#too much sodium is bad for your heart

[katatonicimpression]

So, this web series has so far been one long storyline by Derek Landy (now, officially on the shit list), with a few different artists: Marcio Fiorito, Phillip Sevy & Davide Tinto. The colourists were Erick Arciniega at first, and then Fer Sifuentes-Sujo took over. The final chunk of this series is essentially alternating between Fiorito and Tinto.

So, lets talk about the art first.

You would not have guessed that the colourist was the same each week, given how Fiorito's Wanda looked a helluva lot whiter than Tinto's.

Honestly Fiorito's art was just not great. Sorry but it had a lot of pretty rough moments:

Although a few nicer bits here and there. I liked this Sam, for example:

Honestly it feels like it was produced under rushed circumstances.

I actually made an edit of Sevy's Wanda, and yeah I think he did better than the other two.

But, by far the funniest part of the whole thing is how Fiorito would draw Sam clean shaven (which is, imo, correct for 616 Sam) and Tinto would draw him with a beard. And not even a good beard. So, Sam would be starting a conversation with no beard and ending it with one. Staggering. How does this happen? I'd like to imagine that both artists knew this was a thing but were each too stubborn to change.

The Plot:

I don't care it was fine whatever. Purple space aliens.

The Sam:

Early on in this saga, Sam gets the shit beaten out of him by one of the extra tough aliens (a Fear Teacher). This goes on for a really long time. Seriously, you're just scrolling and scrolling for pages watching him get brutalised.

Now, this is pretty bad. In general, I actually have a fairly high tolerance for violence in fiction, and, in general, I am often the one saying (or at least thinking) "stop complaining about bad things happening to characters you like. it's part of the story, it will lead somewhere" so hopefully it's clear that when I say this felt like too much, I really do mean something by it. The proportion of the comic taken up with this was way too high, even if it had paid off in some narrative way.

It didn't, though.

Both during the beatdown and a few times in the subsequent issues, we get dialogue about how Sam is a less formidable fighter than the other avengers. How he's just some guy and doesn't stack up to them. How he and t'challa can't breathe in space (and, like, neither can Tony but go off). It feels very deliberate and honestly kind of tiring, but you would think it was leading to something, right?

Why put this extensive beat down and all this dialogue about Sam's supposed inferiority into the comic if you're not building to something?

The obvious thing to think here is that this story is set in 616, so Sam is absolutely not just some human dude with no powers. He has telepathic powers. He is very much a special little guy. So, you might think that this was how this was going to pay off. That he'd use his abilities in some unexpected way, showing his worth even if he doesn't shoot lasers.

That doesn't happen, though. I don't think Landy knows that Sam isn't human.

The other option, and what I think (very charitably) Landy was trying to do, was show Sam being Mr Diplomat, and talking to the aliens and that's how he's useful. He gets healed in a magical space healing tube for a bit, then is the main guy who talks to the aliens throughout. There are two problems with this.

The first problem is that Landy's Sam just feels like Steve. And not even a good Steve, like, a very bland version of Steve. Sam's personality is not present when he's talking to the aliens. He's all "sir" and "ma'am" and this very formal "military guy being diplomatic" thing, and that is not 616 Sam. He's a talker, yes. He's empathetic and willing to hear people out, but he's not a soldier, he's not a politician or a diplomat or anything like that. And he's funnier, more brazen. He'd be willing to insult the aliens on purpose, is my point. Landy is hardly the first writer to deliver the blandest possible mischaracterisation of Sam, but it's annoying every time and I think we tolerate it too much.

The second problem, is that Landy does not seem willing to commit to actually having Sam succeed. Sam's job is to be the guy who talks politics to the aliens. Unless it's an important moment or a cool, righteous hero line, then Carol has to say it.

Seriously, that's what happens. Sam's function is to provide exposition, and to vaguely endanger himself in ways that have no consequence. Then, he steps aside to let Carol deliver any and all important dialogue including righteous political shit that surely, surely, you would give to the literal captain america character? No?

So, if the intent was to resolve this by saying Sam adds value through his "talking to people about politics and idealism" skills, then that intention never made it to the final page.

No, what we get is a story that emphasises how much the writer thinks Sam is useless and is worse than everyone else. He just says it over and over again and has an alien beat the shit out of him.

Right at the end of the penultimate issue, Sam comes face to face with a Fear Teacher (I believe the same one who nearly killed him). You would have thought that this would prompt a second fight between them, this time Sam wins, showing that he is, in fact, an impressive super hero in his own right. But no. Instead, in the final issue we cut to Sam already fleeing down a corridor away from the guy.

You guys I'm so mad about this and it's literally just a dumb online mini comic wtf

[savetheghost]

save do you have any tips for managing migraines

uhhhhhh lessee

personally i have prescriptions for it cause mine screwed my brain up but obvious ones like proper rest + maybe log what you eat and see if theres any correlation + general put nutrients in your body stuff which is actually kind of hard to keep track of

i have some REALLY WEIRD scent based triggers so i have to stay away from ammonia-like scents and eucalyptus cause those will put my ass out flat IMMEDIATELY, thats not an everyone thing but maybe note if theres sensory stuff around you that might be a trigger

for me warm toned lights and screen tints are way better than cool tones/white light and if youve got light colored eyes wear amber tinted sunglasses outdoors

water + salty snack > pedialite > gatorade and depending on caffeine sensitivity maybe moderate that cause it can either help or hurt, kinda depends on the person, but water and saltines will get you electrolytes and its cheap as fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck even if it doesnt taste as great as gatorade

sunlight on your skin and not in your eyeballs

also vitamin d just in general helps but its way better to actually use the sun for that than trying to digest it so like just 10ish minutes in the sun is what my neurologist recommended on top of taking 2000mg tablets

thats what ive got off the top of my head

[dfortrafalgar]

I'm Losing You... (But We're Filling the Cracks)

Having a family isn't always as easy as fairy tales make it seem. But sometimes, you just need a little bit of love... and a little bit of science.

Warnings: read chapter 1 for warnings.

Taglist: @phsycochan | @mirillua | @augustanna | @chaixsherlock | @whore-of-many-hot-men | @nerdisthenewcool | @lilypadmomentum

Chapter 25

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The shock did not go away.  If anything, it packed its bags and moved into your home.

You stood in front of the mirror in your bathroom dressed in only your bra and underwear.  Law stood behind you, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.  The air in the room was stifling as you gazed at the bump that had already started showing in your belly.

You had an approximate due date.  May 22nd.

You were officially, according to your implantation date and calculations done by Robin, on your ninth week of pregnancy.  Your hCG levels in each blood test had increased as expected, and your babies had heartbeats.

Your babies.  Plural.

Your symptoms were exacerbated by the fact that you had not one, but two embryos inside you.  Breast tenderness, backaches, nausea, dizziness, the whole nine yards.

Though, if you were being fair to yourself, your dizziness could easily have been a side effect of being labeled as ‘extremely high risk.’  Due to your history, and now due to being pregnant with multiples, you were given strict instructions to be much more present at your doctor’s office.  You were given prenatal vitamins to begin taking daily every single morning.  You were given foods to avoid in order to lower your risk of developing gestational diabetes.  You were also given foods more encouraged to eat.  Raise your blood iron.  Raise your sodium, but not too much.  Eat an increase of around 1000 calories a day to support the growth of two placentas and two babies.  Watch out for spotting, bleeding, pelvic pain, irregular bowel movements.  Watch out for headaches and weight gain or discolored urine, you might die.  Keep an eye on your mental health, what stresses you, stresses the babies.  But mostly, be excited!

Yeah, right.

Your hand traced the small bump in your belly.

“You know…” you began, making Law perk his head up to listen to you.  “I always thought that seeing a baby bump would be the most exciting moment of my life… but I’ve never been more scared.  Ever.”

