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lowestechelonabomination · 3 years

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It's time for part 2 of my BSD sleep schedule analysis (Electric Boogaloo) (Port Mafia edition):

-Chuuya: sleep deprived, overworked, exhausted. Being the PM's strongest fighter and an exec, he's constantly being given more groups to fight, people to kill, and reports to write. Probably doesn't get many breaks either. He has a large salary and spends it on a lot of fancy things, but he really just doesn't have the time to admire them. He probably has all of his possessions spread across a lot of different apartments/safe houses and doesn't really have just one to call his home since he's always on the move. He probably only gets around 3 hours of sleep on average but never gets the chance to crash from exhaustion, and so just kinda has to live with the feeling of about-to-pass-out. On the occasion he does get an actual break that isn't a free hour or two to spend talking to colleagues at a bar he just collapses on a couch with some wine and sleeps for as long as he can, though Kouyou will drag him out for spa days every few weeks or so. Gravity manipulation seems very tiring as well, so he definitely has a lot of exhaustion-induced physical pain (from muscle sores and the like) on top of being mentally drained all the time. Add that to existential crises and never feeling human and you get a certified mess

-Akutagawa: give! him! a! break! too! Rather than having a huge workload, he probably gives himself extra things to do in order to avoid feeling weak and worthless. He's conditioned himself into believing that any moment not spent doing "useful things" makes him completely weak, so he forces himself to constantly fight. He's extremely sleep deprived and exhausted but refuses to receive help because he also views that as "succumbing to weakness". His physical health is already not great, so he probably ends up in the infirmary frequently because he just straight up collapsed during a mission after not sleeping for two days. He probably overthinks everything at night, so hello insomnia! leave him alone. Akutagawa also probably neglects things like eating and maintaining his health simply because he forgets from always fighting, and, if it weren't for Gin (and the other Black Lizard members) he'd not even be functioning. Probably only sleeps for like 5 hours a week and has permanent, chronic brain fog and fatigue from everything he does. Relies on Rashoumon to fight so much because he himself is too physically weak to fight. Probably also uses Rashoumon as a hidden support to keep himself upright. Tea is his main source of caffeine, but he will chug energy drinks if he deems it necessary. Overall, just,,, give him a break, forcefully (PS I actually have a fic on this exact thing if you want to read it)

-Kouyou: mildly sleep deprived, but mostly normal. Likes having me-time frequently, and so has most of her fatigue eased by things like spas. Gets around 6 hours of sleep most of the time, 8-11 on free days, but will pull an all-nighter or two whenever she needs to. I really don't know enough about her subordinates, but she probably trusts them to take care of things themselves and is rarely called into action

-Mori: being the PM Boss probably means he gets a lot of work and negotiations to sort through, but he generally takes care of it quickly enough. He prefers delegating the work to others rather than doing it himself, so he has a lot of time on his hands to just kinda...do whatever, I guess? I'd assume he gets like 5-8 hours of sleep generally, so he's probably fine for the most part

-Hirotsu: he is tired. Having to take care of so many unruly teenagers over the years couldn't have been healthy for him at all. Cigarettes ease the exhaustion a bit for him, but not by much. He drinks a lot of fine teas and coffee to stay functional. He frequently has to stop Black Lizard members from doing stupid things, like Higuchi recklessly pursuing Akutagawa, Gin trying to stab Tachihara, etc. Any time Tachihara calls him Gramps he ages 50 years. He just wants to go home

-Higuchi: one day she discovered caffeine and has never stopped drinking it since then. She's pretty much always hyped up on energy drinks or coffee in order to work as much as she can to prove that she isn't useless, and also to distract herself from negative thoughts. She got tired of spending so much time wallowing around in the dark of her bedroom so she decided to invest in tons of caffeine to the point where she's basically vibrating with energy at all times. She also needs a break, please give her a break

-Gin: most of her missions are at night, so she mostly sleeps during the day, or just whenever she can. Generally isn't as tired, but she lives with Akutagawa (who is a mess), so she received fatigue by osmosis. Really just fed up with how pointlessly self-destructive her brother is and is considering locking him inside a room with a bunch of pillows and nothing to do except for sleeping for two days straight. Frequently has nightmares when asleep. She's a mafioso, but the years of blood staining her hands keep her up with guilt

