#bidirectional associativity

[soath]

Of Contracts Between Gods and Men

On the Aeorian Kinsey-Deicide scale I’m a solid 5 (near exclusively god-preserving) which may seem surprising to my many dear associates who want those fundamental truths of existence wrecked. Without digging in any further, let’s do some quick religious history review on the question: Do you owe anything to the gods and do they owe anything to you?

The answer is not as universal as many raised in the nigh inescapable miasma of Christian theology may think! Reciprocal (or even unilateral) responsibility in religion comes and goes across history and geography. The Norse Aesir, for example, created humans but don’t owe them nada and only rarely bothered messing with them. The Greek pantheon are significantly more touchy on the subject of their pride but a person could manage offering no prayers or sacrifices as long as they didn’t promise any prayers or sacrifices. Probably. Compare this to Mayan theology, wherein both gods and humans have significant co-responsibility in maintaining balance; with ritual and sacrifice key to the continued safety of the polity. Divine-mortal relationships can be classified as nondirectional, unidirectional, or bidirectional with various advantages and disadvantages to each model. Gods come in lots of shapes and the demands they make aren’t universal!

A phrase that will often come up in any divinity studies is “covenant”. Originally a translation of the Hebrew berith or Greek diatheke, and also present in Islam, the Bahai’i faith, and possibly historical Phoenician religious practices, covenant theology has metastasized in Christian scholarship to the point it was genuinely hard to research this piece while dodging blogs by guys named Richard. But, broadly, it’s the idea of making an explicit deal with power(s) greater than yourself where you both have sides of the bargain to uphold.

Contract law is not the solution to every problem on earth or in fiction, but when the issue is a large disparity in power and mutual fears of future adverse behavior…. to quote Kate Bush “I’d make a deal with (the) god(s).”

Vitally, compared to other bidirectional pacts in world religion, Exandria has some advantages. For one thing, they have a godeater they’re right now helping to suppress. As long as the gods remain behind the divine gate they need mortal champions to effect their will—but that only holds true as long as the Divine Gate stays up. And unfortunately the problem with a fence someone else has erected is that you don’t know if they’ve kept a key.

If I was mortality’s lawyer? I’d ask for a second layer to that divine hamsterball I’d ask for anything left of the godkilling spark to be kept by the temples of Vasselheim—if they can’t be trusted with it no one can. And I’d promise cooperation from people of a certain degree of civic responsibility, not coerced or threatened out, whole hearted. But terms and conditions may vary.

Anyway, I guess the thesis is that it’s a terrible sin to destroy something you can’t comprehend with no idea of what the outcome will be (and a lot of you don’t seem to get the inconceivable joy of having/knowing/being a god, even just in fiction) but you can bring any monstrosity to the negotiating table. Don’t kill your gods, unionize against them.

[deramonfaqs]

Digivice D-Node (デジヴァイス デノド)

The D-Node digivice is a special device that connects the human potential of its bearer with the digimon it is linked to. The connection between both individuals can be bidirectional: The digimon can channel the tamer's energy, while the human can be affected by the digimon's potential.

Beyond its analog design, it is a device resistant to extreme situations such as high temperatures, sudden falls or water. It does not need to recharge its battery, the power source comes from the digimon it is associated with, making it a useless device if it is not linked to someone or the digimon dies.

The use of the device is exclusive, being for a single bearer. Among its practical functions, beyond channeling energy, it can be used for various purposes such as radar, communication or encyclopedia among others.

The digivice belongs to an original story that I am preparing and I hope to share soon, I hope you like it!

[angelacademy]

Clear skin is more than just skincare: Gut Health

(A science based read)

What you eat is shown through your skin and on body. If your constantly shoving junk down your throat, junk is what will be shown on you. Essentially what you eat is what you are.

Eat bad -> bad skin

Eat good -> good skin

If your constantly breaking out and you feel icky. You need to figure out what is up with your gut health.

Research suggests many skin disorders are linked to an altered or unbalanced gut microbiome.

“When the relationship between gut microbiome and the immune system is impaired, subsequent effects can be triggered on the skin, potentially promoting the development of skin diseases.”

“13 Several dermatologic conditions, such as acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea are linked with intestinal dysbiosis. 223 Many studies have associated gastrointestinal health with skin homeostasis and allostasis, and there is evidence of a bidirectional interaction between the gut and the skin.”

Diet, drugs and other consumed substances affect skin through gut microbiome:

“Several studies have related the diversity and pathogenicity of the gut microbiome to skin disorders, which can be significantly altered by long-term dietary patterns. 43,105–107 Diet can affect the skin condition both positively and negatively through alteration of the gut microbiome, indicating that there is a relationship between the skin and the gut. 16 Not only diet, but also many synthetic and natural products consumed by humans as drugs can provide direct and indirect evidence on the connection between gut microbiome and skin.”

High and low fat diet:

“In the gut, a diet high in industrial trans-fatty acids increases the number of harmful microbes (such as Desulfovibrionaceae and Proteobacteria) while suppressing populations of advantageous microorganisms (e.g. members of Bacteroidetes, Lachnospiraceae, and Bacteroidales). 121 Refined and hydrogenated oils (e.g., soybean, sunflower, safflower, canola, corn, and vegetable oils) can cause inflammation in the gut, which then manifests on the skin.”

Industrially produced trans fat can be found in margarine, vegetable shortening, Vanaspati ghee, fried foods, and baked goods such as crackers, biscuits and pies. Baked and fried street and restaurant foods often contain industrially produced trans fat.

Prebiotics:

“133,134 Prebiotics, such as fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, inulin, polydextrose, lactulose, sorbitol, and xylitol are a promising group of compounds that modulate the gut microbiome and can also provide skin benefits.”

“The effect of prebiotics on the skin condition is also obvious. For example, a Lactobacillus extract helps to reduce the size of acne lesions as well as inflammation by reducing skin erythema, improving skin barrier function and lowering the microbial counts on skin.”

types of prebiotics include:

Chicory root

Garlic

Onion

Dandelion greens

Apples

Bananas

Jerusalem artichoke

Asparagus

Probiotics:

“Probiotics can prevent gut colonization by pathogens and support anti-inflammatory responses by producing metabolites with anti-inflammatory properties. The most common probiotic microbes currently in use belong to the genera Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces, and Streptococcus. 143,144 Several beneficial effects of probiotic consumption have been demonstrated on many dermatological conditions, thus proving the existence of the gut-skin axis.”

Common types of probiotics include:

Lactobacillus: This is a common probiotic found in fermented foods, such as yogurt.

Bifidobacterium: This probiotic is found in some dairy products and helps with the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Saccharomyces boulardii: This is a type of yeast found in many probiotics. You can find these probiotics and more in supplements and select foods.

Yogurt

Buttermilk

Cottage cheese

Miso soup

Sauerkraut

Kefir

Kimchi

Tempeh

Protein:

“The proteins from animal-based food sources may have better effects on gut microbiota compared to plant-based food sources due to the higher protein digestibility of animal proteins and the fact that the digestion of plant proteins may be limited by the presence of antinutritional factors found in plants [67]. Animal proteins have more balanced essential amino acids than plant proteins [68,69] and are thus considered higher quality protein.”

