#what causes high cholesterol

[diabetes-health-corner]

Diabetes and high cholesterol: what’s the connection?

Even diabetics with well-managed blood glucose levels can develop high cholesterol, read on to understand why and what you can do to protect yourself.

Read more: https://www.freedomfromdiabetes.org/blog/post/diabetes-and-high-cholesterol-what%E2%80%99s-the-connection/2943

[seraphim-soulmate]

hey. someone remind me to do research on cholesterol. I've always had high cholesterol and it also runs in my family and I don't know enough about what provokes high cholesterol besides like, self-inflicted things through diet like eating a lot of butter. and eggs, maybe. depending on the year of the study lol.

[truwellth]

Cholesterol with Diabetes

Here get complete info on: Cholesterol with Diabetes. Learn about, Foods to Avoid with Diabetes and High Cholesterol. Type 2 Diabetes Cholesterol Guidelines. Know, which is Worse High Cholesterol or Diabetes… from Rajashree Gadgil… top dietitian in Thane, Mumbai & the founder of TruWellth Integrative Health Center… top dietitian center in Thane, Mumbai.

[searchingwardrobes]

I have been debating sharing this for some time, but with the new year weight loss ads amping up, I feel it's something I have to say. I'm worried for people's health.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably already know about people taking the diabetic drug ozempic for weight loss. You've probably heard the debates about the ethics of taking needed drugs away from diabetes patients and maybe even the side effect of "ozempic face." However, there is one side effect of taking these drugs that, in my opinion, people are not being warned about.

If you carefully pay attention to the television ads, you will hear them mention "pancreatitis" as a possible side effect. If you're like me a decade ago, that word probably means nothing to you. Let me warn you, however, it is no minor thing. My husband suffered from chronic pancreatitis for five agonizing years. The pain is beyond comprehension. Doctors who specialize in the pancreas describe it as the worst pain a human can endure. There is no actual cure. Little is understood about the disease, so treatment is difficult. Doctors who understand it are few and far between. It took my husband forever to get diagnosed. He went through multiple surgeries and procedures, but nothing worked. He had to go on an extremely limiting diet. If he varied from it in any way, he would have an attack. The only way to recover from an attack was to not eat at all for days, then slowly add in broth and jello. Did he lose weight? Yes. As a matter of fact, one day he stepped out of the shower, and I burst into tears at the sight of him. He was skin and bones - I could count every rib. Was it worth it to be thin? If you even ask that question, I'm concerned for your mental health.

They couldn't figure out exactly why my husband got pancreatitis. At that time, they thought only alcoholics and drug addicts got pancreatitis. This made it difficult to get compassionate medical care, unfortunately. Now they know that prescription medication (particularly diabetic medication) and high cholesterol can also cause it. Then there is another group - where they just don't know. But you better believe I would hesitate to take any medication that could cause pancreatitis. I would weigh my options carefully to assess if it was worth the risk. In my opinion, weight loss is not worth that risk.

My concern has been heightened seeing the Hers commercials for these drugs (under different names, but rest assured, it is the same thing). These commercials brag that you can get these drugs from Hers with just a simple virtual call, no questions asked. I wonder if people are fully aware of the risks of these drugs. I also wonder if we even know all of the risks yet. I also fear that the culture around these drugs could develop into an us vs. them mentality. That if it's so easy to be thin, why wouldn't you be? And some are getting dangerously thin on these drugs.

I know some diabetics who are on these drugs, and necessarily so. They tell me that it causes nausea when they eat. That's why they don't eat much. Again, that doesn't sound like a pleasant way to live. If you need it to regulate your blood sugar, that's one thing. But if you don't? Why would you do this to yourself?

My husband is now healed of pancreatitis. It was a miracle. You may not believe in that sort of thing, but I'm telling you, there is no other explanation. We had exhausted every medical solution, then the pandemic hit. We were concerned because hospitals were only taking life or death cases. What if he had a bad attack and needed an iv of pain meds? What would we do? Weeks passed - no pain. A month passed - no pain. Six weeks passed - no pain. He decided to grill a steak - something he hadn't been able to even take a nibble of in 5 years. I watched him take a bite, holding my breath. Nothing. He ate the whole thing. No pain. Five years later, still no pain. The doctors can't explain it, either.

So our story has a happy ending. Not everyone else's does. I hope people take the time to read this. If you do, please, please share it. I don't want anyone suffering needlessly.

[trendingarticles]

Understanding High Cholesterol and Its Impact on Health: Recognizing the Importance of Early Symptoms

What is high cholesterol? Let’s understand High cholesterol, a common yet significant health concern, continues to pose a considerable risk to public health. As a researcher, it is essential to shed light on this topic, explaining the concept of high cholesterol, its potential impact on overall health, and the critical importance of recognizing early symptoms. By understanding the implications…

[seilon]

so far so good except im low in vitamin B. tune in for more blood updates

ok got my 30000 labs done

[our-ftm-experience]

A brief guide to Testosterone HRT

If you’d like the one for Estrogen HRT, ask in the comments and you shall receive.

