#caturday it's been cold in the Bay Area. Once I turn on the heating in the house, the cats disappear. But I know where to find them… (The plastic pot saucer is a new touch)

I assure you they are comfortable #caturday

#caturday Visiting my niece-cat Emmy. You'll have to trust me, she is under there, her happy place these days 🥰

#caturday Azalea taking it easy today. No zoomies yet. Done exploring the kitchen for stray treats.

Can vegans build as much muscle as omnivores? yes, but they need ~30% more total protein plant proteins have lower bioavailability—you need more volume to match the anabolic response 1.5-1.6 g/kg vegan with proper leucine = 1.0-1.2 g/kg omnivore outcomes shorturl.at/LYWIN

During weight loss you need DOUBLE the protein not "a bit more"—literally 1.6-2.4 g/kg instead of 0.8-1.2 g/kg one study: 40% calorie deficit + 2.4 g/kg protein = GAINED muscle while losing fat 1.2 g/kg group lost muscle despite eating "enough" shorturl.at/LYWIN

Suprising fact: active people need 0.8 g/kg protein to maintain muscle sedentary people need MORE (1.6 g/kg) for the same result exercise makes you 2x more efficient at using dietary protein this is why online protein debates miss the point—context matters more than numbers shorturl.at/LYWIN

longevity researchers: eat less protein muscle researchers: eat more protein twist: they're both right high protein in middle age → 4x cancer risk high protein after 65 → lower mortality same nutrient, opposite effects at different ages nobody's explaining this shorturl.at/LYWIN

CRP doesn't just measure inflammation—it actively damages blood vessels, worsens insulin resistance & accelerates disease. Lowering it isn't cosmetic, it's protective. This is why it's a key longevity marker you can actually change. shorturl.at/LYWIN

Low lymphocyte % predicts 30-80% higher mortality risk. It signals immune aging—your body losing capacity to fight infections & cancer. Stress, poor sleep & malnutrition all suppress these critical cells. Measure it, improve it. shorturl.at/LYWIN

Your real age is in your blood, not your birthday. PhenoAge uses 9 markers to show how fast you're aging. Unlike DNA tests, these respond to sleep, diet & exercise—changing in just 3-6 months. Biological age beats chronological age every time. shorturl.at/LYWIN

A new COVID wave, already spreading to other countries, likely to come to the US. Evidently due to waning immunity and not to a new variant. I got my booster this past week. Found Novavax at Costco and decided not to delay.

Grip strength predicts all-cause mortality. Measure it with a $30 device, the Handexer Dynamometer. Also track: DEXA scan for muscle mass, 6-minute walk test, timed up-and-go. You can't optimize what you don't measure. shorturl.at/LYWIN #HealthMetrics #Longevity

Women: critical muscle-building window in teenage years. Men: early 20s through 40s. Starting adulthood with quality muscle mass provides long-term health advantages. But it's never too late—sarcopenia is modifiable. shorturl.at/LYWIN #MuscleDevelopment #Fitness

DOMS isn't needed for progress. Consider: weight you can lift 7-8 times, only lift it 3-4 times, 3 exercises over 10 minutes. Repeat daily. Strength gains come from neurological adaptation, not muscle damage. Work smarter. shorturl.at/LYWIN #StrengthTraining #Fitness

Muscle mass can plummet during illness. Older adults can lose 1kg of muscle in just 5 days of hospitalization. Build reserve when you're healthy. It's health insurance for future challenges. Minimum 2 days/week strength training. shorturl.at/LYWIN #Sarcopenia #HealthyAging #Fitness

Your muscles release thousands of myokines—proteins that enhance brain function, strengthen bones, improve metabolism, and help fight cancer. This is why I'm skeptical of an "exercise pill." You can't replicate a symphony. shorturl.at/LYWIN#Longev... #Healthspan #Myokines

✋ Fingertip sensitivity declines with cognitive impairment, but tactile training improves attention in healthy adults. Your fingertips are your brain's scouts - activities like crafts, gardening & playing instruments might support cognition in surprising ways.

🎵 Plot twist: hearing aids reduce fatigue but don't prevent cognitive decline in most people. The real brain threat? Chronic noise pollution accelerates dementia through inflammation & stress hormones. Protect your sound environment like you protect your diet.

🌿 Multisensory stimulation (lights, sounds, scents, textures) significantly improves cognitive function & reduces agitation in dementia patients. Our senses aren't separate - they're interconnected brain health pathways. Enrich your entire sensory environment.

🧠 Essential oils for 2 hours nightly = 226% memory improvement in older adults. The study rotated through 7 scents over 6 months. Your nose has direct access to memory centers - it's the only sense that bypasses the brain's usual relay stations. Simple, natural, powerful.

OK, OK, maybe this won the internet -- lots of competition today.

It's only morning and this won Bluesky today.

😴 Lavender patches gave brain surgery patients better sleep and less psychosis post-operatively. Worked better than some meds without side effects. Nature's gift! shorturl.at/LYWIN

⚡ Peppermint improves memory in 20 minutes, but ⚠️ aerosolizing oils may impair cognition due to air quality issues. Use tea 🍵. Delivery method matters!

🌹New study: Rose oil inhalation for 1 month increased gray matter in brain regions linked to Alzheimer's prevention. Just inhaling scent changed brain structure! 🧠 Science is astounding. shorturl.at/LYWIN

Circumstances have prevented me from doing much birding of late, but I recently learned about NFC: Nocturnal Flight Calls - birding during migrations. This is an inexpensive AudioMoth I can program to record overnight, then use various programs to analyze the calls. 1st night tonight!