Law approached you from behind, wrapping his hands around your bare waist and resting his chin on the crown of your head.  His scent enveloped you like a blanket, instantly warming your skin and calming your heightened nerves.  One of his hands traveled down the skin of your abdomen, resting on top of where yours lay above your uterus.

“I can’t lie to you… I am, too,” he added, his voice heavy with thought.

“Am I a bad person for not being excited?” you asked, your voice surprisingly stable despite the racing heart in your chest.  “I mean, I am excited.  So far their hearts are still beating… but…”

“You’re not a bad person at all,” replied your husband, planting a kiss to the back of your head.  “It’s perfectly rational that you feel scared.”

“Terrified…” you clarified for the both of you.  “I feel terrified.”

You and Law made eye contact in the mirror.  The way he had his arms wrapped around you reminded you of a security blanket given to trauma victims in an ambulance.  The thought made a wry smile break out onto your lips, making your husband cock an eyebrow.

“What’s got you smiling all of a sudden?” he asked with a slight upward turn to the corner of his mouth.

You mustered out a dry chuckle.  “You’re my trauma victim security blanket.”

The randomness of your sentence made Law’s shoulders bounce slightly as he laughed, holding you closer to him.  “I know it’s really hard for you to do so, but I think we should both try as hard as we can to think positively.  It’ll probably be healthier for you.”

You looked up at him, a smirk dancing over your face.  “That sounds crazy coming from you.”

You yelped in surprise as Law scooped you into his arms and carried you to your shared bedroom before plopping you down on your mattress, him sprawling out beside you.  “What was that for?”

“So you wouldn’t stress yourself out in the mirror,” he replied, his voice hoarse yet tender as he stared at you from his pillow.  “I’m being serious, though.  I know the stakes are high, but there’s gotta be things we can think about to prevent you from getting stressed.”

You turned your body to lay on your back, lacing your hand with his as you stared at your ceiling.  “Any examples?”

Law hummed in thought, glancing around the room.  His eyes landed on your framed, signed Sora poster.  The frame had a very small crack in it from being moved out of your sophomore year dorm room, but the poster inside was still in perfect condition.  “Think about our kids watching Sora.  Maybe we can dress them up as Sora and Stealth Black for Halloween.”

The tender thought almost immediately made you smile.  Your mind flooded with even more thoughts of Law as a dad, tailoring Halloween costumes for his kids and making them feel perfect.  Your thoughts of Law with one baby had now evolved into thoughts of him with two, rocking two armfuls of swaddled infants to sleep, kissing their little foreheads, pushing them in a double stroller.  Your eyes began to well with tears which you quickly blinked away, choosing instead to push yourself up and roll over, hooking one of your legs in between Law’s and laying across his chest.  His arms instinctively wrapped around your waist, tracing invisible patterns into the skin of your back.

“I get really happy thinking about you as a dad,” you sighed.  “You’re gonna be so amazing.”

Law chuckled, his chest rumbling.  “That’s the kind of positivity I’m talking about.”

You giggled.  “I mean it, though.  Remember before we got married and you said you were so scared to have kids one day?  Because you didn’t want them to go through what we had?”

His face fell slightly, recalling the memory.  He was still in the middle of his residency program, and you were jumping job to job with random, unstable freelance gigs.  It wasn’t the instability of your lives that made him weary, however.  Rather, it was the looming anxiety that everything good in Law’s life would someday be snatched away from him.  And that had happened to you, twice.

But when he stepped back and thought about the broader picture, it got easier for him to see clearly.  How you put up with his shitty attitude when you first met.  How quickly you opened yourself up to him, exposing your deepest fears and troubles and being patient with him when he struggled to reveal his own worries to you.  How you told him you loved him after only five months, terrified that you were going to scare him off, and all he could do in response was give you the most awkward, inexperienced kiss you had probably ever received.  And you stayed by his side even when it took him almost a full year to say those three little words back.

You brushed your fingers along Law’s cheek, tracing the soft hair of his sideburns before hooking around his head and burying into the fluffy black wisps behind his ear.  You pressed a smattering of kisses across his jaw and cheekbones, over his nose and finally on his lips.  “When I think about positive things, I think of you.”

Law’s lips broke into a wide smile, the kind of smile he only ever showed you.  The kind of smile that wrinkled the skin around his eyes and revealed the single small dimple he had on his right cheek.

A sudden ringing from his phone on the bedside table startled the two of you out of your lovestruck daze.  With a grumble, he reached over and grabbed the device, you rolling off of him and sitting criss-cross on your side of the bed.  He tapped the answer button and pressed the phone to his ear.  You could just barely make out the words spoken on the other end.  After a brief goodbye, Law hung up the call and uttered a heavy sigh before standing up and grabbing his uniform coat.

“Emergency surgery?” you asked.  You were only slightly disappointed with the interruption of your intimate moment, but it was nothing you weren’t already used to.

He nodded with a frown before walking back over to you and stealing a quick kiss from your lips.  “Patient just came into the ED with a STEMI.  I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Don’t worry about me, go save the world,” you said with a smile.  He tossed you a somber grin as he stepped into his shoes, grabbed his work bag, and booked it out the door.  Living two minutes away from the hospital by car definitely had its perks.

You were surrounded by silence in your apartment when the front door was closed behind your husband.  With a sigh, you stood from the bed and paced toward Law’s wardrobe, opening the bottom drawer and pulling out one of his old sweatshirts.  It had a custom design on the front of it, one that he also had tattooed on his back.  His living situation after he lost his biological family wasn’t ideal, but the little ways he held onto the memory of his adoptive father always brought a smile to your face.  You pulled the hoodie over you, taking off your bra underneath it and throwing it onto the end of your mattress, tiredly rubbing your sore breasts underneath the soft cotton of his shirt.  You turned around to face the rest of your bedroom.

The pregnancy journal that you barely started writing in was placed on top of Law’s desk.  With a deep breath, you grabbed the book, a pen, and a roll of white-out tape and proceeded to your couch in the living room.

You smiled at the sight of Bepo, stomach completely upward facing and paws outstretched as he snoozed away on his dog bed.  You had a feeling Bepo was going to be an absolutely incredible big brother.

You leaned against a pillow rested along the arm of the couch and propped up your knees to place the book on your thighs.  You finally mustered up your anxieties and opened the cover.

“Nothing but positivity,” you muttered to yourself.  You uncapped the pen and started writing.

[tahdashi]

SAYUUU I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT COLLEGE BF SUNA PLEASE

👒 anon

you met in class during the first week of school. your professor decided to do those silly icebreaker bingo games, and you had to find someone who played on one of your school's sports teams. and lucky for you, the boy sitting next to you, who was wearing a hoodie with your uni colors and "SUNA" plastered along the back, slid his paper to you and said, "i play a sport. do you know how to cook? you look like you would."

and your friendship started from there. he learns that you actually cannot cook and has way too much fun making fun of the fact that you live off of bad dining hall food and cup ramen. and one day, he offers to cook for you ("you'll probably die in like 20 years if you keep eating that shit," he texted you one night during your usual convenience store run, followed by a "get me some gatorade pls").

so you let him. he comes over to your place since his was "too small" (he's living with 2 other guys and the mess is embarrassing). your kitchen has never smelled this good — you watch as he chops up scallions for some scallion pancakes and you're put on sauce duty.

"come on, this is the easiest part. you can't mess this up," he pats your back for support. "just mix the soy sauce with the rice vinegar."

"how much do i add?"

"as much as your sodium-loving heart desires," he snickers. he watches as you pour the soy sauce into the little bowl, eyes widening at the fact that you're still going.