Image from the Transpeak Discord - unsure of actual source (a clinic?) (if anyone knows, please tell!)

Alternate text under the cut

Alt:

What is the goal of testosterone therapy?

Testosterone has two main jobs: It causes masculinizing changes to occur throughout the body, and it suppresses the production of estrogen. Some of the changes caused by testosterone are permanent (they would remain if testosterone was stopped), and other changes are reversible.

How is testosterone administered?

Testosterone is available as injections, cream, or gel. Injections are administered either every two weeks intramuscularly (into the muscle) or every week subcutaneously (under the skin). Nursing staff provides injection training here at clinic. Creams and gels are absorbed through the skin and applied daily.

What are the irreversible effects of testosterone?

Testosterone causes voice deepening, clitoral growth, body/facial hair growth, and sometimes male-pattern balding (also influenced by age and genetics). Testosterone may irreversibly affect fertility. Desires for fertility should be considered prior to starting hormones, and for those seeking fertility preservation (or education about fertility preservation), referrals can be made to Lurie’s fertility preservation team.

What are some of the reversible effects of testosterone?

Testosterone causes increased muscle tone, fat redistribution (hips to stomach area), skin oiliness and acne. Mood changes (often irritability, having a “shorter fuse”) and heightened sex drive may occur. Menstrual cycles will change and eventually stop after some time. There may be genital changes caused by low estrogen levels.

What are some of the known side effects and risks of testosterone?

Testosterone may increase your metabolic risk profile — that is, the risk for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol or blood pressure. The risk for heart disease is higher for people who smoke cigarettes, are overweight or have a family history of heart disease.

Testosterone causes hematocrit, the proportion of red blood cells in a volume of blood, to increase. This blood thickening, at high levels, can be life-threatening, causing stroke or a heart attack.

Testosterone can also cause increased appetite, headaches, and acne.

A low-detail diagram of the upper half of three bodies is displayed. From left to right, the bodies represent having been on testosterone for little to no time (a month or less), a medium amount of time (six to eight months) and a greater amount of time (a year or more).

The diagram is a visual representation of testosterone effects on the body. Hip mass shifts to the stomach area, The adam’s apple grows. Muscle mass grows and shoulders become broader. Facial and body hair grows on the arms, face, and assumably the legs not displayed in the image. The skin gets oily and acne appears on the face.

Testosterone affects: skin, muscle mass, body fat, body hair, voice change.

Increased skin oiliness and acne starts within 1-6 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 1-2 years.

Increased muscle mass and strength starts within 6-12 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 2-5 years. This effect is highly dependent on the amount of exercise one does.

Voice pitch deepening starts within 6-12 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 1-2 years.

Body fat redistribution starts within 3-6 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 2-5 years.

Facial and body hair growth starts within 6-12 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 3-5 years.

Monthly periods stop within 2-6 months of testosterone.

Clitoral enlargement of 0.5 inches to 1 inch begins within 3-6 months of testosterone. Its complete effect can be within 1-2 years.

Male pattern hair loss starts when you have been on testosterone for over a year. Its complete effect date is variable. It depends on age and genetics, and can be minimal.

Sex drive also increases.

How do we monitor for safety?

Labs (bloodwork) are collected prior to starting hormones and every three months for the first year of treatment. In the second year, labs are checked every six months. Tests that are monitored include cholesterol, liver tests, hematocrit, and hormone levels. These labs can be drawn at Lurie’s or a local facility.

How quickly will changes develop?

Remember, it’s normal to want to see changes occur rapidly, but (just like in puberty) these changes take time! Most changes start to begin around 3-6 months after starting testosterone and take years to fully develop.

Will I look like my friend _____?

Remember, everyone experiences puberty differently. Factors other than testosterone (such as genes!) affect appearance. It’s impossible to predict exactly what changes will develop.

It’s important to take the prescribed dose of testosterone. Taking more increases health risks.

Always tell your health care provider if you have questions or concerns about your health.

[inclosedwalldelusion]

40 sentences that will teach you more about nutrition than a $400,000 medical degree

From Brett Boettcher @brettboettcher1

40 sentences that will teach you more about nutrition than a $400,000 medical degree.

1) Meat, eggs and animal organs are the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

2) Bone broth is loaded in collagen and helps repair the gut so you can heal from the inside out.

3) Saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease, insulin resistance does.

4) Your ratio of triglycerides to HDL is a great indicator of mortality risk; the lower the better. ·

5) Protein is the most metabolically active macronutrient and it isn’t bad for your kidneys.

