#Vision Loss Supplement

[gofitnesspro]

How Zinc is Beneficial for Immune System Support

Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in many physiological functions and is beneficial for human health in numerous ways: Immune System Support Immune Response: Zn is vital for the proper functioning of the immune system. It helps in the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that protects the body from infection. Antiviral and Antibacterial…

[lifesproutbioceuticals]

How Vision Supplements Support Eye Health?

It is seen that human eyes are working harder than ever, in the fast-paced digital age. Henceforth, it is necessary to maintain good eye health so that you can navigate the world through your eyes. 

While diet and vitamins are essential factors, doctors will emphasize the vision eye supplements that will help to preserve your eye health. These supplements will provide extra help for your eyes as well. 

The supplements will play an essential role in supporting your eye health. When you are feeling early signs of vision decline, doctors will suggest these eye supplements for your eyes. These supplements will fortify your vision against various challenges of modern life. 

The article will let its readers know about ways vision supplements will help to give you clarity in your vision for a long time. 

Ways Vision Supplements Will Support Eye Health

While your screen time gradually increases, it is necessary that you need to maintain your vision. When you are looking to nurture and support your vision, doctors will suggest supplements to keep your vision good. 

These supplements are rich in minerals and vitamins, and have the capacity to keep your vision in good shape. While these supplements are well-researched, henceforth doctors recommend them for eyesight. 

While these supplements for vision are beneficial for your cataract, glaucoma, and dry eyes, these supplements will also keep your eye nerves, blood vessels, and retina in good condition. When you take these supplements for your eyes, you are going to take a holistic approach for your eyes. 

Types of Supplements for Vision 

There are several eye supplements, which are recommended by doctors. While you will need to know about the supplements, you will need to know ways these supplements will improve your vision. 

Vitamin E

It is seen that doctors will recommend Vitamin E as a supplement, which is essential for second age-related eye disease. The supplement also helps in preventing cataracts, and AMD. The supplement also safeguards eye cells from free radicals. 

The supplement also helps your eyes to stay effective and strong. The supplement is also necessary to prevent AMD in your eyes. 

Vitamin C

While you need to keep your eyes healthy, doctors will advise Vitamin C supplements for your eyes. When you take this supplement, you are going to minimize the risk of cataracts. The supplement is an antioxidant and will keep your eye blood vessels healthy. 

When you take this supplement, you are going to keep your eye cells healthy and strong. While you will know that it is one of the better supplements for vision, you will keep your vision in perfect condition for lifelong. 

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

When you are looking to safeguard your eyes from blue lights and free radicals, doctors will suggest zeaxanthin and Lutein for your eyes. These supplements are very effective for the macula and retina of your eyes. 

The supplement will help in reducing long–term eye health deterioration. It is one of the best vision supplements for lowering early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). If you have such problems genetically, you are going to reduce such problems. 

Since this supplement is clinically proven and has a comprehensive formula, you can use it for your vision and eye health. There are several blends of ingredients in this supplement, and you will be able to get nourished eye health. 

The supplement is crafted to address various aspects of eye health including dry eyes, eye strain, and protection against neon lights. 

Zinc

When you need to safeguard the pigment of your eyes, doctors will suggest zinc supplements. When you have poor vision, doctors will suggest this supplement. The supplement will help your eyes in low light, and at night as well. 

Doctors must recommend you a dose of zinc supplement for your eyes. If you take this supplement on an unrecommended basis, you will face other types of health problems. 

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

When you need to keep your eyes healthy, doctors will suggest alpha–lipoic acid. While doctors will recommend a supplement form of this acid, the powerful antioxidant is the driving force behind your healthy eyes. 

While you will able to prevent damage to the eyes caused by diabetes, you will prevent your age-related eye condition. While you grow old, you will get benefit from this supplement. There can be the development of free radicals in the eyes from smoking and sunlight. 

When you take this supplement, you are going to prevent free radicals in the lens of the eye. There will be no protein clump in your eyes as well. When you take this supplement, you are going to prevent the cloudiness of your eyes. 

If you take this supplement, you are going to improve the photoreceptor cells of your retina. There will be no cell damage and protein buildup in your eyes. When you take this supplement, your eyes will remain clear for a long time. 

Vitamin A and Beta Carotene

When you are looking for vitamins for vision loss, doctors will suggest Vitamin A supplements for your vision. While you will be able to prevent permanent vision blindness, you will be able to improve your vision. 

The supplement form will help you to safeguard your cornea. The supplement is also essential for safeguarding eyes from eye infections, and bacteria. While you will be able to decrease the risk of AMD, you will know that this supplement will help you to prevent dry eyes. 

Final Words 

There are several types of supplements, that will help to keep your eyes in good health. While you will be able to strengthen your vision, you are going to keep a good condition for your eyes for life.

[begouristore]

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[synerchii]

[ribsonrepeat]

ana tips to stay as safe and healthy as possible <3

**important to note that I’m not encouraging this behavior in any way but if you’re going to persue unhealthy wl then harm reduction is important**

1) take multivitamins EVERYDAY and stay hydrated

2) if you’re down with the flu or any other sickness please increase your cal intake to aid in the recovery process

3) if you notice negative side effects like hair loss, excessive bruising, joint pain, etc take more vitamins i.e. hair, skin, and nails, joint vitamins, iron supplements

4) if you’re feeling faint/dizzy/nauseous constantly please eat something and maybe consider raising your cal intake for at least a few days

5) avoid hot temperatures, hot showers, working out, etc if you think you may faint to avoid any injuries, embarrassment, etc

6) don’t stay at a super low cal intake for extended periods of time (under 500 cals)

7) if you’re fasting and start to experience heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, spotted vision break your fast immediately it’s not worth it

8) never NEVER dry fast!!!!!

