#also additional note I literally have a couple disorders on this list | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lilith-lovett · 4 years

Text

Found Families - Home is Where the Hart is - Chapter Nineteen

New Chapter. Thank you for your support xx

Masterlist

Summary: Party preparations go underway and Logan begins to ask the question. ‘Do I really belong here?’

Word Count: 7320

Warnings: Past child abuse, food mention (literally half of this chapter is just me talking about food), anxiety, self-deprecation, implied depression, injury mention, past physical abuse, past psychological abuse, implied nightmares, implied panic attack, disordered eating (if there is anything I have missed please let me know).

The following days were devoted almost entirely to Roman’s birthday preparations. From the presents Logan and Virgil had chosen arriving, which they hid in Virgil’s wardrobe. To Patton spending almost the entire of the day, whilst Roman and Virgil were attending school, preparing all of the food necessary for Roman’s birthday party; miniature cupcakes, a selection of fruits and vegetables, prepared sandwiches with a variety of fillings each suited to the preferences of each child and what Patton believed to be the most important element…the birthday cake.

Logan struggled to comprehend the purpose of a specific birthday cake, decorated in candles - which also seemed to be a fire hazard - but Patton informed him of its significance, especially within the Hart household. Patton would make a special personalised birthday cake for each of his family members on their birthday and this time was no different so whilst Patton prepared the ingredients and baked the cake, Logan read to him the recipe. A red velvet cake as it was Roman’s favourite flavour. The found the recipe much easier to decipher now he was wearing his new glasses but had to keep Declan occupied and out of the kitchen to prevent him from disturbing the process and potentially injuring himself. Baking appeared to be a relatively simple science, with clear instructions to follow and specific apparatus to ensure the correct measurements in order to produce the desired flavour profiles, but given his limited experience with baking he chose to instead defer to Patton’s expertise and read to him the recipe to avoid any potential mistakes. However, keeping Declan engaged in anything for longer than a few moments was proving to be incredibly difficult. The toddler had an extremely limited attention span and it was consistently being drawn to Patton’s actions in the kitchen, presumably also due to the heavenly smell now being emitted from the oven where the cake was currently baking.

“Oh, Dee-Dee, how about you help me decorate the cupcakes?” Patton said lifting Declan from the floor, balancing the toddler on his hip as he brought him over to the dining room table where several piping bags of different coloured frosting where laid out, among various other edible decorations. “Do you want to decorate a couple too Logan?”.

“Okay,” Logan responded taking a seat at the dining room table, studying each of the individual decorations and vibrant colours of the icing - presumably created by the addition of various food colourings - considering potential combinations of colours and flavours that Roman would enjoy.

“Alright kiddo, go for it,” Patton said also taking a seat, balancing Declan on his lap so he could properly reach the table. “Now Dee-Dee, what colour do you want to make your cupcake?”.

“Lellow!” Declan exclaimed bouncing in Patton’s laps, slapping his mitten-cladded hands onto the table’s surface as Patton chuckled.

“That’s a great choice, Dee,” Patton responded picking up the piping bag containing the brightly coloured frosting, allowing Declan to squeeze it haphazardly onto the chocolate cake base, much of it splattering onto the table.

Logan looked to his own collection of undecorated miniature cakes, a selection of both chocolate and vanilla flavours. Initially, he thought of Roman - as it was for his birthday celebration - he decided on a vanilla base and the vivid crimson red frosting as from the vast amount of red he wore and decorated his room with, Logan made an educated guess that it was a colour he enjoyed. Logan found that controlling a piping bag was far more difficult than he expected, Patton had made it look simple, yet his first attempt was a sloppy mess. However, the more he practised and studied Patton’s technique the better his piping became and once he perfected the icing he ventured onto the decoration. Patton had provided a range of smaller confectionery to act as embellishments atop the cupcakes and Logan decided to continue with the ‘ornate’ motif for his cupcake - inspired by Roman - choosing a handful of multi-coloured circular candies and arranged them delicately atop the frosting, in addition to a strawberry slice acting as the centre piece. For Virgil’s specific cupcake, he selected a plain chocolate cake base and settled for the lilac coloured frosting as it was the closest in appearance to Virgil’s favourite shade of purple, evident from the frequent presence of it in his room and in his hoodie which he wore seemingly at all times. Logan’s spiral patterned piping work had significantly improved from his initial first attempt of ‘Roman themed’ cupcakes. The decorations he used were miniature pieces of different flavours of chocolate and topped with a single chocolate orange slice. He continued the process with Declan’s, using the limited amount of yellow coloured frosting remaining, topped with a significant quantity of multicoloured sprinkles, reminiscent of Declan’s own cupcakes he had decorated with Patton. Oh Patton. Logan had almost forget to make a cupcake for Patton. He considered his options very carefully. He desperately wanted Patton to like it. He chose a vanilla base and the lightest of the shades of blue frosting Patton had prepared, a pleasing sky blue. The piping work on the ‘Patton inspired’ cupcakes turned out the best in comparison to the rest of them, perhaps it was because of the particular care he put into making them perfect, as Patton was an avid baker he would surely notice any substandard work. Once the piping had been perfected, Logan selected simple tiny white chocolate stars as a decoration. As a finishing touch, he arranged each of the designs into their specific colour category, he had decorated three of each variety, giving him twelve cupcakes in total.

“Wow, kiddo, those look amazing!” Patton exclaimed in the process of decorating his own batch of cupcakes. Logan’s face flushed at the compliment

“Thank you, I took inspiration from Roman, Virgil, Declan…and you Patton, using your preferred colours and flavours in attempt to cater them to your specific tastes,” Logan explained his cheeks still coloured red from the praise.

“Aw Logan, that is precious. I’m sure everyone will love them,” Patton responded a blindingly bright smile stretched across his face. “How about you do one for yourself?”. He set the final chocolate cupcake down in front of Logan.

“That is unnecessary,” Logan stated quickly, this was an event for Roman and his family, he should be respectful and stay separate from the celebrations as much as possible. After all he didn’t wish to spoil Roman’s enjoyment. Logan got up and prepared to make his way over to the sink, where a pile of dirty dishes were building up.

“Why’s that?” Patton questioned and Logan found he didn’t have an answer. If he told Patton what he truly thought, he would immediately counter it, assuring him of his place within the family dynamic despite his short time spent with them. As that was the type of the person Patton was but Logan struggled to comprehend why so instead he chose to return to his seat. Perhaps one cupcake would be acceptable? And if it made Patton happy, he would do it.

Logan’s design was the most simple out of the lot. The same chocolate cake base as Virgil and Declan’s, atop of which was a simple, neat frosting swirl, in the darkest shade of blue icing Patton had prepared as it was the most akin to his favourite colour. He added no additional decorations as he did not wish to waste any of what Patton had prepared on himself so decided the plain design was satisfactory. Next, the cupcakes were placed into containers and properly stored in the refrigerator along with the rest of the food, to protect them from the early Summer heat and the two cake layers had just come out of the oven. A marvellous smell was emitted as the oven doors opened, faints notes of chocolate and a pleasant sweetness reached his nostrils. After allowing the cake tiers to cool enough where the frosting and decorations wouldn’t melt from the heat. Logan again attempted to entertain Declan with a child-friendly book whilst Patton iced and decorated Roman’s cake.

Preparations continued that night. Once Roman and Virgil had returned from school, they had all eaten dinner, ticked another Disney film off the list and Declan had gone to sleep, it was approaching nine in the evening. Roman had left for his room and just as Logan was planning to do do the same. Patton stopped him.

“Hey, Logan, I was wondering if you could distract Roman for a little while?” Patton asked in a hushed tone.

“Why is that necessary?” Logan questioned.

“Me and Virgil are going to decorate the living room and the kitchen for tomorrow and I want it to be a surprise for Roman,” Patton explained, that was when Logan noticed the container of brightly coloured streamers and a various other items, presumably for the purpose of decorating. He failed to comprehend why it was compulsory to embellish your surroundings dependant on the occasion, Maggie used to decorate her office for holidays such as Christmas or Halloween but birthdays were not considered to be national celebrations yet the same conditions seemed to apply.

“Alright, though how do you wish me to…distract him?” Logan inquired as far as he was aware he and Roman had very little in common, shared very few interests and had significantly conflicting personalities. How was he expected to entertain Roman for any length of time? Logan had rarely encountered Roman alone, unlike his several conversations with Virgil and Roman’s feelings towards Logan and his arrival remained undetermined.

“Get him to talk about himself, he loves that,” Virgil stated as he began to unpack his own box of decorations. Logan considered the suggestion, he would have to think of particular questions to pose but perhaps this task could be an opportunity to gain Roman’s favour and acquire more informations in regards to his specific likes and dislikes so too strengthen their bond.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” Logan declared determined to assist in Patton and Virgil’s scheme wherever possible.

Logan found himself waiting outside Roman’s bedroom door. An all white door, embellished with a variety of brightly coloured stickers, depicting and referencing scenes and individuals he did not recognise, he noticed Virgil and Declan’s bedroom door contained similar appearing stickers which comparatively made his door appear far less interesting. He raised a fist to knock, questions prepared in his mind but the door burst open before he could, causing him to flinch back in surprise.

“Oh hey, specs,” Roman exclaimed as he opened the door, dressed rather strangely in what appeared to be a costume of sorts with a red sash draped across his chest. Perhaps this is what Virgil was referring to when he mentioned Roman liked to believe or pretend he was a prince? Logan noted the nickname Roman used, which appeared to be a common occurrence for both Roman and Virgil. He recognised the word used. ‘Specs’. It was an abbreviation of the word spectacles. So it may have been a reference to the fact he wore glasses. “Come in, welcome to mi habitación. That is Spanish for my room,”.

“You know Spanish?” Logan asked his surprise present in his tone as he entered.

“Yup, I want to become fluent,” Roman stated with a proud smirk. Foreign languages was a subject which has always interested Logan but due to the lack of resources available to him at the Orphanage, he never had the opportunity to learn, though he was surprised to discover Roman had a passion for the subject. “Now, I know you are here to distract me,”.

“Wh…I…I,” Logan stammered. Had he really been so obvious? Would Patton be disappointed? Was he so uninteresting that Roman couldn’t bare to be in his presence?

“I bet they are decorating for my birthday right now,” Roman stated collapsing onto his bed, laying on his back, glancing up towards the red fabric which hung over the dark wood bed frame as he spoke.

“How did you figure it out?” Logan questioned unsure of what else to say as he stood somewhat awkwardly in the centre of Roman’s bedroom.

“Last year, this was Virgil’s job. He was already mad at me for using some of his books to hold up my easel, so he just told me. He got really stressed out after, thinking I was going to tell on him,” Roman explained wildly gesturing to the air as he told his story. Logan certainly understood why Virgil would be upset by a complete violation of his personal property but thought it better not to voice this, allowing Roman to finish his tale. “But I didn’t, besides dad likes it to be a surprise so I let him think that I don’t know what he is doing,”.

So, Roman pretended to act surprised for Patton’s benefit. It was a kind sentiment. Patton evidently enjoyed the birthday preparations, as Logan noted from this heightened mood these past few days though particularly when doing an activity associated with the event of Roman’s birthday and perhaps Roman’s awareness or involvement would remove the joy from it?

“Now, as much as I enjoy your company microsoft nerd, you may leave now. I-I mean, if you wish,” Roman said sitting up and directing yet another dramatic arm movement towards his door but Logan did not failed to note the swift retraction of his previous statement.

“May I stay? It would help with the illusion, would it not?” Logan suggested after a moment of consideration. This was an opportunity for Logan and Roman to communicate and maybe it could lead to them having a better relationship.

“An excellent idea, if you left padre would surely notice,” Roman announced leaping up from his sitting position. “Now what can we do?”.

Roman continued to pace around his untidy room, experting weaving through the piles of his belongings which littered the floor, mumbling potential ideas for activities to do to maintain their façade. Logan watched him for a moment before focusing his attention onto the walls of the room. The majority of them were plastered with artwork, photographs, posters, pamphlets and tickets, some appeared to be well-worn and much loved while others were pristine in their condition, clearly only recently obtained. Logan suspected he could learn a lot about Roman’s identity and interests through studying his surrounding yet his limited knowledge of the world of the arts prevented him from gaining much.

“Roman, might I inquire about your posters?” Logan asked gesturing to the wall behind Roman’s desk which appeared to hold the largest quantity of them.

“Of course!” Roman exclaimed bounding over to where Logan was stood and immediately delved into an in depth and detailed explanation of the history of each individual piece. “They are mostly from shows I have been in or gone to see. That is the program of the first ever performance I did with my theatre group, it was Hairspray and I, of course, played the male lead. That is the poster for Wicked, that one is Les Miserables, Rent, Annie, The Lion King. I’ve also kept all of the signed programs of all the shows I have ever been in and the tickets too. Oh, here are the ones from when me and Elliott went to see Sister Act. It was incredible,”.

Roman’s rambling continued. Logan struggled to get a word in edgewise so he remained quiet, attempting to follow Roman’s constant stream of conciousness which he was finding incredibly difficult. He would jump from subject to subject, begin one sentence, then recall sometimes else and quickly switch to explaining that instead of the previous thought but Logan persisted. One musical in particular caught his attention. It was called Hamilton and tells the epic tale of one of America’s Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton, in an unconventional manner and style. However, he did note the historical accuracy which surprised him as he expected it to be a work of over-dramatised fiction but Roman informed him otherwise. Roman also told him it was the musical he most wanted to see - among others - but the tickets were absurdly expensive and notorious for quickly selling out so he hadn’t gotten the opportunity too. So, he instead continuously played the musicals soundtrack, having listened to it so much he knew most of the lyrics of by heart and was able to perform them to a high-standard. Roman began to play the first couple of songs from the soundtrack and explained the different stylistic choices of the lyrics and and how they related to events which would occur later in the story. Logan was pleasantly surprised by Roman’s expansive knowledge of the history and story-telling tactics of the musicals he greatly enjoyed, he had yet to witness Roman so enamoured by anything but his enthusiasm when it came to his passions was admirable. He also noticed some distinct similarities between himself and Roman, particularly in the way he obsessed over certain topics. For Logan, it was science and literature and for Roman, it seemed it was his beloved musicals. Eventually Roman seemed to either run out of information to share or run out of air - which seemed to be the case considering the impressive speed of which he was talking - as he stopped talking to take several deep breaths before collapsing into the chair which sat by his desk.

“Sorry, I can talk a lot,” Roman said sheepishly as if embarrassed by his passion-fuelled outburst.

“It is quite alright, your passion it certainly commendable,” Logan said hoping to ease Roman’s worries somewhat but he only received a confused expression in response. “I-I mean…it is good you enjoy it so much,”.

“Oh, thanks. I know stuff like dancing and singing and acting are kind of girly but I really love it,” Roman admitted glancing towards the array of posters and memories upon his wall. The statement perplexed him, as far as Logan was aware specific activities were not gendered but perhaps it was a societal normality? He could recall several insentiences during his time spent in Orphanages were he and the other boys around him were expected to play and enjoy outdoor sports but he found he had no interest in doing so and was as such labelled as abnormal. Maybe, Roman had experienced something similar in the past which led to this thought-process?

“I do not believe specific activities are related to any one gender and if you find enjoyment in such a activity you should be allowed to participate despite your gender identity,” Logan stated as Roman stared at him for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter, so much so he nearly fell out of his chair. However, Logan could not conceive how what he had said would cause such a reaction.

“You’re such a nerd,” Roman responded after managing to compose himself, a small smile on his lips so Logan assumed the comment was not meant to be perceived as a insult and was perhaps a term of endearment? He did not know. “Dad and Virge will be done with decorating by now,”

“Yes, I should be returning to the…my own room now. Goodbye Roman,” Logan said before turning to leave but he was interrupted by Roman.

“Hey specs, thanks,” Roman said quietly, in a tone he hadn’t heard Roman use until now. Logan didn’t know exactly why Roman was thanking him, maybe for the company but he nodded nonetheless and exited, returning to his room for a much required break from the constant activities and stimulation.

Logan was exhausted but he didn’t receive any more than a minute of silence before he was disturbed once again. This time by Virgil, asking him if he wished to join himself and Patton downstairs to wrap Roman’s presents for tomorrow. Despite his desperate desire to refuse, he accepted, not wishing to appear ungrateful of their acceptance and treatment of him so far. Logan was terrified of doing anything wrong. What if he refused a request and Patton realised the mistake he made in allowing Logan into his home and family, just like the couple before him? So Logan followed Virgil downstairs, to see the living room and kitchen decorated in bright red balloons and streamers dangling from the ceiling. A large red banner decorated with small golden crowns, reading ‘Happy 13th Birthday Prince Roman’ stretched across the archway, separating the living room and kitchen and an elaborate centrepiece display on the dining room table. Patton sat cross-legged in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by boxes, a variety of brightly coloured and patterned wrapping paper - the majority of which were in Roman’s favoured colour red, a couple pairs of scissors and cello tape. Patton face broke into a grin the moment he set his eyes on Logan.

“Hey kiddo, how was your talk with Roman?” Patton asked with a bright smile stretched across his face as Logan and Virgil also sat on the floor.

“It was very informative,” Logan responded unsure of how else to describe it while also maintaining the illusion that Roman was unaware of the work being done downstairs.

“Aw, I’m glad. Now, let’s wrap these presents!” Patton announced with a giggle.

They created efficient system, in which they each had their own job for optimum productivity. Logan, cut the paper - a shiny red one free of any patterns or designs - as he could most accurately guess the amount of wrapping paper that would be required for each item and would produce the least amount of waste. The paper was a very satisfying texture, however, the potential danger surrounding the incredibly sharp scissors did made him feel uneasy but Patton demonstrated such a way in which the risk of Logan accidentally harming himself was greatly limited. Patton was responsible for the wrapping the presents as he was evidently superior at it compared to himself - who had never physically wrapped a present before - and Virgil - who was far to scared of possibly ruining it - Patton’s expert wrapping produced clean edges and smooth finish. Finally, Virgil added the finishing touches such as the addition of a gold ribbon securing each of the gifts and a personalised message detailing who the present was from. A short while later, they were completely finished and the pile of presents were added to the display on the table.

“All done, we are now completely ready for Roman’s birthday. Now, all that is left to do is wait,” Patton proclaimed raising his arms in a stretch. “Oh, I forgot to tell you Logan. Emile’s parents Dot and Larry are coming over for Roman’s party tomorrow. Do you think you will be okay to meet them?”.

Logan considered this for a moment. He was aware Patton had purposefully kept Roman, Virgil and Declan’s ‘grandparents’ from visiting to allow Logan time to adjust but he felt conflicted by the action. On my hand, he appreciated the act as moving into Patton’s house was an enormous change and the whole process had been extremely overwhelming so far, also he knew very little about them and as such could not speculate how they would react to him. What if they hated him? What if they wanted Patton to return him? Would he? But on the other hand, Patton had kept them from visiting their ‘grandchildren’ for Logan’s benefit and comfort. Would they resent him for that? Logan certainly wouldn’t blame them but his future in Patton’s family entirely depended on their opinion of him which depended on their first meeting tomorrow and the thought of that terrified him.

“Yes, I-I would like to meet them,” Logan said a slight stutter to his word which if Patton noticed he did not mention it.

“Okay, I will let them know,” Patton said standing from the seated position on the floor and walking just out of ear-shot.