6) There isn’t quality evidence to show that dietary cholesterol impacts the cholesterol in your blood. ·

7) There is even less evidence to support that total cholesterol is bad for your health since it is inversely correlated to mortality risk. · 4h 8) Walking before and after meals is a great way to improve digestion and reduce blood sugar spikes.

9) Fiber is the last thing you need if you have IBS or diverticulitis.

10) Dairy is great for your health and its saturated fat intake is inversely correlated to heart disease.

11) Most nutritional recommendations were introduced based on profit margins, not health outcomes.

12) Calories in and calories out is all that matter, but some calories make you hungrier (sugar/grains). Other calories (protein) help you burn more calories.

13) Multi grain just means they took 2+ different terrible sources of grain and put them together into one product.

14) Cereal and bread for breakfast will spike your blood sugar and have you starving before lunch. Try Greek yogurt or eggs instead. ·

15) “Intuitive eating” and “listen to your body” makes no sense considering 88% of people are metabolically unhealthy and addicted to food. No one would say “intuitive crack use.”

16) Eating is a stress on your body; The less often you can eat, the healthier you’ll be.

17) Plan your meals around the protein source (with its natural fat) and add a small side of carbs if needed.

18) Eating for satiety is more important than relying constantly on willpower. Find filling foods and avoid foods with addictive properties (ultra-processed).

19) You don’t have to know how to cook. Grill a meat, sauté a green vegetable, bake a potato. Mix and match a million ways.

20) Eating many of the same foods every week isn’t perfectly optimal but it’s likely your best path to consistency and therefore success. ·

21) Becoming more insulin sensitive should be the focus of any health-related nutrition plan.

22) Salad dressings are one of the worst things you can eat for your health. High in calories and inflammatory industrial oils.

23) Eating 5x per day won’t boost your metabolism. If you are trying to gain weight, it’s an excellent strategy.

24) Bacon can be healthy, just avoid the processing with nitrates.

25) Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are two of the best sources of protein per calorie.

26) Carbs are beneficial around a workout. But many sources of carbs are processed and easily overeaten. Focus on single ingredient foods.

27) You can’t be healthy at any size no matter what your mother or liberal arts professor said.

28) Eat a high protein meal before attending social events that are filled with junk food.

29) If eating out, order the food with the highest protein content.

30) The #1 reason people fail is that they don’t prepare. Meal prep, meal plan, have ready to eat protein sources. · 31) The food you eat directly impacts your mental health and processed foods are correlated with depression and mental illness.

32) Processed foods have been engineered to be as addicting as possible. Your taste buds can be retrained with natural sources.

33) “Plant-based” foods are made in laboratories and are an easy way to sell overpriced junk to consumers at high margin.

34) Eating 1 gram of protein per lb of ideal body weight daily will do more for your body composition than spending 30 minutes on the treadmill.

35) When in doubt, if it comes from the center aisles of the grocery store or has more than 3 ingredients, it’s not good for you.

36) Many foods labeled as “keto” “paleo” or “high protein” are far from meeting the intended definition.

37) Your gut is responsible for 70% of your immune system; feeding it sugar and other inflammatory foods is making you sick now and later.

38) Genetics play a role but over 90% of the country has a resting metabolism within 500 calories daily. Being fit is possible for everyone.

39) Flipping the food pyramid upside down is closer to healthy eating than the traditional suggestions.

40) Eliminating drinking your calories is the first change to make when trying to improve your health.

[colleendoran]

This Explains a Lot

Hey folks, I don’t want to drama queen all over you. I know you all have big problems. But there’s been a recall of medication I take to manage Hashimoto’s Disease.

Hasimoto’s Disease affects something like 1% of the population (depending on who you ask). It’s an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack your thyroid gland.

The thyroid is sort of like your body’s throttle. If it doesn’t work properly, a lot of other things won’t work properly.

Symptoms include (from the Mayo Clinic Website):

Fatigue and sluggishness

Increased sensitivity to cold

Increased sleepiness

Dry skin

Constipation

Muscle weakness

Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness

Joint pain and stiffness

Irregular or excessive menstrual bleeding

Depression

Problems with memory or concentration

Swelling of the thyroid (goiter)

A puffy face

Brittle nails

Hair loss

Enlargement of the tongue

For my part, the big issues are the fatigue, aches and pains (my hands are sometimes so stiff I cannot move my fingers, and right now my back is killing me,) depression, and memory problems. As in, I will be sitting there working on a drawing and between the time I look at my reference and the time I look at my drawing I can’t remember what I just saw in my reference.

That’s not good.

Also not on the above list: edema, anxiety, high cholesterol, poor heart function, an enlarged heart and irregular heartbeats. I had to have a CAT scan in December, and my anxiety has been swinging back and forth into the red zone for months.

When well managed, I don’t notice it much, but when not well-managed, my life grinds to a halt.