9) avoid excessive caffeine intake it can cause headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, etc and it doesn’t curb your appetite enough to risk that

10) if you’re feeling dehydrated but feel like you cant drink more water try a hydration multiplier like liquid iv

11) make sure you’re using your cals for healthy choices at least try to eat a fruit or vegetable once a day

12) make sure you’re getting enough protein it will aid in wl while also keeping you healthy

13) don’t excessively purge or avoid it all together the health problems it causes are nothing to play around with

14) don’t abuse laxatives it fucks up your stomach badddd

15) don’t push yourself too hard the goal is to lose weight not death 😘

[scientia-rex]

Because my most popular post is about weight loss and how it's a crock, I get a lot of questions about various things, including bariatric surgery--just posted the link to the post I did about that--but also Ozempic/Wegovy, the once-weekly injectable semaglutide medication that was developed for diabetes but was found to have independent benefits on weight loss.

I always said that weight loss was like Viagra: when a medication came along that actually worked, it would explode. We'd all hear about it. Fen-phen in the 90s worked, but it was bad for your heart. Stimulants, like meth, may cause weight loss, but they do it at the cost of heart health, and raise your likelihood of dying young. Over the counter weight loss supplements often contain illegal and unlisted thyroid hormone, which is also dangerous for the heart if taken in the absence of a real deficiency. Orlistat, or "Alli," works the same way as the Olestra chips Lays made in the 1990s--it shuts off your ability to digest fats, and the problem with that is that fats irritate the gut, so then you end up with fatty diarrhea and probably sharts. Plus Alli only leads to 8-10lbs of weight loss in the best case scenario, and most people are not willing to endure sharts for the sake of 8lbs.

And then came the GLP-1 agonists. GLP stands for glucagon-like peptide. Your body uses insulin to make cells uptake sugar. You can't just have free-floating sugar and use it, it has to go into the cells to be used. So if your body sucks at moving sugar into the cells, you end up with a bunch of glucose hanging out in places where it shouldn't be, depositing on small vessels, damaging nerves and your retinas and kidneys and everywhere else that has a whole lot of sensitive small blood vessels, like your brain.

Glucagon makes your liver break down stored sugars and release them. You can think of it as part of insulin's supporting cast. If your body needs sugar and you aren't eating it, you aren't going to die of hypoglycemia, unless you've got some rare genetic conditions--your liver is going to go, whoops, here you go! and cough it up.

But glucagon-like peptide doesn't act quite the same way. What glucagon-like peptide does is actually stimulating your body to release insulin. It inhibits glucagon secretion. It says, we're okay, we're full, we just ate, we don't need more glucagon right now.

This has been enough for many people to both improve blood sugar and cause weight loss. Some patients find they think about food less, which can be a blessing if you have an abnormally active hunger drive, or if you have or had an eating disorder.

However, every patient I've started on semaglutide in any form (Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus) has had nausea to start with, probably because it slows the rate of stomach emptying. And that nausea sometimes improves, and sometimes it doesn't. There's some reports out now of possible gastroparesis associated with it, which is where the stomach just stops contracting in a way that lets it empty normally into the small intestine. That may not sound like a big deal, but it's a lifelong ticket to abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting, and we are not good at treating it. We're talking Reglan, a sedating anti-nausea but pro-motility agent, which makes many of my patients too sleepy to function, or a gastric pacemaker, which is a relatively new surgery. You can also try a macrolide antibiotic, like erythromycin, but I have had almost no success in getting insurance to cover those and also they have their own significant side effects.

Rapid weight loss from any cause, whether illness, medication, or surgery, comes with problems. Your skin is not able to contract quickly. It probably will, over long periods of time, but "Ozempic face" and "Ozempic butt" are not what people who want to lose weight are looking for. Your vision of your ideal body does not include loose, excess skin.

The data are also pretty clear that you can't "kick start" weight loss with Ozempic and then maintain it with behavioral mechanisms. If you want to maintain the weight loss, you need to stay on the medication. A dose that is high enough to cause weight loss is significantly higher than the minimum dose where we see improvements in blood sugar, and with a higher dose comes higher risk of side effects.

I would wait on semaglutide. I would wait because it's been out for a couple of years now but with the current explosion in popularity we're going to see more nuanced data on side effects emerging. When you go from Phase III human trials to actual use in the world, you get thousands or millions more data points, and rare side effects that weren't seen in the small human trials become apparent. It's why I always say my favorite things for a drug to be are old, safe, and cheap.

I also suspect the oral form, Rybelsus, is going to get more popular and be refined in some way. It's currently prohibitively expensive--all of these are; we're talking 1200 or so bucks a month before insurance, and insurance coverage varies widely. I have patients who pay anything from zero to thirty to three hundred bucks a month for injectable semaglutide. I don't think I currently have anyone whose insurance covers Rybelsus who could also tolerate the nausea. My panel right now is about a thousand patients.

There are also other GLP-1 agonists. Victoza, a twice-daily injection, and Trulicity, and anything else that ends in "-aglutide". But those aren't as popular, despite being cheaper, and they aren't specifically approved for weight loss.

Mounjaro is a newer one, tirzepatide, that acts on two receptors rather than one. In addition to stimulating GLP-1 receptors, it also stimulates glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. It may work better; I'm not sure whether that's going to come with a concomitantly increased risk of side effects. It's still only approved for diabetes treatment, but I suspect that will change soon and I suspect we'll see a lot of cross-over in terms of using it to treat obesity.

I don't think these medications are going away. I also don't think they're right for everyone. They can reactivate medullary thyroid carcinoma; they can fuck up digestion; they may lead to decreased quality of life. So while there may be people who do well with them, it is okay if those people are not you. You do not owe being thin to anyone. You most certainly do not owe being thin to the extent that you should risk your health for it. Being thin makes navigating a deeply fat-hating world easier, in many ways, so I never blame anyone for wanting to be thin; I just want to emphasize that it is okay if you stay fat forever.

[teenwolfvore]

Never Trust A Snake

Derek felt like a fool. He should have known that Jackson would have been upset about eating the last of the chicken inside of the fridge. Derek had been thoughtless at the time and was just hungry. He didn't think that Jackson would be upset about it. So much so that when Derek told Jackson about eating his chicken, Jackson said it was no big deal. He would just go to the store to buy more, simple as that.

It did not occur to Derek how good of a liar Jackson was.

