1/ Healthy: Morning Breath and The Oral-Gut Axis
Our mouths are teeming with diverse bacteria, some friendly, some less so. During sleep, these microbes mingle, forming a sticky film called biofilm on our teeth and tongue. Saliva production decreases while you’re sleeping, preventing the biofilm particles from flushing down to your stomach. If you sleep with your mouth open, it gets even worse.
This biofilm is the culprit behind morning breath, but also a potential source of good bacteria for our gut. Here's why: There is a connection between your mouth and gut called the oral-gut axis that plays a key role in your health. Some friendly mouth bacteria, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, play a crucial role in our gut health to the point they can be supplemented. Think about it…your mouth is the gate way for almost everything that will be digested in your gut and then distributed throughout—or expelled from—your body.
How to deal with morning breath:
First thing in the morning, rinse your mouth for 20 seconds with lukewarm water.
Swallow
Perform usual mouth hygiene practice of brushing and flossing
Never use mouthwash…it removes good bacteria…and affects insulin response
Swallowing warm water in the morning can capture some of the biofilm, sending these beneficial bacteria down into the gut microbiome first thing in the morning. Early research suggests this may improve digestion, strengthen immune response, and even reduce inflammation.
2/ Wealthy: Professor Scott Galloway’s 2023 & 2024 Predictions
Renowned NYU Stern professor and marketing guru Scott Galloway isn't afraid to make bold claims about the future. Each year, he crafts prescient forecasts based on meticulous analysis of technology, economics, and culture. Galloway's unique talent lies not just in prediction, but in introspection. He holds himself accountable, revisiting past pronouncements with unflinching honesty. It’s a practice worth plagiarizing because it gives us a way to humble our logic and improve our intellect.
One prediction for 2024:
TikTok Comes for Netflix and Spotify
“Bar one door, and the wolf shows up at the next. We tend to focus on competition between similar products, i.e. Netflix vs. Disney, Spotify vs. Apple Music. But entertainment is one market, the market for attention, and one platform is ahead of everyone else in harvesting the commodity: TikTok. The Chinese (and it is Chinese) company had the most ascendant platform in history until OpenAI, and it remains the frame through which Western youth perceive the world. If the last sentence sounds like a description of an existential threat to democracy and liberal values, trust your instincts. 2024 is the year we’ll see TikTok take share from streamers.”
Go Deeper: the summary article and podcast.
3/ Wise: Art of Repair with Kintsugi
Kintsugi, the art of mending broken ceramics with gold, isn't just a repair technique, it's a living embodiment of Wabi-sabi – the ancient Japanese philosophy embracing the beauty of imperfection. Kintsugi celebrates cracks and fractures, transforming them into golden seams. Not merely patching up; it's a conscious elevation of the broken, showcasing the resilience and richness that emerge from the inevitable wear and tear.
“Wabi-sabi is exactly about the delicate balance between the pleasure we get from things and the pleasure we get from freedom of things.”
Wabi-sabi echoes this acceptance of the impermanent. Kintsugi, then, becomes the tangible realization of this philosophy. It doesn't hide the brokenness, but rather accentuates it, turning scars into stories. In embracing the broken, in mending it with gold, you not only restore function, but also add a deeper layer of story and meaning, echoing the Wabi-sabi philosophy: true beauty lies in the acceptance of our imperfect, ever-changing selves.
Stay healthy, wealthy, and wise.
With warmth,
Fernando R.F.
(Note: This blog is not written by a medical or financial professional. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. They can provide personalized guidance tailored to your individual needs. It is important to do your own research and determine the best course of action together with an expert.)
Go Deeper:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908950/#:~:text=Bifidobacteria%20naturally%20occur%20in%20a,the%20insect%20gut%20and%20sewage.
http://leonardkoren.com/