Since cancer treatment, I’ve felt the usual fallout from all that cancer entails. But I honestly thought I should have been feeling much better by now.

But I’m not. I’ve been up and down, but mostly down.

Finding out I’ve been improperly medicated for 7 months certainly explains a lot. A friend of mine who got the defective medication notice from her doctor thought she felt poorly due to long Covid. Another was sinking for months, unable to understand why.

Well, at least we know why.

This doesn’t affect everyone on the medication, just those with certain lot numbers from certain manufacturers. And if you are highly sensitive to hormone fluctuations, even a small variation will knock you right on your keister.

Several people I know heard from their health care providers. Others heard nothing until they asked.

It’s not like I don’t have a lot of stress right now, and figured my anxiety, poor mood, and weight gain originated from dealing with what I’m dealing with.

Well, at least some of it is because my medication hasn’t been hitting the sweet spot.

Bad luck, but it is what it is.

It’s going to take about 6 weeks before I start to feel better, but at least I am working it.

Best Wishes.

[scientia-rex]

Wound Care

Ok so, take this with a BIG grain of salt, because I may be a medical doctor BUT you need to know how much wound care training we get in medical school: none. Zip. Zilch. There may be medical schools where you do, but mine wasn't a bozo factory and there was NO wound care training. Everything I know I learned from one of several sources: an intensive 2-day wound care course I did in residency (highly recommend), the local Home Health wound care nurse (highly recommend), a completely batshit insane old white male doctor who started our learning sessions by yelling Vietnam War stories at me (do not recommend), a hospital wound care nurse (highly recommend), and experience (oh god do not recommend).

The first thing you need to know is that wound healing varies dramatically across the course of a lifespan. Kids? Kids will heal. If they don't, get their ass to a pediatrician because there's something genetic going on. Young adults will heal. Middle-aged adults will heal. You know who doesn't heal for shit? The elderly, and people with severe illnesses, and people with uncontrolled type II diabetes.

Your body needs several things in order to heal. It needs macronutrients, so you need to be able to EAT protein, fat, and carbs. If you are on total parenteral nutrition, aka TPN, aka IV nutrition, you are going to be worse at healing. If you are starving yourself, you are going to be worse at healing. If your body is desperately funneling all the calories you take in to surviving your COPD or cancer, you are going to be worse at healing.

It also needs micronutrients. If your diet sucks, you won't heal. Take a multivitamin once in a while.

There are two CRITICAL skin components to healing: collagen and elastin. Guess what we stop making as we age. Promoting collagen isn't just good for "anti-aging," it's good for NOT ripping your skin apart. Taking oral collagen is probably bullshit because your body is going to have to disassemble it to get it across the intestinal membranes to absorb, but it's also harmless, and if your diet REALLY sucks, who knows. Give it a try. Collagen is made of amino acids; think protein.

Another absolutely crucial component is blood flow. As people age, they start to develop cholesterol plaques lining arteries that eventually pick up calcium deposits. This makes blood vessels less elastic, which is a problem, but eventually also blocks them off, which is a much bigger problem. If someone has the major blood flow to their feet decreased by 90% by arterial stenosis, they are not going to heal for shit AND their foot's gonna hurt.

One component of blood flow I hadn't thought about before going into medicine is fluid retention. The way your body works, blood exits the heart at a very high velocity, but slows to a crawl by the time it gets into capillaries, the smallest blood vessels in the body. Water is a very small molecule and can leave the blood vessel, especially if there aren't big, negatively-charged molecules like proteins like albumin in the blood vessels to hold the water there. And we're built for this--some water is supposed to leak out of our blood vessels when it gets to real little vessels. It gets taken back up by the lymphatic system and eventually dumped back into the bloodstream at the inferior vena cava. But if you aren't making albumin--for instance, in liver failure--you may leak a LOT of fluid into the tissue, so much that your legs get swollen, tight, the skin feeling woody and strange. This isn't fixable by drainage because the fluid is everywhere, not in a single pocket we can drain. And because it puts so much pressure on the tissues of the skin, it often results in ulcers. Congestive heart failure, liver failure, kidney failure--these are all common causes of severe edema, aka swelling due to fluid in the tissues. And they're a real bitch when it comes to wound care, because we have such limited resources for getting the fluid back out, which is a necessary first step to healing.

Pressure is another common cause of wounds. Pressure forces blood out of those little capillaries, so you starve the cells normally fed by those capillaries, and they die. It's called pressure necrosis. Very sick people who can't turn themselves over--people in the ICU, people in nursing homes--are especially prone to these wounds, as are people with limited sensation; pressure wounds are common in wheelchair users who have lost some feeling in the parts of their bodies that rub against those surfaces, or diabetics who don't notice a rock in their shoe.

So, if you're trying to treat wounds, the questions to ask are these:

Why did this wound happen?

