Christina Applegate, 54, shared her first new video since a nearly four‑month hospital stay, showing off a fresh blonde hair color and a warm message to fansYahoo+1.
Christina Applegate Returns to Social Media After Months in Hospital
Christina Applegate says she’s “getting stronger and better every day” after her recent hospitalization. “Thank you for the outpouring of love and well wishes,” she wrote in Instagram caption on Monday. “Health issues are a constant for me, but I’m a strong chick and I’m getting stronger and better every day. I’m taking a moment to focus on my health, but I’ll be back with more to say soon enough.
The update
On September 21, 2026, Applegate posted a short Instagram video in which she smiles, poses with her hands in her pockets, and jokes about a “fresh hair color” and a “new weird spot on my cheek” Yahoo+1.
She thanked hairstylist David Stanwell for “brightening up my cloudy day” and closed with, “Love you and love to you all out there” Yahoo.
The post marked her first video update since leaving the hospital in August KTLA+1.
Hospitalization and recovery
Applegate was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital in late March amid her ongoing battle with multiple sclerosis (MS), which she first announced in 2021 Yahoo+1.
Reports in April and August confirmed she was discharged after about four months, with her representative noting she has “a long history of complicated medical conditions” Yahoo+1.
She returned home on August 4, sharing a photo of a “you’re home” sign her daughter made for her Yahoo+1.
Public and family support
Her Instagram post drew supportive comments from celebrities including Henry Winkler, Robin Antin, Kim Fields, and Jennie Garth KTLA. Fans flooded the comments with messages of encouragement, praising her resilience and beauty KTLA+1.
Family support was also highlighted, with her daughter Sadie Grace LeNoble reportedly creating a welcome‑home display TheMix.net.
Previous health updates
In April, Applegate told fans, “Health issues are a constant for me, but I’m a strong chick and I’m getting stronger and better every day… I’ll be back with more to say soon enough” Yahoo+1.
She has been open about the physical and emotional toll of MS, chronic pain, and other health challenges, often discussing them on her MeSsy podcast with co-host Jamie‑Lynn Sigler, who also has MS Yahoo+1.
In short: Christina Applegate is back online, sharing a lighthearted, personal glimpse of her life after a long hospital stay, and expressing gratitude to fans and family as she continues to navigate her health journey Yahoo+2.
Christina Applegate has resurfaced on social media after a lengthy hospital stay to show off her lovely locks. In a reel posted to Instagram, The Emmy-winning actor, 54, showed off her fresh do, with a blond blowout and layers that framed her smiling face.
“Fresh hair color, new weird spot on my cheek haha,” she wrote alongside the video. She continued thanking celebity hairstylist David Stanwell for brightening up her “cloudy day.”
Applegate has used self-deprecating humor in recent years when addressing her battle with multiple sclerosis, which she was diagnosed with in 2021. Earlier this year, she spent months in the hospital due to the disease. In August, a source close to Applegate told The Times that “all is well” after Applegate was reportedly discharged and back at home.
I started to learn how to sketch. I’m not good at all but I love trying.
I strongly suggest getting a charcoal pencil kit and good strong paper and just have “you” time. It’s such a peaceful thing to do. Quiet and alone. Just you and the pencil. Open the windows. Listen to the birds and fade into art.
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease that causes the protective covering of nerves to breakdown, which can lead to numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms, per the Mayo Clinic. Eventually, MS can cause permanent damage to the nerve fibers, and symptoms vary from person to person, depending on the location and severity of the damage in the nervous system.
There is no cure, but there are treatments to help mitigate symptoms. The “Dead to Me” and “Married With Children” star wrote her nearly 300-page book, “You With the Sad Eyes,” to help others not feel so alone, she told The Times in March.
In it, the actor revisited the personal journals she’s kept since she was 13 and examines painful points throughout her life, “an absent father, a chaotic home life, sexual abuse she experienced as a child, body image struggles, an abusive boyfriend,” all before reaching her life-altering MS diagnosis.
She added, “I’m taking a moment to focus on my health, but I’ll be back with more to say soon enough.”
Applegate revealed on her “MeSsy” podcast last year that she’s been hospitalized upwards of 30 times due to her MS symptoms.
“For three years, since I was diagnosed, I’ve been in the hospital upwards of 30 times from throwing up and diarrhea and pain,” she said. “That is unimaginable, OK? They’ve done every test known to man on me, put so much radiation into my body from CT scans to everything else.”
“One of the things with MS is that it slows down our organs, you know, not like completely, but there is a slowing of the function of your organs. I have noticed that — and I’m going to be really honest — if I have to poop, I puke.”
“My neuro doesn’t — God bless her — says that’s not an MS thing,” Applegate added. “So, I’m sorry, there’s got to be a correlation here, and I’m not a doctor. I’m not giving medical advice. I’m just saying, just think about that, OK? Because I’m in the middle of the same exact situation, and it f—— sucks, and it’s scary.”
The “Dead to Me” actress — who recently became a best-selling author with her memoir, “You With the Sad Eyes” — recently admitted that her diagnosis often impacted her ability to parent her 15-year-old daughter Sadie.
“I want to take her [to school and activities]; it’s my favorite thing to do,” Applegate told People magazine. “It’s the only time we have together by ourselves. I tell myself, ‘Just get her there safely and get home so you can get back into bed.’ And that’s what I do.”
Because of limitations, Applegate said she feels more free to be unapologetically herself.
“My life isn’t wrapped up with a bow,” she said. “People’s lives, sorry for lack of a better term, f—ing suck sometimes. So I’m being as honest and raw as I possibly can.”
Health issues are a constant for me, but I’m a strong chick and I’m getting stronger and better every day. I’m taking a moment to focus on my health, but I’ll be back with more to say soon enough.
Thank you for the outpouring of love and well wishes.
Susan Young Browne – Search Videos born on April 24, 1918, in Lincoln, Delaware the 10th of 12 children to George and Susie Brown, Susan grew up in rural Delaware during the segregated education era, attended a one-room schoolhouse, and later graduated in 1945 – with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from what is now Delaware State University farmcountrytoday.com+2.
According to multiple reputable sources, including Delaware State University’s honors program and local news coverage, Mrs. Browne celebrated her 108th birthday on May 2, 2026, at a gathering in Dover, Delaware farmcountrytoday.com+1. She is recognized as the oldest living alumna of Delaware State University and the oldest living resident of Dover farmcountrytoday.com+1.
Her life story and longevity have been widely honored for her role as a “living bridge across generations” and her continued active lifestyle into her late 100s farmcountrytoday.com+1.
She lives independently in her own house in Dover, Delaware, Lives on Her Own Has 5 Simple Tips for a Long Life. She exercises every day and prizes her independence. “I take care of myself,” she says. “I read romance novels and enjoys dancing and socializing.”
Who Still Drives a Car and likes to drive her blue Subaru everywhere she needs to go. The centenarian has been driving for more than 80 years and just renewed her driver’s license until 2033, when she would be 115.
“In order for me to go to the store, I have to drive,” Browne tells TODAY.com. “Anywhere I want to go, I have to drive. … I’m an experienced driver. I try to be very careful.”
Browne had a huge 108th birthday party earlier this year with guests that included the governor of Delaware. Her son, Jim Young, 83, calls her “amazing” and strong. Her daughter, Lynnette Overby, 75, says she’s “quite something, and now she’s quite famous.” It seemed a world away from the farm where she was born on April 24, 1918, in Lincoln, Delaware.
She, her parents and nine siblings lived in a house that had no electricity or running water. Browne went to a segregated elementary school, where she admired her teacher and also became determined to become one herself. “One of the most important things that I had in mind was to get an education and be a teacher,” she said in an interview about her life.
There were no free high schools for Black students in the area at the time, so the family had to pay to send her to Delaware State College High School, Overby says.
Browne went on to attend Delaware State University, graduating in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She’s DSU’s oldest living alumna.
The centenarian worked as a teacher for 30 years, starting in a one-room schoolhouse. She also helped her first husband run a bus business. Browne retired in 1977. She’s lived in her house for more than 70 years.
“I don’t know why I’m living so long. I’m just trying to take care of myself,” Browne says. Here is what to know about the centenarian and her tips for living a long life:
Keep Moving
Browne credits regular exercise as a big factor in her longevity. She starts every morning by getting on the floor and doing a 10-minute stretching, strengthening and balancing routine.
“Then I get up and stand against the wall and exercise my legs. I make sure my legs are exercised,” she says. “I can move better than he,” the centenarian confirms teasingly. “She does things I can’t do,” her son notes.
The exercises work — she walks without the need for a cane or a walker.
Browne also does chair dancing at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, a gathering place for older adults where she drives herself three days a week.
Eat Healthy Food
The centenarian lists chicken and fruit as some of her favorite foods. She eats an apple most every day — a famously nutritious fruit that delivers fiber, and comes with benefits for heart health, diabetes, cancer, gut health, weight loss and inflammation.
She also enjoys peaches and blueberries — a dietitian’s pick for the healthiest berries.
The formula works. At 108, Browne only takes one medication, a pill to control her blood pressure, Overby says. Longevity runs in her family — one of her sisters lived to be 103.
Be Independent
Browne was married twice and had no desire to remarry after her second husband passed away. “That’s right. I am not taking care of another man,” she says.
“I decided when I was left alone that I didn’t need anybody to take care of me, I take care of myself. So, in order to live a healthy life, you have to make up your own mind.”
Driving her car and living in her own home are important aspects of her self-reliance. “She very, very much wants to maintain her independence as long as she can,” Overby notes.
Keep Your Mind Busy
The centenarian likes to read, including romance novels. She also enjoys doing puzzles and word games, her son notes.
Browne continues to be active in the community — she goes to church, socializes at the Modern Maturity Center, and meets with members of her sorority, her daughter adds. She’s a life member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Pi Chapter.
Adopting consistent, research-backed lifestyle habits—covering diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and social connection—can significantly enhance both lifespan and healthspan.
Nutrition and Diet
Eating a nutrient-dense, plant-focused diet is strongly linked to longevity. Diets like the Mediterranean or Okinawan diet emphasize vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats while limiting processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats, which helps reduce chronic disease risk and supports cellular health Healthline+1.
Maintaining a healthy weight and staying hydrated (2.7–3.7 liters of water daily) also supports organ function and slows biological aging fountainlife.com.
Physical Activity
Regular exercise is crucial for cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and metabolic function. Aim for 450–750 minutes of moderate activity per week, including aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility work fountainlife.com. Reducing sedentary behavior and incorporating movement throughout the day improves overall longevity and quality of life Healthline.
Sleep and Recovery
Quality sleep of 7–9 hours per night enhances cognitive and physical recovery, supports immune function, and reduces inflammation fountainlife.com. Establishing a consistent sleep schedule and creating a restful environment are key strategies.
Stress Management and Mental Health
Chronic stress accelerates aging and increases disease risk. Practices like mindfulness, journaling, meditation, and deep breathing can lower inflammation and oxidative stress fountainlife.com.
Cultivating optimism, gratitude, and happiness also supports immune function and emotional resilience fountainlife.com.
Social Connection
Strong social relationships are linked to longer, healthier lives. Engaging with family, friends, and community provides emotional support, reduces stress, and encourages healthy behaviors wellnesspulse.com+1.
Preventive Health and Consistency
Regular health check-ups, screenings, and preventive care help detect and manage conditions early, extending healthspan wellnesspulse.com. Experts emphasize that small, sustainable changes maintained over time are more effective than drastic, short-term interventions wellnesspulse.com+1. Observing habits from Blue Zones, regions with the longest-living populations, shows that consistent lifestyle patterns, rather than extreme measures, are key to longevity wellnesspulse.com.
Practical Tips for Habit Formation
Start small: Introduce one habit at a time to ensure sustainability.
Set clear goals: Use measurable targets for diet, exercise, and sleep.
Track progress: Journaling or apps can reinforce consistency.
Create routines: Anchor new habits to existing daily activities.
Seek support: Engage friends, family, or communities for accountability. By integrating these habits into daily life, individuals can increase both lifespan and healthspan, enjoying more years of vitality, independence, and well-being wellnesspulse.com+3.
108-Year-Old Centenarian Still Driving and Living Independently
Susan Young Browne, 108, renewed her driver’s license until 2033, continues to live alone, and credits daily exercise, a clean diet, and independence for her longevityToday+2.
Who She Is
Born April 24, 1918, in Lincoln, Delaware, Browne grew up on a farm without running water or electricity, attended a segregated elementary school, and later paid to attend Delaware State College High School because local high schools did not admit Black students at the time Today+1. She graduated from Delaware State University in 1945, became the school’s oldest living alumna, and taught elementary school for 30 years, starting in a one-room schoolhouse Today+1.
Current Life
Now 108, Browne drives her blue Subaru everywhere she needs to go, having been behind the wheel for over 80 years Today+1. She lives in the same house for more than 70 years, handles her own daily affairs, and values her independence. She recently celebrated her 108th birthday with over 130 guests, including Delaware’s governor Only Good News Daily+1.
Health and Longevity Habits
Browne credits five key principles for her health NewsBreak+1:
Move Every Day – She starts each morning with 10 minutes of stretching, strength, and balance exercises, then does wall-based leg workouts Today+1. She also attends chair dancing classes three times a week cristinaiglesias.com.
Eat Clean – Her diet focuses on chicken, fresh fruit (apples, peaches, blueberries), and black coffee. She avoids alcohol, fried foods, and sugar except for occasional homemade 7UP cake NewsBreak+1.
Stay Independent – She refuses assistance with daily tasks, saying, “I take care of myself” Today+1.
