was still outside having fun. I could see this putting them more at risk of predation, since if they’re already tired they don’t have the same stamina of another bird to flee a predator.

Solo - Heavy foot/leg feathering

Not the most flattering photo of her but the best one I have to show her foot feathering! As you can see she was quite cranky with me! She’s a Silkie X Pekin, which are both breeds known to have heavily feathered legs. There are many breeds with healthy foot feathering, such as Langshans

But some like the show-type Pekin bantam, have a number of issues associated with their foot feathering. Here’s a Pekin in comparison to the Langshan above

As you can see the feathering is much much heavier!

Mobility: Very heavy leg and foot feathering significantly reduces mobility. The large feathers make it harder to move toes, making perching more difficult, and are a tripping hazard. Solo is always tripping over, stumbling, and ‘shuffling’ when she walks since her feet impair her movement a significant amount. I’m probably going to cut her foot feathers off so she can move about easier. They’d never hindered her movement until now, this molt they grew in humongous for some reason. Obviously having a built in tripping hazard isn’t a good idea, since it predisposes the bird to a higher risk of leg injuries.

Thermotegulation: As mentioned above, legs and feet are very important in helping a bird regulate their temperature. Lightly feathered legs like the Langshan has don’t have this issue, since the bird has majority of its foot free to cool down with. Heavily feathered legs like the pekin provide little surface area to cool down with, so the birds can really struggle in hot weather. Solo is one of our least heat tolerant birds, and she thankfully has wattles and a comb unlike poor Silkies!

Cleanliness: Heavily feathered feet get disgusting! They’re more prone to getting dirty and are harder for the birds to keep clean. Solo always has poop, sticks, food, mud, and all sorts of other gunk crusted into her foot feathering. I have to clean them quite frequently so that she doesn’t get bacterial build up.

Other health ailments: In my experience, heavily feathered feet tend to be a beacon for related leg and foot health issues. We don’t have to worry about this where I live, but foot feathers can get wet in snow and heighten frostbite risk for toes. Although I don’t have to worry about the cold, sadly these foot feathers also have heat related issues! I live in a sub-tropical environment, so humidity levels get pretty high here. Bacteria loves humidity. Solo has had a bad case of Bumblefoot which was really hard to treat due to this humidity. Sweep, another bird with heavy foot feathering, has had 2 cases of bumblefoot now. I’ve never had a clean-legged bird get bumblefoot, so it’s definitely linked to trapping bacteria and humidity. I haven’t had to deal with this parasite myself, but apparently feather-legged breeds are more prone to Scaly-leg mite too.

Cujo - Heavy layer breeds

Cujo is a Hamburg, sometimes referrred to as ‘Everlayers’ since they have a reputation for reliably laying an egg every day. They rarely go broody, and if they do are very easy to dissuade. I am very against production breeds if they’re not within an agricultural industry, where they have a purpose, since it tragically shortens their lives so much. The Hamburgs lay on average 200 eggs annually, which isn’t too bad and makes them a healthier layer breed, but it’s certainly heavier laying than most of the other breeds I have. Cujo is actually very healthy, I took great care in picking a breeder to get her from and most of his birds are lighter layers than they ‘should’ be. Cujo was laying 3-4 eggs a week before her current molt, much better than the 5-7 her breed has a reputation for.

Heart failure: One of the most frequent ends to laying birds is heart failure. Their bodies are under so much stress to make an egg every day that their bodies eventually just give up, usually from heart failure.

They don’t go broody: A lot of people don’t like broody hens, since they stop laying and sit on their nest all day, however I really like them. A broody hen gets a much needed break from laying eggs! Some breeds continue to lay eggs over winter, and some birds don’t stop laying when they molt if it’s a light one. So broodies give the bird a choice to stop laying and sit on eggs when she wants, if she didn’t get a break over winter or molt. Breeding this behaviour out of production breeds contributes to their issues, since they can’t take that break.

Shortened life span: Due to the strain mass egg production puts on their bodies, average lifespan is 3-4 years compared to the 6-10+ of healthy heritage breeds. I had a utility leghorn as a pet many years ago, her heart tragically gave out on her one day while I wasn’t home. She was dirtbathing in her favourite spot when it happened, so I hope to think it was a peaceful end. She was only 2 years old.

Reproductive complications: Heavy layer breeds are more prone to experiencing issues with their reproductive tract. This includes cancers, tumours, prolapses, egg binding, and egg yolk peritonitis (infection). They’re also more prone to nutrient deficiencies, especially with calcium, since it takes so much out of them to lay eggs. This is easily preventable with a balanced diet, however if calcium deficiency does occur the hen can suffer from brittle bones.

Sweep - Aggressive breeds

Now Sweep isn’t nearly as bad as this title frames her to be, but it’s still worth a mention. We can only guess what her parentage is since she came from mystery eggs, but we think Sweep is an Old English Game cross Pekin. In Australia, Old English Game are a hyper aggressive breed. They were bred for the cruel sport of cockfighting, where two roosters are forced to fight to the death. Thankfully this sport is now criminalised, but nobody bred the aggressiveness out of this breed.

Injury risk: hyper aggressive breeds pose a greater risk of injury mainly to other flock mates, but also to themselves. These birds often antagonise others despite there not really being a reason to, resulting in more fighting, disharmony, and injury within a flock. If another bird is stronger than them and gets sick of their shit, they themselves could be seriously hurt since they often don’t know when to back down from a fight like non-aggressive birds do. Sweep has to be housed separate from my main flock with her mother, Solo for company. She has tried many times to outrank birds in my main flock but her fighting is very brutal compared to the normal pecking order fights. She aims for the eyes, and came close to blinding a bird once before, I can’t risk that sort of injury.

Mortality risk: continuing on from that first point, some individuals will take their aggressiveness too far and kill fellow flock mates. What might start out as a simple pecking order fight can turn very bloody and very brutal with these breeds fast. Roosters can kill hens and hens can kill hens. This obviously should never happen in well bred, good tempered birds. I do not say this jokingly when I say that Sweep and Sooty would kill each other if I let them. They’re both Pekin X Old English, and although Sooty is good with other birds, she’s terrible with Sweep. I’m hoping Sweep will mellow with age (she’s currently 2) and I can integrate her and Solo as part of Blossom’s flock.

Social interaction: I think this is something a lot of people don’t seem to consider, but having hyper aggressive birds which have to be housed seperate will obviously hugely impact upon their social needs. It doesn’t matter how aggressive the bird is, a chicken is, and always will be, a social animal. They need companionship, and while this can be provided by us, it’s easiest to provide it with other chickens. Keeping a social animal by itself, never letting it interact with others, and not providing that companionship yourself is incredibly inhumane in my opinion. It doesn’t matter if that bird is incapable of interacting without trying to kill the others, the fact is that this animal is still hardwired to live in a social group. By breeding such aggressive animals, it’s very cruel since it deprives them of such a basic need.

Now this post isn’t to say people can’t get a breed if they like it but it has health consequences, because something like those heavy foot feathers don’t cause the bird any harm or pain in itself, it’s just a consequence of poor management. So if you’re willing to do the work to ensure those features don’t hinder the animals quality of life, then excellent! Go ahead and get those basketball-shaped Pekin lads! This post was merely a reminder to think critically and research any animal/breed before you get them, and to make sure you’re prepared for any future consequences or adjustments for that animal/breed. Sooty and Solo need fans set up on their pens during the Summer, Sweep needs a seperate coop, and all three need adjusted perches and weekly foot health checks because of their heavily feathered feet. Once again, the importance of you screening for ethical, responsible breeders is crucial when deciding to bring a new family member home.

Thanks for reading!

[apollodrome]

1- the logical thinking indicates that the most probably option is usually the correct option, for example, if a man has lung cancer the most likely option is that is lung cancer is related to his tabaquism, the same aplly on this case, if a person with morbid obesity has some kind of circulation problem then the most likely option is that is related to the weight of that person, now about your question, if you wanna know how morbid obesity relates to health problems then my answer is

2 - read a goddanm biology book (or just google it), the answer is right there, you dont need to ask a random person on the internet about that, and guess what, you cannot put links into asks so im unable to give you the link to any kind of article explaining that, if you wanna know the corelation then just search morbid obesity on wikipedia.

---

This ask is about this post where a woman's health issues are blamed by doctors on her weight, so she loses the weight, and when doctors see that her health issues have not gotten better, but have gotten worse, they order tests that they should have ordered months ago.

I think you misunderstand the point of the post. Let's take the obesity out of this. A woman goes to the doctor for severe cramps, sleepiness during the day, memory and balance problems. Doctors refuse to treat her. That's all there is to this issue - a woman has gone to a medical professional with a set of symptoms, and the medical professional did not test her for the conditions that have the above symptoms.

You give me an example in your ask of smokers having an increased risk of lung cancer, so let's apply this analogy here. A smoker goes to the doctor and says, "doctor, I have difficulty breathing, a painful cough that doesn't go away for months, I lost 50 pounds in less than a month, pain in my hands, fingers and chest." These are very common symptoms of lung cancer. So, what you're advocating for, is that the doctor should refuse to order any tests for the patient, tell them to stop smoking, and send them on their way. We know that some health risks are associated with obesity, in the same way that lung cancer is associated with smoking, so should we not be testing those people for those diseases more often?

