Blooming Wellness

03/16/2026

Why are people talking about meningitis at the University of Kent?

Over the past few days, 13 people developed symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease, and sadly two have died.

Right now, health officials don’t yet know the strain involved, and they’re investigating.

Meningococcal bacteria can live quietly in the back of the throat, which is why clusters sometimes appear in places like universities where people live and socialize closely.

Vaccines exist for several strains (MenACWY and MenB), but no single vaccine covers them all.

Will track this one and update in my newsletter!

03/16/2026

A friend called me and said, “Apparently there’s a new fungus STD?”

Which is exactly the kind of sentence that triggers a public health person. 😉

So the first U.S. case of this emerging fungal strain was reported in New York in 2024, with additional cases now identified in Minnesota. It’s related to the same family of fungi that cause ringworm and jock itch, spreads through close skin-to-skin contact (including s*x), and can sometimes be mistaken for eczema or other rashes.

Some cases respond to standard antifungal treatment, while others may require longer courses of oral medication, depending on the species involved.

Cases remain rare and treatable, and the infection isn’t nationally reportable, which makes surveillance a little tricky.

(More details in my blog- linked in comments)

03/16/2026

“People are not mean to us because they don’t like us, but because they don’t like themselves.”
― Jodi Aman

03/15/2026

Barnaby’s like, “What a weird looking dog. Now can I please have his hat?”

03/14/2026

I know for sure that this is true. ;)

03/13/2026

GLP-1 drugs are dominating headlines for weight loss.

But a big question many people are asking is this:

What happens when you stop taking them?

In this Causes or Cures clip, I talk with Dr. Sam West of the University of Oxford about his research examining weight regain, metabolic changes, and what these findings may mean for long-term weight management and expectations.

03/13/2026

I love this article from the Templeton Foundation on the allure of magic and how to “reenchant your life.” Honestly, I think it’s something a lot of people need right now.
It reminded me of a conversation I had on the Causes or Cures podcast with Dr. Alan Lightman about his book, The Miraculous From the Material: Understanding the Wonders of Nature.
During the podcast, I told him that I still need a sense of magic in my life, something beyond the purely material world, and that I'm okay if that raises a few eyebrows. 😉

When German sociologist Max Weber lamented over a century ago that the scientific, rational, and technical explanation ushered in by the Enlightenment contributed to the world’s “disenchantment,” he could have scarcely imagined the disenchanting capabilities of generative AI. This technology h...

03/12/2026

Is it just me, or does it feel like unhappiness is increasing?

03/12/2026

Anyone plant-based or mostly plant-based?
Plants for Health is such a great book for telling you the science behind why following a plant-based diet is good for your health (lots of quality studies) and it includes delicious, healthy recipes that you can try at home. They are easy recipes too— which is what I look for in a recipe 😂 in addition to how healthy they are.
If you are interested, I will include the link to check it out in the comments. As well as the link to the Causes or Cures Podcast episode with a Plants for Health team member. Highly recommend! 🍀🌱🍃💕🙏

03/12/2026

03/11/2026

I love how Meta labels it in case I wasn’t sure.

03/11/2026

Hello from our morning workout.
After all these years, not as quick as he used to be, but still my favorite workout buddy! 💕🐶🙏🧘‍♀️