“Dairy and meat protein intake at a recommended level increased the abundance of the genus Lactobacillus and maintained a more balanced composition of gut microbiota compared to soy protein, which is beneficial to the host [25,26,28].”

“Your body makes lots of different peptides, each of which has a different role. Scientists can also make synthetic peptides in the lab. Companies have been adding peptides to skin care products for decades.”

High protein foods:

Salmon

Chicken breast

Tuna

Red split lentils

Tofu

Greek yogurt

Fibre:

“Dietary fibre is comprised of plant-based carbohydrates that cannot be metabolised by digestive enzymes encoded in the human genome, such as amylase. Instead, fibre can only be metabolized by certain species of gut microbiota through anaerobic fermentation, with the main product of this reaction being SCFAs.”

“Dietary fibre is a carbohydrate in plant foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and legumes, which have been dominant in human diets for millions of years. From the Paleolithic era, when the hunter-gatherers mainly ate fruit and wild grains, to the agricultural era, when crops began to be cultivated, the ancients consumed more than 100 g of various digestible and indigestible dietary fibre from plants per day [1,2].”

Fibre rich foods:

Chia seeds

Lentils

Broccoli

Avacado

Carrots

Red kidney beans

Raspberries

XOXO

[garblegarden]

Why dont phonies have two heads on each side of the body like palindromes?

There's a mutation that causes a palindrome to become unidirectional, and lose the head on the back end as well as most of the hearts associated with that half of the body. It also moves the digestive tracts around and causes less nerves to exist on the back end, which does cause a couple health issues but isn't life threatening.

Phonies are a crop of palindrome with a bunch of very specific mutations turned on, and being unidirectional is one of them.

Bidirectional phonies do exist, though! This is common when phonies interbreed with palindromes.

[evidence-based-activism]

How do you feel about the spontaneous v responsive model of attraction, and their associated sex differences?

Honestly, I don't know much about this topic. (I had not heard about it before this ask!) I've researched it, but empirical research on it is pretty sparse.

---

It looks like these models concern the different models of sexual attraction/behavior, in that the "spontaneous" model refers to the "linear" model and the "responsive" model refers to the "circular" model.

The linear model was proposed by William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson in their book Human Sexual Response [1]. In brief it suggested that the human sexual response consists of four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasmic, and resolution, which occur linearly.

Rosemary Basson challenged the validity of this model, suggesting that, while it may be accurate for men, it fails to describe women's sexual response [2]. Her model is circular, indicating that "for many women ... sexual arousal and a responsive-type of desire occur simultaneously at some point after the women have chosen to experience sexual stimulation; this choice is based initially on needs other than a desire to experience physical sexual arousal and release" [emphasis mine].

My initial thoughts on this were mixed:

I've found purely linear models for human behavior are almost always overly-simplistic, often to the point of inaccuracy. Almost all the time, future work requires an update to include bidirectional and secondary factor influences.

That being said, the implication I don't believe that women and men have biologically determined differences in sexual response/behavior. I talk about that in this post, but the biggest relevant points are that “sex differences in self‐reported sexual behavior were negligible … [when] participants believed lying could be detected, moderate in an anonymous condition, and greatest [when not anonymous]” indicating “sex differences in self‐reported sexual behavior reflect responses influenced by normative expectations for men and women” [3]. In addition, a review found "many gender differences in sexuality are smaller than researchers once thought, … that within-gender variation is larger than between-gender variation in reported sexual behaviors and attitudes” and that “societal power differentials and social pressures” play a role in any remaining differences" [4].

Beyond that, I also find the implication that it is not only common but normal and reasonable for women to engage in sex without "initial desire" for sex to be concerning. It seems like a way to coerce sexual behavior from women. (Note: I am not saying that Basson intended for it to be used in this way ... I am saying I think it is likely it could/would be used this way.)

---

But, I decided to do some further research and found:

Some research appears to suggest that the linear model is not accurate even for men, and that "responsive desire manifests similarly in women and men, emerging from exposure to relevant sexual incentives and accompanying sexual arousal." [5]

A review of research concluded that "there is an increasing body of evidence that the circular pathways ... which involves responsive desire, accurately reflects aspects of the female sexual response" [6]

A different study on men, found that only 2.5% of respondents endorsed responsive desire patterns (but keep in mind the earlier discussion about the influence of expectations on study responses) [7]

One study found the majority of women (84.5%) reported at least occasionally engaging in sex without feeling sexual desire at the outset [8]

Another study concluded that "a lack of spontaneous desire is inevitable with time even in satisfying relationships and that, as a result, women often made a conscious decision to engage in sex, based on reasons unrelated to sexual desire" [9]

Another study critiques the DSM diagnosis of "Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder" citing "the fact that sexual activity often occurs in the absence of desire for women, conceptual issues in understanding untriggered versus responsive desire, the relative infrequency of unprovoked sexual fantasies in women, and the significant overlap between desire and arousal" as issues [10]

These results all suggest that, whether it is desirable or not, the responsive model is an accurate way of describing women's (and possibly men's) sexual behavior.

---

In conclusion, I think research supports the ideas that:

The linear model is too simplistic to accurately describe sexual response

Men's and women's sexual responses are more similar than commonly suggested, but social expectations likely influences both behavior (e.g., women may be more likely to agree to sex without desire) and reporting (e.g., men may more likely to report spontaneous desire due to gender stereotypes)

Many women agree to sex they don't "start out" wanting. I would contend that this is – at the very least – a risk factor for sexual coercion

I hope this helps you!

References under the cut:

Masters, William H. Human Sexual Response. First edition., Little, 1966.

Basson, R. (2000). The female sexual response: A different model. Journal of Sex &Marital Therapy, 26(1), 51-65.

Alexander, M. G., & Fisher, T. D. (2003). Truth and consequences: Using the bogus pipeline to examine sex differences in self‐reported sexuality. Journal of sex research, 40(1), 27-35.

Petersen, J. L., & Hyde, J. S. (2011). Gender Differences in Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors: A Review of Meta-Analytic Results and Large Datasets. Journal of Sex Research, 48(2-3), 149–165. doi:10.1080/00224499.2011.5518

Dawson, S. J., & Chivers, M. L. (2014). Gender differences and similarities in sexual desire. Current Sexual Health Reports, 6, 211-219.

Hayes, R. D. (2011). Circular and linear modeling of female sexual desire and arousal. Journal of Sex Research, 48(2-3), 130-141.

Štulhofer, A., Carvalheira, A. A., & Træen, B. (2013). Is responsive sexual desire for partnered sex problematic among men? Insights from a two-country study. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 28(3), 246-258.

Carvalheira, A. A., Brotto, L. A., & Leal, I. (2010). Women’s motivations for sex: Exploring the diagnostic and statistical manual, text revision criteria for hypoactive sexual desire and female sexual arousal disorders. The journal of sexual medicine, 7(4_Part_1), 1454-1463.

Duerr, E. (2009). Lack of ‘responsive’sexual desire in women: implications for clinical practice. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 24(3-4), 292-306.

Brotto, L. A. (2010). The DSM diagnostic criteria for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women. Archives of sexual behavior, 39, 221-239.

[lifewithchronicpain]

A new study shows a link between abdominal fat and chronic musculoskeletal pain, but even the authors admit that it’s unclear which one causes which.