People whose father has died of heart disease are at more risk of heart disease, so we test those people for heart disease when they mention they have symptoms. People whose family has ADHD are more at risk of having ADHD, so we test those people for ADHD when they mention they have symptoms. Why is obesity any different? If a disease has already developed, losing weight will do nothing except for decrease that initial risk, but it's past that already if they HAVE THE DISEASE. They have to be treated for the disease. Thin people can get heart attacks, and non smokers can get lung cancer or develop asthma, so why do those people go to the doctor with those symptoms and get tested, and obese people don't?

In some of your replies on that post, you have used this Wikipedia page as your source. On the same page, it says,

"While a majority of obese individuals at any given time are attempting to lose weight and often successful, research shows that maintaining that weight loss over the long term proves to be rare." (Wikipedia includes a reference for this, I've linked it here).

I am using the same research you are using to argue my point. If an obese individual walks into a doctor's office with symptoms of a heart condition, and is told to lose weight, they are basically sentenced to death. As we can see above, long term weight loss may lead to more health risks, and is actually very rare in most people (less than 1 in 100 obese people manage to lose the weight and stay at the new weight), and so if a doctor tells an obese person not to come back until she has lost all of the weight, she may actually die before she comes back to the doctor.

Obesity is an issue, and does increase the risks of some conditions. However, according to the same Wikipedia article you and I have both been using,

"obesity has individual, socioeconomic, and environmental causes, including diet, physical activity, automation, urbanization, genetic susceptibility, medications, mental disorders, economic policies, endocrine disorders, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals."

I don't want to assume you're enough of a heartless monster to say "obese people brought this on themselves and therefore deserve to suffer and die due to medical malpractice" as a response to my above point, but JUST IN CASE YOU WERE, that's a whole lot of people you're condemning. You're condemning children who grow up in poverty and whose parents can only afford McDonald's (cheaper than vegetables in the USA), you're condemning my uncle, who had a deadly thyroid issue that wasn't treated in time (he grew up in Soviet Russia) and messed up his metabolism so bad he currently exercises for 3 hours a day but is still extremely overweight. You're condemning people with pcos, people with hyperthyroidism, people with eating disorders and depression. All of those people, in your opinion, do not deserve medical treatment.

With what we now know, let's summarise.

Fact 1: people who are obese have a higher risk of developing certain disorders, in the same way that someone with a family history of heart problems may develop heart problems, however, no disease is directly CAUSED by obesity and obesity alone. If that were the case, thin people wouldn't get those diseases at all, but I know many thin people with narcolepsy, cancers, and heart issues.

Fact 2: obesity can be caused by many factors, not just eating a lot of junk food. I've already mentioned hyperthyroidism, eating disorders, pcos, and poverty as some of those factors, but there are more. A lot of those factors are not the fault of the obese individual. We also know that once someone is already obese, keeping off weight that they lose is extremely difficult and takes a long time.

Fact 3: when a smoker goes to the doctor with symptoms of lung cancer, they are told to stop smoking, but they are also SCREENED FOR LUNG CANCER and TREATED IF THERE IS LUNG CANCER PRESENT.

Fact 4: according to the woman in the original post, she went to the doctor with symptoms of narcolepsy and other issues, was told to lose weight, BUT WAS NOT TESTED FOR THE DISEASES SHE IS AT RISK FOR, OR TREATED.

Do you see my point now? Yes, obesity is linked to diseases, but that should mean that people who are obese are screened and treated MORE OFTEN, not less or god forbid not treated at all. Preventing obesity by exercising and eating well is something we should definitely do ON A GLOBAL SCALE (better mental health help for people with depression/eating disorders, cheaper vegetables for people in poverty, more education, less fast food places), to decrease our risk of the diseases that obesity is associated with increasing the risk for (type two diabetes, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, certain cancers), but if someone is already obese, weight loss is no longer a cure, and actual treatment needs to be administered. Weight loss was never a cure, it is a PREVENTATIVE MEASURE, and not even a good one according to the evidence I've provided above. Healthy eating and exercise are good preventative measures, but they do not always contribute to weight loss. So why do doctors prescribe weight loss in the form of pills and calorie restriction, rather than eating HEALTHY and exercising? ALSO, if weight loss was a cure, non-obese cancer patients, non-obese people with narcolepsy, and non-obese people with eating disorders would also be told to lose weight rather than given treatment. So why is weight loss the ONLY treatment doctors give obese people? Obesity is much more complicated than a person just eating a lot of junk and getting fat, that's not how it works.

You know how we "eliminate the most probable option"? WE TEST THE PATIENT FOR IT, AND IF THE TEST COMES BACK NEGATIVE WE ELIMINATE THE OPTION. Why was the woman in the post not tested, and why do you advocate for this? Why do you think a group of people deserves medical attention less than others?

Here's another analogy. Wearing a mask and staying six feet away from others is a PREVENTATIVE MEASURE for covid. When a person already has covid, they are not told to wear a mask and stay six feet away from others. They are put in a hospital and treated. What you are advocating for is akin to sending a person with covid symptoms away with a mask, and not treating them at all.

To summarise: correlation is not causation, all people deserve medical help (people who are turned away from doctors a LOT are women, people of colour, and fat people. Medical discrimination needs to be eradicated in all of those cases) and you are in no position to decide who deserves to be treated and who doesn't.

I'm not overweight myself. I just care about people receiving the medical treatment they need and deserve, regardless of what they look like or what other conditions they already may have. I recommend really looking at yourself and examining the biases you have against fat folks, and figuring out how to become better as a person. You seem to enjoy giving unsolicited medical advice, so here's some from me: stop being a dick.

[taegyuun]

finally, the wings took off | pt. 1 | pt. 2 | pt. 3

genre: angst, fluff

pairing: sunghoon x reader

warnings: mentions of depression probs swearing

word count: 1.8k

“ok this is a great start already! you woke up... 5 minutes before you usually do....” sunghoons voice gradually faded out from being happy to disappointed after checking the time.

a week has passed since you met the said angel and the whole time he’s been trying to “fix” you, his words, not yours. and sure, you’ve made some improvements like waking up at different times and... well that’s about it. sunghoon thought that after a few days or so, you’d gradually grasp the concept of normal life or something in your brain would click and you would’ve had some grand epiphany that the way you’ve been living for the last few years of your life aren’t normal - but contrary to his beliefs, you were nothing of the sort.

you were also very difficult to work with; and incredibly stubborn. you’ve gotten more accustomed to living with the boy but listening to him tell you what to do was not exactly very entertaining on your behalf. sunghoon personally thought that ordering you would be the best way to go about your little situation, considering your life is based on routines and authoritative figures that came from school - but perhaps his idea wasn’t so great.

“sunghoon, i already told you. i don’t need some ‘guardian angel’ or whatever, i’m fine with the way that i live my life even if it isn’t whatever you would call an avergae teens life. i know that. you’re just wasting your time being here.” you sigh dejectedly. you were secretly hoping that somehow you would mange to get out of this hopeless routine. it was often a pain, reliving the same day every single second. but you yourself couldn’t do it. you had to have some sort of help; sunghoon just wasn’t great at it.

“well no matter what you believe, i have to stay here up until you live a normal life. and before you say anything, even if i go up to the upper angels and try to talk to them, theyll just instantly send me back down, because believe me... i’ve tried it many, many times.” his face wasn’t the usual soft almost nonchalant look that he typically wore, instead he seemed more aggravated.

“ok then. what if i just live my life “normally” for a week and then you can move onto another person because i’m “fine” and then i can go back to living my life the way i want to?” you ask after sitting up from bed, getting ready to do your usual stretch before heading to the bathroom. but before you could even reach your arms out, sunghoon was already pushing them down back to your sides before speaking himself,

“y/n you moron, the upper angels aren’t stupid. they literally see everything.” he stares blankly at you as you roll your eyes at his actions before looking around your room and mulling over the idea of actually contributing to his work and trying to change your life.

“fine i guess. i’ll try harder this time.” the sound of his cheering almost made your lips form a smile.

“so what now, huh?”

“well... maybe let’s go shopping? yeah i think that’s a good start. personally, i’m not very huge on shopping but that’s because i’m indecisive but you need to go food shopping and then we can go buy more clothes. y/n you need to start eating more various foods, alright?” sunghoon talks to you almost as if you’re a child, it gets irritating but you understand his reasonings behind it. you like to follow routines, and your routines have to be simple therefore he speaks to you simply.

“alright then, what food should i be eating?” you ask, genuinely curious.

“honestly anything but a balanced diet is the best,” and then sunghoon goes on about all the carbs you need to eat and what sort of proteins there are and all the other things that you already knew except didn’t own, or eat. as he talks to you, you’re already putting your shoes on and taking one of your jackets down from the hooks before quickly grabbing your car keys.

even though you didn’t seem like it, you felt excited for this new change. you were a complicated person. even though you had to have routines, you got bored of them quickly and sunghoon has somehow managed to spark some excitement into your life.

as you both walk down the block to get to your car, you get a few stares from the passerby’s. ok, maybe it wasn’t you who got the stares and it was perhaps the model that was beside you, but that’s just a minuscule detail that you could easily miss.

“sunghoon?” you hear a hum in reply.

“you do realise you’re really pretty? like, incredibly good looking.” instead of a normal reply, you hear a choke and then a fit of coughs. “don’t tell me you’re about to die from choking because someone complimented you? you’re an angel right? you’re meant to be pretty or something.”

