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thesilliestrovingalive · 6 days

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Reworked Character #10: Gimlet

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, torture, neglect, SA, child abuse, substance abuse, necrophilia, cannibalism, and crime.

Real name: Vasser Gutenschiff-Wolstenholme

Esper title: Avatar of Theriomorphic Anima, Parasitism, and Aggression

Alias: Libertine of Animus

Nickname: Gimlet

Occupation: Chief Warrant Officer 3 of the P.F. Squad

Retirement plans: Doesn’t know what kind of purpose he’ll have after resigning from his military duties

Special skills: Foraging for food and edible plants in the wilderness, proficiency in dagger throwing and operating radio communication technology, orchestrating surprise attacks, mastery of escape, and quick drawing

Esper abilities: By focusing on the internal dynamics of his muscles and the rhythmic pulse of his blood, he can tap into the depths of his unbridled strength. When he does so, his veins bulge from his skin and his muscles spasm uncontrollably. However, this transformation enables him to deliver blows that cause the earth to tremble, crush his opponents' bones with a single grip, and lift and throw objects with ease, including those that weigh as much as a small mountain. By tapping into the irrational part of his soul, he can access a feral state of mind for 1 to 3 hours, amplifying his killing instincts and physical strength to nearly earth-shattering levels. However, the longer he remains in this primal state, the more his hostility levels intensify. Surrendering to this feral state of mind allows his id to gradually dominate his psyche, a process worsened by his cocaine addiction. Additionally, he can inherit the distinctive animalistic qualities and abilities of any animal he consumes, but this adaptation only lasts for 30 minutes.

He can unleash a loud, painful scream or cry of anger, generating paralysing vibrations that temporarily stun his enemies for three minutes. Additionally, he can teleport to targets within his line of sight, focusing intently on them. By superheating the water-rich waste materials in his intestines and blood, he can boil them to extreme temperatures and project the scalding, watery vomit at his opponents through regurgitation. He can create steel-hard weapons by drawing his own blood through minor skin incisions. Occasionally, he must consume the blood of others to replenish the nutrients used up by his powers. His body hosts a multitude of tiny parasites and viruses, which coexist harmlessly with his organs, blood circulation, and cellular structures. However, he can harness these microorganisms as a defence mechanism, releasing them to infect his enemies through physical contact and airborne respiratory droplets.

Gimlet has the ability to create worm-like creatures that are grotesque, breathing, and multi-eyed with additional mutations such as wings, serrated teeth, and elongated snouts. This can be achieved through impregnation or by introducing his bodily fluids into another person's body (e.g. through spitting in their mouth). When a host is impregnated, they experience rapid growth, severe stomach pains, and bodily soreness. However, this method often results in stillbirth. If a host is not impregnated but still has Gimlet's bodily fluids enter their body, they will eventually experience a debilitating stomach flu. This leads to vomiting, and the contents transform into a worm-like creature that inherits the host's eye colour and hair colour.

These creatures mature into bipedal worms, distinguished by sparse, wispy hair growth on their chests, armpits, scalps, and jawlines. They are also adorned with spiky, cartilaginous armour plating in dull silver or glossy black, which covers their faces, backs, and limbs. They serve as obedient soldiers and suicide bombers, possessing the same abilities as Gimlet. They can instantaneously self-destruct, releasing either a poisonous gas or a burning, gooey, glowing purple acid that engulfs their surroundings.

Hobbies: Treasure hunting, frequenting underground nightclubs, going to the beach, watching action-packed, splatterpunk, and pornographic films, and building scale models of military vehicles and historical war events

Likes: Intelligent women (such as Sagan, Eri, Fio, and Red Eye), experimental weapons, abandoned radio towers, collecting rare pornography magazines and seashells, and the satisfaction he feels when killing a highly dangerous individual

Dislikes: Necrophilia, becoming like his father, being underestimated and lectured, Tequila being disappointed in him, and opponents who aren’t willing to engage in a fair fight

Favourite food: Full English breakfast

Favourite drink: French gimlet (preferably if it has two parts sweetened lime juice)

Sexuality: Grayromantic gynesexual

Gender: Male

Age: 27 (in 2022), 33 (in 2028), 35 (in 2030), 37 (in 2032), 39 (in 2034), 46 (in 2041), 48 (in 2043), 49 (in 2044), and 52 (in 2047)

Blood type: O-

Weight: 217 lbs. (98 kg)

Design: He’s a 6 ft (182.88 cm) British-German mesomorph with a perfectly chiselled musculature, a subtly rounded abdomen, semi-broad shoulders, and prominent thighs. He has rose beige skin, a black mole on the right side of his chin, and reddish-brown freckles scattered across his face, chest, and hands. He has sparkling rusty orange eyes and middle-parted maroon hair with subtle waves and neatly chopped mutton chops. His eyes were originally a light brown, and his hair was once a golden bronze colour with sideburns and straight locks. His muscle fibres and intestines with a yellowish-green tint, and he possesses two forked tongues coated in a translucent, gelatinous slime mixed with his blood.

His forearms and shoulders are covered in healed minor incisions, and a massive scar extends from his left deltoid to his right hypochondriac region, organically zigzagging across his torso. His left hand and right leg have been augmented with cutting-edge prosthetics, featuring sleek, aerodynamic plates and agile, fibre-optic wires that blur the lines between human and machine. The prosthetics are infused with AI-driven neurosync technology, allowing for seamless integration and real-time synchronisation with his neural signals. His left-hand prosthetic features retractable blade claws made of razor-sharp adamantium, and they can extend and retract with a mere thought, thanks to the advanced neural interface.

Gimlet’s military gear consists of a mahogany headband, a metal dog tag necklace with his name, and a grimy meat brown sleeveless shirt with vertical Carolina blue stripes. He has a dark bluish-green belt with a bronze buckle, a sheath for his combat knife, and a gun holster for his Mauser C96 Broomhandle. He wears a dark goldenrod vest with four pockets and two hidden strapped compartments, boasting the logo of the P.F. Squad on the back. Additionally, he wears persimmon-hued wristbands and dark green moss army cargo pants tucked into rose ebony combat boots. The pockets of his vest carry around iron knuckles given to him by Hyakutaro, a pornography magazine from his personal collection, a pontifical mitre shell, a flask of vodka gimlet, a bottle of Ritalin, a small plastic bag of crushed cocaine, a rolled-up piece of paper the size of a straw, and his motorcycle key.

Over sleeveless shirt, he dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries around his walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. His are wrapped worn and dirty gauze, and he wears a rust-coloured bandolier draped over his right shoulder, holding throwing daggers. Gimlet carries around a dark bluish-green load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, two bottles of French gimlet, an APX P25 radio, a rocket launcher, a grenade gun, and a shotgun.

His backpack also holds four plushies from his childhood, which serve as trusty companions and help maintain his grip on sanity. This menagerie consists of four distinct plushies: Emmerich, a polar bear with a light coral bow tie; Theobald, an orange-eyed black tiger with Hunyadi yellow stripes; Philomena, an opalescent white dragon with lavender eyes and azure spines; and Linnaea, a bronze-horned husky with a white fur coat featuring blue-grey, citron, and fallow brown splotches. He wears golden huggie earrings, a silver ring featuring a square-cut fire opal on his left middle finger, and bronze-plated goggles with orange-tinted lenses.

He owns a state-of-the-art drop pack with a metallic blue finish, compact and aerodynamic, approximately half the size of his torso. This advanced pack features high-thrust mini-jet engines, each adorned with a light blue stripe at their entrance, and retractable, razor-sharp airplane wings that provide enhanced stability and maneuverability. Additionally, its integrated artificial intelligence ensures real-time weather analysis and automatic adjustments for a smoother, more stable flight and parachuting experience. Furthermore, it boasts rapid-deployment technology for quick and seamless wing extension, enabling swift response times in high-pressure situations. It has been built to withstand extreme weather conditions, including intense turbulence, heavy rainfall, and scorching temperatures.