The study, published in the American Society for Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, found that abdominal adipose tissue (fat) is associated with chronic pain in multiple sites and widespread chronic pain. It also found that women were at higher risk for this association than men.

“Reducing abdominal adiposity may be considered a target for chronic pain management, particularly in those with pain in multiple sites and widespread pain," wrote lead author Feng Pan, PhD, Senior Research Fellow at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in Australia. “The identified stronger effects in women than men may reflect sex differences in fat distribution and hormones.”

In layman's terms, they’re suggesting that chronic pain patients be told to lose weight. Especially if they are women.

However, further down in the study, while discussing its limitations, they admit that the research does not “address the issue of potential bidirectional causality.” In other words, they cannot say whether excess abdominal fat causes chronic pain, or whether chronic pain causes excess abdominal fat…

…While a specific link between abdominal fat and chronic pain may be new, the idea that fat could contribute to chronic pain by making people more sedentary and less likely to exercise has a long history.

However, as a patient who gained weight after developing chronic pain and being put on a number of medications that had weight gain listed as a side effect, I’m always extremely skeptical about which causes which.

Especially because I gained and lost weight multiple times over the 11 years that I’ve been in pain, and have never noticed either one impacting my pain levels.

In my experience, many doctors are quick to dismiss symptoms when they can blame a patient’s weight as the cause. Even when the excess weight was literally caused by medications they prescribed.

Doctors use studies like these to blame pain patients for their problems, while absolving themselves of any responsibility to help. Patients are told their pain is their fault, and if they’d just lose weight, they’d feel better.

Then, when losing weight proves predictably difficult, the doctor can throw up their hands at the whole situation and proclaim that the patient must not want to get better. In other words, doctors set an impossible standard for patients and then blame the patient when they fail to meet it.

As new weight loss GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and related drugs become more popular, it will be interesting to see how they impact conversations about weight loss and chronic pain. If the medications are as good as they claim to be at helping people lose weight, we might finally get some large-scale research into how losing weight actually impacts pain levels.

And if more patients are able to lose weight when their doctors tell them too, physicians may find that they have to do more than just tell their patients to “lose weight” when it comes to treating pain. (Full article at link)

[thegodwhocums]

⛰️, 🌙, 🦊!

you've been very patient!! (here is the original meme with prompts)

⛰️: Are there any superstitions, beliefs or stories related to the earth / mountains in your region?

one of the best local stories about mountains is that Sojourner Truth crossed through the mountains right in our neighborhood when she escaped enslavement. there are several parks and trails in the area named to honor her.

there is a mural in the nearest city of Artemis Rising Out of the Quarry, which depicts a goddess in the likeness of Artemis of Ephesus over a limestone quarry - we syncretize this visual with Cybele, and the limestone quarries supplied the raw materials for many NYC landmarks, such as the base of the statue of liberty. 🗽 there's definitely a Mountain Mother aspect to the locale.

then there's Rip Van Winkle, who played his fateful ninepins in the Catskills and has a nearby bridge named after him.

🌙: Share one UPG you have on your local cultus.

local cultus UPG... i guess since we mean geographical location, it should pertain to the physical place.

the Hudson River is tidal as far north as Troy, NY, which means it flows north at some times of day and south at others. (this can be very vexing if you happen to have scheduled a kayak on the river without consulting the tide charts.)

the bidirectional flow of the river means it shares some attributes with other rivers, but also has properties we might associate with the ocean. even salinity: the water is brackish as far north as Poughkeepsie. so the river is a place of power, and good for both drawing and casting away. one pre-colonial name for the river is the Mohican name Muh-he-kun-ne-tuck, which gets translated to "river that flows both ways." so its bidirectional nature has been important in identifying it for ages.

🦊: Name 3 local animal species and your correspondences for them

we got

🐸 SPRING PEEPERS, a very small kind of native frog that sings to welcome the spring and announce to all peers that it's time to FUCK

🐍 GARTER SNAKES which i associate with D (also black rat snakes but they're a little scary bc of their size)

🦩 BLUE HERONS which are just breathtaking and which are less of a particular magical correspondence and more just an awe inspiring reminder that the world is magnificent (unfortunately flamingo is the closest emoji)

[headpainmigraine]

There was a lot of interest yesterday re: the episodes that came out on the Migraine World Summit about Sleep and Comorbidities

I took the time and transcribed the episodes. The one about comorbidities is here under the cut

The one about sleep will be posted once I feel less like I'm gonna puke

Remember, I literally just transcribed what I heard, so if there's weird sentences, that's not on me!

I hope someone finds this helpful and/or interesting.

Migraine Comorbidities: A Look At Associated Conditions

Did you know that for people with chronic migraine nearly 90% of them also struggle with another chronic condition,

and for 40% of these people it’s not just one condition, it’s 4 or more.

And while some of these conditions may seem completely unrelated, they all share one common thread - they all exist in the same body

What does comorbid mean?

A cormobid condition or two comorbid conditions exist in an individual at a rate greater than predicated by chance.

We all can have multiple medical conditions, but if you had migraine and diabetes, or migraine and toenail fungus, there’s no association that we’ve mapped out for those, those are two unrelated things that are both in the same body

A comorbidity is something that is related to the migraine in some way, so comorbidities could be unidirectional – one condition causes another – or they can be bidirectional – there’s a relationship back and forth

They can spring from common genetics, and there’s over 75 now and it keeps increasing, some new and exciting ones we’re looking into,

but there’s over 75 disease or diagnoses that are comorbid or run with migraine,

so we doctors really need to know what conditions are comorbid or run with migraine because it informs us about how we treat patients, how we talk to patients, how we counsel them, what meds we put them on,

so there’s a lot of ramifications for understanding comorbdities

I was surprised to hear that diabetes wasn’t a comorbid condition, are there any others that are sort of shocking that they are not associated with migraine?

Well, when there’s 75 different diagnoses and more added all the time it seems almost everything is.

I went for the diabetes example because we have some strong evidence that that is not associated - in fact, interesting and maybe to the aside, diabetes is slightly protective against migraine

so it’s the opposite of a comorbidity

That is surprising, is that for both T1 and t2 diabetes?

No, interestingly that’s for T2, we’re not sure about T1

I feel like with a lot of other conditions, so many that overlap with migraine, you see migraines listed as a symptom of that disease, is that a true result, why is that a thing?

Sometimes true, sometimes its not migraine but it’s more headache

Headache is, 90% of us will have some headache,

even though only about 12% of the population has migraine,

so sometimes migraines might be listed as running with a certain condition,

for example, depression is highly comorbid with migraine, people who have migraine have more commonly or more likely to have depression, people with depression are more likely to have migraine

however, people with depression are much more likely to have headache in general, so it’s hard to know

It gets a bit complicated; we do know, for example, migraine is comorbid with certain types of heart disease, particularly migraine with aura is associated with some cardiovascular disease

The number 1 most common associated comorbidity with migraine is anxiety

So if you look at studies about 2 to 5 times more prevalent migraine is in people who have anxiety

and so being informed that the number 1 comorbidity with migraine is anxiety, we go a little slower and gentler sometimes with our treatment, we screen for it

we think about anxiety in the context of migraine because the migraine worry brain, someone who has both migraine and anxiety, they take meds in sort of differently than those who don’t have anxiety

so again, it informs us in how we treat, we go a little gentle with them

Since there are so many comorbidities of migraine, I’m gonna go through a few and let me know if there’s a connection if there’s lifestyle factors or meds that can improve or worsen migraine, or just any connections you may think of?