“i dont usually get compliments from people alright? i’m not used to it, the most i get is whines from the higher ups or some old pervs trying to hit on me when i get some weird cases,”

“do you wanna talk about it?”

“there isn’t much to talk about, it’s not like they can actually touch me considering i’m an angel so theres nothing to ever worry about.” neither of you realised that you were already in the car, driving and almost at the supermarket. he looks over and sees your brows in a furrow, an obvious sign of confusion. before he gets to ask anything, you beat him to it.

“wait so... i cant touch you? like not even high five or anything? that’s so cool! you’re like... i don’t know, the things in movies- you’re like a ghost!” sunghoon was going to tell that you can actually touch him, only when granted permission, but your expression and the contrast in your voice from usual monotone and bored, stopped him as he instead hummed in agreement and softly smiled, grabbing a shopping cart and heading inside the store.

you huffed as you set down the last bags full of food that you had either never tried or forgotten the taste of down onto your kitchen counter. you then started taking the products out of the bags and placing them in their correct cupboards or shelves in the fridge and some in the freezer.

after you were finally finished with the tedious job, you look over at sunghoon who was leaning against the door frame to your kitchen, as you beamed proudly at him. he lets out a soft laugh as he walks closer to you and looks at what you did to your kitchen.

“you see, look how many choices you have! all the cupboards are full and the possibilities you have with all these ingredients!” you’re surprised at how excited he seemed for you and your now discovered love for placing things away. “whenever you get hungry, tell me so i can teach you new recipes, alright?” you quickly nod at him as he walks off, letting his large wings appear out of his back. he rolls his shoulders and releases a loud sigh and groan, softly propping down onto your couch.

“yeah, why do you even do that? y’know... keep your wings in. isn’t it painful?” you ask as you walk closer to him, before sitting down onto the seat next to the angel.

“i wouldn’t say it necessarily hurts but it’s more like when you sit in one position too long and then you stand up and stretch. i have to do it so i don’t make myself invisible and make you look like you’re a fool speaking to yourself.”

“then... whenever we don’t go out, just have them out! whenever we’re here alone just leave them how they are, let your back rest.”

“i think that’s a good idea,” he then softly smiles at you as his arms extend across the back of the couch, before letting his head roll back and fall onto the the soft cushioning below

more weeks pass, and it has finally reached the mark of sunghoon being your gurdian angel for almost 4 months. you’ve changed an indescribable amount - it occurred to you after a deep talk with sunghoon that routines bored you, but you simply didn’t know what to do with yourself and how to live your life.

you were honestly glad to meet the guardian angel.

you now went out at random times simply for your own will, and you cooked different recipes almost everyday - trying new food constantly. you changed your style and did a whole 180. but sunghoon didn’t want you to completely change, he only wanted you to live like a teen. so, he obviously let you keep certain things the way you liked it; the days you did your laundry or which days you went shopping.

it was nice having him around.

but, the dreaded question had to be asked.

“sunghoon... are you going to leave soon?” you quietly asked, as you went out to latch onto his sweatshirt - another thing you learnt which you could do, only with his consent.

“i’m not sure, y/n. but why ask?” he stopped stirring his coffee with the tea spoon and instead looked down at you with a confused expression.

“it’s just... aren't guardian angels meant to only stay till their case is better? i mean, you’ve figured out why my chart was empty and now i live how i should've lived all along. is there anything you can even do now?”

and then it was silent. it didn’t even occur to the boy that he had completed his task. he had nothing else to do in the human world that was correlated to you. he plainly had no reason to stay, even if he wanted to.

“... do... do you want me to leave?” you almost tug at his arm in anger at the stupid question.

“are you insane? of course i don’t want you to leave! you’re the one who made me finally feel happy, there- there must be a way you could stay... right? or do you want to go?” now it was sunghoons turn to latch onto your arm in disbelief.

“why would i want to leave? i love it here, y/n. being here with you completely changed my life. i’m not chained to some random criminal and i don’t have a crap ton of responsibilities that i couldn’t care less about, it’s literally heaven down here for me... ironic i know, but it is! if i could stay, i promise you, i would.” during his words, his hands moved up from holding onto your arm to cupping your face in his warm and gentle hands. you leant into his touch, with a coil of unfortune building up in your stomach; as if your body knew this might have been the last times you’d feel his soft touch.

“sunghoon please... don’t leave me.”

“i’ll stay for as long as possible, even if it means my wings are taken off.”

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Idle Chat with Kiro

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a feature which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

The CN server was recently graced with a new feature called 随便聊聊 (“Idle Chat”), where you can select a mood and talk to the love interests about work, life, and studies :>

Idle Chat with: Gavin / Lucien / Shaw / Victor

[ WORK - Topic 1: Overtime ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: We can visit that dessert shop today! Because I. Don’t! Have! To! Work! Overtime!

Kiro: Although we’re separated by the screen, I can sense Miss Chip’s happiness~

Kiro: Since this is the case, our challenge today will be to--

Kiro: Wipe! The! Dessert! Shop! Clean!

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: Went to work feeling muddle-headed today, which left me with a stack of incomplete work. Sigh, I might have to work overtime today.

Kiro: Did you spend too much time watching dramas last night?

Kiro: Next time, you have to stick to a regular sleeping timing.

Kiro: Also, isn’t the male lead by your side?

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: The market hasn’t been good lately, so the income I received has also gone down. I feel like I’ve left everyone down...

Kiro: Back then, MC went through such difficult times.

Kiro: I think these little twists and turns don’t account for much!

Kiro: Because you’re always producing miracles!

-

[ WORK - Topic 2: Income ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: I’ve received my pay~ I even have a bonus this month! Aren’t I incredible?

Kiro: As expected of Miss Chips!

Kiro: As a reward, I’ll give you a present.

Kiro: Want to know what it is?

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: I have no idea why, but I haven’t been interested in anything I do. Could it be because it’s a long time till payday?

Kiro: Mm... want to consider changing occupations and becoming my assistant?

Kiro: You’ll be paid daily.

Kiro: Also, there will be an additional, exclusive Kiro hug every day.

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: Working overtime again and again and again and again! There’s even a rainstorm outside! The most enraging thing is that I didn’t bring an umbrella!

Kiro: I checked the weather forecast beforehand

Kiro: So I knew there’d be a rainstorm

Kiro: Give me five minutes - I’ll be there soon!

-

[ WORK - Topic 3: Program Progress ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: Do you still remember the collaborative program I mentioned before? We plan to invite a mystery guest. Want to guess who he is?

Kiro: I’m guessing he is -- Kiro!

Kiro: If Miss Chips doesn’t invite me,

Kiro: I’ll be very hurt.

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: The reaction from the other party regarding this collaborative program seems bland. Actually, I also find the content a little boring. I have no inspiration at all...

Kiro: In my eyes, everything Miss Chips does is very interesting.

Kiro: But if you really have no inspiration,

Kiro: Need me to help you grab it back?

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: I’ve already made over thirty amendments to the proposal for this collaborative program. What more does the other party want?! What do they mean by a “vibrant black”??

Kiro: Oo... a vibrant black...

Kiro: It does sound like a difficult operation.

Kiro: Maybe it’s the same thing as how Apple Box’s jet-black eyes are bright even at night?

-

[ WORK - Topic 4: Program Results ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: The program I’ve been working on for months has finally gotten approved! If I were to continue doing it, I’d probably have gone bald... Should I place an order for hair-growth shampoo?

Kiro: Instead of hair-growth shampoo, I think what you need more is sufficient sleep.

Kiro: Or a limited-edition Kiro hug?

Kiro: I’ll decide on both of them on your behalf~

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: My daily self-reflection -- Has the program been approved? Not yet :(

Kiro: My daily self-reflection -- Do I think about Miss Chips?

Kiro: Always. 

Kiro: Miss Chips, do your best!

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: Good news. The program I’ve been painstakingly working on for several months has been rejected. :)

Kiro: Whenever my albums get delayed, I’ll take Apple Box out for a walk.

Kiro: Since Apple Box doesn’t have a slot recently,

Kiro: Why don’t I take you out for a walk instead?

🌻

[ LIFE - Topic 1: Losing Weight ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: I've reached my ideal weight! I’m really happy~ I can finally toss away the salad that even Apple Box dislikes.

Kiro: Although I didn’t think you were fat before,

Kiro: What’s most important is that Miss Chips is happy!

Kiro: P.S. You’ve stopped eating snacks recently - Apple Box and I are both very upset.

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: A sincere question - If your weight remained the same after dieting and exercising for a week, would you choose to feast ferociously on crayfish or barbecue? 

Kiro: Since your weight is so disobedient,

Kiro: Let’s punish it fiercely!

Kiro: Why don’t we have barbecue along with crayfish!

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: Why is it that every time I indulge in extravagant eating and drinking, I always scroll to a page showing models with incredible figures?! I’m once again putting up a flag to lose weight!!

Kiro: Promise me that you won’t go on a diet to lose weight.

Kiro: Effective exercise and a reasonable work-life balance is the correct way to do it.

Kiro: But will our weekly dessert day continue?

-

[ LIFE - Topic 2: Meals ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: Burp-- I had a buffet this afternoon, and I’m so full now. Let me secretly tell you that I had to support myself on the wall to get out.

Kiro: Hahaha, I’m also the same after a photoshoot,

Kiro: Wanting to stuff myself to the brim.

Kiro: Next time, let’s compete to see who is the true buffet killer!