Stay Social – She enjoys reading romance novels, doing puzzles, attending church, and sorority meetings NewsBreak.
Mindset – She believes making her own decisions and staying active in life are essential to longevity NewsBreak.
Legacy
Browne’s story is a testament to resilience, self-reliance, and the power of consistent, healthy habits. At 108, she continues to drive, live independently, and share her “keep moving” philosophy with the world Today+2.
Born in 1918, she was in Delaware during Segregation where she worked on a farm with her family – without water or electricity. Browne would eventually attend Delaware State College for Colored Students, today known as Delaware State University, and graduated in 1945. She then taught in a one-room schoolhouse, followed by other schools, for three decades.
Now 108 years old, Susan Young Browne works out three times a week, drives herself around town and starts every morning with an exercise routine she’s followed for decades. “When I get up in the morning, I have an exercise routine that I’ve been doing for the last 20 years,” she told CBS News. “When I retired – and I walked around that classroom for 30 years – I am not going to sit down.”
On the morning of her birthday, she went for a workout class. “You are the spotlight,” classmates cheered as Browne walked into the Modern Maturity Center – a place she’s been regularly attending since 1973. She was one of the center’s first members.
130 people attended her 108th birthday party, including Delaware’s Governor Matt Meyer. Best of all, she was courteously provided a parking spot right in front of the building. That’s important, because – as Browne told those assembled to celebrate her life – the state had just reissued her driver’s license until 2033. “OK, see you later,” Browne said before pulling away behind the wheel once again.
“I grow old gracefully,” said Susan Young Browne, who just received permission to keep driving until the age of 115.
That’s a testament to Browne’s enduring aptitude (and attitude) for life; having recently celebrated her 108th Birthday in Dover, Delaware.
Browne was in Delaware in 1918 during Segregation where she worked on a farm with her family—sans water or electricity. She would eventually attend Delaware State College for Colored Students, today known as Delaware State University, and graduate in 1945, going on to teach in a one-room schoolhouse (and elsewhere) for 30 years.
Married twice, she enjoys the company of a clan of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Louisiana’s Unique Status: No Counties, Civil Law Tradition
There is a place in my country where you could die at any second if the natural disasters don’t kill you the animals will if the animals don’t kill you the roads will if the roads don’t do it the ocean will if you make one wrong turn if you’re out of gas you’ll get stuck in the middle of nowhere where nobody can hear you scream if you move you’re dead, if you don’t stop moving you’re still dead no matter what you do no matter how comfortable you get here you are always just kind of surviving but what’s even crazier than all of that is the insanely difficult multi-layered structured way that this place ad ministers itself this is the most beautiful but the most deadly and confusing place in America.
Alaska may look like a remote wilderness, but beneath the surface lies one of the strangest and most complex systems in America. This video explores the hidden “Native Corporation Map” that controls millions of acres across the state, why Alaska has more airports than any other U.S. state, and how entire communities survive in places with almost no roads. From avalanches and whiteout blizzards to isolated villages and secret land divisions, Alaska feels less like a state — and more like a world of its own.
Louisiana is not the only U.S. state without counties — Alaska is the other, using boroughs instead StudyCountry.com+1. However, Louisiana is indeed the only state whose political subdivisions are called parishes rather than counties, and it is also one of the few states that retains a Napoleonic civil law system alongside its English common law heritage StudyCountry.com.
Why No Counties in Louisiana?
Louisiana’s parish system dates back to its French and Spanish colonial periods (1699–1801). Under both regimes, the territory was officially Roman Catholic, and church parishes served as both religious and administrative units StudyCountry.com+2. The boundaries of these ecclesiastical parishes were adopted as civil divisions, and in 1807 the territorial legislature formally replaced the term “county” with “parish” StudyCountry.com+1. This tradition continued after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the state’s admission in 1812 Yahoo. Today, Louisiana is divided into 64 parishesYahoo.
Civil Law vs. Common Law
Louisiana’s legal system is unique in the U.S. because it is based on the Napoleonic Civil Code (Code Napoléon) for matters like contracts, property, and family law, while still using English common law for other areas StudyCountry.com. This dual system reflects its French colonial past and the influence of the Napoleonic Code, which was adopted in the 19th century. Most other U.S. states operate solely under common law traditions.
Summary
No counties: Louisiana uses parishes; Alaska uses boroughs StudyCountry.com+1.
Civil law: Louisiana applies Napoleonic civil law in many areas, unlike most U.S. states StudyCountry.com.
Historical roots: French/Spanish colonial governance, Catholic parish system, and 1807 legislative adoption of “parish” StudyCountry.com+1.
So, while Louisiana is the only state with parishes instead of counties, it is also one of the few U.S. states with a Napoleonic civil law system, making it legally and administratively distinct from the rest.
Acadiana is the name given to the traditional twenty-two parish Cajun homeland, which in 1971 the Louisiana state legislature officially recognized for its unique Cajun and Acadian heritage (per House of Representatives Concurrent Resolution No. 496). It stretches from just west of New Orleans to the Texas border along the Gulf of Mexico coast, and about 100 miles inland to Marksville.
This includes the following 22 parishes: Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Pointe Coupee, St. Charles, St. James, St. John The Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion, and West Baton Rouge. The cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans are NOT considered a part of Acadiana. Read more about the Acadiana Legislative Delegation and the location of Acadiana
The name “Acadiana” often is applied only to Lafayette Parish and several neighboring parishes, usually Acadia, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion parishes, and sometimes also Evangeline and St. Mary; this eight-parish area, however, is actually the “Cajun Heartland, USA” district, which makes up only about a third of the entire Acadiana region. Travel to the Acadiana region in South Louisiana, Cajun Country, culture, food, geography, parishes, cities and towns
Genetic studies show that Cajun DNA is overwhelmingly French in origin, clustering closest to Acadian and French regional populations such as Normandy, Poitou‑Charentes, and Île‑de‑France.
Cajuns descend mainly from Acadian exiles, French-speaking settlers from western and northwestern France who were expelled from Nova Scotia in 1755 and later settled in Louisiana. nsgc.org
Historical records show that 65% of Acadian founders came from the Loudunais area of Poitou, Aunis, and Saintonge, with additional origins in Normandy and Brittany. exploreyourdna.com
Genetic Evidence
Modern autosomal DNA analyses show:
Cajun samples cluster directly with French regional populations (Normandy, Poitou‑Charentes, Picardy, Île‑de‑France).
Genetic distances between Cajuns and French populations are as small as distances between two French regions, indicating strong French continuity. exploreyourdna.com
The closest modern genetic match to Cajuns is Acadian, confirming their French founder ancestry. worldgenetics.app
Admixture Levels
Indigenous American admixture is very small (typically <2%), often 0% in individuals.
Iberian or other European admixture appears only in specific families.
Some Cajun families also show contributions from Spanish, German, Irish, and Creole lineages, but these do not outweigh the dominant French genetic base. openedition.org
Cultural vs. Genetic Identity
Cajun culture is mixed—French, Acadian, Spanish, Irish, African, and Creole influences—but genetically the population remains predominantly French.
Cajuns often emphasize Acadian ancestry as a core identity marker. openedition.org
Cancer Alley is the regional nickname given to an 184-mile (296 km) stretch of land along the Mississippi River between the Baton Rouge metropolitan area and the Gulf of Mexico, in the River Parishes of Louisiana, which contains over 350 industrial facilities that emit significant amounts of air pollution[1]. Cancer Alley houses the largest concentration of fossil fuel and petrochemical plants and refineries in the Western Hemisphere.[2] As of 2025, this area accounted for 25% of the petrochemical production in the United States.[3]
Environmentalists consider the region a sacrifice zone, which is an area where pollution levels are so significant that they pose considerable dangers to the people who live there, and these people are often marginalized and under-resourced.[4] The pollution generated by the high density of petrochemical facilities in Cancer Alley has resulted in a local risk of cancer that is 47 times greater than the acceptable threshold set by the U.S. government.[4] The extent of the health risk in this region has been described as being in violation of human rights.[4]
The concentration of industrial petrochemical refineries in predominately African American communities places these groups disproportionately in harm’s way, as decisions about land use are often beyond their control.[4] Lack of government action has inspired community leaders such as Sharon Lavigne to lead the charge in protesting the expansion of the petrochemical industry in Cancer Alley, as well as address the associated racial and economic disparities.[5] Cancer Alley has been the focus of environmental justice advocates dating as far back as the 1990s, and continues to serve as a landmark example of the systemic failings that perpetuate environmental injustices.[4]Cancer Alley – Wikipedia
Louisiana’s bayous are shrinking a football field every 100 minutes due to a mix of sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, hurricanes, and human infrastructure like levees, dredging, and canals Dartmouth Library. These changes are reshaping both the landscapes and the communities that depend on them.
Key Towns and Communities
Inside Louisiana’s Disappearing Bayous andDulac, LaRose, and Leeville – Featured in RocaNews’ Inside Louisiana’s Most Remote Bayous, these small, water‑bound communities are among the most isolated in southern Louisiana. Dulac and LaRose are known for their boat‑based lifestyles, while Leeville’s “end of the road” feel is tied to its deep marsh setting. These towns are directly affected by marsh loss, which impacts fishing, trapping, and local economies YouTube.
Jeanerette, Pierre Part, and New Iberia – In Inside Louisiana’s French‑Speaking Swamp Towns, these Cajun communities preserve a unique French dialect and cultural traditions. Jeanerette and Pierre Part are deep in the bayous, with daily life tied to the water, while New Iberia sits at a cultural crossroads. These areas face both environmental loss and linguistic erosion, as fewer young people speak traditional Cajun French YouTube.
Berwick and Morgan City – In the Atchafalaya Basin, Berwick is a quiet fishing town where crabbing, catfishing, and crawfish trapping are livelihoods DecorHint. Morgan City, by contrast, is more industrially active, with shrimp boats, tugboats, and the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, but still relies on the basin’s waterways.
Cultural and Environmental Impact
The loss of marshland is not just a physical change — it’s also a cultural one. As seen in Preserving Louisiana French, the disappearance of wetlands erases centuries‑old ecological knowledge, navigation skills, and language news-usa.today. Many elders remain fluent in Cajun French, but younger generations are increasingly disconnected from these traditions.
Efforts to Protect and Restore
Projects like coastline recovery and sediment diversion aim to slow land loss YouTube+1. Photographer Virginia Beahan’s Disappearing archive documents these changes visually, highlighting the beauty and value of the wetlands worth protecting Dartmouth Library.
In short: Louisiana’s disappearing bayous are home to towns like Dulac, LaRose, Leeville, Jeanerette, Pierre Part, New Iberia, Berwick, and Morgan City — each a blend of water‑dependent livelihoods, deep cultural heritage, and vulnerability to environmental change. BONUS: Inside America’s capital of despair – Search
Top BBQ Cities and Highlights
1. Austin, Texas Austin is renowned for its Central Texas-style brisket and diverse BBQ scene, featuring Michelin-starred spots like Leroy and Lewis Barbecue and InterStellar BBQ, as well as the legendary Franklin Barbecue, famous for long lines and tender smoked meats. The city blends traditional BBQ with inventive twists, including lamb tacos and mac-and-gouda dishes, making it a must-visit for enthusiasts LawnStarter+2. 2. Kansas City, Missouri Known as the Barbecue Capital of the World, Kansas City is celebrated for its sweet and tangy sauces, slow-cooked meats, and burnt ends. Iconic spots like Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que and Green Street Smoked Meats showcase decades of BBQ tradition. The city also hosts major events like the American Royal and World Series of Barbecue Sauce Contest Wide Open Country+1. 3. Memphis, Tennessee Memphis specializes in pork ribs and pulled pork, often served with a tangy tomato-based sauce. Famous establishments include Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, Q39, and Pinkerton’s Barbecue, which have earned accolades from Michelin inspectors and competitive BBQ contests. Memphis also hosts the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, attracting pitmasters worldwide LawnStarter+1. 4. Dallas, Texas Dallas offers a vibrant BBQ culture blending Texas tradition with modern innovation, featuring tender brisket, ribs, and regional specialties. Notable spots include Bludso’s BBQ and Truth Barbeque, where chefs have earned James Beard Awards and Michelin recognition. The city’s BBQ scene is known for both classic and experimental flavors LawnStarter+1. 5. St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis BBQ emphasizes pork, especially ribs, often grilled with a sweet, sticky sauce. The city’s smokehouses provide a distinct style compared to Kansas City, with a focus on pork-centric dishes and local culinary traditions Wide Open Country.
Barbecue Culture and Cancer Rates: What the Data Shows
There is no evidence that barbecue consumption directly causes lower cancer rates in the South or Midwest, and the claim that Eastern states BBQ less and therefore have lower cancer rates is not supported by the available data.
Cancer rate patterns
According to the latest CDC-based rankings, cancer incidence varies widely by state — for example, in 2023 Kentucky had 530.5 new cases per 100,000 people, while California had 420.6 World Population Review. States in the South and Midwest, such as Missouri (471.9), Iowa (511.9), and Ohio (478.5), do not have uniformly lower rates than Eastern states like New York (483.0) or Pennsylvania (461.3). The variation is due to a mix of lifestyle factors (smoking, obesity, alcohol use), environmental exposures, genetics, and healthcare access, not barbecue consumption World Population Review.
Barbecue culture in the U.S.
Barbecue is most strongly associated with the Southern United States and parts of the Midwest, but it is also popular in many other regions Wikipedia+1. Historical and cultural studies show that barbecue styles evolved from local meats, available woods, and migration patterns — for example, pork dominates in the Southeast, beef in Texas, and mixed styles in the Midwest Barbecue Bros. This cultural tradition is widespread and not limited to the South.