Derek had lied down for a nap and assumed that Jackson was just going to the store to get some more food. It did not occur to Derek that Jackson was going to use Derek to supplement his loss of food. Derek was tied up by Jackson's tail and lifted out of his bed. Despite Derek's werewolf strength, there was little that the hairy hunk could do to stop Jackson. Jackson's tail might as well be a steel coil restricting Derek.

Jackson looked at him with a devilish grin as he lowered Derek's feet towards his mouth. Luckily Jackson didn't have to strip Derek of his clothes, he was already in his boxers. That was lucky for Jackson, not lucky for Derek. Derek's large feet are taken into Jackson's hot and wet mouth. They bulge in Jackson's throat as he swallows more of Derek's legs. Those hairy calves and thighs go down quickly. Jackson's experienced throat makes short work of Derek's powerful legs. It was truly a horrifying dilemma for Derek anyhow.

Jackson being an experienced pred gradually slides his tail upwards to restrict Derek. All the while Jackson consumes the lower half of the werewolf easily. Jackson's tongue laps at Derek's hairy crotch when his boxers are swallowed. Derek hated how it felt so good. It was one thing to be devoured, it was another to enjoy it. He didn't want to give Jackson the satisfaction. Too bad Derek was hard by the time his cock was in the back of Jackson's throat. By that time Derek felt his muscular forearms and hands were devoured too. Derek's feet now squish at the bottom of Jackson's gut.

That pink tongue tastes that hairy navel and abs as it slides up Derek. The older werewolf was feeling uncomfortable with how hot and sticky Jackson's mouth was. It was a humid and oppressive environment. Warning to how bad it was going to be inside of Jackson's gut. Derek could hear Jackson's breathing more clearly as Derek's hefty chest and shoulders are swallowed. Jackson was steady and consistent. Despite Derek being larger than him, the snake had no problem consuming that hairy wolf. Derek can even hear Jackson humming. The idea of turning this Alpha beefcake into food turned him on.

At last, Jackson was beginning to swallow up Derek's neck and head. Derek's body had bulged down Jackson's throat and into his gut. The last bit of food was about to be swallowed. Derek watched the light slowly be framed between Jackson's teeth. That tongue wraps around his head and pulls him down. The sound of Jackson's gulping could be heard in Derek's ears. Then it was the sound of Jackson's heartbeat. Just like the breathing it was consistent and practiced. Jackson did not struggle eating Derek and it showed. Eventually Derek feels himself round out inside of Jackson's gut. His entire muscular body was covered head to toe in saliva. He was forced to curl up into a tight ball. The pink fleshy walls crushed down on Derek and kept him from moving.

The air was stale and Derek could feel himself beginning to pass out. There was a sudden rush of air leaving the belly that expedites that process. Derek's vision begins to fade to twinkly white stars and darkness. The last thing that Derek is able to perceive is a hand rubbing on him from the outside.

Jackson was laid back in Derek's bed with a smug grin. He had just burped and out had flown Derek's boxers. The hungry snake continue to rub over his belly proudly. Derek should have known better to have touched his food and not have replaced it. He was even more foolish to believe that Jackson wasn't going to retaliate. But that was all in the past now. Derek more than made up for eating his food by becoming Jackson's. Just a proud bulge in his midsection. Jackson hums as he settles into a nap of his own. Although it was a more of a food coma as his belly begins to work on digesting that hunk of a werewolf.

[napfordinner]

My lovely friends, this is a friendly evidence-based post pertaining to the risk reduction of a few well-known health effects of 4n4 and mia. Including: Amenorrhea (loss of regular menstrual period), anaemia, digestive upset, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, general well-being, and osteoporosis. It is quite a long post, but please let me know if there’s any other information you would like me to cover. 💕

🪐 Vitamins and Supplements:

• A-Z Multivitamin. Is beneficial for supplementation. For example, Vitamin C is a vitally important vitamin for the body’s connective tissues, including the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, cellular formation and maturation, resistance to infection, and an increased ability to heal. Additionally, B12 contributes to an adequately functioning nervous system, bone marrow, and intestinal tract. It also acts to increase metabolism of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Finally vitamin B2 when combined with Vitamin A promotes good vision and healthy skin, as well as assists in metabolising proteins and fats at a cellular level.

• Calcium and Vitamin D. Seek a preparation which offers 1000mg of calcium and 10-20mcg (400-800 iu) of vitamin D. Vitamin D increases the bodies efficacy during the absorption, retention, and metabolising of calcium. Calcium of course being vital for bone integrity and imperative for the prevention of osteopenia/osteoporosis.

• Iron. An appropriate iron intake will restore the functionality of red blood cells, allowing the proper oxygen transportation around the body, increase focus, energy, athletic performance, and sleep. Having a sufficient iron store will alleviate some commonly experienced symptoms of low iron including fatigue, dizziness, pallor, and shortness of breath. It may also reduce the sensation of cold hands and feet.

• Potassium and Zinc. A lack of zinc impairs the ability to smell and taste. Connecting this impairment to nose blindness. For example, a lack of a sense of smell and taste may impair one’s own ability to detect their own bad breath, BO, and other unpleasant smells that others may be able to detect.

• Omega 3’s - Fish oil, Krill oil, Hemp oil, or Flaxseed oil. Improper dietary intake, or supplementation of omega 3 fatty acids will result in areas of epidermal (skin) dryness, hyperkeratosis, and hyperpigmentation. As well as the formation large scales expose underlying tissue, which are easily infected. The hair becomes sparse, dry, lusterless, and brittle, with a reddish tinge. Furthermore, nails become brittle and dull, tear production reduces, the tears are also significantly less oily leading to increased evaporation contributing to chronically dry, red, and itchy eyes.

If oil supplements are scary for you to intake due to calorie fears (there is only approx 25 calories in 2 average fish oil capsules). There are dietary sources of omega 3 that are relatively low calorie including chia seeds, edamame, and seaweed. However they provide little amounts in comparison to supplementation or traditional dietary sources such as fish, avocado, oils etc.