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: I’ve entered a special bottleneck period - What should I have for lunch? What should I have for dinner?

Kiro: Mm... this is indeed a big problem which frequently stumps me.

Kiro: Want to watch a documentary on delicacies?

Kiro: You might be able to find some “inspiration” on what to eat.

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: I was seized by a whim and did some cooking. When I changed the seasoning just slightly, I ended up creating a mysterious, indescribable taste...

Kiro: Mm... has your cooking magic lost its touch temporarily?

Kiro: That’s all right 

Kiro: Tomorrow, we’ll try again together. 

-

[ LIFE - Topic 3: Reading ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: I came across a picture book today, and readers can use their fingers to make a dot in the book grow bigger or smaller~ It’s very adorable!

Kiro: I really wish Miss Chips were that little dot.

Kiro: That way, I can make you really tiny

Kiro: And store you in my pocket. 

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: There’s a book wasteland... Why can’t I find a single good book...

Kiro: Someone said that the most interesting book is a person’s life.

Kiro: Could the reason you’re unable to find a good book

Kiro: Be because your life is already very interesting?

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: I’ve been keeping up with a web series, but the author said that he decided to go on a hiatus today after receiving negative comments. My spiritual nourishment is gone...

Kiro: Negative comments truly make people upset

Kiro: Want to leave an encouraging comment to the author?

Kiro: Tell him that there are many readers who like his work!

-

[ LIFE - Topic 4: Games ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: Ding-- Dear respected customer, your gaming partner has found another interesting game. If you wish to know the name of the game, kindly reply with a ‘1′

Kiro: Rejected.

Kiro: Hahahaha, I’m just teasing you.

Kiro: 11111!

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: Help... I’m stuck at the fifth stage of this riddle game. What do I have to do so the squirrel would release its hold on the key?

Kiro: There’s actually such a mean squirrel?

Kiro: Let me handle it!

Kiro: If it doesn’t work, I’ll let Cello catch it!

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: My hand slipped when I was playing a game today, causing the entire game to restart :) Don’t stop me - I’m going to chop off this troublemaking hand!!

Kiro: An urgent appeal to spare your hand!

Kiro: Think on the positive side,

Kiro: We now have another thing we can complete together~

🌻

[ SCHOOL - Topic 1: Progress ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: I've prepared a studying schedule, and am filled with confidence for this new life of studying! Kiro, please supervise me from time to time!

Kiro: Understood! 

Kiro: If you get lazy--

Kiro: Heheh, there’ll be punishment. 

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: I’ve been staring at my book for an hour in a daze. Why do I understand the words in isolation, but not when they are strung together?

Kiro: Mm... from a certain perspective, isn’t knowledge a series of code?

Kiro: Read them as though you’re playing a riddle game. 

Kiro: Perhaps you’ll find a way to pass the stage!

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: Why does my brain function so slowly the moment I start studying? Isn’t it very amazing when I play games?!

Kiro: I’d like to correct two mistakes Miss Chips made--

Kiro: Number One, whenever you get stuck in a game, you’d let me take over;

Kiro: Number Two, your brain isn’t functioning slowly. It’s just time to take a break.

-

[ SCHOOL - Topic 2: Homework ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: Because I remembered the reward you mentioned, I finished my homework really quickly today! What’s the reward, what’s the reward?

Kiro: I already said that you could definitely do it!

Kiro: As for the reward,

Kiro: Come closer, and I’ll tell you.

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: Whenever I do homework, it seems that aside from the homework, I become curious about everything else. Oh yes, do you think a dog sees itself as a dog?

Kiro: Miss Chips, concentrate!

Kiro: But for your question, I’ve asked Apple Box about it

Kiro: It responded and said...

Kiro: Bark!

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: A sincere question - can homework be done in stages? I really can’t finish it ahhh!

Kiro: Take your time, I’ll accompany you.

Kiro: Although I don’t know if homework can be done in stages,

Kiro: But my care for you is a fixed asset.

-

[ SCHOOL - Topic 3: Pre-exam Revision ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: The exam is coming up soon. It’s a good thing you supervised me and ensured that I studied seriously. The scope of the exam was also very clearly detailed by the teacher!

Kiro: I think you forgot the most important thing--

Kiro: Miss Chips’ own diligence and hard work.

Kiro: Miss Chips, all the best for your exam!

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: Memorising the examinable points is really difficult. It feels as though the moment I memorise a sentence, I forget the earlier one. How do you memorise the lines in your script?

Kiro: I have my exclusive Kiro memorisation technique of course!

Kiro: It’s exceptionally effective!

Kiro: If you want know about it, bring a bag of chips over to me~

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: When the teacher was pointing out the important segments, he said the first three chapters are the foundation, the following three chapters are important, and the final three chapters are examinable. Doesn’t this mean I have to revise the entire book!

Kiro: It takes a long time to revise the entire book.

Kiro: Do you need a Kiro exam buddy?

Kiro: It comes with a massage, milk tea delivery, and hugs.

-

[ SCHOOL - Topic 4: Post-exam celebration ]

1. Mood: Happy

MC: The exam is over~ After comparing answers, there doesn’t seem to be any big issues! Kiro, who supervised me in my revision, is the best!

Kiro: Congratulations Miss Chips!

Kiro: Since I’ve rendered outstanding service, as a reward,

Kiro: Give all your post-examination resting time to me~

-

2. Mood: Upset

MC: The exam is finally over... I actually don’t feel very happy... Could it be because the final question was simply incomprehensible? 

Kiro: Hasn’t Miss Chips been looking forward to this day for a very long time?

Kiro: In that case, I have to find a way to cheer you up.

Kiro: Let’s laze on the sofa and watch your favourite movie. How’s that?

-

3. Mood: Angry

MC: I messed it up... I gave up on the last two questions... I think I’ve definitely messed it up...

Kiro: Maybe all the questions in front were correct!

Kiro: Also, one exam doesn’t mean much

Kiro: You’ll always be the smartest Miss Chips in my heart!

[teenageprunepatrolpurse]

Get Motivated to Drop 2–4 Dress Sizes in One Month: 4 Steps to Get your Dream Body

How to lose 4 dress sizes in a month or how to lose 20+ pounds in 30 days all mean the same thing, losing weight on a deadline. Whether it be a high school reunion, your own wedding, or other specific occasions. But before we get into it, let’s talk about what matters most when it comes to effective and successful weight loss.

In this article, we’re going to cover the 4 steps to get your dream body. I always believe the best solutions are the simple ones so I don’t have 12 tips or 15 keys to losing weight fast. Just the 4 keys that are essential to successful weight loss.

Note: This article is more about the principles of weight loss and proper mindset to get you motivated for a higher success rate.

📷 If you’re interested in learning exactly how I lost 20+ pounds in 1 month without exercise after each of my pregnancies over age 40, then read this article for further details.

1. First Key to Successful Weight Loss: Set up Practical Goals 📷 Different Aesthetic Standards Let’s take a look at the picture above. Sure you see the woman in a black dress. I believe you may not find her to be super slim but she has beautiful feminine curves which make her look just as attractive as the lady in purple on the right, who’s holding a wheel position on the ground whom I believe most people would consider being slender. I don’t know about you but they’re both just as fit and beautiful to me.A friend of mine once told me when he was younger he used to find chubby girls much more attractive than skinny girls. As you can see, human perceptions of beauty change from time to time and vary from individual to individual. What really matters is the way you see yourself. In my opinion, every woman is unique and beautiful her own way. Some might be sort of ‘big-boned’ while others are rather plump or extremely tall and skinny. Each of us is born with an inherited body type which we sometimes can do little to change. So before we even jump into any sort of diet or workout plan we need to know what our natural body type looks like and get the idea of the best version of the body we are most likely to achieve and feel comfortable with it. It’s impractical to pursue the hourglass figure when your natural body type is rather tall and “narrow-butt” if you know what I mean. It’d be nice to have a body like that of Kim Kardashian, whom I pretty much believe is born that way.Measure Your Dress Sizes instead of Weight Losing 3–4 dress sizes in a month is actually a more specific goal than losing 20 pounds in 21 days. It will make you less obsessed with the numbers on the weight scale when all you have to do is measure your waistline & hip circumference. It will give you a better idea of how close you are to your fitness goal.2. Second Key to get you started: Mindset Mindset is essential for successful weight loss in the long term. You need to truly love yourself for who you are and be willing to do whatever it takes for your well-being. You are beautiful the way you are. You are worthy of a great and healthy life and you will get your dream body once you started believing in yourself.What are the real reasons that make you want to start losing weight? Health issues? Want to fit in some fabulous outfits? Abs that will turn heads when you’re on the beach?Try to find the strongest motivations that will get you started and keep you going towards your goal.They have to be bigger than just want to look great and feel good about yourself which by the way is nothing wrong either. It’s so important that you’re doing this out of strong love for yourself and your loved ones because it will give you the power to continue and get you motivated. That’s why having your mind in the right place is crucial to successful weight loss.My 4-year-old daughter asked me a question the other day:” Mom, will you still be around when I grow up?” “Do you want me to still be around by then?” “Of course I do! I want you to always be around no matter how old I am.” “I will do my best, honey”, was the promise I made to her.That reminds me of my parents, who are already advanced in age yet still being so healthy and energetic and not suffering any kind of pain which most elderly people do(backache, rheumatism, arthritis, knee pain, etc.).My father is a wise and experienced natural therapist and herbal expert and is able to take good care of himself and my mom. I am so grateful that my parents are still so healthy and I want to follow the good example they set up for me.I’d like to quote what my father used to say to us:” Always watch what you put in your mouth. You are not a trash can! Don’t just eat anything because it tastes good.” 📷 📷 Use the Power of Mind Think of Your Body as a small universe with your mind is the most powerful thing that maintains the balance within this small universe.Or if we think of the body as some sort of hardware then your mind is like the software that actually makes the hardware works at its best.I know this metaphor might

