Curated Collection

Summary of My Stories in May 2023

Insights into holistic health principles and wellness updates and tips from EUPHORIA

Many thanks to subscribers who constantly engage with my stories meaningfully and inspire me to write valuable content. I am grateful for your interest in my stories and am dedicated to delivering valuable and well-researched content on important health and wellness matters.

Your support and engagement mean a lot to me. Your valuable feedback inspires me to write more and better. I write to inform, educate, and inspire. I will feel very grateful even if one person benefits from my stories.

I couldn’t send monthly newsletters of my stories for over a year. I noticed that the viewership of my stories has suffered as a result.

Despite my audience doubling since last year, I have noticed that some of the stories I poured my heart and soul into on important health and wellness topics haven’t received the desired number of views. I acknowledge that I bear the responsibility for not effectively promoting my content.

I recognize the significance of raising awareness and connecting with my audience. As an author, I have chosen not to use clickbait techniques or create attention-grabbing titles to maintain transparency and ensure my readers are not disappointed or misled.

However, I understand that this approach may have impacted the visibility of my work. Unfortunately, some writers who, like myself, refrain from using clickbait face challenges in attracting traffic and attention.

To address these challenges, I’d like to provide you with a brief summary of the stories I wrote in May 2023. If any particular story resonates with you, I invite you to click on the provided link to access the full details and share them with those needing the information.

I primarily host my health and wellness stories on my personal publication EUPHORIA to facilitate easy access to my content. I encourage you to follow the publication if you want to receive notifications in your feed when I publish new stories.

Here is a brief introduction to stories I wrote in May 2023.

The Brain Needs 3 Types of Rest.

The brain is a complex and busy organ orchestrating countless activities. It oversees bodily functions, processes sensory information, supports cognition and behavior, and maintains overall homeostasis. The brain never stops working, even during our sleep. In a recent article, I introduced the importance of exercise for the brain, highlighting four types of workouts. In this story, I highlight the importance of three types of rest. Resting the brain is as important as stimulating it for various reasons I cover in this article.

A New Clinical Trial Found a Low-Carb Diet Better Than the Dash.

In this article, first, I will introduce the findings of this new clinical trial, providing a high-level perspective from the literature. Then, I share my experience and perspectives on how low-carb, high-fat diets might be a valuable alternative for metabolically disadvantaged people for awareness. The randomized clinical trial, “Comparing Very Low-Carbohydrate vs DASH Diets for Overweight or Obese Adults With Hypertension and Prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes,” was published in the Annals of Family Medicine on 21 May 2023.

The Surprising Links Between Letting Go and a Long Life

Only a few people who were born in the 1920s are among us. So this story aims to give valuable insights from one who survived over 102 years and still inspires us to live with hope, optimism, personal responsibility, love, and holistic health principles. I decided to write this article with inspiration from the recent blog post of Gladys McGarey (MD) on the CNBC site. Dr. McGarey is not only a centenarian walking her talk but also a highly educated and accomplished medical professional known as the “Mother of Holistic Medicine.”

Adverse Effects of Noise Pollution on Cognition and Cardiovascular Health

Noise pollution is undesirable and harmful sound. It can impact various aspects of our lives, like sleep, cognitive abilities, mental health, cardiovascular health, quality of life, and productivity. It also might affect the environment, disturbing the lives of innocent animals. I cover the physiological and psychological aspects of noise pollution without going into scientific details.

How to Improve VO2max in 7 Steps

Without going into scientific details, this article aims to introduce VO2max, highlight its importance and give practical steps to improve it. First, for inspiration purposes, I briefly mention the achievements of a centenarian who popularized the importance of VO2max for health and longevity globally.

Optimize Lactate Levels for More Energy and Better Fitness

As part of our survival mechanism, lactate is an indirect energy source produced during intense exercise or physical work when the muscles lack adequate oxygen. It is a metabolite produced by the body during exercise and stressful situations. It is also a signaling molecule for growth. This article aims to give a high-level overview of lactate, highlight the related health conditions for elevated levels, and provide practical tips to improve lactate threshold and optimize resting lactate levels.