Is there a connection between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and migraine?

Multiple types of pain are comorbid with migraine, and that’s one of the OG’s that’s been known for a long time

Fibromyalgia’s the most common pain associated with migraine

Trigeminal neuralgia, nerve pain on the face, also strongly comorbid

and TMJ tempromandibular joint disorder, very common

Painful arthritis, oesteo or rheumatoid, is also comorbid with migraines

You had me on a few years ago talking about the autoimmune connection in migraine and that is real, there’s an inflammation in migraine and there’s an inflammation in many of these autoimmune conditions, so that stands to reason

Again, it informs us if we understand that somebody with RA and migraine the two co exist because NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatories) may be very helpful daily for someone with RA, but NSAIDS daily for a person with migraine disease might cause a rebound or medication overuse headache,

so again, the understanding of comorbidities helps to give us an idea of how we interact with and treat our patients, and how we educate them

I feel like it’s difficult to figure out where the pain is coming from, especially since migraine has a lot of referred pain and areas like the jaw or the neck or joints in general and especially allodynia as as a symptom of migraine and so many of these other chronic pain conditions come in – how do we decipher is this migraine or something else?

The answer is yes. It could be migraine, could be the other or a combination.

It gets difficult; we know that from the shoulders up there is a whole lot of interaction with the body parts from the shoulders up and migraine.

So people who have a tooth abscess that’s likely to trigger migraine,

people with TMJ can be a trigger for migraine in those who are genetically wired for migraine

Osteoarthritis or degenerative disease of the neck or spine, that can be a trigger

and the so called cervicogenic headache, provided it is throbbing with nausea, etc, that is a cervicogenic migraine

The unifying principle here can be central sensitisation,

because you can have central sensitisation from multiple different pain sources, and so one can have pain in the neck/in the TMJ/trigeminal pain, etc, and it’s all leading to a brain central sensitisation.

Again we would be thinking about what meds or therapeutic interventions can we use to decrease that central sensitisation, we could probably knock down all the different pain indications

The other worth noting in this context of course is trauma and PTSD

We know that trauma and PTSD are comorbid and run with chronic migraine very strongly, and also a little less so with episodic migraine as well

I had a patient once who came to see me to treat her chronic migraine and she said

‘you treat that, but I have 7 other pains and I have other doctors treating those’

and I said

‘what other pains do you have?’

she said

‘I have TMJ, I have neck pain, noncardiac chest pain, IBS, interstitial cystitis bladder pain, plantar fasciitis of my feet’

already I started thinking there’s probably a tie there

I said rather than having 8 different pain syndromes, they’re all tied together and out of all of the docs, no one had asked about prior trauma

and trauma gets buried in your brain and it comes out as chronic pain

So sometimes knowing the comorbidity in a chronic migraine patient in particular, particularly a chronic migraine patient with other pain syndromes, you could be the only doctor to ask ‘hey life is sometimes unfair, have you ever had anything bad happen to you in your life?’

We have so taken that mantle up here at our practice that we have trauma therapists on our staff, we have EMDR abilities, we have a ketamine infusion program, so we are the ones who look out for that kind of stuff

That’s rare for a doc to even ask, even if we say ‘im also dealing with all of this’ they say ‘well I can’t help you with that’

Is there anything we could say to make a doctor try to listen or understand, are there any questions we should be asking in that situation?

I think that even someone who is just focused on headache medicine, or course they understand that the migraine/headache doesn’t exist in a vacuum, that there is a whole person here. And my philosophical approach is to treat the whole patient

if someone needs surgery, they’ll go to a surgeon, dentistry they’ll go to a dentist, but we know anxiety is so comorbid, a headache specialist should be good at treating anxiety

depression is so comorbid we should know how to treat depression.

If we get to a point we’re not comfortable with our skill set we can then refer out, but why not be the person taking care of that?

Particularly if anxiety is one of the drivers of migraine, if they’re in a panic or social setting it triggers a migraine, I’d like to take care of that

More recently, and we had a discussion of this at one of the headache meetings, obesity is another risk factor for chronic migraines, so it’s a comorbid condition.

What about these GLP-1 drugs, Ozempic and the others?

This is cutting edge stuff, should headache specialists be writing GLP-1s? and I strongly say yes

Not just in migraine, but as you know, there’s a condition of increased pressure in the brain called idiopathic intercranial hypertension, not always but they’re usually someone with a high body mass index, reducing their BMI gets rid of their headache

Some migraine sufferers it’s the same thing, and so can you legitimately prescribe ozempic? (insurance coverage is another issue) but can you prescribe them for persons with chronic migraine? I say yes

Is there any connection with autism?

So that is interesting, the most common so called neuropsychiatric conditions that are comorbid as we mentioned, anxiety is number one, depression, bipolar disorder and PTSD

There is some literature that there is an association with autism and migraine.

It’s not as strong yet and I think there’s more work to be done on that, another one a cousin that’s in that general ballpark there is an association between ADHD and migraines

I’ve always found that very interesting, for a couple of reasons

One, when you treat somebody with ADHD, the most common class of meds you use are the stimulants. A known side effect of stimulants is headache and if you have migraine it can trigger your migraines

Not always, but this is what’s important to know, it’s also some interesting idea borrowed from Andy Blumenthal another headache specialist, that a lot of adults say they’ve also been diagnosed in addition to their migraine with ADHD.

When you ask why, they say

‘because I have concentration, focus issues, etc’

and he says maybe they have ADHD, legit, or maybe they have an inter ictal between migraine burden that they still have some leftover of the migraine that’s making them not think as sharply

So interesting to think about. It could be, we know migraine and ADHD are comorbid, but some people may be calling ADHD what is actually just leftover inter ictal non pain migraine

We’re starting to focus now more on the cognitive effect of migraine

The migraine is not a pain disorder, migraine is a brain disorder

In some of my patients the headache is a small part of the trouble, the pain part. The big difficulty is the irritability, the mood changes, the cognitive issues, the focus difficulties, so I think we’re beginning to talk about that more

I think brain fog and fatigue in between attacks or during attacks are so common and when we have other conditions we have no idea if it’s migraine, if it’s one of a million different conditions, it’s difficult to parse that out

I think we should get away from labelling migraine as a headache condition

And the fellowship says headache fellowship, it’s really not

Migraine is this brain disorder that’s fascinating and multifaceted and a whole host of different symptoms, dizziness, vertigo, visual loss, confusion, and I think we should be focusing now more on those

Migraine and POTS or dysautonomia?

