Down To Earth 🌎
Estimated read time: 5 minutes and 12 seconds
⭐ THE QUICK BITES ⭐
🙌 Wisdom: “The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.” - Stephanie Perkins
🍽️ Recipe: Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes
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You made it!
This week has been a blast, and I don’t have too many updates—besides the fact that my pickleball game has taken a hit (because I’ve been busy whipping up a surprise for you all coming in the next few weeks). But I think it’s gonna be totally worth it.
Beyond that… cheers to the freakin' weekend! 🥂
Let’s jump in!
- 🚽 Up, Down, or Just Close the Lid?
- 🍿 The Stress-Vulnerability Model
- 🥬 Sauerkraut: The Saucy Super Snack
- 🏆 The 80-Year-Old Plank Legend
🚽 Up, Down, or Just Close the Lid?
By now, you’re probably a toilet pro—but what about after you flush? Should you leave the seat up or down?
Well, here’s the scoop (pun intended): Leaving the seat up or down during the day doesn’t increase your germ exposure.
Dr. Brynna Connor, MD, family physician, reminds us that the seat is just like any other bathroom surface—bacteria are everywhere! Touching a dirty rim might transfer germs, but no, you’re not going to suddenly catch the plague just because you left the seat up. Whew! 😅
But… here comes the twist. When it’s time to flush, closing the lid matters big time.
Why? Enter the Toilet Plume ☁️💨 (Ewww!)
The toilet plume is a cloud of invisible mist that bursts into the air when you flush, carrying germs like bacteria, viruses, and yes, fecal matter.
Scientists tracked this plume zooming at 6.5 feet per second, reaching almost 5 feet high in just 8 seconds!
Imagine your toothbrush, towels, and skincare products taking an unexpected germ shower. Not the spa treatment you wanted, right? 🤢
So here’s what to do to dodge the spray:
- Flush with the lid closed!
Closing the lid traps most of that nasty plume, keeping germs from flying around. Bonus: think of it as your toilet’s little privacy curtain.
- Ventilate the bathroom!
The lid isn’t a magical germ-eradicator. Some germs settle back on the toilet and floor. Open a window or turn on the exhaust fan to air out the space.
If you’re waiting for your turn, pause a minute after the flush to breathe safer air (and stay pristine).
- Clean your toilet regularly—at least once a week.
Toilets are germ magnets, especially in shared bathrooms. More users = more frequent cleaning. And while you’re at it, keep the bathroom ventilated during cleaning to avoid inhaling harsh chemical fumes.
- Wash your hands like a germ-fighting superhero after every bathroom trip. Soap + water = your best defense!
Article Link
🍿 The Stress-Vulnerability Model
Ever wonder why your friend breezes through a stressful presentation while you’re sweating bullets like you just saw a ghost? 👻
Well, the Stress-Vulnerability Model might just have your answer.
This model explains why some people are more sensitive to stress (and mental health challenges) than others.
Think of it like this—everyone’s born with a stress bucket 🎒.
Some people have giant, super-absorbent buckets.
Others? Their buckets might be a bit leaky and smaller.
What fills your bucket?
Two main things:
- Vulnerability (your bucket size)
This is the stuff wired into you:
- Genetics: Mental health can run in families, but genes don’t decide your fate. Nope, they just set your sensitivity dial.
- Brain chemistry: Imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin (your chill-out chemical) and dopamine (the reward buddy) can make handling emotions trickier.
- Early life experiences: A chaotic childhood? Your bucket might have more holes. A stable childhood? Extra reinforcement!
- Personality traits: Perfectionists and anxious types often have smaller buckets, while easygoing folks might have bigger ones.
- Stress (the stuff you pour in)
Deadlines, conflicts, life changes—all the chaos life throws at your bucket.
When the stress fills your bucket past the brim, mental health symptoms like anxiety or depression can spill over.
But wait—there’s hope! 🌈
The model isn’t doom and gloom. It’s NOT saying you’re doomed if your bucket is small.
Because guess what? You CAN strengthen your bucket and manage how much stress pours in!