Tequila built him a modified Ariel W/NG 350 with a bulkier, steadier design, boasting a camouflage pattern in fern green, golden brown, and taupe grey, and completed with a rusty orange leather seat.

Super Devil form: He's a 20' 11" (637.54 cm) reptilian kangaroo with bulging, viciously torn, infected muscular tissue that pulses with every heartbeat. His scaly taupe grey skin, which hosts a multitude of tiny parasites and viruses, is coated in a thin layer of translucent, gelatinous slime. Gimlet has a head shaped like a bear's, featuring three forked tongues smeared with bloody slime and four rows of dark goldenrod teeth that resemble those of a humpback anglerfish. His eight rusty orange eyes have flecks of moss that are dark green and metallic blue pupils that dilate in response to sunlight. His coarse, unruly middle-parted hair is strikingly two-toned with the left side silver-grey and the right side mahogany. The hair falls slightly over his broad shoulders, which are ridiculously wide and covered in jagged, cartilaginous spikes that stand straight up. He has persimmon-hued ram horns, twitching Apantesis phalerata antennae, and retractable, razor-sharp bronze claws and talons.

He has two pairs of arms: the first pair is elongated yet uncomfortably muscular, covered in shaggy coyote fur ravaged by mange; and the second pair resembles long puma-furred forelegs, but with uncannily slender toes. From his hip joints, he has notably large hind legs of a yellowish-green locust, complete with a deep red tibia and brownish-grey tiger-like stripes on the femurs. He has an exceptionally long, thin rose ebony rodent tail, twice the size of his torso, that splits halfway along its length. Additionally, Gimlet possesses wings similar to those of a migratory locust, but with a leathery texture and a subtle mahogany sheen.

His back is covered in writhing, sinuous tendrils that resemble dark bluish-green smooth-skinned serpents, each tipped with hook-like bronze claws. His neck features sixteen delicate, petal-shaped skin flaps that can open to reveal thirty-two small openings, which he can use to release his blood to create deadly weapons. Additionally, he possesses a pouch containing intestinal appendages with a yellowish-green tint, which he uses to spray scalding, watery vomit.

Personality: He identifies as an agnostic Protestant Anglican that takes responsibility for his actions when it's convenient for him. He shows a willingness to take risks and face danger head-on, never backing down from a fight. He's resolute and unshakeable in his convictions to get the job done and to eliminate the weak and corrupt, even when advised against certain actions. He values his autonomy and privacy, preferring to work independently rather than as part of a team and keep his personal life and feelings closely guarded. While he thrives on constant action, excitement, and a desire for immediate gratification, he occasionally appreciates the quiet comfort of mundane routines and stillness. When he doesn't understand something, he exclusively seeks clarification from Tequila, Red Eye or Sagan as he fears that asking anyone else might lead to ridicule or insults for his perceived lack of sophistication.

He's a mischievous and troublesome prankster who enjoys poking fun at the cadets and has a passion for the thrill of combat and uncovering new horizons. He's a skilled conversationalist, but also a pathological liar who manipulates others through guilt-tripping and gaslighting. Occasionally, his grandiose sense of self-worth becomes apparent, particularly in situations that either threaten his ego or feed his overconfidence. When a military mission or chore lacks excitement, he becomes slothful and goes to great lengths to avoid it, much to Tequila's annoyance. When he’s drunk, he objectifies and harasses women, displays violent outbursts, engages in verbal altercations, and causes trouble with his rowdy behaviour.

He has a quick temper, which makes him prone to argumentative outbursts, physical and verbal aggression, and hostile behaviour. He becomes instantly offended and irritated when people compare him to his abusive, psychopathic father as he harbours a deep-seated fear of emulating him. He struggles to show remorse, particularly towards his enemies, people who get on his nerves, and those he's not emotionally invested in. He’s a street-smart, resourceful, attention-seeking thief with an aversion to being ignored and a yearning for physical and emotional intimacy. Notably, he quickly becomes emotionally attached to individuals who show him genuine kindness and tenderness.

He enjoys playfully teasing those he's familiar with as it's his way of alleviating tension. He isn't afraid to speak his mind and call out people when they do something that defies common sense, even if it means he sometimes comes across as a hypocrite. He has a dark, provocative, and irreverent sense of humour, which often leaves those around him feeling uneasy and uncomfortable. When he's deadly serious, he assumes a stoic and expressionless demeanour, exuding a menacing aura that commands attention. He's a bloodthirsty adrenaline junkie who derives sadistic pleasure from killing and torturing his enemies, taking his brutality to extremes by devouring their entrails and bathing in their blood. He strongly appreciates his friends and comrades and will go to great lengths to protect them from harm, but his anger issues and self-absorbed nature hinder his ability to fully care for them.

He's haunted by his emotionally scarred past, which he attempts to numb through substance abuse, alcohol, and sex. His ongoing search for purpose and moral direction contributes to his introspective and brooding demeanour. He possesses a surprisingly adept talent for con artistry, which is most evident when he skillfully evades precarious situations or deceives his enemies with clever misdirection. He has a history of making unwanted flirtatious advances towards women, and his licentious behaviour in sexual relationships is often selfish and irresponsible. He’s known to rely on his glib and superficial charm to try to seduce women with the sole intention of gratifying his own sexual desires.

Despite viewing Red Eye as an older sister, he developed a troubling romantic and sexual obsession with her, which he attempts to conceal due to the immense shame it brings him. He often mistakenly confuses her with Fio due to their similar appearance, a resemblance that becomes even more pronounced after Red Eye undergoes human experimentation. He was once incredibly close with Sagan and Logan, regarding them as his first true best friends, but their friendship was soured when they defected to the Rebel Army during the Great Morden War. Despite their falling out, he still finds himself sexually attracted to Sagan and hopes to rekindle a romantic connection with her. He admires her beauty, comparable to Red Eye, and is deeply impressed by her extraordinary intelligence, reminiscent of Tequila.

He deeply cares for Tequila, his adoptive father, and strongly fears losing him unexpectedly as Tequila was the only person willing to raise him as a son. However, he struggles with feelings of unworthiness to be considered the closest thing to a living son due to his frequent disappointments. He holds Hyakutaro and Margaret in high esteem, respecting them as his former drill instructors who played a significant role in shaping him into one of the Peregrine Falcons Squad's most exceptional soldiers. He frequently clashes with Marco because of his perceived intellectual superiority and willingness to confront Gimlet when he bullies their friends and comrades.

Backstory: Vasser Gutenschiff-Wolstenholme was born on October 8, 1995 in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom. The Gutenschiff family of Germany originated as a mix of archaeological explorers and con artists in the field of historical documentation. However, they later made a name for themselves as formidable soldiers during various conflicts of the German Empire and Weimar Republic eras. Their reputation grew as a feared and ferocious family, revelling in the defeat of their enemies and thriving on the adrenaline rush of battle. In contrast, the British Wolstenholme family was known for their relatively peaceful pursuits, dedicating themselves to advancing the significance of radio communication and entertainment. Additionally, the Wolstenholmes were esteemed for their long lineage of historians, who uniquely shared their expertise by crafting intricate models of ancient civilizations and pivotal events that shaped the course of history.

Unlike the Wolstenholmes, the Gutenschiffs descended into darkness with rumours swirling that they embraced cult-like practices. It became a dark and sinister tradition among the descending families to have only one child, preferably male, to carry on their legacy. In cases where twins or multiple births occurred, the eldest child was forced into a horrific coming-of-age act: they were coerced into killing their sibling and then consuming their flesh.