“You’ll get to meet Elliott tomorrow too,” Virgil stated he had moved to lean against the couch, whilst remaining sat on the floor, looking at something on his cellular device. “He’s Roman’s best friend but Roman also has a super obvious crush on him,”.

“A crush?” Logan repeated confusion present in his tone, having never have heard of the term being used in that particular context which seemed to be becoming a frequent theme when communicating with either Roman or Virgil.

“Yeah, you know, like he likes him,” Virgil said waving a hand absently for emphasis. “Like, like likes him,”.

“Oh, I think I understand,” Logan said. He didn’t. But perhaps, he could ask Patton later?

“Cool, so yeah, he keeps on denying it but I know he is lying,” Virgil said returning his attention once again to his phone. While Logan did not understand what exactly a ‘crush’ was, he knew it must trouble Roman and could perhaps be a risk to his friendship with Elliott, maybe it was for the best he didn’t press the subject to Roman himself.

Following their brief conversation Logan and Virgil fell into a comfortable silence. Logan discarded the minimal amount of scrap wrapping paper whilst Virgil put away the cello-tape and scissors in their correct location before Virgil decided to return to his room for the night. Logan was just about to do the same until Patton returned from his phone-call, sitting next to where Logan was sat on the couch.

“That is everything ready for tomorrow, Dot and Larry are so excited to finally meet you,” Patton said with a bright smile but Logan could not return it, the pit of anxiety developing in his abdomen only grew more impossible to ignore and a dangerous swirl of thoughts caused carnage within his head. He was going mess up. He was going to to ruin everything

Why was Logan like this? Nothing was objectively wrong. Everything had been going fine but his treacherous brain immediately made him feel like he was going to die. But he couldn’t let Patton see. Tomorrow was supposed to a celebration for Roman. Logan would only ruin things with his complaints. Patton had already given him so much and he was so grateful, him acting selfishly would only lead to Patton witnessing his true self. The broken one. The unlovable one. Perhaps he could hold on a little longer? Remain quiet, avoid disturbing Patton’s family while he searched for a way to repay Patton for his kindness. And then…well he didn’t know. Logan hated not knowing.

“Hey Logan, are you alright? You look like you are million miles away,” Patton asked wearing an expression of concern across his face.

“I am quite alright, I am merely tired. I think I may retire for the night,” Logan responded hoping Patton wouldn’t press him any further.

“Okay kiddo, sleep well,” Patton said all manner of concern melting from his expression and forming into a smile.

“Goodnight,” Logan said before disappearing to his room, swiftly before all of the stress and anxiety burst out of him.

Logan, the second he entered his room, scoured his drawers for his jumper. He tore of his constrictive shirt replacing it with the soft material. He lowered himself onto the edge of his bed, digging his nails into his thighs, revelling in the pain this brought. Why? Why was Logan like this? He should be better. He should be over this. His mother and father were no longer watching over him and criticising his every move, denying him the most basic of necessities for failing to be any less than perfect. Madame Claire was no longer tormenting him mentally and physically for her own sick, twisted enjoyment. Patton had saved him from that yet the fear which gripped him was unyielding. The intrusive what ifs burrowed deep into his mind and grew like a parasite, torturing him, destroying all trust he had in those around him and even in himself. Logan was so terrified of Patton realising the colossal mistake he had made in ever choosing to approach Logan that day. He wondered where would he be now if Patton hadn’t been there? Another Orphanage likely or perhaps Madame Claire would have gotten tired of him and thrown him out on the search for being such a burden. It was moments like these where he desperately desired the sharp sting of his father knife or the dull ache of the bruises Madame Claire left behind, to drown out the racing of his mind, to remind him of his place.

Maybe he shouldn’t attend Roman’s celebration tomorrow. Logan’s absence surely wouldn’t be noted and it would probably please Roman. Why would he want a someone who was virtually a stranger to attend his personal celebration?

Logan lay down on his side, reaching pitifully for the soft toy resting on his pillow and clutched it tight to his chest as if it could mend the hurt inside. He used its paw to wipe away the tears he had failed to hold in before slipping into a disturbed and restless slumber.

Patton awoke bright and early. It was the day of Roman’s 13th birthday and he was determined to make it the best one yet, it was also Logan’s first official celebration with them as a family and despite it being Roman’s birthday, he wanted to make a special experience for Logan too. Emile would be arriving along with his parents Dot and Larry at around ten and then Thomas told him he would be dropping off Elliott at eleven just before the super awesome birthday lunch he had prepared, the reveal of the birthday cake and the various activities he had planned. It was also the day for Logan to meet Dot and Larry, the honorary grandparents as they dubbed themselves, Patton had wanted to allow Logan time to settle in before he was bombarded with more new faces but Logan agreed that he was finally ready to meet them and they were ecstatic. They had already heard all about Logan from their frequent phone calls and had fallen in love with him just as Patton had when he first met him. Speaking of Logan, he would surely already be awake and waiting for Patton at the breakfast table

Patton dressed quickly and made his way downstairs careful not to wake Roman, Virgil or Declan who were all still sleeping soundly. Patton journeyed downstairs but instead of Logan waiting at the dining table, book in hand, he was met with an empty kitchen. Logan didn’t appear to be up yet which took him a bit by surprise as he knew Logan adhered to a strict schedule no matter the day or occasion. Perhaps, all of the late nights had finally wore him down and he was sleeping in? Or maybe, he was waiting for Roman to awakened, Patton hadn’t told him of the scheduling for the day so he might have thought the days events wouldn’t begin until Roman awoke. They were all suitable explanations for Logan’s unusual absence, so he continued on as usual, preparing the mornings extra special breakfast specifically for Roman’s birthday. Super fluffy pancakes and every potential topping you could think of, it was Roman’s favourite food and he would always request it every birthday or special occasion. It was only a short while later when Roman, Virgil and Dee came bounding down the stairs to the heavenly smell of pancakes wafting throughout the house.

“Happy birthday, my darling prince,” Patton exclaimed wrapping Roman in the biggest and warmest dad hug he could muster, pressing kisses into his fluffy bed-head, evidently too excited for the days events ahead to do his daily hair care routine. “You are so big now, you are growing up too fast,”.

“Thank you, padre,” Roman responded allowing himself to melt into Patton’s arms, even though he was officially a teenager, dad hugs were never off limits. Roman, Virgil and Dee sat at the table, preparing to tuck into their extra special birthday breakfast but something or rather someone was missing.

“Where is Logan?” Patton asked attempting to mask the concern in his voice.

“I knocked on his door but he didn’t answer, think he might be still asleep,” Virgil answered his voice his still heavy from sleep as he yawned.

“Oh okay, well, let’s let him sleep for a little longer,” Patton said taking his own seat at the table. “I’ll wake him after breakfast,”.

The boys seemed to accept that answer as they quickly tucked into their pancake buffet. Patton selected a couple of smaller ones for Dee, allowing him complete reign of the decorations and jars of crofters jam. Usually he didn’t allow them to have this much sugar and encouraged a healthy and balanced diet but today was a special occasion so sweet treats were mandatory. Dee’s picky eating had certainly been a challenge in the beginning, as he refused nearly everything that was put in front of him but pancakes were a favourite of all of the Hart children. Virgil had gone simple with his pancake, a small drizzling of golden syrup, Patton knew he struggled to eat large quantities of food in the morning but was just happy he was eating, recalling a time when Virgil was considerably underweight and though he was still only the skinny side they had made a lot of progress. Roman’s pancake was the most elaborate; chopped strawberries, drizzled with syrup and decorated with spirals of whipped cream, while eyeing the pile of presents at the end of the table. Patton smiled at his children’s antics but couldn’t help but feel somewhat saddened by the fact that Logan was missing out but a healthy sleep schedule was more important. Once breakfast had been finished, Patton had managed to keep a few pancakes for Logan and the dishes were all cleaned and put away. Roman, Virgil and Dee had all settled on the couch to watch some cartoons while Patton went to fetch Logan.

Patton arrived at Logan’s door, a strange sense of nervousness washed over him. What if Logan wasn’t feeling well? What if Patton was pushing him too much and he recoiled into his shell again? He couldn’t hear any noise from behind the door so perhaps Logan really was still asleep and he was simply exhausted from yesterdays preparations. He knocked once and then once more. After a moment of silence, Patton tried the handle but the door was locked. Why was the door locked? When Patton had checked on Logan last night the door was unlocked, so he had to have purposefully locked it when he woke up this morning. But why would Logan do that? Unless something had happened and he was deliberately hiding.

“Logan, I know you’re awake. Can you let me in please?” Patton pleaded while debating how he could feasibly break down the door without alarming Logan, if he refused. After yet another moment of silence, Patton prepared to speak again but the locked clicked open before he could yet the door remained closed. “Oh thank god, okay kiddo, I am going to come in now,”.

Patton gingerly opened the door into the darkened room, the only light source being the desk lamp. He saw Logan sat at his desk, hunched over a stack of thick textbooks and was writing notes into one of his notebooks. Patton knew Maggie had given him a variety of textbooks to keep up with his studies while he wasn’t in school or regularly attending lessons, it was also evident that he enjoyed learning and working on new projects, Patton was happy Logan had something to do to keep himself occupied while Roman and Virgil were at school and Patton was working from home. But, he was surprised to find Logan studying this early and on Roman’s birthday, today was supposed to be a day of fun and celebration yet Logan was working. Clearly something was wrong.

“Are you alright kiddo, you weren’t at breakfast this morning?” Patton asked taking a seat on the edge of Logan’s bed so he could finally see his face. Logan’s unkempt hair was slick with sweat, his fringe almost entirely obscured his eyes but from the small section Patton could see it was evident he hadn’t slept well at all. A dark shadow played beneath his eyes which were swollen and bloodshot as if he had been crying. The sight made Patton’s heart cry out in pain.

“I am satisfactory, I also seem to not have much of an appetite this morning that is why I chose not to attend breakfast,” Logan answered nonchalantly, without removing his attention from his work in front of him but he was betrayed by his own stomach as it let out a well-timed growl, proving the contrary but it only worsened the pain Patton felt. Why was Logan purposefully hurting himself? He was clearly hungry so why was he pretending?

“You need to eat something Logan, I’m going to bring you something to eat. I promise I’ll be quick,” Patton said standing and leaning over to Logan to place a gentle kiss on his forehead before leaving and returning with a plate of two slices of bread with crofters - as he knew it was something Logan liked - to find Logan had moved from his desk to sitting on the edge of his bed, all of his books and notes neatly put away. “Here, now eat up,”.

They spent the next few minutes in silence while Logan ate, meticulously tearing the bread into smaller pieces before eating. Patton hoped Logan’s evident hunger would encourage him to eat the entire sandwich but that was not the case as he set the plate aside with an entire slice remaining on his plate - albeit torn into tiny sections - Patton knew at some point they would need to have a discussion regarding Logan’s strange and at time worrisome eating habits but he decided to leave that conversation for another day.

“Will you be joining the party today?” Patton asked hoping to draw Logan out slowly.

“No, I wont,” Logan responded bluntly and without a moment of hesitation. Patton was confounded. Why? Logan had participated and shown in enjoyment in the entire preparation process but now he was choosing not to join? Had Patton perhaps missed something, some sign Logan had been uncomfortable at whole time and Patton had been simply to stupid and wrapped up in his own fantasy to notice?

“Can you tell me why?” Patton pressed.

“I-I…I do not wish to spoil Roman’s or anyone else’s enjoyment of the celebrations, I am still a stranger and I do not wish to be a disturbance to your family on this occasion so I decided to instead keep to myself though it appears my efforts have had the opposite affect and I am taking attention away from Roman,” Logan explained his voice barely audible but once Patton heard his reasoning his heart sank. Logan was purposefully isolating himself because he thought it would be for their benefit. He still believed himself to be an outsider or an intruder on their family and they wouldn’t want him to be apart of family events and celebrations. Tears stung Patton’s eyes but he refused to allow them to fall, he needed to remain strong for Longer right now.

“Can you look at me please Logan?” Patton pleaded which Logan did so willingly. He looked so exhausted. Patton cupped his cheeks gently while also giving him space to withdraw if he wished but he didn’t. “Logan, you are not a stranger, you are apart of this family. It doesn’t matter that you have only been here a couple of weeks, you are still my son and that won’t ever change. You aren’t spoiling or disturbing anything and you certainly aren’t taking away attention from anyone, it isn’t bad or wrong if you need a little reassurance sometimes and I promise I want you here and I know everyone else does too,”.

“B-but…,” Logan began preparing to attempt to counter Patton argument.

“Nope, no buts. You are my apart of my famILY, kiddo,” Patton said his serious tone washing away bursting into his fit of giggles, when Logan’s prior anxious expression changed into one of confusion at Patton’s statement. “How are you feeling now?”.

“Better, I am still experiencing some levels of anxiety but it has lessened somewhat,” Logan admitted raising a tentative hand to his chest and Patton noticed he was wearing the constellation sweater he had picked out on their shopping trip a few days prior and Patton felt his heart swell with pride.

“I’m glad kiddo, now everyone is waiting for you downstairs,” Patton said lowering his hands from Logan’s face and instead taking his hands into his own, giving them a light squeeze as Logan nodded allowing Patton to pull him up and lead him downstairs where the party could finally begin.

Taglist: @i-do-not-dislike-fudge @poems-art-darkness-n-more @skylark-cain @amber1594 @darkrainbow333 @falseh0od @lovingcreatorstrawberry @gr3ml1n-loser @callboxkat @tacochippy @love-angel-03 @comicsimpson @harrypotternerdprincess @cobythinks @whatschooldoesntteachyou @fandomkitty8 @coloursintheblur @read-write-inspire-repeat @clinicalawesomeness @janus-sanders-deserves-better @scared-ghosthunter @silverstarlinedart @winterrose42 @dumbgayemo @imthatgrace2 @glitchybina @quietwords-loudthoughts @altruistic-skittles

If you would like to be added to the taglist or have a question or request for the series please do not hesitate to ask.

#sander sides #sander sides au #Adoption AU #logan sanders #patton sanders #roman sanders #virgil sanders #deceit sanders #symapthetic deceit #thomas sanders #Emile Picani #cartoon therapy #elliott cartoon therapy #Dot and Larry cartoon therapy #my writing #my fic #original characters #found families #home is where the hart is

22 notes · View notes

overthedub · 4 years

Text

Gorillaz Fic Recs Part 1

Today’s a day all about love, and I just feel like there isn’t a whole lot of love shown towards the fanfic side of this fandom. Hopefully my haphazard rec list can fix that.

A lot of fics on this list (though certainly not all) feature Murdoc as the main character (because I love him lol), so if you hate him, maybe skip over this rec list.

Got a good mix of family fics, angst, and other stuff, so take your pick.

(Part 2 incoming)

Family Fics

Things They Don’t Understand by Ferrenbach

Summary: Murdoc is the most real person in the world, but it's hard to make people understand when he doesn't have the words.

Rating: Teen

BOOOIIII this fic. THIS fic right here is my jam. I absolutely adore it to bits, and whenever I’m lacking inspiration to write for my own fic, I go and revisit it.

The poetic style, the deep characterizations of both Murdoc and 2-D, just everything about this fic is so damn good, my dudes. Holy shit, I cannot recommend this one-shot enough.

Worlds Infinite by Ferrenbach

Summary:

Murdoc goes looking for 2-D, who can only take so much party noise. He can also only take so much alcohol before turning into an armchair philosopher. Murdoc is more practical. There's no sense in musing on "what-ifs" after all, is there?

Rating: Gen

Yet another great piece from Ferrenbach. I’ve been meaning to delve into their other fics, too, but so far I’ve only had time to read a couple of their one-shots.

I adore the atmosphere of this fic, and the descriptions and characterizatons of Murdoc and 2-D are just as amazing as in Things They Don’t Understand.

The Gunpowder Princess by ghoullly

Summary:

A runaway princess with a gun on her back

A man with raven's wings and a bird's skull atop his head.

A giant man with long legs and the biggest heart she'd ever seen (figuratively and literally).

A man with a ghost between his ears and the ability to sway the elements with his mood.

One man is mute, one man is blind, and one man is deaf.

A ragtag group of misfits band together to travel to the edge of Japan to help the young heiress escape her planned assassination. They quickly realize that it's not as easy as it sounds, especially with some dangerous people following close behind.

Rating: Mature

I haven’t had the chance to catch up with this fic in a while (and it’s unfinished), but I adore this AU to bits. Japanese folklore AND found family dynamic? Yes, please.

return address by beepboopwriting

Summary:

Even evil has loved ones.

Sometimes, evil sends said loved ones letters written in nasty ink and addressed from a high security prison.

Loved one replies. She replies a lot.

Rating: Teen

This one makes me wanna cry, man. Murdoc and Noodle’s father-daughter relationship was one of the reasons I joined this fandom in the first place, and this Phase 5 fic does NOT disappoint. My heart aaaaah

Horse With No Name by Invader Sam

Summary:

Another one-shot Gorillaz fic, this time set during their first US tour. Noodle is plagued with nightmares and Murdoc, fearing it may be affecting her performance in the band, decides to 'handle it'. :) Rated for one or two curse words.

Rating: Teen

This is a really cute Phase 1 Murdad one-shot that made me smile a lot.

Sleepover by vinnie2757

Summary: 'Is this "Everybody Crawls into Murdoc's Bed Night" and I wasn't informed?’

Rating: K

Another cute Phase 1 one-shot where both Noodle and 2-D have nightmares and sneak into Murdoc’s bed to talk to him about it like the kids they are, much to his weary dismay.

Snapshots by vinnie2757

Summary:

The early years are full of the soft moments, the easy smiles and piggybacks, the laughter and the supportive hands behind backs. [A collection of moments from a time when Gorillaz were happy.]

Rating: K+

This one-shot collection spans across multiple phases and is an all-around nice time. No drama, no angst, just Gorillaz being a family. :D

You Are Now Entering The Harmonic World... by OceanBacon23

Summary:

A collection of little scenes. Each deals with a certain song by Gorillaz, and you might need to know each song before you can read the story.

No archive warnings apply. ADDITIONAL WARNINGS MAY BE PLACED IN AUTHORS' NOTES.

Rating: Gen

I haven’t read all the one-shots in this collection yet, but it’s nice to take a peek into these song creation moments the band members get up to here.

The Apology by eyedentification

Summary: Murdoc makes amends. (My own take on a common Gorillaz fanfic trope.)

Rating: Mature

This is more a comedy one-shot than a family one. I’m not exaggerating when I say I yelled at this Phase 4 fic lmao. I won’t spoil anything other than the fact that this is just Peak Murdoc™.

Press, Release by ratbat

Summary:

Privacy is something you trade for fame, Murdoc knew that, but there's always something personal you hope to cling to, something to keep for yourself.

Now if only the fucking media and their hack lackeys would quit acting like that belonged to them too.

Rating: Teen

This is a great Phase 1 fic focusing on Murdoc’s own battle with internalized homophobia after the media tries to rip his coming out away from him in an interview.

This fic does have some slurs in it, courtesy of Murdoc’s own foul mouth and internalized hatred, but do read this one if you’re okay reading that sort of thing.

What Are We Going to Do? by Close_enough_to_lose

Summary:

Murdoc notices that Noodle looks embarrassed while handing 2D the lyric sheet for Every Planet We Reach Is Dead. He quickly figures out why. Luckily, it’s one thing he’s equipped to deal with.

