#love seeing mushrooms cause it’s a sign of healthy soil

[flawless-imperfections]

is it even a bioactive if you don’t see lil shroomie guys pop up every now and then?☺️🍄‍🟫

[lonsdalewrite]

Unfolding Summer - Prologue (TEASER)

No one could ever know exactly with what it had begun. Maybe it had started with something minuscule, like a velvet mite or an amoeba in a pond. Maybe it had been a shark far out in the ocean or a parrot in the depths of the rainforest. In any case, the first officially-recorded change (but in whose records?) was to that patch of grass that Phyllis Viato, the at-the-time assistant professor of botany, had found in the gardens of Blazing Light University.

It had been a pleasant day weather-wise: not too hot, as so many days were, but at the same time clear-skied and only slightly breezy. In other words, a perfect day to go for a stroll.

Phyllis didn’t have to think too hard to decide where she wanted to go: as always, she headed to the university’s famous gardens. Covering over three square kilometres and hosting nearly two hundred species of plant in addition to several dozen of fungi and small animals, it was the institution’s main claim to fame, overshadowing even the titles that belonged to its alumni. It was also Phyllis’ favourite place: she loved to walk there, admiring every flower and tree. She saw herself as privy to a slow-motion symphony played by the sun itself.

She had spotted it below an outgrowth of a blackberry bush. A small patch of grass, only a little larger than her hand, was discoloured to a degree that was clearly visible even in the shadows. As she knelt down and carefully pushed aside the bush branch, it became clear to see that the grass in that patch was bright purple.

Phyllis’ first thought was that it might be some sort of practical joke. But why would a prankster choose such a small and incredibly easy-to-miss spot for their joke? And when she gently brushed the grass blades with her fingertips, she didn’t feel any sort of coating on them.

Perhaps a malformation? But these were all separate plants. Why would they all share a single, never-before-seen (to the best of her knowledge) condition? It had to be a contagious disease, then. That, or some kind of chemical in the soil.

And if that was the case, the entirety of the gardens could be at risk. Her good-weather walk now having lost all priority, Phyllis hurried back to the main campus. All she could think about now was mysterious plant-purpling diseases or soil-borne chemicals or whatever the cause of this was.

As luck would have it, one of the first people she saw as she hurried back onto campus was Professor Wesley Teraclas, the head of the biology department and her former mentor. He was standing in the grand archway of the building’s lobby, reading a newspaper as he leaned against one of the smooth greenish marble pillars.

“Doctor Teraclas!” she exclaimed, rushing to meet him. “I require your assistance!”

The professor looked up from his paper. “With what?”

“I suspect that some of the plants in the garden are ill with an unknown sickness.”

Doctor Teraclas almost threw aside his newspaper in shock. Keeping the garden healthy was a matter of utmost importance, after all - who knew to how many species a pathogen or parasite could spread?

“You must show me!”

They ended up carving the patch of grass entirely out of the ground, along with an attempted cube of soil about six inches deep. Phyllis took it to the botany room, and a team of botany professors and exceptional students was assembled and tasked to figure out what was ailing the plants.

The team eventually ascertained that the plants were not, in fact, ailed. Nothing could be seen on the microscope slides, and the grass appeared perfectly healthy despite its bizarre colour - nothing dried or wilting and, as the next few weeks proved, normal growth. After looking long and hard at the chloroplasts, they came to the conclusion that the grass was “merely” (merely!) using an unknown purple pigment instead of chlorophyll.

While Phyllis was signing off on a paper detailing the team’s findings, Professor Teraclas received a telegraph from his good friend Sarah, who lived in the village nearest to the city.

THE ROSES ARE GROWING VERY STRANGELY THIS YEAR STOP THEY ALL HAVE LARGE TOUGH PETALS MORE LIKE BROMELIADS THAN ROSES STOP AND LIKE BROMELIADS WATER IS GATHERING IN THEM AND SMALL ANIMALS ARE COMING TO DRINK INCLUDING SOME UNUSUAL INSECTS I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE STOP THE ROSES APPEAR HEALTHY APART FROM THIS MALFORMATION STOP

Professor Teraclas looked back down at the newspaper he’d been reading.