However this should also be considered when deciding whether to supplement omega 3’s - they stimulate the secretion of leptin, a hormone that decreases appetite and promotes the burning of fat. Through the enabling of conversion of dietary fats into body cells for burning as fuel.

🍄 Dietary Intake

•Bone broth (or vegetable broth if meat is not apart of your diet ☺️) I cannot stress how great bone broth is! Extremely low calorie, but incredibly nutrient-dense. It also acts to decrease the inflammation within the gut that many of us will experience due to our dietary habits. Including conditions such as constipation, gastroparesis, liver disease, bloating, abdominal pain, and stomach ulceration.

Bone broth also contains large amounts of protein, collagen, iron, vitamins A and K, fatty acids, selenium, zinc, and manganese. Protein being the most satiating macronutrient can decrease hunger and associated discomfort. Collagen and the variety of micronutrients within the bone broth contributes to joint and bone health. Bone broth will also contribute to hydration.

•Nutrient-dense foods including blueberries l are among the best sources of anthocyanins (antioxidants) that promote brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Additionally, red tomatoes and red capsicum (Peppers). Tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene, which is a type of carotenoid found in red fruits that has powerful antioxidant effect that may help protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer.

•Fibre is imperative for smooth gastrointestinal function, including regular bowel movements. Fibre is of course typically found in whole fruits and vegetables, beans/lentils, and whole grains. Low calorie fibre sources include: red kidney beans, carrot, and chickpeas. Psyllium, chia seeds are also good sources of fibre. Fibre supplants such as Metamucil may also aid to increase fibre intake. An adequate intake of fibre may reduce the dependence of laxative for bowel movements. Prolonged use of laxatives may create a dependency on them to even have a bowel movement.

🥥 Adequate Hydration

• The best way to ensure adequate hydration is simply by consuming enough water during the day. However, if plain water consumption is difficult, fluid intake will also suffice. Including fluid such as teas, flavoured/enhanced water, diet soft drinks, juices, etc. The optimal fluids to consume in addition to, or instead of simple water to ensure adequate hydration is mineral water, coconut water, or diet electrolyte replacements (Powerade/Gatorade, Pedialyte, Hydralyte). Correct hydration and electrolyte intake will reduce headaches, constipation, and muscle cramps/weakness.

❤️ Reproductive Health

•Amenorrhea is a common experience for those of us with a uterus. However it is imperative to understand that you are more than likely still ovulating despite the lack of a regular menstrual period. Therefore, contraception must still be used. Amenorrhea may be alleviated through dietary supplementation and small changes to the diet to include more micronutrients, but it may not be completely fixed unless there is an increase to body fat percentages.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Go Go Southern Lesser Galago!

Also known as the South African galago or the mohol bushbaby, the southern lesser galago (Galago moholi) is a small primate from the Galagidae, or bushbaby family. As the name implies, they are located only in southern Africa, from northern South Africa up to Rwanda. Their preferred habitats are savannahs and semi-arid woodlands, where they can often be found high in the canopy, and they are particularly associated with Acacia trees.

The mohol bushbaby is one of the smaller members of its group; at full height they stand no taller than 15 cm (6 in) and weigh only 225 g (7.9 oz). In fact, their tail is longer than their body, easily reaching 23 cm (9 in) in length. While it isn't prehensile, the tail is still an important tool for climbing as it gives G. moholi an excellent sense of balance. Along with their incredible tails, the South African galago also has one of the largest sets of ears of any primate, proportional to its size; these ears can move independently to help the southen lesser bushbaby avoid predators. G. moholi's final distinguishing feature are their eyes, which are incredibly large and a distinctive orange color. Individuals themselves tend to be gray or light brown, which helps them blend in with their surroundings.

South African galagos are almost strictly nocturnal. At night, they forage through the canopy for moths and beetles. These bits of protein, however, are supplemental; the mohol bushbaby's primary source of food is gum, or hardened sap from the Acacia plant. G. moholi has several adaptations allowing it to specialize in gum extraction, including scraping teeth on the lower mandible; long, rough tongues; and digestive systems that have evolved to break down and ferment the tough substance. Because they have very few defense mechanisms, southern lesser galagos are a common prey for many nocturnal species like eagles, owls, snakes, mongooses, civets, and gennets.

One of the few ways the South African bushbaby avoids predation is through its social units. Groups of 2-7-- typically composed of a female, her young, and a few non-reproductive relatives-- forage together. In these groups, their collective night vision and highly-developed hearing allow them to detect and alert each other to predators long before the threat is immanent. While individuals forage seperately, they keep in contact via loud, high pitched calls that can serve as a warning for predators, a point of contact between mother and offspring, or a territorial warning between males.

Male G. moholi live seperately from social groups, and are highly aggressive against other males invading their territory. This area often overlaps that of several female-led groups, but they only come in contact with each other during the mating season. Unusually, the species has two mating seasons through the year; from January to Februrary (late summer) and from October to November (early spring). Following a gestation period of 120 days, females produce a single set of twins each mating season. Each set is weaned after approximately 3 months, and young become fully mature at 300 days. Female offspring may join the mother's group, while males leave to establish their own territory. In the wild, an individual may live up to 16 years.

Conservation status: The IUCN has classified the South African bushbaby as Least Concern. Studies have indicated that the population is stable and, in some areas, increasing. However, in other areas the species is threatened by habitat loss and possibly capture for the pet and bushmeat trade.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Gerald Doyle

Peter Webb via iNaturalist

[waterdeepweave]

thinking thoughts about a vampire!gale AU 🦇💜✨

You hadn't been traveling for long when you were already known for being Astarion's personal juice box.

Gale, however, doesn't make his condition known to you until much later in your journey, when you've both known each other a lot more... intimately.

He explains that it's a by-product of the orb in his chest, that compels him to supplement his diet with fragments of Weave found in bloodstreams - even with it quelled by Elminster's magic, his craving remains.

He doesn't need to feed as often as Astarion does, but he does need something eventually.

Which was when he turned to you, in a moment of vulnerability, asking if you would be willing to be fed on, by him.

