Caffeine and Adenosine Receptors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YOwEqGykDM

https://www.google.com/search?q=caffeine+and+adenosine+receptors&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1159US1159&oq=caffeine+and+ade&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgCEAAYgAQyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIHCAcQABiABDIJCAgQABgKGIAEMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDY5NzRqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8

I quit caffeine a couple of different times by carefully measuring my intake and reducing it by a tiny amount every week.  I was methodical about it, and my brain didn't notice the change from one week to the next.

That is currently my goal, but I'm in love with the boost I get in the morning from coffee.  I quickly go from groggy to fully alert.  Most Americans do the same thing.

When I wasn't consuming caffeine, just drinking liquid in the morning helped me get started.

Coffee is beneficial to health because of antioxidants, but we can get antioxidants from other sources.

Re: Cyclospora

On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 5:12 PM Grant  wrote:

Here in Utah, Taco Bell is highly suspect because they get their lettuce from Mexico.  

For a long time I liked to eat salads.  But lettuce doesn't keep very long and now I am highly suspicious of things like that.

I eat Roma tomatoes for the higher lycopene content.

I have concluded that a moderate amount of chips with salsa is healthy, and a good substitute for salads.  The high fiber is filling and helps with appetite. 

Tortilla chips are high in resistant starch, which is linked to some health benefits.

Google AI says...

Yes, lycopene is highly beneficial. It is a potent antioxidant found in red foods like tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit. It protects your cells from oxidative stress and is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, and strokes. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

For maximum benefit, consider these key details:

Better with fat: Lycopene is fat-soluble. Eating lycopene-rich foods with healthy fats (like cooking tomatoes in olive oil or eating them with avocado) boosts your body's absorption by up to 4.4 times. [1, 2, 3]
Better when cooked: Heating and processing tomatoes (e.g., in tomato paste, sauce, or salsa) actually makes lycopene more bioavailable than eating them raw. [1]

Yes, salsa contains lycopene. Because tomatoes are the primary ingredient in traditional red salsa, the condiment is packed with this powerful antioxidant. Lycopene is linked to reduced inflammation, better heart health, and a lower risk of certain cancers. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The bioavailability of lycopene actually improves when tomatoes are cooked, processed, or mixed with a little fat (like avocado), making this flavorful condiment an excellent way to boost your daily nutrient intake. [1, 2, 3]

Yes, resistant starch is highly beneficial. It bypasses small intestine digestion, reaching the colon intact to feed beneficial gut bacteria. This produces short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate) that improve gut health, stabilize blood sugar, increase satiety, and support heart health. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key benefits of resistant starch include:

Blood Sugar Control: Because it resists digestion, it does not cause blood sugar spikes. Some research indicates it can also increase insulin sensitivity. [1, 2]
Gut Health & Digestion: It acts as a prebiotic, nourishing your microbiome and protecting the lining of the colon, which may lower the risk of colorectal cancer. [1, 2]
Weight Management: By fueling the production of satiety hormones like GLP-1, it helps you feel full longer. [1]

You can naturally incorporate resistant starch into your diet by eating legumes, seeds, unripe (green) bananas, and whole grains. Additionally, cooking and subsequently cooling starchy carbohydrates (like rice, pasta, and potatoes) turns them into resistant starches. [1, 2]

Yes, corn tortillas contain resistant starch. The traditional process of making them—called nixtamalization, where corn is soaked in an alkaline lime solution—alters the starch and naturally increases resistant starch. [1, 2, 3]

You can boost the resistant starch content even further by cooking and cooling them (e.g., storing them in the fridge), which causes the starches to crystallize and become more resistant to digestion. For example, fresh corn tortillas might contain roughly 2.6 g of resistant starch, but this can increase to over 3.5 g after being chilled in the refrigerator. [1, 2, 3]

Cyclospora

“You can and should continue to eat fruits and vegetables, but you might want to take additional precautions depending on where you live,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety at Consumer Reports, who notes that so far, the majority of infections have been reported in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky. “If you’re in one of those states, I recommend avoiding eating lettuce and salad greens until we know more, but currently, there is no data to support avoiding fruits and vegetables generally.”

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/you-shouldnt-avoid-fruits-and-vegetables-due-to-cyclospora-a9570579349/

Scientists Create Indestructible Medicine

China Launches First CAR-T Therapy for Solid Tumours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0OoFApHLXc

Does Prevagen Really Work?

Reducing the Risk From Arsenic in Rice

Our team tested three cooking methods ... 

 

...adding rice to boiling water, cooking 5 minutes, and then draining the rice and cooking it in fresh water—known as the parboiling and absorption method..