How Bullying Impacts the Brain and How to Deal with It Assertively

Bullying might occur in subtle and overt forms, like spreading rumors, belittling, calling names, destroying victims’ belongings, and pushing or hitting them, causing physical injuries and psychological suffering. I unfold this societal issue from multiple angles, leveraging a growing body of knowledge and my professional experience.

How the Brain Deals with Uninvited and Unwanted Changes

This article focuses on how the brain and cognitive systems deal with harsh changes. Dealing with uninvited and unwanted change is a complex process involving the brain and cognitive resources. During my research, two essential concepts emerged. They are coping strategies and gaining resilience, two major themes of this article.

10 Factors Causing Unclear Thinking and Practical Steps to Fix Them

First, I provide a high-level overview of the thinking process based on my studies in cognitive science. Then, I explain the clear thinking process with some examples. After that, I discuss ten factors adversely affecting clear thinking abilities and provide practical tips to overcome them.

Uncovering the Barriers to Serenity and Joy: 5 Common Challenges

In this post, advocating proactive and holistic health, my focus is elevated awareness by taking personal responsibility for our health and wellness, focusing on two vital mental states (serenity and joy) that can make us healthier and happier. Even though I studied these concepts in scientific settings, in this story, I explain them with everyday language to make this a practical and valuable piece for my readers.

Guard Your Well-Being with Psychological Boundaries

I wrote this story due to the importance and impact of boundaries in our lives. When I learned this powerful concept of creating invisible boundaries and implemented it in all walks of life, I experienced remarkable changes in my physical and mental health. My creativity and productivity at work increased, my relationships improved, and my meaningful social connections enhanced. Before setting clear boundaries, my thoughts and emotions were in complete disarray. Therefore, I want to pass along this tacit knowledge to my readers.

The Brain Doesn’t Like 10 Things.

Awareness of the brain’s needs is valuable in protecting our health and living a fulfilling life. By understanding what is unfavorable (disruptive) to the brain, we gain invaluable insights that can empower us to adapt our mindsets and behaviors to provide the necessary support. I aim to paint a high-level picture of those unfavorable things in this story.

The Paradox of Failure: How Losing Leads to Winning

Failure is a highly feared and usually misunderstood concept. I used to fear it until I deeply understood its meaning and value in my life. Learning to reframe failure by replacing “losing” with the notion of “winning” made a significant mindset shift that contributed to my success. “Failing” and “losing” are distinct concepts that are misunderstood or used interchangeably. Understanding their differences is essential for personal growth, resilience, mental health, and sustainable success.

Striking Effects of Negative Self-Talk, Self-Sabotage, and Social Isolation on the Brain

Like many people, I experienced negative self-talk, self-sabotaging behavior, and even social isolation (loneliness) for a while in my younger years. Therefore, I understand their awful effects on our well-being. I discuss three psychological factors affecting our mental health and well-being without going into scientific and technical details and provide practical steps to address them based on my experience and observations. I studied their effects on the brain.

Manage Inflammation by Boosting Mitochondria in 5 Steps

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the role of mitochondria in creating inflammation in cells. For example, dysfunctional mitochondria can lead to an overproduction of reactive oxygen species and the release of pro-inflammatory molecules, initiating and sustaining inflammatory responses through the immune system.

A Preventive Approach to Food Poisoning

These are striking stats from developed countries. The situation is even worse in developing countries with limited medical sources. For example, more than 2 million deaths occur yearly in developing countries due to foodborne diseases. I wrote this piece for awareness. Health organizations regularly send alerts warning the public about the dangers of some food in the market. Following these types of alerts can be invaluable. I structured this article under several headings highlighting the critical points to give you helpful perspectives and create awareness.

Following Traditional Advice Made Me Prediabetic in My 20s.