"But only with your express permission and most enthusiastic consent."

Having grown to care very deeply for Gale over your travels, you agree, and arrange a night when you two could get comfortable in Gale's tent.

more below...

Gale starts by sitting you in front of him, wrapping his arms securely around you. He starts by kissing you, massaging small circles into your skin, making you laugh as he whispers some sweet nonsense in your ear.

He is warm, gentle and affectionate as he eases you into a state of relaxation and security, just as you would any other intimate act.

He kisses the nape of your neck, and for the first time you notice the faintest hint of sharp fangs grazing your skin.

Gale tells you to tug on his arm four times if you wanted him to stop at any point.

Four? Why four? You had asked, as he explained his terms. Why not three?

Three? He had said. Three could mean anything. The humanoid physiology was way too easily molded to the routine of three. A comforting pattern, three words of a phrase never said aloud. Whereas four is nothing - a sufficient length to indicate urgency, without any other meaning.

You agree, and lean back against him, until finally, he punctures your skin.

Whereas Astarion gulps, draining you in a matter of seconds, Gale sips, patiently, delicately, as if masticating a well-aged wine. The icy feeling of blood loss seeps into you ever so gently, no harsher than a breath.

Gale's hand runs down the length of your arm as he drinks, smoothing out tension you didn’t know you had, before clasping your hand into his calloused palms. His thumb rubs over your interlaced fingers, and you relax into his touch.

Your eyelids flutter, losing yourself to the moment, to his soft noises of satisfaction as he drinks from you, the soft ambient hum in the air.

You're floating, yet Gale anchors you, and the stretch is breathtakingly delicious.

Stars spark in your vision and you are prepared to tug on his hand, but it's as if he notices you first. His teeth retract from your skin, and you fall, spineless and bloodless, into his firm embrace.

Gale presses a long, firm kiss onto your puncture wounds, letting the pressure cull the bleeding.

"You've done very well," he purrs into the nape of your neck, his beard lightly scratching the new-formed scabs on your skin. "Thank you. Truly."

He gently lowers you onto his bedroll, making sure to tuck you in under his warmest blankets, before slipping in next to you and pulling you on top of him.

"Rest now, love," he says, wrapping you securely into his embrace. Was it your imagination, or did his arms already feel stronger? "I'll take care of you until morning comes."

[clarebear-0925]

The Holy Trinity of Fear-Entity Based Media

HELLO! i am returning to elaborate on this subject because i've been thinking about it for literal WEEKS ever since i made the connection while starting TMA.

So, let's explore this venn diagram in more depth, shall we?

(Apologies for the length of this post but I have MANY thoughts. I know it's long, but please hear me out lol)

First, I want to talk about the world-building similarities since they're what I first noticed and spurred this entire thing.

Imagine the following explanation in terms of the venn diagram above.

Chainsawman:

A Japanese action/horror manga

A universe where fear-based entities (called "devils") exist. Each devil correlates to the fear of a specific concept (with infinite possibilities ranging from tomatoes to the future). They are the embodiment of the fear their name represents.

Each devil thus has its own special abilities and 'theming' associated with its name.

The existences and power levels of the devils fluctuate based on what the the populace is afraid of at the time and how scared they are. They survive and feed off of human's fear.

The devils exist in another 'place' (Hell) that is separate but linked to the our world. However, they can manifest in the real world to attack and spread further fear (and if they die there, they are sent back to Hell in a weakened state). It is currently unknown as to how devils cross over from Hell.

However, the devils CAN in fact permanently die- if they are forgotten entirely by humanity (and thus run out of fear to exist/feed on)

There are a few special types of devils: 1. Primal fears, which embody ancient instinctual fears (darkness, falling) and 2. the Four Horsemen: (Control/manipulation, war, famine, and death), the most powerful of the devils.

There are also many ways that humans can serve, be linked to, and be embodiments of these devils. Beings known as "fiends" (corpses possessed by devils), cases of devil transformations (humans who make contracts with devils and are transformed into monsters to do their bidding) and "hybrids" (humans and devils fused). However each way results in great personal cost/change, like the loss of humanity.

The existence of these devils is a common, well-known fact of society, and one of the main causes of death in this world.

There is a governmental agency tasked with combating devil attacks. The main leader we interact with is a character who manipulates the protagonist throughout the entire series to help them achieve their vision for the world. They are revealed to secretly be one of the devils the characters were supposed to be fighting, and is heavily associated with eye imagery.

Ordem Paranormal

A Brazilian live-streamed horror TTRPG (table-top roleplaying game)

(Disclaimer: for this one, I have only had the chance to watch OPQ and Cellbit's onstream explanations of the lore, so I tried to supplement with the wiki as best I could without getting too spoiled. If I got anything wrong or you think I missed anything, please tell me! I'd love to get your guy's insight on this)

A universe where there are 5 elements (Death, Energy/Chaos, Blood, Knowledge, and Fear) that exist in a place separate but linked to our world known as "the Other Side."

Each element is associated with different monsters, abilities, and general characteristics. Death is associated with distortions in the passage of time, spirals, and an ultimate end. Blood is the element of intense emotions, both positive and negative. Knowledge is the element of discovering, knowing, recording. It wants to preserve balance between the elements since it likes reality as it is. Energy/Chaos is unpredictability, unreality, and transformation. It mostly serves its own entertainment. Fear is the most mysterious- it is the source of all paranormal and has existed since the dawn of humanity- it is of the unknown and the infinite.

Individuals can connect to and form pacts with each of these entities (except for Fear). They gain different supernatural abilities depending on which, but all result in great personal cost and change- usually becoming less and less human in a variety of ways.

The barrier between the two worlds can be weakened through fear. Cultists take advantage of this and attempt to perform rituals that would break the membrane and bring these entities over to our world.

These elements can also just manifest into our world in a variety of different ways, like monsters, paintings, artifacts, etc.

Tthere are independent organizations around the globe who work to prevent these rituals and maintain order. However, the existence of this "other side" and the entities is not known by the wider public.