No causal link to cancer rates
There is no scientific evidence that eating barbecue less often reduces cancer risk in a way that explains regional differences. While some cancers (like certain digestive cancers) may be linked to diet, barbecue itself is not a proven cause or protective factor for overall cancer incidence. The CDC and other health agencies attribute cancer rate differences to multiple, complex factors, not to specific food traditions World Population Review.
Bottom line
Eastern states do not have lower cancer rates solely because they BBQ less — the data shows mixed patterns and no clear correlation.
Barbecue is a cultural tradition with regional variations, not a health indicator.
Cancer rates are influenced by many factors beyond barbecue consumption, and no study supports the claim that BBQ habits explain these differences.
If you want to understand cancer rate differences, the most reliable approach is to look at public health data, lifestyle statistics, smoking rates and environmental factors, rather than culinary traditions.
Based on the latest CDC and national data, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Louisiana have the highest cancer incidence rates, while Kentucky also leads in cancer death rates.
These rates are well above the U.S. average of about 455 per 100,000 The Mesothelioma Center. Kentucky also has the highest rates for several specific cancers, including lung, colon, and pancreatic The Mesothelioma Center.
Highest Cancer Mortality Rates (2024, age‑adjusted deaths per 100,000) CDC+1
These are deaths from cancer:
Kentucky – 175.6
West Virginia – 175.1
Oklahoma – 172.4
Mississippi – 167.8
Tennessee – 165.1
Louisiana – 158.3
Arkansas – 161.7
Indiana – 156.4
Missouri – 159.7
South Carolina – 151.9
Kentucky’s top ranking in both incidence and mortality reflects a combination of high smoking rates, obesity, limited access to preventive care, and socioeconomic factors The Mesothelioma Center.
Why Rates Differ by State
CDC data show that risk factors such as tobacco use, obesity, alcohol consumption, and healthcare access vary widely by state, influencing cancer rates World Population Review+1. Appalachian states often have higher rates due to lower preventive care access and higher smoking prevalence, while some Midwestern states have older populations and more aggressive screening, which can increase detected cases The Mesothelioma Center.
In summary:
Worst for new cases: Kentucky, West Virginia, Louisiana
Worst for deaths: Kentucky, West Virginia, Oklahoma These rankings are based on the most recent official CDC data and national analyses World Population Review+2.
When six couples embark on a plastic detox within their homes, it changes their families forever. This eye-opening documentary explains what microplastics and their chemicals are doing to our health and how we can take matters into our own hands.
From hormone disruption that’s fueling a worldwide fertility crisis, to growing rates of cancer, and early heart attack and stroke, this powerful documentary reveals the shocking science behind plastic’s impact on human life.
Counting as a Coping Tool for Anxiety, Confusion, or Overstimulation
Counting can be a simple, grounding technique that helps regulate the nervous system when someone feels anxious, confused, or overstimulated.
It works by shifting focus from overwhelming internal or external stimuli to a structured, repetitive task, which can calm the brain and body.
Why counting helps
When you are overstimulated, your brain may be receiving more sensory or cognitive input than it can process, triggering a stress or “fight, flight, freeze” response BetterHelp+1.
This can lead to racing thoughts, difficulty focusing, or a sense of panic BetterHelp+1.
Counting:
Engages the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s control center) with a focused, sequential task, which can reduce mental clutter neurolaunch.com.
Slows breathing and heart rate if done slowly, activating the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) system www.acibademhealthpoint.com.
Provides a predictable, low-demand activity that can break the cycle of anxiety and confusion Medical News Today.
How to use counting effectively
Choose a method
Slow counting: Count aloud from 1 to 10 (or 20) in a steady, slow pace.
Reverse counting: Count down from 10 to 1.
Object counting: Count items in your environment (e.g., “How many chairs are there?”).
Breath-linked counting: Inhale and exhale while counting each breath.
Keep it simple Use a small range (1–10) so it’s easy to follow and not mentally taxing.
Anchor your focus If your mind wanders, gently return to the count without judgment.
Use it in the moment Try it when you feel overwhelmed, in a crowded place, or when your thoughts feel chaotic.
When to seek further help
If counting alone doesn’t reduce distress, or if overstimulation, anxiety, or confusion are frequent and interfere with daily life, consider professional support such as therapy or counseling BetterHelp+1.
These can help identify triggers, build coping skills, and address underlying conditions.
In short: Counting is a quick, accessible grounding tool that can help you regain control when your brain is overloaded. It works best when paired with slow, mindful breathing and a focus on the present moment www.acibademhealthpoint.com.
If a person unavoidably experiences a negative stressor, they may have a stress response that can affect their physical and mental health. This can also happen if stress becomes chronic.
A person’s body can normally effectively manage short-term stress. However, stress may become chronic if stressors are overwhelmingTrusted Source and remain unresolved. Chronic stress can keep cortisol levels high.
Cortisol is a hormone that affectsTrusted Source several parts of the body. It helps to regulate the body’s response to stress. Long-term exposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can lead to several complications, includingTrusted Source anxiety.
Counting numbers in dementia is usually an automatic, deeply rooted habit rather than a sign that the logical side of the brain is functioning well. [1]
Why Counting Happens
Early habit: Counting is an automatic skill learned early in life that remains stored in the brain.
Self-soothing: A person may count to cope with anxiety, confusion, or overstimulation.
Routine memory: Former work tasks, like bookkeeping or retail, can trigger repetitive numerical loops. [1]
How Dementia Affects Logic
The logic gap: Dementia damages areas responsible for reasoning, making logic and correction ineffective during confusion.
Emotion over reason: The emotional brain stays active longer than the logical prefrontal cortex, meaning feelings drive behavior more than facts do.
Trying to correct: Arguing or using logic often increases frustration or distress instead of helping. [1, 2, 3, 4]
What Caregivers Can Do
Focus on feelings: Pay attention to the underlying emotion, such as fear or boredom, rather than the act of counting.
Stay calm: Respond with a gentle voice and a reassuring touch.
Redirect the action: Turn the repetitive movement into a simple, engaging task. [1]
Would you like ideas on how to gently redirect repetitive behaviors, or information on stages of communication changes?
Causes The main cause of behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer’s and other progressive dementias is the deterioration of brain cells which causes a decline in the individual’s ability to make sense of the world. In the case of repetition, the person may not remember that she or he has just asked a question or completed a task. Environmental influences also can cause symptoms or make them worse. People with dementia who ask questions repeatedly may be trying to express a specific concern, ask for help, or cope with frustration, anxiety or insecurity. Because people with Alzheimer’s gradually lose the ability to communicate, it’s important to regularly monitor their comfort and anticipate their needs. Learn more: Communication Tips, Behaviors Brochure How to respond
Look for a reason behind the repetition. Does the repetition occur around certain people or surroundings, or at a certain time of day?
Is the person trying to communicate something? Focus on the emotion, not the behavior. Rather than reacting to what the person is doing, think about how he or she is feeling. Turn the action or behavior into an activity. If the person is rubbing his or her hand across the table, provide a cloth and ask for help with dusting. Stay calm, and be patient. Reassure the person with a calm voice and gentle touch. Don’t argue or try to use logic; Alzheimer’s affects memory, and the person may not remember he/she asked the question already.
Provide an answer. Give the person the answer that he or she is looking for, even if you have to repeat it several times. If the person with dementia is still able to read and comprehend, it may help to write it down and post it in a prominent location.
Engage the person in an activity. The individual may simply be bored and need something to do. Provide structure and engage the person in a pleasant activity. Use memory aids. If the person asks the same questions over and over again, offer reminders by using notes, clocks, calendars or photographs, if these items are still meaningful. Accept the behavior, and work with it. If it isn’t harmful, don’t worry about it.
Find ways to work with it. Share your experience with others. Join ALZConnected, our online support community and message boards, and share what response strategies have worked for you and get more ideas from other caregivers
Why Logic Stops WorkingDementia affects the frontal and parietal lobes, which support self-awareness, abstract thinking, and the ability to evaluate new information scienceinsights.org.
This can lead to:
Memory loss — the person may not recall or store the facts you’re trying to share Comfort Keepers+1.
Anosognosia — a neurological inability to recognize one’s own cognitive decline, so they don’t “deny” out of stubbornness but literally cannot detect the problem scienceinsights.org.
Processing overload — explanations can overwhelm the brain, triggering anxiety or defensiveness YouTube.
Because the brain’s internal monitoring system is impaired, presenting facts or logical arguments often feels futile and can cause frustration, agitation, or shame scienceinsights.org+1.
Why Correction BackfiresWhen you say “That never happened,” the person may feel attacked, unheard, or embarrassed alzheimersinyourhome.com. This can escalate distress and make the situation worse for both parties YouTube+1.
What Works Better
Instead of debating facts, meet the person where they are emotionally:
Validation therapy — acknowledge feelings and needs without confirming or denying facts. For example, if someone insists they need to go to work, respond with, “You worked very hard. Let’s sit and relax together” Comfort Keepers+1.
Redirection — gently shift the conversation toward a calmer, more positive topic Comfort Keepers.
Empathy over correction — focus on comfort, connection, and safety rather than factual accuracy scienceinsights.org+1.
Early-stage flexibility — in mild cases, gentle reality orientation (calendars, clocks) can still help, but as the disease progresses, emotional connection becomes more important scienceinsights.org.
Practical Tips for Caregivers
Pause before responding — give yourself time to choose a calm, non-confrontational reply.
Acknowledge feelings — “I can see you’re upset” before addressing the content.
Avoid repeating corrections — each attempt can increase frustration.
Use simple, positive language — short, clear sentences reduce cognitive load YouTube.
Bottom line: With dementia, the goal shifts from “proving them wrong” to “keeping them safe, respected, and emotionally supported” Comfort Keepers+1.
This approach reduces conflict and fosters connection, even when logic no longer works
How Counting and the Power of Prayer May Influence Healing
Counting and prayer can influence healing mainly by reducing stress, improving emotional well‑being, and triggering physiological changes that support recovery, though scientific evidence for direct physical cure is mixed.
What the research shows
Prayer’s effects Studies indicate that prayer can:
Lower anxiety and depression and boost positive emotions like gratitude and compassion GoodRx.
Reduce stress hormones (e.g., cortisol) and promote relaxation responses such as slower heart rate, deeper breathing, and lowered blood pressure GoodRx+1.
Support pain perception — some trials, including a 2026 University of Maryland study, found that five minutes of proximal intercessory prayer significantly reduced pain and anxiety compared to a music control genesisworldhealth.com.
Provide emotional and spiritual support, which can improve coping and resilience during illness Natural Living Family.
Counting’s role Counting (e.g., counting breaths, heartbeats, or prayer repetitions) can act as a mindfulness or grounding technique. This helps focus attention, slow the mind, and reduce physiological arousal, which in turn can lower stress and improve emotional regulation scienceinsights.org.
How these practices may support healing
Stress reduction: Lower stress hormones can improve immune function and tissue repair scienceinsights.org.
Emotional regulation: Focused prayer and counting can calm the nervous system, making the body more receptive to recovery processes GoodRx+1.
Pain modulation: Mindful, repetitive prayer can change pain perception and tolerance genesisworldhealth.com.
Social and spiritual support: Prayer often involves community or personal faith, which can enhance hope and adherence to treatment Natural Living Family.
What’s not proven
Large, rigorous clinical trials on remote intercessory prayer (e.g., STEP, MANTRA II) have not found measurable improvements in medical outcomesscienceinsights.org. Cochrane reviews conclude prayer is “neither significantly beneficial nor harmful” for physical health in those studied scienceinsights.org.
Practical takeaway
Counting and prayer may not directly cure disease, but they can create conditions favorable for healing by reducing stress, improving mood, and supporting coping. They can be used alongside conventional medical care, not as a replacement Natural Living Family+1.
Example: A patient with chronic pain might use gentle breathing counts during prayer to calm the nervous system, which can reduce perceived pain and improve quality of life, even if the underlying condition remains unchanged.
In short, counting and prayer influence healing mainly through psychological, emotional, and physiological pathways, and their benefits are most evident in supporting well‑being and coping rather than altering disease processes directly.
Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk explains that stress can be beneficial if you change your mindset and use it to connect with others.
Key Insights
Kelly McGonigal challenges the common belief that stress is inherently harmful. She explains that stress only becomes detrimental if you perceive it as dangerous. By reframing stress as a helpful response, you can harness its energy to improve performance, resilience, and social connection TED+1.
The Biology of Stress
During stressful situations, your body experiences physical changes: heart rate increases, breathing quickens, and sweat production rises. McGonigal emphasizes that these responses are not signs of weakness but preparations for action, creating what she calls the “biology of courage” TED+1. Viewing these physiological changes as supportive rather than threatening can reduce the negative health impacts of stress.
Social Connection as Stress Relief
A central idea in the talk is that reaching out to others under stress strengthens resilience. Helping or connecting with someone else during stressful moments activates the body’s stress response in a positive way, releasing oxytocin, which promotes heart health and social bonding TED+1.
This approach transforms stress from a personal burden into an opportunity for meaningful interaction.
Practical Takeaways
Reframe your mindset: See stress as a tool that energizes and prepares you for challenges rather than a threat.
Use stress to connect: Engage with others, offer support, or seek help when stressed to build resilience.
Trust your ability to cope: Believing in your capacity to handle stress reduces its harmful effects and enhances performance TED+1.
