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riddle 1 of 2
Tom’s mother has three children.
What’s the name of the third child?
bonus riddle
Nova’s dad has five children.
What’s the name of the fifth child?
nice.
You got both.
Most people say Dimitri on the first one. Send it to a friend and see what they say.
name ten parts of the body with medical names only three letters long.
get all ten to reveal long-lost knowledge of mind.
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get it right
which of these is the cleanest source of protein?
you only get one. pick it and click next.
the numbers
rat
about 20 g per 100 g
for 10 g: half a rat
sushi on rice
about 4 g per piece
for 10 g: 3 pieces, plus all that rice
cottage cheese
about 11 g per 100 g
for 10 g: a little under half a cup
cow utter milk
about 3.4 g per 100 ml
for 10 g: 300 ml, a big glass and a bit
human breast milk
about 1 g per 100 ml
for 10 g: a full liter. good luck.
rare steak
about 26 g per 100 g
for 10 g: 40 g, a couple of bites
broccoli
about 2.8 g per 100 g
for 10 g: 360 g, about 4 cups
grub worm
about 15 g per 100 g
for 10 g: 65 g, a small handful
fish head
about 20 g per 100 g
for 10 g: 50 g, half a small fillet
This isn’t a trick question. The cleanest protein is whatever hasn’t been run through man-made processing, the kind designed to make it tastier, make it last longer, or concentrate it into something extreme. By that measure, the grub worm, the rat and even roadkill are safe but disgusting. An animal that lived its own life and never saw death coming probably had normal, natural chemistry right up to the end. It lived free, and then, boom, it was over.
Compare that to animals raised in giant warehouses, crammed on top of each other in tiny stalls and suffering every day. They are cut off from the most basic needs of any living creature: to move freely, to live in peace with their own kind, and to do what comes naturally. That kind of life floods an animal with stress chemistry like adrenaline and cortisol, and it changes the meat itself.
Why should you care? Because you are what what you eat eats. On some level, in ways science is still sorting out, you take in the life that creature lived.
Most of us need far less protein than the marketing says, and the plant world is full of it. If your goal is to be gigantic, or you have bought the hype around creatine, peptides and the rest of the supplement aisle, you can chase it forever and throw a lot of money out the window.
The key to living a long time is to stop obsessing and eat a clean diet with no processed food. Don’t overdo the protein. I can’t tell you your exact number here, but too much is a problem, the same way too much refined sugar, too much fat or too many calories is a problem. Too much or too little of anything usually is.
When you cut out processed food first, you give yourself a lot of room for the smaller mistakes, like a little too much protein or a little too much fruit. Then eat for your age and how active you are. If you sit most of the day, eat less or you will gain weight. Carrying extra weight raises your health risks, can make you uncomfortable in your own body, and can wear on how you feel about yourself, which puts more pressure on your nervous system. Take some time to think this through.
(And no, please don’t actually eat the rat. Wild animals and roadkill can carry serious diseases. It’s the principle that counts.)
the brain is a machine designed over millions of years,
with a unique method of survival:
the nervous system.
we are all anxious by design.
and designed to be helped by our elders to find true nervous system regulation.
coming from new york city, baby!
As corny as it sounds, sitting around a campfire in nature brings all five senses into the present moment. The flames, warmth, sounds, and open sky quietly draw us out of our thoughts and back into the world we belong to. Sometimes finding peace isn't about learning something new, but returning to something ancient. Get yourself to a campfire as soon as you can.
everything boils down to anxiety control
Anxiety is a fascinating word because it describes a survival mechanism that evolved alongside the brains of animals over millions of years. This system helps keep us alert to our environment, aware of changing circumstances, and prepared to respond to potential danger. It allows us to anticipate threats and take immediate action when necessary. When the system is functioning properly, the nervous system can recognize when the danger has passed and gradually return to a state of calm. The problem isn't that we experience anxiety. The problem begins when the brain continues signaling danger long after the threat has disappeared, or when it perceives danger where none actually exists.
Self-Regulation Tip #1
learn to sense anxiety on its different volumes from 1 to 10
Anxiety Is Not the Enemy.
It's an ancient survival mechanism trying to protect you, sometimes from dangers that exist only in your imagination.
Breathing Is Your Built-In Regulator.
Slow, comfortable breathing can help calm your nervous system without requiring medication, equipment, or anyone else's permission.
Your Eyes Can Help Quiet Your Mind.
Resting your gaze on a cloud, tree, or distant horizon gives your attention somewhere peaceful to settle.
Dopamine Helps Drive Motivation.
It participates in learning, anticipation, and reward. Constantly chasing stimulation can make ordinary experiences feel less satisfying.
Your Thoughts Are Not Instructions.
The brain produces thousands of thoughts. You don't have to believe, follow, or act on every one.
