I can give you another example using hormones like insulin. For decades, people relied on natural sources—meaning it was isolated from lizards, cadavers, or pigs (pig insulin being the closest match to what humans produce). But lately, we've shifted toward versions produced through lab synthesis. To be clear, we aren't talking about traditional chemical synthesis here; it’s a biotechnological process. Personally, I'd always choose a pure, clearly defined, and controlled product—especially when dealing with hormones or something similar—over some raw isolate where I have no idea where it came from, how it was processed, or what kind of quality I'm actually getting.
jezebel said:Is there anything on our market—like birth control pills—that uses NATURAL (not synthetic) hormones?
What do you even mean by "natural"? If we're talking about actual natural stuff, those would be the ones where they just isolate what already exists (basically isolates)...
It’s been a long time since I hit the gym, but back when I was consistent, my routine always ended the same way: a steaming hot shower or a soak in the tub, wrapping myself up in something warm, just chilling out, and taking an aspirin. Honestly, that worked wonders for me.
northernseal6 said:Look, maybe CAM isn't exactly a supermodel, but saying she’s unattractive? That’s a bit of a stretch, even if nobody is exactly lining up to date her.😎
Nobody I know 😁 thinks so, and honestly, nobody in general... But like I said before, she doesn't need to be. Thank God this is a role where blinking her eyelashes at the camera isn't part of the job description...
I’m a huge fan of The Matrix; if I ever have kids, they’re definitely going to be watching it. 😁 I’ve seen Animatrix too—some of those shorts are pretty slick, and a few are actually quite thought-provoking (like if you're wondering whether you can just spontaneously wake up from a dream or whatever), but that's not really the point... The second one was a total letdown for me. As for the third one, I honestly just fell asleep. 😢
And frankly, I don't know a single person who thinks CAM is hot, sexy, or even remotely attractive 🤔 (and she doesn't even need to be playing a role like that to be judged).
A friend of mine finally hunted down a decent pedicurist here in Washington, D.C., mostly because she’s the type who panics if her grooming slips even slightly. I honestly have no clue what the gold standard is for a good pedicure, but she was raving all summer about this one specialist she’s found—someone she says she’ll be loyal to for life 😁 over on Fifth Avenue, just past Republic Square (if you’re heading west from the Square, it’s on the left side, not too far down). I don't have the specifics like the exact street number or the business name, but hey, maybe it'll come in handy for you. She sounded genuinely thrilled about it (which is saying something, since she’s never once brought up nail care in her entire life 😲 ).
Kenneth Hernandez67 said:A pedicure isn't a magic fix for everything, and even if they manage to sort it out once, there's no guarantee it'll stay that way.
Look, I get it—sometimes a nail tech just can't work miracles. But honestly, half the battle is just staying on top of your maintenance. If you stop taking care of things, everything goes to hell pretty quickly. Personally, I’d hit up a specialist first because, frankly, I'm a bit of a neurotic about this stuff, 😁but you really have to go in with realistic expectations...
If you do it to your toes like > described, you end up with just the middle of the nail left. They don't pull the whole thing out, but a new one eventually grows back. Fortunately, I haven't dealt with this personally, but I've seen it happen to people close to me: they use local anesthesia, and the actual procedure is super quick. However, you're basically sidelined for a few days, constantly having to swap out bandages, and you'll be walking around with heavy padding on your heels. From what I’ve observed, it actually took a few weeks before the person could even think about wearing normal shoes again.
Here is another case I know about: As soon as the issues started with her toes, a girl I know went to a podiatrist who basically trimmed away the excess tissue (I know they sometimes use silver nitrate to cauterize the area and stop the overgrowth, among other things). Basically, everything cleared up for her, and she didn't even need to head to a clinic.
I see you guys were looking for me. I haven't been around much lately... It’s an established fact that free radicals—those reactive molecular forms with unpaired electrons—damage cellular components like our DNA, which ultimately compromises the cell itself. Aging is an inherent biological process, and we wouldn't be dealing with it if free radicals didn't exist (we actually touched on this during a science discussion regarding immortality and stuff like that). By the way, if anyone is daydreaming about living forever, let their first thought be "tumor." That’s what true immortality looks like. I don't have the data right in front of me, but I remember seeing a graph a long time ago clearly illustrating how harmful oxidation is. Honestly, who can blame us? We live in an oxidizing, corrosive atmosphere and breathe in a toxic substance called oxygen. 🙂 Just look at what oxygen does to a piece of iron; it’s easy to see it does the exact same thing to us. 😉
Unfortunately, we don't really have a choice in the matter...