be a little too simplistic but it’s important to fill our minds with positive thoughts. Because your mind and your words actually have the power to program your life into the way you want it to be.If we fill our minds with negative thoughts then we’re most likely not going to take any action to achieve any goal that would make us healthier or have a better life than we deserve because deep down in our hearts we think it’s impossible or just too difficult to achieve.That’s why mindset is the key to successful weight loss because it is often followed by aligned actions which naturally lead to a change of lifestyle. Now that if you know for sure you are doing this out of strong love for yourself and your loved ones and you have your mindset in the right place then we’re good to go.Seek Professional Help Now if you are having some sort of eating disorder problem like you often found yourself staring at the big empty ice-cream container after watching your favorite movies at midnight.Or maybe you are stress-eating a lot or some of you even suffer from something worse such as bulimia or anorexia. Then the last thing you need to worry about now is the way you look like.I’d suggest that you look deeper into the real reasons behind your eating disorder behavior or even seek professional help if necessary. 📷 📷 3. Third Key that is Crucial: Maintain Hormonal and Metabolic Balance Maintaining hormonal and metabolic balance is the essential key to successful weight loss especially for women who are overweight and what they’ve been doing is eat very little and move a lot while still not getting the result they want.A hormonal imbalance can greatly affect women’s beauty and the distribution of their body fat[1]. For example, the lack of estrogen can cause our skin to lose its tautness which means the wrinkled face and fine lines around the eyes. When the estrogen levels are low it could lead to excessive weight gain as well.The growth hormone, which is known to be able to help burning fat while also building your muscles and bones during your deep cycles of sleep-[2][3]. That’s why having quality sleep is so important if we want to actually lose that stubborn fat that’s stored in our trouble spots because the effective fat-burning process actually happens while we’re sleeping not when we’re exercising.The Insulin hormone, also known as the “fat-storing hormone”, is produced by our pancreas, regulates the metabolism of carbs, protein, and fat. Insulin is released when our blood sugar levels rise. It helps absorb glucose from the blood and store it for future use. If we absorb too much glucose our body converts it into fat which causes weight gain. That’s why we need to stay away from refined sugar(or refined carbs) in order to prevent a dramatic rise of blood sugar levels that spike up the secretion of insulin which results in converting excessive blood sugar into fat.Cortisol is a steroid hormone, also referred to as the “stress hormone” due to the fact that its release is increased in response to stress and low blood sugar levels. We want to keep our cortisol levels down so we can turn on that fat-burning mode which boosts our metabolisms and helps us lose the stubborn fat in our trouble spots. Basically, when our cortisol level is high our body switches from the fat-burning mode to the muscle-breaking and fat-storing mode.I don’t want to bore you with the science here but it’s important that we understand that the human body is complicated and we need to take multi-factors into consideration instead of just simplify things with the “eat less and move more” equation.

If you want to know how to “eat more exercise less” to regain hormonal and metabolic balance then read this article to learn more.

📷

4. Fourth Key: Stop Dieting In saying dieting I mean any kind of calorie restriction diets or weird/extreme diets that might cause nutrient deficiency which could be screwing up your hormonal and metabolic balance and thus make all your efforts and attempts at weight loss go in vain. The kind of dieting that’s not sustainable and practical, the kind that makes you feel listless, depressed, tired and your moods swinging from time to time you could hardly summon any energy to do what you want to do.As I have mentioned before, we do need to watch what we eat but we also need to develop a healthy relationship with our food so we won’t be afraid of having food that would actually make us healthy just because it has higher calories.The thing about counting calories is that it’s hard to be accurate. The same food seasoned and cooked in different ways could have different calorie counts. When we count the calories of a specific fruit we also need to take into account other factors such as its maturity because of the difference of sugar content in it.As for the chicken breast we have is it with skin or without skin and what’s the protein to fat ratio of it? Sounds complicated, isn’t it? Well, it is and it’s exhausting and inefficient if you have to do this on a daily basis.By the way, do you always feel like you need to remove the skin of the meat you have because it will make you fat? Well, do you know that eating meat along with its skin actually helps you digest better, and having good quality fat such as natural animal fat actually helps you burn fat in a more efficient way?What and How to Eat Matters I don’t need to tell you what you should eat to lose weight healthily because you’ve probably already gathered tons of information from different sources about it.You know how important it is to have good quality proteins to help you build muscles(boost metabolisms), that you should also include healthy fat, carbs, probiotics, fibers, vegetables in your meals as well so I guess I shouldn’t waste your time repeating what you already know.But what about the type and combination of food, what kind of protein together with what kind of carbs and vegetables, the amount of each category, what seasoning to use, which food combination or pairing of spices/flavors works better, when to eat, etc?For example, Crab is a great source of protein, and orange is also considered a good source of carbs which contains low calories and several vitamins and minerals. However, eating a great amount of crab while guzzling gallons of cold orange juice may not be a good choice for people with poor digestive systems.Drinking soup made by a certain combination of meat and vegetables is different from eating each ingredient separately. Salmon is well known for containing omega 3 fatty acids which may also help us burn body fat. However, we need to look deeper into the nutritional differences between farmed salmon and wild salmon. We also need to be careful not to have seafood as our main source of protein given the fact that the ocean is highly polluted and chemicals and pollutants can be absorbed by fish or other marine life through their environment and diet.Yes, there is a lot to take into consideration when it comes to choosing food for health and effective weight loss.Losing weight or dropping dress sizes fast is not something difficult to achieve. Eating nutrient-dense food combinations in the right way can lead to rapid weight loss without having to starve yourself or doing excessive cardio/HIIT exercises.

Get Motivated to Drop 2–4 Dress Sizes in One Month: 4 Steps to Get your Dream Body If you agree with me then click here and this product buyhttps://www.digistore24.com/redir/348520/sooraj1394/

[pepperful-qt]

Citrus 🌿

Kita Shinsuke x Reader SMAUish ; Part 2

masterlist

Warnings: mentions of injury & blood (small) ; 

yk how I said this series is based on a oneshot? yea here it is (~3.2k words)

~

You huffed out a breath as you passed through the school gates. The early January air was just cool enough to chill your breath into a puff of visible vapor. Not quite freezing, but cold enough to warrant a layer or two.

Damn, should’ve worn gloves, you internally cursed and shifted your grip on the box in your arms. 

Within the parcel, as well as a tote digging into your shoulder, resided your surprise: a selection of bread rolls and freshly harvested fruits you’d picked up from your uncle’s farm the evening before. You knew that despite their confidence and reputation, most of the boys would still struggle to maintain a normal balanced diet and sleep schedule, so you decided to make sure they had no excuse to slack off. Hell, one of them had already proven you right. 

As promised, you’d stayed up for a full two hours helping Atsumu, who now owed you boba, make some amount of progress on his schoolwork before falling asleep yourself an hour later. So, about three hours of sleep. Oh, and thanks to that slacker you’d also had no time to prepare the oranges and watermelon the night before, and you’d be roasted alive if you were caught making a commotion in the kitchen before the sun had even risen. No, it was much easier to just call it “club stuff” and complete your work in the gym’s office you shared with Coach Kurosu. 

So here you were, lugging multiple pounds of food through campus while the sky had barely begun to light and the winter breeze lashed at your exposed skin. 

“What am I even doing”, you grumbled to yourself through gritted teeth.

Finally you reached the gym doors and set down the load before catching your breath and blowing warm air into your cupped hands. Not wanting to deprive yourself of heat any longer, you pulled out the keyring Coach had given you earlier and moved to unlock the padlock before realizing there were only two keys on the ring, neither of which were for the gym lock. 

You only had the key to the office. 

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” you exclaimed, yanking at the padlock. The office was connected directly to the gym, like the clubroom was, so no gym entry, no office entry. 

Bouncing on the balls of your feet, partially from frustration and partially to keep yourself warm, you pulled out your phone and pulled the scarf you were wearing around the bottom half of your face like a mask. 

You clicked off your phone and shoved your hands into your pockets, looking around in the vain hope that maybe Kita would come strolling by. 

Great. Just great. 

Well, it wasn’t the end of the world. Warming your hands with a breath once more, you set to work on preparing a makeshift fruit-prep area on the pavement, ignoring the thoughts of how much of an idiot you were for not realizing earlier that you were missing a key. It was only when you held the knife above the waiting watermelon (you figured you should do the difficult ones first) that you legitimately questioned your choices. 

 I could just go back home and bring the fruit tomorrow. You cast a wary glance at the mounds of waiting food, immediately dreading the idea of lugging it all back home. No, you already said that you would have a surprise today. Besides, this is supposed to go on for the whole week. Just be a good manager and suck it up.

With this new resolve, you brought down the knife expertly and began slicing. Before long the two watermelons were properly portioned and set aside, and you moved to the oranges. They were a true specialty of your uncle’s farm, and it just so happened to be the beginning of the perfect season for the fruit. A little bead of pride and excitement swelled in your gut as you pictured the faces of your teammates when they finally got to try them. 