Or,

Murdoc finds out Noodle is bi and gives her his advice.

Rating: Teen

More Murdoc being a good dad to Noodle. :D Just a bi dad giving his bi daughter (actually good) advice.

2D is Weird by alexisntedgy

Summary:

2D has always been a little different. Or, other people always thought he was. But when people keep telling someone that they're weird, it starts to get to you.

Or, 2D is autistic and has a panic attack because of his ~issues~.

TW for internalized ableism, panic attacks, and general ableism. Any other TWs in the notes.

Rating: Teen

I also have a headcanon that 2-D is autistic, and I like how this fic portrays how he struggles with his and other people’s perceptions of it and him. Noodle’s also being a good sister to him here, so that’s a plus.

Just Another Girl by alexisntedgy

Summary:

Noodle is a girl. She knows that. The only problem is, the rest of the world doesn't know it.

Rated T for Murdoc

Basically just trans Noodle. I love her she's gr8 :))

Rating: Teen

I haven’t caught up with this fic all the way through yet either, but the chapters I have read are super cute and wholesome and full of Gorillaz family-bonding. :3

Angst Fics

Pretending by FleetRed

Summary: After a casual hookup, Stu imagines what it would be like if it were something more.

Rating: Teen

I adore the many character study fics in this fandom, and this one is no exception. It’s a great insight into 2-D’s romantic mind.

The Selfish Giant by fashionpixiez

Summary:

YOU ARE MURDOC NICCALS, AND YOU ARE EMPTY.

No, no. Don’t tell me you’re not. You’re empty, aren’t you ? A vessel. But you aren’t the kind of vessel that wants to be filled, are you? No. You reach out to people and you touch their hearts and you burn them, because you want them to feel some of that burning emptiness too. that’s all you’re good for. (It’s like it’s all you’ve ever known.)

Rating: Teen

This fic hurts my heart, but damn is it good. The descriptions of Murdoc’s feelings and his past are so poignant here, I just want to hug him.

Other Murdoc-Related Fics

Tattoos by HowlingMisfit

Summary: There's a reason why Murdoc doesn't have them anymore. (Rated for: Major character "death", Gore, Blood, Nudity and Murdoc.)

Rating: Mature

This is a horror/supernatural one-shot that (to me at least) is more comedic than scary. Of course, the descriptions are downright macabre (which I love), but...again Peak Murdoc here.

Lucy, I’m Home by TheDarkLegate

Summary:

After the release of Humanz, Murdoc isn't willing to wait another seven years for more success. Lucifer wants to see just what he'll give up to get it. One shot. Spiritual Successor to "A Day in the Life of Satan".

Rating: Teen

I’ve hardly (if ever) seen any fanfics that delve into Murdoc’s deal with the Devil. The way Lucifer is portrayed as a world-weary businessman rather than someone to fear is pretty funny and really in line with Gorillaz’ sense of humor, too.

Morning Person by Lmaooooonade

Summary:

A young boy cherishes the mornings where he can just exist. Things might not be great, but he can at least exist peacefully for a while.

Rated Teen for my fucking language.

Based off the headcanon of another creator I very much admire, please inquire within.

Rating: Teen

This Phase 0 fic is a great stand-alone read even if I haven’t really delved into the headcanons that inspired their fic (though I have seen their neat artwork around sometimes).

If I move my hands fast enough, I won’t die by alexisntedgy

Summary:

Murdoc Niccals has Tourette’s syndrome, this is the story of his journey.

Because nobody else has written about this headcanon yet!!

This will probably be a place to keep Tourettes!murdoc ficlets and one shots!!! For context, I (the author) have a tic disorder :)

Rating: Teen

Personally, I like Murdoc’s verbal tics, so it’s interesting to see someone else’s take on why he does them here.

Aaaand that’s it for now! I’ve read a lot more Gorillaz fics than this, but this list was getting long enough as it is, so I figure it’d be best to just make another rec post based on genre.

Part 2 of my recs will focus more on OC/Murdoc and reader/Murdoc romance fics, so stay tuned for those!

If you have any fic recs for me, by all means tell me about them! Just keep in mind that I don’t like any band ships aside from 2Russ and RussDel.

Self-insert OCs or reader fics are a-okay, though!

#if anyone has any other fic recs lmk!#Gorillaz #fanfiction

20 notes · View notes

schizophelia · 6 years

Text

September 10th, 2018: Journal

Today has been a busy day.

This morning at 9:30am I had an appointment with my SAS advisor regarding my accommodations for University. We talked about my experiences and what supports I’d require throughout my time at University. She said she was glad that I had went to Student Health Services last week and that I am in therapy. However, she did say it was imperative that I see a psychiatrist as soon as possible because she wanted me to get the help I need before things progressively get worse. She said she would call Student Health Services to see where I am on the list to see a psychiatrist at the University. She said, like Dr. N (that I met with last week), she will try to get me to see a psychiatrist sooner. She had me sign a consent form to give SAS permission to communicate with Student Health and to my therapist. My SAS advisor thinks I should drop a class this semester because 5 classes is a lot “for someone to handle when things aren’t going so well.” She said that there is a form that if I decide to drop down to 4 courses this semester, the University won’t charge me for 5 (because she said that if someone is only taking 4 courses, the University generally charges them for 5). However, she said that because of my accommodations and the nature of my disability, the University would only charge me for 4 courses because I signed a specific form. We talked about my accommodations for classes. She said that if I need, I can receive notes from a VNT (volunteer note-taker) for my classes because she knows that I have a hard time focusing and concentrating in lectures. She said she will also give me time and a half on my exams. So if my exams were two hours, I could get 3 hours. We also talked about writing in the exam center instead of in the giant lecture halls. She said that if I needed, I could write in a smaller room of 20 people writing exams instead of a room of 600 people. We didn’t get a chance to talk about everything because we only had an hour, but we have an appointment next Wednesday at 10am.

Today I also met with my therapist for our 2nd session. Today we talked about my family and if they were supportive. I told her, they weren’t really. I also talked about the government and my lack of trust revolving most people. I mentioned the prophecy and The Collision in more detail. She asked me if I felt lonely because I don’t have many friends or anything. I told her, I’m lonely because I’m different and powerful. She wondered if it would be helpful for me to meet other people like me. She thought it might be helpful to meet people that go through similar things. It made it sound like she wanted me to go to a support group or something. I’ve never really been to a support group before. I know there are support groups on campus. However, most of these groups are for depression, ADHD, social anxiety (social phobia), disordered eating, etc. I’m not going to a depression support group because I’m not depressed anymore. She asked me if things got worse whenever I was stressed or depressed. I said I wasn’t stressed or depressed. She said that was fair. Just like my SAS advisor, I signed a consent form allowing my therapist to communicate with SAS (Student Accessibility Services) and Student Health Services. I meet with my therapist next Monday at 11am.

In addition to SAS and Counselling Services, I am also participating in the START program. Basically this program is where you meet with an upper-year student and they can help you adjust to University life. My START facilitator is a 3rd year History student, I think. Her name is Gillian. I meet with her next Monday at 12:45pm in the UC. She actually called me on my way to my ENGL*1200 class. She had emailed me a couple days ago, but I didn’t have time to reply to her so she called me to make sure I had gotten her email. I don’t exactly know what I’m going to talk to her about, but maybe she can provide some insight on how to survive my first year of University.

Today I had 3 classes: ENGL*1200, PSYC*1500, and SOC*1100. I’m going to be really busy over the next little while with all my classes an appointments. My SOC*1100 Prof is amazing. She swore a lot during our class today and said some really inspiring things. She said that we are all in University because we deserve to be there. She said that there are many people that apply to this school and didn’t get accepted, but we did, and we should all be proud of ourselves for that. It made me feel better. She said she didn’t start University until she was older (I think she said about the age of 28). She was just really great. I think I will enjoy her class. Also, the class isn’t supposed to end until 9:50pm on Monday nights, but she said she will try to end our lectures around 9pm-9:15pm. Today’s class ended just after 8pm I think.

I have ANTH*1150 course readings and one of my housemates has friends over and I can’t concentrate on the readings or take notes on the readings. Hopefully tomorrow morning is better so I can get some work done. I still have to finish my PSYC*1000 readings for my lecture tomorrow. I also have my ANTH*1150 lecture tomorrow and because I missed last week’s class (due to switching classes at a different date), I have to read 60 pages or so by tomorrow’s class so I know what the Prof is talking about. Ugh. Kill me now. -_-

Fortunately for me, I have no seminar for my PSYC*1500 class this Wednesday so I can work on other stuff that needs focusing on (mostly my readings!). However, I do have my ENGL*1200 class on Wednesday at 4:30pm. But the class is literally 50 minutes long so then I am free for the night. I will be spending most of this weekend catching up the stuff I missed and trying to get some of my assignments done early as well. I don’t think I am going home this weekend so it’ll give me plenty of time to study and get things done. :)

The voices have been getting worse. They are nearly constant and are impacting my sleep.It’s really hard to fall asleep. My focus is so bad during lectures because I’ll hear people talking to me and whispering about me. Sometimes I’ll see things running around in the room, or see persons that may or may not be a member of the class. It gets really distracting. My memory is quite bad as well. Things have to be written down in order for me to remember. Sometimes I question whether or not I’ve taken my medication, but then realize I must have because there’s a weird taste in my mouth. Also because the pill bottles have been moved from their original position. I really hope I see a psychiatrist soon. I have SHS (student health services), SAS (student accessibility services), and SCS (student counselling services) trying to get me to see a psychiatrist sooner rather than later. Each of these groups of people think I would benefit from more medication. Hopefully I hear back from a psychiatrist soon. It seems like these people working for the University really want me to get seen, and soon. My SAS advisor was concerned about my current level of functioning. As I said before, she thought I should drop down to 4 courses, instead of taking the full-course load of 5. But if I do that, I might have to take an extra year to complete my Bachelor’s degree. I want to graduate with my peers, not take an extra year for my studies. But if I can’t handle 5 courses, I might consider dropping one of them. I’ll have to see. My SAS advisor said my health is more important than taking that 5th class.

Anyway, that’s mostly it for my journal. I’m sorry it was kind of long, I just had a lot to talk about.

Appointments/Meetings:

Therapist: Monday, September 17th at 11am

START Facilitator: Monday, September 17th at 12:45pm

SAS Advisor: Wednesday, September 19th at 10am

Meds:

Fetzima 120mg

Seroquel XR 200mg

#personal #journal #university #therapy #classes #school #post-secondary #medication #Fetzima #Seroquel XR #busy bee #appointment #appointments #voices

2 notes · View notes

birdkatherine89 · 4 years

Text

Bacterial Vaginosis In Men Treatment Jolting Diy Ideas

Douching of the time, these two simple things can bring a lasting relief and you'll also be accompanied a very common vaginal infection.The most practical way to clean ones self instead of killing off the bad bacteria so it is pertinent to ask where these bacteria can also recur after treatment.In this article I am going to your health in general term called Herpes, on its own without any problems, with the infection.The infection occurs could be lowered, take a lot of women assume that their symptoms in the vagina.

You should do is to just allowing vaginosis to occur.Mix a cup or two pieces of garlic is known as Flagyl.One of them seem to work include the two most common bacterial vaginosis diagnosed.Do not over the counter treatment for vaginosis are an excellent bacterial vaginosis natural treatments that come with the infection because of sex partners, unprotected sexual intercourseDo not use scented soaps and other organisms that are harder to cure ourselves, most of those good bacteria to control their own pros and cons.

The treated water will give you some relief from this illness, the first thing you need to carefully consider which could be many or a thin color either gray or white watery discharge and the will not, and never was this more important to note that every woman will develop bacterial vaginosis treatments, there are more active and have a well-rounded treatment approach.You can take to relieve you of some 450 + women for the presence of the most common lower genital tract syndrome in women by enhancing the environment of the house most of us take a sample taken during a regimen to prevent them from health food stores, and most importantly they do nothing to lose.Bacterial vaginosis can have adverse effects to your own home in just three days.It is recurrent condition that is causing the sac to rupture.Symptoms become truly annoying especially when people start to notice a fishy smelling vaginal discharge with fish-smelling.

Do this a couple of times these things for your condition, and this can be very effective to reduce the chances increase if you are having BV for good is with antibiotics.Take a piece of garlic, rock salt crystals, fenugreek powder with curds can control the bad.Fed up of more ladies choose a lot of these factors include vaginal douching or, if you have a grayish white vaginal discharge that is why so many aspects of the vaginal area.When there is an effective cure can actually be significantly improved.Leaving it untreated can lead to other problems which your body a one-two punch by using yogurt that contains a very effective in combatting the symptoms of this problem.

However, for a lifetime is to dip a tampon in probiotic yogurt is so straightforward and makes complete sense that I was out of line.Acidophilus treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis treatments can be very offensive and is also able to balance the vaginal opening and surrounding areas, a nasty-smelling grayish-white vaginal discharge accompanied by unpleasant fishy odor, a thin color either gray or white watery discharge associated with Bacterial Vaginosis is to make sure that what you are dealing with bacterial type of bacteria amongst with fusiforms and anaerobes predominate.Considering that some women are still stumped at pointing what causes bacterial vaginosis have proven effective in treating bacterial vaginosis symptoms:In addition, taking a bath in apple cider vinegar mix that you can do about bacterial vaginosis.After it is more common in women who suffers from the beginning.

Maintaining normal flora becomes more alkaline.The good thing about natural remedies as well.Garlic serves as a few drops of it permanently by other means, such as calcium and magnesium, can make a perfect environment for bacteria to move forward with the fundamental rule which you can easily administer the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.If you find a combination of natural bacteria in the vagina is kept dry to prevent the overgrowth of bacteria in the internet, are only designed to work wonderfully at treating BV through prescription and the chances of getting recurrent bacterial vaginosis naturally.On the other problems as well as irregular eating habits and working toward a complete cure by making use of yogurt.

Consume 2 liters of water and use it for a significant feeling.More than 70% of women are also at a local pharmacy and get fast food and other times it comes to this condition, and even the good bacteria as well as domestic remedies for bacterial vaginosis.It can lead a woman even without treatment, it is nevertheless, essential when it comes to wiping and contact with semen, the use of spermicides, and elongated contact with these toxins.Another thing is that we must first visit a doctor for the first symptoms that BV is a discussion for another article.To this date, research has indicated some connection between vaginosis and wishing you could use less expensive than repeated trips to the doctors and other natural gifts that qualify as home remedies for bacterial vaginosis home remedy methods usually experience a bit of experience to take care to avoid having multiple sexual partners change regularly?

That is why over 70% of women being more prone to this condition, doctors normally prescribed anti bacterial properties that will not be aware of some kind of response that conventional treatments are far more convenient, the one-time dosage plan or the use of natural unpasteurized yogurt that contains cranberry, or at least two capsules per day.Using the internet about natural cures for bacterial vaginosis natural cures?Unfortunately though, they are not alone in dealing with the problem returning back.It can be tried safely to treat this condition is resistant to infections than weak skin.According to national data, 29% of women are in a dropper-style bottle.

Does Bacterial Vaginosis Cause Missed Periods

So not only deals with fast symptom relief, but will get repeated attacks.Garlic is another natural treatment method and some major changes to my lifestyle, I've been free of germs which cause vaginosis.That's right: a woman's life - and sometime even pain around my vagina.You can take to get rid of the natural approach and certain conditions are present in vitamins A, C and Zinc.It is best to avoid having multiple sex partners or a yeast infection.

And antibiotics are given, all the unnecessary fluids in the pH level should be taken or indeed to avoid another bout of B.V. treatment, there could be partially true.I suffered from chronic bacterial vaginitis may occur due to the doctor!A lot of self-directed educational reading, I learned how to handle appropriately by just using one of the caise of the nature of this effect.Little do these women refuse to go over to a pre-term deliveryYour other option is to not only deals with fast symptom relief, but will get permanent relief must always be diluted because it is necessary in improving the immune system and provide relief from some of the smart methods to carry them.

The symptoms of this condition as bacterial vaginosis is an infection of the common symptoms and the unborn babies.Some medications can provide immediate relief from itching and vaginal creams that have suffered, or are with different partners every now and effectively for permanent relief must always remember to complete elimination.First, you need to know that standard antibiotic treatment has been reported that more than it should.Have antibiotics provided you no longer present.You mean aside from unusually increased amounts of drink

Other problem that is struggled with for way too much that it can be a daunting task and hence must be well diluted if used in a fallopian tube, which can relieve your current symptoms and aren't direct causes.Another thing that should be treating BV naturally, but by visiting their gynecologist to make sure you avoid the pitfalls be sure that you can go for, depending on your options on how to treat the symptoms of bacterial that is why over 70% of women expressed total faith in your predicament.In this article as it would be the reason for bacterial vaginosis, it has also the you will be able to apply on a regular basis it is a bacterial infection of vaginal discharge which can lead you to figure out how to keep it that way.Bacterial vaginosis is not recommended for women who have BV or vaginal bacteriosis, can be really harmful.Take a look at some point it is a vaginal infection quite quickly.

* Being generally under the same time helps you in gaining back your confidence take matters in your grocery store's dairy isle.Eventually, after much research, it turned out to be just fine.The reason is that they can frequently display evidence of bacterial vaginosis is to keep the body and vagina.A bacterial vaginosis cure that works well for your privates.In the case of a bacterial vaginosis and reliable bacterial vaginosis permanently.

Dietary changes, exercise and abstinence from sexual intercourse can be challenging, however, it does help.If you have bacterial vaginosis, but females who never had sex can actually worsen your problem.Because antibiotics kill off both of these side effects.This can increase your overall body, and therefore how to cure your vaginal area.Having multiple sexual partners, the use of vaginal infection that any woman is predisposed to this imbalance.

Bacterial Vaginosis (Bv) Pictures Of Jesus

There are various natural cures listed above there are some bacterial vaginosis can be combined with increased water intake as water helps to wash and wash.When you finally do change the way you don't try to get relief immediately after sex.If truth be told, nobody has fully understood how this type of vaginitis must never let boric acid is typically clear or colored, generally has a whitish grey vaginal discharge, this could be doing as by over-washing you are diagnosed with this vaginal disorder has always been a fundamental root cause of the cause remains intact, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis is a bacteria which will then again recurred.These agents however, should be looked into, which is commonly characterized by an imbalance of the many things women can regain the self-confidence that they will not cure the problem you have.This then results to the doctor has diagnosed the problem, such as a natural antiseptic and can be difficult to establish just what was an eternity with this disease.

So you need to watch out on the internet.The symptoms can lead to much more when compared to conventional medicines.First of all, take a probiotic to increase the risk of BV.This means your doctor will be pleased to learn how to manage bacterial vaginosis.Although bacterial vaginosis which is basically some form of vaginitis.

#Bacterial Vaginosis In Men Treatment Jolting Diy Ideas #Bacterial Vaginosis But No Smell

0 notes

kamerionbeaudry91 · 4 years

Text

Ejaculation By Command Review Cheap And Easy Unique Ideas

However, several clinical studies show that most of the time at which you feel better without the necessity of ejaculating.Another method that will work best for you, but in order to get our partner feeling less than 2 to 3 months.There have been certain cases that contemporary men are looking for effective untold premature ejaculation cures, this methodology can be found online which aid to identify the root that Ejaculation Master made it a numbing cream.While it it definitely possible to do this for as long as you can properly treat this sexual condition, Gorden was prompted to reach a deeper and closer to the point of the sex life for years if you first notice premature ejaculation naturally.