POTS clearly is comorbid with migraine

Particularly in younger people with a higher incidence in girls and women more than boys and men particularly those who have a lower BMI

We think of POTS as a wonky autonomic nervous system

It can at times be developmental - some people in their teenage years have a lot of POTS and by the time they’re in their mid twenties their symptoms are almost gone, the prognosis in many cases isn’t all that bad

Some of the meds we use for migraine can worsen POTS

Some meds we use for migraine in the right setting can help POTS - if someone has a very rapid heart rate because of POTS, low dose beta blocker can help migraine and can help the POTS

Again, these are the therapeutic 2 for 1s that we can do once we understand and screen for these comorbidities

We encourage all our migraine patients to really hydrate well, well our POTS patients have to even hydrate more, it becomes more of an issue in someone with comorbid POTS

Its interesting that, syncope is not an actual medical condition, but syncope runs with migraine - people who have migraine are 3 times more likely to pass out than people who don’t have migraine

I think some of those probably have a wonky autonomic system like POTS

Now, more recently there’s these overlapping circles of diagnoses that can include POTS, migraine, and ehlers-danlos syndrome, particularly the hypermobile form – that’s a connective tissue disorder and they can have widespread pain, some are asymptomatic, but you can have dislocations of your shoulder and neck pain and other pain, they have a higher incidence of migraine and a higher incidence of POTS

Now we have overlapping circles of 3 different conditions that can all interact with each other

Can you tell us more about the meds typically used for POTS that can worsen migraine?

I’ve found ivabradine which is very effective in POTS can cause headache as the side effects.

I think fludrocordisone, which is another med that can help POTS patients, sometimes can trigger headaches and migraines in my migraine patients

It’s more often going the other way, that if you drop someone’s BP with a BP med for migraine, you’re not going to be doing their POTS any good because they tend to drop their pressure anyway

If I do it, I would do it cautiously - make sure they’re hydrating, using compression stockings on their thighs, all these things we tell our POTS patients

I’d introduce a migraine med that might exacerbate POTS in a very tiny dose

Again, knowing comorbidities informs how you dose, not just the meds you choose, but how fast you might ramp up a particular med

Some meds like topiramate, venlafaxine, amitriptyline, could potentially worsen the symptoms of POTS, but sometimes you can use those in small doses, giving the patient the confidence they can interact with you as often as they need to, and sometimes when people were told not to use those meds I can have success with them, not always, but it’s not black and white its grey

Long covid and migraine?

Covid itself has been known to worsen migraines in persons with migraine disease

I just had a patient today who told me that for the 1st time - she got it a few weeks ago going to a conference and she thinks she got it on the plane - her migraines that were 4 to 5 a month have gone to 20+ a month, and the severity has gone up too

I said to her, its been my experience, again a lot of this stuff the hard science is trickling in, it’s been my experience anecdotally, that when ones migraines are flared up by covid it tends to wind down.

The bad news is it takes a long time, it can take many weeks to several months or more for it to settle down.

Sometimes we use a pretty generous taper of oral steroids and occasionally that can reset them back to their lower set point of number of migraine days

The other thing that we see, and there’s been lots written about this, is covid long haul syndrome

There’s a number of different manifestations, but in the stuff we do as neurologists, brain fog is very common, and we see that with migraine

Dysautonomia is very common

The other big one is gut issues with post covid long haul

We’ve known for years that, compared to people without migraine, persons with migraine disease have relative gastroparesis, their stomach doesn’t move along as well even between migraine attacks, certainly within migraine attacks we know that,

but even in between, their guts are sensitive. It’s no surprise, we know that IBS runs very strongly with migraine.

In fact, IBS has been renamed lately; it’s now called ‘disorders of gut-brain interface’

Because it emphasises that there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with the organs of the gut, in someone with IBS you can put a scope down them, do biopsises, it’s all fine, it’s the nerve supply from the brain

So when we see a post covid long haul person the questions we wanna ask are,

- is your migraine pain worse,

- are you developing autonomic symptoms,

- what’s happening in your gut

and again going back to this holistic approach, there are meds that can symptomatically treat all of those things

Meds that can help the gut along, help the autonomic nervous system, up our game on the pain.

Someone may have never had nerve blocks, we’ll do nerve blocks. Someone who hasn’t had prednisone, we’ll do prednisone

With the meds treating autonomic symptoms, will that help the autonomic symptoms they experience as a result of a migraine attack and is the vagal nerve affected by any of this?

Yes and yes

When you help the autonomic nervous system, it almost doesn’t matter with the dysregulation is, these meds can prove to be helpful

and of course the vagus nerve, which is arguably the most important of the 12 cranial nerves, it’s the longest, it goes all around the body, goes to the heart, the guts, the sweat glands, there’s a lot that the vagus nerve does, it’s clearly involved

Anything we can do in our day to day life to effect the vagus nerve or autonomic symptoms??

Yes, there’s an interplay between vagal nerve function and integrity, and autonomic nervous system function and integrity, and how we are doing

I think that mindfulness, meditation, stress reduction, getting good restful deep sleep, we certainly know that exercise helps dysautonomia of any kind, sometimes with our most impacted POTS patients they need to do certain exercises like recumbent exercises so they don’t get drops in their BP, increases in their heart rate, but those are some of the things we can do ourselves

The other thing, knowing that persons with migraine their number 1 comorbid condition is anxiety is getting them to have a match of how stressed they are about a particular condition to how bad it is

Sometimes there’s a mismatch.

Sometimes a patient who has a dysautonomia and migraine and has anxiety, because we screen them for it and we found, they have a sense that the magnitude of the problem the danger of the potential lethality of it is there and it freaks them out, because they’re feeling really abnormal

So what we try to do and we have Phd psychologists here who do biofeedback and that sort of thing, we try to say ‘alright, lets reset you so that you drop down how much you’re freaked out to match the condition’

‘Its not your fault, you did nothing to deserve it, and it’s real, but it’s not life threatening and we’re gonna help you through it’, you reframe it for them

Can you tell me a list of newer research or newer comorbidities?

I think the Ehlers-Danlos stuff is very fascinating to me and there’s more and more work on that

A paper that was really quite elegant is now about 3 years old or so, by Richard Lipton and Don Bues, was the mast study, they prospectively looked at it was a web based interview of 1500 people with and without migraine, and they looked to see what’s different about this group once you match them for age and sex, etc

It turns out that the group who had migraine, self-indentified migraine, were 4 times more likely to have insomnia, that’s a big problem in our migraine patients

over 3 times more likely to have anxiety

3 times more likely to have depression

interestingly, 3 times more likely to have ulcers or GI bleeding

and also more likely to have epilepsy or a seizure disorder

So, again, things to think about. We sometimes use NSAIDS, sometimes our patients themselves without asking us use a lot of NSAIDS, and NSAIDs is the number 1 reason for admission to the hospital with a GI bleed,

so knowing now based on the study that going into it, your patients with migraine are 3 times more likely than non migraine patients to have a GI bleed, I use NSAIDs with my patients, but I’m careful and I educate them,

so that is something that study that web based survey can alter how you do your practise, how you deal with your patients, it’s a great study

I think the whole idea of understanding comorbidities is for out of frame treatments, how to select meds, how to make sure you’re not using meds that are going to worsen the other comorbid condition

and then asking questions that you may not have asked before

the biggest one I think is when we talked about asking a simple question about trauma and getting a sense of whether there’s PTSD

That I’ve found has been one of the most impactful questions, once I understood the comorbidity of trauma and chronic migraine

Are there any pieces of advice you’d have for patients who are very overwhelmed or they don’t know where to start in managing so many different conditions at once?