Some friends, colleagues, and relatives initially attributed my unusual transformation (a younger look as I got older) to medical interventions like cosmetic surgery, expensive supplements, and hormone replacement therapies. I didn’t try these, even though some people might need them. However, they soon realized that sustainable results lie in adopting healthy lifestyle choices with diligence and persistence. To my surprise, many embraced my unique approach and tailored it to their own circumstances, achieving even better outcomes than I did.

Glyphosate: Health Implications and Possible Adverse Consequences

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide in agriculture. Some countries use more than others. The National Library of Medicine indexed 4,963 reports on Glyphosate. Google’s search engine produces 16,600,000 results. As the topic is highly complex and controversial, I only touch on the key points to give you valuable perspectives and references from credible sources to empower your research and help you make informed decisions in food choices. First, I provide an overview of glyphosate.

Happy Tummy, Joyful Life: 10 Ways to Prevent Digestive Disorders

Having experienced the debilitating effects of digestive disorders firsthand in my younger years, I know the toll they can take on our physical and mental health. Digestive issues are unbearable and complicated but reversible with healthy lifestyle choices and professional support. Digestive health conditions can leave us feeling drained, demotivated, and even depressed, robbing us of the ability to enjoy the things we love and achieve our goals. Fortunately, there are viable solutions that we can implement via healthy lifestyle choices and professional support.

Maximize Metabolic Efficiency Using 3 Restrictive Approaches

Although ‘restriction’ may carry negative connotations, the health benefits of the practices I’m about to share are positive. In this post, I discuss three well-known intervention approaches widely studied by scientists and used by clinicians and individuals for metabolic efficiency. I focus on cognitive and cardiometabolic health. I structured the article into three parts. First, I highlight the importance of fat adaptation. Then I discuss three restriction methods and their five mechanistic outcomes. I provide practical takeaway points at the end.

Here’s Why Tom No Longer Does Extreme Bodybuilding or Shredding.

Having an attractive physique does not necessarily require bodybuilding. This widespread practice can develop significant muscle mass and low body fat levels for bodybuilders. But it’s not the only way for many others to achieve a fit, defined, and healthy body. Millions of athletes and fitness enthusiasts (male or female) maintain impressive physiques without bodybuilding practice. It took Tom a decade and a poignant crisis to understand this reality. Intense workouts are double-edged swords for healthspan and lifespan.

Why Exercise Can Lengthen or Shorten Lifespan and How to Find the Sweet Spot.

If one day the proverbial Genie asks me three wishes, one of my sincere wishes would be to put exercise, fasting, and meditation in a single pill and distribute it in all pharmacies globally. In this post, I only focus on exercise as a potential longevity tool that might prolong healthspan and lifespan by improving physical and mental health from multiple angles. The key benefits of customized workouts are repairing DNA, strengthening mitochondria, detoxifying cells, increasing blood flow, improving oxygenation, optimizing hormones, reducing inflammation, enhancing immune function, maintaining lean muscles and bones, lowering visceral fat, and boosting BDNF.

When Dave Died from a Heart Attack at a Young Age, I Was Deeply Sad But Not Surprised.

When I met Dave years ago, he was 20 years younger than me. He applied for a graduate program our company opened for high achievers in technology and leadership from top Australian universities. I haven’t heard from Dave for several years, but he stayed in touch with a few close friends. Those who knew him got very concerned about his poor lifestyle in his new job in a new country. He struggled to cope with excessive work and relationship stress. The divorce broke his heart.

8 Natural Practices Can Have Better Effects Than Man-Made Drugs on the Brain.

Man-made drugs have pronounced effects on the brain. Some stimulate, some relax, some energize, some generate strong emotions, some change perception, mood, and behavior, and some cause serious toxicity. Drugs can have positive and negative effects depending on their ingredients and doses. However, drug-like biochemicals naturally created by the body might produce similar effects without causing harm, side effects, or withdrawal symptoms unless they raise deltafosb.