Adrenaline Is a Survival Tool.
It prepares you for immediate action. Learn to recognize when your body is preparing for a battle that isn't happening.
Cortisol Is Not Your Enemy.
This essential hormone helps regulate energy and respond to stress. The problem is prolonged dysregulation, not its existence.
Serotonin Isn't Simply Happiness.
It influences mood, sleep, appetite, and many other functions. Your brain chemistry is far more complicated than a single happy chemical.
Your Ears Are Always Monitoring the World.
Sudden sounds can activate your alert system. Gentle, predictable sounds may help you feel safe enough to relax.
Touch Can Be Reassuring.
A warm blanket, gentle pressure, or comforting embrace can provide sensory signals associated with safety.
fear is forever
Fear has two distinct experiences within the mind and body. The first is the immediate reaction to a perceived threat, when the brain activates a cascade of chemical and physiological responses that prepare us to protect ourselves. The second is the lingering effect, when the original trigger is long gone, but the mind and nervous system continue behaving as though the danger is still present. This is often what we experience as anxiety. The mind keeps anticipating, remembering, or imagining threats that may no longer exist or may never happen. Think of fear and anxiety as existing on a spectrum from zero to ten. Zero represents a state of profound inner peace, complete awareness, and freedom from fear, something we might associate with an enlightened state of consciousness. Ten represents overwhelming panic, when a person is consumed by terror and struggles to think clearly. Most of us move somewhere along this spectrum throughout the day, often without recognizing that it's happening. The practice of self-awareness begins with noticing where we are on that spectrum and learning how to gently bring ourselves back toward calm.
Smell Has a Direct Connection to Memory.
A familiar scent can bring back an entire childhood scene before you've consciously remembered it.
The Brain Learns Through Repetition.
Every time you practice responding calmly instead of reacting impulsively, you're giving your nervous system another experience to learn from.
the body in motion will stay in motion.
The human body, like most living creatures on this planet, is a biological machine shaped over millions of years of evolution to move, explore, escape danger, find food, survive, and reproduce. Movement is built into our biology, and rest naturally follows as part of the same cycle. Nature didn't evolve us to remain motionless for most of our waking hours. But humans have developed brains sophisticated enough to override many of our ancient instincts, allowing us to create lives of extraordinary convenience while becoming increasingly sedentary. We've become intelligent enough to design a lifestyle that contradicts some of our most basic biological needs. That's not progress in every sense. It's a lifestyle mistake, and one we can correct by remembering that movement isn't merely exercise. It's part of what we're built to do.
Relaxation Is an Active Skill.
It may look like doing nothing, but learning to release physical and mental tension requires awareness and practice.
Movement Changes Your Chemistry.
Walking, stretching, and exercise influence neurotransmitters, hormones, circulation, and mood. Your brain was never meant to live independently of your body.
Fear Can Outlive the Danger.
The event may be over, but your body can continue responding to its memory. Notice when you're reacting to the past.
Don't Believe a Neuroscientist Just Because He's Buff!
A modern-day mansplainer is usually a buff dude like Andrew Huberman, who invites experts onto his platform to explain neuroscience, or takes matters into his own hands and explains how your brain works himself.
Humans Have Two Problems: (1) How to Survive; and (2) How to Regulate Their Nervous Systems
It's mind-blowing how much of humanity's suffering could be reduced if we could somehow bring our collective consciousness into a more regulated state. But collective change begins with individuals. We need more people who can recognize their own fear, regulate their nervous systems, and respond to life with awareness rather than reflexive reactions. None of this happens overnight. It takes willingness, patience, and consistent practice. We also need people who are willing to teach these skills to others. But first, they have to learn them themselves. We cannot teach the world to be peaceful if we haven't begun cultivating peace within ourselves.
The Brain's Most Urgent Requirement Isn't Food. It's Oxygen.
The brain's most urgent requirement isn't your next meal. It's a continuous supply of oxygen. Food provides the fuel, primarily glucose, but oxygen allows brain cells to convert that fuel into the energy needed to think, feel, remember, and remain conscious. If blood flow to the brain stops completely, consciousness can disappear within seconds, and brain cells can begin dying within minutes. We spend enormous amounts of time debating what to eat, yet rarely appreciate the extraordinary biological process that keeps oxygen flowing to our brains every moment of our lives. Breathing isn't just something we do. It's one of the fundamental processes that makes everything we experience possible.
Your Nervous System Can Learn to Feel
Repeated experiences of calm, connection, and manageable challenges can gradually change how you respond to stress.
Awareness Is Where Change Begins.
You cannot consciously change a reaction you haven't noticed. Learn to observe yourself before trying to improve yourself.
Attention Is a Limited Resource.