The organization we follow is headed by an elderly character who has dedicated every single aspect of their life to fighting these elements, stopping these rituals, and maintaining the balance. However he is willing to form connections with those around him, and violence isn't always his first option.

The Magnus Archives

A British horror/tragedy podcast

A universe where entities known as "the fears" or "the dread powers" exist next to our world (separate but linked). Each entity is the embodiment of a different fear that the humans (and animals) of earth feel.

The fears are typically broad (covering multiple specific fears under a wider category) and when manifesting can blend into one another. A good analogy to explain it is the color wheel.

The single entity known as fear has been around since the beginning of the world. However, as humanity developed more complex thought, they split off into different aspects (though they are still in some ways linked).

At the time of the series there are 15 entities (a full list here). The existences and power levels of the entities fluctuate based on what the the populace is afraid of at the time and how scared they are. They survive and feed off of human's fear.

The entities can permanently die, but only if the organisms of the world did too, as there would be no more fear left for them to consume.

These fears can manifest in our world as a number of different paranormal happenings, from monsters to books. They manifest in order to cause fear to feed themselves.

Most of the entities are near mindless- they simply operate to feed, with little to no future planning (with the exception of The Spider, the fear of control and manipulation, whose entire thing is future planning.)

Individuals can connect to and form pacts with each of these entities to become individuals known as Avatars. They gain different supernatural abilities depending on which fear they connect too, but all result in great personal cost, change, and the overall loss of humanity.

Followers of the same fear often gather to form cults. When a fear gains enough power, its avatars usually attempt to perform various rituals that would manifest their entity in our world. This would result in our world transforming into a hellscape of fear for that entity to gorge itself on. (There are also two fears that do not attempt rituals as they prefer reality the way it is. )

We follow an independent organization tasked with recording and categorizing the encounters of individuals with these paranormal events. The two leaders we interact with the most are

A Character who manipulates the protagonist throughout the entire series to help them achieve their vision for the world. They are revealed to secretly be one of the Avatars the characters were supposed to be fighting, and is heavily associated with eye imagery.

An elderly character who has dedicated every single aspect of their life to fighting these entities, stopping these rituals, and maintaining the balance. (However she is unwilling to become attached to those around her, and will ruthlessly do whatever it takes to accomplish her goals.)

Ok, so if you read through these explanations you can hopefully see many of the connections that I drew. The TLDR is: these three pieces of media all feature fear-powered entities that exist in a world separate but connected to our own, but can manifest here in a variety of ways and each have their own unique theming/powers. People can form pacts and become connected to these entities and gain supernatural abilities, but that often results in the loss of their humanity. Rituals are performed by the people connected to these entities in order to manifest them more into our world. Finally, all three stories are centered around the members of an organization tasked with dealing with these entities in some way.

(Also, if you combine the world-building of CSM and OP, it basically results in the world-building of TMA, which is that thought that originally inspired this post)

However, these are just baseline world-building connections. When I first posted about the idea of this venn diagram, I got some tags from @wasabi-ribs proposing a connection between the very themes of these shows in a way I hadn't even thought about.

While I don't feel as though I can accurately speak to the themes of Ordem as much as the other two, I was doing some research (*cough* scrolling tumblr) and saw this post from @just-an-enby-lemon.

And honestly, that sounds pretty damn similar to what I consider to be the main themes of CSM and TMA, aka:

Love and connection alone can't save you, but that doesn't mean they are unimportant, especially in a world full of so much fear, trauma and loss of control and perhaps even your humanity.

Also, the general questioning of what exactly it means to be human, and my age old favorite of the indomitable human spirit even in the face of unfathomnable horror and tragedy.

What is the conclusion or point of this post? I'm not entirely sure. But I wanted to acknowledge the beauty in how such different mediums can be used by people of three completely different cultures to discuss eerily similar themes of humanity and connection (and also very spooky fear entities).

Thank you so much for reading this far and please feel free to add onto this post with anything you think I missed or got wrong. I love talking about the connections between my favorite pieces of media with people! :)

(Also, apologies if this came across as incoherent or rambly in any way, turns out it’s a lot harder to explain this in a concise way in writing than to just have the thoughts floating around in your head lol)

[plutoarttv]

thank you so much @basilthesnakingthing for asking aaaaaaaaaa

(also sorry for the late response I’ve been very busy recently and I wanted to take the time to explain everything as well as I could)

he’s the leader of this world’s version of angels, who reincarnate human souls. he’s the only line of communication between the angels and the god they work for.

angels have a kind of spidey-sense around death, they can tell if someone around them is going to die (if they’re within a certain physical range and time period). donovan (said oc) is only half angelic, so this sense is far more dulled for him. thus, god has to supplement what he can sense with more direct information. those visions are smaller and more frequent, akin to god slipping some wisdom in through a crack in his mind. (things can also slip in and out unintentionally, too, which can result in random memory loss and gain, though he’s not usually getting back the right memories.) sometimes, though, god needs to give him a different/bigger message, and that’s more like fully bypassing the crack and ripping the whole thing open, which is… unpleasant. to experience. and probably to watch. (it’s far harder for him to get visions than it would be for a prophet who was a full angel, but there’s more in-story context that makes him the best choice.)

basically he’s having a good time :-) in this universe there’s only one god, and they’re kinda like an all-knowing incomprehensible eldritch being (can you tell I really like lovecraftian horror). they’re controlling the story for the same reason we read stories, to see what happens next and to stay entertained. I don’t really see them as bad, though, cause we don’t see ourselves as bad for controlling and doing bad things to the characters we create- they’re not as real as we are. also because they’re a giant eldritch entity and probably don’t subscribe to our morals. idk, they’re kinda complicated, and i’m still figuring out all their mechanics.

sorry this was super long hopefully this made sense :D please ask any questions you have I love yapping

[mysterious-moonstruck-musings]

Deconstructing Dieter Bravo: Part 2

If you haven't read chapter 25 of Destiny & Deliverance, do so before continuing with this post to avoid spoilers. 😉

Now that the story is starting to dive into what is going on with our dear Dieter, I felt it was time for Part 2 of the Deconstructing Dieter Bravo series to discuss the topic of psychiatric medication.