SEA MONSTER CAUGHT ON COAST OF SALTLAND, the headline proclaimed. The article described how some Saltlandic fishermen had caught a strange animal that resembled a larval eel, but eleven feet long and with the stinging tentacles of a jellyfish growing out of its back along its spine. The writer went on to suggest that this creature might somehow be related to other recent sightings of bizarre life-forms all over the Tellurian continent: large butterflies with six wings spotted fluttering over Orston, a colony of mushrooms in Dallenis that had survived a fiery accident completely unscathed, lion cubs with flat teeth and a preference for grass over meat sighted near the border of the great desert, and, perhaps most strikingly, a human baby in Pernior who had been born with dewclaws.

And in that moment, Teraclas understood what was happening. But being a man of science, knowing by itself wasn’t an option: he needed to propose his hypothesis, and then work to prove it. And his idea was so wild, and had such terrifying implications, that he didn’t even feel comfortable hypothesizing about it.

But it didn’t take too long for it to become clear that his revelation had been correct.

As the months went by, as countless more altered plants and animals and fungi appeared all over the world, it became increasingly clear that a huge biological upheaval was happening on the planet of Andanos. Valiant attempts were made to discover the cause, but no pathogen or chemical or any other kind of material cause was ever found. Eventually, the cause would be decided to most likely be some sort of unknown energetic force that had suddenly appeared.

The phenomenon often seemed to transplant traits from one species to another, creating odd “hybrid” species. However, as it was energetic in nature, it was concluded that it was merely replicating the traits of other species it had come across, rather than actually transplanting anything physical between organisms. And of course, there were many creatures that had changes not traceable to any other species, either very generic ones (like being able to see ultraviolet light when they couldn’t originally) or entirely novel ones with no precedent in nature (like the many non-green plants becoming more and more common). Additionally, it only worked on life-forms with nuclei - animals, plants, fungi, and protists - with bacteria and such being completely unaffected.

The name initially given to the phenomenon was “the Tachytely”. It meant “rapid evolution”, which, while not an accurate moniker, was the closest comparison the scientists could make.

But as it turned out, they hadn’t needed to worry about the accuracy of the name, because it didn’t stick anyway. As the phenomenon progressed, it started to be noted that a good number of the phenomenon’s creations were actually quite useful to humans in some way. Take the brightly-glowing hand-sized fungi that could grow practically anywhere, making for an excellent substitute for electric lights. Or the algae that could be taught to manufacture practically any organic compound. And so, many people began to call it “the Thaumageny” instead.

“The coming of miracles,” said someone sitting on a hill, looking down at rolling fields that bloomed with the world’s newest flowers. “Quite the appropriate name!”

[mozela]

7 ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR GORGEOUS SKIN, NAILS, AND HAIR

Do you sometimes look within the mirror and desire your skin isn’t looking as smooth and youthful because it wont to be? Maybe your hair is thinning or not as thick or glossy as you remember? And what about your nails? Are they strong and healthy or are they constantly chipping, peeling, and breaking? If any or all of those scenarios sound such as you, it's going to be possible you’re missing some important nutrients from your diet. albeit you're eating a healthy diet, factors like stress, illness, or bad habits like smoking and drinking can strip your body of the required nutrients it must function. a scarcity of those nutrients also can affect the way our skin, nails, and hair look.

But to not worry. With the reintroduction of the nutrients, you’re missing, your skin, hair, and nails will recover looking even as good, if not better than before. We partnered with iHerb to you offer you a number of the foremost beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to nourish your hair, skin, and nails for a stunning radiant you.

With amazing prices and incredibly fast shipping, you'll find all our product recommendations at our favorite online health superstore – iHerb.

