Donna Aldrich, LMT

03/15/2026

This

03/14/2026

Please share this post with your friends and community. Help us advocate for opossums. Thank you!

03/08/2026

03/06/2026

Immunologists at the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) in Potsdam, building on the foundational mouse work of Valter Longo's lab, have conducted the most comprehensive human study of prolonged fasting's immunological effects ever completed — tracking 80 participants through 72-hour water fasts with full immune profiling at 24-hour intervals — finding that glucose depletion by 48 hours triggers a dramatic reduction in circulating white blood cells (the body conserving metabolic resources by inducing lymphocyte autophagy) followed by a stem cell-driven immune reconstitution after refeeding that produces a population of naive, functional lymphocytes with a gene expression profile resembling cells 15-20 years younger than the pre-fast population. The body's immune system rebuilt itself younger. 🧬
The mechanism is a profound evolutionary adaptation. During prolonged fasting, the body's metabolic priority system identifies immune cell maintenance as a costly luxury compared to neurological and cardiac function, and systematically reduces the white blood cell population by triggering programmed cell death of aged, damaged, and dysfunctional lymphocytes. When feeding resumes, hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow receive intense proliferative signals from the immune vacuum and generate a new lymphocyte cohort from pristine stem cell precursors — cells that haven't accumulated the epigenetic damage of their predecessors.
The clinical implications are particularly significant for cancer patients. Chemotherapy causes profound immune suppression by killing rapidly dividing cells indiscriminately, including hematopoietic stem cells. DIfE's data suggests that 72-hour fasting before and after chemotherapy may protect stem cells from chemotoxicity (ketosis-induced stem cell quiescence reduces their sensitivity to cell-cycle-dependent cytotoxics) while accelerating post-treatment immune recovery. Three separate oncology centers are now running trials of fasting-chemotherapy protocols.
DIfE has published full protocol guidelines. The cheapest immune regeneration therapy may be eating nothing for three days.
Source: German Institute of Human Nutrition DIfE Potsdam, Cell Stem Cell 2024

03/06/2026

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT), also called photobiomodulation, uses near-infrared light (about 600–1100 nm) to stimulate cellular processes without producing heat. Research reviewed in the 2022 article in the Journal of Lasers in Medical Sciences reported that LLLT can reduce inflammation in the thyroid gland, decrease oxidative stress, and improve blood circulation. These biological effects may help limit immune-mediated damage in autoimmune thyroiditis, a condition in which the immune system attacks thyroid tissue and leads to hypothyroidism.

Clinical studies cited in the review showed measurable improvements in patients. In a randomized placebo-controlled trial of 23 patients, LLLT sessions twice a week for five weeks significantly improved thyroid hormone levels (T3, T4, TSH) and 22 patients required lower doses of levothyroxine during a 9-month follow-up. Another study reported that 78% of patients experienced normalization of autoimmune responses after four months of LLLT, along with reduced thyroid gland size. Long-term follow-up research lasting up to six years also suggested the therapy is safe and may reduce medication requirements while improving thyroid function and vascularization.

PMCID: PMC9841386 PMID: 36743139

03/04/2026

Let the fishies pass 🐟

In a canal in the Dutch city of Utrecht, fish are beginning to mass behind a lock called the Weerdsluis. Now, for the sixth year in a row, you can help them get the attention of the lock’s operators. The Fish Doorbell—or Visdeurbel in Dutch—is back.

Started in 2021, this project allows viewers around the world to monitor the feed from an underwater camera. When they see a fish that wants to move through the lock, they can ring the doorbell and alert operators to the finned animal waiting outside.

“The project is a good mix of doing something for nature and for people to join and do something,” says Anne Nijs, an ecologist for the city of Utrecht and one of the Fish Doorbell’s originators. http://spklr.io/6044DhUlp

✍: K.R. Callaway
📸: Gemeente Utrecht

02/23/2026

🦷 HOW TO HACK A DENTAL NERVE BLOCK (WHEN YOU HAVE EDS) 🛠️

“You shouldn’t be feeling this.”

But you do.
The drill hits. You flinch.
And suddenly you’re “dramatic.”

Let’s be clear: if you have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, anesthesia failure is documented in the literature — not just in your head.

1️⃣ The Lidocaine Problem Is Real

A large peer-reviewed study found that 88% of people with EDS reported inadequate pain prevention from dental local anesthetics — compared to only 33% of people without EDS.

Even more telling?

Reported effectiveness in EDS patients:

Articaine: ~30%
Bupivacaine: ~25%
Mepivacaine: ~22%
Lidocaine: ~8%
Procaine: ~7%

Translation: Lidocaine fails a LOT in EDS.

We don’t fully understand the biological mechanism yet. There is no proven “porous sponge tissue” explanation — the resistance is documented, but the physiology is still being studied.

But the pattern is real.

2️⃣ Articaine > Lidocaine (According to Meta-Analyses)

In general dental research (not EDS-specific), randomized controlled trials show that articaine is about 2× more likely to achieve successful anesthesia than lidocaine.

Is it a magic fix for EDS? No.
Does evidence support trying it if lidocaine failed you before? Yes.

If you’ve had repeated block failures, asking about articaine or bupivacaine is evidence-based — not difficult.

3️⃣ The Epinephrine (Adrenaline) Question

Dentists add epinephrine to: • Prolong numbness
• Reduce bleeding
• Keep anesthetic localized

There are no large dental studies proving epinephrine triggers POTS episodes.

However — epinephrine does stimulate the cardiovascular system.
If you have POTS or dysautonomia and know you’re sensitive to sympathetic surges, it is reasonable to discuss epinephrine-free options with your dentist.

That’s a conversation — not a conspiracy.

4️⃣ You Are Not a “Hard Patient”

Research supports that people with EDS experience higher rates of local anesthetic failure.

Not anxiety.
Not exaggeration.
Not low pain tolerance.

A documented clinical pattern.
🛠️ What To Do Before Your Next Filling

✔ Tell your dentist you’ve had local anesthetic failure before
✔ Ask about articaine, bupivacaine, or mepivacaine if lidocaine didn’t work
✔ Discuss epinephrine use if you have autonomic issues
✔ Do not let them drill until you are actually numb

You are not being dramatic.
You are advocating with data.

👇 Have you ever had a dentist actually adjust their protocol for EDS?

Save this for your next appointment.

Sources (peer-reviewed):
Schubart et al., 2019 – Resistance to local anesthesia in EDS dental patients (J Dent Anesth Pain Med)
Martin et al., 2021 – Articaine vs lidocaine systematic review (BDJ Open)

02/23/2026

A biological miracle is happening in regenerative medicine labs where mice, then monkeys, are regrowing entire legs after receiving gene therapy from staghorn coral that naturally regenerates damaged branches. The treatment activates dormant regeneration pathways in mammals, creating a blastema (growth tissue) at amputation sites. Human trials begin 2027 with 80 participants.

The breakthrough unlocks abilities we lost during evolution—salamanders and coral regrow body parts, but mammals evolved to scar instead. Researchers identified 14 master genes responsible for regeneration and delivered them using modified viruses. Within weeks, amputated limbs form bone, muscle, nerves, and skin in correct proportions. The Pentagon has invested $47 million for battlefield applications. Amputation may become a temporary condition, not permanent disability.

02/20/2026

Perfect! 😍 🇺🇸

02/20/2026

❤️

Not all heroes wear capes ♥️♥️♥️

02/19/2026