"ok, ok, that's enough," he stops your hand by taking it into his, gently taking the bottle out of yours. "are you trying to take me down with you?"

and that's when you realize how close he is to you — his chest pressed up against your back, his face right beside yours.

your face feels warm, and perhaps its from the hot pan with sizzling oil beside you, or maybe its the fact that suna hasn’t let go.

[howl224tgeundying]

Salt repels demons, this is why the FDA and other "health" organizations are trying to push for less sodium in your diet, they're ironically demonizing salt when for millennia all spiritual knowledge knows that it repels bad spirits/demons (regardless of religion, belief or region of the world).

Processed sugar on the other hand, attracts demons, it's the bastardized version of salt. It's white granules, but instead of being beneficial and essential to life (like salt) it destroys teeth, makes you fat and many other negative effects on health.

Natural sugars like those found in fruits and honey have been shown to be different than processed sugars, these can be good, especially honey which has healing properties (in moderation of course).

But this is why salt was demonized and sugars have been put into everything, all drinks, food, fucking pasta sauce, and it's addictive as all hell. When you look at countries like Japan or Korea that have extremely high sodium intake (from many fermented sauces) you see that they actually have low rates of obesity and heart disease. It's almost impossible to have too much salt as you will just pee out any excess, so stay hydrated and aside from drinking hyper salinated water, you literally can't overdose on salt. Meanwhile countries with high rates of sugar consumption, you see high rates of obesity and heart disease, like in America where sugar is even in the bread. Not to mention diabetes and other numerous health detriments are either brought on entirely or exacerbated by excess sugar intake.

[breelandwalker]

Going to preface this by saying that this is something that has helped ME, MYSELF, AS A SINGULAR PERSON, and is not meant to be a blanket recommendation or a broader truth or any kind of medical advice. I am also not looking for advice of any kind.

I have a hard time finding the mental and physical spoons to exercise. I have a day job that requires me to be sedentary, a side hustle that requires a lot of mental energy, and way too much housework and home repair stuff to deal with. All this plus ADHD. Between the battle with executive dysfunction and the energy needed to get through all my Have-To's, adding one more thing to my weekly routine or making time to go to the gym is just not an option.

But at the same time, I've got 40,000 miles on this chassis and a history of health problems in the family, so I need to be taking care of myself.

So what I've started doing is adding little bodyweight exercises to my day while I'm at work. If I'm sitting, it's arm circles or leg raises a few times an hour. If I get up for something, it's squats or wall presses. If it's lunchtime, it's a lap around the building. All stuff that gets me moving, engages muscles that aren't getting used enough, and can be done quickly more or less anywhere.

I've managed to turn this into a habit using an app, alongside reducing the sodium in my diet and eating more fruit, and I'm starting to feel less tired and more limber. I still have trouble with fatigue sometimes, but this routine change does seem to be sticking, which is a big win for me. Plus I don't have to waste money on gym fees and then feel bad when I'm too tired to actually go and use the equipment.

It's no picnic hitting your forties and realizing you have to start paying serious attention to all your bits and bobs because the warranty is DEFINITELY expired by now and you can't just ignore your blood pressure anymore, especially because three bouts of COVID have done a number on your heart and lungs. While I'm not going to turn into a fitness model or pick up jogging anytime soon, it sure was nice to go to a LARP event and not feel winded after combat.

Turning 40 ain't easy. But it damn sure beats the alternative.

[volivolition]

Yo, what's your favourite moment/line from Disco Elysium?

VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION HKJHG <3 off the top of my head, favorite moment is shooting down the hanged man and aces high/low :] it's just such a win... very celebratory moment with kim!!

if i had to pick a line, it would be "I NEED YOU. YOU CAN KEEP ME ON THIS EARTH. BE VIGILANT. I LOVE YOU." it's just such a classic. the line of all time, shivers my everything!!! LA REVACHOLIERE MY EVERYTHING!! if i had to choose, its this one :3

anyway, here's a list of voli's poignant quotes :]

"This is somewhere to be. This is all you have, but it's still something. Streets and sodium lights. The sky, the world. You're still alive."

"The road to healing is going to be a long one. Stay the course. You will make it, some day."

"Subdue the regret. Dust yourself off, proceed. You’ll get it in the next life, where you don’t make mistakes. Do what you can with this one, while you’re alive.”

"I know there's not much to say -- but if nothing else, just remember that you've made it this far. And it's just a bit farther now. Let's finish this."

"No. You can stop. Just wade through the hell. Month after month. Year after year -- you against the nothingness. It's possible, because time is possible.

"No. Not a disaster. Weave this into the story of you. Walk out of its ruins. Save those who still can be saved -- I'm on your side."

also all of the skills break my heart in some way for the final dream scene, but volition's is my header for a reason </3

"I can't help you. I am totally useless. Everything I've said is lies. I want the exact same bad things you want. To stand here, like a pillar of salt, saying…"

^ guy who fucking breaks my heart :'] he tries so hard to be strong, to keep your morale and willpower up, but god he is not infallible. for him to admit this. ough... my heart. i love this guy.

i do have other favorite quotes!! Half Light's "You are the first crack in the sheer face of god." and Esprit's "If an assault were launched on this building right now — if the windows came crashing down and the whole world descended upon you — this man would hurl himself in death's way to save you" and Kim's "Every school of thought and government has failed in this city, but I love it nonetheless. It belongs to me as much as it belongs to you." and i also love the silly quotes too and ough. game that is mostly words having a lot of good quotes? who would have guessed!! but yes, the ultimate fave would be the first shivers quote <3

[winke77e]

Good Intentions?

So my mom asked me an interesting question: "Don't you ever feel like an asshole when you think you're correcting people? Especially if the thing they believe makes them happy?"

In this conversation specifically, about science and health facts, my answer is "No."

I don't feel like I'm being an asshole when I tell you the thing you believe about a health fact is wrong. I feel like I'm helping you learn the correct way to keep yourself healthy. I know I might sound like an ass, and be perceived as an ass, but I know your intentions are good, you might just be understanding 'the thing' wrong and I want to help you actually be safe.

For context: My mom has a fear of having a heart attack or stroke, but she doesn't talk to doctors or health professionals about staying healthy or safe. Instead she found this "Influencer" who gives "health advice", but this person has also been banned from Australia because their 'advice' was so wrong, it threatened peoples' health. My mom thinks eating excessive amounts of Celtic Salt will provide her with minerals that will boost her health, and EVERY TIME we talk about her salt, I tell her that she's eating so much sodium, those minerals mean nothing.

I know that often, people feel like they're being insulted when someone corrects something they say, but that's not always the case. In the above situation, I correct mom's misinformation because I know the thing she is doing, is going to greatly increase the chances of her experience the thing she's trying to avoid. I'm not mean about it, just persistent. I don't tell her she's stupid or anything. I don't really tell her "you're wrong". I remind her of a health fact she used to know as true, but has since been convinced to forget it?

I did tell her, when she asked why I keep talking about it, that "you might be lucky and nothing will happen, in which case I'm just annoying and we cannot have a good conversation about salt with each other. But a majority of cases show, the excessive amount of salt people eat can lead to greater risk of stroke or heart attack. And if you are unlucky and have an event, don't be surprised if the doctor talks to you about your salt."

I've been corrected too, but I've always thought it of someone trying to teach me something. And sometimes what they say is wrong, but I appreciate their attempt to help me. They state their case, I state mine, then I move on to another topic that we don't disagree on, but sometimes something they say has me questioning, and then I get to do more research :D

There's another guy at the homeless shelter who is giving me advice on how to start my own business. I cannot talk health facts with him because he believes changing his body's PH balance will protect him from cancer and that the oncoming eclipse is caused by excessive amounts of chemicals the government is exposing us to. He speaks so often and with so much confidence and authority, that I still feel bad voicing any opposing opinions. But I still try, sometimes.