-Was it pressure? If it's pressure, you have to offload the source of the pressure or else that wound will not heal. End of story. You can put the tears of a unicorn on that thing, if you don't offload the pressure it won't heal.

-Was it fluid? If it's fluid, you have get the fluid out of the issues or else it won't heal. You can sometimes do that with diuretics, medications that cause the body to dump water through the kidneys, but that's always threading a needle because you have to get someone to a state where they still have juuuuust enough fluid inside their blood vessels to keep their organs happy, while maintaining a very slight state of dehydration so the blood vessels suck water back in from the tissues. You can use compression stockings to squeeze fluid back into the vessels, but if they have arterial insufficiency and not just venous insufficiency, you can accidentally then cause pressure injury. The safest option is using gravity: prop the feet up above the level of the heart, wherever the heart is at, at that moment, and gravity will pull fluid back down out of the legs. Super boring though. Patients hate it. Not as much as they hate compression stockings.

-Was it a skin tear because the skin is very fragile? This is extremely common in the elderly, because they're not making collagen and elastin, necessary to repairing skin. If this is the case, make sure they're actually getting enough nutrition--as people get into their 80s and 90s, their appetites often change and diminish, especially if they're struggling with dementia. And think about just wrapping them in bubble wrap. Remove things with sharp edges from their environments. I have seen the WORST skin tears from solid wood or metal furniture with sharp edges. Get rid of throw rugs and other tripping hazards. I had somebody last week who tried to a clear a baby gate and damn near destroyed their artificial hip.

The next critical question: why isn't it healing?

-Are you getting enough nutrients? Both macro and micro?

-Are you elderly?

-Are you ill?

-Do you have a genetic disorder of collagen formation?

Fix why it's not healing and almost anything will heal. If you're diabetic, find a medication regimen that improves your sugars and stick to it. If you're anorexic, get treatment for your eating disorder. If you have congestive heart failure, work with your doctor on your fluid balance. Wear the damn pressure stockings. Prop up your feet.

If, after those two unskippable questions are done, you want to do something to the wound--apply a dressing, do a treatment--that's a whole other kettle of fish. I'll write that later. The dryer just sang me its little song and I need to put away the laundry.

[soft-dolll]

💗Nutritional ways to help gain weight💗

These tips are definitely for the feedees who may not be into unhealthy weight or death feederism! Please do not take this as bashing any sort of denomination of feederism, this is simply here to educate someone who wants to take a different approach to gaining weight❤️

Also, I am not a health professional, this is simply research I’ve done on my own time. Sources will be below👇

Fill up on protein!

Having a large amount of protein and not doing a lot of physical activity can help promote weight gain! This happens because the protein that wasn’t used for physical activity gets turned into glucose, which turns into fat

Portions

While gaining it is always important to eat lots (of course), but especially when you are eating less calorie dense food!

Sumo wrestlers eat plenty of nutritious foods, but their secret is to of course is to fill up on it all!

Indulge in weight gain shakes!

Using bulking powders in your weight gain shakes is a definite way to pack on those calories! Like protein powder, it can either cause muscle gain or fat gain depending on how you use it. Not doing much physical activity can cause weight gain if you’re using bulking/weight gain shakes!

Typically, you’d probably add a dairy product like ice cream, or heavy cream to your shakes, which is completely fine to do! But do keep in mind that there are lots of cholesterol in high fat dairy products, which may or may not be what you want on your journey. A good alternative would be coconut cream, and coconut milk, as they are high in calories, and low in both trans fats, and cholesterol!

Another tip is to use your weight gain powder in things like smoothies, or even baking!

Fats!

Fats are definitely an important part in weight gain, and there are many nutritious ways to get fats in you! For example, nuts, oils (such as avocado oil, and olive oil, fatty fish, high fat yogurt, avocados, and eggs! Another thing you can use is animal fats such as duck fat which isn’t very high in trans fats and cholesterol!

I hope this was somewhat helpful to some of you guys!!

I apologize that the links were kind of posted weird, it’s my first time really doing something like this, so I’m not super used to or good at the format.

Again, please do not take this as me shaming any sort of denomination of this fetish, you do you <3

[diabetes-health-corner]

High Cholesterol: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Our bodies produce all the cholesterol it needs; in fact, high-cholesterol foods, being high in saturated fats, should be avoided. Dietary sources of cholesterol are primarily animal products, such as eggs, meat, and full-fat dairy. To avoid any such situation, it is best to get a regular cholesterol screening done.

Read full blog here: https://www.freedomfromdiabetes.org/blog/post/high-cholesterol-symptoms-causes-and-treatment-ffd/2847

[peaxhygirl]

𝙰𝚁𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙾 𝙰𝚁𝙴𝚃𝙰𝚂 𝚇 𝙵𝙴𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙴𝚁

: ̗̀➛𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝙱𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙺 𝚏𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝙾𝙲

: ̗̀➛𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: On the final night of an AMMO investigation their bust is blown up by an unexpected party.