As the sky grew steadily lighter, your fingers too began to stiffen and tingle in the cold. Before long they’d be numb despite you constantly blowing warm air on them, making the chopping process slower and slower. 

“Y/N?” 

You immediately jumped at the soft voice that broke the silence of the past...hour? You had no idea how long it had been since you started. Looking to the source of the sound you saw none other than the team’s captain. His head tilted slightly to the side and his eyebrows were knit in a reserved look of confusion, looking expectant.

“Kita!” you quickly greeted him, as if nothing were out of the ordinary and you weren’t surrounded by a mass of fruit. With the greeting you jumped to your feet, only to have a knee momentarily buckle in protest after being in a crouched position so long. The flash of the knife in your hand immediately prompted you to set the knife back on the cutting board on the ground.

“Uh, surprise?” You mentally slapped yourself at the less-than-smooth recovery.

Kita’s eyes followed the movement carefully, then swept over the scene in apparent evaluation. 

“How long have you been here?” he asked. The one question I don’t know the answer to.

“A little while,” you responded, deciding that wasn’t an untrue answer. It was strange. It wasn’t like you had been caught smoking or vandalizing or some other prohibited thing, so why did you feel so guilty? 

“I, uh, meant to use the office but, well…” you trailed off as Kita pulled out a small metal keyring, similar to your own. He didn’t smile, but there was a kind look on his face as he approached and opened the doors that had kept you at bay.

“You’ll catch a cold staying out here so long,” he sighed, leaning over and hoisting your school bag over his shoulder and picking up the largest parcel before moving to stand expectantly in the doorway. “You're our manager, which means you’re part of the team too. We can’t have you falling ill.”

“Right,” you nodded after a moment of temporary shock, and began to gather up what was left. For some reason, you were suppressing a small smile. After you slung on the tote and carefully gripped the cutting board in your now numb red fingers, you approached where Kita was patiently waiting. You flashed him a small smile of gratitude to break the awkwardness, but a moment later his gaze drifted downward and his lips downturned into a small frown. His eyes widened the slightest bit as they fixed on where your hand held the cutting board.

“You’re bleeding,” he stated, his tone a bit too calm considering his words. You followed his gaze and sure enough one of the fingers you’d used to steady the fruit had a thin line of red. Apparently your fingers had gotten numb enough that you hadn’t felt the cut, not to mention the cold was turning your skin dry and red.

“Oh, I am,” you acknowledged with a nervous hollow laugh. “I guess the knife slipped at some point.” Tentatively, you flexed the finger. It was a shallow cut so the bleeding had already stopped, and the only discomfort came from the protest of your numb joints. As you brushed your other hand over it to inspect it further, a sharp pain shot through your hand and a small hiss escaped your lips. 

Ah, the orange juice.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Kita tense when you flinched. In two quick steps he was in front of you, placing the box on the ground near your feet. 

“It’s nothing, it’s not deep or anything,” you insisted, a bit startled at the sudden proximity. Kita held out his hand and paused.

“Can I see it?” he asked, his eyes carefully watching your own in gentle query. Somewhere in the back of your mind you remarked on how much lighter they were than you remembered.

You gave a conceding sigh and met his hand halfway with your own, nearly jumping at the warmth of his palm. Almost immediately he curled his fingers underneath yours to examine them in a delicate but sure grip. His eyebrows shot up at the touch.

“You’re freezing,” he commented. From the breathiness of his voice you assumed it was close to a gasp for him. His thumb traced around the wound. The warm contact sent a shiver through your body. You noticed the skin around it starting to turn red and irritated, likely from the cold and acidic liquid. 

A moment later Kita pulled away and turned towards the gym doors, reaching out to give your arm a gentle pull.

“Come on, you need to warm up and get that taken care of,” he spoke matter-of-factly. It was a familiar tone that didn’t command, but simply stated the obvious truth, and it was useless to argue against. Suppressing a grumble, you allowed yourself to be guided into the gym by the captain. 

“Do you have the key to the coach’s office?” Kita asked as we placed our things outside the door to the aforementioned office.

“Oh, yeah.” You pulled out the keyring from your pocket, giving it a jangle for emphasis. Kita held out a hand expectantly.

“Go to the bathroom and run warm water over your hands and clean out the cut,” he began at your questioning look. “Don’t come back until you have full feeling again.” Ah, that tone of his was back.

“Fine,” you sighed with a smile and dropped the keys into his waiting palm. Suddenly, a horrible thought dawned on you. “Oh, how long did I have that cut?! Some of the oranges might have gotten blood on them, the knife too!” With a groan you brought the heels of both of your hands to your temples, rubbing them in frustration.

“Y/N,” the captain’s quiet voice captured your attention after a few moments of silence. His expression was almost blank, with the downward quirk of his lip giving the only sign of disapproval. “Your priority right now should be taking care of yourself, not the oranges.” 

“Ugh, sorry,” you grumbled, feeling rightly scolded. You knew you were acting like a child. “It’s just first the gym, and now this. Nothing seems to be going right for this stupid surprise.” Your sleep deprivation must’ve been getting to you as your eyes started to burn. No, no, don’t you dare cry over something like this! 

“It’s not stupid.” Kita stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. You could only blink in response. His gaze travelled to where the fruits were piled up, seemingly in deep thought, before finding you once more. “And it’s not ruined either.”

“I...suppose not,” you said softly. His head tilted just slightly in consideration.

“I didn’t take you as someone to easily give up, either.” 

You gave a thoughtful hum, a few moments later letting out a soft chuckle. He’s right. Somehow he was always right. There was a strange comfort in his words. He always spoke sincerely and straightforwardly, which was one of the reasons everyone held him in such high regard. To hear anyone else say an assessment like that might’ve normally come across as an attempt to console or fan your ego, but with Kita, it was just the truth. It was something he believed.

You didn’t care to suppress the smile that pulled at your lips this time.

“Yeah, you’re right,” you laughed, finally feeling warm again. “Thank you.” 

Kita merely nodded as you turned to go, but you could’ve sworn that there was a ghost of a smile on his face too.

It took about ten minutes to fully warm your hands and thoroughly clean the cut. It wasn’t deep, but it happened to be just where the first joint of your index finger was. The skin stretched when you bent it, causing only mild discomfort. It was more of an inconvenience than anything else.

You were also able to check your phone. No messages from Suna, unsurprisingly, and it was almost half past five. Vaguely wondering why on earth Kita was here so early, you strolled back to the office, finding it open with the light on. The scene that greeted you, however, made you freeze in the doorway. Kita had cleared off a portion of the desk and arranged a professional looking setup for fruit preparation. He’d shed his outer layer and now stood over the cutting board with the sleeves of his sweatshirt rolled up to his elbows and latex gloves now adorning his hands. It seemed as though he’d already resumed work on the oranges, and the pleasant scent of citrus wafted to your nose.

You would’ve laughed at the amusing image had you not been equally shocked to see him there in the first place. 

“Ah, Y/N, you’re back,” he greeted when he noticed you in the doorway. One after the other he removed the gloves, gesturing you to sit in the desk chair. Wordlessly you obliged.   

“I’ve cleaned the knife and cutting board and checked over the other oranges, so there’s no need to worry about that,” he informed you as though reading off a list of chores. 

 “In ten minutes?” Your eyes widened in amazement. It seemed he really was capable of anything, though you cringed a bit when you realized he may have had to wash your blood off the utensils. As you lowered yourself into the chair you noticed an open first aid kit that Kita was now combing through. 

“Hand,” he commanded, holding out his own with antiseptic in the other, apparently ignoring your inquiry.

“Oh, I can do it,” you insisted with a reassuring smile, reaching out for the tube. “Believe me, I’ve bandaged myself up from far worse than this.” The hand holding the tube retracted as Kita let out a deep sigh.

“Let me guess, you’re also going to try to stop me from cutting the rest of the fruit, too?” he guessed, quite accurately, with a small quirk of an eyebrow. Your smile faltered a bit and you brought back your outstretched hand. “I don’t doubt that you can bandage your wound, or that you can continue preparing the fruit with little difficulty, but you don’t have to push yourself. I’m offering my help because I want to.”

You stared at him again, trying to process his words. Out of instinct you almost muttered Are you sure? but you were also positive that Kita had already made up his mind. With a small nod, you placed the injured finger above his hand for him to take.

“Didn’t you say yourself I’m not one to give up easily?” you questioned as he went to work wrapping up your finger. 

“Yeah, I did,” he affirmed, a recognizable spark of fondness in his eyes. “You fit the team well.” The warm feeling of Kita’s praise swelled in your chest once again.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” you chuckled softly. “Though support from the sidelines is all I can do,” you sighed, your gaze fixating on the literal fruits of your labor.

“Do you think it’s insignificant?” he asked bluntly. 

“No, not exactly,” you answered after a moment of thought. “I won’t deny that there’s times when I wish I could do more, but as long as I can do my best to help us fulfill our potential, well…”

“It makes it all worth it?” Kita’s quiet tone might’ve been imperceptible if you weren’t in a room alone in the last hour before dawn, but you heard him clearly. His hand had paused where it was wrapping your finger, and he caught your eye. Slowly, his cheeks lifted in a genuine, knowing smile. “I think I understand.”

The moment passed quickly, but you found the image of his expression burned into your mind.  