Every notification, interruption, and unnecessary worry competes for it. Protect your attention as carefully as you protect your time.
Sleep Is Biological Maintenance.
While you sleep, the brain regulates important processes involved in memory, emotional functioning, and cellular health. Rest is productive.
The Vagus Nerve Is Your Body's Great Communicator.
The vagus nerve is actually a pair of nerves that travel from the brainstem through the neck and chest into the abdomen, communicating with the heart, lungs, digestive tract, and other organs. Its name comes from the Latin word for wandering, which is appropriate because it travels through so much of the body. It helps regulate automatic functions we rarely think about, including heart rate and digestion. Understanding the vagus nerve is a reminder that your brain and body are not separate machines. They're in constant communication.
Your Body Talks to Your Brain.
We tend to imagine the brain as the boss, sending instructions down to the organs. But much of the information traveling through the vagus nerve moves in the opposite direction, from the body toward the brain. Your internal organs continuously provide information about what's happening inside you. This is one reason physical sensations can influence your emotional experience. Your brain doesn't simply invent feelings in isolation. It is interpreting information from an entire living body.
The Vagus Nerve Helps You Recover From Stress.
Your sympathetic nervous system helps prepare you for action, while the parasympathetic nervous system supports functions associated with rest, digestion, and recovery. The vagus nerve plays an important role in that parasympathetic activity, particularly in regulating the heart. The goal isn't to eliminate your stress response. You need that response to survive. The goal is to develop a nervous system that can respond to challenges and recover appropriately when those challenges have passed.
Your Exhale Is Worth Paying Attention To.
Your heart rate naturally changes slightly as you breathe. It generally speeds up during inhalation and slows during exhalation, partly because of changes in vagal activity. Slow, comfortable breathing can influence this relationship and help support relaxation. You don't have to force enormous breaths or hold your breath until you're uncomfortable. Try breathing gently, allowing the exhale to last a little longer than the inhale, and pay attention to what changes in your body. The point isn't to perform a trick. It's to become more familiar with your own physiology.
Your Heartbeat Is Not a Metronome.
The time between heartbeats naturally varies, and scientists call this heart rate variability, or HRV. Some measures of HRV reflect aspects of parasympathetic regulation involving the vagus nerve. Researchers study these patterns to better understand cardiovascular and autonomic functioning. But a single HRV score is not a complete measurement of your emotional health. Age, fitness, illness, sleep, medication, breathing, and many other factors influence it. Don't let a smartwatch convince you it understands your entire nervous system.
Your Stomach Has a Relationship With Your Anxiety.
Have you ever been frightened and suddenly lost your appetite, felt nauseated, or experienced an uncomfortable sensation in your stomach? Stress changes digestive activity through several pathways involving the brain, autonomic nervous system, and hormones. The vagus nerve is one important communication route in this relationship. That's why emotions can have physical consequences and physical discomfort can influence emotions. Not every stomach problem is caused by anxiety, but it's worth understanding how closely these systems interact.
Humming Is Not a Magical Nervous System Reset Button.
There are endless claims that humming, chanting, singing, or making strange noises can instantly reset your vagus nerve. The reality is more interesting and less magical. Vocalization involves muscles and nerves connected with breathing and the throat, and sustained sounds can encourage slower, more controlled breathing. Some people find these activities relaxing. However, claims that ordinary humming reliably produces a specific therapeutic level of vagus nerve stimulation are not well established. If humming helps you settle down, enjoy it. You don't need to invent a miracle to appreciate a useful practice.
You Don't Need an Ice Bath to Find Inner Peace.
Somewhere along the way, people decided that shocking the body with freezing water was the secret to mastering the nervous system. Cold exposure produces complicated physiological responses, including activation of the body's stress systems. Certain cooling techniques can influence autonomic activity, but jumping into freezing water is not a requirement for developing emotional regulation. Some people enjoy cold exposure, while others experience significant discomfort or medical risks. Slow breathing, regular movement, adequate sleep, and supportive relationships are far more accessible places to begin.
The Vagus Nerve Isn't the Entire Nervous System.
The vagus nerve has become a celebrity in wellness culture. Apparently, every sensation, mood, digestive complaint, and relationship problem can now be blamed on poor vagal tone. This is a ridiculous oversimplification of human biology. Emotional regulation involves distributed brain networks, the autonomic nervous system, hormones, sensory processing, learning, memory, and our social environment. The vagus nerve is important, but it isn't operating the entire human experience by itself. Be suspicious when someone reduces the complexity of your suffering to one nerve and then tries to sell you a device.
Your Nervous System Is Designed to Adapt, Not Stay Calm Forever.