-Tachihara: I still haven't really read the manga so I don't even know what to put for this, but I'd assume he also has a caffeine addiction and sleeps for maybe 5 hours a day

-Q: no sleep, constant nightmares, afraid of closing their eyes and having to see what their mind throws at them. Most of their time is spent curled around their doll on the cold floor of the cage they're kept in. please,,,,just save them,,,,,,

-Kajii: thinks he invented super caffeine and convinced himself he doesn't need sleep to survive (he does). Will stay up for days on end making bombs or whatever it is he does and then abruptly collapse. Doesn't see anything wrong with this and believes that it's just a side effect of so much science (it isn't). He's both really smart and really stupid but everyone's too scared of being blown up to say anything to him

#bsd #bsd sleep schedule analysis #port mafia #bsd headcanons #all of them are sleep deprived but are we really surprised?#bsd chuuya #bsd akutagawa #bsd kouyou #bsd mori #bsd hirotsu #bsd higuchi #bsd gin #bsd tachihara #bsd q #bsd yumeno kyuusaku #bsd kajii #bungou stray dogs #character analysis

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scienceblogtumbler · 4 years

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How caffeine changed the world

It is the world’s most-used drug, one many of us simply refuse to live without, opting for addiction over the loss of that first, or second, or in some cases third cup that gets us through the day.

And now its seductive powers, its dark history, its health benefits, and its harmful side effects are on full display in best-selling author Michael Pollan’s new audiobook “Caffeine: How Coffee and Tea Created the Modern World.”

The Lewis K. Chan Arts Lecturer and Professor of the Practice of Non-Fiction has made a career of writing about how the things we consume affect our lives, our health, and our planet (“The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” “How to Change your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence”). He discussed his latest effort with Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin during a Tuesday Zoom talk.

Pollan, who worked on his psychedelics book while a Radcliffe fellow, said he has been obsessed with “this reciprocal relationship we have with plants” and with certain plants’ ability “to change the textures of our experiences of the world” for years. Crafting a piece on caffeine had long been on his to-do list, he said, but he was unaware it would require a precious sacrifice.

As he has done in his earlier work, Pollan became a human test subject for his art, giving up coffee, or more specifically, caffeine, while he worked on the new book in order to truly appreciate its effects on the human body and mind. He said his story’s narrative “demanded it.” Yet, as anyone who has dropped the stimulant from their diet knows, it wasn’t easy.

In his book Pollan recounts the day he finally decided to forgo his routine morning cup, recalling how the “lovely dispersal of the mental fog that the first hit of caffeine ushers into consciousness never arrived. The fog settled over me and would not budge.”

Michael Pollan, who gave up caffeine while writing his book, said he wasn’t aware how addicted he was to the drug.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard file photo

Pollan said he didn’t fully understand how addicted he was to the drug — also known by its scientific name: 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine — until he got off it. All the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal were there, he noted, including headaches, fatigue, and perhaps most insidious for a writer trying to tell a compelling story, difficulty concentrating.

As his work progressed, he also realized that because caffeine is so ubiquitous — more than 90 percent of people on the planet consume it daily, and we even regularly allow children to have the drug in the form of soda — constant personal caffeination “has simply become baseline human consciousness.”

During the talk Pollan delved into the science, discussing how the tiny caffeine molecule acts on the central nervous system by suppressing the neuromodulator adenosine that helps make us sleepy. Caffeine, one-quarter of which can stay in your system for up to 12 hours, then becomes the solution to the problem it creates, he said, making people who are sleep-deprived from their caffeine consumption the day before eager for a morning hit to charge them up for the day ahead.

Pollan explains in a section of the audiobook on the substance’s origins that caffeine was first discovered in China around 1000 B.C. in the form of tea. The discovery of coffee is traced to Ethiopia around 850 A.D. According to the legend, a herder who noticed how jumpy his goats got after eating the berries of an arabica plant gave some of the berries to a local monk, who used them to concoct the world’s first cup of coffee. As time went on, caffeine’s history took a dark turn. Growers and sellers built the industry on the backs of enslaved people forced to harvest both the coffee beans and the sugar needed to sweeten the bitter drink that had become increasingly popular in the West.