Just to be clear, this is not a post for or against the use of such medications. I want to put that out there before we get started. It is also a very high-level overview.

Most individuals that do not have experience with mental health struggles (weather that be personally or via someone close to them) do not realize the affects that psychiatric medications can have on the patient and further complications that they can cause during treatment, which is why I feel it is important to share some of this information.

While psychiatric medications are meant to help manage symptoms, they can also make things a hell of a lot worse. In many cases, the first medication isn't the correct medication or the correct dosage. There is a lot of trial and error involved in the process because everyone's body chemistry is different. Which means the patient is often left dealing with side effects that can range from minor to severe. Figuring out the correct medication and dosage for an individual can be a long and unpleasant process, which is why many give up on the use of medication all together.

There are six main categories of mental health medication: antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, depressants, anxiolytics, and stimulants. Each category is used to treat different types of disorders. Each come with their own set of side effects, but the most common are headaches, weight gain, dizziness, dry mouth, muscle spasms and cramps, nausea, loss of sex drive, constipation, sleepiness or problems with sleep, loss of appetite, and fast heart rate.

More serious and less common side effects are always a possibility too. Especially if patients are taking certain medications after being misdiagnosed (more about that in a later post). More serious side effects include nightmares, blurred vision, depression and/or paranoia, aggressive behavior, agitation, anxiety, personality changes, concentration problems, mania, suicidal ideation, and memory damage.

To complicate things further, psychiatric medications easily interact with other substances such as headache mediations, vitamins, and herbal supplements. It is important that the patient is aware of that possibility and ensures that their doctor is aware of all consumption habits. This includes ingredients in meals and drinks. It is also highly recommended not to mix alcohol with the majority of psychiatric medications.

Given all the possible side effects it is important that patients and their families/caregivers communicate to their doctor any changes they are experiencing with their bodies, feelings, and thoughts no matter how minor to avoid any further complications that could eventually result from continued medication use. Some medications take effect immediately while others can take up to two weeks or longer. Antipsychotics can take between six weeks to three months to get into your system and become effective. Therefore, obvious side effects could be delayed which is why it is important to continue to make note of any changes.

There are many long-term effects of using these types of medications such as organ damage and disorders like tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements of various body parts). Therefore, it is very important that the patient regularly check in with their doctor and have regular blood work done to check on things.

It's important that patients find a doctor that they trust and that truly listens to their concerns so that no minor detail is overlooked. It is also important that patients and their family/caregivers are proactive in their own care, ensuring proper follow-up and tests are performed. Otherwise, important factors could be overlooked and lead to complications down the road.

Given this brief overview of information, it is safe to say that Dieter is experiencing both the common and more severe side effects from the medication he has been taking. There have been hints throughout the entire fic that his meltdown was slowly building, though it wasn't completely obvious. Which is the hard part about these types of things. It's often not an issue until it's bad.

There are some behaviors that could be a direct result of Dieter's diagnosis, while other behaviors could have been and were most likely exacerbated by incorrect medicating. That is just something to keep in mind as we work our way through the story.

In Chapter 27 we will get a formal diagnosis for Dieter and take a deeper dive into his disorder as well as how the medication he is on has created a perfect storm.

🌛Mysterious-Moonstruck-Musings

Tag List: @rhoorl @bitchwitch1981 @readingiskeepingmegoing @runningmom94 @for-a-longlongtime @hisandsnakes @chaoticfestninja @survivingandenduring @partyofone3413 @wannab-urs @cakipy-blog @titlee78 @poodlebae @guelyury @missladym1981 @maried01 @alokaerza @samiamproductions @misstokyo7love @themonadiaries-blog @madnessofadaydreamer @darkheartgatita @avastrasposts @weho2kcmo @harriedandharassed @tkchaos @girlofchaos @yghuibt

Let me know in the comments below if you would like to be added to the tag list.

[raccoonsrummagerostrum]

Yautja vs Menstruation

Yautja x GN!reader 

Comfort, period comfort

Word count: >500 (i lost count 😓)

Warnings: reader on their period, menstruation, embarassment, period pain (let me know if I missed anything)

You were actually on top of your cycle this time. And as soon as it started you were ready. 

It also didn't hurt that your body gave you a warning the day before, when you sat on the couch and bawled your eyes out over a nature documentary. Much to the confusion of your yautja lover.

Speaking of your confused yautja lover. They threw open the bathroom door and marched in wearing their helmet. They had noticed that there was something different with you. They could smell that something was off, but they needed more data.

Their vision is not great without their hemet, but there was usually no need for it at your place. The helmet did a lot to supplement their bad eyesight and thus, today, it was necessary. 

They stepped closer to you, and you could hear them breathing in your scent, though not sure from where. You couldn't help but giggle a bit at their display.

Suddenly they pulled you in by your hips and held you tight against their chest. 

"Your bleeding." They stated bluntly, their voice dripping with concern. At that you blushed. You knew that periods were nothing to be embarrassed about and yet every time it got brought up you still got red in the cheeks. 

"Well," you started like a stalled engine, "it's actually... normal?"

The yautja tilted their head back and forth like a confused puppy. 

"Its part of the... human... reproductive system." You struggled getting the words out. And couldn't stop yourself from recalling painful middle school memories, and horrifying Steven King novels. 

But your yautja remained curious and worse, began to ask questions. But sure enough the more questions you answered, the less embarrassed you become. Something about their genuine curiosity was incredibly endearing. 

The press conference was cut short however, when a sharp pain twisted in your lower abdamine, causing you to double over and groan as your face contorted and you pressed your hand into your skin. 

The yautja, predictably leapt into action, but was left at a loss as to what to do. So all they could do was stand there and chuffel in worry. 

Gently grabbing their arm and rubbing your thumb against the bumpy skin, you looked up and smiled. You reassured your lover that you are, in fact, ok. And that you just need to lay down. 

Without warning they picked you up. 

With all the gentleness in the cosmos they laid you down on your bed and asked what you needed. The list was simple.

