The Velvet Lotus

02/20/2026

02/15/2026

02/14/2026

🪷After 109 days and 2,300 miles,
after wind, snow, rain, pavement, prayer,
after thousands of hands folded and hearts opened—
the Venerable monks have arrived.

🪷 At the Lincoln Memorial they stood,
not in triumph,
but in humility—
carrying peace the way they carried Aloka:
with steadiness, tenderness, and unwavering love.

🪷 Today is going to be another peaceful day as we are blessed to see them continue for one final day — Day 110 in Maryland — we know their bodies must be tired…
their feet sore,
their muscles aching from long miles and long days.
And yet their hearts remain vast and luminous. 💛✨

🪷 We bow in gratitude
not only to the monks,
but to the quiet strength of the support team—
those who organized, drove, filmed, edited, protected, served,
and walked unseen beside them.

🪷 This path does not end in Washington, D.C.
It continues in us.

🪷 May we now carry forward what they have carried so faithfully—
peace in our steps,
compassion in our words,
love in our daily actions. ❤️✨

🪷 May their bodies be restored.
May their hearts be joyful.
May all beings be well, happy, and at peace.

Peace Compassion Love 💛🪷
Walk for Peace Aloka the Peace Dog Quang Đạo

02/14/2026

Cancer care is evolving, and fast. In Sydney, a groundbreaking MRI-guided technology is now being used to freeze cancer tumors without a single cut. Patients report no pain, no stitches, and best of all, they walk out of the clinic the same day.

The technique, called MRI-guided cryoablation, uses magnetic imaging to locate tumors with extreme precision. Then, through a thin needle, doctors deliver a super-cooled gas that freezes and destroys the cancerous tissue—without harming surrounding healthy cells. Because it's guided by real-time imaging, doctors can monitor the procedure with unmatched accuracy.

There’s no general anesthesia. No hospital stay. No long recovery.

Patients are reporting minimal side effects, quick returns to normal life, and a renewed sense of hope, especially for those who previously had limited options due to age, location of the tumor, or overall health.

Biologically, freezing cancer cells causes them to rupture and die, while also triggering the body’s natural immune response to clean up the damage. It’s both targeted and supportive of healing.

This is more than a treatment. It’s a shift in how we think about fighting cancer, less invasive, more humane, and patient-centered.

Science is not just finding cures. It's also finding better ways to care.

The future of healing is not only powerful. It’s compassionate.

02/08/2026

Where is your happy place?
Are you finding joy in your life?
This is super important to balance your work life, family life and all the things. Whether it’s playing an instrument or listening to music or going for a nature walk, make time to experience joy and fill your heart and soul with self love 💗

❤️

02/07/2026

Apigenin is a natural flavonoid found in foods such as parsley, celery, and chamomile, and it has shown strong cancer-preventive effects in laboratory and animal studies. Research demonstrates that apigenin slows or stops the growth of several cancer cell types, including colon, prostate, pancreatic, and breast cancer cells. One of its most important actions is activating the p53 tumor-suppressor pathway, which causes damaged cancer cells to stop dividing and undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). This process helps prevent tumor growth and reduces the chance of cancer cells spreading.

In addition to triggering apoptosis, apigenin can also induce autophagy, a cellular “recycling” process that helps remove damaged cell components. Depending on the cancer type and conditions, autophagy can either protect cells temporarily or contribute to cancer cell death. Studies showed that in colon cancer cells (such as HCT116), apigenin activated both apoptosis and autophagy, with apoptosis occurring through the mitochondrial (intrinsic) pathway. Overall, these findings suggest that apigenin has strong potential as a cancer-preventive compound, although more research is needed before it can be used in humans.

PMCID: PMC5207605 PMID: 28053955

02/07/2026

According to a study published in Oncology Reports in 2017, researchers investigated the anticancer effects of quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid commonly found in foods such as red onions, apples, and grapes. The study evaluated quercetin’s effects both in vitro (in laboratory cell cultures) and in vivo (in animal models). Using a range of concentrations, the researchers tested quercetin on nine different cancer cell lines representing colon, breast, prostate, ovarian, blood, and lymphoid cancers.