Audible · [Audible Exclusive] Caffeine written and performed by Michael Pollan

In his work, Pollan addresses the question of whether caffeine has been a boon or bane to human civilization. He concludes that the price has been undeniably high, possibly too high, with its historical connections to a brutal system of production and the back-breaking work involved in growing and harvesting coffee that continues today. Then there is the havoc it wreaks on our sleep — particularly the deep, slow-wave sleep that is critical to memory.

But Pollan highlights the positives as well. He notes that before there were ready supplies of potable water, boiled beverages, like coffee or tea, “were the safest thing a person could drink,” with the most commonly available alternative being alcohol. He also points out the continuing health benefits attributed to caffeine and confirmed by the science. Taken in moderation, coffee and tea can decrease the risk of several cancers, as well cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.

He also suggests that the consumption of caffeinated drinks even might have helped societies that embraced them to thrive. According to Pollan, caffeine drove a kind of “Enlightenment thinking.” The coffee houses that stretched first across the Arab world and eventually Europe became not only the internet of their day, spreading gossip and news, but also centers of discussion that fostered important cultural, political, and scientific exchanges and helped usher in a “new spirit of rationalism.”

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And the mental edge provided by caffeine helped transform work, he said, by improving focus and the ability to concentrate — keys to the safety and success of the machine-based labor that powered the Industrial Revolution as well as every generation since. Pollan calls the coffee break, created in the U.S. in the 1940s as a way to increase worker output, “the best evidence of caffeine’s gift to capitalism.”

“It’s amazing that we’ve institutionalized a drug for the express purpose of improving productivity and quality control, but so we have,” said Pollan.

In the end, where did Pollan finally land on his own caffeine intake? He made a compromise with himself, he said, only having coffee on Saturdays, or when he is in real need of that mental boost. He acknowledges it is “not an addiction that troubles me.”

The author also encouraged his listeners to try to kick their caffeine habit, if only temporarily, by tapering down slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms. “The first cup after you’ve been off is the best way to reacquaint yourself with what a powerful drug it is,” said Pollan, who plans to include his work on caffeine in a print book featuring three psychoactive plants. It is tentatively titled “This Is Your Brain on Plants.”

And we just might have to get used to having less caffeine in our lives in the future. According to some estimates, said Pollan, because of climate change, by the middle of the century 50 percent of the land currently growing coffee plants will “no longer be suitable for coffee production.”

source https://scienceblog.com/518061/how-caffeine-changed-the-world/

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mikeconphoto · 5 years

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"FIT FEATURE: ANGIE SHOUP" - By European/German Fitness Photographer MikeCon Photography

First and foremost, I’d like to wish Angie and all of the other worthy, deserving Mothers out there in the world a very Happy Mother’s Day!!!

It’s time for a “Fit Feature” and this time it all belongs to Ms. Angie Shoup!

Angie lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and drove over 10 hours to come and work with me. She was a referral from my client Leslie. Angie and I talked over the course of a couple of months to ensure that her shoot was 100% perfect. The shoot was so good, that I tried to convince her to pack up and move to Colorado to be around more fitness minded people (Colorado is awesome for that!). Below is the interview that I did with Angie. I truly hope that you read what she has to say, and I pray that it inspires others out there to do more, and be more!

Thank you Angie for being an awesome client, Tribe MikeCon Member, and now friend!!

Angie Shoup Height: 5’5 (165 cm) Weight: 128 lbs. (58 kg) Occupation: Fitness Instructor Describe your life before you started training.

My life before training, was inconsistent with eating , sleeping, and having energy. I relied on caffeine a lot to help me get through the day. My appetite would fluctuate depending on what I would be eating and drinking. If I had more carbohydrates in my diet, especially from processed foods, I would notice a fatigue crash about an hour or so after eating and would struggle the rest of the day to feel normal again. I would be in constant brain fog throughout of the day when eating poorly.