7 Reasons to Pay Attention to Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium is an essential nutrient for the body. I highlighted its critical role in our health in previous articles. Magnesium creates 300 enzymatic reactions to maintain homeostasis. I recently documented its beneficial effects for managing type II diabetes. Despite many benefits, unfortunately, “emerging evidence confirms that nearly two-thirds of the population in the Western world is not achieving the recommended daily allowance for magnesium, a deficiency problem contributing to various health conditions,” as documented in a recent paper.

Bidirectional Links Between Metabolic and Mental Health Conditions

Scientists and clinicians have long investigated close relationships between physical and mental health disorders. The growing literature provides valuable perspectives, convincing evidence, and practical tips. The critical point is that lowering the risks of metabolic conditions might also lower mental health conditions. In this article, I focus on giving helpful perspectives and some evidence from the literature on bidirectional links between mental health and cardiometabolic disorders like heart disease, stroke, or diabetes.

6 Reasons to Shift from Sugar to Fat-Burning State and 6 Steps to Attain It

Key benefits of a fat-burning state include healthy weight management, sustained energy, improved insulin and leptin sensitivity, less stress, and inflammation, increased mental clarity, and better metabolic health. In this article, I first discuss the benefits of switching from sugar to fat-burning metabolism and then provide essential steps and practical tips to achieve this goal sustainably.

3 Steps to Support the Brain-Gut Axis for Better Digestive and Mental Health

“The brain-gut axis is not only anatomical but extends to include endocrine, humoral, metabolic, and immune communication routes.” In this article, I provide a high-level overview of the brain-gut axis, introduce the critical systems based on credible sources, and provide practical tips to regulate this system and prevent its dysregulation via healthy lifestyle habits and professional support.

Break the Chains of Cognitive Rigidity and Gain Greater Flexibility.

I believe most of our personal and societal problems are caused by cognitive rigidity. This undesirable mental state adversely affected humanity throughout history, causing wars, creating unnecessary dramas, and making our lives miserable. In contrast, cognitive flexibility brought novelty, hope, optimism, and enlightenment to humanity. In this post, I compare cognitive flexibility with rigidity and provide six practical steps and valuable tips to gain a flexible mind and eliminate rigidity based on my decades of research and experience in the field.

Vibration Machines: Novel Ways to Stimulate Muscles, Nerves, Bones, and Fat

Vibration machines offer innovative ways to stimulate muscle activity and might be useful in enhancing fitness and wellness. They have the potential to provide unique, customized, and effective approaches to physical exercise and therapy. As I have researched and used vibration machines for a long time and have helped several friends and relatives use them, I feel confident introducing them and highlighting their pros and cons.

2 Billion With Fatty Livers: Early Detection and Intervention for Better Outcomes

Twenty-five years ago, scientists were skeptical whether nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was a clinical condition. However, after two decades, it became a global epidemic affecting around two billion people. According to American Liver Association, about 100 million individuals in the United States are estimated to have Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in 2023. It affects 25% of people in the US. I introduce fatty liver disease at a high level discussing its causes and symptoms and highlighting its importance for our overall health with impact and implications on individuals and society based on a comprehensive literature review. I provide seven practical tips at the end.

Here’s Why I No Longer Suffer from Mood Fluctuations.

Changing our mood from negative to positive is possible in natural ways via healthy lifestyle habits. The key is creating new habits. These intentional habits, when practiced daily, can prevent mood swings and improve physical and mental health. Mood swings caused by underlying health conditions require professional support. My purpose in this article is to briefly introduce mood swings affecting millions of people, explain the root causes, and provide practical steps to lower their impact and prevent them with healthy lifestyle habits.