Cooking Myth Busted PSA: UC Davis confirmed it is SAFE to cook with extra virgin olive oil! The "low smoke point = bad for cooking" thing is a MYTH That's a good thing because the more EVOO the better! 🔥👨🍳 Read more here: shorturl.at/LYWIN

Not all olive oil is created equal! New study: 8g of high-polyphenol EVOO beat 20g of regular EVOO for cholesterol improvements Look for harvest dates <12 months old and >500mg/kg polyphenols (most bottles don't list this - major red flag 🚩) Dark bottles only! read: shorturl.at/LYWIN

We use ‘Left-wing’ and Right-wing’ as identifying markers on the political spectrum. But ‘Left vs Right’ isn’t the key battle now. Nor is it usefully conceived as between Democrats and Republicans or, more broadly, ‘authoritarianism vs liberal democracy’ or ‘neo-liberal

🧠 Your brain on olive oil: Unlike heart benefits that plateau around 1.5 tbsp daily, cognitive benefits keep climbing 29% less neurodegeneration risk in nurses who used >1/2 tbsp daily. MICOIL study saw memory gains in 12 months Good fats = happy brain Read details here: shorturl.at/LYWIN

PREDIMED Shock Famous PREDIMED study was STOPPED early because the EVOO group was doing so much better than controls it became unethical to continue 3 tbsp EVOO daily = 35% fewer ♥️ deaths in just 4-5 years Sometimes the results are so good you have to stop the science 🤯 Read more: shorturl.at/LYWIN

I have patients like that. I'm saving to read later as they don't have diabetes and I wonder how usable this is for them.

CAP's @jillrose.bsky.social and @shwoolf.bsky.social break down what the Trump administration, RFK Jr., and the MAHA report got wrong about improving children's health:

Conditions once labeled "psychosomatic" that now have known physical causes: - Chronic fatigue - Fibromyalgia - IBS - Interstitial cystitis Science keeps catching up to patient experiences. Makes you wonder what we're still getting wrong. 🤔 #ChronicIllness shorturl.at/LYWIN

Even experienced doctors can't reliably tell anxiety-driven symptoms from legitimate physical ones in anxious people. ALSO inflammation causes both medical conditions AND anxiety. Years of practice don't solve this fundamental diagnostic challenge. We need more diagnostic humility🔬

We keep rebranding the same approach - from "hysteria" to "psychosomatic" to "functional neurological disorder" but the pattern of dismissal remains. Wild stat: Up to 75% of fibromyalgia cases are initially misdiagnosed. Lupus pts wait 6+ years for correct diagnosis on average. 📊

✨Please repost! My newsletter is out.✨ 👧ER visits for COVID are HIGH & kids are most affected 👍States bypass Fed guidance on COVID vaccines 👃Astepro nasal spray to prevent COVID infection 💊Metformin decreases Long COVID in overweight ppl & much more buff.ly/Vg3f58x #medsky #pedsky 🛟😷🧪

The same psych techniques that stop you from obsessing over minor symptoms can also convince you to ignore serious ones. If we can make you worry about your "little pinky toe," we might also talk you out of legitimate health concerns. The mind-body connection cuts both ways. 🧠⚖️

Very thankful to see that Novavax's version of the #Covid19 vaccine, #nuvaxovid (kind of a cool name to be honest) was approved on 8/27/2025. That means I'll be able to give out this Covid19 vaccine to patients, which, based on my experience, actually works better. ir.novavax.com/press-releas...

‘We keep plodding along’: UK pair two-thirds of the way through 8,000-mile charity row

Forget expensive mouthwashes. Clinical trials show specific probiotic strains (like Weissella cibaria) actually eliminate bad breath by crowding out the stinky bacteria. Plus: HIIT workouts improve your oral microbiome. Exercise literally makes your mouth healthier. 🏃♀️ shorturl.at/txpue

Your oral microbiome has 700+ bacterial species and directly connects to heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's risk. But here's the hopeful part: targeted oral probiotics are showing they can shift this ecosystem back toward health. The mouth-body connection is real. shorturl.at/txpue

Good news! That Lactobacillus reuteri probiotic you might take for gut health? It's also producing reuterin in your mouth - a natural antimicrobial that specifically targets the bad bacteria causing gum disease and cavities. Nature's creative medicine. 🎯 shorturl.at/txpue

PROBIOTICS can work: Taking BLIS K12 probiotics daily for 4 months cut upper respiratory infections significantly vs placebo. In kids with strep throat issues, it reduced infections by 90%. Your mouth bacteria are literally your first line of immune defense. shorturl.at/txpue

Fun fact: Arugula has the highest nitrates of any vegetable, but the same veggie can have 10x different nitrate levels depending on where it's grown! Solution: 6 cups of leafy greens daily and/or go with standardized supps. Geography matters for your arteries! shorturl.at/PhXi7 #Nutrition

Wild cardiovascular results from nitric oxide supplementation: • Blood pressure: 138/84 → 126/78 • 11% reduction in artery plaque after 6 months • Better exercise capacity + quality of life Why isn't everyone talking about this? 🤔 shorturl.at/PhXi7 #HeartHealth #Research

Plot twist: Arginine supps without antioxidants might 🔼 mortality risk by creating harmful peroxynitrite instead of beneficial nitric oxide Age 40+? Focus on antioxidant-rich foods first, then consider NO boosters. Your arteries will thank you! shorturl.at/PhXi7 #HealthyAging #Supplements

🚀 Exercise hack: 2 cups/day of beet juice for 6 days = 20% 🔼 endurance + 5% more power output BUT your mouthwash might be sabotaging the benefits. Antiseptic mouthwash blocks the bacteria that convert nitrates to nitric oxide. Skip the Listerine, embrace the beets! 🥤