The results showed that quercetin induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) in all nine cancer cell lines tested, including CT-26 (colon), MCF-7 (breast), LNCaP and PC-3 (prostate), PC-12 (pheochromocytoma), MOLT-4 (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), U266B1 (multiple myeloma), Raji (lymphoid cancer), and CHO (ovarian cancer). In addition, mice treated with quercetin exhibited reduced tumor volume and improved survival rates compared to controls. The authors concluded that quercetin demonstrates broad anticancer potential through multiple mechanisms, supporting its further investigation as a complementary anticancer agent.

PMCID: PMC5561933 PMID: 28677813

02/07/2026

According to researchers from the University of Washington, artemisinin—a compound derived from the wormwood plant—demonstrated a powerful ability to destroy breast cancer cells when those cells were enriched with iron.

In controlled laboratory experiments, nearly all iron-fed cancer cells died within 16 hours of exposure to artemisinin, while most normal breast cells remained unharmed. The researchers attributed this selective effect to cancer cells’ unusually high demand for iron.

The findings, published in the 16 November issue of Life Sciences, explain that breast cancer cells contain significantly higher numbers of transferrin receptors than normal cells, allowing them to absorb more iron.

Because artemisinin becomes toxic in the presence of iron, this elevated iron uptake makes cancer cells far more susceptible to destruction. The study emphasized that these results were observed in test-tube conditions and that further research would be required to confirm effectiveness beyond the laboratory.

01/29/2026

12/10/2025

🌍 Earth is passing through the debris field of Asteroid 3200 Phaethon, igniting the Geminid meteor shower.

🔥 Visible worldwide starting mid-evening, the Geminids are known for their reliable, bright, and multi-colored meteors that can produce over 100 shooting stars per hour.

✨ The best time to watch is from mid-evening until dawn, as the constellation Gemini rises early in the east and the meteor rates climb steadily throughout the night. You don’t need any equipment—just your eyes, a dark spot away from city lights, and about 20 minutes for them to adjust.

11/21/2025

A new and highly intriguing study has shown that women who wore rose essential oil on their clothing for 30 consecutive days exhibited significant increases in gray matter volume across multiple brain regions, as revealed by high-resolution MRI scans.

Researchers propose that this effect begins with the olfactory system, one of the most direct pathways into the brain. When rose scent molecules are inhaled, they bypass the usual sensory relays and travel straight to the olfactory bulb, which has strong neural connections to the limbic system the brain’s center for emotion, memory consolidation, and autonomic regulation.

One of the most notable findings was the pronounced response in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a key hub involved in self-referential processing, autobiographical memory, emotional evaluation, and internal attention networks. The PCC is also part of the default mode network (DMN), which is essential for memory integration and long-term cognitive stability.

The researchers suggest that prolonged olfactory stimulation from the rose scent may trigger continuous encoding and reconsolidation of odor-linked memories. This repeated activation leads to heightened synaptic activity, promoting:

Neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to form new neural connections)

Increased dendritic branching

Greater neuronal density in regions involved in memory and emotional regulation

These structural changes are reflected as increases in gray matter volume on MRI imaging.

Scientifically, increased gray matter in these regions is associated with:

Enhanced cognitive performance (memory, learning, decision-making)

Improved emotional regulation and stress resilience

Reduced neuroinflammation

Stronger connectivity within the DMN

Lower risk of neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, where gray matter loss is a hallmark feature

Importantly, this study reinforces a growing body of research suggesting that olfactory stimulation is a powerful driver of brain plasticity. Scents, especially those with emotional or soothing properties, may act as non-invasive neuromodulators, capable of influencing neural activity and even altering brain structure when exposure is sustained over time.

This emerging field sometimes called olfactory-based neuroenhancement is gaining attention as scientists discover how deeply intertwined smell is with memory, cognition, and mental well-being.

PMID: 38331299

11/19/2025

My fave purple potato soup! Goat cheese crumbles on top for a color and protein pop 💜