The objective of self-regulation isn't to keep your heart rate low or remain peaceful every second of your life. That's not how a healthy biological system functions. Your nervous system needs to mobilize energy when circumstances demand action and support recovery when that action is no longer necessary. The vagus nerve participates in this continuous adjustment. Think about the larger goal: becoming more flexible in your responses rather than demanding that your body remain in one particular state. Resilience includes the ability to become activated, respond appropriately, and return toward equilibrium.
bonus round
which of these people is an expert in nutrition?
choose as many as you like. click next when you're ready.
trick question.
none of them.
not nutrition
expert informer competitive figure skater
not nutrition
expert inby day she's dentist
not nutrition
expert inwriting prescriptions
not nutrition
expert inpicking heavy things up and putting them down
not nutrition
expert inthe foxtrot, and outliving everyone
not nutrition
expert infermentation, and being hot for 64
Since the beginning of human history, we have had to figure out what counts as food and pass that knowledge down to every generation after us. Lesson one was clear: some berries will kill you. Fast forward a few hundred thousand years and most of us live in cities, surrounded by supermarkets, food companies and endless choices. Somewhere along the way we lost our connection to the land, and our main source of food became corporations that package and market products to light up the part of the brain that says buy.
The message about food got garbled. Everyone is an expert, and almost no one is. One camp says eat a mountain of animal protein at every meal. Another says go vegan. Take vitamins. Take supplements. Count calories. Add nootropics, superfoods and whatever else we are selling each other this month.
At one end are the people in the gym trying to get as big and strong as possible. For that goal they eat huge amounts of protein, and it works. For a long time we treated that size as a sign of good health, and we have since learned better. At the other end are regular doctors, the ones we see for checkups or when something feels wrong. Many know their field well but got very little training in nutrition, and some do not eat well themselves. In between sits the health and wellness industry, which has more than its share of quacks saying ridiculous things to make a buck. Whether they believe it or not, the misinformation spreads like wildfire.
Here is the truth as I see it. The secret to a healthy diet starts with what you leave out, and what you leave out is processed food. Do that and most of the mistakes are already behind you. Then it is a question of what to put in. We are not built to be carnivores. We are omnivores who can lean on animal food when good plant food is scarce. People in the Arctic do not have pineapples, avocados, lettuce and carrots growing outside, so of course they eat seal. Most of the rest of us do have that choice. For us, the foundation of the diet should be unrefined carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, nuts, sprouts and seeds. That is it. Take it for what it is worth.
the stars, according to a juice bar.
what's your sign?
you are a
For entertainment only. We are a juice bar, not your therapist, and the stars do not run your life, your nervous system does. Put in your birthday to find your sign, or scroll through all twelve and decide which one your ex really was.
♈ Aries
March 21 – April 19.
Temperament: Aries wakes up already annoyed at whoever is slower than them, which is everyone. An Aries has two speeds: full throttle and asleep.
Athletics: Aries is the person who sprints the first mile of a marathon and then tells you marathons are stupid. Aries is built for anything with a scoreboard and a short attention span.
Strengths: Aries starts things nobody else has the nerve to start. Brave, direct, and first through the door, even when it is the wrong door.
Weaknesses: Aries finishes about a third of what it starts. Patience is something an Aries has only heard about from other people.
Character defenses: When cornered, Aries attacks first and asks questions never. Anger is how an Aries says it is scared without saying it.
Social skills: Aries walks into a party and becomes the party, for about forty minutes. Then the Aries leaves without saying goodbye.
Cravings: Aries wants heat, speed, and caffeine: a head on fire, a round of hot shots, and a rude awakening for the road. An Aries will inhale a Downtown Burrito standing up.
Sex life: Aries in bed is enthusiastic, fast, and very proud of itself. Foreplay is a rumor an Aries is willing to investigate.
Friendships: Aries is the friend who shows up at 2 a.m. to help you move, then picks a fight with your landlord. An Aries friend is loyal as hell and exhausting as hell.
Communicator: Aries says the thing everyone was thinking and then wonders why the room went quiet. An Aries texts in all caps and means it.
Runner or chaser: Aries is a chaser, full stop. The second you stop running, the Aries gets bored and looks for the next hill.
Day-to-day advice: Aries, count to ten before you hit send. Then drink a celery juice and send half of it.
♉ Taurus
April 20 – May 20.
Temperament: Taurus is calm, steady, and immovable, like a very comfortable couch that holds grudges. Do not rush a Taurus, the Taurus will simply sit down.
Athletics: Taurus likes sports where you lift something heavy and then rest for four minutes. A Taurus will out-endure you out of pure stubbornness.
Strengths: Taurus is reliable, patient, and loyal to the point of absurdity. If a Taurus says it will be there, it is already there.
Weaknesses: Taurus confuses comfort with happiness and routine with personality. Changing a Taurus mind requires heavy machinery.