How? Through:
- Building coping skills (hello, meditation and deep breathing 🧘♂️)
- Therapy to rewire stress responses
- Journaling to unload emotional baggage
- Developing social support (friends > stress alone)
Article Link
🥬 Sauerkraut: The Saucy Super Snack
Okay, hear me out: sauerkraut might sound like a weird crunchy pickle cousin, but it’s sneaky-healthy and kinda delicious.
Here’s the lowdown on why eating this tangy cabbage delight can actually make you feel like a superhero 🦸♂️:
1. Sauerkraut is a Probiotic Powerhouse 🦠
When cabbage goes through fermentation, friendly bacteria munch on sugar and produce lactic acid.
This magical process creates probiotics—live microorganisms that boost your gut health.
But — huge caveat — this only works if your sauerkraut is fresh and unheated. Heat is the enemy here, because it kills those helpful microbes faster than you can say “gut health.”
2. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits = Less Body Drama 🔥🛑
Your gut is home to trillions of microbes, collectively called the microbiome.
A diverse microbiome is like a well-cast movie: the more characters (microbes), the better the story (your health).
Fermented foods like sauerkraut increase this diversity — and that helps reduce chronic, silent inflammation, a hidden villain behind many modern diseases.
3. Glow-Up From the Inside Out 💁♀️✨
There’s this neat thing called the gut-skin axis — a direct line between your gut health and how your skin looks.
An imbalanced gut can trigger skin trouble like acne or rosacea because inflammation spills over beyond your belly.
Sauerkraut delivers vitamins like C (immune booster!), K (hello strong bones!), and B vitamins (energy and happy nerves) to support your skin and vitality.
4. Mood Booster? Maybe! 🧠💛
Your gut and brain chat through “messenger substances” like serotonin, aka the “happiness hormone.”
A happy gut can mean a happier you — initial research suggests probiotics could ease anxiety and low moods.
It’s not magic yet (science is still catching up), but your gut’s health definitely influences your mental buzzing.
So, what’s the takeaway?
- Snack on fresh, raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut daily
- It helps digestion, skin, immunity, and mood (!)
- Avoid heating it (bye-bye probiotics)
- Feeling adventurous? Try making it yourself—fermenting is like a fun kitchen science experiment! 🔬🕺
Article Link
🏆 The 80-Year-Old Plank Legend
Planking is that deceptively simple-seeming move where you hold a push-up position — without moving!
It’s called an isometric exercise, meaning your muscles contract (work hard) without changing length or moving the joint.
Experts recommend holding a plank anywhere from 20 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on age.
But Bob? Oh, Bob said hold my smoothie and rocked a whopping 50 minutes! 🕒 That’s 100 times longer than average for his age! (Cue the slow clap 👏)
Why does this matter besides bragging rights? Because:
- Planks work way more than just your belly — they engage your arms, legs, chest, AND back all at once.
- Building this full-body core strength helps improve posture, balance (super critical as we age!), and even alleviates back pain. 🏋️♂️
Bob’s plank journey started in 2016 when he formally entered the plank game with a 4-minute challenge at his gym — and ended up smashing records (and his smoothie reward).
Not a lifelong athlete either; Bob only started exercising at 62, looking for relief from chronic back pain. Spoiler: planks helped a ton. 🙌
His secret sauce?
✅ Consistency — he’s been strength training and walking 3 miles a day
✅ Balanced, “healthy-ish” eating — fruits, veggies, fish, minimal sugar
✅ A strong commitment to turning exercise INTO a habit (not just a phase)
Article Link
📚 Ryan's Book Of The Week |
Remember when you used to do things just for fun? Not for productivity. Not for likes. Just because it made you feel alive? Yeah… let’s bring that back.
This week’s book is your permission slip to be curious, to try stuff, to make stuff — even if it’s a little weird. Especially if it’s weird.
💡 Why read it?
- Learn how creativity is secretly a wellness tool (no paint required).
- Ditch perfectionism and rediscover the joy of playing.
- Start creating again — just because you want to.
Whether it’s writing, doodling, rearranging your furniture, or baking oddly shaped cookies — this book helps you find your spark again.
🚀 If you loved today’s tips… imagine how much your best friend, workout buddy, or health-conscious coworker would, too. Forward them this email and make their day!
Until next time,
Ryan Lehman
Your guide to a balanced, healthy life
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