Hot water bottle (one that had a panda bear cover who you named Carrie)

Some edible cookie dough (the wonders of modern ooman science finally put to good use)

Your tens device (just in case the pain gets worse)

And most importantly:

The company of your lover

[steak-n-popotoes]

FFxivWrite '24 - 2

"Now, I shall teach you to train as we do, and in so doing grant you a small taste of our mastery over the wind."

Beef plucked at the patch of pinions and pinfeathers across his pate as he paced his way up the steps.

Kozu had been upset with him when he found out Beef had gotten Gale to grow his feathers again, because he had been told to only use them for very serious matters. But it was important. If he borrowed someone else's feathers for the contest, it would be unfair. And besides, it only meant he got to spend more time with Alisaie and her porxie, showing her his newest sketches and sharing treats when she got tired from all of the healing.

When Beef at last climbed the last of the stairs, he was greeted warmly by the tower's steward.

"Oh, it's you! Beef, wasn't it?" the familiar Hanuhanu said. "Ohokaliy!"

"Ohokaliy." Beef replied, returning the gesture - first one arm, then the other.

"I'm Gunuhanu, in case you don't recall. I was hoping you would come here to feel the wind's caress." The feathers around Gunuhanu's eyes crinkled into a friendly smile. "For your self-taught methods, you did quite well in sending your feather sailing as far as it did!"

In his hands, Beef turned over a feather he had molted on his way upstairs. "Feathers are hard. Used to arrows."

"Oh yes, an arrow's already in flight, isn't it? It's much more difficult to get something that's not moving to go in the direction you want - especially something so light - not to mention the endurance you need to keep it going." Gunuhanu nodded thoughtfully. "Of course, in the end Lanuhanu gave us both a good humbling!"

Beef tilted his head up to try and peek at Gale in the corners of his vision, but she shifted her weight and leaned out of view. She was still sulking over the loss.

"Well, fret not, Beef. I shall teach you our most basic method of attuning to the wind, so simple that even a young chirper such as yourself can master it. I would be deeply honored if our ways were to supplement your own."

Gunuhanu gently shuffled Beef into position, away from the tree's trunk and to the edge of the platform. As they went, the steward explained the nature of the exercise: be in harmony with the flow of the land's energy - its heartbeat...focus on the rush of the wind across your skin; its roar within your ears...

"But first, you must pray! Only then can you spread your wings and give yourself over to the grace of the wind!"

But who to pray to? Menphina had been very kind to him, but Kozu was rather fond of the Wanderer, and most people back in Ul'dah prayed to Nald'thal.

Beef undid the ribbon that kept his hair tied back. He was level with the lands above the falls, and could almost feel their mist. A deep green blanket spread out below, with splashes of red and yellow scattered across its surface like watercolors. Great stone spires crowned the horizon, reaching into the vast blue as the falls cascaded down from between their fingers. He and Gale closed their eyes in concert, shifting focus to the forest's voice even as its image yet danced behind the lids. The song upon the wind flowed everywhere: racing the clouds across the sky, rushing along the waters, rustling through the branches and leaves; rolling atop the reeds. It ran its hands through the feathers in his hair, circled around his outstretched arms, and swelled in pillowy billows beneath him.

And then, his feet alighted softly upon the ground.

[isfjmel-phleg]

Triumph (Will MacIntyre) Reading List

The forgotten founder of the Justice League has a more fascinating story than he's given credit for, so I've compiled a reading list for anyone interested in this tragedy.

Return: Electromagnetically-powered superhero Triumph (Will MacIntyre) escapes a rift in time only to find out that the Justice League he founded doesn't remember him and he has lost ten years of his life.

Justice League Task Force #15

Justice League International Vol. 2 #67

Justice League America #92

Justice League Task Force #16

Justice League International Vol. 2 #68

Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #1, 0 (this series is numbered backward)

Justice League Task Force: Trying to Fit In: Relegated to a junior branch of the JLA and mentored by a hero who used to be his peer, Will endeavors to make up for lost time and rebuild his life.

Justice League Task Force #0, #17-26

Solo: Unsatisfied with working with the Task Force, Will sets out on his own, leading a new team, and is forced to address a past from which he has been trying to distance himself.

Showcase '94 #12 ("Lost Time")

Triumph #1-4

[As a supplement to the solo, I recommend reading writer Christopher Priest's essay on the character, which includes notes for the solo, as well as the full script of the series, which offers more insight into what he had in mind for the story and character that may not have come across effectively in the finished product. For instance, there are detailed character profiles with important background info in the script for Triumph #4 that didn't make it into the actual issue.]

Justice League Task Force: Failure: Will's pride and insubordination build tension between him and the leader of the Task Force.

The Ray 1994 #14

Justice League Task Force #27-29

Deal with the Devil: During the "Underworld Unleashed" event, the demon Neron approaches Will at a particularly low point with an offer to give him back his lost years in exchange for his soul.

Justice League Task Force #30-37

Alternate Timelines and Later Appearances: The above stories form a complete arc, but Triumph has also featured in other stories, although these were very seldom written consistently with his original portrayal.

The Ray 1994 #25 (In a timeline in which Ray Terrill continues to work for Vandal Savage and turns evil, Ray is frenemies with a now middle-aged Triumph.)

JLA #28-31 (An utterly humiliated and somehow depowered Will gains access to a malevolent genie, turns evil, and attacks the JLA to regain his place among them but is ultimately defeated. This is the character's official ending, but arguably he is not written in character, references are made to incidents that have not been previously featured, and important details of his background, like his broken back--which would be affected by a loss of his powers--and his deal with Neron and subsequent lost soul, are never mentioned.)

The Brave and the Bold 2007 #18 (Triumph appears as a vision conjured by Raven to talk down a dangerous young man who apparently is a son he never knew about, from a relationship that has never before been mentioned and doesn't seem likely to have happened and, even if it had, probably couldn't have happened long enough ago to produce offspring of this guy's age.)

Trinity #23, 25, 28, 31-32, 39, 41 (Alternate universe in which there is a character called Triumph. The resemblance ends there.)