Conclusion
McGonigal’s talk encourages a paradigm shift: stress is not the enemy. By changing your perception and using stress to foster social connection, you can transform it into a positive force that enhances courage, health, and well-being TED+1. You can watch the full TED Talk here for the complete presentation and examples.
Dementia is a slow but permanent loss of function in many areas of the brain. This will guide the patient have problems with memory, cognition, and decision making, resulting in interfering with everyday life. Including behavioral problems and emotional involvement, such as aggressive behavior Restlessness Paranoia, and delusion.
This video introduces some finger exercises to prevent Dementia and to improve brain function. These finger exercise is to stimulate the work of the brain to balance both the left and right hemispheres. And to stimulate the brain for computation as well.
The question has been around since the first humanoid climbed down from a tree and walked onto the ancient African savanna:
Does our consciousness continue? Is it possible to communicate with the living? How? Are we reborn? If so, how can this be reconciled with modern scientific principles? Or can it? Is something missing from current biological and reproductive theory?
Scientists at The Universities of Virginia, Maryland and Arizona as well as The Windbridge Research Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential and others have been researching these questions and now have answers. The author, host of the network radio show THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE, shares what he has learned from them in this down-to-earth, pleasurable-to-read book meant for the general public.
After all, we all will eventually cross the border and enter into what William Shakespeare called ‘that undiscovered country.’ As long as we have to take the trip, wouldn’t it make sense to have an idea where, if anywhere at all, we’re headed? This description may be from another edition of this product.
As the talk show host of a popular weekly internet podcast, “The Truth About Life,” it became clear to bestselling author Stephen Hawley Martin as he interviewed dozens of near death survivors, psychics, researchers into the paranormal, as well as quantum physicists and medical doctors, that humankind is on the cusp of a transition to a new understanding of the true nature of reality.
Martin’s conclusion rests on a single overarching claim: materialism cannot account for subjective experience.
He argues that if consciousness can occur when the brain is offline, then consciousness must be primary, not emergent. This leads to the implication that death ends the body, not awareness.
Context within Martin’s broader work
Martin’s other books—You Are Not Your Brain, Death Is Fiction, Fear an Illusion, and Life Goes On—reinforce the same thesis: Bing Videos
Consciousness is fundamental.
The brain is a receiver, not a generator.
Evidence from NDEs and reincarnation supports survival of awareness.
Fear of death is based on a mistaken scientific worldview.
These themes strongly suggest The Science of Life After Death is part of the same conceptual lineage.
A symbolic comparison between his model and other afterlife frameworks
Side‑by‑Side Comparison: Martin vs. Mainstream Neuroscience
Concept
Martin’s View
Mainstream Neuroscience
Nature of Consciousness
Consciousness is non‑local, fundamental, and exists independently of the brain.Consciousness is an emergent property of neural networks and electrochemical activity.
Brain’s Role
The brain is a receiver/filter of consciousness, like a radio tuning a signal.
The brain is the generator of consciousness; damage to neural tissue directly alters awareness.
Near‑Death Experiences (NDEs)
NDEs occur because consciousness continues functioning when the brain shuts down.NDEs are hallucinations caused by hypoxia, neurotransmitter surges, or cortical disinhibition.
Evidence from Children’s Past‑Life Memories
Veridical details suggest reincarnation and continuity of personal identity.
Memories are shaped by confabulation, suggestion, or cultural reinforcement.
Mediumship & Psi PhenomenaControlled studies show information transfer beyond physical senses.
Results are attributed to cold reading, chance, or methodological flaws.
Death
Death ends the body, not consciousness; awareness persists in another domain.
Death ends all subjective experience because neural activity ceases.
Implications for Identity
The “self” is non‑physical and survives bodily death.
The “self” is a neural construct that dissolves when the brain stops.
Interpretation of Anomalous CasesAnomalies reveal cracks in materialism and support survival.
Anomalies are outliers explainable by known or future neuroscience.
Philosophical Foundation
Idealism / panpsychism: mind precedes matter.
Physicalism: matter precedes mind.
Why the Two Views Diverge So Sharply
🜂 Martin’s model
Martin begins with subjective experience—the irreducible “I”—and argues that no physical description can explain qualia. He treats consciousness as the ground of being, with the brain acting as a limiter that shapes raw awareness into personal identity.
🜁 Neuroscience’s model
Neuroscience begins with observable mechanisms—neurons, synapses, oscillations—and builds upward. If you change the brain, you change consciousness. If the brain stops, consciousness stops. This framework is anchored in measurable, reproducible data.
Non‑obvious insight
The deepest disagreement isn’t about NDEs or reincarnation—it’s about causation.
Martin: consciousness → brain → experience
Neuroscience: brain → consciousness → experience
Everything else flows from this single fork in the road.
Concise takeaway: The strongest near‑death experience (NDE) evidence comes from cases where conscious awareness appears to occur during periods of absent or severely impaired brain function, combined with veridical perception (accurate details later confirmed). These cases challenge a strictly brain‑based model of consciousness and remain the most debated data points in the field.
The strongest NDE evidence (organized by evidentiary weight)
1. Veridical perception during medical “non‑conscious” states
These are cases where people accurately describe events that occurred while they were clinically unconscious or without measurable cortical activity.
Reported surgical details: the bone saw, conversations, instruments.
These details were later verified by the surgical team.
Maria’s Shoe (1977)
Patient described a shoe on a third‑floor ledge—visible only from outside the building.
Social worker verified the shoe exactly as described.
The dentures case (Netherlands, 2001)
A man revived from cardiac arrest recognized the nurse who removed his dentures while he was unconscious.
The nurse confirmed the event; the patient described the room and actions accurately.
Why these matter: They suggest perception without sensory input, which is difficult to reconcile with a strictly materialist model.
2. NDEs during cardiac arrest (the “gold standard”)
Cardiac arrest is one of the clearest windows for studying consciousness because:
Blood flow to the brain stops within seconds.
EEG activity drops to near‑zero.
The cortex cannot support conscious experience.
Yet many NDEs occur precisely during this window.
Key study:The AWARE Study (2014, Sam Parnia)
2,060 cardiac arrest patients across 15 hospitals.
One patient reported detailed events during a 3‑minute period of no heartbeat.
His description matched staff actions and machine sounds.
Why this matters:
If consciousness requires brain activity, experiences during cortical shutdown should be impossible.
It’s Not Jesus? The First Person You Meet After Death Will Shock You | Biblical WisdomMost people assume that the moment they die, they’ll open their eyes in eternity and see Jesus waiting with outstretched arms. It’s a comforting thought, right? One that’s preached at funerals, whispered in hospital rooms, and passed down through generations. But what if I told you the Bible paints a far more layered, more mysterious picture than we often realize? What if the very first being you meet after you take your final breath… isn’t Jesus at all? Stay with me. This isn’t some wild theory or fringe idea. We’re going to walk through Scripture together, carefully, honestly, and reverently. And by the end of this, you might find yourself not only surprised—but spiritually awakened.
Marilu Henner has an amazing memory because of this rare medical condition
Through the years, Henner has been a staple of the entertainment and television industry. She starred in the award-winning show “Taxi,” clocking in 114 episodes. But of course, she didn’t stop there. In fact, she is one of the highest-paid Hallmark stars and a fan-favorite on the network. But she has recently shared more insight into the rare medical condition that she lives with.
Often, when we hear news about health conditions affecting people’s memories, we brace ourselves for the worst. But that isn’t the case for practiced actor Marilu Henner. Henner coins herself as a “memory expert” on her Instagram and has shared details about the medical condition responsible for her ability to recall every day of her life.
Henner was diagnosed with hyperthymesia, nicknamed Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, according to ABC News.
“When somebody gives me a date or a year or something, I see all these little movie montages, basically on a time continuum, and I’m scrolling through them and flashing through them,” she told the outlet, explaining how her memory is similar to a scene-selection screen when watching a movie. Henner discovered her rare gift with memory when she was young, but she assumed it was just an interesting quirk – not one of the rarest medical conditions in the world.
“Even when I was 5 years old, people would say to my parents, ‘What’s with that kid and her memory? She remembers the last time I was here and everything that happened,'” she said (via Brain and Life). As she got older, Henner’s career choice benefited from her ability to quickly memorize lines. But it wasn’t until much later that she learned that she had a Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory.
Marilu Henner learned that she is a memory wizard Actor Marilu Henner had always been gifted when it came to learning, but she didn’t realize that her memory was near supernatural until the 2000s. According to Brain and Life, “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl — who knew Henner and her wicked ability to recite any memory perfectly — had been pitched a story to cover concerning Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. But Stahl didn’t think that the topic was newsworthy because Henner had a similar ability. It took a few years, but eventually, Henner underwent an MRI and answered questions while taped for a segment of “60 Minutes” covering HSAM.
From there, Henner had another accolade to add to her resume: “memory wizard.” She became a consultant for memory tips, per AARP, and even released a book all about her condition: “Total Memory Makeover.” While some with HSAM find the condition overwhelming — the constant bombardment of all their memories interrupting their everyday lives — Henner says that, for her, it’s a blessing. “I get asked if it’s hard remembering all the bad things that have happened to me — but the bad memories, you’re going to remember those anyway,” she told Brain and Life. “I happen to be able to cushion that and the happy memories with all those nice middle-of-the-road memories that make up your life … Your memory is your story, it’s your life, it’s everything.”
3-year-old Colton Burpo visited heaven in 2003. Where is he years after the events of Heaven Is For Real? |
100-Year-Old Woman Asks Pianist to Play ‘Ave Maria’ Her Voice Halts the Train Station
A 100-year-old woman – believed to be Elizabeth MacDonald Jolas (born 5 August 1926) in a wheelchair approached a musician playing piano at a train station, asked him to play ‘Ave Maria’ and left an entire crowd completely speechless.
Many of us have that one skill we love most — something we work hard for years, spend countless hours on just to get to that level. But as we blow out the candles each birthday we slowly start stepping back from that gift God planted in us. And over time it becomes a memory, a story we tell our kids around the dinner table. But this 100-year-old woman didn’t let that be her story.
When She Asked for ‘Ave Maria’
Emilio was playing piano at the station when the elderly woman rolled up to him in her wheelchair. She asked if he knew how to play ‘Ave Maria.’ He double-checked with her, she confirmed and he started playing.
Then she opened her mouth and sang.
The whole atmosphere in that station shifted immediately. Her voice was full, trained and operatic and it filled the entire space in a way that made people stop mid-step.
You could see it on their faces — that look of not quite believing what they were hearing. People reached for their phones. A few in the back were wiping their eyes.
A Trumpet, a Crowd and a Moment Nobody Planned
Halfway through the song a man with a trumpet walked over and joined in. Just like that — no rehearsal, no coordination. Piano, trumpet and her voice came together and it worked perfectly.
By the time they reached the final notes the crowd erupted.
She Used to Perform on Stage
After it was over Emilio shared what she told him. “She had been a professional opera singer,” he wrote. “Sadly, because of her age, she can no longer perform on stage, but this unexpected moment brought back memories of the most beautiful times in her life, when she was doing what she loved most.”
She’s 100 years old and she still has that incredible voice.
‘Ave Maria’ is one of the most sacred songs in classical music. It’s a prayer really — a cry of reverence and peace directed toward God. And hearing it sung like that, in a public space by a woman who has carried that gift her whole life, it’s hard not to feel something deep move inside you.
God Isn’t Done With You
The talent God placed in you wasn’t handed to everyone. Not everyone can do what you do. He chose you specifically and put that gift in you for a reason and no amount of years or hard circumstances can take that away from Him.
This woman is 100 years old. She can’t perform on stage anymore. But when the moment showed up she didn’t shy away from it. She sang. And the whole station stopped.
So don’t let your age tell you the gift is done. Don’t let your circumstances convince you that what God put in you has an expiry date. He placed it there on purpose.
When you get an opportunity, step into it. Because when you do, it will move people in ways you never expected like what happened in that train station.
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” — Psalm 139:14 (NKJV)
Elizabeth MacDonald Jolas (born 5 August 1926) is a French and American composer.
Life and career
Jolas was born in Paris on 5 August 1926. Her mother, the American translator Maria McDonald, also studied singing. Together with Betsy’s father, the poet and journalist Eugene Jolas, she founded and edited the magazine transition,[1][2] which published over ten years many of the great writers of the interwar period.
Her family settled in the United States in late 1940. While completing her general studies in New York, then specializing in music at Bennington College, she joined the Dessoff Choirs, discovering Renaissance music, which had a lasting influence on her work.[3]
Jolas married the physician Gabriel Illouz in 1949; the pair had three children. She retains dual U.S./French citizenship.[5] On 5 August 2026, Jolas turned 100.
Style
Descriptions of Jolas’s style note her early experience of 16th-century Western European polyphonic vocal music (in particular, that of Orlando di Lasso), continual exploration of vocality encompassing both vocal and instrumental works, and a flexible but steady flow free from conventional metric pulse.[3][6][7] Though drawn to some aesthetic aspects of the serialism of her close contemporary Pierre Boulez and others, Jolas has remained an independent figure who never adopted serial technique.[3][7]
Archetypal Meaning
Living Archive: Her voice carries the memory of generations, embodying traditions that predate the audience.
Bridge Between Worlds: As an elder, she stands at the threshold between past and future, mortality and transcendence.
Oracle Figure: Like mythic seers, her song becomes a message from the collective unconscious — wisdom spoken through art.
Psychological Function
Continuity of identity: Singing preserves her sense of self, affirming that the artistic soul endures even as the body ages.
Collective memory: The audience experiences her voice as a reminder of cultural continuity, linking them to something larger than themselves.