( other side note, as a presenting woman, anything I do is often brushed aside as me "being a bitch", so very often anything I say or do is dismissed or taken with skepticism. Occasionally, I do find someone who is interested in learning and we ask questions together and do research and have good fun :) )

What do you guys think? I genuinely want to know your stance on correcting people or being corrected.

[tea-with-evan-and-me]

after i was diagnosed with diverticulitis i slowly started to change my diet. now, eating primarily whole foods isn’t always exciting but boy do you feel the difference and i lost 20 pounds in two months 🤦🏻‍♀️

Holy moly admin, I’m sorry 😥 I had to read up on that, it sounds painful. I’m glad you were able to turn your diet around and found a way to stick to it, getting older and the harsh effects that come with it is no joke. The way my metabolism changed between my 20s and 30s is such a kick in my ass. If I don’t do something active every day and even think about a chocolate shake or chicken strips and fries my ass automatically jiggles for like 2 weeks 😭

What are some main staples in your whole food diet? Like do you avoid carbs altogether or just certain ones at certain times? I find that if I don’t eat carbs (flour products, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and corn), added sugars, processed food, dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol or oils (cooking and all fat oils and butter) 3 consecutive days each week, my cravings for the bad stuff becomes less, my inflammation goes away and I can drop at least 2 pounds a week and that’s without any working out, plus I quit caffeine period. *I’m not a nutritionist or diet expert* It is easy to maintain and each week gets easier if you stick to it, but obviously I’m human so this is not something I do all the time for weeks at a time. I’m a foodie at heart and if I want loaded nachos with a steak and bang bang shrimp on the side, I’m a do it 🤣 especially around that time of the month….but that’s when I’ll up the weight and reps in my workouts too.

you're right, i swear i turned 25 and all of a sudden shit got real 😂 i know exactly what you mean though.. nowadays i have been trying to do at least 10k steps every day (walking or jogging) and weight lift 3/week. 2022-2023 was challenging health wise for a variety of reasons and i felt like a big change was needed. ended up having surgery for my endometriosis/an ovarian mass and promptly put on a medication that basically was like a taste of menopause.. hot flashes, joint pain, insomnia, nauseous all the time.. i'm just now coming off of it and i tell you that shit made it so hard to lose weight lmao i'm hoping things will be stable off of it.

everything you said makes perfect sense to me! the longer i go without eating ultra-processed/hyperpalatable foods in general, the easier it gets and the less i crave them. this year i actually ended up buying and participating in a medical weight loss plan because i NEEDED for someone to.. basically just tell me what to eat. i wasn't technically overweight - i know how to eat low calorie and i know how to lose weight if i need to, but not in a healthy way at all. that really was what changed for me, taking their little nutritional class and receiving a meal plan with tons of details about the different groups and how much to eat each day. i realized i was eating so much MORE food - my meal plan was more than i could even manage most days, and yet i lost weight, like now i look like a different person.. it's crazy. i realize i'm sensitive to sodium and i was really inflamed, even in my face, looking back it was so pronounced. on my meal plan, i couldn't add any salt to my food, only salt free seasonings. so that was a big thing lol to answer your question about staples, it's a little tricky.. i haven't banned carbs at all, but i have reduced them a bit. for instance, i'll still have rice, but i will do 1/4 of a cup or 1/2 cup and load up on veggies. nowadays i just eat the live carb smart bread and buns. potatoes are my FAVORITE, so i just try and eat a bit less of them, corn as well. the tricky part about trying to eat as many whole food meals as possible, is that i don't want to cook a meal every single night. i'm big on meal prepping, but i don't really like to eat microwaved food. i feel like it makes food taste weird, ESPECIALLY chicken, which happens to be my general protein of choice. so i've been eating a lot of beef, eggs and cottage cheese for protein. i love vegetables so there's countless options to add in my rotation. i'm very much still learning what works for me, and like you, i'm a foodie who loves to eat. i'm never going to be someone made miserable trying to stick to a very strict diet. i want to enjoy those delicious nachos every once in a while too LMFAO

[dasenergi]

Mountains or seaside?

Coffee or tea?

Robots or aliens?

Too hot or too cold?

Early bird or night owl?

Thin crust or thick?

Sun or moon?

Thank you for asking, friend.

Mountains or seaside? I live in southern California, all of our beaches are hot and crowded. I'd much rather spend time in the mountains, cooler, quieter, surrounded by trees. I can feel my stress and anxiety dissipating, just by thinking about the trees.

Coffee or tea? Tea. Although I don't drink either any more. I went through a phase where I drank nothing but iced tea because I thought it was good for me. Nope! It dehydrated me and I ended up with bad vertigo for weeks. Now I just drink water.

Robots or aliens? Aliens. I am a believer who has had my own experiences, and has gone to several UFO/UAP conferences in Joshua Tree. I have also attended an Alien Abductee Survivor meeting, hearing their harrowing stories. Their experiences and trauma is heartbreaking. They weren't lies / stories - they were the 100% truth. I am a believer. Also, aliens figure prominently in a book I wrote.

Too hot or too cold? I hate the winter. Hell is ice cold to me. The cold is painful! I'm a summer boy. I love being out in my pool swimming every day. I'd rather feel oppressive heat than bone-chilling cold. But with all that said, to answer your question, in the summer I am too hot and in the winter I am too cold.

Early bird or night owl? I wake up every morning at 5am whether I want to or not. My bedroom has French doors that open to my backyard. I enjoy opening them when it's dark outside and the world is quiet and still. That's my favorite time of day. I get my best meditations when the world is still dark and quiet.

Thin crust or thick? Thin, simply because I am aways watching what I eat. If I could eat anything and not have to worry about my health, I'd love to dip some pizza crust into melted butter or ranch dressing. But alas, I like to feel comfortable in my clothes. Also, heart disease runs in my family. So I keep an eye on carbohydrates, fat, and sodium.

Sun or moon? The moon. It's cool and magical and beautiful. I keep an eye on her every day. The sun is so harsh you can't even look at it without blinding yourself. Also, it causes cancer and will eventually destroy the Earth. But the moon? The moon is my lover. We have had many intimate times together.

Thanks again, friend! I appreciate your Ask.

[unskilledpoint]

What death causes the most frequent nightmares?

Surgical tools are fucked up. Dentistry tools moreso. Which makes sense. Flesh and muscle are hardy. Teeth are as strong as bones. Stronger actually, due to the lack of living material within. One would need quite sharp tools to operate with. Hence the fucked up-ness of dentistry tools. But a person can do a lot more than dentistry with them y'know!

It especially helps when one is under a decent dosage of tetrodotoxin, often sourced from pufferfish. By blocking the transfer of sodium ions between cells it causes paralysis in the muscles.

Not exactly something you wanna be under whilst being wheeled off on a stretcher into a killer dentist's office.

The first thing you see is the white. The glaring, harsh and cold white. It's almost blinding, really. You count the tiles in the ceiling. 48. You count the teeth in your jaw. 32.

Sterile. You can smell the cleanliness. The rubber cuts through the air, a sickeningly blunt smell. Bubblegum. From the mouthwash used. Kids mouthwash.

The lights. Have I mentioned the lights? The bright white lights glare down from bright white ceilings in a bright white room so sterile it smells of death.

The chair is hard. A bit of stuffing pokes out of the cold blue faux leather. You try to poke it in. No use. Tetrodotoxin, remember? You can't move.

The lights flicker a little. The metallic hum in the background continues unwaveringly. You never forget that buzz, not once, not ever. The buzz is everywhere. You hear it all the time. In your room, the forest, someone else's house. A reminder your always an inch away from death.