Character defenses: Taurus goes silent and digs in. The Taurus no is not an argument, it is a geographic feature.
Social skills: Taurus would rather host four people with great food than meet forty new ones. A Taurus remembers how you take your coffee.
Cravings: Taurus is ruled by the mouth: tiramisu, banana cream puddin', and a vanilla warfare to wash it down. A Taurus orders the sofrito burrito every single time and is right every single time.
Sex life: Taurus is slow, sensual, and in no hurry whatsoever. A Taurus wants good sheets, good snacks, and zero schedule.
Friendships: Taurus keeps the same friends from kindergarten and judges your new ones. Once you are in with a Taurus, you are in for life.
Communicator: Taurus says very little and means all of it. A Taurus will repeat the same point, slower, until you agree.
Runner or chaser: Taurus does neither, the Taurus waits. A Taurus plants itself, and eventually you come back for the cooking.
Day-to-day advice: Taurus, try one new thing this week, even if it is just a different drink. Start with an enlighten-mint.
♊ Gemini
May 21 – June 20.
Temperament: Gemini has two moods and both of them are talking. A Gemini can argue both sides of anything and enjoy it.
Athletics: Gemini loves variety and hates doing the same workout twice. A Gemini will try twelve classes and finish three.
Strengths: Gemini is curious, quick, and funny under pressure. Put a Gemini in a room of strangers and it walks out with ten phone numbers.
Weaknesses: Gemini gets bored faster than anyone alive. Commitment, to a Gemini, is choosing an outfit.
Character defenses: Gemini jokes its way out of every feeling. When it gets real, a Gemini changes the subject, twice.
Social skills: Gemini is the best person at the party and the only one having three conversations at once. Everybody knows a Gemini, and nobody is sure they know a Gemini.
Cravings: Gemini cannot pick, so the Gemini gets the açaí bowl and the chocolate phase bowl and eats half of each. To drink, a Gemini alternates sips of a harvey wallbanger and a cold brew latte.
Sex life: Gemini needs conversation before, during, and after. Variety is not a preference for a Gemini, it is a requirement.
Friendships: Gemini has a friend for every mood and a group chat for every friend. A Gemini will forget your birthday and then throw you the best party of your life.
Communicator: Gemini is a world-class talker and a part-time listener. A Gemini sends seven texts in a row and then disappears for three days.
Runner or chaser: Gemini chases until it catches you, then runs. Mostly a Gemini is just curious what happens next.
Day-to-day advice: Gemini, finish one thing before you start the next. Put the phone down, drink an 18 greens juice, and sit with one thought for a full minute.
♋ Cancer
June 21 – July 22.
Temperament: Cancer feels everything, all at once, at full volume, while pretending to be fine. A Cancer has a hard shell and a center made of soup.
Athletics: Cancer likes swimming, long walks with a friend, and anything that ends with a snack. A Cancer will cheer for you harder than it competes.
Strengths: Cancer is loyal, protective, and remembers everything you ever told it. Nobody takes care of people like a Cancer.
Weaknesses: Cancer takes things personally, including the weather. A Cancer holds onto a hurt the way other people hold onto receipts.
Character defenses: Cancer retreats into the shell and waits for an apology you did not know you owed. Passive-aggressive cooking is a Cancer love language and a Cancer weapon.
Social skills: Cancer is warm with family and shy with strangers. Let a Cancer host and you will never leave hungry.
Cravings: Cancer wants comfort in a bowl: the i can't believe it's NOT bone broth, a carrot ginger soup, and a happy muffin for the sad part of the day. To drink, a Cancer reaches for a labor of love.
Sex life: Cancer needs to feel safe before anything happens, and then the Cancer is all in. Cuddling is not optional with a Cancer, it is the main event.
Friendships: Cancer friendships last forever and come with homemade food. Cross a Cancer and you will be politely erased.
Communicator: Cancer says it is fine in nine different tones, and only one of them means fine. A Cancer communicates mostly through moods and leftovers.
Runner or chaser: Cancer runs sideways, like the crab. A Cancer wants to be chased, but gently, and with snacks.
Day-to-day advice: Cancer, say the hurt out loud while it is still small. Then eat the soup.
♌ Leo
July 23 – August 22.
Temperament: Leo is warm, loud, and convinced the sun is a personal spotlight. A Leo needs applause the way plants need water.
Athletics: Leo loves any sport with an audience. A Leo will train for six months to look casual about winning.
Strengths: Leo is generous, brave, and makes everyone feel like a star, as long as the Leo is the brightest one. A Leo will defend you in public every time.
Weaknesses: Leo pride is enormous and fragile at the same time. Ignore a Leo and watch it slowly wilt on the couch.
Character defenses: Leo performs confidence when it is terrified. When a Leo gets hurt, it gets louder.