: ̗̀➛𝙰𝙽: Hey y'all! This is my first time writing in a while, so it hope it doesn't suck lmao. Let me know if you guys are interested in this series cause I got lots more to come!

AMMO's newest addition to the team was Armando Aretas. That's right, the same Armando Aretas that had been a convicted drug dealer, cop killer, and fugitive.

It took some serious string pulling but Rita and Judy managed to get Armando amnesty due to his help with bringing down Lockwood and McGrath. It took a while, but they managed to get it done. In exchange, he needed to work with Miami PD.

Armando was a dangerous man, that was true enough, but he was also an asset. Better to have him on your team than to be against him. Plus, it helped everyone keep an eye on him. He hadn't quite earned the trust of those in his new life.

There was a part of him that didn't care. He'd lived this long without the approval or validation of others, so what was different? Then there was a part of him that wanted to put that behind him. His previous life was a tiresome one.

AMMO had been steaking out a night club for about a week. They'd finally gathered enough proof for them to carry out their raid. Tonight was the night, they just needed to get the green light from their UC.

"Yo, Mike. You think we could stop at that hot dog shack on the corner after this?" Marcus attempted to whisper but the small space in the truck provided no privacy. "Hell no, Marcus. Teresa just said your cholesterol was sky high and you gained about three pounds this month."

"Uh.., now, see. Did you have to put my business out there like that, Mike?" Armando shook his head. His father and surrogate uncle were admittedly the best part of his new life, even if they were annoying. "Will you two shut up?" He muttered.

Kelly and Dorn's smirks of amusement always seemed to be present whenever they were with the three men. "Hey hey hey. What's happening?"

Armando's eyes locked on the commotion breaking out on the scene. The place was getting swarmed. Their UC hadn't sent the signal so it sure as shit wasn't them. A woman appeared on screen gun drawn and shouting for everybody to get down. "Who the fuck is that?"

After the raid ended, AMMO exited their van. Armando charging over to the woman who was speaking to who he could only assume she was debriefing to. This woman was clearly police, but she wasn't with them, so as far as he was concerned-- She was out of line. The area was lit up with flashing red and blue lights, cops littered throughout the parking lot, but he was zeroed in on her.

"What the fuck was that and who the fuck are you?" His accent thick in anger at this woman who'd just blew up his mission. His first big chance at showing the team he was really with them.

"Excuse me? You better back the fuck up that's who the fuck I am. Who the fuck are you?" She was feisty that's for sure, responding to him in the same way he'd come at her. In all honesty, it'd taken her a moment to register he was speaking to her because, what?? His hostility towards her was at an all time high for someone who she'd never laid eyes on before.

"Your little raid fucked up our cocaine bust." His nostrils flared in anger as he stepped to the woman a few inches shorter than him. "Or maybe your cocaine bust got in the middle of my prostitution bust." She shot back. "Again, who the hell are you?" The low rasp of his voice was venomous. "I don't answer to you, I don't even know who you are. Let's start with that before charging over here like you hot shit or something."

Armando opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Marcus. "Hey! Ok, everyone. Let's just calm down." Marcus laughed nervously, stepping between the two of them. "Miss, I'm so sorry for Armando. You know, it's that Latin fire in 'em. Hard to turn off. Um, I'm Marcus and We're AMMO. You are?"

"Raven." Her tone softened but her eyes still blazed with anger in the direction of the young male, who was admittedly cute but clearly had her fucked up. "Vice."

[redlenai]

Mouthwashing AU:

Everything is fine, but everyone's mental health declines as the months pass by. But instead of being some horror shit going on, just Swansea being trapped with 4 people younger than him, starting with them pranking each other, more and more chaos and even fist fighting between them. Basically DadSea losing his patience

Daisuke got his hand superglued to a Sweetener package, after someone snitched he stole one (Curly did it)

Anya stealing everyone's sweaters and never returning them, she gives the middle finger to Curly and Jim the most (As Gymbros, their sweaters are gigantic)

Curly being the one that still acts like a Captain but sometimes its like a switch is clicked and suddenly he is the most uncooperative bastard

Jimmy hasn't sleep for 2 weeks, he doesn't know HOW but whoever put the damn Polle statue on his room is going to pay if he ever finds out who did it (Team work, except Swan), he can't sleep there anymore

Swansea had to break a fight between Jimmy and Curly because since they have similar builds, couldn't differentiate whose uniform was whose and literally accusing the other of stealing their stuff.