Mortality integration: Her age makes the performance a meditation on impermanence — beauty shining in the face of time.
Symbolic Narrative
Her Ave Maria becomes more than a song:
The station is a liminal space of journeys.
Her centenarian voice is the ancestral call, reminding us of lineage and endurance.
The crowd’s awe reflects collective recognition that art can carry ancestral presence into the present moment.
Insight
The “Voice of the Ancestor” archetype shows how her performance is not just entertainment but a ritual of transmission — a living reminder that creativity, memory, and spirit are gifts passed down across generations.
The Ave Maria performance by the 100‑year‑old station singer carries a symbolic weight that goes far beyond the notes themselves. Let’s break it down in mythic and psychological terms:
Archetypal Resonance
Voice of the Ancestor: At 100 years old, her song becomes a transmission from the past — a living echo of tradition and memory.
Threshold Singer: Performing in a train station (a place of departures and arrivals) turns her into a symbolic guide at the threshold between worlds — youth and age, past and future, earthly and transcendent.
Sacred Invocation: Ave Maria itself is a prayer of intercession. Her voice embodies the archetype of the supplicant who channels divine presence through art.
Psychological Meaning
Resilience of identity: Singing a piece she likely carried through decades affirms that the self — the artistic soul — endures even as the body ages.
Collective catharsis: The crowd’s awe reflects a shared release: witnessing beauty where society often expects decline.
Integration of life stages: Her performance bridges youthful memory with present reality, showing that creativity is timeless.
Symbolic Narrative
Her song becomes a ritual of continuity:
The station = liminal space, symbol of journeys.
The Ave Maria = invocation of grace, protection, and transcendence.
The centenarian voice = proof that art is stronger than mortality.
Together, it tells a mythic story: the elder as oracle, reminding us that beauty and spirit do not fade with age — they deepen.
The symbolism of collective catharsis in public music explains why moments like the 100‑year‑old woman singing Ave Maria at the station piano feel so transformative.
What Collective Catharsis Means
Shared emotional release: When a crowd experiences the same emotion together, it amplifies and legitimizes that feeling.
Communal healing: Music becomes a vessel for grief, joy, or awe, allowing people to process emotions in unity.
Embodied ritual: Public performances act like modern rituals — strangers gather, witness, and release emotion together.
Why the Station Performance Worked
Unexpected transcendence: A centenarian voice breaking into sacred song in a mundane space (train station) transforms the ordinary into the sacred.
Audience resonance: The crowd’s tears, silence, and applause show how her voice unlocked emotions they didn’t know they were carrying.
Symbolic setting: A station is a liminal space of departures and arrivals — perfect for catharsis, as people symbolically “let go” or “begin anew.”
Archetypal Layer
Her performance embodies the archetype of the Ancestral Oracle:
She channels memory and tradition.
She becomes a vessel for collective grief and hope.
The crowd’s response is not just appreciation but a ritual release — crying, applauding, recording, and sharing.
Deep Insight
Collective catharsis in public music is the alchemy of emotion:
A single voice becomes a container for many feelings.
The crowd’s response transforms private emotion into shared humanity.
The moment becomes mythic because it fuses art, ritual, and community.
WATCH: 100-Year-Old Opera Singer Stuns Crowd at Train Station with ‘Ave Maria’
The integration of life stages through music is one of the most profound symbolic layers in the 100‑year‑old woman’s Ave Maria performance at the station piano. It shows how music can weave together the threads of youth, maturity, and old age into a single, timeless expression.
Youthful Stage
Memory of beginnings: Songs like Ave Maria often connect to early training, childhood devotion, or formative artistic years.
Symbolic role: Her voice recalls the innocence and aspiration of youth, even as she sings at 100.
Adult Stage
Artistic mastery: In adulthood, music becomes craft — rehearsed, performed, shared.
Symbolic role: Her trained operatic voice reflects decades of discipline, artistry, and identity formation.
Elder Stage
Wisdom and transmission: At 100, singing becomes an act of legacy — passing on memory and spirit.
Symbolic role: Her performance is not about technical perfection but about embodying endurance, resilience, and ancestral presence.
Integration
Music fuses these stages into one continuum:
Youth = aspiration and innocence.
Adulthood = mastery and identity.
Elderhood = wisdom and transmission.
Her Ave Maria becomes a ritual of integration, showing that creativity is not bound to one stage of life but is a lifelong thread that unites them all.
This is why the crowd’s reaction felt cathartic: they weren’t just hearing a song, they were witnessing the whole arc of a human life expressed in one voice. It was a living myth — the elder carrying youth and adulthood within her, reminding everyone that art is the bridge across time.
Alisa Turner’s Official Video- “Psalm 13” will bless your heart. The words are also by the Psalmist David, who in the midst of his battles with his enemies and faced by persecution he still chooses to trust his God and His unfailing love. We praise God for Alisa and eagerly wait for more songs from her. Categories Christian Music
Multiple Cancer Battles: Diagnosed with breast, cervical, thyroid, and lung cancer over four decades, Susan has undergone surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
New Hope with Clinical Trial: Participating in a HER2-targeted lung cancer trial, her tumour has shrunk and side effects are minimal, improving her quality of life.
Resilience & Positivity: Despite family history and personal challenges, she emphasizes staying positive, keeping busy, and cherishing moments with her grandchildren.
Susan Gasson is a 75‑year‑old woman from Greenwich, London, who has survived four different cancers over 40 years — breast, cervical, thyroid, and lung — and is currently benefiting from a targeted clinical trial for HER2‑mutated lung cancer.
Her advice to others with cancer is not give up on yourself, stay positive and keep busy. Asked for three words to describe her, her daughter chose “stubborn, independent, courageous”. Her son picked “resilient, selfless, loving”.
Overview
Multiple news sources report that Susan Gasson has lived with cancer for four decades, having been diagnosed with:
Breast cancer in the early 1980s
Cervical cancer following a hysterectomy
Thyroid cancer in the mid‑1990s
Lung cancer in 2020
Her care has largely been through the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust,
where she underwent surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. InYourArea+2
Current Treatment
When her lung cancer returned, genetic testing revealed a HER2 gene mutation, making her eligible for a targeted therapy clinical trial. She now takes one tablet daily, which has shrunk her tumour and eliminated the need for further chemotherapy, significantly improving her quality of life. Yahoo
Personal Perspective
Gasson frequently states she feels “lucky to be alive” and values being able to watch her grandchildren grow up. She credits staying positive, busy, and engaged with life for helping her through her diagnoses. InYourArea+2
Her case is notable for the rarity of surviving four distinct cancers over such a long period.
Core takeaway: Susan Gasson’s cancer story is an extraordinary 40‑year, four‑cancer survival arc — breast cancer in the early 1980s, cervical cancer soon after, thyroid cancer in 1996, and finally lung cancer in 2020. Her latest recurrence led to a HER2‑targeted clinical trial that shrank her tumour and allowed her to avoid further chemotherapy.
Susan Gasson — A Four‑Decade Cancer Timeline
Early 1980s — Breast Cancer (Age early 30s)
She discovered a pea‑sized lump in her right breast while living in Hertfordshire.
Referred to the Royal Marsden, where doctors performed a lumpectomy.
Pathology revealed “lots of very tiny lumps… like porridge,” but no further treatment was required.
Mid‑1980s — Cervical Cancer
Heavy periods and anaemia led to the discovery of fibroids.
A hysterectomy at Watford General Hospital revealed pre‑cancerous cervical cells — fully removed during surgery.
This period overlapped with raising young children and a divorce, which she described as “stressful and traumatic.”
1996 — Thyroid Cancer
She found a lump in her neck, initially thought to be vascular.
Further investigation confirmed thyroid cancer.
She underwent surgery at the Royal Marsden’s Chelsea site, followed by radiotherapy.
2020 — Lung Cancer (HER2‑mutated)
A persistent cough led to an X‑ray revealing a lung mass.
She underwent major surgery removing part of a lung and a section of her windpipe — more painful than previous operations.
Despite chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the cancer returned.
The Turning Point — HER2‑Targeted Clinical Trial
A robotic biopsy revealed a HER2 gene mutation, which drives excessive cell growth.
Before this trial, no targeted therapy existed for HER2‑mutated lung cancer; treatment relied on repeated chemotherapy.
She joined a clinical trial taking one oral tablet per day.
Her tumour shrunk, side effects were minimal, and she has avoided further chemotherapy.
She receives CT scans every six weeks.
Life Beyond Treatment
Susan credits staying busy, travelling, and focusing on her children for her resilience.
She returned to college in her mid‑30s to study advertising, marketing, and PR — the oldest student in her class.
She says the trial has allowed her to witness milestones like her granddaughter’s 18th birthday.
Why Her Story Matters
Susan Gasson’s journey is medically rare:
Four distinct cancers across four decades.
A hereditary pattern — both parents and grandparents had cancer.
A modern example of how precision oncology (HER2‑targeted therapy) can transform outcomes for patients who previously had limited options.
Concise takeaway: Susan Gasson’s psychological arc is the story of a woman who survives four cancers across forty years by continually reinventing her relationship to fear, identity, and mortality. Her mind moves through phases of shock, adaptation, vigilance, collapse, and finally a kind of seasoned, almost mythic acceptance — not resignation, but mastery.
Below is a structured, chapter‑like psychological map tailored to your mythic and symbolic analysis style.
Susan Gasson: A Psychological Arc Across Four Cancers
(A mythic‑psychological profile)
1. The First Threshold — Breast Cancer (Early 1980s)
Psychological state:Innocence ruptured; the first confrontation with mortality.
Finding the pea‑sized lump is her “call to adventure.” She enters the medical world abruptly — lumpectomy, pathology, uncertainty — but the absence of further treatment creates a paradoxical imprint:
Cancer is real, but survivable.
Fear arrives, but does not dominate.
Identity shifts, but subtly.
This first cancer becomes the seed of her later resilience. It teaches her that catastrophe can be endured.
Symbolic motif:The first crack in the shell. A small rupture that later becomes a doorway.
2. The Second Trial — Cervical Cancer (Mid‑1980s)
Psychological state:Overload, fragmentation, and forced endurance.
This cancer arrives during divorce, anaemia, heavy bleeding, and raising children. It is not just a medical event — it is a life‑event cluster, where stress and illness merge.
Her psyche adapts by developing:
Compartmentalization — separating fear from daily functioning.
Pragmatic resilience — “just get through it.”
Maternal prioritization — children become the anchor.
She does not have the luxury of emotional processing. This cancer teaches her survival through motion.
Symbolic motif:The storm season. Multiple crises converging, demanding endurance rather than reflection.
3. The Third Descent — Thyroid Cancer (1996)
Psychological state:Identity destabilization and bodily betrayal.
The neck lump introduces a new psychological theme: the body as unreliable.
Thyroid cancer affects voice, energy, metabolism — the core of self‑expression. Surgery and radiotherapy deepen her sense of vulnerability.
This is the cancer that begins to shift her from “I survived” to:
I am someone who survives.
Illness is part of my biography.
I must adapt to a changing self.
Her resilience becomes trait, not reaction.
Symbolic motif:The wounded throat. A challenge to voice, identity, and communication — the psychological “chakra” of truth.
4. The Fourth Ordeal — Lung Cancer (2020)
Psychological state:Existential confrontation; the collapse of old coping strategies.
A persistent cough becomes a mass. Surgery removes part of her lung and windpipe — the most painful, invasive intervention yet.
This cancer breaks the pattern:
It returns.
It resists treatment.
It threatens finality.
Her earlier cancers were chapters; this one feels like a culmination.
She experiences:
Fear of recurrence
Medical fatigue
Loss of bodily trust
A new intimacy with mortality
But she also develops a new psychological stance:
Radical acceptance — not passive, but clear‑eyed.
Present‑moment orientation — valuing milestones like her granddaughter’s birthday.
Symbolic motif:The breath challenged. The lung — the organ of life force — becomes the battleground.
5. The Turning Point — HER2 Mutation & Targeted Therapy
Psychological state:Rebirth through precision medicine.
The robotic biopsy reveals a HER2 mutation — a genetic “signature” that explains the recurrence.
This moment is psychologically transformative:
It gives her a narrative (“This is why it came back”).
It gives her a weapon (targeted therapy).
It gives her a future (tumour shrinkage, minimal side effects).
She shifts from:
Fear of recurrence → trust in innovation
Medical exhaustion → medical partnership
Survival mindset → continuing‑life mindset
Symbolic motif:The key in the code. A genetic mutation becomes the doorway to treatment — the “password” that unlocks hope.
6. The Final Psychological Integration — A Life Lived in Chapters
Psychological state:Integration, wisdom, and narrative mastery.
After four cancers, Susan’s psyche is not defined by trauma but by continuity.
She integrates:
The fear
The resilience
The losses
The medical odyssey
The genetic inheritance
The milestones she still reaches
Her arc resembles the mythic “wounded healer” — someone who carries scars as knowledge, not burdens.
She does not romanticize survival. She contextualizes it.
Symbolic motif:The survivor as storyteller. Her life becomes a narrative of endurance, adaptation, and meaning‑making.
Here is a full symbolic atlas of Susan Gasson’s four cancers — each illness rendered as an archetype, an element, a psychological wound, and a mythic trial. This is structured as a multi‑layered map, Ken, so you can navigate her story like a mythic terrain.
Symbolic Atlas of Susan Gasson’s Four Cancers
A mythic‑psychological cartography of her illness journey
1. Breast Cancer (Early 1980s) —
The First Crack in the Shell
Archetype:
The Sentinel — the guardian who wakes when danger first appears.