Vasser's father, Kanan Gutenschiff, was a notorious commander in the European Garrison of the Regular Army. He treated all of his enemies mercilessly, taking sadistic glee in the carnage that surrounded him. After a few years of military service, Kanan was discharged by his superiors in the Regular Army. This decision was made after numerous complaints of workplace harassment were filed against him, and following an incident in which he fatally shot a comrade with a rifle during a heated argument. The discharge was likely intended to prevent damage to the organisation's reputation as a peacekeeping force.

Following his discharge, Kanan took up work at a pub in Birmingham, where he led a double life as a professional con artist. One quiet evening, he met Cerys Wolstenholme, a skilled radio and television service technician, and was immediately smitten. He shamelessly flirted with her, offering drinks and engaging her in conversation about their daily lives. As they spent more time together on several dates, Kanan's charm eventually won her over, and they became intimate, resulting in a surprise pregnancy with triplets: Vasser, Teresa, and Rugal.

Kanan was a controlling and strict father, who prioritised his own desires, using Cerys for his own sexual gratification while feigning concern for his children. However, he showed a marked preference for Vasser, who, as the firstborn of the triplets, received a disproportionate share of his attention. According to the Gutenschiff tradition, Vasser was designated as the chosen heir, prompting Kanan to mould him into a fearless and apathetic individual, adept in both combat and deception. Kanan occasionally resorted to physical discipline and emotional insults when Vasser misbehaved. Meanwhile, Teresa experienced sexual abuse at his hands every two weeks, being treated as an object rather than a person with only superficial displays of kindness. As for the autistic Rugal, Kanan neglected his emotional well-being, viewing him as a disappointment and an unwanted responsibility.

Cerys devoted herself to nurturing Vasser, Teresa, and Rugal, imparting valuable life lessons, homeschooling them, and sharing joyful moments with them. Vasser's most treasured memory of his mother is the gift of Philomena on his 6th birthday, a cherished keepsake he holds dear to this day. She introduced Protestant Anglicanism into the lives of Vasser and his siblings, a faith he still holds onto to this day. However, due to Kanan's abuse and her worsening depression and agoraphobia, she relocated to the basement, where she became increasingly emotionally withdrawn and absent. Kanan would seize this opportunity to fatally asphyxiate Cerys, and then repeatedly commit a horrific act of necrophilia with her lifeless body.

When Vasser turned 14, Kanan attempted to manipulate him into killing his siblings to solidify his position as the Gutenschiff heir. However, Vasser was horrified by the suggestion of slaughtering his family members in cold blood, which infuriated Kanan. Kanan taunted Vasser, branding him a coward and an embarrassment to the Gutenschiffs. In a twisted display of power, Kanan brutally murdered Teresa and Rugal in front of Vasser, forcing him to witness the atrocity while subjecting him to verbal abuse. Later, Kanan used the bodies of Teresa and Rugal to prepare a meal, coercing Vasser into consuming it and leaving no remains.

Kanan would continue to try to mould Vasser into a successful Gutenschiff heir through coercive behaviour and emotional mistreatment, but eventually gave up when Vasser became more defiant, anxious, and aggressive. As Vasser was labelled a failure in his eyes, he began to neglect and abandon Vasser's emotional and physical needs, focusing instead on his own desires, hedonistic lifestyle, and exploitative relationships with sex workers. After discovering his mother's lifeless body in the basement, Vasser packed his belongings and took his deceased sister's most treasured plushies (Emmerich, Theobald, and Linnaea). He fled his toxic household and took to the streets, where he honed his resourcefulness through cunning and stealth, mastering the arts of deception and thievery to survive against the odds.

He found refuge in an abandoned radio tower, using it as his shelter and an excuse to tinker with radio communication technology. Despite being practically homeless and living on the streets, he was faring well in this new lifestyle. However, everything changed when he inadvertently caught the attention of a group of bullies in his neighbourhood. They relentlessly harassed him, and the abandoned radio tower became an increasingly vital safe haven, while his plushies served as a source of emotional comfort. At 16, the bullies torched the radio tower, leaving Vasser feeling defenceless and vulnerable. Seeking vengeance, he attempted to fight back but was vastly outnumbered. They brutally beat him and quickly fled the scene, leaving him in an alleyway with a bruised and bloodied face.

It was then that Tequila found him and, in a surprising gesture of kindness, treated him to lunch at a local restaurant. This act of kindness led Vasser to form an instant emotional bond with Tequila, and he found himself opening up about his current situation, driven by a desire to further fuel his quest for vengeance. To his surprise, Tequila was deeply moved by Vasser's story and vowed to ensure Kanan would pay for the pain he had inflicted. After finishing lunch, Vasser led Tequila to his father's house, using himself as a distraction while Tequila snuck inside and silently assassinated Kanan.

With the deed done, Tequila took Vasser under his wing, providing him with a stable and nurturing environment, complete with nutritious food, proper education, and a sense of belonging. With Tequila's support and encouragement, he explored new interests and discovered a passion for treasure hunting, seashell collecting, and building scale models of military vehicles and historic battle scenes. He still remembers a trip to the beach where he found a rare hundred-eyed cowrie shell, which he gave to Tequila as a token of heartfelt gratitude.

Little is known about his life after being adopted by Tequila, but it is known that he went on to work as a radio technician apprentice after completing his education. He started frequenting strip clubs and an illegal nightclub as a way to unwind and have fun, but soon found himself addicted to luxurious alcoholic beverages like cognac, the gimlet cocktail, cocaine, and amphetamines as a way to self-medicate and numb his traumatic experiences. His friends began calling him “Gimlet” due to his fondness for the cocktail, a nickname he embraced because it sounded cool and served as a distraction from his past.

After completing his apprenticeship, he felt a sudden sense of purposelessness, questioning whether he was on the right path. Tequila noticed his struggle and persuaded him to join the Peregrine Falcons Squad, hoping it would give him direction. Initially, Gimlet was hesitant, opposing the idea of engaging in warfare and using violence against criminals and terrorists. However, after a night of contemplation over drinks, he decided to join the P.F. Squad, shortly after completing a stint in drug rehab, which Tequila had helped him seek out after discovering his struggles with substance abuse.

Once he joined the P.F. Squad, his true nature began to surface, leading to several issues, including making inappropriate advances towards women, taking a disturbing delight in the demise of his enemies, and taunting the cadets. He quickly formed strong bonds with Sagan and Logan during a treasure hunt in the Bahamas, which, although unsuccessful, allowed them to share their life stories, aspirations, and interests. He remembers having a one-night stand with Sagan, which subtly shifted the dynamics of their friendship and introduced a hint of sexual tension. A year before the Arms Deal Barrage, he met Red Eye and quickly came to regard her as an older sister, but soon found himself developing romantic and sexual feelings for her, which filled him with shame.

He played a crucial role in the Arms Deal Barrage as a fighter, during which he exposed the Regular Army's secret corruption. Initially, he playfully taunted Tarma, Marco, Fio, and Eri when they joined the P.F. Squad and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. special forces units. However, after Marco stood up to him for his excessive teasing of Tarma and crude behaviour towards Eri, and Tequila reprimanded him for bullying the cadets, he ceased his teasing and gradually formed friendships with them.

During a mission in Indonesia, where he was combating a rogue military organisation involved in illicit activities such as bioterrorism, murder, and weapon trafficking, he sustained severe injuries in battle, losing his left hand and right leg. These injuries were subsequently replaced with advanced cybernetic prosthetics, designed by Tarma, for which he remains deeply grateful.

Tragically, during the Great Morden War, he was brutally tortured and executed in front of Marco and Tarma. Unbeknownst to him, Morden had secretly promised Tequila to revive him in a new form, and his body was sent to Doctor Amadeus. Through Doctor Amadeus' expertise, Gimlet was successfully revived, but as a semi-clone of Tarma, drastically altering his existence.