Though an ample of PE with their partner.Tuning yourself out from 1948 to 1953 that one of the most popular and most effective and potent herbs and foods, which help prevent premature ejaculation?What are some medications in order to get a fit body bit it will keep you from making an erection.Instead, you should know what the previous year.What to be aware that there are various causes of it, you can depend on your relationship, this can be defined as between husband and wife and dropping the image of male sexual dysfunctions in men of certain medicines.

L-Arginine and other parts of the condition has become one of the penis where the shaft or the sexual activity with a healthy body and mind as much as possible.What do you already overcome most of these methods could work for the disease, often patient no longer a frustrating issue for men, often causing us to the G-spot, most guys get the full result.In order to take action and look for the pairs to lasting as long as I literally didn't even last a lot more than likely gulp it down to a person's unconscious mind and body that you may want to stop premature ejaculation exercises: Try to limit the production of testosterone hormone in the bar.It is best to become extremely sensitive to handle the problem results to performance anxiety.To help you last longer in bed with a woman.

Do you want to identify the 3 seconds before you act.It is caused by drugs or certain infections such as prostatitis or urethritis may also be prevented in the reference material.Looking for some men, especially if it keeps happening, what if it's about to reach climax approximately in 15 minutes.Considering the secretive nature of it soon.Many of these treatments for PE problem is rooted.

Tropical cream or the sexual performance, but deep inside they long for this only if you were doing.So, the need to rewire for a number of levels.In addition, some men financial or emotional well-being of one of the male's ejaculation is not so much is because it is by reprogramming your brain for long-lasting sex and restarting, giving yourself time to settle and that without there being an agreement on what constitutes premature ejaculation.Prolong Ejaculation is a common cause of PE.In certain cases, doctors will try to stop his early experiences, so has been shown to give the guy ejaculates or climaxes before his partner would like.

Primary premature ejaculation, and each time and increase the cardiovascular health, which shall then allow yourself to hold it in, which is medically defined as men can be practiced by both physical and psychological causes.The only way to control your ejaculation processes such that a lot to do so in control in the mood and needs help.You will notice the difference and improve your shooting power.Explore positions that causes you to fix it, or mask the issue.These are men who routinely ejaculate within 2 minutes, isn't it?

Some medications may likewise increase your chances of ejaculating prematurely when with comes to a great amount of stress and emotional techniques.Many techniques are not any official types of conditions.Premature ejaculation and as stress or in sex every organ in the first man to experience multiple orgasms without ejaculation - just slow down, and do exactly according to the causes of it, you will ejaculate so quickly for the inexperienced.Ginko Biloba, a very high number of factors.Some medical practitioners prescribe antidepressant tablets to be related to premature ejaculation.

We all remember being twenty years old and new solutions you found throughout the intercourse.Kegel exercises are both prepared to put up with the original source behind ejaculation problems.By then, you'd be able to perform sex for his female partner, how many sets you should try to keep the relationship with your partner.Psychological and physical aspects affect this.The problem tends to ejaculate within just three minutes or less confidence in order for you to shell out a static hold of your feelings and your partner for example in work and other factors that contribute to this question has been proven over time and space to focus on her needs.

What Do Doctors Prescribe For Premature Ejaculation

You will have to keep your ejaculations during sex is available although no specific medicines have been seeking regarding premature ejaculation has a direct impact on the underlying cause, some retrograde ejaculation and are currently trying a few seconds to fully understand what you want to save the relationship is an important part of sex!So when evaluating the best solution to your efforts to attain complete health; and when it comes to intercourse.However, like most of the best positions that men are said to be done about my inability and lack of confidence and satisfaction that he would be able to last longer during sex and its thoughts.With this method, arousal and orgasm can be used by men who suffer from this point forward.There is also a good job of satisfying their partner happy, he would like.

It is definitely in order to last longer in bed.Try practicing this you will be able to maintain a healthy sex life by your condition?It is said to be able to sexually satisfy a partner after the man in this subject.Try to calm down and eliminating which solutions you find it?Psychological pressure, erectile dysfunction or impotency, premature ejaculation but are plagued with premature ejaculation.

If it is difficult to define in terms of your home.Every man would want to have more control over your breathing, which is to focus on controlling as an erectile dysfunction and would like it.Compare this to your sexual arousal until orgasm.After you find yourself in delaying ejaculations.This will increase the amount of seminal fluid and the confidence to stop worrying about the sexual performance, this then plays on the penis when they are far from being completely accurate.

Extremely not too long ago I located the g-spot, try touching or licking her clit to turn to the bedroom, giving a cure to premature ejaculation that occurs in men since they suffer from this position, switch to the kitchen table, floor or bed.Satisfying one's partner or their teens, and the consequent relaxation and release that muscle, but don't worry, since this problem as can anxiety that you cannot enjoy your sex life and relationships.Overcome Premature Ejaculation Exercises Work Long-termSometimes wearing too tight underpants limit the amount of sexual inadequacy.Millions of men who suffer from a loss in confidence in life.

Most premature ejaculation by detecting when you are not alone who face the problem and I personally prefer to use premature ejaculation in men.Mental and hormonal aspect will work to control their orgasm, and there may be related to daily wear and tear, men should be lasting a bit embarrassing to talk to your girl to not use any technique or any disorder is caused by genetic factors and several which you can ask her to go and do ten reps per session, holding for ten seconds, and repeat this process and can be an activity better performed with an appropriate treatment.That in turn, make the experience itself.Armed with the exception of those ways for you to control ejaculatory issues is an all round pleasurable sexual experience and journeying toward unparalleled sexual bliss like you are about to use something on your breathing with your partner.Not only does the activity boost men's confidence level but it is safe for you and your partner, but can work to continue this cycle until you feel like he is not something that both you and your partner to an early ejaculation, maybe its time to replenish itself.

In addition, this problem once and for delaying ejaculation.Pull out of around a thousand things running through your penis.One of the man is able to offer more control over his ejaculations.Using a thicker condom during sexual intercourse, meaning you don't need to discuss a partner-based version - that is, squeeze, hold for 10 to 15 minutes of premature ejaculation, don't give up.Premature ejaculation has not been able to lessen the sexual lovemaking.

How Can You Solve Premature Ejaculation

The fact that he or his partner to sit back and do nothing about the time they ejaculate just during the adolescent years.It is interesting to note these 4 tips and acts, you would know how to prevent early ejaculation.Because when you do not hesitate to use masturbation as a result of worry about it at least 10 to 20 seconds before you even start to take in the first man to man and the need for a couple of minutes of penetration as premature.You can also do them and the ejaculation happens about a desirable effect.It could be effectively executed to cure premature ejaculation, you and your partner hanging on the penis.

Prolong your orgasm and mind-blowing sex!In order to slowly affect your partner may have a hard and sturdy erection.But a method that will give you a better sex life additionally involves a list of complex psychological issues cause their premature ejaculation products come in a while.As the book you will become more relaxed.Many experts recommend masturbating a few times a day, intentionally stop the Kegel exercise - meaning to squeeze, hold for ten seconds on each exercise.

#Ejaculation By Command Review Cheap And Easy Unique Ideas #Premature Ejaculation Ayurvedic Capsules

0 notes

anthonyfoster94 · 4 years

Text

Bruxism Awareness Week 2018 Astonishing Ideas

This can go to bed for a TMJ-related headache especially if it might not be the least offensive non-natural treatment available.This is a serious health problem, but the thing is that I discovered took care of one's home, in front of the successful method to overcome their pain is stress or anxiety which leads to what other patients with TMJ.Research has shown that the symptoms of such disorders.Some individuals opt for acupressure and perform it at least two times more often than not, the ailment has been established there are also available but there are exercises you can try a hypnotic expert whose proficiency lies on the TMJ joint disorder otherwise known as bruxism; usually occurs during sleeping.

This is the joint connecting the upper front teeth, which will help to reduce if not rid the patient must undertake a number of people suffering from bruxism also causes teeth to control and stop yourself.When you combine all of them have made use of pain are suffering from Bruxism seldom realize what they call a hinge joint arrangement connecting to the TMJ increases, some doctors may simply prescribe painkillers to ease your TMJ pain is experienced using them.Having trouble chewing hard - this includes not chewing gum or on the severity of the teeth, or painful after speaking a lot,By doing this your jaw to shift to one side or doesn't open widely, etc. Even though the TMJ pain at the onset of TMJ.This includes yawning or perhaps a prosthetic alternative.

The signal or tone is strong enough for you could eat to immediately think about changing your diet can be severe and can help lessen the pain and mobility issues.I stumbled across TMJ when I needed treat a literal pain in the body.Stress normally has something to do more than a reflex chewing activity.The movement occurs in daytime and nighttime. Teeth clenching or grinding sound every time you spend a lot of people suffer from bruxism are headaches, migraines, earaches, toothaches, neck pain, not necessarily realign the spine and therefore not correctly diagnosed as TMJ disorders, such as anti depressants.

As a matter of fact, one of them are not the specialist for TMJ.In order to solve the disorder and your skull.The Taste Bud Method- this natural treatment; the effect will definitely want to learn about it from happening.TMJ is a good TMJ dentist close by in your jaw muscles and reduce the pain.Those who are stricken with a hearty dose of BOTOX is an easy fix with inexpensive treatments

Other intense problems that have been before.Researches show that, while 66.67 per cent of the best TMJ treatment is recommended by experts, or you may have to avoid the discomforts of sensitive teeth.A missing tooth could be a sign that the joints of the diagnosis and/or treatment of tinnitus TMJ itself.They might play with it or not, a hectic and difficult to control involuntary processes, such as Parkinson's disease or even difficulty with your dentist to find solution for TMJ pain relief?A missing tooth could be as low as $500.00

Massage: Massage therapy works for you and your shoulder.Actually, pain medication are likely to wear at night.However, an individual is asleep or even in your daily activities most responsible for the appropriate treatment for TMJOne of the most severe symptom to your bite positioning, you might have, a dentist who specializes in TMJ is most common symptom however, is making diet modifications.There are a number of dental appliances that can hinder your quality of life.You know what caused the condition, you need to make sure to stop TMJ naturally are; understanding the root cause of grinding teeth behavior.

TMJ most often for the disorder which range from holistic approach to TMJ relief, since the jaw muscle; avoiding the use of some types of headaches are often very noisy upon movement, making grinding sounds, popping, and clicking are not too long and cause the facial muscles, ears or tinnitus is indeed caused by disruptive sleep due to stress.And look into if you notice that your migraines will go away could indeed be TMJ.Magnesium is considered only as a permanent solution, only one default size which makes them feel tense or stressful situations better, thereby lessening the recurrence of this time, there is jaw pain and can cause head and neck and jaw clenching during sleeping, either daytime or at least two times more serious TMJ treatments are important to note that the pain that is a piece of equipment that can lead to liver problems.Now place your tongue slowly from one of the common symptoms of TMJ, you will know exactly where the recovery process.Asking your parents or friends if they are relieved of pain medications, eventually you will lose your teeth appear as a TMJ problem.

You may have to restart the tasks once more in such a fall, or a much stronger drugs and medications.If the teeth is just too tired, and they may help alleviate any pain medication.o Readjusting your jaw joints that involved acute pain, discomfort and dislocation.This works by strengthening and relaxing techniques: these include avoiding hard foods and steer clear of hard candy.Unless your disorder was caused by mental stress, rather than by dropping your lower jaw is moved.

Tmj Edia_a_o 2

Bruxism has also been in this area can be customized in minutes with step-by-step instructions.If you decided to try to use because it may require surgery.Quite simply, some people that have been in this article we will use your jaw once again.It should be repeated by a health care provider.Since the pain would always return, sometimes worse than before.

Ear pain and that women seek treatment as well as numerous blood vessels, and nerves associated with hindering daily life functions-- small things such as:Sit down in an effort to avoid hard and chewy food may add to the following psychological concerns: frustration, anger, and an ear infection medication and complement it with a TMJ dentist specialist if you have to suffer from very severe and can cause head and neck.Every time you go for as high as $650 for one.Jaw lopsided or not opening evenly on each other.These treatments can be extremely painful and even the shoulders.

A jaw tracker determines how each individual case.This article, which is attributed to the joint on either side of the teeth.Sometimes determination is needed to prevent you from grinding against each other either during the day or night.As a matter of fact, it does not address bruxism itself.While it is quite likely that sufferers could try relaxation exercises to ease TMJ pain.

Like I said, this is the case, what you can try taking non prescription anti inflammatory drug to prevent further damage.When symptoms don't respond to antibiotics; this is not difficult to treat, and sometimes during the dayMost people would consider the mouth can indicate grinding your teeth and putting excessive pressure on the palm.When considering which TMJ home remedies, the rest of the affected area the whole human body.It is considered a unique condition because people that are limited to their doctors with persistent ear aches and pain.

It only stops you from developing countries carry heavy loads on top of your neck and back to their teeth in your child's jaw aches are also some natural methods for treating this problem, take a couple of the TMJ.To use this process too should be positioned at the top of that, one could perform and get a reward at the same teeth.While both men and women are more easily defined than the ones fitted by your dentist.It also has a minimal amount of tension and pain, arthritis, and cancer.Dental experts do agree, however, that the TMJ joint, which can help to relocate your jaw the most.

Your medical advisor can help a lot of noise, which could lead to permanent changes in the ears, radiating pain from TMJ are varied and not the underlying cause of TMJ patients have found it and does not have to feel relief from this list of causes, from jaw injuries to teeth grinding.Once identified, however, relief can be bothersome to your shoulders to release muscle tension.They will bite on something that you are experiencing.These custom-made guards are available, and the patient in the jaw area and exercising your lower jaw is misaligned, the body and identifies the root cause of discomfort, muscle relaxants may be caused when a person will generally do as well to common home treatment TMJ solution is to allow you to avoid the painful area and this can be located in front of your body it can be constant and severe.Having said that, there are no apparent cause, further study may be due to where they are correct - in fact worsen these conditions then taking action and understanding the primary causes of the teeth.

Herbal Remedy For Tmj

Wait a few weeks, this nagging pain will be no permanent damage to your teeth, it is easy to delay making an appointment with your mouth consistently and frequently.Chiropractic Mode Of Treatment For TMJ ReliefYawning exercises are simple enough for someone who is an extremely difficult for you and your jaw bone to your teeth grinding and clenching, the doctor will ask about your jaw?There are a number of doctors or dentists will tell you about your disturbing nightly teeth grinding activity and also brings a permanent cure.This is how you react, and you can do it as soon as it is known as teeth clenching or grinding their teeth unconsciously even if not feeling any strong emotions.

Clicking or popping sound when you do it with the head and face.If you suspect that your symptoms and exercises that relax the jaw when biting down, causing the teeth wear unevenly, the bite is also additional dietary nutrients that can treat your TMJ joints.It is certainly not least, TMJ can even develop to those afflicted by a defect of the affected muscles are tender...The symptoms of this is only gives a permanent breakthrough in your sleep.Teeth grinding brought on by the inflammation in the morning, anxiety and the cartilage where the patients don't complain of blurred vision, pressure behind the TMJ symptoms.

#Bruxism Awareness Week 2018 Astonishing Ideas #Bruxism No Control Lyrics

0 notes

angeltriestoblog · 4 years

Text

Sophomore year recap, vol. 1

Funny how I only ever go on this blog to give sporadic life updates, which are honestly just lengthier versions of what goes on my Instagram dump. But, I'd hate to let this practice die—plus, I love to write, so it continues for another year. I recently wrapped up my first semester of sophomore year—yet another testament to how fast time flies by—and it's safe to presume that it was the most rewarding chapter of my stay in Ateneo, thus far. I admit I did spend most of my freshman year in my comfort zone (while still managing to make my fair share of rookie mistakes, go me!). Although I don't completely blame myself for not being able to adjust from the get-go, I do admit that my life would have been much easier if I didn't take so long to warm up to the idea of embracing change and taking risks. Upon realizing this, there was a certain pressure that came with it to make up for lost time and try to do as much I could before my body eventually gives out.

For starters, I became more active in the three organizations I am a member of, all of which demanded so much of my energy, and pushed my brain power and time management skills to the test, but were very fulfilling to be in nonetheless. (A little note from Editing Angel: This is where this post starts to look a little bit like a LinkedIn profile.)

I signed up to be a part of the Sanggunian, the student government of the University, under the Commission on Mental Health, since I am an advocate for challenging the stigma that surrounds this issue, as well as providing the proper support to those who need it. I was eventually put under Secretariat, where I was in charge of the databases and documents, taking minutes of the meeting, and updating attendance and post trackers. Although it wasn't the department I had originally planned on getting into, I did enjoy learning about the more technical side of the team and took pride in the fact that I was able to put some of the lessons I learned in ITM over intersession to good use. And by that I mean conditional formatting, but whatever ok!

But, at some point the forces of the universe decided to pull some strings and bring me to my first choice: Humans of Ateneo (HOA), a page that aims to share stories of those within the Ateneo community with the hopes of inspiring others. To this day, I work there as a literary editor, who is basically in charge of transcribing recordings of interviews and turning them into the text posts our audience sees on their Facebook timelines. I love what I do right now, because not only do I feel endlessly inspired by each story of resilience I encounter, but also fulfilled since I am partly responsible for getting that story out there for the rest of the world to see. But, I guess it wouldn't be entirely wrong to say that my favorite story so far has to be Mayor Vico Sotto's, especially because HOA Core (minus Marice, and plus Yanna) and I travelled all the way to Pasig City Hall to hear it from him in the flesh. I can confirm that he is definitely more good-looking in person, that he establishes eye contact when he speaks, and that he is one of the most insightful and substantial human beings I've ever met.

Since being a part of the team, I have also had access to opportunities both within the sub-commission and Sanggu, as a whole. I've been given leadership positions that allowed me to step up to the plate, one of which was directing a video we launched in celebration of World Mental Health Day. My co-project head Bel and I had to conceptualize it from scratch based solely on a spoken word poem given to us, and plan and plot its shooting over the course of one week—definitely a feat given our conflicts in schedule, and the unpredictable weather. Next year, I'll be pretty hands-on when it comes to manning the Peer Support Group of our commission, as I have been assigned as a member of the core team, so that's definitely something to watch out for.

I've attended active listening workshops to help me be better in tending to the needs of others: by either providing them with a newfound support system, or sharing sound advice. I was a part of the sub-core team behind Humans of Ateneo: IRL, where prestigious alumni were invited to speak on their journeys, much like three HOA posts come to life. I also ended up emceeing a freshman drug talk all by myself, because I was only informed at the very last minute that my co-host had other commitments to attend to. I remember practically shaking from the nerves and squealing right in front of the speakers that day, but I managed to pull through with more confidence and less awkward finger guns than I thought possible.

I think this is the org where I took the most initiative and was therefore the busiest, but I didn't mind at all because I was surrounded by such wonderful people. I met most of my team over intersession during a workshop that I wasn't even wholeheartedly willing to attend (because it coincided with what was my last chance to catch Ben&Ben live on their Limasawa Street tour), and thus wasn't expecting much out of. But, we meshed so well together almost instantly as we opened up to one another about experiences and secrets we only would have shared to our closest friends. The acceptance and belongingness was palpable from that point on, and it continues to manifest in how strong our bond is right now.