Of course, it's also a reminder that there's been worse. Later on, you'll say, hey. This is bad, but at least I'm not there again!

But now isn't later on. Now you're here. And here you hear the clinking of metal. Some plastic crinkles. Dentist tools poking through their wrapper.

Your breathing gets heavier, ever so slightly. You can feel the way your hearts beats in your chest, pumping blood, in perfect rhythm with the pounding of your ears.

You lie to yourself. This is fine. This will be okay. This iss just like your normal deaths.

You're good at lying. See? You've even fooled yourself.

For a second, anyways. You're good at detecting lies too. Then the sounds of blood return.

Rubber gloves. You can taste it. The cold metallic buzz is in your mouth. And pliers. Held by a slightly shaky hand.

You're scared now. Terrified.

Crunch. It's sickening how fast that was.

Time passes by. The metallic taste gets stronger. You're choking on it. You don't know where your teeth went. Something red spills. A welcome difference from the artificial blues and whites.

The corners of your vision are red. Red like that liquid.

Some moments later, you wake up in your bed wondering how much was real.

You check the ceiling. Wood. You can't count those. You check your teeth. 32. Sharp as ever.

You're shaking. Why? It was just a dream. Pathetic.

And then you decide it's not worth it to go back to sleep.

Of couuuuuuuurse, some of that iiiiiiiis probably a lie! Maybe. Probably. Yes.

Aaaaaaaanyways, hope that settles your question!

[allandoflimbo]

Ashens (Part 45)

Summary: She falls in love with Bucky Barnes from the moment she sees him. Bucky, still in love with a woman from his past, hates Y/N and plans to make her life miserable. To both their dismay, they are assigned together to go undercover into The Capitol for six months. There, they develop a heartbreaking friend with benefits agreement. Dystopian.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Rating: for Mature, E for explicit. Enemies to lovers trope, sharing a bed trope, friends with benefits trope, temporarily unrequited love, heavy and angry sex. Major character death, mentions of suicide. Bucky and Reader are toxic in this but also very much in love. Heavy on the angst, and very strong language.

A/N: optional last chapter; the end. Please read author note at the end for more details.*

++ +

Full story here:

ASHENS MASTERLIST

"Look at these toes. So perfect. Who's perfect? You are." Bucky's baby voice went on and on and it was making your stomach flutter with love, "you are. That's right." He was in the living room, holding Katerina in his arms.

You're putting your gorgeous industrial stove to use tonight. You turn the roaring burner to the left, making the fire smaller.

You weren't making anything from scratch since half the things in the grocery store had to be thrown out, but you were still happy with all of this.

You were making ramen.

You waved the little foil packet around and then ripped it.

"Oh the smell of sodium and chicken seasoning." You grumble as you mix in your Maruchan powder into the noodles.

The steam traveled into the air.

Over the soft hum of the gas, you could hear Bucky with Katerina in the living room again.

You looked over to see him playing with her in his lap.

It warmed your heart.

It also made a part of you that you hadn't felt feeling so good in what felt like forever.

The domestic nature of it was so attractive to you.

You cleared your throat. His eyes catch yours for a moment and he smiles at you. The sides of his eyes crinkle adorably and his nose does that little scrunch you love.

You wanted him. Bad.

You look away, blushing.

Things have become so domestic between you two for a while now that even just the thought of sex was making you shy and a little nervous.

Bucky continues to play with Katerina a bit and then he goes on to feed her.

It's when you're putting the ramen into two yellow bowls - one for you and one for Bucky - that he starts to gently burp her.

There was just something about watching him like that that attracted you to him even more.

As you place his bowl down in front of him, he sighs and looks down at Katerina to see how she's doing, his hand still lightly tapping against her back.

"You put the diapers where?" He asks quietly, his eyes searching your face.

"They're right next to her crib. You'll see the wipes there, too."

Bucky nods.

"I'll change her in a bit," Katerina finally lets out little burps and Bucky smiles, "there you go. Good girl."

Bucky finally pulls her off his upper chest and Katerina does the classic little baby scrunch with her legs. He loved that every time.

He maneuvers her so she's back into he crook of his arm, cradled against his front.

"You need to eat." You tell him, gesturing down to his plate.

"I will." He moves closer to the plate and starts to eat with with his free vibranium hand.

You both eat there silently, loving every moment of this.

When you're finished he he takes both the plates to the sink in his free hand.

"I don't think she need to be changed yet, so I'm gonna lay her down for a bit. She's already falling asleep." Bucky tells you over his shoulder as he's already more than halfway there.

"Sounds good." You say.

You go to your bathroom to fresh up, and when you come back, Bucky's already laying on the couch, eyes to the ceiling and hand draped over his stomach.

You walk over to him and look down at him, smirking.

He looked very tired but satisfied.

"You okay?"

He hums yes.

"That ramen stuff is good, but I feel bloated and disgusting as hell." He says. You chuckle. He looks over at you, "How about you?"

You nod.

"I'm good. I think one more day of just sleep, and maybe trying that face mask I found, and I should be refreshed."

Bucky smirks.

"The two face masks package thing? The one where you wanted us to wear together?" He laughs.

"Yes." You say, smiling, "Maybe tonight. What do you think?"

Bucky pretends to think for a moment and he closes his eyes.

"Sure. Why not?" He shrugs for added effect.

You bit your bottom lip, eyes drifting down his chest and lean torso.

"Meet me in our room at eight thirty?"

He smirks at your answer.

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"An overdue one, but yes."

He smiles at your answer.

"Alright eight thirty it is." He responds. He opens his eyes again and he gives you that look.

"What?" You ask shyly.

"I want to give you something." He replied softly. You watch as he sits up and the offers you his hand. Already feeling super anxious, you take his hand and follow him to your bedroom, "Sit." He tells you once you're both inside, motioning with his head towards your bed.

You sit yourself down.

You watch him closely as he walks to the night stand next to your bed and pulls out a little rectangle black box.

Slowly, he clicks the box open.

"Face the mirror." He whispers.

You turn your body all the way to the left so that your legs were now almost entirely on the bed, and you were facing the medium size square mirror that was on top of vanity, directly in front of the foot of the bed.

Goosebumps form on your skin where he slowly moves your hair up and over your shoulder.

He brings his fingers to your tattoo and drags his fingers there.

Your skin feels to cold when he pulls away for just a moment. It's not long before he's touching you again. This time a hand was touching your hair and his other wrist was on your collarbone. You look down to see he's putting a necklace on you.

A very thing silver chain, beautiful. At the end of it a little tube, maybe half an inch big, if even that. It hangs down against your sternum. Inside of it was a deep maroon color.

"Shake it gently." He tells you. You do and it beings to glow against your skin, "I had Bruce make it. You'll always have a piece of us with you." You hold it in the palm of your hand and you wrap your hand around it tightly.

"It's lovely." You say.

You feel him sit down behind you and you feel his hand cup the right side of your neck, his thumb just below your ear.

His hand drifts down to where your neck meets your shoulder and he leans in, placing a kiss on the back of your neck.

You both stay like that for a few minutes until his lips eventually move down your shoulder.

"I love you." He whispers.

+ + +

The rest of the day feels like an unbelievable fever dream. After Bucky had given you the necklace, he had spent a majority of the day with Kat, and at one point, he said he had gone outside for a little walk with her.

You spent the day like you said you would; resting and refreshing.

By the time evening came around, you felt like a new person.

When they come home, you both give Katerina a little bath.

"So what are we doing?" Bucky asks doubtfully, giving you furrowed brows.

"You're going to get in with her. You'll keep the water away directly from her, maybe your back facing the water, and just keep her pressed to your front. I'll be there to help you. Your can keep your bottoms on, maybe your boxers. But you'll see how much she loves it."

Bucky nods.