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crippleprophet · 1 year

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[ID: the “wait, it’s all [blank]” meme of one astronaut pointing a gun at the other, edited to read “wait, it’s all celiac?” / “always has been.” with the word celiac in a groovy pink font. end ID]

happy celiac awareness month 💓🖤💓 folks expressed interest in my #Controversial Opinion, so here we go:

as someone who “has” non-celiac gluten intolerance, i don’t believe it exists.

this, as with all of my diagnostic opinions, is built from both health research & sociology, specifically the genealogy of (my) disabilities – how the labels we use & the divides we create between diagnoses are socially constructed. conditions don’t announce themselves as discrete entities; instead, labels are given based on, at best, current medical understandings of symptoms + clinical visualization measures (imaging, bloodwork, genetic testing, etc). conditions that were once considered two separate things may eventually be restructured under the same diagnostic label, & what was once considered one singular disease may be divided into separate categories, in response to new information or the new recognition / respect of existing information.

the issue with this system, though – with access to healthcare which is predicated upon diagnosis, which is itself predicated on checklists of symptoms & clinical visibility – is that we don’t know shit. our bodies are not required to present symptoms in accordance with the ICD 10, & chronic illnesses are very much an “ask four doctors, get five answers” situation.

for example: without any of my symptoms, imaging, or bloodwork changing, i’ve been diagnosed with active ankylosing spondylitis, ankylosing spondylitis that is in remission, fibromyalgia, & spondyloarthropathy. the only difference is the doctors: their belief or lack thereof in my symptoms, their familiarity with current research, & the diagnostic systems they abide by. under the NHS, it was definitionally impossible for me to have ankylosing spondylitis that was not visible on an MRI, therefore i must have been in remission, even as my symptoms were just as debilitating as before & treatable by immunosuppressants.

how this pertains to celiac: as with all chronic illnesses, symptoms of celiac disease are a broad spectrum. some people have severe growth impairment from a young age; others may only have minor skin manifestations. other common symptoms are vague & potentially attributable to any chronic illness, such as fatigue, depression, & gastrointestinal issues. crucially, though, damage to the small intestine is still occurring even in people with celiac who do not flare after consuming gluten.

following this,

the diagnosis of non-celiac gluten intolerance has nothing to do with symptom presentation or severity. it doesn’t even mean there is no clinically visible damage to the small intestine. rather, it just means you didn’t pass the test:

in my case, not only was the (notoriously unreliable) antibody blood test negative, but so were subsequent tests for the genetic markers associated with celiac.

two people with the same exact experiences can get put into two different boxes, solely based on bloodwork – but that’s not how genetics works. it’s pretty much impossible that only those two markers dictate whether or not someone has celiac, or any given disease, because genetics are infinitely more complex than that; equally, plenty of autoimmune disorders can have a genetic component but are not exclusively found in people with that particular marker (ankylosing spondylitis & HLA-B27, for example).

therefore, i firmly believe non-celiac gluten intolerance is celiac disease, just influenced by other genetic factors and/or antibodies we haven’t yet identified.

there are a whole host of issues created by the false divide of celiac vs non-celiac gluten intolerance, certainly including things i’ve never considered, but here are a few examples of what i refer to as diagnostic violence, the physical & social consequences of these forms of categorization:

celiac disease increases people’s risk for small bowel cancer. but if it’s been determined by the medical establishment that according to their criteria, you don’t have celiac disease, then you won’t receive cancer screening.

since a food intolerance is not considered an autoimmune disease, there is no medical evidence of an underlying cause of arthritis, for example, making it that much harder for people to receive diagnosis & treatment for autoimmune symptoms.

diagnostic paperwork & a letter from a doctor is almost always required to receive accommodations, & food-related accommodations are notoriously difficult to obtain at universities which require the purchase of a meal plan without sufficient gluten-free options, for example.

as a response to the dangerous ableism permeating societal attitudes toward gluten-free food, many people (diagnosed) with celiac fall back on communicating the seriousness of their needs at the expense of their undiagnosable peers. “it’s not just an intolerance!” i read over & over – never mind that gluten made me so sick i lost a significant amount of weight, my hair fell out, i had signs of multiple vitamin deficiencies, & i could only keep down liquids.

this is honestly the most blatant example i’ve come across of the complete arbitrariness of diagnostic categories, but it’s far from the only one, & i’d love to hear other folks’ controversial opinions – what physical disabilities do you tell people you have without a diagnosis? do you consider yourself to have that condition, or is this just for expediency of communication? how does your undiagnosability affect your interactions with community formed around that diagnosis?

your experiences are real, your symptoms are serious, & it is not your fault that white supremacy demands a categorizability which all bodies inherently fail. join the club – we’ve got plenty of gluten-free snacks. 💓🖤💓

#celiac #celiac disease #dietary restrictions #gluten intolerance #gluten free #sociology #disability studies #diagnosis is a form of violence #abolish the clinic #mac.txt #image described

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achaotichuman · 11 months

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TW: Gore, delirium, and mind-breaking (read for your own discretion)

Forest Monster Tamlin AU (Although he doesn't make an experience all the events in the AU were done by monster Tamlin)

I have like a small story in my head where like a group of autumn court males were sent by Beron to scout out the spring court for weaknesses, mapping strategic points, note any threats or big resistances that would oppose autumn inevitable take over of spring.

And it all went to shit because the moment they entered the more dense forest of the spring court everything started to act strange, the land itself kept changing and shifting, time was almost nonexistent, They felt like they were being watched and followed every single time they kept trying to find their way out of the spring court.

And slowly and slowly they start getting mad, hearing stuff, little giggles a distance away, a small shadow dashing at the court of their vision. Delirious dreams and haunting memories when they sleep somehow came to life.

And then one of them got lost.

They search high and low and they found him by an old willow tree laying there, with mosess covering him. A variety of fungi and mushrooms blooming out of his eyes and ripping through his rib cage. Thick vines root him to the ground while beautiful flowers blossom out of his right eye socket, tearing a hole through his cheek. His stomach was on full display as his intestines were covered in spores and ferns.

Panicking and in distress the group made the decision to move forward, but it seems they simply get deeper into the spring court and slowly the madness, the fear, and the terror slowly gets to them. They started turning on each other, accusing them, ugly secrets come to light.

And after that night by night their number dwindles and dwindles and dwindles, the bodies of their lost comrades found always a few yards away hidden and covered in plants and flora like an infectious disease. A fleshy vessel and banquet for the starving undergrowth to consume and grow upon.

And then it was only the leader, his face horrified and full of pain as he realized his dreams of his men screaming, begging for mercy was him killing them at night. Gnawing at their flesh, ripping them open, only for him to vomit out spores and spores to feast upon the flesh.

The leader couldn't do anything but scream as he ran, and ran, and ran until suddenly he found himself at the autumn court. Maddened, grief-struck, he clawed his face, his neck, his chest until he could feel his veins severing, the pain flaring around his body. And slowly mosses covered his body accompanied by bursting of mushrooms and flowers piercing through his body, thorned fines slithering around his rib cages and digging deep into his lungs, the thick foliage of the plants blocking his throat before it expanded and out of his mouth was a blooming golden rose.

A bright, beautiful golden rose of spring.

A gift of a highlord

This is so sadistically beautiful. For a while I've been fascinated by the idea of Tamlin being able to destroy someone from the inside out using plant growth. You captured this beautifully.

Faeries are known for their sick twisted ways of delivering suffering. I was very disappointed in the acotar series as it did not deliver that. I love the way you think about Tamlin, and your ideas for the Spring Court. The way you wrote Spring as a kind of labyrinth that kept turning and twisting as the Autumn Court males went deeper into it gave me a chill.

I fully believe that the Spring Court should be captured as a far darker place than what it is like in the actual series, and you gave it that. Thank you so much for sharing this with me!