How different do you feel now compared to then?

My body feels like it’s healthy and functioning properly. Being consistent with routine and eating habits help me stay accountable with my training and fitness routine.

Was there is pivotal moment that motivated you to start training? If so, what was it?

After I gave birth to both of my childrens I made goals set out to achieve weight loss and toning. I feel having kids gave me the motivation and courage to become healthier not just for me but also for them. I wake up every day feeling motivated by wanting to be a good role model to those around me.

Do you remember your first training session?

I remember struggling how to hold and use proper technique with weight and body. I felt like sometimes you need to make the mistakes in order to get the correct form and go from there.

How different is your training today?

With training today, I am constantly needing to challenge myself and push myself past my comfortable level. I feel it is so easy to make excuses and stay in the comfort zone but really not much change happens there.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of training for you? Why?

The most reward I have received from training is the fact the I feel the best I have ever felt even after having two children.

What has continued to motivate you throughout your training? Why?

People look to me for advice and direction and I feel the best motivation for me is being able to help others achieve their goals. I feel proud and accomplished when someone tells me a small goal they just achieved by pushing through and not giving up on their goals.

What are your qualifications - why did you set out to achieve these?

I’m certified in Barre, Piyo, and group fitness classes. Also I am a registered nurse. I set out to achieve these because I love to help people and in doing so make myself accountable to stay fit, active and continuing to challenge myself.

What have you had to overcome to get to where you are today? Did that change you in any way? If so, describe how.

I had to overcome my fear of public speaking and fear of embarrassing myself in front of people. I struggled with both of those issues my whole life. Fitness training has given me new self- confidence and self esteem.

What is the number one lesson you have learned about health and fitness through your training?

That you are going to go through plateaus and its easy to get stuck in a pattern and not consistently challenge yourself.

What do you wish you had known when you were 16?

That what you put in your body is as important as how you feel about your body.

I always remembered hearing the phrase “You are what you eat.” I felt when I was 16 I did not take care of my body like I could have. I remember skipping meals thinking it would help me lose weight and also remember not drinking very much water. I remember feeling constantly tired and always in a brain fog. I wish I had known even how important it was to drink plenty of water. When you are 16, you can have a hard time listening to what others say and find yourself wanting to learn things for yourself, and with that comes mistakes. I’m thankful I have learned through my mistakes and made changes for improvement.

Describe how training makes you feel.

Starting from the inside out, when you eat good, you feel good, when you eat and train good , I feel great, Invigorating, happy, and motivated.

Do you have a quote that you live by? If so, why this one?

“If you want something you never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.” It’s true that if you want change, you need to put yourself out there and make it happen. This is so true in a stages of life.

What was your reason for taking health and fitness to the level you have?

I have been so inspired and motivated by others. The purpose of life is to find your gift and give it away to others, meaning inspire and help others achieve their dreams just like those who helped you.

What advice would you give to women wanting to get into the best shape of their life?

Start with baby steps and a plan. Having an accountable friend and a large water bottle handy are also great motivators

What is the most important thing women need to remember when training?

That you need to focus on you and your goals and not get caught up with other people’s achievements. Why? Remember they are there for inspiration and to not get caught up in their successes and achievements vs. your own. It is so easy these days with social media and fitness industry to live up to other people perceptions and expectations, but you have to realize that you are your own person with your own obstacles and story to tell.

We all have days where motivation is low – how do you overcome these? Have you always been able to do this?

I think of how I feel after a workout and feels like I’m glad I took the time to take care of myself. Before I would sometimes talk myself out of working out or skipping days but realized you need to give yourself positive affirmations.

Do you enjoy training alone or with a partner? Why?

I have my days where I love being motivated and pushed by some else and also have the days when I put on music and get to working out. Both ways are great to for me just depending on the type of workout.

What would you like to see change in the health and fitness industry?

Hearing real and raw stories from people about their fitness journey I feel is more inspiring than just focusing on the positive aspects of their journey. Hearing about obstacles and challenges people have faces and overcame provides so much motivation to others in help of their journey in the fitness industry.