Once he's just on his boxers, he hears you turn on the shower. You put it to a perfect temperature; warm but not hot. Kind of lukewarm, but better.

When you turn around to see him holding her little body to his skin, it makes you feel that love again.

Has Bucky always been this big softie? Or did his little girl make him this way?

You watch their interaction closely, keeping it to memory. You watch the way his vibranium hand almost covers the entirety of her back, and the way her obnoxious patch of brown hair of the back of that little head keeps touching his metal thumb.

Her tiny grand grabs at his skin, and her little blue eyes peak up at you.

"Is it ready?" He asks you.

"Yeah. Just get in slowly." You tell him.

He does as he's told.

He looks so perfectly human to you, not that he wasn't, but it was different. This was different.

You notice freckles on his back that you never noticed before and you notice the way the ends of his hair stick out on the nape of his neck, then catching the water droplets from the steady flow of the shower head.

You help him as he reaches down for the baby shampoo and little yellow rag you had gotten, dragging over Katerina, some of the soap getting on him as well.

Its when he starts washing her little hair that it finally hits you that he's found something he loves more than he would ever love more than you.

And you loved that. You welcomed his love with all your heart.

+ + +

After Katerina is clean, you got her dressed for bed. Meanwhile, Bucky stayed in the shower, this time properly cleaning himself.

Life couldn't get any better than this. It really couldn't.

Your nerves were on end as you walked around your room fidgeting, the water in the bathroom still running. You sat on the bed at least four times in the last five minutes.

You were anxious. You and Bucky had been throwing around innuendos around each other for two days now, the feeling of want finally brewing again because he knew you were okay now to let him in.

You both knew what would happen tonight, and the thought that this was planned made it mean more.

You always saw planned sex as something cheesy and silly, for couples who didn't have heat; but this was different.

This was so different.

This was filled with carnal hunger.

You sit with your back against the headboard and get some shut eye. That relaxed you for a bit.

Maybe even too much, because one second your eyes are closed, and the next you feel his flesh hand cupping your face.

Your eyes open and you see him smiling down at you.

"Hey." He says gently.

Your cheeks heat up and you take his hand in yours. You place a kiss on his palm and he watches you, captivated.

You slowly put that hand back on your face and you start to drag it down your neck, over your clavicle, and down your chest.

You watch as swallows thickly, watching your every moment.

You drag his hand to the innocent destination; your waist. When his eyes meet yours again, you're moving into him, your right hand cupping his right cheek.

He closes the distancing, kissing you deeply. It's slow and tender. He's kissing you like he's scared to break you. You kiss him back the same way.

When he pulls away his eyes are practically black.

It had been so long.

You're thankful he only has a towel on when he places his right knee on the bed, lowering himself to lay over you.

His lips return to yours and this time your kisses are hungrier and more intense.

The shuffling of the sheets are a bit ruthless as he pushes them out of the way until they are bunched over the other side when he usually slept on.

His hands are either side of your head next to your pillow when he pulls away.

You undress slowly, his kisses peppering the side of your face and collarbone until you're wearing nothing but that goddamn necklace.

His touches are different than before you had Katerina.

He touches you carefully and softly, still acting like he's afraid he will break you.

You lean up and kiss him again, your tongues interlacing gracefully as you raise your left leg up over his hips.

There's no talking, only soft little moans and whimpers from the both of you.

You reach down to finally push his towel off his waist.

You kiss him again, now fully aware of his how hard he was for you. His dick stood up straight, his groomed patch of dark hair at his base catching some of his already copious leaking precum.

When you pull away from his kiss, your right hand on his cheek, he stares down at you. You don't think your faces have ever been this close before where there was no kiss involved. His right forearm is perched on the pillow next to your head, and his left hand was on your ass, pulling you closer to him.

You watch each other as he slides into you so carefully. Oh so carefully.

You gasp, whine, and moan.

He does the same in response.

It's slow and so tender and soft.

As your movements become a little more desperate, so does your chest and it causes your necklace to glow.

You could feel his love, but now you could see it too.

It was still slow and gentle, and because of that, your orgasms prolong for what feels like minutes.

You both draw out your cum together.

Seconds later, he lets out a soft whine.

You're both panting and it's so damn quiet and it's so beautiful.

This moment, you decide, is precious.

You don't know how long you both stay like that, trembling and letting out little whines.

Eventually, he does pull out of you.

This feeling in your chest could just kill you from how good this felt.

You look down at him in awe.

Bucky rests his head on your chest, still trying to catch his breath. Minutes pass and you find yourself rubbing his scalp.

He lets out a purr as your nails rack over his skin there. Five minutes later, you're both more calm and he places a kiss over your abdomen.

"Promise me you'll always be strong." His voice is raspy.

You don't say anything but you do nod.

You watch curiously as he goes into your night stand and rips a little piece of paper out of the notebook that was there. He then pulls the pen out of it's spine and clicks it. You watch as leans on his elbows over you and starts scribbling something slowly.

"What are you doing?" You ask giggling.

"Go chase raspberries." He emphasizes each word as he writes them, along with the period at the end.

He tucks it in the notebook and puts it back in the night stand, closing it shut.

"Bucky." You say.

He lifts his head and kisses your stomach again.

He doesn't wait and neither do you. He slides into you again.

You both cum minutes later with a whimper this time.

You throw your head back and he leaves kisses on your jaw.

"This, right here. Being with you, and finally having this with you, this is the epitome of everything I've always wanted and I hope you feel the same."

"I do."

"I spent so long looking for it and I finally have it. It's you. You are my everything." He says. Minutes later when you're almost in a dark slumber he says your name once more.

"Yeah?"

"I made it."

___

*Author's note: This is the end for those of you who want to remember the story and these characters this way. This is also for those of you who would prefer this to be the way things end, which I'm assuming is a majority of you; ending with the optimism of a new being and a bright future, where you are at liberty to choose how things unfold afterwards. I know this isn't proper writing etiquette, but I am giving you guys this option and I am allowing you to. You do NOT need to take the chapters after this as the ending to this story if you don't want to. The way the rest of the story will unfold, these next three chapters, is something I never wrote before and it was very difficult for me. If I'm being honest, the reason I'm allowing THIS chapter here to be an option is also for myself, because it's the ending I wish this story would end on, and believe it did. But, for author writing etiquette, I must stick to my outline for the story to make a full circle. It's what the story is and I must stick to it. If THIS right here is the end for you, I want to thank all of you who stuck along with me on this very long journey. Thank you. For those of you who want to continue to read the following three other chapters where this story wraps up...much love.

@snakeeatery17 @utterlyhopeful-fics , @marvelfan1017, @iheartsebastianstan , @annathesillyfriend , @redhairedfeistynerd, @perksofbeingabookworm, @amyrose051, @meegggoooo, @morganclaire4 , @captainchrisstan, @bxndys , @shoesonpointe ,  @writerwrites, @rainbowkisses31, @lindatreb , @littlemissner98 , @dezzylou24, @ayeitslelee , @hardygal69 ,  @emmabarnes , @redbarn1995@thequeenreaders@ilovemysupersoldiers @maximumplaidzonknerd@ceapa-mica @s-trawberryv-eins @buckysknifecollections @sobangie@lindatreb @theseuscmander@nervous-plant@wildmoonflower​ @aya-fay​ @appreciating-fanfics @kaitlynisinfinite @justreadingfics @kaitieskidmore1​ @mrsdancing​ @everythingiloveandcherish@shinykoalacat​ @dragongirl31 @kaitlynisinfinite​ @alwaysclassyeagle

[ataleoftwopitties]

These past few years, I have become a huge advocate for feeding fresh food to dogs to enhance their lives. However, you don't exactly have to transition your dog to a 100% fresh food diet in order to gain the benefits of fresh food.