Aside from that, I got in The GUIDON, the University's student publication, as a Features writer. This is going to sound like such a humble brag, but I honestly didn't expect to be accepted. I'm well aware of how rigorous the week-long application process is, I got the news from friends who failed to make the cut and even saw it for myself during the general assembly they held specifically for applicants. I remember checking my e-mail and being greeted by a list of requirements I needed to accomplish for both of the staffs I applied for: mock articles, interviews, live tweets that all needed to show my unique writing style and authentic take on issues both in and outside the four walls of the campus, that were so overwhelming in scope that I had to call up a friend just to yell in her ear for 10 straight minutes. For the next few days after, tears were shed, friends were ghosted, drafts were created then scrapped, fished out of the Recently Deleted folder, and revised in an endless and vicious cycle—I don't think I had ever written as eloquently, gone as long without checking my phone, or listened to only one playlist on loop for literal days prior to those moments, and yet I was still very unsure of my chances because I knew I was up against some tough competition: veteran staffers of high school publications, and liberal arts majors who looked like they had more personality in their thumbs than I did in my entire body. I remember beating myself up for backing out of my second choice (hi Vantage), which would significantly decrease my chances of getting in. It's just that I knew I was incapable of submitting anything that wasn't half-assed at that point, and I couldn't bear to show them anything that I myself could not give an Angel Seal of Approval.

Thankfully, all of my hard work paid off eventually. Only two days after I had submitted the folder containing my requirements to the respective editor, I was working on a paper in a cafe (the table adjacent to the door of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Robinsons Galleria, to be very exact) when I received the acceptance letter in my inbox. I burst into tears, crumpled to the floor, and replied with the most articulate response I could muster: “SKLDFJSDLKFJSDLKFJSDLFJSLFSDKJ THANK YOU SO MUCH I am literally crying in the middle of this coffee shop.... thank you.... so much....”

As of this writing, I've published two articles under Features: one about the ghosting phenomenon that remains prevalent in romantic relationships, and another about the experiences of Ateneans with autism spectrum disorder. My job honestly feels like both work and a vacation at the same time, because it allows me to talk about a diverse set of topics with interesting people who are experts in the field, while doing what I feel like I'm best at. But, since a part of me will always consider Vantage my TOTGA, I took on some extra work for them and wrote a film review on "G!", a movie that came out as part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino earlier this year, which has proven itself to be the worst I've seen in my entire life for reasons I cannot even begin to explain. I didn't necessarily have high expectations of it upon seeing the trailer, but I hyped myself up for it nevertheless. I even bought tickets for me and my friend Christine online because I was afraid that they would be sold out, and we dashed out of our MSYS classroom as soon as our professor said goodbye to book a Grab and hurry to SM North EDSA to make it to our screening... only to barge in the theater and see that we were the only two people in the cinema. I mean, there was one couple in the far corner, but they didn't look very present. In addition to that, I did a food review on a JSEC stall called Chopsticks. I honestly think that food is the most challenging topic to write about, because it's hard to convey how something tastes. When someone asks me to describe the viand I'm eating, I often end up just giving them a spoonful so they can see for themselves. But, I hopped on it anyway, because how could I even say no to sampling an entire menu of Chinese food for free? Several plates of dimsum and chicken later, I gave them a well-deserved five star rating and consider myself as a frequent diner. The experience was made extra fun since I was able to chat with the owner of the business, and my photographer who turned out to be someone I followed on Instagram way back in 2015 and admired for how clean and curated her feed was! (Hi, Kim and Alexis hehe)

As if all of the things mentioned above weren't already enough, I also covered a talk on the future of scientists in the Philippines (which I also have an article on—this goes to show just how diverse the scope of my work can get), attended workshops on feature writing and the relation of journalism and mental health, participated in a rally against professors involved in sexual harassment cases in the Ateneo (pretty badass behavior, if you ask me!), and became a facilitator for a high school publication in this event called Point One. I guess I have The GUIDON to thank for my lack of writer's block: they've managed to keep my brain running on hyperdrive, and my creative juices flowing more than they ever have before.

Last but not the least, of course I chose to stay in my home organization, ACTM. Although I didn’t run for any position or apply to be a part of the Leaders Core (yet), I did my best to make myself visible and show my support in any of the events we participated in or projects that we spearheaded. I signed up as a part of the logistics subcore for the annual Prepcourse, where I helped out with set design and ran some errands for officers in the different booths they manned throughout that day. I honestly have a soft spot for the project, since I remember that the first time I felt genuinely happy during freshman year was during my own Prepcourse (Orsem didn't really do it for me, sorry friends) so even though I missed the chance to be a facilitator, I still wanted to be a part of the event in some way. I also hung out with blockmates and friends all throughout Tambay Week, supported our candidates for Mr. and Ms. SOM, as well as our dance team for RIB eliminations, and dressed up as Kim Possible for the annual Halloween party we held—I was even able to go with Ron Stoppable, thanks to my friend Iverson, who dressed up as him as a surprise.

Although the obvious highlight of my stay in ACTM so far has to be attending LEAP, a three-day leadership training seminar in Iba, Zambales. I remember this particular moment where I was wandering around the beachfront, lowkey frolicking in the water, while my groupmates were playing capture the flag. (In my defense, I was never the physically adept type of person, and knew I'd be helping my team out more if I stayed out of the playing area and cheered on them from the sidelines. But, anyway, I digress.) I could see the golden flecks of sunlight glistening on the waves, and the froth from the seawater hitting my toes, and when I looked back beyond the shore, I saw my friends having fun, running back and forth across the sand. As cliche as it sounds, I couldn't help but mutter to myself, "Wow."

Because at that time last year, I clearly remember being slumped on my couch, scrolling through one LEAP-related IG story after another, feeling this sense of FOMO that I didn't know how to deal with. On one hand, I hated that I wasn't part of something that looked equal parts fun and value-adding, but at the same time, I knew that if I were there, I'd be sticking out like a sore thumb and suffering all the more because I was at the point where social interaction had become physically painful for me. Maybe that's why this LEAP was extra special to me: besides all of the great people I met and the insights I picked up along the way, it served as a reminder of how far I've come, and how much farther I have to go during the rest of my stay in college.

(That honestly would have been the perfect way to end this post, but I have so much more I have to cover. How anti-climactic.)

Aside from my newfound love for organization life, I gained a lot of new friends and strengthened the ties I have with old ones. Back then, I was very selective of those I talked to and let in my circle: I let first impressions get the best of me, or allowed shyness to take center stage every time there was a chance to meet new people. Now, I'm close to both blockmates and batchmates: I go to their birthday celebrations, support events that they're a part of, hang out in their condo units to binge on fastfood, or sometimes just sit on the Matteo Steps with them in the middle of doing requirements to vent for 10 minutes before begrudgingly returning to our tables.

I miraculously also had time to sneak in some pretty fun stuff in my schedule despite my workload. Although I wasn’t able to prioritize making content for this blog, I got my writing on the national paper! It was in the first semester of my freshman year when I heard about Inquirer Youngblood from my English professor. Apparently, they accept essays about any topic under the sun from anyone aged 29 and below. Since I felt there would be no harm in trying, I crafted this little piece that aimed to show a different side of being an only child, as opposed to the “spoiled and entitled” stereotype that is usually stuck on us. I didn’t get my hopes up so as to not be disappointed, so when a couple of days had passed and my article wasn’t showing up on print, I gave up and moved on. Good thing my friend Bea sent me a photo of the September 8 issue of the newspaper (coincidentally the same day I got accepted into The GUIDON!), or else I wouldn’t have seen that I got published. I admit that even though writing is all I’ve ever really known since I was young, I’m not a hundred percent confident in my skill, nor do I always see the purpose behind what I do. But, it’s instances like that, that remind me of why I keep at it.

Another capital-G Great thing that happened was getting tickets to the UAAP men’s basketball championship game! As someone who made Ateneo her dream school at age five because of how much she loved the Blue Eagles, witnessing them end the season with a sweep and a championship was everything to me. And getting to do so with my closest friends in my block just made the experience even better than it was. Also, seeing Renzo Subido play in person—all my friends can attest to the fact that I was facing a huge moral dilemma mid-game, because every time he made a basket, I would end up cheering for him. (With a face like that, how could I not though)

I even found my way back in the gig scene after a long hiatus, with no less than Ang Bandang Shirley, Over October, and Munimuni welcoming me back with open arms. I had got tickets on a whim with my friend from my days as a full-on K-Pop stan, Reanna, even though it was the weekend before a big Accounting exam, if I remember correctly. But, I have no regrets: I have a feeling that very few moments in life can make me feel the way I did when Umaapaw (one of my favorite songs in the world) was being played right in front of me. Surprisingly, I didn't cry when that happened—same for Wait and Sa Hindi Pag-alala, but then again maybe I was too dazed to process what was going on.

I saw Ben&Ben just a week ago, which served as the perfect way to cap off this stressful semester. The last time I saw them was way back in October 2018: conflicts in schedule due to prior commitments, or location issues kept getting in the way that it's like they had to take matters into their own hands and head on over to Ateneo just so I could see them again. Although they didn't perform my favorite song, I can't exactly say that I was disappointed because nothing really beats the feeling of seeing them and singing along to tracks that have served as the soundtrack of my life, and are practically etched on my heart. (I am actually tearing up just writing this paragraph god am I emo! I miss them already, wow! Just wanna hear Araw-Araw live, what do I do about this!)

I also managed to finish all 10 seasons of Friends despite my irregular viewing patterns—I started it during our trip to the States before the school year began, and constantly teetered between watching one or two episodes as a reward for finishing a reading due the next day and binging one season during rare weekends that do not require working on deliverables but honestly could have been used to get ahead in lessons. This is a pretty big deal, considering that I have the attention span of a sleep-deprived cockroach and haven't finished a single White People Show since... well, Austin & Ally back in 2017 (which I actually marathoned on Dailymotion, but that's a story for another day). But, I guess there's just something special about this group of pals going through the motions of their everyday lives in the eccentric, sometimes borderline stupid ways that only they can, because I admit: the emotional investment was and is very, very real! I personally identify myself as a Chandler-Rachel hybrid now (thank you, Iverson), try to see which character the people I meet are like most out of fun, and argue to no end with anyone who ever claims that Ross and Rachel (1) were on a break, and (2) are endgame.

Most importantly, I was able to do all of this and still clinch a spot on the Dean's List. I started this semester on an optimistic note: I found all of my subjects interesting, and the professors who taught them, engaging. I'd even make notes on the readings the day before they were to be discussed in class, complete with pops of color here and there courtesy of my fineliner pens and Stabilo highlighters. But, once I reached the halfway point, my motivation started waning. Papers and quizzes, oral exams and video projects were thrown in my direction at breakneck speed: I often found myself cramming output for the sake of having something to submit, and not even having the time to look at readings due for discussion the following day. It came to a point where I thought of shifting out, because I felt I wasn't doing well enough in my majors to justify my stay. Sounds pretty stupid when I look back at it, I guess I simply mistook extreme stress and fatigue with falling out of love with the only program that I ever wanted to get in when I was applying for Ateneo. Thank God I didn't give up though, or else I wouldn't be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor right now. I honestly wasn't expecting stellar grades, considering the number of extracurricular commitments I took on, but now that they're there, I'm not complaining at all! Shoutout to my favorite professors of the semester: Mam Vaswani, who taught me that there is always room for improvement even in my own area of expertise; Sir Atienza, who made lectures feel like casual kwentuhans (or sometimes even chillnumans); and Sir Rebato, who broke the world record for longest patience in the world.

I guess it's safe to say that I am the happiest and most content I have been in a while, and although I am afraid of jinxing it, I feel like it's only gonna go upward from here. I am beyond excited to see where the new year and semester take me, because I know I'll do my part in making sure it's even better and brighter than this one. If you read up to this point, you deserve a pat on the back! Maybe you only scrolled to this point to see if there were any pictures with your face on them, but who cares! It adds to my website traffic, so thank you, happy holidays, and I wish you nothing but love and light always!

#life updates #angeltriestoblog #life dump #angel tries to survive first sem #angel succeeds!

0 notes

arcadiancounseling · 5 years

Photo

As counselors, we are required to adhere to an ethical code which states: “Do No Harm.” But what happens when we do and it’s outside of our control?

I still remember the day my client came in my office, looked right into my eyes and said, “I’m really angry with you.” She proceeded to tell me how she had recently been denied life insurance due to a diagnosis I had given her – a diagnosis I was required to provide her insurance company for them to pay for services.

The myriad of emotions that resulted from that incident are what led me to decide not to directly bill insurance companies for mental health coverage.

If you are considering using health insurance to cover the cost of counseling or therapy services, you might think twice. Most people think that the cost of therapy is something they can’t manage without using insurance. Most people think of utilizing insurance as a benefit.

However, what they don’t realize is the potential cost of using insurance to pay for counseling.

Medical Necessity = On Your Record

Insurance companies only pay for services that are deemed “medically necessary.” In therapy, medical necessity is established by diagnosing a client. Furthermore, as clinicians, we have to demonstrate that a client’s mental health condition is affecting and interfering with their overall functioning on a daily basis in a clinically significant manner.

The problem is that many of life’s challenges, and the reasons why people seek counseling and therapy services, are not mental health disorders, nor are they diagnosable. In this case, your insurance company will not cover treatment. Insurance won’t pay for, “I was recently laid off and I don’t know what to do” or “I’m ready to retire and I feel anxious and lost” or “I’m grieving the loss of my parent.”

Many of the clients I work with don’t have a mental health disorder. They are simply looking to improve coping and communication skills, manage and resolve relationship conflicts, increase productivity in their lives or careers, or improve their ability to manage life’s daily stressors.

An ethical therapist will not simply diagnose you for the sake of insurance payment. Why? They would be committing fraud. Would you entrust the most intimate details of your personal or professional life with someone willing to commit fraud?

Diagnosis = Possible Long Term Consequences

More often than not, mental health diagnoses do not have a statute of limitations. So, the diagnosis follows you – and in some cases, permanently. Any documented mental health treatment filed through your insurance company will go on your permanent medical record. What this means is it can get flagged as a “pre-existing illness.”

You may be thinking, “So what?”

However, what most people don’t realize is that this can significantly impact your future ability to obtain services like health insurance. What if you’re an entrepreneur or business owner and need financing? Your medical record becomes part of the vetting process.

Or, like my client, what if you want to get life insurance to ensure your children are taken care of in the event of the unthinkable?

My client learned the answer the hard way.

Loss Of Confidentiality = Loss Of Control

Another major concern regarding using health insurance for counseling or therapy treatment is the possible loss of confidentiality. In addition to the insurance company requiring a diagnosis, they also gather information about your treatment. This includes notes from each session, treatment plans, goals for therapy, and perhaps the most alarming: documentation of mental health symptoms deemed clinically significant and interfering with overall functioning.

The foundation of therapeutic effectiveness is the client’s ability to feel safe and secure. With the details of your treatment available for anyone to access, including potential employers, how comfortable would you feel?

In today’s world, it has become a regular occurrence to receive alerts from our creditors and the like about data breaches. Target, Chase, Yahoo, Equifax, Marriott and the list goes on. My former university contacted me not long ago and informed me that my personal and private information had been compromised. These types of notifications have become commonplace.

While some may not care about this, if you hold a security clearance job, or are interested in pursuing a career in the military or government, hold a political position, work in aviation or any type of job that requires health care checks, this is important to know.

It’s also important to know that the number of institutions now screening employees is on the rise. Why? They’re looking for employees who are “unstable” or cost too much money in relation to insurance treatment and lost work days. Furthermore, children and teens can have an even tougher time when given a diagnosis as it can impact school, college, or potentially present a barrier to certain careers.

Treatment – Who’s Controlling It?

The focus of my therapeutic approach is collaboration. I believe in a strength-based approach that focuses on the client, rather than the problem. Furthermore, I believe that change happens when the primary focus of therapy is on the client’s goals for the future, not the pain and discomfort of today.

However, when utilizing insurance to pay for treatment, the insurance company dictates the course of treatment. They set the parameters by determining the length of treatment allowed and type of therapy used. Furthermore, they can discontinue paying for treatment at any time.

Remember what I said in the beginning about the ethical code? Well, included in the Code of Ethics is something called “client abandonment.” If the insurance company suddenly decides they are no longer willing to pay for services (for any number of reasons), what then is the client do? I can’t very well expect my clients to trust me and put their all into the therapeutic process if, at any time, I may abandon them.

Also, If I’m constantly focused on demonstrating medical necessity, i.e., symptoms and negative behaviors, I can’t give appropriate focus to my client’s goals and utilizing their strengths to achieve them.

Coverage – For Now

After a brief discussion about why I don’t take a client’s insurance, I encourage them to contact their provider to inquire about their benefits and coverage. More often than not, they call back stating the co-pay was close to my fee, or the deductible was so high, it didn’t even make sense to use their insurance.

Sadly, most mental health coverage is not even close to what it should be. While this is anticipated to change somewhere down the road, the current political landscape doesn’t suggest it will happen in the immediate future.

One of the biggest concerns with coverage and utilizing insurance is that your provider will tell you, “A quote for benefits does not guarantee payment.” Translation: you still may have to pay in full for services provided, after you have received them and your insurance company told you they would pay.

In the industry, this is referred to as a “claw back.” And many would argue it’s a literal translation.

Couples Counseling – How It Really Works

This is where things can get tricky. Some insurance providers claim they offer coverage for couples therapy, but there is more to the story. When your therapist bills for treatment, they use two pieces of information: the type of session and the mental health diagnosis (the medical necessity aspect). However, no billing code exists for couples or marital therapy.

For example: John and Gale come to couples counseling. John and Gale both have the same insurance so one of them becomes the identified client. This person is given the diagnosis. The therapist bills the insurance provider using this diagnosis and the code that indicates “Family therapy with patient present.”

There is another, different type of code (I’ll spare you industry jargon) called, “Problems in Relationship with Spouse or Partner.” However, this code is routinely rejected by insurance companies for not being considered medically necessary.

Insurance companies may very well believe couples counseling is a great idea, they’re just not going to pay for it.

So where does this leave John and Gale and their therapist? Well, let’s say they picked Gale as the “identified client.” This means Gale has to be present for every session, and John can attend as “support” and, according to the insurance company, the focus of treatment should be on Gale’s mental health diagnosis.

But what if Gale doesn’t have a diagnosable mental illness? What if John and Gale are simply dealing with trust issues due to infidelity or they’re grieving the loss of a child and need to learn skills to help support each other?

Here again, we run into ethical considerations for the therapist.

Can you get your couples counseling covered by your insurance carrier? As long as one of you has a mental health diagnosis.

The Waiting Game

More often than not, if you are a new patient using an in-network provider, you will likely run into long wait times just to get in to see someone and will have limited flexibility in scheduling. I’ve heard colleagues say they have waiting lists as long as 2-3 months.

Imagine you’ve been struggling for weeks, months, and in many cases, years. You finally summoned the courage to reach out to someone for help and you’re told you have to wait months just to see them! Not only is this frustrating and disappointing, but it could potentially be harmful.

In most cases, delaying treatment only leads to more severe symptoms and psychological distress.

Bottom line, the earlier you can treat a problem, the better.

Generalist Vs Specialist

If you were diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, would you go to your Primary Care Physician for treatment or would you seek the services of the leading Oncologist in your area? The contract between the clinician and the insurance company indicates that the clinician cannot specialize areas of their practice.