Social skills: Leo runs the room, tells the best story, and picks up the check so you notice. A Leo throws great parties, mostly for the Leo.
Cravings: Leo wants the most photogenic thing on the menu: the dragon power bowl, a trillionaire cookie, and a rose lemonade held where people can see it.
Sex life: Leo is a performer and expects reviews. With a Leo, mirrors are encouraged and compliments are mandatory.
Friendships: Leo is a big-hearted friend who celebrates your wins louder than you do. A Leo just needs you to clap back.
Communicator: Leo speaks in headlines. A Leo tells a story with hand gestures, sound effects, and a sequel.
Runner or chaser: Leo expects to be chased and gets confused when you do not. If a Leo has to chase, it does it like a lion: briefly, dramatically, and with witnesses.
Day-to-day advice: Leo, do one good thing today and tell no one. It will feel strange, and it is good for you.
♍ Virgo
August 23 – September 22.
Temperament: Virgo is calm on the outside and running a full audit on the inside. A Virgo has already found the typo in this sentence.
Athletics: Virgo loves a training plan with a spreadsheet. A Virgo will run the same route at the same time for eleven years and log every mile.
Strengths: Virgo is precise, useful, and quietly fixes everything nobody noticed was broken. You want a Virgo in charge of the details.
Weaknesses: Virgo criticizes because Virgo cares, which is hard to explain to the person being criticized. Relaxing is a task a Virgo writes on a list and never checks off.
Character defenses: Virgo hides feelings behind tidying. When a Virgo is upset, the kitchen gets very, very clean.
Social skills: Virgo is the friend who brought the first-aid kit, the snacks, and a backup charger. A Virgo would rather help at the party than be at the party.
Cravings: Virgo reads every label we have and approves: a celery juice, an 18 greens shot, marinated kale, and the best chia. Once a month a Virgo eats a world piece cookie and feels guilty for a week.
Sex life: Virgo is shy until it trusts you, and then surprisingly thorough. A Virgo has done the research.
Friendships: Virgo shows love by fixing your resume and your posture. A Virgo friend tells you the truth when nobody else will.
Communicator: Virgo is clear, specific, and corrects your grammar out of love. A Virgo text has bullet points.
Runner or chaser: Virgo runs, writes a list of reasons it ran, then comes back to discuss the list. A Virgo needs proof before it chases anything.
Day-to-day advice: Virgo, good enough is a real place and you are allowed to live there. Leave one dish in the sink tonight on purpose.
♎ Libra
September 23 – October 22.
Temperament: Libra wants everyone to get along, especially if it means the Libra never has to pick a side. A Libra is charming, gorgeous, and has been undecided since 1998.
Athletics: Libra likes yoga, dance, and tennis, anything with good outfits and symmetry. A Libra will skip the workout if the lighting is bad.
Strengths: Libra is fair, diplomatic, and makes everything look beautiful. Send a Libra to settle a fight and both sides leave thinking they won.
Weaknesses: Libra cannot choose a restaurant, a shirt, or a partner without polling twelve people. A Libra will say yes just to avoid saying no.
Character defenses: Libra people-pleases until it explodes, politely. Libra anger arrives as a very sweet text.
Social skills: Libra is the best host, the best guest, and the best person to sit next to at a wedding. Everyone likes a Libra, which is exactly the problem.
Cravings: Libra wants the pretty stuff: a rose lemonade, the beauty berries parfait, and a skin deep. A Libra stands at the counter for twenty minutes choosing between the chiapolitan and the matcha parfait, then gets both.
Sex life: Libra wants romance, candles, and a partner who matches the sheets. A Libra in love is a full art direction project.
Friendships: Libra keeps the peace in every friend group and secretly knows everyone's drama. A Libra never takes your side in public and always takes it in private.
Communicator: Libra says it sees both sides and means it, which is infuriating. A Libra can deliver bad news so nicely you thank it.
Runner or chaser: Libra chases the idea of love and runs from the actual conversation. A Libra wants to be chased, then needs a week to decide.
Day-to-day advice: Libra, pick one thing today without asking anyone. Lunch counts, so order the first thing you see.
♏ Scorpio
October 23 – November 21.
Temperament: Scorpio is intense, private, and knows exactly what you did. A Scorpio feels everything and shows you nothing.
Athletics: Scorpio likes combat sports, deep water, and anything where nobody can see it trying. A Scorpio trains in secret and beats you in public.
Strengths: Scorpio is loyal, fearless, and sees through anyone in about four seconds. In a real crisis, you want a Scorpio.
Weaknesses: Scorpio holds grudges like family heirlooms. A Scorpio does not forget and does not pretend to forget.
Character defenses: Scorpio controls the information. When a Scorpio feels threatened, it goes quiet, watches, and waits.
