EXERCISE: * Tabata timed walk (3 min fast/3 min slow) * PT APP workout –low back stretch / strengthening * Brisk evening walk in the desert heatwave… love it!
WATER: (2) × (32) = 64 oz (+)
EATS: * watermelon * gorilla salad w/ brown rice, grain & celery salad, hearts of palm, oilfree potato airfries & 3-2-1 dressing * veg sandwich & few jr mints
… SUN HAS SET …
Cmmt: XL indicates uncommon extravagantly lucious food, and wautéed means water-sautéed
Proverbs 31: 10-31 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
EXERCISE: * Jog 5k outdoors * Day 2 Muscle / Bone Mass Workout * Wall Pilates Day 1 (new!) * PT APP workout –low back stretch / strengthening –hip strengthening
WATER: (2) × (32) = 64 oz (+)
EATS: * banana & watermelon * homemade chipotle black beans w/ tomato, mushrooms, carrot, sauerkraut, onion, brown rice, lemon juice * steamed brussel sprouts & corn on cob * choco-peanut butter (made from lowfat powders) on 9 grain sourdough toast * plain sparkling water w/ just a shot of soft XL-drink
… SUN HAS SET …
Cmmt: XL indicates uncommon extravagantly lucious food, and wautéed means water-sautéed
Online, when you hear ads about “a simple trick to be done at bedtime to restore the brain”— it is likely referring to a well-known sleep-related technique called cognitive shuffling (also referred to as the serial diverse imagining task).
What Is Cognitive Shuffling?
Cognitive shuffling is a mental technique designed to quiet racing thoughts and help you fall asleep faster. It was developed by cognitive scientist Dr. Luc Beaudoin.
How it works: Instead of trying to force your mind to relax or replay your day, you think of random, neutral words, preferably ones that bear no emotional weight. For example, take the word “Piano” and break it down:
P: pear, parachute, pen, pine
I: igloo, idea, insect, image
A: apple, anchor, apron, arc
N: needle, nectar, notion, nova
O: ocean, orbit, olive, onion
You spend 5–8 seconds per letter listing associated words, then move on. This distracts the brain from anxious or emotionally charged thoughts and nudges it into a more dreamlike, sleep-ready state.
Why it works:
The mind, as it drifts into sleep, naturally has fragmented, microdream-like thought patterns.
By engaging in intentional, random, and neutral thinking, you mimic this presleep mental state—making sleep onset easier.
Effectiveness:
A study with around 154 participants found that practicing this technique (referred to in a formal study as SDIT) improved sleep quality, reduced time to fall asleep, and helped with presleep arousal — and the effects lasted over several weeks.
How to Practice It Tonight:
Get into bed and settle in.
Choose any simple word—doesn’t have to make sense (e.g., “chair,” “window,” “cloud”).
Go letter by letter:
For each letter, think of as many neutral words as possible for about 5–8 seconds.
Avoid emotionally charged or self-referential words.
If you fall asleep in the process—awesome!
If you’re still awake after ~20 minutes or feel frustrated, get up, do something relaxing in another room, then return to bed when sleepy again.
Why This Might Be What Is Being Referred to Online:
It’s indeed a simple bedtime fix that targets your brain’s thought processes, helping you drift into restful sleep. That matches the phrasing of “a trick… to restore the brain.”
Summary:
Cognitive shuffling is a brain-friendly, easy-to-apply pre-sleep mental tool. It works by replacing anxiety-inducing thoughts with random, neutral imagery—often helping you fall asleep within minutes.
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PS: I tried this last night when I awoke mid-sleep. It worked! It put me right back into dreamland 👍
Israel is preparing to perform the world’s first-ever human spinal cord implant using a patient’s own cells, a medical breakthrough that could allow paralyzed patients to stand and walk again, Tel Aviv University announced on Wednesday. The surgery, expected in the coming months, will take place in Israel and marks a historic milestone in regenerative medicine.
Proverbs 30: 10-19 “There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.”
EXERCISE: * Jog 5k outdoors * PT APP workout –low back stretch / strengthening –low back & hip pain relief
WATER: (2) × (32) = 64 oz (+)
EATS: * gfo smoothie * sizzle XL-plate (cottage potato, broccoli, spinach, tomato, mushroom, bell pepper onion) w/ toast on side * plain sparkling water w/ shot of soft XL-drink & pistachios * unsweetened apple sauce * chipotle black beans w/ tomato, onion, brown & purple rice, avocado, lemon juice
… SUN HAS SET …
Cmmt: XL indicates uncommon extravagantly lucious food, and wautéed means water-sautéed
Proverbs 31: 1-9 “… it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment […] Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”
EXERCISE: * Walk 4 miles indoors * Facial lymphatic massage * PT APP workout –low back stretch / strengthening –low back & hip pain relief * Day 1 Muscle / Bone Mass Workout
WATER: (2) × (32) = 64 oz (+)
EATS: * gfo smoothie * Moroccan stew w/ loads of veggies, rice, some added sauerkraut & teff injera * fresh strawberries * chipotle black beans w/ tomato, onion, mushroom, purple rice, oilfree airfried corn tortilla strips w/ avocado + salsa * unsweetened apple sauce & few pistachios
… SUN HAS SET …
Cmmt: XL indicates uncommon extravagantly lucious food, and wautéed means water-sautéed
by Pam Popper, President of Wellness Forum Health:
Summary Bullet Points
Historical Clarity on Junk Food: Junk foods (cookies, candy, chips) were once clearly recognized as unhealthy, and people generally understood they should eat less of them and more whole plant foods.
Modern Confusion: Today’s debate on ultra-processed foods focuses more on tweaking ingredients (e.g., seed oils, coloring agents) rather than reducing consumption—an approach Popper criticizes as misguided.
Dietary Guidelines Stance: Popper, typically critical of the USDA, supports the 2024 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s decision not to blame ultra-processed foods broadly for chronic disease.
Misplaced Blame: Popper argues that chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes and heart disease are primarily caused by dietary fat, not candy, pasta, or cereals.
Scientific Support:
Intramyocellular fat (fat within muscle cells) is a key cause of insulin resistance.
Reducing dietary fat (e.g., cheese, oils, French fries) leads to dramatic improvements in insulin sensitivity—even before significant weight loss.
Misinterpretation of Studies: Popper criticizes lazy or AI-generated summaries of studies. A 2023 study linking ultra-processed foods to diabetes actually found:
Higher risk from ultra-processed animal products and “heat and eat” meals.
Lower risk from processed cereals, sweet snacks, and fruit-based processed foods.
A plant-rich diet was associated with reduced risk of type-2 diabetes.
Main Takeaway: The overall dietary pattern—favoring whole plant foods and minimizing fats—is far more important than focusing narrowly on specific additives like seed oils or food dyes.
Call to Action: Wellness Forum Health promotes teaching people to read and interpret scientific information independently, making them less susceptible to misinformation or trendy health narratives.