...the parboiling and absorption method reduced the inorganic arsenic content in short- and long-grain brown and white rice by 50 and 58 percent, respectively. This could be a very effective strategy for families looking to reduce arsenic exposure while still eating rice. “In some cultures, people already prepare rice this way, and it appears to have a protective effect,”

Akinleye says. There is also data from other studies indicating that cooking rice like pasta and discarding the excess water can remove between 40 and 60 percent of the arsenic in rice, according to the FDA.

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/arsenic-in-rice-reducing-risk-a8972350937/

Based on this, I think that the boil-in-the-bag method might be the easiest and still helpful.

I haven't cooked rice for years.  However, I order Chinese food 2 to 4 times per month.

I own a small rice cooker that I haven't used.

Why We Can't "Cure" Cancer

Scientists discover a protein switch that burns fat and blocks new fat cells

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260624115324.htm 

It’s never too late to exercise

https://www.thegoan.net/global-goenkar/it%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%84%A2s-never-too-late-to-exercise/53125.html

Sugar Alcohols Ruined My Health

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5v61YtDYo4

@john2001plus
2 years ago
I didn't notice sugar-alcohols in very many products.  I have occasionally bought no-sugar-added mini-pies that contain sugar-alcohols.  They give me gas, but as long as I eat them in moderation, I am fine.  Too much can have a laxative effect.

Rank These Breakfast Foods

The Most Important Dementia Description You'll Ever Hear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIzulcF8nWo

Cutting all sugar from your diet may harm gut health, new study finds

https://www.foxnews.com/health/zero-sugar-problems-study-reveals-surprising-gut-health-effects

Why Gatorade is a Ripoff (Make This Instead)

Coffee

On Sat, Jun 13, 2026 at 12:35 AM NN  wrote:

Coffee is a mixed bag.  It nearly killed my brother, but I think he drank more than a cup a day.   Caffeine apparently contributed to my prostate problems.  i.e. caffeinated drinks feed the cancer cells, so I gave up Dr Pepper and Coke. Sugar contributes to some cancers, but my doctor said it appears to be irrelevant for prostate cancer.    

Recently there was a study that said that people age in spurts.

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/08/massive-biomolecular-shifts-occur-in-our-40s-and-60s--stanford-m.html

I recall the study saying that people don't process caffeine as well after age 60.  

I was drinking regular strength coffee, but I had a problem where my heart rate would stay high for hours.  I substituted 50% decaf and did better.

Coffee is a diuretic. It definitely affects me.  Like many people my age, I have to get up in the middle of the night to urinate.  If I limit myself to one large cup of 50% decaf then I have a better chance of making it through the night.

My plan is to lower my caffeine intake gradually, but I haven't done it yet.   I managed to quit caffeine this way a couple of different times.

Caffeine can be a slippery slope.  I always want more.

--

Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

The Grad Student Who Broke Microplastics Research

Scientists Create Gum That Kills 99.97% of Cancer-Causing Bacteria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRfuFTpldAk

Scientists Eliminate Pancreatic Tumours

The Lone Star Tick is TERRIFYING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ac-WM4KHws

My uncle has a hard time eating meat because of a tick.

The Key to Aging in Reverse

https://www.wfla.com/bloom-tampa-bay/the-key-to-aging-in-reverse/

The problem with this article is that it does not explain any of its terms, such as “hermetic,” nor does it support its claims with research.

It reads more like a checklist than a serious article.

I have heard these claims before, so they may have some merit. However, if it were really possible to reverse aging, it would be major news, and there would be substantial research to support it.

I've seen other articles on how to lengthen telomeres.  Longer telomeres could mean longer life.  Mostly it is about living a healthy lifestyle.  However, I plan to look into this more.

Cancer Mystery Solved: Scientists Discover How Melanoma Becomes “Immortal”

Every time a healthy cell divides, its telomeres become slightly shorter. Scientists often compare telomeres to the plastic tips on shoelaces because they help protect chromosomes from fraying or breaking apart.

Eventually, telomeres shrink to a critical length, triggering a process called replicative senescence. At that point, the cell can no longer divide. This natural limit acts as one of the body’s important defenses against cancer.

Tumors must bypass that barrier to survive.

Many cancers accomplish this by reactivating telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres and extends a cell’s lifespan. In melanoma, mutations in the TERT gene, which produces telomerase, are especially common. About 75% of melanoma tumors carry these mutations.

But there was a puzzle researchers could not explain.

https://scitechdaily.com/cancer-mystery-solved-scientists-discover-how-melanoma-becomes-immortal/

How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/nutrition-healthy-eating/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-a2065027197/

From the article I calculate that I should eat 5.67 ounces of protein per day.  I don't nornally read food labels for the protein content, but now I am curious.