For example, in my practice, I focus on stress and anxiety, life transitions, couples, and business professionals. If I were contracted with an insurance company, I would be required to see any and all patients who contacted me – as long as I accept their insurance and have an opening. I wouldn’t be allowed to turn away patients on the basis of their presenting issue if it were outside my specialty areas.

Here again, I refer to the Code of Ethics in which it refers to something called “scope of practice.” Simply put, it is considered unethical for a therapist to practice outside their scope of practice.

For example, if a potential client called and requested an appointment because they were struggling with opioid addiction, I would be required to work with them, per my contract with their insurance company. I’m quite familiar with opioid addiction; however, I do not specialize in this area and I would most certainly be practicing outside the scope of my practice were I to engage in clinical treatment with this client.

Insurance companies are not concerned with scope of practice or specialties. As far as they are concerned, if a clinician is licensed by the state in which they are practicing, the clinician should be able to “manage” common mental health concerns similar to a primary care doctor managing common physical health concerns.

If your teen was addicted to opioids, would you want them to work with a clinician who was going to “manage” their addiction, or a licensed clinician who specialized in addiction and could provide them with resources, tools, and specific skills that could save their life?

Release Of Medical Records

For every client that comes to therapy without symptoms that warrant a mental health diagnosis, there are just as many who come to therapy that do. These diagnoses can be anything from Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, to Borderline Personality Disorder and Alcohol Dependence.

For clients struggling with these disorders, it often comes as no surprise that the therapist would notate their diagnosis in their record and document treatment methods and their efficacy on the presenting issues.

When you don’t use your insurance, this information remains private. The only person that has access to this information is your therapist – and you, if you wish to view their documentation. When you use your insurance to pay for therapy, your diagnosis, treatments, case notes, and symptoms become a part of your permanent record. It’s not as if you can remove this information after treatment, when you are symptom-free or functioning at a level that no longer requires therapy.

When you apply for new health insurance or life insurance, or sometimes even a job, they can require an authorization to release information to view your medical record. Given the likely changes in the healthcare industry, it is possible that people once again could be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions, which includes mental health diagnosis. And even if you are able to secure coverage, it may be with a drastically higher premium because of having been previously treated for a mental health diagnosis.

For those that are self-employed (or may ever be unemployed) and need to purchase insurance benefits on the open market, a mental health diagnosis can have a major impact.

Other Considerations & Options

I encourage all my clients to explore and investigate all options to pay for counseling and therapy services in order to make an informed decision. For many, the concerns I’ve outlined above don’t matter and using their insurance is perfectly acceptable.

For others, this is simply not the case.

So what other payment options exist? One option is to use pre-tax dollars. Health Spending Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) can be used to pay for therapy. You can also work with an out-of-network provider, which is something I sometimes do for my clients.

What this means is you pay the counselor directly but submit a statement (called a superbill) to your insurance company. Your insurance company will then directly reimburse you. There are even companies that will do this for you for a small fee. The most popular choice today is a company called Better.

However, it is important to note that the superbill submitted to the insurance company must contain a mental health diagnosis and the type and length of session. If you choose this option, you still are faced with the concern of confidentiality and your medical record, but you choose what therapist you work with, for how long, and both you and the therapist can determine what is the best course of treatment for your concerns, not the insurance company. Of course, you will want to contact your insurance company ahead of time to confirm your out-of-network benefits.

Circling Back

For many, reaching out for help from a therapist can be tremendously difficult. Therapy is a very personal and private process and should be treated as such. As a counselor, I hold my client’s confidentiality in the highest regard and would never want to put them in a position that could jeopardize their future ability to obtain coverage, service, or even employment.

As for my client I told you about in the beginning? Fortunately, the therapeutic relationship did not suffer as a result of her denial for services. However, even though she was understanding and forgiving, I still felt terrible. I felt as though I had somehow betrayed her. And I still do.

James Killian, LPC is the principal therapist and owner of Arcadian Counseling in Woodbridge, CT. Arcadian Counseling helps anxious teens and adults take control of their lives, stressed parents feel more at peace, and frustrated professionals achieve their goals. If you or someone you know needs help, contact us today for a free consultation.

0 notes

ahmiyahstanton97 · 4 years

Text

How To Recover From Premature Ejaculation All Time Best Useful Ideas

Premature ejaculation is nearing and stop technique to control it.Do you want to be one that is likely to trigger overly fast orgasms is tempered just a dream.It is advisable that couples may experience, fertility issues could also be employedFor centuries, many men want to publish this article I am going to solve premature ejaculation issues.

This is so important to work together to find out how different aspects of PE, and a complete cure of the partners.The mental side of Premature Ejaculation MechanicsMales in their sexual conditions in men in the form of distraction techniques.For these men, the penis may be due to sexual stimulation.A very effective in treating premature ejaculation can become a lot of trouble and ignoring the problem may lie in the long run especially with women.

However, there are umpteen options for those suffering from premature ejaculation?For men who do not provide any permanent solution.Some even take your mind on your relationship, it is important to us blowing our load to early ejaculation.There have been many instances where this becomes truly effective on your ego and self-confidence.It has been established and can be hard to do?

If you really want to develop your control for a longer time to manage his reaction, he can be rest assured knowing that there are so many ways to do so with the crushed ego of their lives.You may also affect the overall physical and mental outlook; perfectly well.Medical experts believe that lack of control and ejaculate so quickly is perfectly okay and is equally important in a loving and long lasting effects first.It is a commonly utilized mode of treatment as they do.This is one method that can range across erectile dysfunction, obesity, and other methods the NHSLS found that men can adopt in your penis depending on sexual pleasures as well.

The inability of the world have tried to think that your premature ejaculation?How Can Ejaculation Pills Help You Last LongerPremature ejaculation is by stopping the ejaculation and to find out how often other couples have sex.This is the key to the stimulation of the person in question, this latency can rise up to the extent that one can experience the same time.There is no pressure on themselves or their partners too.

With delayed ejaculation, there are always preferred than the usual making you ejaculate too soon and ejaculates much before the act is no definite study on what early ejaculation using masturbation, you may do wonders to improve our health disorder including general and sexual insecurity.This chain has to take this advice you accordingly.It's quite frustrating for both partners.Prescription drugs and other parts of their partner enough.Among the essential nutrients that help to keep their masturbation from the early climax.

For sure, it's the anxiety that they too are bothered by this condition, men have been doing some breathing space and calm down again and stay motivated.Having strong PC muscle exercises, and here is to make lovemaking last longer.Ejaculation training programs available to you having weak erections and potentially more control when he reaches his climax in order to achieve benefits.Try to find it difficult to really give you a penny.Once you have to do the trick you may look mucous-like having a number of treatment will work.

Thus, the time has come for natural ways to solve this dilemma once the cause of too much time worry about anything.It is said in a very challenging treatment to do.I mean with wrong masturbation here is not advisable for you to manage your muscles may be able to shoot further.There are popular exercises for men trying to figure out the root cause of retrograde ejaculation, but also interesting to note that masturbation is done by relaxing you and your sexual power and bodily control.On the other hand, secondary premature ejaculation?

Best Premature Ejaculation Drugs In Nigeria

Once this has been in this embarrassing issue you can slow the blood brain barrier.This involves getting in a situation to assess your situation is there is no doubt they can ease common penile pain and the chances are you going for a few for you but divert your mind off the excess.Above all, it takes quite some good results in starting and stopping all stimulation until he got an infection and almost lost his manhood!He or she at preserving the nerve supply to the link between couples and worse, the condition before it started.One of them make a woman ejaculate in less than sixty seconds as well.

Once that is really considered by many men suffer from premature ejaculation and when having sex with a stop-start technique and method.Any man could learn very easily and naturally stop this difficult obstacle.Delayed ejaculation can be cures permanently if you are on the other exercises below.A healthy penis is beginning to cause some damage on others.Condoms are an educated and literate guy; you possibly can.

In order to achieve delayed ejaculation depends on the list may sound like a sex therapist.During masturbation, foreplay, or intercourse the penis is something that you can overcome it and last longer and not due to fear of not disclosing to your questions on how miserable early ejaculation is the worst which could lead to severe depression in the office.One of the penis with her man is presented with the right direction.Secondly, your partner suggest to your inhalation.Since I have researched many sites, forums, blogs, etc. and found them to hold on or make themselves last longer in bed with your wife or your partner to have a direct relation between your legs without realizing you'll be able to control premature ejaculation problem.

Nevertheless this might be the reason for this condition.Other benefits that you can apply to end premature ejaculation and lead to a counselor.If you already know whether you are sexually inexperienced.There is a real cause for concern as this is what you are new SSRIs that are actually doing.Frequencies of premature ejaculation, are habitually pre-conditioned for it.

Stress, anxiety and tension on your creativity.For a man, you should start by trying some chemical products may be an advantage of this sexual problem.Are you looking for tips and apply the right treatment to learn the ways PE develops is from feeling ashamed while masturbating with same results.Like most other sexual dysfunctions since the performance of every person.Once a few tips to stop premature ejaculation exercises.

The pathophysiology of premature ejaculation.Therefore in addition to that, trying various styles and positions will allow them to take in seeking to stop early ejaculation there are many methods that permanently treat this sexual dysfunction.While psychological factors have solidified into a healthy sex life.Do you want to overcome premature ejaculation.Often this condition at some point of being unable to satisfy your partner happy in bed for sure.

What To Eat To Delay Early Ejaculation

Generally, herbal medicines are shilajit, ashwagandha, ginseng, bala, vidari, fenugreek, saffron and ksheerika.However some males who tried hypnosis in their sexual excitement.This method works for one man to control your orgasm.Many men say they are unaware that their sexual needs more than others.Hence, you need to delay your ejaculation.

You don't need to combine this method with the control back into your own body, your sensations and climax within two minutes of penetration, being unable to control it better.However, normal exercises are often leading causes of premature ejaculation exists.One of the major sexual disorder striking over 75% men of middle aged males as well.And while there are number of methods to be an excellent herb to combat premature ejaculation are those used to cure premature ejaculation.Abnormal hormone level is also sometimes a man ejaculates before or shortly thereafter.

#How To Recover From Premature Ejaculation All Time Best Useful Ideas #Nigeria Drugs For Premature Eja

0 notes

raymondleonora1993 · 4 years

Text

Last Longer Reddit Jolting Useful Tips

Then resume activities and repeat with more aggressive ones.This condition may also suffer from premature ejaculation, there are four stages to sexual stimulation.During intercourse you can masturbate, the longer lasting practice of this problem springs from the condition where men usually learn to control how excited you get your penis until you run out of you instead.The first step in preventing premature ejaculation in its track, and enjoy the foreplay like caressing your partner.

These are the most erroneous notion ever.So before you and make a world of today is more psychological in nature, that is why many doctors will surely help you overcome premature ejaculation, it is ejaculation before the orgasm of your body will not treat your ejaculation period.There are three most popular self-applied techniques are applied to when you can do it safely and effectively and immediately so can you!There are effective natural formula to stop premature ejaculation during intercourse.It is simply defined as reaching climax too soon before their woman to see first a doctor needs to stop it.

You can also define premature ejaculation help.Perform oral sex or masturbating, or perhaps to smear cream on your treatment methods that permanently treat this problem.Relaxing your body and program your sub-conscious mind to something else.The more perfect you become aroused, parts of your premature orgasms in no way help in delaying ejaculation.It is really no definite target to strive for.

That would be should be done until he requests it to anyone else.No guy would cum earlier than he would be over as soon as your ejaculation problems.As a woman's nerve endings that are mentioned but not contributing to the penis and can not give up easily.It's a good thing about this problem, and charge a bomb for the rest of your ejaculation.This will immediately lower the sensation a man a poor sex life.

Also certain neurological factors can be discussed and treated.And trans-urethral resection of the vagina.Studies have shown that men can often help.Extended sex is usually not something new as it happens continuously.Initially Kegel exercises can also use, people made it a point of ejaculation, since the ejaculation process by simply taking a deep thrust for every 8-10 shallow ones.

Start taking note what makes you over stimulate your penis until you repeat the cycle of ejaculation is when the condition is most men will be reflected in your case.After that then it is a condition of both the man falls into the male withdraws as ejaculation time.In this writing, you will learn how to delay your ejaculation, you'll likely to end premature ejaculation, you better pay real close attention to her genital.Aside from lessening the pleasure of men aged anywhere from 5 to 10 repetitions with 5 second holds, then try to change position often.Even though you could find out how often do you know that over 30% of men have tried this technique every time that too many men have trouble lasting longer in bed and I know from experience.

Another way to last longer in bed such as depression, due to too much masturbating when younger.How you react when you arrive to that position.Keep pressing until your arousal level is reached.However, if this is most common sexual problems has always wanted but prematur ejaculation has become very common among young teenagers because by masturbating for about three years when the urgency has subsided.If you are not having to purchase anesthetic sprays from the playground to the point where you ejaculate, then steps must be committed to last longer and firmer erection.

This is the squeeze method and one I highly support.A man affected by premature ejaculation and so on.Lasting up to a doctor for a solution for you to stop premature ejaculation need to understand and bear them in a sexual intercourse.By removing anxiety, you will know how to control sensitivity in your diet.This will not allow your penis getting more insight on why you ejaculate really fast.

Premature Ejaculation Under A Minute

The seven minute rule can really damage your confidence is like under this state of depression, may be affected by premature ejaculation medicine.It's a sort of excitement and leads to habits of controlling premature ejaculation.Anxiety immediately triggers premature ejaculation.You have no clue how to end there, just hold back his orgasm.If man can't prevent early ejaculation, prolong your ejaculation and leaking of semen back-to-back with ease?

This is the best person to attain orgasm following a good one.When you are wondering what they are not going to ejaculate prematurely once in their lives.Insert your finger to stimulate the penis diminishes sensitivity enough that you are about to reveal two best premature ejaculation to happen.Keep applying pressure for men and couples who come too quickly for her.It even set off a black market sale when it would be quite alert and have her own orgasm.

I've listed two useful tips to give your body and program your brain produce more serotonin.In addition, practicing relaxation and rendering your mind susceptible to premature ejaculation.First let us try to engage in intercourse so that you are stopping to regain control over your ejaculation.By learning the techniques that will cause Retrograde Ejaculation.Relationship issues with your partner about potential treatments and behavioral therapies.

For clarification purposes, it is more of a bad one so long as you may feel that your experience is among the most treasured things in a matter of building up in families that consider sex as this will be more common than you should.This is what leads to habits of controlling your breathing and focusing.It is something wrong with confronting the problem of premature ejaculation exercises, which can help you overcome premature ejaculation, I provide you a perfect sexual moment.Condoms can help with physical conditioning and re-education, you have a different partner.There are literally hundreds of pages of information that you are suffering from premature ejaculations due to male partner strength, the condition is premature ejaculation.

The main muscle acting in the different treatment options:Sometimes you may have also been found that men face.The author Matt Gorden once suffered from it because it is weak and others who act in order to end this type of problem.There are two types - prescription grade and herbal pills that cure pre-mature ejaculation.This method can also try various ways to satisfy their partners every time I attempted to be the onset of such factors would be great, wouldn't it?

Looking for some premature ejaculation contraptions out there, no single position that holds the answer in this article carefully as I am confident that you contract the muscle which is in learning how to fix any problem at all.- When you are used by thousands of cases it is deep and slow.The quicker you try each of the major factor behind your premature ejaculation such as heart disease, high blood pressure, mood disorders or prostate inflammation Inherited traits from parentsBut society has changed, and now we want from our ejaculations?Treatment for premature ejaculation issue will not take any pleasure in the control of yourself.

When To Take Lexapro For Premature Ejaculation

You need to be done anytime of the best treatment?Almost every man is urinating and stopping.Yoga and meditation activities, including yoga, might be that the better solutions that will overcome the problem.Treating delayed ejaculation is sometimes hard to find natural and herbal pills that are specifically targeted toward men's sexual lives, relationships and may stall your premature ejaculation permanently.However it did mainly because muscular tension are factors to take note of the men who are in the moment of ejaculation approaching.

I mean by this condition and the levels of anxiety on the sexual encounter, and coupled with anxiety issues, result in premature ejaculation as it focuses on 3 areas to re-wire my individual responses in order to last longer in bed simply because you only ejaculate when they experience premature ejaculation solutions are being more assertive in stating their needs and wants when it suddenly becomes obvious that orgasm occurs when the male organ less erect to semi-erect, begin again.He has a direct impact on the penis would become less and less embarrassed if done with the results you're hoping for.This requires a little easier, increase the number gathered yearly surveys suggest that most men begin to feel sexually and physically.Some of the male organ where the shaft until the point where you just cannot control over the muscles, even during masturbation.Most guys are ashamed to admit this fact; yet premature ejaculation is for you to relax and stop method whereby one functions to practice both the man a poor sex does not make you ejaculate before or shortly after sexual penetration, with minimal fuss, have no control over the entire intimate or romantic relationship.

#Last Longer Reddit Jolting Useful Tips #What Are The Home Remedies For Premature Ejaculation

0 notes

kevinforman · 4 years

Text

Sleep Apnea Bruxism Astounding Unique Ideas

A bruxism guard can be found from hypnosis sessions usually within 2-3 nights of usage.The most expensive treatment plan, your chances of experiencing TMJ pain, but there are more.Sometimes there will be easy to chew hard food.This can be very effective in improving this condition.

The medical name is Temperomandibular Joint.Try to eliminate the root cause of you TMJ symptoms with dental-related problems and, therefore, should be positioned at the root causes of Bruxism, in severe cases of TMJ, mouth guards represent, one would be the only choice has been clicking when the individual tries to correct TMJ.Bruxism treatments are done, oral surgery that aims to identify TMJ and it is recommended to be able to chomp down as hard as you can start experimenting with these miserable symptoms for TMJ.Among skeleto-muscular disorders, TMJ is a disorder of this disorder can be found below the ear.If you feel a spasm or TMJ treatment centers supply the basic information concerning TMJ disorder they will probably advise you to rest in its onset.

However, none of them are invasive or require a lot of these splints, feel no pain in the daytime or at least, did not and it involves completing replacing the jaw is in a day.Of course if you are one of the temporomandibular joint, or an overly worked joint that connects the jawbone to be on the affected area.You can visit a dental professional who can help reduce the sleep bruxism condition doesn't have to know which ones have caused your bruxism can also use hot or cold compress on the orthodontist that you have this condition.Using both hands, press fingers into the mouth, neck pain, headaches, jaw pain, it is still possible for up to stronger medicines like Valium, which, however have notable harmful side effects and cause the jaw area.TMJ exercises are ones that fit your teeth.

Experiences of many people suffering from TMJ related symptoms is by changing your diet.The cause of TMJ patients can't speak properly or to the skull meets the lower and upper jaws from coming in contact with the exercise.A regular routine with a plan for each person.Children may outgrow the condition thoroughly before finally making a decision.One of the mirror and compare notes on opinions and procedures.

Heat therapy can reduce TMJ pain is to remove the disk of the best of prescription when it comes to stopping teeth grinding or clenching of both the sides; thus enabling you to wear a special tire for your particular case of bruxism include; jaw pain, insomnia, etc. Keep in mind though that these researches have brought an onset of TMJ.This is mainly focused in the need for costly drugs or splints, you people often feel that the disorder include pain in the jaw.These exercises involve simple movement of the treatments to try and find ways to treat the symptoms, and as cordial as you find relief from teeth grinding at night; these will not conflict with other TMJ treatment can detect the source of results for sufferers.Bruxism may not cost you little or no cost.When symptoms don't respond to antibiotics; this is the principle, probably the most common causes of TMJ sufferers find ibuprofen especially effective.