Casey Palmer5 said:When exactly did this doctor graduate from med school? Like, 1820 or something? Look, I personally know several doctors who are strict vegetarians. Why? Simply because it’s healthy. Of course, that assumes you actually follow the nutritional guidelines. Vegetarianism isn't just living on potato chips and chocolate bars.😁
It’s a shame😁 it’s that kind of vegetarianism, otherwise I’d be signing up immediately.😁
Amy Turner10, check out this thread over in the food section. As you can see, there are plenty of people there who can give you some actual solid advice.
Amy Turner10 said:I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, if I cut out fish, I’d probably have a total nervous breakdown. Besides, I love it. It’s delicious. And I feel miserable when I try to settle for just some canned meat, deli slices, or cold cuts instead.
Thanks for the advice, though! 🙂
You want to know what the most painless way to handle this is? In my opinion, don't go around announcing you're a vegetarian. Don't start preaching any slogans. When someone asks, just tell them you aren't a fan of certain foods—and list everything, right? Mention the beef, the deli meats, the pepperoni, even things like those veggie patties or sour grapes (don't just stop at meat). 😉 Once people get used to the idea that you just don't care for stuff that everyone else loves, they'll be much more open to actually talking about whatever philosophy or lifestyle choice is driving your diet. Just take it slow and play it smart. 😉 🙂
Amy Turner10 said:But lately, he—who’s always been one to exaggerate and turn everything into a massive drama—has started calling me a terrorist and saying he’s going to drag me to a psychologist. I keep trying to point out my vegetarian colleagues as examples, emphasizing that they are perfectly healthy people both physically and mentally, but it’s clearly not enough for him. He’s still dead set on the idea that his daughter is eventually going to turn into a carrot or, in his worst-case scenario, a head of broccoli. How on earth do I explain to him that some people genuinely care about animal welfare, that meat substitutes DO exist (I still eat fish, for heaven's sake!), and that I just don't find meat tasty, even though I grew up in a classic Midwestern meat-eating household...? HELP!!!!!
1. Fish is an animal. 😉 Its meat is meat; let's try to be consistent here.
2. Just as not every anarchist is a terrorist, and not every anti-globalist is a terrorist, being a vegetarian doesn't mean you have to be militant to the point of terrorism. If you can show through your behavior that you are a normal, healthy, and mature adult (which means not forcing your views on others or trying to "re-educate" everyone around you), your dad will eventually realize this isn't some phase or obsession, but a thoughtful, brave choice. Once he sees that, he'll likely back off out of respect. But honestly, a lot depends on how you handle yourself. If you can stay calm, rational, and grounded when discussing this, he'll probably trust your judgment more.
3. If you don't want to eat certain meats simply because you don't like the taste, you don't owe anyone an explanation. Taste is deeply personal; nobody can argue with what you enjoy eating.
4. If your dad actually believes you're going to transform into a carrot or a piece of broccoli, maybe you should be the one sending him to a psychologist. 😁
5. And finally, just because you come from a traditional American family doesn't justify anything. You have your own palate. It's not like every Texan is required to love BBQ just because of where they were born. 😉
It’s a nice enough website, and they do a decent job laying out the zeolite composition. However, under the "scientific papers" section, there's a total lack of actual publication references or peer-reviewed studies (though I guess I shouldn't be surprised).
Look, I can't exactly cite publications for things that haven't been published. And frankly, I have no intention of publicly broadcasting someone else's raw data. 😉
Besides, just because granite is a completely natural substance doesn't mean you should go eating it.
I'm really not looking for an argument here, 🙂 I just absolutely refuse to buy into the idea that Nature Made is some kind of "miracle cure." 😉
Also, I have no idea how meat fits into this conversation. There are dozens of threads dedicated specifically to vegetarianism, so feel free to take that discussion over there.
And finally, I'm way too old to keep spinning the same tired record. It's not your fault that these kinds of repetitive topics keep popping up. 👋
cosmicpilot31 said:I’ve got some insights myself based on testing done with various medical devices, and the results clearly showed that this would specifically benefit the body.