Social skills: Scorpio stands in the corner of the party and somehow leaves knowing everyone's secrets. A Scorpio has three friends and would die for all of them.
Cravings: Scorpio orders dark and strong: the lights out, a turkish coffee, and a blue flame. A Scorpio eats the chocolate phase bowl at midnight and tells no one.
Sex life: Scorpio is legendary here and knows it. With a Scorpio, intensity is the point and small talk is not.
Friendships: Scorpio friendship is a blood oath. Betray a Scorpio once and you become a warning story it tells new friends.
Communicator: Scorpio says less than it knows and asks questions that feel like an interrogation. A Scorpio reads your text, waits nine hours, and replies with one word.
Runner or chaser: Scorpio chases quietly and catches. If a Scorpio runs, it is already gone, and it took the good blanket.
Day-to-day advice: Scorpio, let one person see what you are feeling today, and notice that nothing bad happens. Then drink a root chakra and go back to being mysterious.
♐ Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21.
Temperament: Sagittarius is optimistic, restless, and halfway out the door. A Sagittarius thinks the next city will fix everything.
Athletics: Sagittarius wants to hike the mountain, surf the wave, and sign up for the race the night before. A Sagittarius is fit from wandering.
Strengths: Sagittarius is funny, honest, and makes life feel like an adventure. Bring a Sagittarius on the trip and the trip becomes a story.
Weaknesses: Sagittarius promises a lot and then books a flight. Tact is a word a Sagittarius learned after it was too late.
Character defenses: Sagittarius leaves. When things get heavy, a Sagittarius suddenly has somewhere to be.
Social skills: Sagittarius talks to strangers in every line, and they love it. A Sagittarius has friends in eleven countries and none in its own building.
Cravings: Sagittarius wants food that travels: a protein power wrap, a garden wrap, a bag of total nut job, and a pineapple juice that tastes like vacation. After a long day of doing too much, a Sagittarius needs an island recovery.
Sex life: Sagittarius is adventurous, playful, and up for anything once. A Sagittarius also needs to leave by ten because it has a flight.
Friendships: Sagittarius is the fun friend who vanishes for six months and comes back with a tattoo and a philosophy. You forgive a Sagittarius because the stories are good.
Communicator: Sagittarius is brutally honest and thinks it is being helpful. A Sagittarius says no offense right before the offense.
Runner or chaser: Sagittarius is a runner who loves the chase. A Sagittarius wants freedom first and you second, and will tell you that directly.
Day-to-day advice: Sagittarius, stay for the hard part of one conversation this week. The view from the end of it is worth the trip.
♑ Capricorn
December 22 – January 19.
Temperament: Capricorn was born forty-five years old with a five-year plan. A Capricorn treats fun as a reward for finishing work, so a Capricorn rarely has fun.
Athletics: Capricorn climbs: mountains, stairs, corporate ladders, whatever is steep. A Capricorn outlasts you because quitting looks bad.
Strengths: Capricorn is disciplined, responsible, and gets it done while everyone else is still talking. A Capricorn builds things that last.
Weaknesses: Capricorn confuses being busy with being worthy. A Capricorn forgets that rest is part of the plan.
Character defenses: Capricorn works harder. Every feeling a Capricorn has gets turned into a project.
Social skills: Capricorn is dry, sharp, and secretly the funniest person at the table. It takes a Capricorn a year to warm up, and then it is forever.
Cravings: Capricorn eats the same reliable thing every day for efficiency: better oatmeal, a keto energy bar, and an arnold farmer. A Capricorn drinks a ginger coffee at the desk at 6 a.m.
Sex life: Capricorn is reserved in public and seriously committed in private. A Capricorn schedules romance and then actually shows up.
Friendships: Capricorn friendships are few, earned, and permanent. A Capricorn will help you build your business and never mention it again.
Communicator: Capricorn is direct, efficient, and allergic to small talk. A Capricorn email has no greeting and one decision.
Runner or chaser: Capricorn chases slowly, like a long-term investment. A Capricorn does not run, it simply decides you failed the quarterly review.
Day-to-day advice: Capricorn, take a lunch break away from the screen, the empire will still be there at 1:30. Bring a medicina.
♒ Aquarius
January 20 – February 18.
Temperament: Aquarius is friendly, brilliant, and emotionally three blocks away. An Aquarius loves humanity and finds individual humans exhausting.
Athletics: Aquarius likes the weird sport nobody else plays, like frisbee at dawn or something with a strange board. An Aquarius exercises on its own terms or not at all.
Strengths: Aquarius is original, inventive, and decades ahead. An Aquarius sees the future and gets annoyed that you cannot.
Weaknesses: Aquarius can be cold when you need warm and stubborn about being different. An Aquarius will disagree just to keep things interesting.