4 Reasons We Procrastinate and 10 Steps to Overcome Them.

Procrastination is a behavior triggered by our thoughts and emotions and aggravated by environmental, health, and lifestyle factors. This undesirable behavior adversely affects our lives. Understanding the reasons and their consequences is the first step in overcoming it. The second step is to take systematic action. I structured the article into three sections to make this a practical and helpful piece for a broad audience. To highlight its importance, first, I introduce the consequences of chronic procrastination. Part two introduces and discusses four major factors causing procrastination based on my research. In part three, I provide ten steps and practical tips to defeat procrastination sustainably.

9 Steps to Overcome Neuromuscular Dysfunctions and Boost Mobility

Neuromuscular dysfunctions are a group of conditions that affect the muscles and nerves, leading to problems with mobility, flexibility, agility, strength, coordination, and sensation. First, I provide a high-level overview of neuromuscular dysfunctions, including their mechanisms, theories, practices, impact, and implications. I provide nine practical steps and viable solutions.

3 Steps to Boost Red Blood Cells and Say Good Bye to Fatigue

Whatever we do, if our bodies don’t have enough red blood cells, we will not have adequate energy and will experience fatigue. I wrote this story because I had this problem in my younger years. Only after it was resolved, I felt an abundance of energy. It was the missing link in my energy profile. Fatigue is the feeling of tiredness caused by a lack of energy that can be physical, mental, or both. There are many factors causing fatigue. They are complex and require a holistic and integrative health approach. In this story, I only focus on the physiological aspects of fatigue caused by the dysfunction of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the circulatory and hematopoietic systems.

How Insulin Resistance Impacts the Brain and What We Can Do About It

The adverse effects of insulin resistance on the brain are clear now. New-generation scientists started seeing neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease as metabolic disorders for valid reasons. In those patients, they observed common metabolic abnormalities like impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. I structured the article into three sections. First, I will introduce the three critical factors affecting insulin resistance in the brain. Then I will provide tips to check insulin resistance and make the body more insulin sensitive.

3 Steps to Regulate HPA Axis and Defeat Chronic Stress

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a complex neuroendocrine system. This conceptual system comprises glands, hormones, and feedback loops regulating the body’s stress response. The HPA axis is central to homeostasis, stress responses, energy metabolism, and neuropsychiatric function. Without going into scientific or technical details, I briefly introduce the key components and functions of the HPA Axis and provide practical tips to address the risks causing its dysregulation.

Euphoria on Mother’s Day

This is my first poem on this platform, inspired by my dear friends and subscribers. I have read countless poems from books of outstanding poets and those submitted to my publications by aspiring poets. I keep my poetry writing privately as my poems represent my deep emotions and sensations. Maybe one day, when I find the courage, I will turn them into a book and share them with my readers. But today, I made an exception to share a piece touching a subject close to my heart. It is about my euphoric moments. As expressed in a previous post, thanks to lovely Loreen, I had a few such moments earlier today.

Congratulations, Loreen, the Winner of Eurovision Again

My story might surprise my readers as I did not write a piece specifically about music, even though I use music for therapeutic purposes and to enhance my cognitive abilities. I wrote this piece after a euphoric moment for another remarkable work of a famous singer, Lorreen, impressing millions of her fans globally. Lorine Zineb Nora Talhaoui, 39 and a highly talented Swedish pop singer has once again captivated the hearts of millions of fans worldwide by winning today’s 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. With her mesmerizing performances and unique music style, Loreen has become a celebrated artist in the global music industry. Her song “Euphoria” was the winning entry in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. This unique song left an everlasting impression on me.

I appreciate your taking the time to review and share my content. I hope you find some valuable pieces from this monthly collection. Please let me know if you want me to cover a specific topic. I am a postdoctoral researcher with 40 years of experience in the industry and would be delighted to share my experience and perspectives.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

Collection of Insightful Life Lessons from My Personal Stories

June 2023 Stories in Euphoria

As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters.

ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.

I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:

Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.

Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.

I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.

You are welcome to join my publications on Medium as a writer by sending a request via this link. 21K writers contribute to my publications. You may join Medium with my referral link to enjoy unlimited content.