Theoretical Health

Could Your Daily PrEP Pill Be Secretly Protecting Your Brain from Alzheimer's? Could Your Daily PrEP Pill Be Secretly Protecting Your Brain from Alzheimer's? An Unexpected Double Benefit for Men Who Have Sex with Men with a Family History of Dementia Imagine taking a pill every day to protect yourself from HIV—and it might also be shielding your brain from one of the most feared diseases of aging: Alzheimer's. Sounds intriguing? It's based on emerging research from 2025 uncovering a surprising link between certain HIV medications and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). For men who have sex with men (MSM) using modern PrEP like Descovy (emtricitabine + tenofovir alafenamide, or TAF), this could mean a potential "double benefit"—especially if Alzheimer's runs in your family. Illustration of brain neurons impacted by Alzheimer's pathology, including plaques and neuroinflammation. The Surprising Di...

Could Walking Barefoot on Grass Really Ease Your Nerve Pain? The Science Behind Grounding (Earthing) Could Walking Barefoot on Grass Really Ease Your Nerve Pain? The Science Behind Grounding (Earthing) In our modern world—filled with rubber-soled shoes, concrete jungles, and insulated homes—many of us have lost a simple, ancient connection: direct contact with the Earth's surface. This practice, known as grounding or earthing , involves walking barefoot on grass, soil, or sand, or using conductive mats indoors to mimic that connection. Proponents claim it allows the body to absorb free electrons from the Earth, neutralizing harmful free radicals and reducing inflammation—a key driver of chronic conditions, including nerve pain (neuropathy). But does it really work, especially for nagging nerve issues like tingling, burning, or sharp pains? Let's dive into the...

The Korean Study No One Wants You to Read Closely The Korean Study No One Wants You to Read Closely A large, population-wide signal that cancer risk jumped in the first year after COVID-19 vaccination On 26 September 2025, the journal Biomarker Research published a short correspondence that should have made front-page news everywhere. It didn’t. Title: “1-year risks of cancers associated with COVID-19 vaccination: a large population-based cohort study in South Korea” Kim HJ, Kim M-H, Choi MG, Chun EM. Biomarker Research 2025;13:114 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40364-025-00831-w What they did The researchers took the entire adult population of Seoul (8,407,849 people) from the Korean National Health Insurance database, followed everyone from 2021–2023, and simply asked: “How many new cancers were diagnosed in the 12 months after a person received a COVID-19 vaccine compared to those who remained unvaccinated?” They used ...

The Best Free Brain-Defrag Tool You’ve Never Heard Of The Best Free Brain-Defrag Tool You’ve Never Heard Of How tracing a photo in PsychoPaint quietly reorganizes your entire mind Last week my brain felt like a browser with 47 tabs open, half of them playing audio I couldn’t find. I was scattered, irritable, and couldn’t finish a single thought. So I opened an old program called PsychoPaint, loaded a random photograph, and started tracing it: nothing creative, no grand masterpiece; just following edges and matching colors like a human photocopier. Forty-five minutes later I closed the file and realized something bizarre had happened. My mind was… quiet. Organized. The mental static was gone. Problems I’d been wrestling with all week suddenly had obvious next steps. I felt the way your computer feels after a good defrag: same data, but suddenly everything runs smoothly. I’ve chased that feeling with meditation apps,...

Ponderings with Grok: Should You Avoid Silica, Fillers, and Synthetic Vitamins? Ponderings with Grok: Should You Avoid Silica, Fillers, and Synthetic Vitamins? Some conversations spark deeper questions — especially when it comes to health. This is one of them. Why Some Doctors — Especially Holistic or Functional Ones — Warn Against Silica, Fillers, and Certain Vitamins Different practitioners give different advice. Conventional MDs, holistic doctors, and functional medicine practitioners all raise concerns — just for different reasons. Here’s the clear breakdown. 1. Silica, Magnesium Stearate, and Other “Fillers” Holistic doctors often caution against supplement fillers. Here’s why: Possible gut irritation for people with autoimmune issues, GI problems, or inflammation. Silicon dioxide (silica) is legally “safe,” but not nutritionally useful. Magnesium stearate can slightly affect nutrient absorption if taken in high amounts. Titanium dioxide ...

How Cortisol & Chronic Stress Raise Diabetes Risk A clear, evidence-forward explanation • December 6, 2025 The connection between cortisol, stress, and diabetes is real and well-established in medical science. Below is a concise but detailed breakdown of the mechanisms, real-world impact, and practical ways to lower cortisol to protect metabolic health. How cortisol (the main stress hormone) contributes to diabetes When you're under prolonged stress (physical or emotional), your adrenal glands pump out cortisol continuously. That sustained elevation of cortisol affects blood sugar and insulin in several important ways: Increases glucose production (gluconeogenesis): Cortisol stimulates the liver to create new glucose even when it’s not needed, raising blood sugar. Causes insulin resistance: Muscle and fat c...

Evidence-Based Natural Ways to Support Hormone Balance Evidence-Based Natural Approaches to Support Hormone Balance While medications can be necessary in certain situations, most hormone imbalances respond strongly to lifestyle foundations. Below are the most research-supported natural ways to help your body balance cortisol, insulin, thyroid hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. 1. Sleep — The #1 Hormone Regulator Aim for 7–9 hours of high-quality sleep per night. Keep a consistent sleep/wake schedule (even on weekends). Sleep in a dark, cool room (60–67°F / 16–19°C). Avoid screens 1–2 hours before bed or use blue-light blockers. Poor sleep can disrupt cortisol, insulin, growth hormone, and sex hormones in just a few days. 2. Stress Management (Cortisol Control) Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which can impact thyroid, progesterone, and testosterone levels. Effective tools: Meditation or breathwork (10–20 minut...