Inner Strength Inc

10/17/2026

Doctor of Medical QiGong reunion and retreat! Our first, but not our last!
Just a few photos of the day, dedicated to community, embracing change, and looking to the future.

Thank you to our amazing grad for a heartfelt day. We are so proud of each of you!

10/14/2026

The reason why Statin drugs can cause pain and weakness:

Statins lower LDL cholesterol by blocking an enzyme involved in cholesterol production in the liver. But the same biochemical pathway also produces molecules involved in other cellular processes. Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Rochester have identified another possible mechanism behind statin associated muscle symptoms involving ryanodine receptor 1, or RyR1, a calcium channel inside muscle cells.
Using detailed structural imaging, the researchers found that simvastatin can bind to RyR1 and alter the channel's behavior. Normally, RyR1 releases calcium from an internal storage network when a muscle needs to contract. If the channel remains unusually open, calcium can leak into the surrounding cell. Excess calcium can activate enzymes that damage muscle proteins and interfere with normal muscle function, potentially producing pain, weakness and cramps.

Experiments in mice showed that closing these calcium channels with an experimental compound prevented simvastatin related muscle weakness. The mechanism may be particularly relevant in people with certain RyR1 mutations that already affect calcium handling. This adds a new piece to the biological puzzle of statin associated muscle symptoms, alongside mechanisms involving mitochondria and cellular metabolism, and could eventually help researchers develop cholesterol lowering drugs that preserve their cardiovascular benefits while avoiding this muscle effect.

10/13/2026

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Recent independent lab testing by Consumer Reports revealed that Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars (Oats’n honey) contained the highest concentration of acrylamide out of 21 popular children’s snacks tested, logging 10.1 micrograms per serving. Acrylamide is a chemical byproduct that forms when sugars and amino acids in grains are subjected to high-temperature commercial baking, and it is classified as a probably human carcinogen. The evaluation also flagged the presence of glycidyl esters, an industrial oil-refining contaminant that the body converts into glycidol—another probable carcinogen associated with serious long-term health risks. Food manufacturers can completely avoid or significantly minimize these toxic byproducts by absorbing slightly higher manufacturing and ingredient costs to reformulate their process. For instance, companies can invest in specialized acrylamide-reducing processing aids like the asparaginase enzyme, utilize premium cold-pressed unrefined oils, or pay for modified low-temperature, slow-baking facilities. However, because the standard high-heat manufacturing process remains cheaper and highly efficient, the burden currently falls on the consumer. Food safety experts advise limiting consumption of these bars to a few times a month, or a rare treat, instead of daily lunchbox staples, especially for children. Keep in mind that these chemicals are in MANY other foods like this (that require high-heat) so you must make sure you’re limiting consumption of all of them 😭 It shouldn’t be this hard…

🚩Check out the comments section for the full health impacts of these chemicals. 🫠

‼️ You can read their complete testing data, methodology, and health safety breakdown directly on the Consumer Reports Kids' Snacks Investigation Page.

10/08/2026

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A fascinating new scientific discovery reveals that the human skeleton possesses a built-in pharmacy capable of healing the brain. Medical researchers have just uncovered a hidden biological connection between our legs and our minds, demonstrating that applying repetitive physical pressure to the shin bone can actively accelerate recovery from traumatic brain injuries. While doctors have long noticed that a severe head injury can cause fractured bones to heal unusually fast, this new evidence proves the body's internal healing signals actually travel in both directions across the bone-brain axis.

The secret to this systemic healing lies deep inside our skeletal structure within specialized bone cells that act as mechanical sensors. When the shin bone experiences physical compression, these cells are triggered into action, essentially turning the bone into a temporary organ that releases a powerful mixture of protective molecules directly into the bloodstream. These natural healing agents travel straight to the brain, where they work to calm severe tissue inflammation and shield vulnerable nerve cells from further damage.

This remarkable breakthrough opens up completely new, non-invasive possibilities for trauma care and rehabilitative medicine. Instead of relying solely on complex neurological medications, future treatments could involve simple, targeted physical therapies or specialized leg compression devices to help head trauma patients recover. By strategically stimulating the skeletal system, medical professionals may soon have a natural way to help the brain heal itself, highlighting just how deeply interconnected the human body truly is.

Journal source: Cai, Z., Zhang, Z., Wang, Y. et al. Tibial bone compression promotes recovery after brain injury through osteocyte PIEZO1. Nat Neurosci (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02422-w

10/07/2026

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Yes, this is real.

In January 2024 Consumer Reports published lab tests of 85 foods for plastic chemicals. That included 18 fast food items from chains like Wendy's, McDonald's, Burger King and Chipotle.