Hands Holding Wine Grapes

1. GRAPE SEED EXTRACT Dating back thousands of years, cultures just like the Greeks have recognized the healing power of grapes. While they didn’t know exactly why years of the research project have confirmed that a glass of wine may be a rich source of healthy antioxidants. But the seeds from those self-same wine grapes also contain powerful antioxidants also called proanthocyanidins. With wound healing and cell-protecting properties, early studies have shown that taking the extract of grape seeds may help to scale back the consequences of UV-triggered skin damage, and environmental stress while encouraging tissue healing and therefore the regeneration of cells. A study published within the journal Nutrition and Cancer suggest that, when applied topically, grape-derived antioxidants may even have cancer-fighting abilities. These compounds are linked to improved skin texture and are shown to scale back the signs of aging. this will end in visible signs of healthy, more vibrant skin.

What’s even more amazing is that grape seed extract is 50 times stronger than vitamin E. And it also doesn’t just protect our skin from damage, but also actively scavenges free radicals, the oxidizing atoms which will cause the skin to age. Grape seed extract works to repair cells from within out working to stop cell damage before it even happens. For your skin, meaning a younger radiant complexion with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.

Swisse Grape Seed Extract

2. MAGNESIUM You can’t read an excessive amount of news about health without seeing something about the healthy wonders of magnesium. And permanently reason. While magnesium is most frequently related to its anti-anxiety and its muscle relaxing effects, it's also an excellent important mineral involved in over 300 cellular and enzymatic reactions within the body. It helps to accelerate our body’s energy production systems, support nerve function, and promote deep restorative sleep. But it’s also involved within the health of our hair, skin, and nails.

If your skin seems to like it could use a lift, magnesium could also be ready to help by raising levels of fatty acids on the skin while supporting collagen production. meaning more hydrated, buoyant skin that has better elasticity and tone. In other words: fewer wrinkles. does one escape when times are rough? Magnesium is additionally beneficial for those folks that suffer from hormonal or stress-related acne. It can help to lower cortisol which may trigger increased boring on the skin and clogged pores during times of stress.

One study suggested that up to 75% of folks aren't getting enough magnesium. this suggests we’re also missing out on its incredible health benefits. Some symptoms of low magnesium include nausea, muscle cramping, decreased appetite, or a general feeling of fatigue and weakness. Your nails and skin can be showing signs of low magnesium also. If your nails grow slowly, are soft, brittle, or easily broken and your skin is super dry and broken out you'll enjoy more magnesium.

Even if you eat a diet with many magnesium-rich leafy greens, nuts, and seeds you'll not be getting your daily required dose thanks to the depletion of minerals in our soils. Try adding a daily supplement as how to understand you’re getting all the magnesium you would like. The recommended dose of magnesium is 310 to 320 milligrams per day and remember that an excessive amount can have a laxative effect.

Vitamin C Fruits And Supplements For Healthy Skin, Hair, And Nails

3. VITAMIN C We all associate vitamin C as a crucial nutrient that will help boost our system. But it also can help rejuvenate aged and photodamaged skin to market a radiant complexion. An antioxidant naturally, vitamin C works to scavenge skin-damaging free radicals which will eventually cause premature aging and wrinkles.

Vitamin C also plays an important role within the production of collagen, the fibrous protein that gives structure and support throughout almost every tissue in our bodies, including our bones, teeth, tendons, cartilage ligaments, and our skin. the assembly of collagen, the foremost abundant protein within the body, naturally declines with age causing our joints to weaken and our skin’s elasticity to dwindle resulting in lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. one among the foremost highly touted benefits of collagen is its ability to market glowing, youthful, and bouncy skin. And researchers are finding that vitamin C is indeed helping collagen along. A study within the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that subjects whose diets were chock-filled with vitamin C also had smoother, younger skin with fewer wrinkles.

Boosting your vitamin C intake can even help to strengthen your nails if they appear brittle or growing slowly. Our bodies can’t produce or store vitamin C so it must be derived completely from our diets. Food sources include fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, mangoes, berries, spinach, leafy greens, and veggies like bell peppers. And that’s why we love the Swisse Ultiboost Hair Skin Nails+. It contains vitamin C alongside supporting vitamins and minerals including iron, biotin, and silica for a balanced supportive blend focused on nutrients vital to the health of your hair, skin, and nails. albeit you’re not keen on taking tablets, try their tart and fruity liquid version instead.