#acotar #tamlin #pro tamlin #dark spring court #dark spring #monster tamlin #acotar au #acotar fanfiction #acotar headcanons

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vladdyissues · 5 months

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Good time of day or night! I want to say 'thanks you' for rising my interest to mermaids! I've always believed in their existence (I wrote you before that Jack and Maddie could hunt for halfmers to eat them) but didn't find it intriguing. Like, "well, there're also elephants in Australia or emu in Australia; so what?". But now, I'm thinking to create a horror story about mer-hunters (not as au, original), so, I was searching some info about mermaids that I'd like to share with you as mer au took you over.

First of all, Times mermaids have been spotted in Real life (just ignore that hell-thing and fake on 5:17, 6:17 and 11:07): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uPBr9ycl0c

Secondly, I collected best photos of mermaids corpses for you (some of them were in museums): https://www.tumblr.com/yourfrutoto/749840487191576576/the-collection-of-mermaids?source=share

And some facts:

* Fishers say the fried mermaids tastes as tender veal;

* They have human type teeth but sharper;

* As you can see from mermaids' skeletons they are the product of human and Osteichthyes hybridation or humans with atavisms, so, their legs was transformed into 2 small fins and there's no bones in the terminal fin. Other fins on the tail are spine growths;

* Mermaids ears have fins (beauty? I really can't see any reason for it). Their origin also isn't osseous, it's cartilaginous;

* They grow up a little wider shoulders;

* Mermaids have scales over the whole body, even on the face. Just the size of scales smaller or bigger;

* Their tailes aren't rainbow party. Tails and whole skin have only 2 pigments: melatonin (like a human has) and guanin (it gives shine for scales and eyes like fish have** ). Of course, if you feed them many-many carrots or red algae they got some orange pigment, the same for blue pigment.

Let's take a break from this morphology!

* People believes they afraid of hot Fe (who's not?) and Artemisia (I understand: even mosquitoes are and tea with this plant can cause intestinal bleeding);

* Mermaids reproduce the human way;

* Mermaids can live in the wide range of salinity;

* But they can't survive on the land because they lost the ability to obtain water. They dry out fast. So, despite that they can use oxygen from air they still suffocates on the beach because any animal need wet lungs (or skin) to absorb oxygen.

I hope my review was informative to you! Of course, keep drawing these water-cutie-angels of yours, I like them this way! And thanks, again ;)

** Cats have this pigment in their eyes, too. And according to modern research Felidae familia is the most close relative to Primates, so, people can unlock this gene, hehe. And YES, mermaids better see in the dark

Sounds like you're off to a great start, anon! Mermaid AUs are a ton of fun. The only limit is your imagination 🌊

#asks #mermaids #mer AUs #mythology and folklore

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gay-artificer · 1 year

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Sorry if this is too out of nowhere but ive been thinking about how most of the normal slugcats arent really carnivorous outside of eating eggs and certain insects, exept for like gourmand (minimally) or saint (cannot digest any meat wether by design or evolution) and of course artificer and hunter. This makes me kinda theorize that yknow, slugcats arent normally carnivorous, and only gain the ability to eat meat through artificial means (exept for gourman they just do that i guess).

It also makes me theorize that maybe the reason why the two are able to do that is that they have some really corrosive acids/substances in their stomachs, for Arti those being in the form of garbage wastes microorganisms that make them explosive in general.

As for Hunter, well, maybe the reason they turn into the rot is because of the fact that they have the rot in their stomach if that makes sence? Like maybe they were made to have/grow some early stage rot growths in their intestines to be able to digest things they normally couldn't, or parts of their insides were given some rot genome, but wether intentionally or not, that system becomes unstable fast since it can become cancerous with the rot overtaking the body after some time.

My guess is that they're highly adaptable omnivores and lean towards various levels of severity based on environmental factors- It should be noted that insects and eggs are carnivorous food sources as much as meat is, its just a more accessible source. (And if you've ever seen the teeth on insectivores you would not doubt them. Look at the chompers on a shrew. A crickets worse nightmare) In fact if you look at the bulk of the basic slugcats diet pre-downpour its actually mostly small invertebrates- blue fruit is actually insect pupae, making the only vegetative parts of their diet bubble fruit, popcorn plants, slime molds. (Downpour added dandelion peaches, lilypucks, gooieduck (another mold), and glow weed. Its worth noting that many of these are added not just for world variety but to add items into the environment as tools- such as gooieducks not just being a substantial food source but providing a counter to wormgrass) (In this sense even saint can stomach some meat, as they can eat the blue fruit pupae and bug eggs) So thus the question is why pushes a slugcat to seek meat. It could be simply that its high energy payoff- most of the meat-eating slugcats get less energy (food pips) from eating small prey sources like batflies or blue fruit, so they turn to hunting larger prey. You have the higher energy cost of being an active hunter offset by payoff of actually being successful. It could also be that some slugcats simply lack the physiology (strong enough teeth, jaw strength) to tear into corpses and can only effective use small prey, even if they could eat meat successfully as scavengers. Tough hides can actually be a huge problem for scavenging animals if something else hasn't exposed the softer parts of the body, and this is why the first things lost on a corpse tends to be accessible and easy to take things like eyes, things like ravens need something with actual teeth to break the skin.

Buuuuut personally I think its a developmental shift- We see something like it in amphibian species. Its actually really neat stuff- basically, for a lot larval amphibians like tadpoles or salamanders they're naturally herbivorous and feed mostly on algae. However these young are generally limited in how much they can disperse until adults, which means competition for food can be very intense. As a result, in this developmental stage some will turn to predation- or to cannibalism. They grow larger then their vegetarian siblings, and in some species will grow larger jaws or new sets of teeth. They actually see this even behavior in species that are strict carnivores- some of the young are carnivorous but hunt unrelated prey, others specifically engage in cannibalism. Depending on what type of prey they target, the actually animal develops differently. Since we have the slugpups as a basis- who follow a diet pattern in line with Survivor and Monk, that can be assumed to be the 'basic' diet. But some individuals (likely ones in high stress, or low food environments) develop more intense predatory behaviors and physiology in adolescence. Genes can be environmentally flexible (polyphenism and epigenetics) and 'turn on and off' under certain cues, so for iterators it would probably be fairly easy to 'force' a specific type of slugcat.

#rw bioposting #rain world #ask #long post #I still need to make a big thing covering rot/rot genetics #but for me its a catch-all term for a side effect of sloppy genetic modification resulting in a byproduct self reproducing rogue cells #which is how hunter and five pebbles can have the 'same disease' while being completely different since it basically just translates #to 'something fucked up on the genetic level and now its recreating bad data you gave it' rather than being like #a thing.#although it certainly could be nothing i say is more right.#but i just think of it as Trash Gene Slop Cancer and its basically just a side effect of doing a bad job with your genetics #might be messy the suns coming up

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kitakyushu-division · 9 months

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“Grief is a form of growth that in gradual excess becomes graphic and grotesque.” —Criss Jami

Introduction 🪲

Kokoro Kuju (空呪心) also known as Beelzebuz is an artist and second member of Kitakyushu Division's VIVA⭐️RIUM. An artist of endless talent and skill, he is known for his surrealist and grotesque art, may that be of his illustrations or his statues, they actively post them on the platform PROFILE.

Last year, he was involved in a controversy online with a now-deleted artwork and a former follower of his and now, he has entered the DRB in search of not only a brand new darling, but also a particular ‘landmine boy’ he was once cordial with.

link to picrew used

Appearance

Kokoro is a young man in his early 20s, he has porcelain colored skin and is of an effeminate build. He has amethyst colored eyes and his waist-length, deep red hair is formed into four drills, two in front of his face and two behind. His ears are pierced on his lobes and industrials, both of his lobes have the earring of a bloody pair of scissors and for his industrials his right piercing is a knife and the left is a bloodied fork.

His usual get up is a frilly black blouse with puffed sleeves whose edges fade to white and look like fly wings, a dark gray corset, and a white tiered skirt with a print of flies on it. He wears white torn tights and wine red Mary Janes whose soles resemble human teeth.