The Most Impressive Anti-Aging Supplement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fauPpkI8Z18

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35975308/

I'm not saying that anyone should buy this, but I decided to order this product...

https://www.amazon.com/MYOXCIENCE-Glycine-Supreme-N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine-Combination/dp/B0BNSY4MRD?th=1

As always, I would like to see more research.

Google AI says the following...

GlyNAC (a combination of Glycine and N-acetylcysteine) is highly beneficial as a strategy for healthy aging, specifically by boosting natural glutathione levels. 

Research indicates that as people age, their ability to synthesize glutathione—the body's "master antioxidant"—declines. GlyNAC provides the necessary precursors to restore these levels, which in turn recharges cellular "batteries" (mitochondria) and combats oxidative stress. 

Key Health Benefits

Clinical trials and research studies highlight several specific areas of improvement:

• Brain Health & Cognition: Supplementation has been shown to reverse age-associated cognitive decline and support overall brain health in both human and animal models.
• Physical Strength & Mobility: Older adults taking GlyNAC experienced significant improvements in muscle strength, gait speed, and exercise capacity.
• Metabolic Health: Studies found GlyNAC reduces insulin resistance and improves mitochondrial fuel oxidation, which is particularly beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes or metabolic dysfunction.
• Cellular Protection: It reduces chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and genomic damage (DNA damage), which are key hallmarks of aging.
• Specific Conditions: Benefits have also been observed in patients with HIV, where it helped correct premature aging defects and improved quality of life. 

Comparison: GlyNAC vs. Glutathione

While one might assume taking glutathione directly is better, researchers often prefer GlyNAC because: 

• Bioavailability: Oral glutathione is often broken down in the stomach before it can be used.
• Synthesis: GlyNAC provides the specific building blocks (glycine and cysteine) needed for cells to produce their own glutathione according to demand. 

Dick Van Dyke, 99, names the two things to avoid to live a long life

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/mind-and-soul/dick-van-dyke-99-names-the-two-things-to-avoid-to-live-a-long-life/ar-AA1R92Sr

This article is 5 months old.  Dick Van Dyke is already 100.

Why Do Men Live Shorter Lives?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYTc3IVf0cc

Which Country Has The Most Unhealthiest Diet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuvXiCN1a_o

The Disaster I Never Imagined Having To Worry About

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksn5yrsC3Wg

I found this really interesting, but I assume that most people wouldn't want to watch the full 33 minute video.  

The bottom line is that the AIDS drug Ritonavir started crystallizing during production making it not useful. This is because chemicals can take different arrangements called polymorphs.  Once the process starts, it is impossible to stop because the crystals are self-replicating, and it is not simply a matter of cleaning or replacing all the equipment.

This process could affect many drugs we take.  One researcher made it happen with aspirin.

This problem has led to increased medical regulation requiring research on possible polymorphs.

Busting Nutrition Myths with Dr. Jessica Knurick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW7PIng-NdE&t=2113s

Massive biomolecular shifts occur in our 40s and 60s, Stanford Medicine researchers find

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/08/massive-biomolecular-shifts-occur-in-our-40s-and-60s--stanford-m.html

Scientific research suggests that aging is not a smooth, linear decline but rather a non-linear process characterized by "bursts" or "waves" of rapid molecular change. 

Major Aging "Bursts"

Recent studies focusing on molecular and protein shifts in the blood and organs have identified several critical threshold ages where biological changes significantly accelerate:

• Age 44: The first major transition point. It involves shifts in molecules related to the metabolism of lipids, alcohol, and caffeine. Changes here are also linked to cardiovascular health and decline in skin and muscle integrity.
• Age 60: A second peak marked by dramatic shifts in immune regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, and kidney function. This corresponds with a sharp rise in the risk for age-related diseases like cardiovascular issues and Type 2 diabetes.
• Age 78: Earlier research also identified a significant shift around this age, specifically related to "old age" biological markers, though some recent studies had cohorts too young to confirm this specific peak. 

Age	Primary Biological Changes
~44 Years	Lipid and alcohol metabolism; skin and muscle decline; cardiovascular markers.
~60 Years	Immune system regulation; carbohydrate metabolism; kidney function; sharp rise in disease risk.
~78 Years	Advanced proteomic changes typically associated with late-life biological aging.

Scientific Insights

• Non-linear Nature: For decades, aging was viewed as a gradual accumulation of cellular damage. New "multi-omics" profiling shows that protein levels in the blood stay constant for long periods before undergoing "sudden upward or downward shifts".
• Organ-Specific Aging: Different parts of the body do not age in sync. For example, the aorta (heart) and blood vessels may show accelerated aging signals as early as age 50, followed later by the pancreas and spleen.
• Shared Between Sexes: While a peak in the mid-40s was initially thought to be linked to menopause, researchers found that men experience similar dramatic molecular shifts at the same age, suggesting deeper biological drivers beyond hormonal changes.