Simply adding fresh food to your dog's kibble can go a long way in improving their nutrition and overall health. For instance, one study done a group of dogs in 2005 revealed that feeding vegetables just three times a week had significantly lowered their risk of developing cancer, compared to dogs who were only fed kibble.

Asian markets, in particular, have some very beneficial fresh food items that aren't typically found at your local grocery store. These food items, however, are not intended to fully replace your dog's food. Remember - too much of something good can be bad for you.

Instead, they should be offered in moderation as treats, or just small amounts topped over an already complete and balance meal. As a general rule of thumb, treats/toppers should never make more than 10% of your dog's overall diet.

Bok choy (Chinese cabbage) is full of essential vitamins and minerals needed to support a dog’s eyesight, cardiac function, digestion, bone strength, and immunity. Sulfurophane - a compound found in bok choy and other cruciferous vegetables - has been linked to inhibiting cancer cell growth, lowering blood pressure, and activating the nuclear factor Nrf2 which prevents the development of diabetes and its complications. Bok choy’s low calorie, high fiber content also make it a good option for a snack/food topper for dogs who need to control their weight. 

Preparation: Lightly steam or boil for better nutrient absorption. Cooking will also help neutralize the enzyme (myrosinase) that can decrease thyroid function. You should also chop/trim their long leaves to avoid choking hazards.

Goji berries (wolfberries) are rich in amino acids, carotenoids which support healthy vision, and polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and cardio-protective properties. Studies on goji berry supplementation in animals have shown that it has the potential to help lower cholesterol, protect the liver by increasing hepatic antioxidant activity, as well as enhance metabolic homeostasis and prevent diabetes-induced renal inflammation. 

Preparation: Remove stems if still attached and cut/mash berries. If dried, soak in water until softened to avoid passing straight through the GI tract and losing the benefits of its nutrients. 

Offal refers to the internal organs and variety meats of animals that can be consumed as food (i.e. lung, heart, kidney, liver, gizzard, head, feet, etc.) The word 'offal' literally translates to "fall off", and thus, whatever falls off the skeleton during the butchering process. Offal is densely loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats - so small amounts go a long way. Pet owners who use these as ingredients as part of a complete and balanced recipe should keep in mind that each organ is unique in its nutrient profile - dependent on the animal it is sourced from and how it is raised. For example, grass-fed beef may contain less fat yet more vitamin A and E than grain-fed beef, and beef liver has significantly more vitamin A and copper than chicken liver.

Preparation: Boil in water or low-sodium broth. May also be baked or dehydrated into jerky treats.

Oyster mushrooms are a good source of protein and fiber, and vitamins that support healthy digestion. They can help to increase satiety and maintain healthy body weight. Oyster mushrooms are also full of pantothenic acid which help to maintain cognitive function and healthy skin/coat. Beta-glucans derived from oyster mushrooms have also been shown to reduce inflammation and strengthen immunity. 

Preparation: Lightly sauté or boil in water or low-sodium broth. Raw or dried mushrooms can be difficult for dogs to digest. 

Purple sweet potato (Ube or Okinawan sweet potato) are typically found in grocery stores more commonly during the fall/winter seasons. They contain more antioxidants than regular sweet potatoes due to the anthocyanins that cause their violet hue. While all potato varieties may impact blood sugar levels because of their high carbohydrate content, purple potatoes may exert less of an effect because of their high polyphenol content that decreases the absorption of starches in the intestines. In addition, they have been linked to improving blood pressure, likely due to their high potassium content. 

Preparation: Peel skin and bake until soft for better digestibility and to prevent intestinal blockages. May be boiled and drained to reduce oxalate intake for dogs with a history of bladder stones, or prone to urinary issues. 

Quail eggs are small, yet packed with protein and essential fatty acids, and have a higher ratio of iron, riboflavin, and vitamin b12 than chicken eggs. It is even safe and can be beneficial to feed them with the shells included for added calcium. Quail eggs have been linked to improving bone growth/healing, reducing liver damage, and increasing energy levels. While some studies have shown evidence of quail eggs treating allergies in humans and mice, they may be less likely to trigger reactions than chicken eggs in dogs who have poultry sensitivities.

Preparation: Wash thoroughly, and handle gently as they are more fragile due to their tiny size. Cooking methods are similar to that of chicken eggs, yet require less time. 

Sardines contain all the amino acids your dog needs for optimal health, making it a "complete protein". They are also notorious for being rich in omegas and coenzyme q-10, which help support heart and brain health. What sets sardines apart from other fish, too, is that they are smaller and more short-lived species than larger predator fish and may have less of a risk for mercury poisoning. Because they are so small and have soft bones, you can feed them whole to your pets.

Preparation: Bake or dehydrate. If already purchased as dried, be sure to make sure there is no added salt or seasonings. If canned, preferably those stored in water only.

Sushi rice (Japanese sticky rice) has a high proportion of starch and moisture, giving it a stickier texture when cooked. Sushi rice has virtually zero fat, yet still provides a desirable balance of nutrients while remaining gentle on a dog’s digestive tract. Its higher iron content than regular rice supports healthy blood circulation and can provide more energy to dogs who are recovering from illness. Cooling/refrigerating the rice before serving also enables more retrogradation of prebiotic fiber, helping to lower glycemic responses and maximize intestinal function.

Preparation: Rinse thoroughly and soak in water (with 1tbsp apple cider vinegar - optional) before cooking. If you don’t have a rice cooker or instant pot, boil on the stove until the water is completely absorbed. May be cooked with bone broth for added flavor. You can also use small amounts of beet root powder, turmeric, or blue spirulina to add color and nutrients.

[dramatic-shitpost-poet]

i saw on the mo confessions page that putty has ibs and it makes SO much sense because hes had several digestive problems throughout the show. im finding some evidence or just a few links:

-obvious one is in the movie ep when putty reports to bloberta that the tuna cone would give him explosive diarrhea.

-in be fruitful in multiply he buys hemorrhoid cream and hemorrhoid friendly toilet paper.

-this may not even count but he lost an eating contest once (poster in his office in gods image)

-he eats a lot of sodium foods (jeezits and lonely man dinners) which could flare up some of his digestive problems

i could also see him having heart problems too from how he eats and his loneliness and it gets worse over time when he ages

sorry for my rambling im obsessed with the sickly peepaw and i want to doctor him up

MY IBS GANG!!

I actually think I might have submitted that confession just from the Bloberta tuna thing alone. I need more IBS rep man..

I was surprised at how many people agree with me but I am glad of it!! I like how we got a solid paragraph worth of evidence too. I may need to write about this lol

Thank you so much for listing off instances for me! I appreciate it and I love sickly peepaw too. I am curious about the heart issues though. Like, I see it with his age and all the sodium he eats, but if you want to add more, please feel free!!! You can use an emoji to make you distinct, anon. I also think of legit dying from a broken heart for Revs. You can legit die from a broken heart if your emotional state is so unstable that it tears your heart strings and with his health and diet as he ages, it could happen. That covers it physically but in a story line it would be kind of like cruel irony. He was *supposedly* born on Valentine's day and he has so much trouble with love or just isolation in general. And love (and valentines day in general) is connected to hearts. It would be very cruel irony for him to die by a broken heart since he struggles so much with love and his mental health. It makes sense metaphorically and physically for him to have heart issues.

As someone with that #ibs, I will add some things. For the eating contest, I know if I have a BAD day with a flare up, it makes me lose my appetite and just kinda give up. It hurts like a mf. He may have lost it because chances are, no actual good foods were in that eating contest and major sodium probably causes flare ups most in him. He got sick or flares up so bad he had to stop and just cry because IBS pain. The sodium may also have caused a tachycardia episode..