Wendy's Crispy Chicken Nuggets had 33,980 nanograms of phthalates per serving. That was the highest of all 18 fast foods.

McDonald's Chicken McNuggets had 8,030. Burger King's chicken nuggets had 19,782. So the Wendy's nuggets had over 4 times as much per serving as McNuggets.

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastic more flexible and durable. Consumer Reports says growing research shows they are endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with estrogen and other hormones. It says even small hormone disruptions can add to the risk of problems like diabetes, obesity, heart disease and infertility.

They are not a listed ingredient. Consumer Reports says they can get in from the plastic in the tubing, conveyor belts and gloves used during food processing, and from packaging.

It was not just fast food. Phthalates turned up in all but one of the 85 foods tested.

To be fair: none of the foods went over the limits set by US or European regulators. Consumer Reports says those limits cover only a few of these chemicals and may be out of date, and that no level has been confirmed as safe.

Wendy's did not respond to Consumer Reports' request for comment. McDonald's said it follows existing regulations.

A chemical industry group, the American Chemistry Council, called the article misleading and said not all phthalates are the same. The FDA allows nine phthalates in materials that touch food. In 2022 it denied a petition from several groups calling for a ban on multiple phthalates in those materials, saying the petition did not show that was warranted.

The number is a total of 10 different phthalates. Consumer Reports tested two or three samples of each food, bought in early 2023 mostly in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and its chart does not list serving sizes. Levels today may be different.

The good news from the same test: levels varied a lot, even between similar foods. A serving of Pizza Hut's Original Cheese Pan Pizza had about half the level of a similar pizza from Little Caesars. Consumer Reports says that shows there are ways to bring these chemicals down.

Share this with someone who loves nuggets.

Sources: Consumer Reports, "The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Food," January 4, 2024, and its test methodology. American Chemistry Council statement, January 23, 2024. FDA update on phthalates in food packaging, 2022.

10/04/2026

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09/30/2026

Do you practice finding Joy?
https://mailchi.mp/inner-strength/joy-17996199

09/29/2026

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A 2024 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Sleep Medicine: X investigated magnesium L-threonate in 80 adults aged 35–55 who reported sleep problems. Participants were randomly assigned to take either 1,000 mg of magnesium L-threonate per day or a placebo for 21 days.

Researchers evaluated sleep using standardized questionnaires as well as an Oura Ring, which provided objective measurements of sleep and daily activity. Mood, energy, productivity, mental alertness, morning behavior, and other aspects of daytime functioning were also tracked throughout the study.

Compared with placebo, magnesium L-threonate produced significant improvements in objective measures including deep sleep score, REM sleep score, and light sleep time. Participants also reported significant improvements in behavior upon awakening, daytime energy, productivity, mood, mental alertness, and grouchiness.

Oura Ring data additionally showed improvements in activity score, daily movement, readiness score, activity balance, and sleep balance. The researchers concluded that magnesium L-threonate improved sleep quality—particularly deep and REM sleep—as well as daytime functioning, energy, alertness, mood, activity, and productivity. The 1,000 mg/day dose was also reported to be safe and well tolerated during the 21-day study.

PMID: 39252819

09/29/2026

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Wood seems ordinary because it is everywhere around us. But from an astrobiological perspective, it represents something remarkably complex: the product of a mature biosphere. Wood forms through secondary growth in many plants, particularly trees, as specialized tissues produce large amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Its existence depends on a long chain of biological and environmental conditions, including liquid water, sunlight, photosynthesis, suitable atmospheric conditions, nutrients, stable ecosystems, and hundreds of millions of years of plant evolution.

Organic molecules themselves are not considered rare in the cosmos. Astronomers have detected carbon-based compounds in meteorites, comets, interstellar clouds, and planetary environments. What has not been confirmed beyond Earth, however, is the existence of complex terrestrial ecosystems such as forests. Producing wood requires much more than simply having carbon and water. It requires organisms capable of photosynthesis, complex multicellular life, specialized vascular tissues, and evolutionary processes that eventually produce woody plants.

Earth is currently the only known world confirmed to have forests and naturally occurring wood. That does not prove that wood exists nowhere else, but it highlights an important distinction in astrobiology: the ingredients for life may be widespread, while the long evolutionary pathway leading to complex ecosystems may be much rarer. Every tree is therefore more than a source of timber. It is evidence of billions of years of biological evolution and a functioning planetary ecosystem, reminding us how extraordinary Earth's forests are and why protecting them matters.

Science Department |

08/30/2026

Our Formless Taoism Priest class meets today, and part of our time is on offering prayers and compassion for those who request.
We have a form on our website to make it easy...
Bookmark this and use it when ever you need. We care.

https://inner-strength.com/formless-taoism/prayer-requests/