Swansea had to scold Anya and Daisuke for being overly competitive during game night, throwing pieces at each other, having a screaming match that ended when Swan claimed the Screamer title

When he is really about to lose it, its like all of a suddent the chaos ends and he is then having one on one conversations or having to act like a parent to each of them, because their behaviors are clearly caused by being overwhelmed with the isolation and silence from space.

Curly finally breaking down about the many responsabilities he has and the high expectations everyone has on him

Anya having crying fits over feeling stuck and wondering if she'll ever go to Med School

Daisuke unable to trust the fact that he is learning and improving as an Intern

Jimmy just terrified about what is he going to do when they land, what other job to apply or that he'll end homeless.

Goddamit I'm rambling so much but like yeah, a nice AU about found family, hitting rock bottom and an old man whose wisdom is the ladder to help these younger folks to move despite the unknown, and maybe Swansea noticing small glimpes of the people that raised his crewmates? Overachiever parents for Curly, single parent struggling to support Anya's education, Daisuke and emotionally absent parents, Jimmy who didn't had parents and was tossed from one foster home to another. And Swan doesn't learn these things by talking to them, they barely share these things except when they hit their limit, but he notices, by the small habits, behaviors and routines.

Of course, Daisuke being everyone's little ray of sunshine and the easiest to manage. Swan also felt his cholesterol raise when Anya mentioned craving the most disgusting, greasiest, unhealthy trash food known to man and in fact the gymbros sweating as they watch (As much as they can) what they eat.

Swansea: Ain't ya' supposed to be... the healthy one?

Curly would be ready to puke imagining the trash food, while Jimmy is lost trying to calculate the possible calories that foul thing has.

[iz-star]

Zayne's newest card made me tear up a little.

He truly heals that part of me that it's very much broken and still under maintenance ❤️‍🩹

CW: Adult talk about mental health issues and how Zayne's been a good unintentional therapy.

I sometimes joke about how "To sit on his lap would totally fix me" as a reference to his Hidden Motive card and basically that he loves MC to sit on his lap but you know, I think to be hug by him is what actually would hold together all the pieces of me that are about to fall. He hugs MC with such delicate touch, so much tenderness and you can see the love pouring from his touch, his gaze, his words.

I once mentioned in another post that I totally understand Zayne's trauma with nightmares because there was a time I had them constantly too. There's actually another part of that story: back in the day I was so stressed that my blood pressure was always high. The very reason I had to be taken to the psychiatric hospital was because there wasn't another medical reason for my high levels of blood pressure than stress. I got my blood pressure checked for 10 days (or was it 15? I can't remember) in order to discard hypertension, I also got some medical tests done to discard if the problem was in my thyroid, blood tests to check my levels of cholesterol and tryglicerides, I even got an echocardiogram but according to every test, my body was... fine. There was no apparent reason as to why I was shaking like a wet dog against the cool wind in the backyard.

I knew I was anxious, stressed and basically on high alert all the time but somehow I came to normalize the dizzines, the shakiness of my body, the arrhythmias and feeling extra weak all the time. I'm not going to talk about the reasons that led me up to feel that way bc they're too personal and sensitive, the point is: I was so stressed that my body started to somatize my mental state.

It was there when I had to be given antidepressants and got diagnosed with depression, panic disorder and other stuff that I prefer to omit atm. I started to sleep more because of the medicine but it wasn't a good sleep bc it was there when the nightmares would always make me feel distressed and exhausted everytime I woke up. I also used to had arrhythmias when I went to sleep.

This is another thing I love about Zayne's nagging about sleeping early that I forgot to mention in my previous post: Sleeping properly not only helps your body to regain energy and start the process of reparation and regeneration of cells, but not sleeping properly can lead not only to mental health issues but also, heart issues. Zayne, being the cardiac surgeon he is, knows what's truly best for you.

If I'm honest, even after therapy, I haven't been able to heal all what's causing me to be stressed. My panic attacks have decreased greatly but not entirely and you know what's funny about Zayne and panic attacks? Out of the four LIs he's literally the best option to help out with them: not only is he a Doctor and knows how to act in emergencies while keeping a calm and collected attitude but his evol is the best ally in these cases. Back then, whenever my panic attacks would hit me, that shit about breathing never the fuck worked with me (and I'm telling you this with all the frustration I feel just to remember) because to be aware of my breath only made me feel like it was easier to lose control over it. So I had to be given a couple of ice cubes in a bag pressed over my neck and face in order to wake up my brain from the emotional distress it was putting me into. The sudden cold sensation not only helped me to wake up but was also comforting from all the sweat you get to produce in these attcks.

So yeah, I can picture Zayne seeing that when nothing is working, he could cool off his hands to the right temperature to help you wake up from the emotional distress. His touch not only gentle but comforting, making you remember that his hands are the safest place in the world and there's no danger.