Yes, the good news is these conditions are by and large not dangerous and not lethal

the bad news is like migraine they’re usually chronic

the good news is they can be impacted to some degree

we all get anxious, we all don’t have anxiety - it’s when the anxiety overwhelms you and gets in the way of your quality of life and your ability to function

we can slide somebody down the scale of anxiety to the normal anxiousness that we all have,

we can take somebody with POTS and we can treat them symptomatically so that they barely have POTS

these are the things that clinicians should be doing

I always tell patients, I try to empower them that, make your doctor work.

And say ‘these things are important to me, I need your help with them’ and make sure that they’re hearing that they’re listening to you and that they’re hearing you

because you know increasingly you have to be your own healthcare advocate, so don’t settle for somebody who’s not going to listen to you

it may be the 2nd or 3rd doc you find, but find someone who validates you, listens to you, is okay with thinking outside the box and wants to be creative in partnership with you to try to take on the whole person because you’re more than just a migraine disorder, you are a human who’s got other things going on too

[e-carlease]

The Stellantis group are busy at the moment launching new electric cars left, right and centre, the conglomerate are aiming to be the brand of choice for UK customers. The Italian Fiat group, who are also part of this brand association, are launching their latest SUV in the cost-effective category. The new Grande Panda is coming 2025 and with prices of around £22,000 this will consist of the Red and La Prima range.                       

But is the Fiat a good EV? This has a usable battery of 43.8 kWh which offers 83 kW (111hp), top speeds of 82 mph and 0 - 62 times of 11.0 seconds. Real-world ranges suggest a combined 135 miles in colder weather with warmer temperatures to allow for 185 miles (on a full charge) - combined overall at 160 miles. The 7.4kW AC allows for 0-100% charging times of 7 hours with the 100 kW DC enabling 10-80% in 32 minutes. It has a 148 mpg equivalent, 361L cargo volume and towing capacity of 550kg (Braked and Unbraked). There is no heat pump on this EV. Bidirectional charging has not been confirmed.

For more information on the latest EV from Fiat, just get in touch with the e-car team.

[twatchesmall]

"Deep Sea Scepter: Yacht-Master's Precious Metal Navigation Revolution and the Code of Fluid Mechanics"

Under the spotlight of the Monaco Yacht Show, the platinum bezel of the Yacht-Master reflects the layers of the Mediterranean waves. This nautical watch, which was launched in 1992, redefined the physical boundaries of luxury sports replica watches with its original “two-way lubrication system”.

🌊 950 Platinum Bezel: The Ultimate Answer to Marine Corrosion The frosted platinum outer ring of the Yacht-Master uses Rolex's exclusive "Electroflux Metallurgy". 950 platinum and 0.3% ruthenium metal are fused in an inert gas to form a molecular structure that resists salt spray corrosion. According to tests by the French Institute of Oceanography, its resistance to seawater corrosion is 17 times higher than that of traditional platinum, while maintaining a matte texture. A single bezel needs to undergo 72 hours of manual polishing, and the surface error does not exceed 1.5 microns, which is equivalent to the deformation limit of red blood cells.

⚓ Bidirectional Rotational Damping System: A Micro-Experiment in Fluid Mechanics To solve the problem of accidental touching of the outer ring of the diving chronograph, Rolex engineers got inspiration from ship propellers. 108 micro hydraulic pistons are set at the bottom of the bezel and injected with fluorinated oil with a viscosity of 3500cSt. This “liquid brake system” requires a force of 0.3 Newton to rotate the outer ring, accurately simulating the feel of operating a rudder. The Hamburg Maritime Museum in Germany lists it as a "textbook-level design in microfluid mechanics."

🛥️ European Yachting Economics According to data from the Monaco Yacht Association, the wearing rate of Yacht-Master among owners of super yachts over 40 meters has reached 53%. Its rose gold rubber strap style is resistant to deck salt spray corrosion, making it an invisible uniform for Mediterranean captains. The titanium alloy deep dive version launched in 2023 uses aerospace grade 5 titanium for the case. It has a premium rate of 220% in the UK second-hand market and was rated as an "alternative safe-haven asset" by the Financial Times.

🇮🇹 Material revolution of rubber strap The Yacht-Master's Oysterflex rubber strap contains a titanium-nickel alloy memory metal sheet that can adjust the curvature according to the wrist temperature. The outer rubber layer is injected with boron nitride particles, which increases the resistance to UV aging by 4 times. Actual measured data from the Port of Genoa in Italy showed that after three years of continuous contact with seawater, the tensile strength of the strap only decreased by 2%, completely subverting the concept of material class for high-end watches.

[dr-octavio-kalev]

ANM-420: Vigilant Eye

http://mothrainstitution.wikidot.com/anm-420

**ANM №: ANM-420**

**Lead Researcher: Dr. Octavio**

**Identification: Vigilant Eye**

**Danger Level: Darlig 🔴 (Cognitive)**

**Containment Difficulty: 4 (Very difficult)**

**Type of Anomaly: ???**

**Containment:** The entity must be confined in a specially designed room within the heavy zone, devoid of windows and with walls coated with anti-reflective material to mitigate any form of visual reflection or projection. The environment is monitored 24/7 by infrared cameras, with entry restricted to authorized personnel with level 4 access.

**Description:** Designated as ANM-420, the "Vigilant Eye" is a unique visual entity, consisting of a colossal eye surrounded by complex, intricate patterns that appear to be in constant motion. The eye is highly sensitive and consciously reacts to human presence, fixing its gaze on individuals present. The surrounding patterns induce altered states of consciousness in observers, resulting in intense visual hallucinations and disorientation. This phenomenon reveals the anomaly's unique ability to influence human perception in a remarkable way.

The central iris of ANM-420 displays a mutable coloration, shifting through a wide range of hues, including unconventional colors. Researchers have reported observing geometric patterns and symbols that seem to transcend conventional human cognitive understanding. The eye's responsiveness to environmental stimuli is notable. In perceived risk situations, the entity exhibits a defensive reaction, manifesting more intense light patterns and more frenetic movements. This response suggests a primitive intelligence and an adaptation to its current state of confinement.

The cognitive effects induced by the visual patterns around the eye are highly variable, ranging from surreal hallucinations to perceived temporal distortions. The anomaly appears to influence the human mind subjectively, adapting to the unique experiences of each observer. These findings highlight the need for controlled observation protocols to better understand the limits and potential risks associated with it.

Prolonged interaction with ANM-420 raises questions about the possibility of developing bidirectional communication with the entity, exploring its understanding of the environment and its responses to specific stimuli. However, such experiments would require in-depth ethical considerations and a more comprehensive understanding of the long-term implications for the mental health of those involved.

Strategic containment, centered on the absence of external visual stimuli, aims to control the entity's effects. The incorporation of infrared cameras underscores the importance of constantly monitoring the anomaly, while restricting access to individuals with level 4 authorization highlights the seriousness of the cognitive threat posed by the Vigilant Eye. Continued study of ANM-420 is essential for a deeper understanding of its properties and potential applications in anomalous research, while emphasizing the imperative need for rigorous containment measures to safeguard the safety of the research team and potential interactions with the anomaly.

[wheel-of-fandoms]

It’s a biological fact that fish do indeed change their sex to keep the male/female ratio balanced in their school population.