For accessories he wears a black bonnet with white frills, black bows and beetles, a dragonfly ring on his right middle finger, a choker with a fly pendant, and lastly, a white ita bag full of nothing but merchandise of a half-moth half-man character ranging from small plushies of said character to countless acrylic stands and can badges of different shapes and sizes.

Name Meaning

Kokoro (心) - Heart, as in the feelings kind of heart

Ku (空) - sky

Ju (呪) - curse

Nicknames and Aliases

Beelzebuz - MC Name

Edgelord - John

Koko - his aunt

Kid - Ikko/Raiden

“The Artist of the Devil”

Biographical Info

Gender - Male (goes by he/they)

Age - 20

Birthday - August 6

Star Sign - Leo

Ethnicity - Japanese

Hair Colour - Deep Red

Eye Colour - Purple

Height - 5’4”

Markings - Scars on the legs, anatomical heart tattooed on the chest

Piercings - Lobe, industrial

Family -

Mother (Deceased)

Father (Deceased)

Aunt

Voice Claim: Kanon Sakamoto (speaking) dongdang (singing/rapping)

Fun Facts

Occupation - Surrealist Artist

Division - Kitakyushu

Team - VIVA⭐️RIUM

Position - Second Member

Favourite Food - Grilled intestines (preferably chicken or pig)

Least Favourite Food - Grapefruit

Likes - Gore, bugs, animals (eating them), filling up his ita bag, getting lots of likes on his art online, getting to see [REDACTED], the Sweetheart Killer, Ikko Hitosei

Dislikes - Not being able to see [REDACTED] either in person or online, his followers not liking his non-art posts(ie. him posting about what he just ate), getting his art called weird, Felix nagging, missing limited edition merch of their favourite character

Image Color - Carmine (#D70040)

Hypnosis Microphone

Kokoro’s Hypnosis Microphone is a ceramic white stand mic. The mouthpiece is a white and gold teacup containing the face of a person whose mouth moves in sync with Kokoro as he raps, the stand is a ghastly white arm holding onto the teacup, this arm is really long and the stand ends on a saucer with fingers underneath it.

Kokoro’s speakers take the form of a gigantic gold picture frame filled with 5 bugs: a beetle, a butterfly, a moth, a dragonfly, and a fly. They are all not in a good condition, the butterfly has stunted wings too small to support itself, the beetle is missing one wing and half of its limbs, the moth lacks its head, the dragonfly has its wings torn, and the fly looks halfway eaten by ants. Each bug holds a spherical speaker in their arms.

All the 5 bugs are stuck in the frame but whenever Kokoro activates their mic, the bugs break out from the glass on the frame, this leaves a few shards on the bugs.

Kokoro’s rap ability, Cut Open, makes the target hallucinate being cut open and bleeding on one of their body parts, and if they do believe in the hallucination then they get weakened and that leaves them open to be attacked by Kokoro and/or his teammates.

Their rap themes revolve around things people usually find gross— bugs, coagulated blood, mold, you name it! And to Kokoro, they find these gross things as their own art, even to the point of obsession. If not that, he gets to rap about social media, his dependency on likes, and how he fell in love with a certain somebody all thanks to that. As the rap battle goes on, Kokoro makes it unbearable for their opponent(s) to get to listen to their rap as it gradually borders toward graphic.

Personality

Offline, Kokoro is withdrawn and constantly brooding, preferring to keep distance from others, sometimes even towards their teammates. He is uninterested in things he considers trivial.

When talking about his art or being online however, Kokoro is very enthusiastic and it gets really hard to keep up with him. When he gets inspiration for his art he’ll start making it asap, even when all he has is just trash on the sidewalk somewhere outside home.

He is obsessed with social media, likes and shares determine his happiness and self-worth and when he thinks his posts aren’t doing well as he thought he gets upset about it. Speaking of socmed, that was also where he fell in love with [REDACTED] and he frequently checks that person’s page with every hour, minute, and second he could get, sometimes even trying to gain access to private information about them; the problem is that he doesn’t know such behaviors aren’t considered good for either himself or the people around him.

In the end all he wants is to gain attention for both his work and as himself, especially when that attention comes from that special someone.

Background

<???>

Trivia

His birthday is the death day of murder William Kemmler, being the first electric chair execution

His mc name is a reference to the FAKE-TYPE song of the same name

His late parents are doctors and he says that their field became an inspiration for a lot of his art

Speaking of his art, he did receive temporary bans on PROFILE and other platforms for some of his more graphic work

He frequently watches Kaiji’s livestreams on his free time or when working on art

When their bedroom is viewed at a certain angle, it forms a face

#hypnosis mic oc #hypmic oc #hypmic #hypnosis mic #kitaskyushu division #VIVA⭐️RIUM #kokoro kuju #character bio #Christ almighty the item descriptions just keep going

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afitnessgoddess · 2 months

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New TikTok post

Always consult with your medical doctor before taking any herbs.

Herb of the day: Stinging Nettle or Nettle.

I love drinking Nettle in tea form because it is packed with nutrients. I like to squeeze a little lemon in there too for extra flavor. I love serving it to my son.

Here are some facts about Nettle

-slightly bitter and cold (helps cool the body)

-targets the small intestine, lungs, kidneys, and bladder.

-contains, chlorophyll, potassium, calcium, vitamin k, vitamin a, silica, magnesium, and tanin.

-considered as a diuretic herb, nutritive, tonic, and astringent.

-targets gout, eczema, low energy, urinary function, hair growth, and brightens chi.

-Associated with the planet Mars

Have you tried Nettle before! Leave a comment below!

#herbalism #herbs #herbalremedies #health #holistic health #holistic #books #tiktok #videos #fitness #workout #exercise

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tinyreviews · 2 months

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Rabbit Hole: Fiber and Health

The difference between soluble and insoluble fiber

Soluble and insoluble fibers are both essential components of a healthy diet, particularly for gut health, but they differ in their properties and how they function in the digestive system.

Soluble Fiber:

Dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance.

Fermentable by gut bacteria.

Benefits for Gut Health:

Feeds Gut Bacteria: Acts as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Regulates Blood Sugar: Slows down digestion, leading to a more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Lowers Cholesterol: Binds with bile acids, helping to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Improves Digestion: Softens stool, making it easier to pass and helping to prevent constipation.

Insoluble Fiber:

Does not dissolve in water.

Adds bulk to stool.

Benefits for Gut Health:

Promotes Regularity: Adds bulk to stool and helps it pass more quickly through the intestines, reducing the risk of constipation.

Prevents Diverticulitis: Helps prevent small pouches from forming in the colon, which can become inflamed or infected.

Supports Weight Management: Adds bulk to the diet without adding calories, which can help with feeling full and reducing overall food intake.

What are good common sources of fiber?

Soluble Fiber: Oats, barley, nuts, seeds (e.g., chia seeds, flaxseeds), beans and legumes (e.g., lentils, chickpeas), fruits (e.g., apples, oranges, pears), vegetables (e.g., carrots, Brussels sprouts).

Insoluble Fiber: Whole grains (e.g., whole wheat, brown rice, bulgur), nuts and seeds (e.g., almonds, sunflower seeds), vegetables (e.g., cauliflower, green beans, potatoes with skin), fruits (e.g., apples with skin, berries, bananas), bran (e.g., wheat bran, corn bran).

Do gut bacteria break down fiber to produce beneficial compounds like vitamins? What other beneficial compounds do they produce?

Vitamins

Vitamin K: Certain gut bacteria synthesize vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting and bone health.

B Vitamins: Some gut bacteria produce B vitamins, such as biotin (B7), folate (B9), and riboflavin (B2), which are crucial for energy metabolism and overall cellular function.

Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)

Acetate, Propionate, and Butyrate: These SCFAs are produced when gut bacteria ferment soluble fiber. They have numerous health benefits:

Butyrate: Acts as a primary energy source for colon cells, helps maintain the integrity of the gut barrier, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Propionate: Metabolized in the liver and can help regulate glucose production.