Element:
Earth — the foundational body, the ground of identity.
Psychological Wound:
A rupture of innocence. The moment when the body reveals it is not fully trustworthy.
Mythic Trial:
The “pea‑sized lump” becomes the seed of awakening — a tiny stone that cracks the shell of ordinary life. She steps across the threshold into the medical world.
Symbolic Function:
This cancer establishes the pattern: vigilance, survival, and the beginning of a lifelong negotiation with mortality.
2. Cervical Cancer (Mid‑1980s) —
The Storm Season
Archetype:
The Tempest — chaos arriving in clusters.
Element:
Water — flooding, overwhelm, emotional saturation.
Psychological Wound:
Overload. Her life fractures under simultaneous pressures: divorce, anaemia, heavy bleeding, raising children.
Mythic Trial:
This cancer is not a single event but a weather system — a storm that forces her to keep moving, keep functioning, keep mothering.
Symbolic Function:
It teaches her compartmentalization — the ability to endure without processing, to survive by motion rather than reflection.
3. Thyroid Cancer (1996) —
The Wounded Throat
Archetype:
The Voice‑Breaker — the force that challenges identity and expression.
Element:
Fire — metabolism, energy, the inner flame.
Psychological Wound:
Destabilization of identity. The throat is symbolic of voice, truth, communication — the “chakra” of self‑expression.
Mythic Trial:
Her surgery and radiotherapy become a rite of passage: the fire that burns away old identity and forces a new one to emerge.
Symbolic Function:
This cancer shifts her from “I survived” to I am a survivor — resilience becomes identity, not reaction.
4. Lung Cancer (2020) —
The Breath Challenged
Archetype:
The Reaper’s Shadow — the closest brush with mortality.
Element:
Air — breath, life force, spirit.
Psychological Wound:
Existential fear. This cancer breaks the old pattern: it returns, resists treatment, threatens finality.
Mythic Trial:
The removal of part of her lung and windpipe is the ordeal — the moment the hero confronts the deepest abyss.
Symbolic Function:
It forces radical acceptance — not resignation, but clarity. She begins living in the present, valuing milestones, anchoring herself in meaning.
5. HER2 Mutation & Targeted Therapy —
The Key in the Code
Archetype:
The Cipher — the hidden pattern that unlocks transformation.
Element:
Light — revelation, precision, illumination.
Psychological Wound:
Fear of recurrence becomes fear with explanation.
Mythic Trial:
The robotic biopsy reveals the mutation — the password that unlocks targeted therapy.
Symbolic Function:
This is her rebirth:
tumour shrinkage
minimal side effects
renewed future
a shift from fatalism to partnership with medical innovation
“Your DNA Can Tell You Your Risk for Cancer – Can You Afford to Listen?” is a deeply personal and thought-provoking TEDx talk that explores the life-changing power—and emotional weight—of genetic testing.
The speaker shares her own story, beginning with the devastating loss of her father to cancer, a moment that sparked her journey into understanding inherited risk. As she confronts the possibility that she, too, may carry a genetic predisposition to cancer. This talk blends science with vulnerability, highlighting the tension between knowledge and fear, access and action.
It’s a call to consider not just what our DNA can tell us—but whether we’re truly ready to listen, and to afford it, and what we’ll do with the truth once we hear it. 2nd-Year Medical Student | Health Advocate | Hereditary Cancer Gene Mutation Carrier Madison Miller is a second-year medical student at Central Michigan University College of Medicine with a personal connection to her work — she carries an ATM gene mutation and is a passionate member of the hereditary cancer community. Her experiences give her a unique perspective on cancer, blending clinical work, research, academics, and real life. When she’s not studying or in the hospital, Madison is an active health care advocate at the state and national level. An important focus of her advocacy is for better awareness, research, and access to care to make a difference for individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer.
But life isn’t all oncology! Madison dances with Infusion Dance Team at CMU, loves camping trips with friends, soaking up time in nature with her husband, and making new memories with her family — moments that remind her what she’s fighting for. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community
A compound produced by bacteria in most people’s digestive tract increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and speeds up cognitive decline in dementia patients, making it an attractive target for a treatment that could reduce Alzheimer’s risk, according to a new study led by Barbara Bendlin, PhD, MA, professor, Geriatrics and Gerontology.
Nearly ten years ago, a research team headed by Dr. Bendlin and Federico Rey, PhD, professor, University of Wisconsin Department of Bacteriology, discovered that the communities of microbes living in the intestines of Alzheimer’s disease patients differ from those of healthy people.
“Since then, we’ve been trying to figure out how this difference in the gut perhaps leads to changes in the brain,” says Bendlin, a professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
In a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications, Bendlin, Rey and collaborators show that a compound called imidazole propionate (ImP) — produced in the gut by some types of bacteria — plays an important role in brain changes that result in Alzheimer’s disease and related cases of dementia. Some people have guts that seem to produce a lot of ImP; some people don’t.
“ImP-producing bacteria are present in a large fraction of people, but they’re not very abundant in most people,” says Rey, a UW–Madison professor of bacteriology. “But something we have learned over the years is that a microbe doesn’t have to be abundant to have an impact on the host.”
ImP can spread from the gut to other parts of the body,
By Federico Rey
Where it has been implicated in type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The researchers showed that ImP that reaches the brain in mice increases the build-up of clumps of two abnormal proteins, called beta-amyloid and tau.
“That process eventually results in the death of neurons, and in humans is a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease,” Rey says.
By looking at ImP in the blood of almost 1,200 people who have participated in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention and studies at the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the researchers found that people with high ImP levels were far more likely to also show markers of dementia-related protein and neuron dysfunction.
“And because we have the results of cognitive tests these volunteers took over time, we can see that the people with the highest ImP levels also experienced much faster cognitive decline,” Rey says.
The researchers also identified a genetic variation, present in about 43% of the people in the study, linked to accumulating much higher levels of ImP in the blood. The genetic difference might affect how well the kidneys sift out ImP so that the body can get rid of it.
“This genetic variation has been associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk in large genetic studies before, and now we may understand why it’s connected,” Rey says.
The most significant implication of the new study may be that ImP could represent a way to help people avoid Alzheimer’s disease and related types of dementia. Unfortunately, ImP is produced by bacteria making energy from an amino acid called histidine, which is essential to human health and present in a lot of common foods — especially protein-rich ones.
“Generally improving your diet would probably help,” Bendlin says. “But it’s not as easy as saying, ‘Stop eating eggs’ or ‘Don’t eat so much red meat.’ Because you need histidine, and it’s all over the place.”
But narrowing the biochemical target to a single molecule in the blood or a single genetic change opens up exciting possibilities.
“It could be just like cholesterol, where people with elevated cholesterol take a drug, a statin, that reduces their risk for heart disease,” Bendlin says. “If we can find an inhibitor that can help decrease the levels of ImP in the blood, that could hopefully reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and the speed of cognitive decline for a significant number of people.”
Collaborators on the new study included scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Gothenburg.
This research was supported in part by grants from the Wisconsin Partnership Programand the National Institutes of Health (R01AG070973, R01AG083883, R01AG092220, R21AG089348, R01HL168493, R01DK143650 and U54HL170326) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (WIS03073).
Could the key to understanding Alzheimer’s disease be hiding in your gut?
In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Barbara Bendlin, PhD — Professor of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a member of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute — breaks down more than a decade of groundbreaking research on the gut-brain connection.
Our lab studies aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
Decreased cortical gray matter NODDI metrics in MCI and AD dementia groups from whole-brain analysis. From Vogt et al., 2020 published in Cerebral Cortex.
We are interested in understanding the interplay of factors that contribute to healthy or pathological brain aging. In particular, the effect of factors that contribute to or protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
We use a number of tools in our research, including cognitive testing, MRI, PET, and CSF analysis, to determine how risk factors for Alzheimer’s affect the brain, particularly in mid-life.
Voxel-based morphometry and region of interest analyses show significant associations between highest levels of neighborhood disadvantage and gray matter volume. From Hunt et al., 2020 published in JAMA Neurology.
Our NIA funded research program is focused on characterizing the early effects of Alzheimer’s disease on brain myelin and axons, in addition to determining the role of preclinical inflammation in cell and dendritic damage.
Together with collaborators both on and off of the UW campus, the lab is also studying the impact of modifiable factors that may affect trajectories of aging. These include the effect of mid-life metabolic disorders (obesity and insulin resistance), sleep, diet, and microbial influences.
Understanding early brain changes in people who may go on to develop cognitive decline is expected to lead to earlier diagnosis, prevention, and the development of new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
In Wisconsin, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the fifth leading cause of death among those aged 65 and older.
Despite decades of research, the etiology of dementia due to AD remains unknown, and there are currently no preventative or disease-modifying treatments available. The overarching goal of this project was to determine the role of the gut microbiome in AD and identify new treatment targets for the disease.
This project was successful in identifying new relationships between gut and brain pathology in AD, defining how timing of microbial colonization influences the development of AD, and determining the role microbe-related metabolites may play in preclinical cognitive decline.
The Challenge
In Wisconsin, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the fifth leading cause of death among those aged 65 and older. Despite decades of research, the etiology of dementia due to AD remains unknown and there are currently no preventative or disease-modifying treatments available.
Previous studies using mouse models have revealed that modifying the community of bacteria living in the gut, or gut microbiota, can impact the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain. Amyloid plaques are a hallmark of AD as they build up in brain cells and disrupt their function.
In addition, researchers on this project have found that individuals with dementia caused by AD have a less diverse gut microbiome that is distinct in composition compared to cognitively healthy individuals of similar age and gender. While these results provided a strong foundation for further investigation, it remained unclear whether changes in the gut microbiome occur prior to the onset of AD and whether manipulating the gut microbiome could offer protection against the disease.
Project Goals
The overarching goal of this project was to determine the role of the gut microbiome in AD and identify new treatment targets for the disease. This goal was addressed through four specific aims:
Determine the longitudinal relationship between gut microbiota composition and the development and progression of AD
Identify taxa capable of modulating AD
Test the feasibility of gut microbial manipulation in humans
Identify microbial metabolites that can serve as novel biomarkers of AD
Results
Researchers made significant progress toward each of their aims. First, to understand the relationship between the composition of gut bacteria and the development and progression of AD, researchers acquired fecal samples from cognitively healthy participants and participants with AD over time and tested whether changes in the gut microbiome predicted changes in AD pathology through evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging markers.
First, the results indicated that intestinal permeability and inflammation may play a role in AD as antibodies associated with intestinal barrier function were linked with biomarkers of AD and neurodegeneration. Second, higher levels of calprotectin, an established marker of gut inflammation, were associated with greater amyloid burden in individuals with AD.
Next, researchers examined the extent to which abundances of gut microbial phyla were associated with brain volume and found a significant positive correlation between a bacterial phylum called Firmicutes and total brain volume which is consistent with previous studies of AD.
Finally, higher levels of a gut microbial metabolite called phenol sulfate was associated with synaptic degeneration, indicating a potential link between the gut microbiome and the brain in AD pathology.
Researchers utilized germ-and-bacteria-free mice to investigate how the microbiome modulates AD. Researchers introduced the germ-free mice to conventionally raised, microbe-laden mice at either birth or six weeks of age to understand how the timing of colonization influences the development of AD pathology. They found that mice colonized with bacteria at birth had significantly fewer amyloid plaques compared to mice who were colonized at six weeks. These findings suggest that early microbial exposure may influence AD progression later in life.
To test the feasibility of gut microbial manipulation in humans, the researchers recruited 15 individuals with dementia due to AD and 15 healthy individuals to undergo a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) in which healthy gut bacteria is transferred from a donor to the participants.
This portion of the project was terminated during COVID-19 pandemic due to concerns about the virus being present in the stool samples used for FMT. Instead, researchers explored an alternative approach using probiotic supplementation to modify the gut microbiome and established a partnership with International Flavors & Fragrances to develop a custom probiotic for AD. A new study called “Gut-PRO Study” has been developed, though the researchers are currently seeking new funding for this project.
Lastly, the researchers examined the relationship between the metabolites produced by gut microbes and cognitive function in individuals with AD and cognitively healthy individuals. While the results of machine learning techniques to link the gut microbiome with brain imaging features are still being analyzed, the researchers also investigated whether metabolites in CSF can predict preclinical cognitive decline.
21 metabolites were linked with changes in cognitive performance. Of these, 13 were associated with improvements in performance, seven were associated with declining scores on cognitive measures and one metabolite called creatinine was associated with both improved long-term verbal memory and declining overall cognitive function. These findings suggest that gut microbe-related metabolites may play a role in preclinical cognitive decline though more research is needed to understand these effects.
Looking to the Future
The research team has leveraged their progress from this project for an NIH A1 application to continue their work. They have also received an NIH R01 award, Gut Barrier Function in Alzheimer’s Disease, to expand their research.
Lasting Impact
Researchers on this project have established a relationship with a larger consortium of investigators working on the Alzheimer’s Gut Microbiome Project, and this has led to further collaborations with world leading experts in gut microbiome and disease.
An association between high blood sugar levels and Alzheimer’s disease is a focus of research led by Barbara Bendlin, PhD, associate professor, Geriatrics and Gerontology.
A Baton Rouge, Louisiana news outlet profiled research on a link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease by Dr. Bendlin.
When the body’s ability to respond to insulin is impaired – a condition referred to as insulin resistance or pre-diabetes – it may set the stage for development of Alzheimer’s disease.
