Curiosity, 3 Factors, Low Test, More Walking, Armadillo Leprosy, Sleep Divorce, and Much More

Hyvää iltapäivää Nikkola Newsletterers! That’s “good afternoon” in Finnish. 🇫🇮

Why don’t they just ask?!

I pondered this question multiple times this past week. In talking to Vanessa about similar situations, I said, “Why don’t they just ask you?!” It was a rhetorical question.

It started with a photo I shared on Facebook, which included low-fat Daisy cottage cheese.

Some people commented that they’d never buy low-fat cottage cheese, as though the 2.5 grams of fat per serving was far inferior to the 4 grams of fat per serving in full-fat cottage cheese. It was as though I was leading people astray by showcasing such a nutritional atrocity.

They didn’t ask me why I bought it, to which I would have replied that it was the only option at Costco and it cost way less than anything at our grocery store. Asking the question and getting the reply would have made them wiser. Telling me they’d never do such a thing made them seem foolish.

On Sunday, we announced that we were jumping into a new business. Most people celebrated it, and many are eager to join us. A few people insinuated that Vanessa was abandoning her Young Living business, which she’s poured into every day since 2014, except for one month after I broke my neck. Had they asked, they would have known she wasn’t doing anything of the sort. She’s as committed to her Young Living business as ever. At the same time, we know it’s important to diversify our income, just as most other businesses do. But they didn’t ask. They just made assumptions and judged and ended up looking foolish rather than getting wiser.

Yesterday, a friend posted this comment in his Facebook story:

I agree wholeheartedly and believe that superpower is available to us all. Curiosity creates questions. Questions lead to new insights and knowledge. We all benefit from becoming more curious.

On that note, I read and respond to every email, so if you ever have a question about any of the content in the newsletter, ask away. Or, if you’d prefer, tap on the “read online” link at the top and then use the comments area at the end of the newsletter to post a question.

Enjoy today’s carefully curated newsletter!

The 3 Most Important Factors That Impact Health, Fitness, and Longevity: Though this isn’t a long post, it’s 20 years in the making, as tomorrow marks my 20th year as a fitness professional. As I look back on the 20 years, I realize how much my eyes have opened to the myths and misinformation (or is it disinformation) surrounding health and fitness. Sadly, much of the pseudoscience and ridiculous public health recommendations persist today, passed along by some well-meaning personal trainers and dietitians, and many charlatans hoping to make a bunch of money from people looking for quick fixes and “cutting-edge” gimmicks. Keep reading (or listen)…

Guys, This Is Why You Have Low Testosterone: Low libido, difficulty building muscle, depression, and increased body fat. These are the four most common symptoms of low testosterone people ask me about. If you have low testosterone, you’re not alone. A 2006 study found 39% of U.S. men, age 45 and older, were testosterone-deficient. I’m confident the percentage would be higher if measured today. Keep reading (or listen)…

The more you walk, the lower your risk of dying. According to the largest study yet on the subject, “An increase of 1000 steps a day was associated with a 15% reduction in the risk of dying from any cause, and an increase of 500 steps a day was associated with a 7% reduction in dying from cardiovascular disease.” Read the rest of this newsletter, and then go for a short walk. Or a long one.

Beware of the armadillos! The CDC has reported increased leprosy cases in Florida, blaming armadillos as a potential transmission source. However, Jessica Rose suggests the real cause could be immune dysfunction induced by the COVID-19 vaccines, evidenced by reports of leprosy symptoms in VAERS following vaccination. Current WHO downward trends in leprosy also contradict the CDC's claim of an alarming outbreak, which they seem to think is caused by armadillos.

Italian researchers reported two cases of teenage boys who developed recurring myocarditis several months after recovering from initial myocarditis episodes linked to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, indicating the mRNA shots may cause repeated heart inflammation. The authors call for closer monitoring of myocarditis patients and more research on potential long-term cardiac impacts, but public health officials have largely ignored the findings. The cases raise concerns about the long-term prognosis for young people who develop vaccine-related myocarditis.

One-third of Americans sleep divorced. According to a recent survey, over a third of Americans occasionally or consistently sleep in a separate room from their partner, a phenomenon dubbed a "sleep divorce", with men more likely to relocate than women; experts say poor sleep can damage relationships through increased conflict and lower empathy, so separate sleeping arrangements may benefit overall well-being, especially if loud snoring indicative of sleep apnea is the culprit. However, there’s probably a better term they could have come up with than using the “D” word.

HMB may slow Alzheimer’s progression. In a mouse model of Alzheimer’s, HMB improved cognitive ability and reduced the buildup of amyloid plaques. I started on a blog post about HMB because I believe it’s a highly underrated supplement for older adults. Beyond the potential cognitive benefits, it SIGNIFICANTLY reduces muscle loss. It’s one of a few supplements I believe most older adults should use regularly.

Revenues for Beyond Meat are down 30% compared to last year. Ethan Brown, their CEO said, “As a brand and category, we have significantly more work to do to reach the consumer on the health benefits of Beyond Meat and plant-based meats, respectively.” It sounds like the public sees through his narrative about plants pretending to be meat, and they’re not buying it. Pun intended.

Meet the Company Trying to Control Your Mind. There’s a group of people who control what you are allowed to see – the news you read, the videos you watch, the posts you engage with. You haven’t heard of them. You don’t know their names, but they determine, through methods both direct and indirect, whether you are allowed to be exposed to particular messages. Keep reading…

Taking Aim at the First Amendment. Last week’s federal indictment of Donald Trump is a watershed moment in the politicization and weaponization of the Department of Justice. The DOJ is doing that which it accuses President Trump of doing—attempting to change the election and deprive Americans of their right to vote by advancing extreme legal theories. Against the free passes the Obama-Biden DOJ gave the Biden family, Hilary Clinton, Lois Lerner, thousands of rioters after George Floyd’s death, and protestors at the homes of Supreme Court justices, the rupture is complete. This is not the America for which millions of our citizens fought a war of independence, the Civil War, and two world wars. Keep reading…