For his IBS, i think it's more diarrhea type than constipation which... i think is IBS-D? Cant remember.

Anyways, thank you so much, anon!!!! I wish to gush about this for a long time. I must discuss my old man. Also, I had (or have?) A medical hyperfixation so I know a LOT. Also, I got the mad scientist shit on my blog. Also, I'm a biochem major or science major in general really. I got a lot.

Seriously though, send more.

[magnificentsapcaddy]

The only April Fool here this year is me, because I made the Soup of March, Carolinian Clam Chowder, on the 27th, and then I didn't make a post for the rest of the month.

I'll get ahead of this - Ohio is not a seabound state. We have Lake Erie and the Ohio River, and majestic though they may be, there is a dearth of fresh seafood in the cornfield regions of the state. So, in classic pig American tradition, this is a "dump a bunch of cans of crap into a pot" recipe. I would maybe go as far as to say that this is Ohioan Carolinian Clam Chowder, as not to get beat with hammers when I go to the Outer Banks. This would undoubtedly be better with fresh ingredients, but as the French say, "sail a V" or something.

For the recipe, click on the readmore below!

First things first, what makes this Carolinian Clam Chowder? Imagine a Punnet square, with the axes being "cream/no cream" and "tomato/no tomato". New England Clam Chowder is cream, no tomato. Manhattan Clam Chowder is cream and tomato. Carolinian Clam Chowder is no cream, tomato. What chowder lies in the no cream, no tomato quadrant? Who nose.......

INGREDIENTS

- 1/3 rib of celery - 1 medium carrot - 1/2 medium onion - 1 tbsp butter - 1 medium can of diced tomatoes (low sodium, if possible) - 1 medium can of diced potatoes - 1 small can of corn - 10 oz can of whole baby clams - 8 oz clam juice - 1 tbsp black pepper - 1 tsp red pepper flakes - 1 cube chicken stock - 1 1/2 cups water

DIRECTIONS

Melt your butter in your pot (most recipes I saw called for bacon fat instead, much like the česnečka recipe from January. I was too tired to go through that work, but seeing how this turned out -maybe consider doing that! It would make for a thicker, richer broth). Coarsely chop your celery. Mince your onion. Cut your carrot in half lengthwise and chop each half into 1/2-inch thick chunks. Put the vegetables in the pot and let cook until the onions begin to clear and the mixture is aromatic.

Add the clam juice, the can of clams (with their juice), the can of tomatoes (with their juice), the can of potatoes (drained) and the can of corn (drained). Add spices, stock, and water. As an aside - if I was making this with more effort, I would have gotten real potatoes and actually diced them and cooked them with the vegetables in step one.

Let cook until the broth has reduced by at least 1/2 cup and the celery is tender and has lost its crunchiness - this should take 35 minutes, with 20 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. Serve hot. IF SO DESRIED: take 4 or 5 Ritz Crackers and coarsely crumble them over the soup for added texture and flavor.

So, at this point, we now engage in the moratorium of the recipe.

This wasn't bad. Well, hold on. I don't know. Like I said, I cut a lot of corners here. I firmly believe this would have been good if I hunkered down and did everything the right way. But, if you can't do it right, do it scared, you know? Don't die wondering!

I don't know. I don't want to make these soup posts double as therapy posts, but March was a really rough month for me, and it got to a point where, genuinely, the main thing keeping me going was the idea of making this soup, because my mom was talking it up for a while. By the time I made it, though, even though it was the main thing I had to look forward to, I just didn't have the wherewithal to fry the bacon, drain part of the fat and reserve the rest, dice the potatoes, cook them beforehand, fry them, deglaze the pot... so, as I said, I engaged in the traditional pig American activity of dumping a bunch of canned stuff in there.

The canned stuff is not bad. I don't know. I don't want to get philosophical, but I feel like this one kind of sums up the month I had. You can't get fresh clams here. You don't have the energy to do it the way the recipes tell you. But, you make do! Wal-Mart sells clam juice! We have a can of diced potatoes! You can substitute butter for lard! Is it what you really wanted, in your heart of hearts? No. But it's a warm meal, and it tastes alright, and that's what keeps you going. This is not the last time you will ever cook. You can do it again, correctly. Later. Now, you do what you can, and you know it's good enough.

All that is to say: soup's fine. The first bowl I had, I hadn't let it reduce properly and didn't add the stock, and I let it get cold and the last few bites just tasted like cold fishwater. It was better after sitting a day and also reducing and seasoning it right. I'd definitely recommend the Ritz Cracker thing, but I know that the clash of textures isn't for everyone

[flowersafterrainfall]

Get rotisserie chicken and those microwave rice cups, the simplest laziest and I guess healthy option, probably high in sodium

omigosh, rotisserie chicken is one of the best things you can get from the store! if you get it while it's hot you can't get it with a snap card (so if you're on food stamps look for the cold ones, some stores keep them cooked but cold for us snap users, bless their hearts) but still, a whole one of those can last like three meals or more!

and chicken is SO nutritious! especially if you take the leftover bones and cook them down into a broth, omigosh soooo yummy and super high in collagen, which is great for healthy joints and pretty skin :D

as for the sodium, it's really not so bad. rice has very little sodium, even when it's prepared in one of those cute little cups. however, it's definitely cheaper to just buy dry rice and prep it yourself, even though those cups are very convenient.

personally if i'm going to eat rice, i microwave about 2 cups of rice for the week, keep it in the fridge, and eat it in my lunch bowls. I don't know how to cook smaller amounts in the microwave and i genuinely don't know how to make rice on a stove lol never been allowed to try

but! if you want something more nutritious and filling than rice, i'd say go for russet potatoes or maybe navy beans if you need a high protein diet. never forget veggies. canned and frozen veggies are more nutritious and much cheaper than fresh veggies.

why? because veggies that are picked for canning or freezing are picked at the peak of their ripeness, but fresh veggies are picked slightly before ripe so that they can ripen during delivery to the store. this means that fresh veggies usually have less nutrition because they didn't ripen while still growing on the plant. fun facts lol just opt for low sodium cans or go for frozen when you can.

also, canned tomatoes. use more canned tomatoes in your life. the nutrients in tomatoes are very important and you save a TON of money buying them canned. that's probably my favorite tip to share.

as for being lazy? I'm not sure how much lazier my food routine can be lol i pretty much just plop frozen veggies, canned tomatoes, canned salmon, and navy beans into a bowl with some broth i made, microwave for 4 minutes, add low sodium soy sauce, spicy sauce and kimchi (if i have it) and munch while watching youtube.

the only work i have to do is twice a week (tomatoes should never go longer than 3 days in the fridge, for safety), i make a "broth" for the soup by draining the water from the cans into a large mason jar and prepping containers for the fish, tomatoes, and beans and maybe put the frozen veggies in a freezer safe bag.

another fun thing i'll do is make "fishy beans" which is a cheap and healthy meal i invented. it's beans, fish, and tomatoes (drain the water off), mixed up in a mason jar with minced garlic and spicy sauce and i'll eat it straight out of the jar cold for breakfast lol

tbh i eat pretty healthy if you don't include all the baking i like to do and all the gummy candy i eat and all the energy drinks and the coffee with too much creamer i like to pretend i'm not addicted to lol oh. and pizza. i could literally get fat off of pizza. i have a bottomless pit in my tummy for pizza omigosh. or tacos. yum.

not sure why we're talking about food, but I love talking about and learning food and nutrition :D

thanks for the ask, i hope you have a lovely holiday today if you celebrate <3

PS - another frugal tip. if you are eating from cans, save your cans and recycle them for cash. aluminum sells for quite a lot. a large bag of empty cans can actually net you enough to cover a few meals if you're clever. the struggle is real ya'll. <3