“The hypothesis is that diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but not everyone with diabetes is going to get Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Bendlin.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 27 percent of people aged 65 and older in the United States have diabetes and about half have pre-diabetes. People living with diabetes have a doubled risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Dysbiosis with Dr. Richard and Cindy Becker
Dysbiosis Dr Richard Becker Health Showhas addressed intestinal dysbiosis on Your Health, including a dedicated segment titled “Dysbiosis – Customer Appreciation” and a longer episode on “Pearls for Chronic Yeast (Herbs for Intestinal Dysbiosis & Yeast)”YouTube.
Where to watch
YouTube playlist: The Beckers’ official Your Health playlist includes the dysbiosis-related videos.
Pearls for Chronic Yeast (Herbs for Intestinal Dysbiosis & Yeast) – 58:30 minutes, covers herbal approaches to restoring gut balance YouTube.
The “Pearls for Chronic Yeast” episode is particularly relevant for those with yeast overgrowth linked to dysbiosis, offering herbal remedies and lifestyle advice YouTube.
How to follow
YouTube for on-demand clips and full episodes YouTube
VTN/Lighthouse/LIFE! TV for live broadcasts and local streaming VTN+2
BioInnovations website for more resources and supplement information VTN+1
If you want the exact dysbiosis content, start with the YouTube playlist above, then check your local TV station’s schedule for the live program.
22 years ago, a country singer died who paved the way for Dolly.
Story by Amelia Harvey
Pioneering Career: Skeeter Davis, born Mary Frances Penick, in Glencoe, Kentucky, on December 30, 1931,[2] the first of seven children born to farmer William Lee and Sarah Rachel Penick (née Roberts), began in the Davis Sisters in the late 1940s and became one of the first women to achieve major stardom in country music, paving the way for artists like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.
Tragedy & Resilience: In 1953, a car accident killed her bandmate Betty Jack Davis and left Skeeter seriously injured. She later found success as a solo artist with hits like “The End of the World” and “I Can’t Stay Mad at You”.
Legacy & Passing: Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988, she battled the disease until her death on September 19, 2004, leaving a lasting impact on female country musicians.
Known for “The End of the World” and the Carole King-penned “I Can’t Stay Mad at You”, Skeeter Davis 0n September 19, 2004, Davis passed away after a battle with breast cancer. She left a legacy as the first woman to achieve major stardom in the world of country music, paving the way for the other first name only icons like Dolly, Loretta, Emmy Lou, Barbara, Martina, Tanya, Crystal, Dottie, Patty, Shania, Reba, Wyonna, Trisha, Faith, Allison, Carrie, Miranda, Lainey and Kacey, Ella, Megan, Carly and Hannah Harper.
Born Mary Frances Penick, she began her career as a teenager in the late 1940s as a member of the Davis Sisters with her friend Betty Jack Davis. They performed together for over a decade, and are considered one of the first female country groups.
In 1953, after a performance in Virginia, the band was involved in a head-on collision that killed Betty Jack and left Skeeter with serious head injuries. Betty Jack’s younger sister Georgia replaced her in the group until they split up in 1956.
Skeeter Davis would find success as a solo singer in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1960 to 1962, Davis had top-10 hits with the songs “(I Can’t Help You) I’m Falling Too”, “My Last Date (With You)”, “Where I Ought to Be”, and “Optimistic”.
Davis’ biggest hit came in 1963, with her crossover country-pop song “The End of the World.” It made the singer one of the few white female singers to land a hit on the R&B charts at the time.
She would carry on her success as a solo artist throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Her career would come under fire in 1973, when she dedicated a song during her 1973 Grand Ole Opry performance to a group of church youth workers who were arrested for evangelizing at a local mall. The Opry suspended her until receiving complaints, but the experience encouraged Davis to become more active in religious communities.
In August 1988, Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer and, after surgery, was in remission for several years before having a recurrence in 1996. In 2001, she announced the cancer had metastasized and passed away at age 72 in Nashville.
Vegetarianism
Davis became a vegetarian in 1974, and remained so for the rest of her life.[79] She chose to abstain from eating meat after performing at a benefit concert in Kenya, where the concert organizers had killed and roasted a goat for the artists’ banquet. “I really connected with that goat,” she recounted, “and I couldn’t bear to eat it.”[79]
In August 1988, Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer.[80] She underwent a mastectomy of her right breast to treat the cancer[81] and was in remission for several years before having a recurrence in 1996.[80] In 2001, Davis became incapacitated by her breast cancer, which had metastasized.
The following year, she made her final performance on the Grand Ole Opry, performing “The End of the World”. She died of breast cancer in a Nashville hospice on September 19, 2004, aged 72.[82] She is interred at Williams Memorial Gardens in Franklin, Tennessee.[82]
The End Of The World was the most famous song by Skeeter Davis, who has died, aged 72, of breast cancer. Delivered in her Kentucky soprano voice, it exemplified her trademark blending of mainstream pop and country-and-western.
Born Mary Penick, the eldest of six children, she had an impoverished childhood on a farm near Dry Ridge, in the Appalachian foothills. She acquired the nickname “Skeeter” because of her infant hyperactivity.
At Dixie Heights high school, she formed a bluegrass duo, the Davis Sisters, with her cousin Betty. After well-received engagements in nearby Lexington, a residency on local radio led to television slots on the networked Wheeling Jamboree show, and, in 1952, an RCA recording contract. The sisters soon scored a country-and-western No 1 hit with I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know, which crossed over into the pop Top 20 (and was to be revived by Bob Dylan).
The following August, however, Betty was killed, and Skeeter seriously injured, in a car crash. Following lengthy convalescence, she sang with Betty’s sister Georgia, before going solo in 1955, initially with RCA’s itinerant Caravan Of Stars, headlined by Elvis Presley. Hits such as her own composition, Set Him Free (1959), prompted a move to Nashville, where Davis became a regular and effervescent performer on the Grand Ole Opry.
At the end of the decade, she made unsuccessful attempts to re-enter the pop list, notably with Tell Tommy I Miss Him, a response to the mawkish hit, Tell Laura I Love Her. Nevertheless, Davis remained one of RCA’s most successful country acts until the late 1970s, cracking the pop charts again in 1963 with the million-selling The End Of The World.
Her forays into pop continued with I Can’t Stay Mad At You, a smaller US hit, and a 1965 tour with the Rolling Stones. She also challenged the rigid tenets of the C&W establishment by championing the Byrds’ transition from jingle-jangling acid-folk to country rock.
In 1973, she was suspended from the Grand Ole Opry for 15 months for her outspoken comments about police harrassment of the Christian sect with which she was associated. After the break-up of her third marriage, she devoted herself to animal welfare and record releases that focused chiefly on religious material.
Skeeter Davis’s cancer story is a long, recurring, 18‑year battle with breast cancer, beginning in 1988, returning in 1996, metastasizing by 2001, and ultimately leading to her death in 2004.
Overview of Her Cancer Journey
Initial diagnosis (1988): Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery. She entered remission for several years. mercedsunstar.com
Recurrence (1996): The cancer returned, requiring further treatment. mercedsunstar.com
Metastasis (2001): She publicly announced that the cancer had metastasized. mercedsunstar.com
Passing (2004): Davis died at age 72 in Nashville after her long battle with the disease. AOL
Additional Context
Despite her illness, Davis continued to perform and remain active in music for many years.
Her cancer battle spanned nearly two decades, during which she maintained a significant presence in country music.
Multiple sources note her resilience and continued artistic output even during treatment. Lewiston Sun Journal
Skeeter Davis’ cancer story is remembered as a long, courageous fight that paralleled her influential career in country music.
Skeeter Davis’s Cancer Timeline
A clear, chronological account of her illness, grounded in sourced reporting.
1988 — First Diagnosis
Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She underwent surgery and entered remission.
1996 — First Recurrence
After roughly eight years of remission, her cancer returned.
2001 — Metastasis
Davis publicly announced that her cancer had metastasized (spread beyond the breast).
This marked the beginning of her final decline.
September 19, 2004 — Death
She died at age 72 in Nashville after her long cancer battle.
Context: Her Life During the Illness
Even while fighting cancer, Davis continued performing and recording:
She remained active on the Grand Ole Opry for decades.
She collaborated with artists like NRBQ and continued releasing music.
Her signature hit “The End of the World” remained one of the most successful crossover songs in country‑pop history.
Her cancer story is often remembered alongside her resilience: she kept performing even during treatment periods, and her legacy continued to grow.
Core takeaway: Skeeter Davis’s final years (2001–2004) were defined by metastatic breast cancer, a gradual retreat from public performance, and a quiet, reflective life in Nashville marked by faith, friendships, and the preservation of her musical legacy.
The Final Chapter: 2001–2004
A structured, deeply human portrait of her last years.
Metastasis and Public Announcement (2001)
By 2001, Davis revealed that her breast cancer had metastasized. This marked the turning point: she began canceling shows, stepping back from touring, and focusing on treatment. Even so, she remained emotionally tethered to the Grand Ole Opry, the stage that had been her artistic home for decades.
Life in Nashville During Decline
Her final years were not defined solely by illness. They were shaped by:
Faith: Davis was deeply spiritual; her Christianity became a central anchor as her health declined.
Friendships: She maintained close ties with Opry colleagues and Nashville musicians who visited, called, and supported her.
Quiet creativity: Though she no longer recorded major projects, she continued writing, journaling, and reflecting on her long career.
Legacy tending: She spent time organizing personal archives, photographs, and memorabilia—ensuring her story would be remembered.
The Opry Absence
One of the most poignant aspects of her final years was her absence from the Opry stage. For decades she had been a fixture there, and her withdrawal was felt deeply by fans and fellow performers. She remained connected through visits and calls, but her physical presence faded as her illness progressed.
Final Months (2004)
By mid‑2004, Davis’s condition had worsened significantly. She was largely homebound, surrounded by loved ones. Her death on September 19, 2004, at age 72, closed a life marked by resilience, crossover success, and emotional honesty in her music.
If you want to explore further
I can expand into any of these directions:
Her emotional world in the final years
Her relationship with the Opry
Her legacy after death
Which path feels right to you tonight, Ken?
In her final years, Skeeter Davis lived in an emotional landscape shaped by faith, loneliness, nostalgia, and a quiet, steady acceptance of her mortality. Her inner world was tender, reflective, and deeply spiritual—more like a long twilight than a sudden nightfall.
The Emotional Weather of Her Last Years
A layered portrait of what she felt, not just what she endured.
1. Faith as Her Anchor
Davis’s Christianity wasn’t just a belief system—it was her emotional scaffolding. As her cancer metastasized, faith became:
A source of calm when her body weakened
A framework for meaning, helping her interpret suffering
A bridge to loved ones who shared her spiritual language
She often spoke of heaven not with fear, but with a kind of gentle anticipation.
2. Loneliness and the Loss of the Stage
Her withdrawal from the Grand Ole Opry—the place she had poured her heart into for decades—created a profound emotional ache.
She missed the crowd’s warmth
She missed the ritual of performance
She missed the identity that came from being onstage
This wasn’t despair; it was a quiet, persistent loneliness. She stayed connected through calls and visits, but the absence of the stage left a hollow space she never fully filled.
3. Nostalgia and Life Review
As her illness progressed, Davis spent more time with:
Old photographs
Journals
Letters
Memorabilia from her long career
This wasn’t mere reminiscing—it was curation. She was organizing her life, emotionally and physically, making sure her story would be understood. Nostalgia became a kind of emotional housekeeping, a way to prepare for departure.
4. Grief for What She Could No Longer Do
There was grief—not dramatic, but steady.
She grieved:
The loss of her voice’s strength
The inability to tour
The shrinking of her world to Nashville and then to her home
But she didn’t rage against these losses. Her grief was soft, almost companionable, like a shadow she learned to walk beside.
5. Acceptance and Quiet Peace
By 2004, her emotional world had settled into a kind of peaceful dusk.
She accepted her illness
She accepted her limits
She accepted that her life’s arc was nearing its end
Friends described her as calm, gentle, and reflective. She wasn’t fighting anymore—she was preparing.
Describe Skeeter Davis spiritual worldview
Core takeaway: Skeeter Davis’s spiritual worldview in her final years was a blend of evangelical Christian faith, mystical tenderness, and a deeply personal sense of God as both companion and destination. Her spirituality wasn’t abstract—it was lived, felt, and woven into every part of her emotional world as she approached the end of her life.
The Shape of Her Spiritual World
A layered portrait of how she understood God, suffering, and the meaning of her life.
Faith as Daily Presence
For Davis, Christianity wasn’t merely doctrine—it was relationship. She saw God as:
A comforter in illness
A guide through uncertainty
A listener when loneliness deepened
A source of peace when her body weakened
Her faith was intimate, almost conversational. She prayed the way some people journal—honestly, vulnerably, without performance.
🕊️ A Mystical Tenderness
Though rooted in traditional Christian belief, her spirituality had a soft, mystical quality.
She believed:
God was near, not distant
Angels were real presences, not metaphors
Music was a spiritual language, capable of healing
Suffering could be transformed into compassion
This gave her worldview a luminous gentleness—she didn’t fear the unseen; she felt accompanied by it.
Scripture as Emotional Compass
Davis often turned to scripture not for rules, but for orientation.
She gravitated toward passages about:
Comfort
Endurance
Divine closeness
The promise of reunion after death
Her reading was devotional rather than analytical. She approached scripture like a friend’s letter—something to hold, reread, and draw strength from.
Suffering as Spiritual Refinement
Her long cancer battle shaped her theology.
She believed:
Illness was not punishment
Pain could deepen empathy
Mortality clarified what mattered
God remained present even in decline
This gave her a quiet resilience. She didn’t interpret suffering as abandonment; she interpreted it as accompanied struggle.