Vegan Swisse Hair Skin Nails Supplement

3. SILICA A mineral that doesn’t get the eye it deserves when it involves getting gorgeous shiny hair, radiant-looking skin, and powerful healthy nails is silica. alongside vitamin C, silica is another major player in the formation of collagen. This important structural protein that provides our cells their structure, gives our skin its elasticity and suppleness, delaying the onset of wrinkles. While silica can restore your skin’s natural glow it also can help brighten the eyes for a youthful and healthy appearance. If your nails are weak and brittle, adding silica to your daily supplements can promote strong healthy nail growth and helps to deliver nutrients to the nail beds. After future use, you'll even notice that your hair is thicker and glossier than you ever thought was possible.

To add silica to your beauty supplement regiment search for a specially designed formula made specifically to nourish your hair, skin, and nails. We like Swisse Ultiboost Hair Skin Nails+ which offers both a tart and attractive liquid and tablet version alongside supporting vitamins and minerals. you'll get to take silica for up to 12 weeks before you see results, so persist with it for the last word to pay off.

5. ZINC Here’s a fun fact about zinc: it's concentrated sixfold more within the surface layer of our skin than within the layers below. It also plays a key role in the way your skin protects itself. A trace mineral most frequently credited with boosting the system and helping to scale back the duration of the cold, zinc also helps the skin heal itself from issues like trauma, acne, dermatitis, and psoriasis. Applied topically, it also can be found because the active ingredient in products wont to relieve red, irritated, itchy scalp and dandruff.

Want strong healthy nails? If you’re not getting enough zinc in your diet, you'll notice white spots on your nails form or they'll split easily. The daily requirement for zinc is 11 mg for men and eight mg for ladies every day and maybe found rich in food sources like oysters, lobster, and crab, but also meat, fish, and plant-based sources like mushrooms, beans, pumpkin seeds, and spinach. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan it’s a very good idea to incorporate a supplemental source of zinc in your diet to form sure you’re getting all of your body needs.

Swisse For Healthy Hair, Skin, And Nails With Biotin, Silica, Iron, And Magnesium

6. BIOTIN (vitamin B-7) Biotin also mentioned as vitamin B-7 or biotin, is one of the foremost beneficial nutrients for strong nails and healthy hair growth. This water-soluble b-vitamin is an important nutrient to the structure and health of keratin, the protein that creates up your hair, skin, and nails. a number of the simplest food sources for biotin include salmon, liver, nuts, cauliflower, swiss chard, and egg yolks. While true deficiencies are rare, low levels of biotin thanks to diet, smoking, stress or disease can cause thinning hair. Turning to biotin supplements are often an excellent thanks to boosting your intake to urge visible leads to the standard of your nails and hair. One study found that ladies who took 2,500 mcg of biotin daily for six to 9 months were ready to see a 25% increase in nail thickness and a clear reduction in breakage. If you’d wish to give biotin a try take 2,000 to 3,000 micrograms daily for a minimum of 4 months to ascertain the advantages.

Nutrients For Super Healthy Hair 7. IRON Iron is another important mineral contained in every cell in our body. It helps maintain our system function and is that the key to helping myoglobin and hemoglobin transport oxygen to our cells. In turn, our cells use this steady supply of oxygen to convert food into energy. It’s also an important mineral within the process of creating the protein keratin a key building block within the growth of healthy nails, skin, and hair.

While our bodies are pretty efficient at recycling our iron stores, there are times we will go low thanks to things like menstruation, chronic illness, or a vegetarian diet. More common in women than in men, symptoms of iron deficiency anemia can include pale skin, poor appetite, feeling fatigued, and lightheadedness. But low iron symptoms also can show abreast of your nails. If you’re noticing that your nails are thin or curved with a spoon-like appearance you'll not be getting enough iron in your diet. And if your hair looking a touch thin lately, low iron can also be responsible. If you think iron is that the explanation for your thinning hair or weak nails, ask a doctor to possess your blood levels tested. If low iron is that the explanation for your thinning hair it's reversible and you ought to see your luscious locks start to grow back in only a couple of months.