“You put in just as much effort as everyone else.” Kita caught your eye again before focusing on wrapping the bandage and taping it up. “It doesn’t go unnoticed.” 

He released your hand and stood up, allowing you to test out the expertly dressed finger. Satisfied, he readorned his gloves and began chopping the oranges, leaving you to ponder his words in a moment of comfortable silence. 

Kita had always been a constant presence during your time on the team. Despite not being captain your first year, it had been him who had shown you the ropes of managerial duties. It wasn’t just for you either. Kita was the rock, reliable and strong, that kept the team together, though ever so quietly. It wouldn’t surprise you if he felt that he had a sideline role as well.

Eventually, the two of you fell into easy conversation. You told him about Suna, who you’d been neighbors and childhood friends since before middle school. He mentioned his grandmother, and you noticed the softness in his eyes return. You told him about your uncle’s farm, and even told him to try one of the orange slices, though he refused until he had finished his work. 

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Part 2: "oops"

A/N: Whoaa title namedrop. Suna is NOT a morning person y'all. Also, yes I have cut myself while my hands were numb and didn’t realize it’s a thing. also also, this was originally a oneshot, which is why this part is so goddamn long.  

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@therealwalmartjesus

[firstumcschenectady]

“The Fabled Wisdom of Solomon” based on 1 Kings 2:10-12 and 3:3-14

(Image: Lamp of Wisdom, Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire, England)

What I wouldn't give for the wisdom of Solomon right now. I've prayed for it already, lack of asking isn't the issue. Life feels like a series of unanswerable questions. “Is this safe?” “Is this wise?” “Is this fair?” “Who does this exclude?” “Whose needs does this meet?” “How do I create balance?” “Whose needs do I prioritize?” “How can I find a middle way?” “How do I manage risk? As a person? As a parent? As a pastor?” “What are the risks of NOT doing the thing?” “How do they compare to the risks of DOING the thing?” “How worried should I be?” “How courageous should I be?”

I'll stop. It's probably unpleasant to hear already, and truthfully those are MOST of the questions, they just repeat a lot. Furthermore, these are variations on the themes of everyone's questions, maybe with a little bit more pressure on those making decisions for others or for groups.

We're nearing 18 months of pandemic based impossible decision making. I'm also nearing 15 months of parent based impossible decision making, which has led to SO MUCH more respect for every other human who parents or offers caregiving. (I already had respect for those things, but my respect has increased exponentially.)

I find myself thinking about presidents who wear the same thing every day, or offload trivial decisions so that they can keep their capacities for the important stuff. I remember articles about how our decision making capacities are finite, and I think about how incredibly overwhelming it has been to be in this “new world” where everything carries risk and every decision is suddenly BIGGER.

And I want to be Solomon. I want to be blessed by God to be wise. I want God to give me “a wise and discerning mind.” I want to know what to do!!!!!!

But even as I say this, I realize that I have projected onto Solomon and on to this blessing from God a supernatural sort of wisdom and discernment. I've read this story and assumed that Solomon always knew what to do, and was always right when he decided. But, I don't actually BELIEVE that. That would be superhuman.

(Also, if that were true, then the kingdom of Solomon likely would have outlasted … say … Solomon because he would have been able to fix the underlying issues and pick a good successor.)

Which means that the Bible has just served as a very good inkblot test for me to realize that in the midst of incredible uncertainty, certainty would be superhuman. (Or dangerous. That's another way this can go.) I yearn to feel good about decisions, but that's not possible right now. I yearn to feel confident as I decide, but that isn't possible right now either. I yearn, truthfully, to pass my authority off to someone wiser, more prepared, better read – but no one knows the struggles and the questions I face quite like I do, so there isn't anyone to pass them to.

John Wesley's “Three Simple Rules”: “First do no harm, then do all the good you can, and stay in love with God” have never seemed so hard to work with!

To keep the challenging more challenging, people judge each other on decisions. I can't remember the last time I had a conversation that didn't involve either 1. someone who had to make hard decisions struggling with what is right OR 2. someone who doesn't have to make the decisions frustrated with those who made them. I hear clergy and bosses worrying over safety procedures, balancing risk tolerance with the will of the body with the needs of the vulnerable. And, at the same time, I hear others complaining on ALL sides.

I'm definitely not Solomon, but I want to offer to all of you some of the models and tools I bring to discernment, under the assumption that we're all bogged down by the weight of all these decisions. Welcome to a pragmatic sermon. ;)

In terms of the pandemic itself, I've been really grateful for an idea I heard put into words in the NY Times in June of 2020.

Manage your exposure budget

Risk is cumulative. Going forward, you’ll need to make trade-offs, choosing activities that are most important to you (like seeing an aging parent) and skipping things that might matter less (an office going-away party). Think about managing virus risk just as you might manage a diet: If you want dessert, eat a little less for dinner.1

During a pandemic, every member of the household should manage their own exposure budget. (Think Weight Watchers points for virus risk.) You spend very few budget points for low-risk choices like a once-a-week grocery trip or exercising outdoors. You spend more budget points when you attend an indoor dinner party, get a haircut or go to the office. You blow your budget completely if you spend time in a crowd.2

This has been super helpful. I often call it the “risk budget.” We all have different risk tolerance, and we have different things we particularly value and need. I hear from many families with kids that day care or school are imperative to someone in the family's well being, and so they do it. But then their risk budget is spent. I hear from others that going to work and being exposed to a whole lot of people is already an over extension of their risk budget, and they fear bringing something home to their kids, so they don't do anything else.

I'm mentioning this right now, because people without kids or other unvaccinated people in their households have had an increase in risk tolerance, and aren't always seeing how carefully others have to manage their risk budget. And, for some in our community that means not coming to worship – even outside, even masked, even distanced – because even that TINY bit of increased exposure is more than the budget can handle.

It isn't really a FUN thing, a risk budget, but it brings a model to something otherwise incredibly overwhelming. Deciding on each individual activity separately is simply too much for any of us, so a budget gives us a guideline on how to make decisions. It also reminds us that we're working with different budgets and different expenditures, and none of us need to judge how someone else makes their decisions.

Not quite the fabled wisdom of Solomon, I'll grant, but a tool nonetheless.

Another simple tool is one I've mentioned before. “Daily examen” is a prayer process. It is quite simple. You center yourself, ask for God's help, review the past 24 hours, identitfy when you felt most alive and connected with love, identity when you felt most disconnected from life and love, thank God for the best the worst and all that's in-between, and either share that information with another person or write it down. It is entirely too easy to zombie our way through life, especially in the surreal pandemic times. But taking the time to be reflective helps us learn about life, ourselves, God, and what we value. It helps us learn what we need to change, and what we actually love about our lives as they are. This is the single best discernment tool I know, although it is most useful for BIG HUGE decisions that can be made over an extended period of time.

My final “simple” tool is one of those deceptive ones. It is simple, in ideas, but it is much harder in practice. It is: trust God to be working in and through you. That is, notice when something feels off-kilter in you, and trust that it is significant and matters. THIS is the most subversive thing I'm saying today. Trust the wisdom of your body as being connected to the wisdom of the Divine, and when a decision brings a dull ache to your gut or any other part of your body STOP and listen. Figure out what emotions fit into that ache. Then, figure out what needs are under that emotion. (Handy-dandy helpful pdf chart here: Feelings/Needs). We KNOW more than we think we do, and God often works with us in subtle and embodied ways. As we learn to trust ourselves, we are learning to trust God-who-is-with-us-and-for-us.

Well friends, it doesn't feel like much, and it DEFINITELY doesn't feel like the fabled wisdom of Solomon, but in the midst of unending difficult decisions, I hope these little tools are gifts for you. May God help us all, as we discern. Amen

1 I'm not convinced diet culture is safe nor healthy, but I left the reference in because I fear it is familiar.

2 Tara Parker-Pope “5 Rules to Live By During a Pandemic” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/09/well/live/coronavirus-rules-pandemic-infection-prevention.html June 9, 2020.

[jihyuncompass]

Can I please get the RFA + Minor Trio reacting to a vegan MC. As in nothing derived from animals and involved in (peaceful) activism. It's something they'll make exceptions for. If they're given a gift they'll apologize and give it back, even offering to pay them back. If there isn't anything for them they won't eat or will try to cook for everyone. They don't need their S/O to be vegan, but they'd strongly prefer them to at least be vegetarian at home. Thank you, I hope it's not too specific.

Zen

Although in-game Zen’s diet is kind of vague I think he would definitely try and eat healthily. 

Yeah he has a vice when it comes to beer and cigarettes but other than that he’s a fairly healthy dude. He feels his best when he’s eating food that’s good for him. 

So when he finds out you’re vegan he’s pretty interested. He’s tried a few other diets here and there but never been vegan. I think with some conversations with him he’d definitely be willing to try it.  

He struggles a bit at the start. It’s always difficult to change your diet in any way. At first he may miss certain foods or drinks he loves, but once he learns about the wonderful world of vegan substitutes he’s in much better spirits about the whole thing. 

I think a vegan lifestyle fits in really well with the celebrity thing Zen has going on. I can imagine a lot of the people who work in Zen’s field being vegan or vegetarian. So he actually probably finds a lot of friends in that aspect. 

He may crack once in a while and eat something with dairy or eggs. It isn’t often but sometimes he’s just really craving something and the substitutes aren’t the same. 

Overall? 7/10 on being vegan. Not perfect, but pretty good. 