What would a perfect Sunday involve for you?

Morning church, reading sunday paper, drinking coffee, some outdoor activities, practicing my guitar and mediation and relaxing in the evening to prepare for the week.

Tell everyone about the following:

Diet

(Outline a typical day’s meals please)

Breakfast

One egg or 3 egg whites

Oatmeal with coconut milk and agave light syrup with cinnamon

Apple or banana with peanut or almond butter

Lunch

Chicken and veggies

Salad with chicken

Dinner

Chicken or steak

Sweet potatoes and asparagus

Workout week

Monday- legs/ calves

Tuesday - chest, shoulders,triceps

Wednesday - cardio

Thursday- back/biceps

Friday- legs/glutes/calves

Saturday - cardio and or yoga/pilates

Sunday- rest day

QUICK QUESTIONS:

Describe yourself in three words.

Open-hearted, open-minded and determined

What is your favourite food to indulge on?

Peanut butter

How often do you treat yourself?

At least once or twice a week, depending on workouts and schedule. I feel the more you deprive yourself of something, the more you want it. When you incorporate into your diet, your mind feels good knowing you are rewarding yourself. The mind and body work well together if you help and understand how they communicate to each other.

What is your favourite non-cheat food?

Eggs, and asparagus are my go to foods. I love to eat them a variety of different ways.

What is your favourite home-cooked meal? Who cooks it?

Roast and vegetables. I make great roast from the recipe my mom always made when I was younger.

What are the staples in your fridge?

Strawberries, blueberries, chicken, carrots, cucumber, eggs,

What is your favourite body part to train? Why?

Core which is the powerhouse of the body. I feel it’s so important to train your whole body and not just focusing on specific parts you want to change. The core helps improve posture and engaging muscle groups that help with upper and lower body.

What is your least favourite body part to train? Why?

Shoulders, different kind of shoulder exercises can put strain on my neck. I avoid lifting too heavy and making sure I have great form to prevent injuries.

Do you prefer to train outdoors or indoors? Why?

I love to be able to enjoy fresh air working outdoors since I live in South Dakota, decent outdoor weather is very limited during the year. I like to take advantage of doing multiple workouts outdoors, such as running, biking, yoga and hiit training.

Describe the atmosphere in your favourite place to train – what can you see/feel/hear etc.?

Having open area and great lighting. Also hearing outdoor noises in a nature area.

Do you prefer cardio or weights? Why?

Hard to me to decide, I really do enjoy both. My favorite type of workout would be weights with hiit cardio interval training.

Do you have a favourite book? Why this one?

My favorite book would be, “Who Says you Can’t? You Do” by Daniel Chidiac. It describes a man’s journey through life to help him reach his true self and amazing potential. It’s very inspiring to hear the struggles someone else has overcome and what achievements were produced.

What is your favourite feature? Why?

Name five (5) things you can't live without.

My kids, dogs, water bottle, agenda, car and phone

Name three (3) things most people don’t know about you.

I’m a homebody, I enjoy taking time to myself for mediation or self-reflect

What is on your bedside table?

Calendar, charger, stress relieving ball, daily devotion, lamp,

What is your best beauty secret?

To drink plenty of water and moisturize daily

Who is your fitness and body role model? Why?

Kelsey Byers, I feel like I can relate to her journey. She has accomplished so much from weight loss to fitness enthusiast, online coach and author. Also married with a child. I have two kids myself and realize the challenges that are faced when you not only take care of yourself but for others as well. Life has its struggles and hardships but I feel having my children has actually motivated me more to become a health coach and fitness trainer, so that I can be a great role model for them.

What do you have in store for the future? What do you want to improve on?

Becoming a certified health coach, as well as working as an RN and fitness instructor. I want to help people with dieting and exercise programs. Also, I would like to improve my lifestyle with diet and sticking to schedule and having more time management, to get things accomplished in a timely manner.

I'm currently preparing for:

I currently do not have plans set for what I am preparing for, although I am excited in the future to search in amazing opportunities in the fitness industry.

Website?

None yet, but people can follow me on IG: @angelahealthandwellness.

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