Character defenses: Aquarius detaches. When it hurts, an Aquarius turns the feeling into a theory.
Social skills: Aquarius has a huge network and very few people who actually know it. An Aquarius is everybody's friend and nobody's best friend, on purpose.
Cravings: Aquarius wants whatever sounds strangest: e=mc2, punk meets monk, or a zapple doo. An Aquarius orders the pesto kelp noodles just to find out what a kelp noodle is.
Sex life: Aquarius is experimental and open-minded, with occasional pauses to think about something else entirely. An Aquarius wants a partner who is also a friend and a little bit of a science project.
Friendships: Aquarius collects friends from every corner of life and introduces them to each other. An Aquarius shows up for a cause before it shows up for brunch.
Communicator: Aquarius talks about ideas, not feelings. Ask an Aquarius how it feels and you will get a lecture.
Runner or chaser: Aquarius runs from clingy and chases interesting. An Aquarius needs space and will tell you so in a very calm voice.
Day-to-day advice: Aquarius, call one person today just to ask how they are, and then listen. Feelings are data too.
♓ Pisces
February 19 – March 20.
Temperament: Pisces is dreamy, sensitive, and absorbs every mood in the room like a sponge. A Pisces already cried at a commercial this morning.
Athletics: Pisces belongs in the water: swimming, surfing, floating, staring at the ocean. A Pisces moves beautifully and forgets it signed up for the class.
Strengths: Pisces is compassionate, creative, and intuitive to the point of spooky. A Pisces knows you are sad before you do.
Weaknesses: Pisces escapes into daydreams, naps, anything to avoid the bill on the counter. A Pisces says yes to everyone and then disappears.
Character defenses: Pisces drifts away. When reality gets loud, a Pisces goes somewhere else in its head and leaves the body to handle it.
Social skills: Pisces is the gentle friend everyone confesses to. Strangers tell a Pisces their life story in line at the store.
Cravings: Pisces wants something soft and sweet: a coconut twist, a blue skies, and a mango'shewitz. On the hard days, a Pisces needs an egyptian red lentil soup and a long nap.
Sex life: Pisces is romantic, emotional, and makes love like a slow song. A Pisces remembers every detail and writes a poem about it.
Friendships: Pisces gives too much and asks for too little. A Pisces friend will sit with you in the dark and never once try to fix it.
Communicator: Pisces speaks in feelings, metaphors, and very long voice notes. A Pisces means exactly what it says, it just says it like a dream.
Runner or chaser: Pisces swims in circles, chasing the fantasy and running from the reality. A Pisces needs someone steady enough to be the shore.
Day-to-day advice: Pisces, do one boring grown-up thing today, like opening the mail. Then reward yourself with a doctor's orders and a daydream.
pop quiz
what are the macronutrients?
select as many or as few as you like, then click next.
the answer
Carbohydrates, protein and fat. In that order. Those are the three macronutrients, the big nutrients your body runs on and builds itself from. Everything else on the list is something else.
Pie, pizza, soda and Red Bull are foods and drinks. Creatine, peptides and collagen are supplements, and peptides and collagen are just protein in a different outfit. Omegas are fats. Chlorophyll is the green pigment plants use to catch sunlight. The micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals, the small stuff your body needs in tiny amounts.
built different
who was built to eat what?
CLICK A WORD ANIMALS WITH THOSE TRAITS LIGHT UP...
wolf
The first function of life is to become alive. The second is to survive. To survive, we have to eat, and each of us has a different prescription in nature. Our bodies and our minds are designed for a particular diet.
The problem nature runs into is that some animals have to kill other sentient, thinking beings to stay alive, and that collides with the first goal of life, which is simply to be alive. So nature built prototypes. Some went off to eat flesh and kill. Others eat only plants. Some can eat both. But nature may be working toward a creature that needs only the sun, an animal that can turn sunlight directly into its own energy and flesh. That may never happen.
Humans are an incredible prototype. Our instincts have been pulled back far enough that we have access to free will through intelligence, and we have adaptive bodies, which means we can live on plants. When we eat plants, we skip the middleman. The animal ate the plants. We go straight to the source.
It gets confusing because animal foods have been available to humans since the beginning of time. We learned by watching other animals, and by being really hungry. Once you have tasted blood, turning into a herbivore is hard. Flesh foods are filling. They satiate, and satiation is relaxing, while hunger creates anxiety.
To go plant-based, you have to get enough calories from a wide variety of produce. The big problem people run into when they go vegan is that they still eat a lot of junk food, so their bodies never quite feel good. They usually don't know what to eat either, so they slip into a calorie deficit.
Processed food, of course, is a different category altogether. No creature was designed to eat food that disrupts the endocrine system and intoxicates instead of nourishing it.