Yoosung

Yoosung is a college student, he doesn’t have a lot of money so he’s one to just eat whatever’s in front of him and cheap. 

And being vegan isn’t always a super cheap lifestyle. So before he met you it wasn’t really something he ever considered doing. 

But then he meets you! 

I can see him doing okay as a vegetarian. After all buying meat is expensive most of the time. But I think as long as he’s a poor student he probably couldn’t afford to go all out vegan and still eat healthy. 

But once he can he’s willing to do it! Especially after he opens his vet practice!

It actually becomes a fun activity for the two of you to try out vegan recipes together! You may fail a couple times but it’s always a fun experience so even if the end result isn’t good it’s more about the journey anyways!

He sometimes has cravings for foods he used to eat. He’ll try and resist but sometimes it’s difficult, so he’ll try and find vegan or vegetarian versions to eat! 

Overall? 5/10 in college but 9/10 after. He’s pretty good about it, though he might slip up some times. 

Jaehee

I think Jaehee could do it. I think the problem is time. 

She’s a busy woman she barely has time to eat not to mention try and cook for herself! 

She usually just eats whatever she can get ready to eat at the store or something that only needs an oven or a microwave. She’s a tired lady. 

However with you she wants to try it out. Especially since she doesn’t always feel very good eating all that ready made food. 

To be honest, until she quits her job and opens the cafe she probably won’t be able to eat vegetarian or vegan unless you cook it for her. She just doesn’t have the time. 

But once she quits? It’ll be WAY easier for her. She’ll have the time and the energy to actually eat the way she wants to. 

Actually most of the cafe menu ends up being vegan drinks and desserts! Since the two of you end up being vegan (or at least vegetarian for Jaehee) it only makes sense!

Of course all of your desserts are incredible, in some cases they probably even taste better than some of the non vegan options. 

Overall? 7/10. She isn’t going to be able to keep up with that diet working as an assistant but after? Definitely. 

Jumin

Okay, so it’s canon that Jumin loves to eat steak, and in general I think he’d be one to enjoy eating meat. 

However, he does enjoy you significantly more. So if you asked him to at least be vegetarian at home he’d agree. 

Actually I think at home he’d probably be willing to go full vegan. It gives him a chance to try something different. He even hires a vegan chef to start preparing meals for the two of you. 

While this isn’t something he would do on his own I think he would absolutely love doing with you. He enjoys being able to try foods he’s never had before. 

However when it comes to business dinners he might have to break a little. He’ll never do it in front of you though. He doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable. But if he’s at a lunch with an important client, he might have to order a steak if only to look professional and polite. 

With you though? He’s all the way. He’s a dedicated man, and he takes great pride in doing things right by you. 

Overall? 8.5/10. With you he’s perfect, away from you? Sometimes debatable. 

Seven/Saeyoung

His diet is all sorts of messed up. (Are HBC and Dr. Pepper even vegan? probably not). 

Kind of like Jaehee you’ll probably have to cook for him if you want him to eat the same diet. 

Also at the same time Seven kind of has the diet of a 12 year old boy so getting him to eat certain things might be challenging. 

You might not have a lot of luck with getting him to go full vegan, but vegetarian you could probably swing. I imagine most of the food he eats is ready made or delivered so if you cook or order something vegetarian it won’t be a huge issue. 

Over time you might try offering more vegan options to get him to try those. There may be some hits, and there may be some misses but with time he might become more open to at least trying. 

But you might just have to accept that he’ll never be fully vegan. But honesty, it’s better than what he had been eating before. So you can’t complain too much.

Overall? 4/10. Not the worst, by far not the best. And you’re going to have to put a lot of effort in this this disaster of a man. 

V/Jihyun

If you’re looking for someone to go vegan with you. Jihyun is going to be your guy. 

This man is already so much of a hippie is it really that much of a surprise? Doesn’t he give off the buy natural and organic vibe?

Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if he was at least vegetarian already. But either way he’d be absolutely interested in being vegan. 

The two of you love to try new recipes and when you’re feeling up to it go and try new vegan restaurants nearby. 

He loves being able to share this with you. It’s something that really brings the two of you together. 

Together the two of you may engage in activism to support animal rights causes. He’ll auction off his heart to raise money and help spread awareness to a variety of issues and causes. 

I would say Jihyun is probably not very likely to start craving things. I see him as having pretty good self control on those matters And if he does have a desire he’s good about finding vegan alternatives! 

Overall: 10/10 He’s the dream vegan boyfriend. 

Saeran

This man loves ice cream too much to give it up let’s be real. 

Sherbet and the alternatives just aren’t the same you know?

However I do think he could do vegetarian alright! I don’t think Saeran is particularly picky when it comes to stuff like that so I don’t think it would be an issue.

He might even enjoy being able to work on vegan meals for the two of you! There’s a lot of chances to experiment there and he finds a lot of joy in being creative in that way.

Also! Vegan desserts are a fun way to try something different! It really allows him the opportunity to branch out into different things and there’s a lot of fun to be had! 

Again, he probably won’t go full vegan for you, preferring to eat dairy at least on his own but it’s something he’ll never force on you or do in front of you if it makes you uncomfortable! 

You’re what’s most important to him and if it makes you feel uneasy he’ll do what he can to make you feel better. 

Overall? 7/10. Will cook Vegan food for you but won’t go fully vegan with you. But very supportive! 

Vanderwood

Okay so we know NOTHING about Vanderwood’s eating habits in canon. 

As a whole, Vanderwood is a huge question mark so I’m just going to go off of the vibe I get. 

I imagine Vanderwood probably eats a fairly balanced diet. They have to stay healthy for their agency work and in general I think they’re better then Seven in maintaining healthy life habits.

But I don’t know I get a vibe that Vanderwood would be a pretty big meat eater? I have no reason for this it’s just a vibe. 

So when you tell Vanderwood that you’re vegan they’re going to be a little unsure at first.They may complain about it at first but eventually they they’ll do their best to be vegetarian at least around you. 

When they aren’t with you? They’ll probably still eat whatever they want but despite this they don’t ever want to make you feel uncomfortable. 

Out of everyone it’s probably the biggest adjustment for Vanderwood. But they learn how to deal with it. 

Overall? 4/10. Will be vegetarian with you. But when you’re apart? Don’t count on it. 

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As mentioned before, ProDentim is a unique supplement formulated specifically for dental health. Its unique blend of ingredients combines different nutrients with probiotics, which are known to be significantly beneficial to health. Each dosage contains around 3.5 billion strains of probiotics, which adds to the microflora diversity in the body.

In order to promote improved oral and dental health, ProDentim is a dietary supplement for oral care. ProDentim, to be precise, is a blend of beneficial probiotic bacteria that has the capacity to balance the oral microbiome. ProDentim contains only safe, non-toxic substances designed to maintain healthy teeth and gums. To date, the supplement has had no negative side effects while assisting millions of users in improving their tooth health. Additionally, a supplement was created by a doctor and supported by a committed medical advisory board.

Although bacteria develop best in the mouth, a daily supplement like ProDentim can combat these issues. ProDentim offers customers gluten and stimulant-free natural composition despite being a relatively new medication. You won’t need water to swallow the tablet because you can chew it. Although this formula isn’t intended to fix dental issues, it can foster a positive environment that will lower the likelihood of teeth and gum issues.

How to Use the Supplement?

Each bottle of ProDentim comes with thirty easy-to-consume capsules. According to directions provided by the company, only one capsule should be taken per day. You can take the daily dosage at any time of the day with a drink of your choice. It can be juice, smoothie, or plain water but make sure it is not an alcoholic drink. Also, do not mix it directly in the food you are eating and take it separately as directed by the guidelines.

Even though there is flexibility in timing, and one can take the supplement at any time, the recommended time is in the morning. This is because it works better and faster on an empty stomach as the absorption is also quicker. ProDentim is free of any stimulants or toxins, so it will not affect mood or energy. You only need to be careful about sticking to the fixed-dose only.

Taking more than the recommended amount may cause opposite and harmful effects. So, it is best to avoid taking more than one capsule per day. Secondly, make sure not to take ProDentim if you are already on other supplements or are taking other medicinal courses. It is always better to consult a healthcare practitioner before taking any kind of medicine, especially if you have health issues.

How Does ProDentim Work?

ProDentim works through its unique formula of 3.5 billion strains of both prebiotics and probiotics. This amount is much higher than other commonly used sources of probiotics and makes it fast and effective. It is also why a user may notice a difference in oral health after just the first few doses. Secondly, other natural ingredients that are known for their benefits to dental health are also added.

Mint, for instance, is one such ingredient and is primarily responsible for better breath and whitening of teeth while using ProDentim. The combination of natural ingredients and probiotics is also useful in getting the daily dose required for healthy teeth and gums.

Adding certain foods to the diet is many times not enough for oral health. In fact, you may not even be getting different strains of probiotics as it is difficult to consume a variety of foods every day. Fermented foods are the most popular source of probiotics for the majority but are often not part of daily intake and have similar strains.

ProDentim adds to the gut microflora with a wide variety of strains. Using it is not only beneficial for health but can save time and money and cut down the hassle of changing diets every other day. It does not introduce foreign microbes but adds to the naturally occurring good bacteria, making it safe to use. The supplement is non-GMO, gluten-free, and less likely to cause allergic reactions or side effects. Due to its natural formulation, it is also free from toxins and does not contain any addictive substances.