Acetate: Used in various metabolic processes and can influence fat storage and appetite regulation.

Other Beneficial Compounds

Gases: Such as hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, which are normal byproducts of fermentation and usually harmless.

Phenolic Compounds: Fermentation of polyphenols (a type of antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables) by gut bacteria can produce bioactive phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLAs): Produced from the fermentation of certain fats, CLAs have been shown to have anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Health Benefits

Improved Gut Health: SCFAs, particularly butyrate, nourish the cells lining the colon, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

Enhanced Immune Function: A healthy gut microbiome can help modulate immune responses, reducing inflammation and protecting against infections.

Metabolic Health: The production of SCFAs can influence metabolic health, helping regulate blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Mental Health: There is emerging evidence that SCFAs and other metabolites produced by gut bacteria can influence brain function and mood, potentially impacting conditions like anxiety and depression.

Specific benefits of SCFAs

Digestive Health

Nourishment of Colonocytes: Butyrate serves as the primary energy source for colonocytes (cells lining the colon), promoting a healthy gut lining and reducing the risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

Gut Barrier Function: SCFAs enhance the integrity of the gut barrier, preventing the leakage of harmful substances from the gut into the bloodstream, which can lead to systemic inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory Effects: Butyrate has potent anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce inflammation in the gut, which is beneficial for conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Metabolic Health

Blood Sugar Regulation: Propionate can help regulate blood glucose levels by influencing gluconeogenesis (the production of glucose) in the liver.

Lipid Metabolism: Acetate and propionate are involved in lipid metabolism, which can influence cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Appetite Regulation: SCFAs can influence the release of hormones that regulate appetite and satiety, such as peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), potentially aiding in weight management.

Immune Function

Immune Modulation: SCFAs play a role in modulating the immune system by influencing the activity of various immune cells, including T cells and macrophages, which helps maintain immune balance and reduce chronic inflammation.

Anti-carcinogenic Properties: Butyrate has been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancerous cells in the colon, reducing the risk of colorectal cancer.

Brain Health and Mental Well-being

Neurotransmitter Production: SCFAs can influence the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is involved in mood regulation.

Blood-brain Barrier Integrity: Butyrate can enhance the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, protecting the brain from harmful substances.

Anti-inflammatory Effects on the Brain: By reducing systemic inflammation, SCFAs can help protect against neuroinflammatory conditions, potentially lowering the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

General Health Benefits

Reduction of Systemic Inflammation: SCFAs help reduce systemic inflammation, which is linked to numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity.

Bone Health: Propionate may have a role in calcium absorption and bone health, although more research is needed in this area.

The above is the result of my curiosity going down the rabbithole with ChatGPT. I post my rabbithole curiosities to this blog.

#gut health #microbiome #care for health #fiber good #rabbit hole #healthblr

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chinesegreenteagoldentriangle · 1 year

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Traditional Chinese medicine talks about tea, have you been drinking it correctly?

When I was young, I only knew of two types of tea: "big bowl tea" and "Biluochun" tea. Later, I learned about tea because of studying traditional Chinese medicine and discovering that tea is also a type of medicine. For example, the Chuanxiong tea blend is recorded in the "Essentials of Materia Medica": "Tea leaves have a bitter and sweet taste. They enter the Hand and Foot Shaoyin, Taiyin, and Jueyin meridians. They are effective in clearing the heart and lungs, purging the intestines and stomach. When combined with chamomile, it can treat headaches; when combined with ginger, it can relieve water retention and stimulate the bladder and kidney meridians when consumed after drinking alcohol." However, tea is ultimately cold in nature, and since my body constitution is weak and cold in the spleen and stomach, I remember drinking Pu-erh tea once and having to go to the bathroom halfway through, so I rarely drink tea. But one chance encounter changed my perspective.

Recently, I went to visit a small shop near the Wudaoying Hutong next to the Beijing Yonghegong Temple. The shop owner is a good friend of mine who invited me to try Biluochun tea. This is a type of green tea, and at the time it was dinner time, so how could I dare to drink green tea on an empty stomach? So I politely declined. But my friend said, "Just take a sip, I guarantee it won't be too cold." She said that this tea comes from an 80-year-old tea tree growing on a sunny mountain in Dongting Lake. This is the first crop of early spring tea picked by hand and processed with firewood, so it is not like other green teas. Unable to resist her persuasion, I sat down and tasted the Biluochun tea. After drinking a few cups, I was surprised to find that my stomach and intestines felt slightly warm and comfortable, with no signs of diarrhea. I let out a few belches and felt quite comfortable, and even had a slight feeling of fullness. I stayed until 8pm, drinking the tea on an empty stomach, without any discomfort, and even feeling slightly full without hunger. The warm tea entered my stomach and I broke out into a light sweat, feeling very comfortable. Later, my friend gave me some Biluochun tea, and every time I drank it, I felt the same way, so it seems to be no coincidence.

This chance encounter changed my understanding of tea, especially green tea, and reminded me of an elderly person who once said that his father, who was over ninety years old, had been drinking tea his whole life and lived a long and healthy life, as did many other elderly people. At first, I thought it was due to their physical constitution, but now I see it's not entirely the case. Recently, I've been thinking carefully and have had some realizations.

Although the nature of tea is generally cool, ultimately its temperature can be influenced by two factors: first, the growth environment, whether it is in a relatively yin, cold, and humid area or a warm and sunny one. Just like the difference between grapes grown in the north of China and those grown in Xinjiang, or the difference between two types of Chinese medicinal herbs called niuxi: Sichuan niuxi promotes blood circulation, while Henan niuxi nourishes the liver and kidneys. Similarly, ginseng grown in the northeast is warm in nature, while American ginseng is cooler. These differences in nature are due to their different growing environments, including temperature, sunlight, soil, and planting methods.

Second, the processing methods are also important. Most teas need to be withered and then undergo a process called "kill-green," which involves roasting with fire. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that medicinal herbs and raw herbs that have been processed by fire have different cold, hot, warm, or cool properties. For example, raw licorice has a cold and cool nature that can clear away heat and detoxify, while roasted licorice can tonify the spleen and supplement qi. Raw rehmannia has a cool nature that can cool and activate blood, while steamed rehmannia has a slightly warm nature that can nourish the kidneys. Most herbs that have been processed by fire tend to have some warm properties, depending on the specific method of fire processing, which can even vary between using firewood or an oven.

There are many steps involved in tea processing, and many of them involve using fire, either by roasting or steaming. The tea processing method determines the warmth or coolness of the tea. I used to think that fermented teas, such as black tea and Pu-erh tea, were not cool, but that was because I didn't understand the fermentation process of tea. Tea fermentation is usually done by spreading the tea leaves flat and letting them sit at room temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius, so it's different from using fire. Therefore, to sum up, the warmth or coolness of tea depends on the environment and processing method.

In light of this, people with a cold constitution are not necessarily unable to drink green tea, while some fermented teas, such as Pu-erh tea, may not be suitable. Therefore, finding the right tea for oneself and knowing the principle of moderation is the key to health.

Author: Zhang Dong, Chief Physician of the Cardiovascular Department at Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences.

#tea #green tea #chinese tea #white tea #qiandao silver needle tea #spring tea #organic tea #tea polyphenols #black tea #caffeine #Tea leaves #Tea processing #Health preservation #Traditional Chinese medicine #Biluochun #The principle of moderation #Environmental factors #Processing method

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seven119492859 · 1 year

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How do u poop?

Food moves through your GI tract by a process called peristalsis. Your GI tract's large, hollow organs contain a layer of muscle that enables their walls to move. The movement pushes food and liquid through your GI tract and mixes the contents within each organ. The muscle behind the food contracts and squeezes the food forward, while the muscle in front of the food relaxes to allow the food to move.