Death as Return, Not Ending
By her final year, Davis spoke of death with a calm, almost homeward tone.
She saw dying as:
A transition, not a rupture
A reunion with God
A release from bodily limitation
A continuation of the soul’s journey
This worldview softened her final months. She wasn’t fighting death; she was preparing for it with the serenity of someone who believed she was going somewhere familiar.
Explain Skeeter Davis legacy after death
Core takeaway: After her death in 2004, Skeeter Davis’s legacy settled into a quiet but enduring constellation: a timeless song, a pioneering place in country‑pop history, and a deep emotional imprint on artists who came after her. She didn’t leave behind a flashy empire—she left behind a feeling, a voice, and a story that keeps resurfacing.
The Three Currents of Her Posthumous Legacy
A structured, emotionally aware portrait of how she continues to live on.
“The End of the World” as cultural immortality
Her signature song became her passport into eternity. It still appears in:
Films and TV dramas
Commercials
Nostalgia playlists
Covers by younger artists
The track’s emotional purity—its soft ache, its simplicity—has made it one of the most recognizable heartbreak songs of the 20th century. It’s the kind of song that outlives its singer because it speaks a universal language.
Her place in the Grand Ole Opry’s lineage
Davis was a fixture at the Opry for decades, and her absence after 2004 was deeply felt.
Her legacy there includes:
Being one of the earliest women to achieve major crossover success
Modeling emotional honesty onstage
Influencing younger female artists who saw her blend of pop and country as a path forward
She is remembered not just as a performer, but as part of the Opry’s emotional fabric.
Her influence on modern artists
Davis helped define a style of singing that was:
Vulnerable
Direct
Unadorned
Emotionally transparent
Her approach shaped the “soft heartbreak” aesthetic embraced by later country‑pop and indie artists. She didn’t dramatize emotion—she offered it. That gentleness became her signature, and it continues to echo.
The Emotional Memory She Left Behind
Since her death, Davis has been remembered as:
A survivor, due to her long cancer battle
A boundary‑breaker, for her crossover success
A gentle presence, whose voice carried emotional truth without theatrics
Her legacy is persistent rather than loud. She’s one of those artists whose name may fade from casual conversation, but whose song remains instantly recognizable.
The immune system constantly monitors and attacks abnormal cells, but cancer can evade or suppress these defenses, making immunotherapy a key strategy in treatment.
Specialized immune cells, such as cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, recognize abnormal markers on cancer cells and can kill them before tumors develop aai.org+1.
Cancer cells often display unusual proteins or signals that alert immune cells to their presence, allowing the immune system to act quickly and sometimes prevent cancer from growing aai.org.
This process is part of the body’s immune surveillance, which continuously scans for damaged or mutated cells scienceinsights.org.
How Cancer Evades the Immune System
Cancer cells can develop strategies to avoid immune detection, a process known as immune evasion. They may:
Lose or downregulate tumor antigens, preventing T cells from recognizing them as threats scienceinsights.org.
Alter the tumor microenvironment, making it physically or chemically difficult for immune cells to infiltrate and function effectively aai.org+1.
Suppress immune cell activity by releasing inhibitory signals that paralyze anti-tumor immune cells within the tumor microenvironment scienceinsights.org.
Cause immune cell exhaustion, reducing the effectiveness of T cells and NK cells over time aai.org. These mechanisms allow tumors to grow unchecked despite the presence of immune defenses.
How Cancer Evades the Immune System
Cancer cells can develop strategies to avoid immune detection, a process known as immune evasion. They may:
Lose or downregulate tumor antigens, preventing T cells from recognizing them as threats scienceinsights.org.
Alter the tumor microenvironment, making it physically or chemically difficult for immune cells to infiltrate and function effectively aai.org+1.
Suppress immune cell activity by releasing inhibitory signals that paralyze anti-tumor immune cells within the tumor microenvironment scienceinsights.org.
Cause immune cell exhaustion, reducing the effectiveness of T cells and NK cells over time aai.org. These mechanisms allow tumors to grow unchecked despite the presence of immune defenses.
Impact of Cancer and Treatments on the Immune System
Certain cancers, especially those affecting the bone marrow like leukemia or lymphoma, can reduce the production of white blood cells, weakening the immune system Cancer Research UK.
Additionally, treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can temporarily lower immune cell counts or damage protective barriers, increasing susceptibility to infections Cancer Research UK.
Neutrophils, a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections, are particularly affected by these treatments Cancer Research UK.
Immunotherapy: Harnessing the Immune System
Modern cancer treatments often aim to boost or reactivate the immune system to fight cancer more effectively. Immunotherapies include checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines, which enhance the ability of immune cells to recognize and destroy tumor cells aai.org+1. By overcoming immune evasion and suppression, these therapies can improve outcomes for patients with cancers that would otherwise evade natural immune responses.
Summary
The immune system plays a dual role in cancer: it can detect and eliminate abnormal cells, but cancer cells can evade, suppress, or exhaust immune responses. Understanding this interplay has led to the development of immunotherapies, which aim to restore or enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, offering promising treatment options for many patients aai.org+2.
Impact of Cancer and Treatments on the Immune System
Certain cancers, especially those affecting the bone marrow like leukemia or lymphoma, can reduce the production of white blood cells, weakening the immune system Cancer Research UK.
Additionally, treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can temporarily lower immune cell counts or damage protective barriers, increasing susceptibility to infectionsCancer Research UK.
Neutrophils, a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections, are particularly affected by these treatments ancer Research UK.
Immunotherapy: Harnessing the Immune System
Modern cancer treatments often aim to boost or reactivate the immune system to fight cancer more effectively. Immunotherapies include checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines, which enhance the ability of immune cells to recognize and destroy tumor cells aai.org+1. By overcoming immune evasion and suppression, these therapies can improve outcomes for patients with cancers that would otherwise evade natural immune responses.
Summary
The immune system plays a dual role in cancer: it can detect and eliminate abnormal cells, but cancer cells can evade, suppress, or exhaust immune responses. Understanding this interplay has led to the development of immunotherapies, which aim to restore or enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, offering promising treatment options for many patients aai.org+2.
Thank you for speaking up about this. As an RN, I’ve seen too many times where a biopsy or surgery made it worse. The body is often capable of sequestering cancer to deal with disease, A biopsy and surgery often interferes with the sequestration of cancer and also disrupts the cells to cause many to be released so that it then travels elsewhere and becomes what they call metastatic. If the human body is provided with detoxification and the right nutrients to enhance the immune system it is capable of curing itself.
The Immune System’s Role in Cancer Defense and the Role of Nutrition
Your body does have natural immune surveillance that can detect and destroy abnormal or cancerous cells before they grow into tumors immunologyexplained.aai.org. This process involves immune cells such as T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and other surveillance cells that recognize changes in cell surface proteins or abnormal growth patterns int.livhospital.com+1. In many cases, this defense happens silently and prevents cancer from developing.
However, cancer cells can evade detection by:
Hiding “danger” signals (molecular camouflage)
Creating an immunosuppressive microenvironment
Altering the local tissue environment to block immune cell access
These evasion strategies mean that immune surveillance alone is not always enough to stop cancer int.livhospital.com+1.
How Nutrition Can Support Immune Function
While no diet can guarantee prevention or cure, adequate nutrition can help maintain a healthy immune system, which in turn may improve the body’s ability to detect and respond to abnormal cells Cancer Research UK+1.
Key nutrients and their roles include:
Protein – essential for immune cell production and repair
Vitamins A, C, D, E – support immune cell function and antioxidant defense
Minerals (e.g., zinc, selenium) – important for immune cell development and signaling
Antioxidants (from fruits, vegetables, nuts) – help protect immune cells from oxidative stress
A balanced diet rich in variety of plant foods, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats can help sustain immune cell activity and reduce inflammation, which may indirectly support the immune system’s cancer defense
Selenium in Cancer Rehabilitation—A Retrospective Study from a Specialized Clinic – PMCPrevalence of selenium deficiency was 90% in patients with pancreatic cancer, 74% in patients with colon cancer, and 36% in breast cancer patients. In total, 13 of 50 breast cancer patients supplemented various dosages of selenium before rehabilitation. Selenium deficiency was less prevalent in this group (23% vs. 41%), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.2591).
Nutrition alone cannot “sequester” or cure cancer — it can only support the immune system’s natural defenses Cancer Research UK+1.
Cancer progression often outpaces immune control, and in advanced cases, medical treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy) is required int.livhospital.com+1.
Immune suppression can occur from cancer itself or from certain treatments, so medical guidance is essential Cancer Research UK.
In summary: The immune system can indeed detect and destroy early cancer cells, and good nutrition can help keep it functioning well. But cancer is complex, and while a healthy diet supports immune health, it is not a substitute for medical care when cancer is present. For personalized advice, consult a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.
Body systems and cancer
The immune system and cancer
The immune system protects the body against illness and infection. It can help to fight cancer.
Immune Surveillance, Cancer Control, and the Role of Nutrition
The human immune system is constantly monitoring the body for abnormal cells, including those that may become cancerous. This is known as immune surveillance — a process in which immune cells such as T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and other lymphocytes detect and destroy cells with genetic mutations or abnormal growth patterns before they develop into tumors immunologyexplained.aai.org. In many cases, this happens silently, and cancer never develops int.livhospital.com.
How the immune system fights cancer
Detection: Cancer cells often display unusual surface proteins or signals that alert immune cells immunologyexplained.aai.org.
Limitations: Tumors can evade detection by “molecular camouflage,” creating an immunosuppressive microenvironment, or exhausting immune cells over time immunologyexplained.aai.org.
Immune balance: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) normally help maintain immune equilibrium but can also help cancer cells hide int.livhospital.com.
Experts highlight nutrient-rich foods that strengthen immunity While the immune system can sometimes control early or small cancer cells, it is not infallible. Nutritional status can influence immune function — adequate intake of proteins, vitamins (e.g., A, C, D, E), minerals (e.g., zinc, selenium), and healthy fats supports the production and activity of immune cells Cancer Research UK. Poor nutrition, chronic inflammation, or certain medical conditions can weaken immune defenses, making it harder for the body to control abnormal cell growth Cancer Research UK.
Selenium is an essential trace element that is a critical cofactor for glutathione peroxidase (GPx), an antioxidant enzyme that protects cells from oxidative damage by reducing hydrogen peroxide and other peroxides using glutathionewww.droracle.ai.
Biochemical Role
GPx is a selenoprotein in which selenium is incorporated as selenocysteine at the enzyme’s active site www.droracle.ai. This selenium atom is essential for catalyzing the reaction: H₂O₂ + 2 GSH → 2 H₂O + GSSG Here, glutathione (GSH) is oxidized to glutathione disulfide (GSSG) while hydrogen peroxide is reduced to water www.droracle.ai. This reaction is a key step in the body’s antioxidant defense, preventing oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA Immune Health Science.
Supplementation in deficient individuals can significantly increase GPx activity www.droracle.ai+1.
Clinical and Health Implications
Low GPx activity is linked to:
Increased susceptibility to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation www.droracle.ai.
Higher risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications, and certain cancers Immune Health Science+1.
Impaired detoxification of heavy metals and reduced cellular integrity Immune Health Science.
Studies show that selenium supplementation in deficient populations improves GPx activity and antioxidant status www.droracle.ai+1. For example, in chronic kidney disease patients, 200 µg/day selenium for 3 months increased plasma selenium and RBC GPx activity Immune Health Science.
Supplements: Meta-analyses show selenium-enriched foods may be more effective than selenomethionine for increasing GPx activity MDPI.
Bioavailability: Organic, inorganic, and nanoelemental selenium can all be incorporated into GPx, but efficacy varies by form and dose MDPI.
Key Takeaway
Selenium is indispensable for GPx function, which is central to cellular antioxidant defense. Maintaining adequate selenium status through diet or supplementation (when deficient) supports GPx activity, reduces oxidative stress, and may lower disease risk www.droracle.ai+4.
No guarantee of prevention: Even with optimal nutrition, the immune system cannot always stop cancer from developing or progressing int.livhospital.com+1.
Medical care is essential: For diagnosed cancer, standard treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy) are critical; nutrition alone cannot replace these Cancer Research UK+1.
Evidence-based support: Nutrition can help maintain immune health and overall well-being, but it is not a substitute for medical treatment.
Bottom line: The body’s immune system can sometimes “sequester” or control cancer cells, but this depends on the tumor’s ability to evade detection and on the immune system’s overall health.
Supporting immune function through balanced nutrition is beneficial, but it should be combined with evidence-based medical care rather than relied upon as a standalone solution int.livhospital.com+2.
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Side‑by‑Side Comparison: Martin vs. Mainstream Neuroscience
Why the Two Views Diverge So Sharply
Non‑obvious insight
Archetypal Meaning
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The Turning Point — HER2‑Targeted Clinical Trial
Why Her Story Matters
1. Breast Cancer (Early 1980s) — 
2. Cervical Cancer (Mid‑1980s) — 
3. Thyroid Cancer (1996) — 
4. Lung Cancer (2020) — 
Barbara Bendlin, PhD, weighed in on the connection between gut inflammation and brain health in a recent article published by 
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Skeeter Davis’s Cancer Timeline
Context: Her Life During the Illness
The Final Chapter: 2001–2004
Life in Nashville During Decline
Final Months (2004)
If you want to explore further
3. Nostalgia and Life Review
Scripture as Emotional Compass
Her influence on modern artists
aai.org+1
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immunologyexplained.aai.org
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www.droracle.ai
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