Essences for GOOD LIFE by Liliana Petre

27/12/2025

A 2023 study showed a strong association between higher dietary magnesium and signs of slower age-related brain shrinkage and better brain health. In a large analysis of more than 6,000 adults aged 40 to 73, researchers found that people who consumed about 550 milligrams of magnesium per day tended to have larger brain volumes and fewer white matter lesions than people who consumed around 350 mg per day.

Based on MRI scans, those with higher magnesium intake had brains that looked roughly about one year “younger” at age 55 in terms of tissue volume. Higher magnesium was linked with greater gray matter and hippocampal volume, both important for memory and cognitive function.

26/12/2025

A study published in 2009 in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (PMC2664784) investigated the effects of frankincense (Boswellia sacra) essential oil on human bladder cancer cells. Researchers treated human bladder carcinoma cells (J82) and normal human urothelial cells (UROtsa) with increasing concentrations of frankincense oil and measured cell viability and structural changes. The study found that frankincense oil caused a dose-dependent death of bladder cancer cells, while normal bladder cells were significantly less affected at the same doses, indicating selective cytotoxicity rather than generalized toxicity.

Further molecular analysis showed that frankincense oil altered the expression of genes involved in cell-cycle arrest, growth inhibition, and apoptosis specifically in the cancer cells. Notably, the cancer cell death did not follow the classic DNA-fragmentation pattern of apoptosis, suggesting a distinct, non-canonical mechanism of tumor cell elimination. These findings demonstrated that frankincense essential oil can selectively disrupt bladder cancer cell survival pathways in vitro, providing a mechanistic basis for further preclinical investigation.

21/12/2025

21/12/2025

Hello winter. Winter Solstice.December 21.2025.

21/12/2025

21/12/2025

Producing one gallon of almond milk requires roughly 1,600 gallons of water, largely due to irrigation-intensive almond farming.

By contrast, grass-fed dairy milk production can require as little as four gallons of water per gallon of milk under certain grazing systems.

These figures challenge simplified narratives about sustainability that focus on labels rather than full resource accounting.

Water usage depends heavily on geography, farming method, and ecosystem impact rather than food category alone.

As freshwater scarcity becomes a defining issue of the century, understanding true environmental costs is increasingly urgent. Oversimplified sustainability messaging can obscure trade-offs, delaying meaningful reform in agriculture at a time when smarter water management may determine food viability for entire regions.

17/12/2025

Your gut isn’t just digesting food… It’s running a biochemical factory that keeps you alive.

Most people think the colon is just “where waste goes.”
But this illustration shows something more:

Your colon is one of the most underrated metabolic organs in the entire body.

Inside this 5-foot stretch of tubing, billions of bacteria are:
🔥 Creating vitamins
🔥 Producing short-chain fatty acids (the fuel your colon cells run on)
🔥 Detoxifying harmful compounds
🔥 Breaking down proteins into neurotransmitter precursors
🔥 Regulating your immune system
🔥 Deciding whether you feel inflamed, bloated, focused, or foggy

And all of it is happening silently, every hour of every day.

Looking closer at what this one diagram reveals:

🔸 Fiber → SCFAs (butyrate, acetate, propionate)
These molecules lower inflammation, feed colon cells, improve insulin sensitivity, and even influence mood.

🔸 Protein → amino acids → neurotransmitter precursors
Yes, your gut bacteria help shape serotonin, dopamine, and even histamine levels.

🔸 Your colon detoxifies more than your liver gets credit for.
Phenols, ammonia, indoles, cresol, skatole. Your microbes help neutralize them before they ever hit your bloodstream.

🔸 Gas, pH changes, mucus secretion, metal excretion, nutrient salvage; it all happens here.
Your colon saves water, electrolytes, energy, and even rescues calories you would otherwise lose.

🔸 The final 135 grams of stool are only a fraction of the metabolic work happening behind the scenes.

This is why gut health affects EVERYTHING: digestion, immunity, mental clarity, inflammation, skin, sleep, metabolism; all of it.

Your gut isn’t a waste pipe.
It’s an ecosystem, a chemical lab, and a second brain whispering instructions to the rest of your body.

Source:
Thieme’s Color Atlas of Physiology

08/12/2025

90 mcg of Vitamin K2 cut carotid artery plaque buildup by over 55% in 9 months—see how this simple supplement made a difference.

04/12/2025

Your brain naturally loses about 0.5% of its volume every year as you age but new research shows this decline isn’t irreversible. Studies, including findings highlighted by Harvard researchers, reveal that eating just seven walnuts a day can increase brain volume by up to 4.3% within 90 days, effectively reversing shrinkage and stimulating the growth of new neurons. This remarkable effect comes from walnuts’ powerful blend of omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, antioxidants, and vitamin E, all of which nourish brain cells, protect them from oxidative stress, and support neurogenesis.

Walnuts are especially rich in ALA omega-3s, which strengthen neuron membranes, boost communication between brain cells, and reduce inflammation linked to cognitive decline. Their polyphenols enhance blood flow to the brain, improving oxygen delivery and mental sharpness. This nutrient combination constructs a healthier neural environment, allowing the brain to repair, rebuild, and even grow new cells.

In just three months, measurable improvements in memory, focus, and processing speed often appear, proof that brain aging is not as fixed as once believed. Adding seven walnuts to your daily routine is one of the simplest, scientifically supported ways to rejuvenate your brain and protect long-term cognitive function.

04/12/2025

Foods You Shouldn't Keep In The Fridge 😇

29/11/2025

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