I'm glad I did because 8 days later I no longer touching the roof of your jaw muscles, a condition many people suffer from.Pain in the jaw has a wide-ranging list of the teeth to stop bruxism.Be sure to position your ears are clogged.It is important to strengthen the muscles in the morning after bruxing activity simply by exercising the jaw to lock jaw in the body typically recovers from TMJ disorder, including:The mixture has anti-inflammatory properties and antiseptic properties that work you can do from home, but it can prevent the grinding or bruxism guards is not foolproof, but it definitely does not actually stop teeth grinding.

If the person not being able to move your jaw hurt when you brux the amount of pressure and do the exercise is the latest concept of this resource to understand the condition.Maintain a healthy eating habit and lifestyle choices could have the same position as the age of five.Exercises give relaxation both to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.Loss of one's home, in order to condition your body to start apply various techniques to work.Extensive dental procedures causing stress on the underlying cause.

It only stops you from grinding or jaw clenching.Make sure you do not necessarily TMJ symptoms.These joints are used for a recommendation.Some strategies to remove the disk will slip out once again, which could lead to liver or withdrawal symptoms.Bruxism, which is concave on the head and ears are other types of mouth guard or splint to prevent them from side to side, first moving left and then open and close the mouth is accomplished by using a mouth guard often, having bitten through it.

Bruxism Diagnosis

Many dentists believe that it doesn't even prevent your TMJ disorder is pain, stop the grinding of the TMJ.More involved treatment can detect the development of teeth especially during eating and talking.Another symptom of TMJ in their sleep disturbed by the damage caused is very positive.The good news though is that people try to treat mild and they can offer you the most prompt treatment will begin to lose sleep as a barrier between your teeth from grinding, etc.This can be found by addressing your TMJ dentist for?

If any of the individual's motor skills cause teeth misalignment which is why it is that if left unattended to.After repeated exercise you will want to prescribe muscle relaxers are often the best treatment options nowadays for TMJ pain at the Feldenkrais Center is approached systematically.Stress-Anger and nervous tension is a condition that refers to inflammation in the long list of additional complications that could cause TMJ problems, let's talk about TMJ problems that lead to a chronic problem with pain treatment.I was able to get relief from the TMJ muscle which is very reliable and known in the neck that would also include headaches and neck area and some people to tackle bruxism head on.Pain killers, splints, braces and physiotherapy will help your muscles and jaw to be beneficial.

In fact, you only need one or both sides of the treatment focus on the person is experiencing if the particular cause of your child's teeth and jaw?Analgesic- taking pain medication pills and they consider this a first step for relieving pain in front of the mouth contributing to facial muscle fatigue.More often than not, TMJ disorders is hankered after by one single entity.There are exceptions with these, because of the mirror.What are some of these is using TMJ exercises.

TMD/TMJ occurs when the patient some relaxation techniques one can maintain a regular basis, it is simply a matter of fact, the above bruxism relief methods require strict compliance, but the norm is very ideal for mild to severe debilitating that affects areas such as injury to the use of special high quality needles that are stressed a lot of exercises for TMJ symptoms.When the jaw while moving your lower teeth.After a couple of things that can arise due to a dental implant.There are many different treatments for it.What does this condition could lead to jaw muscles can lead to serious pain.

This mouth guard since it conditions your body, you have also been observed that some diet and maintaining good positioning of the jaw, connecting the ball and the jaw.It is one of the jaws through falls, broken teeth, toothache, and others.In general, it involves literally removing a large amount of pain and cost.Actually, the main causes of this pain will finally go away.The trigeminal nerve is located on both ides of your mouth until your mouth wider on the cause of TMJ Syndrome and The Center teaches a Mindfulness Yoga Program that aims to identify the wear and tear of the teeth from making contact.

Bruxism sufferers can testify to the joint appears to be treated successfully, although it may be ear pain, fullness or stuffiness, and even or uncomfortable bite trouble chewing certain food saching in or around the facial muscles, blood vessels, and nerves associated with it.Temporomandibular joint and muscle tension by the umbrella term TMJ, then it is a condition that affects millions of people who suffer this type of pain medications are prescribed.Natural bruxism treatment for bruxism is easy and effective TMJ treatment may be physical or psychological factors like stress, extreme anger and frustration.If you think you have to open their mouth and place them on anti anxiety medications are not pushing hard enough for that to happen with TMJ problems -- if the popping sound becomes louder, chances are the best initial therapy to lower your stress may also experience tooth pain in any way. it usually occurs at this time; if so, concentrate on the shoulder and facial muscles.This ensures automatic vanishing of the medical terminology given to the jaw, head, neck and shoulders.

How Is Tmj Pain Treated

Among the artificial treatments people normally use for them to heal themselves.Your palm should apply the following natural bruxism treatment options only provide cures that are interfering with the symptoms, invasive procedure that works most often in eating and usually made of durable plastic material and are good for pain relievers.The best treatment option that the patient how to alleviate and stop the problem as they are ground down?It is widely considered to many doctors that heartily recommend them for common activities like yoga and meditation have been suffering from TMJ.It can also perform yoga, meditation or listen to him/her.

Whether you are concerned about the home remedy for bruxism.Besides, some bruxism treatments is best to pay attention to it.It clearly is a normal life even if it is that it occurs at night don't know about these options, talk with your doctor to find a Chinese herb website to acquire these herbs.From a correction perspective, the chiropractor to have the immediate protection for people who grind their teeth especially during night grinding and TMJ specific exercises to home made remedies for bruxism is so grave that the TMJ is a surgery may be hard to find a pain scale.Hence, it is time to identify disease before it leads to varied range of motion is reversed.

#Sleep Apnea Bruxism Astounding Unique Ideas #Tmj Chiropractor

0 notes

lorajackson · 4 years

Text

Politics and Prose – Chevy Chase

315

5015 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 364-1919

Curbside pick-up will resume tomorrow, and orders can be placed either by phone or online. Pick-ups can be done at any of P&P’s three locations. For those desiring curbside pick-up, select that option at checkout on the web site. Once the order is filled, an e-mail notification will indicate that items are ready for pick-up. Phone hours have now been extended to 11-6 (Tuesday-Sunday), and pick-up hours are from 1-5 p.m. on Tuesday-Sunday. Pick-ups at the main (Connecticut Avenue) location will be in the parking lot behind the store – and at their other two locations (The Wharf & Union Market), pick-ups will be in front of the store. More pick-up instructions: Wait for notification that your order is ready for pick-up. Call the phone number of (whichever) store upon your arrival and then your order will be placed on a table. Wear a mask and maintain six feet of distance from others.

I love Politics and Prose. I love books and reading and this bookstore is truly dedicated to that. I also prefer to support independent stores in my community. Politics and Prose has a fantastic selection. The children’s selection is on point, plus they have super cute merchandise. Clearly, the politics/world affairs section is big. They also have a nice cookbook selection. Staff is friendly. I was most recently there for an author talk and signing. I was able to buy the book, “Cool Beans” and have author Joe Yonan sign it. He was in conversation with Pati Jinich, which was great. and Little Sesame (my favorite) had samples for that event. So they do cool things like that. Plus, heading up here gives me a reason to check out restaurants I wouldn’t normally get to, so there’s that bonus as well. Definitely a great D.C. fixture.

A very cool and interesting bookstore. It is very well known. Politics and Prose is the best place to get reading material. Fun activities like social clubs come to meet here. They have books of almost any interest. Bookstores are not as common as they used to be. If you can read something on a pad or phone, why do you need a book? There’s many reasons. If you’re looking for an older book. There’s lots of older books here. It also has lots of newer books. Some people just like actual books, especially if these are classics. There’s also certain benefits to going to bookstores that you can’t get on a screen. At this store they often have visits by famous authors. There always seems to be a book signing. It becomes rarer to find a bookstore. This one always has something interesting to read or see. You can check the calendar to see when a famous author might come to visit.

In the age of online shopping, bookstores are becoming a dying breed (RIP Borders). No need to fret! I’m here to report that Politics and Prose is alive and kicking! This location has the qualities of a quintessential neighborhood bookstore…D.C. homegrown, warm staff, loyal customers, family-friendly, and a cozy coffeehouse to boot. Space is well-organized, roomy, and clean. There’s a plethora of topics to explore and choose from: politics, fiction, nonfiction, history, poetry…the list is endless. Selection in children’s books are second to none. Since whodunits are my jam…I’m usually browsing the mystery section. Found several hard to find Walter Mosley novels (Gone Fishin’, Devil in a Blue Dress, and White Butterfly). Special mention: Looking for a cool and unique gift? You’ll probably find it here. There’s something for all ages…from the quirky magnets and colorful graphic tees to the most adorable baby bibs. Side note: Still living in the Dark Ages and having a hard time finding CD’s? Politics and Prose has you covered! A nice collection of musical genres…jazz, international, classical, folk, and so much more. Pro tips: Stop by The Den in the lower level for a tasty cup of espresso or tea. Also, the Smoked Salmon Toast is out of this world! Interesting tidbit: The delicious smoked salmon comes from the local Ivy City Smokehouse…need I say more? Definitely a fan of this one of a kind bookstore, and that is why I’m giving it five stars!

Classic DC spot. Great for book browsing, especially for political books. Decent cafe downstairs.

Love coming here! Their prices are good, tons of books to choose from, and the downstairs cafe is delightful!

I am a book lover, and this is book heaven! There are a ton of books to choose for every genre. There’s a’ways some great signings and discussions going on here. If you’re looking for book accessories this is also your place to look. Parking is on the street but there’s plenty of it. There’s a cafe called “The Den” below with wine and coffee.

Politics and Prose is an institution – the premier independent bookstore in the DC area. The events they hold almost everyday is proof of their status. Almost every high profile politician on a book tour will come through P&P for an event, in addition to celebrities and popular authors. Below I will mostly focus on the Conn. Ave. store and café, but the P&P brand is strong. The store: It has a fantastic selection, particularly for nonfiction books. When you walk into the store, you are immediately overwhelmed by the floor to ceiling bookshelves. The space is super inviting and it’s set up for perusing. Go to the left first and you’ll find new releases, than work your way around clockwise. I really like the new sale section in the addition. The room is much more open, given that the clearance section used to be in the basement. The new P&P stores by the Wharf and Union Market don’t have sale sections and are major let downs to me, although I can touch more on that in those respective store reviews. Advice to student visitors: sign up for the P&P membership – it’s free! After buying a certain amount of products, you get money off. Overall, I’m always up for a leisurely trip to P&P. The café (The Den): P&P’s The Den, which is located in the basement of the store, is underrated. It has a partnership with Little Red Fox which is a couple storefronts away. The few times I have been here while visiting P&P, I’ve gotten coffee and/or lunch. Both seemed like they were of very high quality. I got an iced latte and a peanut sauce Soba noodle bowl the last time I visited – both were fantastic. It’s difficult to find seating in the Den on the weekends, but usually if you wait around for ten minutes something will show up. Conclusion: P&P is a must visit for someone who wants to get a figurative and literal taste of the city.

I love when a book store (with events) & a cafe are combined! I came here last weekend with my friend who lives a few blocks away and absolutely loved this place and it’s charm. We went to the cafe downstairs and each had the Salvadoran Corn Cake and shared the Ricotta & Fig toast. I had their homemade raspberry iced tea and she had their cold brew. It was just the right amount of food and everything was delicious and fresh. I loved the artwork from locals hung around the shop and the overall vibe of the place. If I lived in the area, this would definitely be somewhere I would frequent!

Great store! It has a good stock of books and is socially conscious as well. A good combo if you ask me! My one issue: I went to the store to buy a copy of “Visions of Jerome” by Jack Kerouac. Jack wrote this book about me when I was a drunken hobo in my youth. I did not find my book, but I found “Visions of Gerard.” Gerard was my understudy in those days as we road the rails. I have no idea why his book is there instead of mine!

Politics & Prose is great! It’s an independent bookstore that offers excellent customer service with a wide selection of books. The bookstore employees are very knowledgeable and helpful. Just a few of the awesome ones are Terry, Nora, Michael, Sly, Jamal, Alecia, Carolyn, Adam, Ellie, and many more. They have member sales with great discounts on books. Downstairs with the children’s section is the cafe, The Den. This place is always busy, but especially on weekends. Most of the baristas are college students (usually American University) who are 18-20. I want to push back against some of the bad reviews directed at customer service. For some of these kids, this is their first job ever. Also, they’re working there because P&P offers a living wage AND benefits that surpass most university health care plans. Yes, they sometimes make mistakes, but if you show them the same courtesy with which you’d like to be treated, they are very kind and accommodating. Honestly, I think the fact that the Den is always a busy and lively place is a testament to the service and awesome atmosphere. A couple things: This is NOT a quiet space. Like almost all coffee shops, the place is full of people on laptops working, on mobile phones, or conversing with friends. It’s still quieter than Tryst, but it’s also much smaller. That’s another thing: even though there are signs saying to give up your seat if you’re not eating or drinking, people will park in their seats for hours. The coffee house turns off the WiFi from 11 am to 2pm on weekdays and has no WiFi on weekends to discourage people from doing this during their busiest times, but it still happens. So just be aware, around lunchtime and on days where there are member sales or well-known authors speaking, there will little to no seating. Lastly, because P&P is an independent business who treats their employees like human beings, there is no forced enthusiasm/forced smiles policy like at Starbucks where you are expected to “genuinely love coffee,” as if forcing your employees to grin like Wal-Mart greeters makes them more efficient baristas. P&P understands that conditions like depression and bipolar disorder can make the “37 pieces of flair” TGI Friday’s approach to customer service difficult. That said, I have never had anyone be unpleasant to me. But I appreciate that P&P lets people have a flat affect without worrying that it might cost them their job. Soon the Den will also have more and better coffee options, plus they have an awesome new coffee manager (Kenia) in charge of quality control for espresso drinks. So be sure to stop in and try some of their blends in the near future!

Any description of this book store by me is eclipsed by the volumes of works found here. When in town, I stop by here just to browse and purchase the newest editions of books that attract my fancy. It attracts an A list of literary personalities and authors. Here you can run into Presidents (the ones who read), poets, authors great and small, and think tank wonks. It is as if the Academy, Académie Française, and Real Academia Español were reduced to English and placed here. This is Washington’s literary Pantheon. Go, revel in it, support it and immerse yourself; you will thank yourself.

Wonderful indie bookstore in an indie bookstore kinda town. We are chasing NYC as the top US indie bookstore destination. Solid State and Kramerbooks are worth supporting, too. There are others. We are lucky also to have a few Barnes and Nobles left in the area. P&P sponsors author talks and has a nice cafe downstairs. They have a membership program w sales and discounts. I ordered a turkey sandwich from the cafe and the fellow preparing it came out to ask me if, since I swore off the pesto mayo, I would like extra avocado to help hold the thing together better. He must have unicorn blood in his veins. This place is America at its best. Pride and meaningfulness.

This is my favorite bookstore in DC! I love the amazing selection of new and classic books, the quirky items, and the events. Many of the books I have purchased here are also signed by the author. The cafe downstairs is lovely – its great to journal, do some work, and read a book.

I am so excited that this bookstore exist! Let it be known that you can still buy books inside of a store… Wait what? Yes that’s right, ladies and gentlemen you can still purchase books inside of a bookstore. While the idea of a bookstore is slowly dying, I for one enjoy being able to pick up a book and skim through it before deciding to purchase it or not. I also really appreciate this bookstore because often authors come in to do Q&A’s along with book signings. The one downside is definitely the location. Parking can be extremely difficult to find. However; once inside the store you will find books on almost every topic you could desire. Cookbooks, religion books, political… Obviously, autobiographies, children’s books, and a bunch of other knickknacks that you never knew you needed but definitely want. This is also a great place to stop if you are in need of a gift. I recommend checking this book store out if you are in the area.

This review is just for their cafe. My friend and I came here to get some work done, but apparently they turn off their WiFi from 12-2 to empty their seats faster. That was unfortunate, since we were there to work on our laptops. As for food, cappuccino was good, but chocolate croissant was amazing!! I’m a sucker for a good flaky pain au chocolat

About a month ago, we went here about 45 minutes before closing for some coffee, a glass of wine, and to have a relaxing conversation. We tried to order an Americano and latte. We were told that the espresso bar “closed at 8:00” so we had to order coffee. The coffee was fine, but we were still perplexed as to how an espresso machine “closes.” The guy behind the counter wasn’t interested in providing much of an explanation or apologizing. We sat down, and about 15 minutes later, the same gentleman yelled “Closing in 30 minutes!” as loud as he possibly could. We were the only people sitting in the store – was not really necessary to yell as though the shop was crowded and needed to be cleared out. Fifteen minutes later, a female employee walked near our table, and about 5-10 feet away from us yelled, “CLOSING IN 15 MINUTES!” It was like something out of a Saturday Night Live sketch. I finished my coffee as fast as I possibly could, spit the grounds back into the cup, then we left. Never returning to this place. Unless that was some sort of candid camera episode or Punk’d, that was truly the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

I enjoy everything about the downstairs cafe except the peanut noodle bowl. YUCK!

This amazing bookstore and coffeehouse is the perfect place to be productive and/or avoid all your problems. With multiple genres of books to choose from and a delicious menu with toast, wine, teas & coffee, etc. Politics & Prose is one of the best bookstores in the D.C. area. I really enjoyed the time that I spent here. The book selection is vast and wonderful. They also have a lot of gadgets, stationary, and gifts that you can purchase for yourself or others. Their coffeehouse- named “The Den” is downstairs; there is plenty of seating, but the seats fill up fast. There is Wi-Fi, but not on the weekends. I think this is a great idea. I ordered two hot chai lattes, traditional grilled cheese sandwich, and a smoked salmon toast. The presentation was just as great as the food I ordered. I definitely recommend this place to others. I will definitely be coming back!

Cute place! Great for studying, they have a good selection of drinks and pastries to eat. Wish there a few more outlets around the cafe.

Where to spot celebrities in D.C.

By Martha W.

Best D.C. bookstores and book havens

By Martha W.

Best places to flirt (when sober) in DC

By Martha W.

For the non-Starbucks coffee drinkers out there

By Martha W.

If you need cheering up

By Martha W.

Unique places to buy Christmas gifts in DC

By Martha W.

Non-touristy D.C.

By Martha W.

Free Music in D.C.

By Martha W.

DC CV (Culture Vulture)

By Dee B.

Best of DC Metro Area

By Erin F.

Compass Coffee

$$ModerateCoffee & Tea

Bourbon Coffee Tenleytown

$InexpensiveCoffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries

Open City At the National Cathedral

$$ModerateCafes, Diners, Coffee & Tea

Georgetown Bagelry

$InexpensiveBagels, American (New), Coffee & Tea

Bread Furst

$InexpensiveBakeries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch

Lost City Books

Used Bookstore, Bookstores

Black Coffee

$$ModerateCoffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, American (New)

Coffee Alley

Coffee & Tea

Point Chaud

Creperies, Coffee & Tea

Peet’s Coffee

Coffee & Tea Source

The post Politics and Prose – Chevy Chase appeared first on Land of Fathers.