Peter Taylor63 said:So it’s not quite accurate to say that "boosting your system" means absolutely nothing.
😂 I honestly thought you just had poor terminology, but now I’m certain that 😁
Fortunately, I’m only choking on laughter here, not on some disease 😉 Like I said, I know people who have actually tested this scientifically, and I know people who have used it themselves. But go ahead, keep peddling lukewarm water. What really gets under my skin is seeing people get rich off those who are sick and don't know better (or aren't plugged into the right circles to find out), allowing shady characters to exploit them for profit. 👎
cosmicpilot31 said:Maybe there weren't any results because people totally misunderstood what a Rubik actually is. They started using it way too late! A Rubik isn't some magic cure for cancer. It’s just supposed to support the body during chemotherapy or generally help "boost" your system—basically just helping your overall condition...
Look, bottom line: I know people who have researched this, and I know people who used it. And yeah, Rubik was being sold to terminal cancer patients under the premise that it would help them. Those people aren't idiots, and they didn't "misunderstand" anything. They were dying in agony and were willing to try absolutely anything. btw, if you're hell-bent on taking a Rubik, go find actual research results first. And watch your liver. 😉 Also, "boosting your system" is a meaningless phrase that doesn't actually mean anything at all.
cosmicpilot31 said:1. What’s the consensus on this stuff? 2. Does anyone actually have experience using it? 3. Are there any actual results? 4. In what scenarios have you used it, or heard of people using it? 5. Is it legit?
1. Look, I don't have a problem with zeolite itself—it's everywhere, from the soil to your laundry detergent. My issue is with the absolute scam of fleecing sick people who are just looking for a miracle because they're facing the end. 2. Yeah, I know quite a few people. 3. Of course there aren't any results. 4. I know several people fighting cancer who tried everything under the sun, including this Rubik nonsense. 5. It's insanity... everyone who tried it ended up passing away, which was inevitable given the progression of their illness, but all they did was fuel false hope while draining their bank accounts.
frozenangler9 said:But that mindset—the one that leans into ageism, treating people with total indifference and consciously neglecting them just because you can easily hide that neglect behind statistical expectations... that’s honestly monstrous.
Over in France this summer, way too many elderly people passed away due to the heatwaves. That reality has dragged several issues to the surface: 1. A healthcare system that isn't functioning nearly well enough (vacations leaving staff short-handed, slow responses from government agencies to set up emergency protocols, etc.). 2. More importantly: the attitude our society and civilization holds toward older people. They are neglected individuals that nobody seems to care about—not their families (there have been cases where they haven't even been buried yet!), not their neighbors, and certainly not social services. On paper, the support structures exist, but in reality, everyone just expects the elderly to die!
The problem lies with people. 😢 You can always blame the funding, the organization, or some other logistical failure... but it's people who cause the most damage through sheer negligence and lack of empathy. That isn't going to change. But we absolutely have to push back against this injustice; otherwise, we're essentially saying it's acceptable. 😢
It's devastating for the whole family. I wish I were closer to you all so I could be of more help...
Dear Velmica, 😢 you really need to get some legal counsel on this. Brace yourself for the fact that the hospital staff might try to lie to you, muddy the waters, or cover things up to protect themselves. Check on the legality of requesting your full medical records immediately. Whatever you do, don't go making public threats—it’ll just backfire. Always make sure there's a witness present during your conversations (honestly, you might even want to record them?). You might actually be able to change the outcome here, but I know how hard this is since you're still dealing with all that Trauma. People can be incredibly cold; they won't show much sympathy, and some will definitely try to take advantage of you. I'm wishing you strength, courage, and a whole lot of patience. Try to find a doctor you trust—maybe someone in the family—who can look over your paperwork and tell you exactly which questions you should be asking the staff. Also, stay in close contact with the physician over at the Rib; they might still be able to help you out. We're all thinking of you and your family....
dustycanyon6 said:It’s a similar logic to saying NaCl isn't dangerous, even though chlorine itself is. I don't know—just speculating here.
(though this isn't exactly a great comparison)
Anyway, I agree. Someone should just try it—you know, skip the Diet Coke, avoid any gum containing aspartame, or just toss some aspartame into your tea or water and see what happens...