Even to these days, whenever someone touches me all of sudden, I can't help but flinch and my heart beat rises automatically, I'm not lying when I say that even for the smallest things my blood pressure rises. Around two months ago, I had to go to the Doctor bc I got sick and the nurse had to ask a few personal things that got me anxious so quickly that once we were done, my heart was running wild in my chest. The next thing the nurse did was to check on my blood pressure and guess what? It was higher than it should be. Next thing she did was to do a quick test of my blood and it was all fine, so she brushed the blood pressure as me being sick.

When I had to start therapy, the hardest part was to talk about the things that were stressing me out. It suprised me how difficult was it for me to put them into words, because the first sessions, whenever I tried to start talking, my voice trembled and my heart beat would rise, the ability to breath leaving my body with each try. The psychiatrist had to literally drug me with xanax, then rivotril just for me to calm down and be able to fucking talk lol.

I suppose this is the reason that his latest PV got me a little too emotional: he's the one who offers his heart for you to listen, he's the one who tells you that his heart holds no secrets that can't be uncovered and softly asks you to be honest. I'm sure that the topics of the card are less serious that the things I've talked about here but the point still remains; in order for you to open up, he also puts himself in a somewhat vulnerable but sincere position, making you know you're both in equal terms. You put your heart on the table, he does it too. He holds you closer for you to listen his heart, his sincerity something so soft yet endearing that I just know I'd be able to say everything.

Most of the times, to talk about these topics with a few ppl has been quite frustrating. These are things I don't talk about with my family to a certain point and my friends don't have the emotional capacity to handle such things. I know I overwhelmed them and none of them knew what to say when the topic was lying there on the table, bare and ugly. The only friend that was able to offer some support was actually someone that went through a very similar situation than me.

This is not a complaint, in life I've come to understand that most people won't feel emphaty for you unless they truly understand the meassure of what you went through and most cases, it only happens if they have experienced it by themselves. Of course, this won't stop them from trying to be kind but they probably wouldn't realize that their words could hurt you instead of helping you. My friends aren't bad, they're just rough because life has made us like that, no one in this life has been taught how to help. We learn it by experience.

That's another thing that I love about Zayne, he literally exists to help. He made it his mission in life to help. If I were to ask emotional support from him, I know he would take it as it is: a place where one is allowed to be weak. No judgments, no assumptions, just a space to feel safe to breakdown. When MC opened up to him about losing her family and how that was the reason she was having an unhealthy lifestyle lately, instead of his normal nagging, he understood her and said how she had the right to do what she could to cope with her pain but just asked her to make sure not to get injured in the process. He didn't judge her, he gave her a space to acknowledge her pain and the way she was dealing with it, and they weren't even that close back then.

I've been learning to live with this heart of mine who gets scared so easily that it's kind of funny how I came to love this fictional character whose role is to be a cardiac surgeon xD When I started to play this game nobody told me that this Doctor would literally help me heal my heart. If my body flinches when someone touches me, to see the extra care and love he touches MC with makes me feel so many things. He's been broken too many times that of course he knows how to hold something with the utmost care.

I started to play around the end of February and I'm still surprised at how Zayne's writing has checked out all the boxes in my fragile spots. He's been so therapeutic for me, and it's just surprising (and a little bit sad) how he's helped me to heal what real men (and some women) have broken in me. He's the man that has helped me the most aside from my brothers and step father who only hurt me greatly the day he decided to leave this world. It's so funny how a fictional character has done all of this to me, how his reminders about eating and sleeping properly worked for me outside of the game and how he telling me to have more confidence also helped that now I even also have a better job, (I mentioned it in another posts, but for a couple of years my mental state made it difficult for me to get a job and the jobs I was able to get later were all informal and bad paid) but I also can't help thinking that he's a man written by women after all and I wonder if some ppl in his writing team had gone through difficult situations and crafted him out of the things that helped them to heal.

Women help women at the end. I wish Zayne's writing team a long and happy life. And I wish the same for the other LI's writing teams because I know just as Zayne has helped me and other girlies to get up and keep going forward, the other guys have done the same for their girlies ❤️‍🩹

Thank you, Zayne and your writing team for making my 2024 better than the previous years and helping me to start moving in life again ❤️‍🩹

[shadowfromthestarlight]

I got my bloodwork done for the first time in three and a half years yesterday.

In that time period, I've fully embraced the health truthbombs that dietary cholesterol doesn't give you heart disease, that saturated fat is essential, and that seed oils, refined sugars, and fake food are causing the problems we're told to blame on red meat. I now regularly cook eggs in the bacon grease and drink full-fat milk with no shame. I read the labels at grocery stores and no longer eat processed snacks containing seed oils at all, but I eat my fill of real food without counting calories.

Andddd I have low triglycerides, high HDL, normal blood glucose, and excellent kidney function. If you listened to the American Heart Association, you'd think I'd need statins because of my lifestyle. Not. Even. Close.

Make of that what you will.