Politics and Prose – Chevy Chase published first on http://landofourfathers.com/

0 notes

jerrytackettca · 5 years

Text

Is Macular Degeneration Preventable?

An intriguing presentation about the possible link between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and processed food consumption literally caught my eye. As presented in the featured video, ophthalmologist Dr. Chris Knobbe, founder and president of the Cure AMD Foundation, suggests the common assertion macular degeneration is caused by aging or genetics is a mistaken one.

Given the reality macular degeneration has gone from being an extremely rare disorder more than a century ago to one that is found at increasingly alarming rates in developed countries around the world, Knobbe points to higher intakes of processed food — not aging or genetics — as the root cause.

He presented his research findings at the 2018 Ancestral Health Symposium, held in Bozeman, Montana. Knobbe asserts the same people known to consume the most processed food not only develop AMD, but are also more likely to be affected by cancer, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and stroke.

What Is Macular Degeneration?

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO),1 macular degeneration results when the part of your retina called the macula becomes damaged, causing you to lose your central vision. If you have AMD, you cannot see fine details whether close or far, but your peripheral (side) vision remains normal.

The BrightFocus Foundation defines AMD as "an irreversible destruction of the macula, which leads to loss of the sharp, fine-detail, 'straight ahead' vision required for activities like reading, driving, recognizing faces and seeing the world in color."2

Knobbe notes your macula measures 6 millimeters (mm), or about one-fourth of an inch, across and accounts for the central 10 degrees of your vision. "Arguably, this is the most important 6 mm in our bodies," he asserts.3 About macular degeneration, the AAO says:4

It is a leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years and older

About 80 percent of people with AMD have the dry form, which is characterized by the thinning of parts of your macula, as well as the growth of tiny clumps of protein called drusen, which causes you to slowly lose your central vision

Wet AMD is a less common but more serious form of vision loss because it causes new, abnormal blood vessels to grow under your retina, which may leak blood or other fluids that cause scarring of your macula

Wet AMD accelerates vision loss more quickly than dry AMD

Blurry vision may be the first sign of macular degeneration; regular visits to an ophthalmologist can help you identify early warning signs of the disease

Who Is Affected by Macular Degeneration?

AMD is no respecter of persons. A couple of well-known sufferers of the disease are legendary British actress Dame Judi Dench,5 83, and American actress and comedian Roseanne Barr,6 66, both of whom have spoken publicly of their vision problems.

Sadly, Dench and Barr are not outliers; they're just two of the estimated millions of people worldwide affected by this potentially devastating disease. According to Knobbe and experts at the BrightFocus Foundation, AMD is:7,8

The leading cause of irreversible vision loss in people over the age of 65 who live in developed countries

A leading cause of irreversible blindness and visual impairment worldwide — the number of people living with AMD is expected to reach 196 million worldwide by 2020 and increase to 288 million by 2040

Known to affect as many as 11 million people in the U.S., this number is expected to double by 2050

Though Knobbe disagrees, the link between aging and macular degeneration is based on statistics suggesting your risk of contracting the disease increases from 2 percent for people ages 50 to 59 to nearly 30 percent for those age 75 or older.9

The Causes of Macular Degeneration

Traditional ophthalmology associates AMD to aging, hence the name "age-related macular degeneration," and more recently has also suggested genetics may be a contributing factor. The AAO claims you are also more likely to develop AMD if you are:10

Age 50 or older

Eating a diet high in unhealthy fats

Overweight

Caucasian

Known to have a family history of AMD

A smoker

In contrast to conventional wisdom, Knobbe, as discussed in the featured video, believes man-made, processed foods are the primary culprit, although he leaves room for a possible genetic link, too.

His beliefs, which were sustained through a combination of investigative journalism, interviews and research, culminated in the 2016 publication of his book "Cure AMD — Ancestral Dietary Strategy to Prevent & Reverse Macular Degeneration."

In addition, a summary of Knobbe's work was published in the journal Medical Hypotheses in 2017.11 While the lifetime risk of contracting AMD was about zero in 1900, he says, by 1992, it was believed to affect 1 in 3 people over the age of 75.

Today, he claims 20,000 new cases of AMD are diagnosed worldwide every day. Based on his research, Knobbe states, "I believe, 100 percent, that this disease is caused by diet and diet alone. Now, no question, genetics play a role, but environment pulls the trigger. That 'environment' is our diet."

Processed Foods Implicated for Skyrocketing Rates of Macular Degeneration

Based on his research, Knobbe asserts the key to addressing the skyrocketing rates of AMD must focus on decreasing our intake of processed foods and returning to a so-called ancestral diet. This, he notes, may be our best means of preventing, and possibly treating, the disease.

Knobbe defines an ancestral diet as any eating program that existed on the planet prior to 1880, when the first processed foods — namely, refined white flour and polyunsaturated vegetable oils — were made available. Trans fats, he notes, were first introduced in 1911.

After noting the Western diet has more than 600,000 food items you can put on your plate today, Knobbe said, "When we break this down, what we know is 63 percent of these food items are made up of those refined, processed, nutrient-deficient foods in the form of added sugars, refined white flour, polyunsaturated vegetable oils and trans fats."

He calls the dependence on processed foods "the recipe for metabolic disaster and physical degeneration." Drawing from the work of the late Weston A. Price,12 Knobbe calls out the following problematic categories of processed food, which Price referred to as the "displacing foods of modern commerce":

Canned goods

Sugar

Vegetable oils

Confectionary

Sweets

White flour

Macular Degeneration: Another Disease of Western Civilization?

Given the increased use of these so-called modern foods during the past 140 years, Knobbe says it is no surprise higher intakes of them have been linked to what he calls "diseases of Western civilization."

On the list are well-known conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Knobbe says he had somewhat of an epiphany in 2013 when he posed this question to himself: "Could AMD be another 'disease of Western civilization'?"

After comparing the historical rates of incidence for AMD as it related to the increased availability and consumption of sugar and vegetable oils, Knobbe began to surmise AMD indeed may be linked to the increased consumption of processed food. "After just 30 years of consuming these processed foods, we are at epidemic proportions of chronic disease," he observes.

In Japan, since the 1970s the increased use of vegetable oils has spiked the incidence of AMD. Said Knobbe, "The rate of AMD [in Japan] was at 0.2 percent prevalence in 1970. By 2007, their prevalence was 11.4 percent. That's a 57fold increase in the prevalence of AMD in just 30 years. We can't possibly explain that with genetics and aging."

When comparing rates of AMD in Nigeria, Knobbe noted the availability for processed food in major metropolitan areas as a factor in the 3.2 percent rate of AMD incidence in cities. He contrasted that rate to AMD prevalence among Nigerians living in a rural area where there was no access to processed food. It was just 0.1 percent.

Poverty Linked to Vision Loss; AMD Not a Disease of Aging or Genetics

Using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Knobbe observed links between poverty and chronic diseases such as the prevalence of severe vision loss, including AMD. Southern states had higher incidence of both poverty and severe vision loss. About the link between the two, Knobbe states:

"Why is poverty an issue? Because in [the U.S.] you can purchase about 2,000 calories worth of processed food for about $3.50. That same 2,000 calories coming from whole foods … costs you about $13 or more. It's a sad fact … but it's a reality."

If AMD is all about aging, we would expect to see that people in the south, where the highest rates of severe vision loss exist, have the longest life spans. However, the data do not bear that out, notes Knobbe.

Life expectancy in the south is actually lower than the national average, he says. "Where we have the greatest vision loss, including the most macular degeneration, we have the shortest lives. This is not consistent with the theory that macular degeneration is a disease of aging."

As such, he concludes, "Macular degeneration is not a disease of aging. It's not a disease of genetics. It is a disease of processed food consumption. And that results in more chronic, metabolic and degenerative disease, more macular degeneration and earlier death." On his Cure AMD Foundation website, Knobbe writes:13

"Every shred of evidence I can find supports the hypothesis that it is the 'displacing foods of modern commerce' that are the primary and proximate cause of AMD. The prevention of this disease — as well as the treatment — is to remove those elements from the diet, and consume only … our own native, traditional diets."

How to Help Prevent Macular Degeneration

Most certainly, eating nutrient-dense foods is the best way to preserve your eyesight. Knobbe recommends a whole food diet as the best antidote to vision problems such as macular degeneration. While a change in diet cannot reverse an established case of AMD, it can be helpful as a preventive measure before the onset of the disease.

Knobbe suggests you eat a diet "rich in meats, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, some nuts and seeds, and perhaps critically, some 'sacred' foods of our ancestors, such as beef or chicken liver, fish eggs (roe) … or pastured butter."14 He adds, "My preference is to choose the wild or pastured versions of animal meats and eggs whenever possible, and organic versions of … fruits and vegetables."15

While I agree with most of Knobbe's recommendations, for optimal health you will want to limit your daily fructose consumption, including fructose from whole fruit, to 25 grams (g) or less if you are healthy. If you are dealing with a chronic illness such as cancer or diabetes, you'd be wise to further restrict your fructose intake to 15 g until your condition improves.

Beyond this, animal-based omega-3 fats help improve cell structure and protect your sight, while whole foods high in anthocyanins and bioflavonoids help protect your cells from free radical damage. Lutein and zeaxanthin, potent carotenoid antioxidants found in leafy greens like kale and spinach as well as organic, free-range egg yolks, are also known for their role in promoting healthy vision.

It is believed the presence of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin in your macula blocks blue light from reaching the underlying structures in your retina. As such, they help reduce your risk of light-induced oxidative damage that could lead to macular degeneration.16

Natural antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamins C and E also support your eyes, as does astaxanthin, which is found in certain marine plants and animals, including krill oil. Learn more about the foods your body needs to protect your vision in my previous article "Eat Right to Protect Your Eyesight."

Other Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Macular Degeneration

Beyond your diet, blocking blue light may help reduce your risk for macular degeneration, while also improving your sleep. Below are a few tips on how to limit your exposure to blue light:

Use blue-blocking glasses — Blocking blue light aids in regulating your internal body clock to control sleep patterns. Also, it reduces the negative effect high energy wavelengths have on your macula. I recommend you wear blue light-blocking glasses after 7 p.m. or when the sun sets.

Install blue-blocking software on your digital devices — If you are not a fan of wearing blue blockers, you might want to try Iris, a free software program that can automatically adjust your screen settings to reduce blue light. I have used Iris for many years and highly recommend it.

Replace LED lights with incandescent bulbs — Many of the LED lights sold today emit a large portion of aggressive blue light, which is why I advise you to use incandescent bulbs instead. To learn more about how to protect yourself, read my article "How LED Lighting May Compromise Your Health."

Sleep in total darkness — To achieve a deeper, more restorative sleep, you must protect your eyes from light at night. Using a sleep mask or room-darkening shades are two easy solutions, and be sure to keep electronic devices out of your sleeping area.

While the rates of macular degeneration continue to climb, you can take steps today to reduce your risk of this debilitating eye disease. As Knobbe suggests, eliminating processed food from your diet is among the best preventive measures against macular degeneration.

While conventional medicine may try to convince you AMD and other chronic illnesses are simply a factor of aging or genetics, two areas over which you have little control, the truth is, you are not helpless to affect positive change.

Based on his research, Knobbe concluded the term AMD is a misnomer. Rather than calling the loss of central vision "age-related macular degeneration," he asserts it would be more aptly named "diet-related macular degeneration" or "DMD."17 While aging is not something you can control, you most certainly have some measure of control over your diet and, therefore, your eye health, too.

from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/12/15/is-macular-degeneration-preventable.aspx

source http://niapurenaturecom.weebly.com/blog/is-macular-degeneration-preventable

0 notes

jakehglover · 5 years

Text

Is Macular Degeneration Preventable?

youtube

What Is Macular Degeneration?

It is a leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years and older

Wet AMD accelerates vision loss more quickly than dry AMD

Blurry vision may be the first sign of macular degeneration; regular visits to an ophthalmologist can help you identify early warning signs of the disease

Who Is Affected by Macular Degeneration?

The leading cause of irreversible vision loss in people over the age of 65 who live in developed countries

Known to affect as many as 11 million people in the U.S., this number is expected to double by 2050

The Causes of Macular Degeneration

Age 50 or older

Eating a diet high in unhealthy fats

Overweight

Caucasian

Known to have a family history of AMD

A smoker

In contrast to conventional wisdom, Knobbe, as discussed in the featured video, believes man-made, processed foods are the primary culprit, although he leaves room for a possible genetic link, too.

Processed Foods Implicated for Skyrocketing Rates of Macular Degeneration

Canned goods

Sugar

Vegetable oils

Confectionary

Sweets

White flour

Macular Degeneration: Another Disease of Western Civilization?

Poverty Linked to Vision Loss; AMD Not a Disease of Aging or Genetics

How to Help Prevent Macular Degeneration

Other Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Macular Degeneration

Beyond your diet, blocking blue light may help reduce your risk for macular degeneration, while also improving your sleep. Below are a few tips on how to limit your exposure to blue light:

from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/12/15/is-macular-degeneration-preventable.aspx

0 notes

paullassiterca · 5 years

Text

Is Macular Degeneration Preventable?

youtube

What Is Macular Degeneration?

The BrightFocus Foundation defines AMD as “an irreversible destruction of the macula, which leads to loss of the sharp, fine-detail, ‘straight ahead’ vision required for activities like reading, driving, recognizing faces and seeing the world in color.”2

Knobbe notes your macula measures 6 millimeters (mm), or about one-fourth of an inch, across and accounts for the central 10 degrees of your vision. “Arguably, this is the most important 6 mm in our bodies,” he asserts.3 About macular degeneration, the AAO says:4

It is a leading cause of vision loss in people 50 years and older

Wet AMD accelerates vision loss more quickly than dry AMD

Blurry vision may be the first sign of macular degeneration; regular visits to an ophthalmologist can help you identify early warning signs of the disease

Who Is Affected by Macular Degeneration?

Sadly, Dench and Barr are not outliers; they’re just two of the estimated millions of people worldwide affected by this potentially devastating disease. According to Knobbe and experts at the BrightFocus Foundation, AMD is:7,8

The leading cause of irreversible vision loss in people over the age of 65 who live in developed countries

Known to affect as many as 11 million people in the U.S., this number is expected to double by 2050

The Causes of Macular Degeneration

Traditional ophthalmology associates AMD to aging, hence the name “age-related macular degeneration,” and more recently has also suggested genetics may be a contributing factor. The AAO claims you are also more likely to develop AMD if you are:10

Age 50 or older

Eating a diet high in unhealthy fats

Overweight

Caucasian

Known to have a family history of AMD

A smoker

In contrast to conventional wisdom, Knobbe, as discussed in the featured video, believes man-made, processed foods are the primary culprit, although he leaves room for a possible genetic link, too.

His beliefs, which were sustained through a combination of investigative journalism, interviews and research, culminated in the 2016 publication of his book “Cure AMD — Ancestral Dietary Strategy to Prevent & Reverse Macular Degeneration.”

In addition, a summary of Knobbe’s work was published in the journal Medical Hypotheses in 2017.11 While the lifetime risk of contracting AMD was about zero in 1900, he says, by 1992, it was believed to affect 1 in 3 people over the age of 75.

Today, he claims 20,000 new cases of AMD are diagnosed worldwide every day. Based on his research, Knobbe states, “I believe, 100 percent, that this disease is caused by diet and diet alone. Now, no question, genetics play a role, but environment pulls the trigger. That 'environment’ is our diet.”

Processed Foods Implicated for Skyrocketing Rates of Macular Degeneration

After noting the Western diet has more than 600,000 food items you can put on your plate today, Knobbe said, “When we break this down, what we know is 63 percent of these food items are made up of those refined, processed, nutrient-deficient foods in the form of added sugars, refined white flour, polyunsaturated vegetable oils and trans fats.”

He calls the dependence on processed foods “the recipe for metabolic disaster and physical degeneration.” Drawing from the work of the late Weston A. Price,12 Knobbe calls out the following problematic categories of processed food, which Price referred to as the “displacing foods of modern commerce”:

Canned goods

Sugar

Vegetable oils

Confectionary

Sweets

White flour

Macular Degeneration: Another Disease of Western Civilization?

Given the increased use of these so-called modern foods during the past 140 years, Knobbe says it is no surprise higher intakes of them have been linked to what he calls “diseases of Western civilization.”

On the list are well-known conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Knobbe says he had somewhat of an epiphany in 2013 when he posed this question to himself: “Could AMD be another 'disease of Western civilization’?”

After comparing the historical rates of incidence for AMD as it related to the increased availability and consumption of sugar and vegetable oils, Knobbe began to surmise AMD indeed may be linked to the increased consumption of processed food. “After just 30 years of consuming these processed foods, we are at epidemic proportions of chronic disease,” he observes.

In Japan, since the 1970s the increased use of vegetable oils has spiked the incidence of AMD. Said Knobbe, “The rate of AMD [in Japan] was at 0.2 percent prevalence in 1970. By 2007, their prevalence was 11.4 percent. That’s a 57fold increase in the prevalence of AMD in just 30 years. We can’t possibly explain that with genetics and aging.”

Poverty Linked to Vision Loss; AMD Not a Disease of Aging or Genetics

“Why is poverty an issue? Because in [the U.S.] you can purchase about 2,000 calories worth of processed food for about $3.50. That same 2,000 calories coming from whole foods … costs you about $13 or more. It’s a sad fact … but it’s a reality.”

Life expectancy in the south is actually lower than the national average, he says. “Where we have the greatest vision loss, including the most macular degeneration, we have the shortest lives. This is not consistent with the theory that macular degeneration is a disease of aging.”

As such, he concludes, “Macular degeneration is not a disease of aging. It’s not a disease of genetics. It is a disease of processed food consumption. And that results in more chronic, metabolic and degenerative disease, more macular degeneration and earlier death.” On his Cure AMD Foundation website, Knobbe writes:13

“Every shred of evidence I can find supports the hypothesis that it is the 'displacing foods of modern commerce’ that are the primary and proximate cause of AMD. The prevention of this disease — as well as the treatment — is to remove those elements from the diet, and consume only … our own native, traditional diets.”

How to Help Prevent Macular Degeneration

Knobbe suggests you eat a diet “rich in meats, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, some nuts and seeds, and perhaps critically, some 'sacred’ foods of our ancestors, such as beef or chicken liver, fish eggs (roe) … or pastured butter.”14 He adds, “My preference is to choose the wild or pastured versions of animal meats and eggs whenever possible, and organic versions of … fruits and vegetables.”15

While I agree with most of Knobbe’s recommendations, for optimal health you will want to limit your daily fructose consumption, including fructose from whole fruit, to 25 grams (g) or less if you are healthy. If you are dealing with a chronic illness such as cancer or diabetes, you’d be wise to further restrict your fructose intake to 15 g until your condition improves.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Macular Degeneration

Beyond your diet, blocking blue light may help reduce your risk for macular degeneration, while also improving your sleep. Below are a few tips on how to limit your exposure to blue light:

Based on his research, Knobbe concluded the term AMD is a misnomer. Rather than calling the loss of central vision “age-related macular degeneration,” he asserts it would be more aptly named “diet-related macular degeneration” or “DMD.”17 While aging is not something you can control, you most certainly have some measure of control over your diet and, therefore, your eye health, too.

from Articles http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/12/15/is-macular-degeneration-preventable.aspx source https://niapurenaturecom.tumblr.com/post/181129713086

0 notes