Some fish do exhibit bidirectional sequential hermaphroditism. From what I found, it seems unclear just how much this occurs in nature, though it does occur at least in some cases there as well as in captivity. I didn't see any sources specifically claiming that it was used to keep an even sex ratio (but I only did a few brief searches and skimmed a few papers) Fish do all kinds of different strategies when it comes to sex. Some do an age based M -> F. Some do age based F -> M. Some can go back and forth depending on environmental factors. Some depend on local social structure, like some clownfish were there is one big female and her several smaller males, if she dies, one of the males gets bigger and becomes female.

Most fish are just male or just female their whole life more like what we mammals are used to.

I don't know offhand of any fish that are simultaneously male and female (producing viable sperm and eggs in the same general period of time), but maybe there are and I just haven't heard of them. Ah here is at least one case: "Evidence for Hermaphroditism in the Squalius alburnoides Allopolyploid Fish Complex"

Totally fair to base merfolk off of the idea of balancing the sex ratio, BTW, not saying otherwise! But want to be clear that that exact thing may not be known in fish, and if present, is part of a great variety of fish sex strategies.

Some of the interesting papers I saw in my brief searches: Hermaphroditism in fish: incidence, distribution and associations with abiotic environmental factors

Bidirectional Sex Change in Seven Species of Priolepis (Actinopterygii: Gobiidae)

Bidirectional Sex Change in Marine Fishes

and some other info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequential_hermaphroditism

https://evolution.berkeley.edu/fisheye-view-tree-of-life/gender-bending-fish/

https://karger.com/sxd/article/10/5-6/223/296444/Bending-Genders-The-Biology-of-Natural-Sex-Change

tired: mermaids are all women

wired: much like elves, merfolk are mistaken by sailors for being all women because they have long hair and are very pretty

[vakyalss]

Gut Bacteria Benefits

Exploring the Surprising Benefits of Gut Bacteria

At the heart of this discussion are trillions of microscopic organisms—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes—living in our gastrointestinal tract. Collectively known as the gut microbiota, these tiny tenants play a surprisingly massive role in maintaining our overall health.

1. Digestive Support and Nutrient Absorption

One of the most direct and well-understood roles of gut bacteria is in aiding digestion. Certain bacteria help break down complex carbohydrates, fibers, and starches that human enzymes cannot digest on their own. This fermentation process produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, which support colon health, reduce inflammation, and provide energy for cells in the gut lining.

In addition, gut bacteria help synthesize and absorb essential nutrients, including certain B vitamins (like B12, folate, and biotin) and vitamin K. These nutrients are critical for energy production, blood clotting, and maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails.

2. Strengthening the Immune System

The gut is home to more than 70% of the body’s immune cells, making it a frontline defense against pathogens. Gut bacteria play a key role in training and regulating the immune system. They help distinguish between harmful invaders and benign substances, reducing the risk of autoimmune responses.

Healthy gut flora can also prevent the growth of harmful bacteria by competing for resources and maintaining an acidic environment in which pathogens struggle to thrive. This process, known as “colonization resistance,” is a natural way your body guards against infections.

3. Mental Health and the Gut-Brain Connection

The gut and brain are intimately connected through the gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication system involving neural, hormonal, and immune pathways. One striking area of research has shown that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which influence mood, behavior, and cognition.

Imbalances in gut bacteria have been linked to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and even neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.

Although the science is still emerging, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome may become a crucial strategy for supporting emotional well-being and cognitive function.

4. Weight Regulation and Metabolism

There is growing evidence that gut bacteria influence metabolism and body weight. People with obesity tend to have different gut microbiota compositions compared to lean individuals. Some bacterial strains are more efficient at extracting energy from food, which may contribute to weight gain in certain individuals.

Additionally, gut bacteria help regulate hormones involved in appetite and fat storage, such as leptin and ghrelin. By influencing satiety signals and energy balance, the microbiome plays a role in how the body manages weight.

5. Protection Against Chronic Disease

A diverse and balanced gut microbiota has been associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. For example:

Type 2 diabetes: Gut bacteria affect insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

Cardiovascular disease: Some gut microbes influence cholesterol levels and the formation of a compound called TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide), which is linked to heart disease risk.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD): Conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have been associated with imbalanced gut flora and chronic inflammation.

Cancer: Certain bacterial strains have been linked to the production of carcinogens, while others may protect against tumor growth.

6. Skin Health and Allergies

Imbalances in gut bacteria can trigger systemic inflammation, which may exacerbate skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

Similarly, gut health appears to be closely tied to the immune system’s tolerance mechanisms, which affect allergies and sensitivities. A well-functioning microbiome may help reduce the incidence and severity of food allergies and environmental allergies.

7. Longevity and Healthy Aging

Studies of centenarians in different cultures have found that long-lived individuals tend to have diverse and resilient gut microbiomes. A healthy gut may contribute to aging more gracefully by supporting immune function, reducing inflammation (often referred to as “inflammaging”), and maintaining metabolic balance.

Certain bacteria that increase with age help protect the gut barrier and reduce the leakage of harmful substances into the bloodstream, a process known as leaky gut. By maintaining the integrity of the gut lining, these microbes may promote longer, healthier lives.

Supporting Your Gut Microbiome

The benefits of gut bacteria are clear—but how can you support them? Here are a few science-backed strategies:

Eat a diverse, plant-rich diet: Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains feed beneficial bacteria.

Include fermented foods: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso provide natural probiotics.

Limit processed foods and excess sugar: These can feed harmful bacteria and reduce diversity.

Stay active: Regular exercise supports microbial diversity.

Use antibiotics judiciously: While sometimes necessary, antibiotics can disrupt the microbiome; always take them under a doctor’s guidance.

Final Thoughts

Gut bacteria are not just passengers along for the ride—they are partners in your health journey. As science continues to uncover the connections between the microbiome and virtually every system in the body, it becomes clear that nurturing a healthy gut is one of the most powerful things you can do for your overall well-being.

By understanding and supporting these invisible allies, you give yourself the best chance to thrive—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

URL: For more information, visit Vakya Lifescience : Gut Bacteria Benefits

[innovationalofficesolution]

Managing Relationships in Power BI: Lessons for Tableau Migrants

Migrating from Tableau to Power BI is not just a matter of switching tools—it’s a shift in data modeling philosophy. One of the most significant differences lies in how relationships between datasets are managed. Tableau users are accustomed to a flat, worksheet-centric data structure. Power BI, however, thrives on a robust data model built around relationships—more specifically, star schemas and relational joins.

If you're a Tableau migrant, understanding how to manage relationships in Power BI is essential for ensuring report performance, accuracy, and scalability. Here are key lessons to help ease the transition.

1. Understand the Power BI Data Model

Power BI relies heavily on a central data model where relationships define how tables connect. Unlike Tableau’s on-the-fly joins or blends at the worksheet level, Power BI encourages users to establish persistent relationships within the model. These relationships drive data consistency and simplify calculations using DAX.

Lesson: Before building visuals, spend time designing your data model. Use Fact tables (metrics) and Dimension tables (categories) with clearly defined relationships.

2. Use One-to-Many Relationships the Right Way

Power BI supports various types of relationships: one-to-many (most common), one-to-one, and many-to-many. Tableau often masks these distinctions behind blended fields or logical joins, but Power BI requires you to be intentional.