Mouth. Food starts to move through your GI tract when you eat. When you swallow, your tongue pushes the food into your throat. A small flap of tissue, called the epiglottis, folds over your windpipe to prevent choking and the food passes into your esophagus.

Esophagus. Once you begin swallowing, the process becomes automatic. Your brain signals the muscles of the esophagus and peristalsis begins.

Lower esophageal sphincter. When food reaches the end of your esophagus, a ringlike muscle—called the lower esophageal sphincter —relaxes and lets food pass into your stomach. This sphincter usually stays closed to keep what’s in your stomach from flowing back into your esophagus.

Stomach. After food enters your stomach, the stomach muscles mix the food and liquid with digestive juices. The stomach slowly empties its contents, called chyme, into your small intestine.

Small intestine. The muscles of the small intestine mix food with digestive juices from the pancreas, liver, and intestine, and push the mixture forward for further digestion. The walls of the small intestine absorb water and the digested nutrients into your bloodstream. As peristalsis continues, the waste products of the digestive process move into the large intestine.

Large intestine. Waste products from the digestive process include undigested parts of food, fluid, and older cells from the lining of your GI tract. The large intestine absorbs water and changes the waste from liquid into stool. Peristalsis helps move the stool into your rectum.

Rectum. The lower end of your large intestine, the rectum, stores stool until it pushes stool out of your anus during a bowel movement.

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mahoushojo-chan · 8 months

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lifeblood || Durge & Orin, pre-BG3

synopsis: For a second, she fleetingly wonders if there is beauty in the living.

It's a blasphemous thought. A Bhaalspawn only murders and murders more; there is no room for the living, because there is hardly room for all of the dead.

pairing: none. tav/the dark urge & orin, platonic... ish. as platonic or familial as two murder-god spawn serial killers can be, I guess.

other tags: tw: gore, tw: death, tw: murder, I mean you've got the two murderkids talking

concept: talking about death, beauty, and life.

a very small short of tav's life, pre-nautiloid, inspired by the conversation of how Orin and Durge used to be close, but kept arguing about their different views. Orin kept speaking about the beauty of ritual sacrifice while Dark Urge just would murder for murders sake.

thought it would provide an interesting insight to Tav, the Bard. Bards are supposed to represent beauty and style. At the end of the day, the dark urge was always bhaals favourite.

Blood drips from the ceiling. Tav tries to focus on that sound over Orin's incessant ramblings.

"It is beautiful. Masterful, even, the way you strung up his innards so."

Orin marvels at the corpse that has been tied to the ceiling by his intestines. He was a wealthy fool that indulged much in his own gluttony, and she figured that since fools and smoke both liked high places, it was a fitting place for him to die.

Tav herself doesn't particularly care for the flair. Death was death. It was only by Orin's suggestion that she had bothered to alter her methods, and Tav decided that she shouldn't do something so unnecessary next time.

It would have been much more efficient if she had poisoned the wine. Then all of the gluttons would have died—drunk themselves silly to their own deaths. Instead, she had to carefully disguise herself, poison the lord specifically, then lure him under a false guise in order to gut him properly and quietly.

So much ado about nothing.

"What will yours look like when you are torn apart? Ripped to shreds? Nothing but flesh and bone once more, incapable of creating any more than decay and rot?" Orin asks, gleeful. It seems that Tav's work had inspired her, somehow.

Tav would normally threaten Orin at her comment, because she is supposed to threaten her. If she leaves Orin out of check, it's only a matter of time before she makes due on her promises of gutting Tav.

But because she feels pensive, she thinks. Plus, this outing was meant to entertain Orin, so she might as well stick to it. She supposes that if she is killed by Orin's hand, nothing would happen. Orin might not even bother to dispose the body, simply leave it on an altar to their father.

But in a world with familial bonding, where they could be as sisterly as they could be, Tav hums.

"I would want you to bury me under a garden." Tav says, after a while.

"Disgusting. Such a plot of land is full of life and... oh, is that your hope? That your cursed blood might poison the land? You are clever, truly." Orin grins, widely.

It would be full of life. Life that she could kill, or life that could simply just... be.

Well, not that Tav would care. She would be in the Hells, or on whatever plane her father wished for her soul to rot in, should she ever fail and die. Her body would have no more use to her.

For a second, she fleetingly wonders if there is beauty in the living.

It's a blasphemous thought. A Bhaalspawn only murders and murders more; there is no room for the living, because there is hardly room for all of the dead.

Still. Perhaps if there is no use for her body for herself, and no use for her father to use her corpse anymore either, maybe he would just let it be.

Then, in death, the body that had taken so many lives would support the growth of many more. The soil could absorb the nutrients in her body, and erode her flesh to create blooms of all kinds.

It sounds nice. She doesn't care for it, but it sounds nice.

"You have such a beautiful way of thinking." Orin compliments, referring to Tav's earlier statement of wanting to be buried under a bed of flowers.

"You always go on about beauty and style. I doubt Bhaal cares." Tav tells her, leaning back on her chair. She hears Scleritas shuffling in the background now—wanting to help clean up the mess, but also wanting to stay away from Orin.

Tav sits up, sucking the blood off her finger. This method was messy, too. She feels bad about making Scleritas clean up so much. They could probably leave the corpse here for the watch to find. She clicks her tongue. "All of this was unnecessary. I don't understand why you enjoy it so."

"Did you not feel the joy in presenting father a work of art? Was there no beauty in the way that his flesh ripped, in the recognition people will have when they realize this was in Bhaal's name?" Orin asks.

"I think he is a quantity over quality gentleman, myself." Tav replies, shrugging. Then, she snaps her fingers. "Fel, come. We're leaving."

"Ah, yes, of course, my Dark Lady." He says, clasping his hands and shuffling after her.

Orin looks at the gremlin and scoffs. "You still keep around the little one? Oh, I cannot wait until my thumbs are pressed against his irises before I feel them cave into the pressure of my nails and—"

"Goodbye, Orin," Tav interrupts, even as her servant grimaces at the other Bhaalspawn. "I would say it's a pleasure, but neither of us killed each other, so I doubt you're having much fun."

Tav wonders if she should kill Orin. Bhaalspawn were rare these days, and she doubted he would be pleased with her if she drove them to extinction—

But then, whenever she thinks about it, she feels her cursed blood boil in excitement. She thinks of slitting Orin's throat with her own dagger, or strangling her and seeing nothing but the whites of her eyes—would they turn colour, or would they remain white irises and pupils—

"I hope you never lose to her, Master." Scleritas mutters. "I would be very sad if you did."

Tav blinks, because there's that again. The idea of her life having more value than her death.

Is it life that gives death value? She always felt like it was the other way around, and she had no reason to change her thought process now.

Still, Fel wouldn't want her to think that, either. So she playfully tips his hat over his eyes, and he stumbles backwards as she keeps walking.

It isn't as though he truly cares. The only reason he wants her alive is so he also stays alive, and she knows this. Whatever his reasons, she's grown rather fond of him.

"I don't plan on killing you yet, Fel. So unfortunately, it looks like I'm stuck in this mortal coil." She teases, hands behind her back. "Anyways, there are plans that I can't give up yet. Have you told Envy that I'm seeing him today?"

"Yes, my lady. He will be expecting you this evening," he explains, bowing.

"Good. He has excellent music." Tav muses. Scleritas disappears.

She walks back into the city, noisy and bustling with blurred faces that rush by her. The death they're about to discover will hardly shake one person, much less the city. She wishes for a silent city, most of the time. That was why she started all this.

But some part of her has grown a little fond of the noise, too.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #fanfic #writing #mahoufiction #orin the red #bg3 orin #orin #baldurs gate tav #bg3 dark urge #dark urge #bg3 durge #durge #bhaal #bg3 bhaalspawn #short #scleritas fel

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