Lesson: When connecting tables, ensure that dimension tables have unique keys (no duplicates) and that fact tables relate through foreign keys. This avoids ambiguous relationships that can slow performance or cause incorrect aggregations.

3. Activate Cross-Filtering Thoughtfully

In Power BI, relationships have a cross-filtering direction—single or both. Tableau’s filters behave independently unless explicitly linked. In Power BI, cross-filtering determines how selections in one table affect others.

Lesson: Default to single-direction filters for better control and performance. Use bidirectional filters only when necessary, such as in complex many-to-many scenarios.

4. Manage Relationship Cardinality with Caution

Power BI allows many-to-many relationships, but they should be used sparingly. Tableau migrants might default to this structure when recreating complex dashboards, but it can complicate DAX calculations and slow performance.

Lesson: Normalize your data and prioritize one-to-many structures. Consider introducing bridge tables for cleaner modeling.

5. Visual Relationship View Is Your New Best Friend

Power BI’s visual relationship diagram is an intuitive tool that replaces Tableau’s data pane joins. You can see, edit, and troubleshoot relationships graphically, making it easier to detect errors or disconnected tables.

Lesson: Review your relationship diagram regularly. A disconnected table means the associated visuals won’t behave as expected.

6. Embrace DAX for Context-Aware Calculations

Power BI’s DAX language interacts closely with relationships, leveraging context to filter and aggregate data. Tableau's calculated fields operate more independently. Migrants must learn to think in terms of context propagation.

Lesson: Understand row context vs. filter context to write effective DAX. Relationships amplify DAX’s power, enabling advanced calculations across tables.

Final Thought

For Tableau users, mastering relationships in Power BI is the key to unlocking powerful, scalable, and efficient reports. Embrace the data model-centric approach and use it as an opportunity to rethink how your dashboards are structured. With the right relational design, your Power BI reports will be more dynamic and insightful than ever before.

Explore more migration tips at https://tableautopowerbimigration.com.

[skuplugs07]

Integration of Square with WooCommerce by SKUplugs: A Comprehensive Guide

In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, smooth synchronizing between online store platforms and point-of-sale (POS) systems is now a crucial success factor. WooCommerce, being a top WordPress-based e-commerce solution, has rich customization features, but to streamline inventory management, payment processing, and sales synchronizing, integration with solid POS systems such as Square is necessary. SKUplugs, a leading integration platform, provides a streamlined solution for integrating Square with WooCommerce, enabling merchants to unify their online and offline sales channels effectively.

This article explores the significance of integrating Square with WooCommerce through SKUplugs, highlighting the benefits, features, setup process, and best practices for maximizing this integration.

Why Integrate Square with WooCommerce?

1. Unified Inventory Management:

Inventory management across various channels can be complicated. Inventory levels can turn out inconsistent, resulting in stockouts or overselling, if not integrated properly. Synchronization of product inventories is available in real-time when Square is integrated to WooCommerce, making inventory management easy.

2. Smooth Payment Processing:

Square is an easy-to-use and secure payment gateway for both online and offline payments. With it connected to WooCommerce, merchants can process card payments smoothly, offering a seamless checkout experience.

3. Improved Customer Data Capture:

By integrating online and offline customer data, companies are able to create rich customer profiles that allow for targeted marketing and loyalty initiatives.

4. Streamlined Order Management:

Square and WooCommerce order data are aggregated, reducing order fulfillment, returns, and reporting complexities.

5. Better Sales Opportunities:

As businesses have an integrated system, they can better monitor sales trends by channels, optimize inventory levels, and see top-selling products.

Features of SKUplugs Square-WooCommerce Integration

SKUplugs is an extensible platform that provides a number of core features to support seamless integration:

Bidirectional Data Sync:

Syncs product information, inventory, customer data, and orders from Square and WooCommerce in real-time or according to a scheduled routine.

Automated Inventory Updates:

Keeps stock levels up to date with sales processed through either channel, minimizing manual updates and errors.

Order and Payment Synchronization:

Pools orders from WooCommerce and Square and offers a single point for order processing and reporting.

Enables merchants to sync products on both platforms, even when product SKUs or names are different, in order to synchronize the data accurately.

Customizable Sync Settings:

Enable users to set sync rules, e.g., which platform to give priority to certain types of data or sync frequency.

Security and Compliance:

SKUplugs prioritizes data security, where customer and payment information that is sensitive is secured while in transit and at storage.

Setting Up Square-WooCommerce Integration with SKUplugs

Step 1: Sign Up and Connect Accounts

Start by registering an account on SKUplugs if you do not already have one. Next, link your Square account and WooCommerce store by authorizing both platforms in the SKUplugs dashboard.

Step 2: Set Product Mapping

Set products that require synchronization. Utilize SKUplugs' mapping tool to associate products between platforms, such as ensuring SKUs or product names are properly mapped.

Step 3: Configure Synchronization Rules

Determine data flow direction (unidirectional or bidirectional), sync frequency (real-time or scheduled), and which data points to sync, for example, inventory, orders, or customer information.

Step 4: Test the Integration

Prior to going live, conduct test transactions to confirm data syncs properly. Validate inventory quantities, order history, and customer data for integrity.

Step 5: Monitor and Optimize

Monitor the performance of integration regularly through SKUplugs dashboards. Modify settings according to requirement to achieve maximum synchronization, particularly during sales campaigns or stock updates.

Optimal Integration Best Practices

1. Use Uniform Data Formats:

Make product SKUs, categories, and customer information uniform across platforms for easy mapping and synchronization.

2. Back Up Data Periodically:

Back up data prior to integrating to avoid losing data accidentally or creating discrepancies at the time of initial syncs.

3. Train Employees:

Make sure your staff knows how the integration functions, such as how to resolve typical problems or modify settings.

4. Maintain Software Update:

Regularly update WooCommerce, Square, and SKUplugs plugins or apps to enjoy security fixes and functionality additions.

5. Watch for Discrepancies:

Regularly check for discrepancies in sales reports and inventory amounts, and correct them immediately.

Advantages of Using SKUplugs for Integration

Using SKUplugs for Square and WooCommerce integration has several advantages:

Ease of Use:

Its easy-to-use interface makes setup and regular management easy, even for non-technical staff.

Cost-Effective:

SKUplugs offers a scalable integration that can be adapted to small companies or large corporations without significant expenses.

Reliable Data Synchronization:

Guarantees data consistency and reduces manual interventions, conserving time and minimizing errors.

Flexibility:

Offers diverse customization options, enabling businesses to evolve the integration as their requirements change.

Conclusion

The Square WooCommerce integration using SKUplugs is a strategic initiative for e-commerce sellers who want to consolidate their channels of sales, simplify operations, and enhance customer experience. Through real-time synchronization of data, management of inventory, and combined order processing, this integration helps companies function more effectively and take information-driven decisions.

In an increasingly competitive market, leveraging tools like SKUplugs to connect your online store with powerful POS solutions like Square can provide a significant edge. As technology continues to advance, such integrations will become not just beneficial but essential for thriving in the digital marketplace.

Ready to enhance your e-commerce operations? Explore SKUplugs’ Square-WooCommerce integration today and experience the benefits of a truly unified sales ecosystem. Original Source: Medium