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Nicotine Shows Surprising Benefits to the Aging Brain
New research on nicotine shows surprising benefits from use of this addictive drugMore research is surfacing that shows nicotine can have positive effects on the brain. In its most common form via smokable tobacco, the downsides obviously outweigh the benefits.You’ll smoke your way to the ER before you smoke your way to a higher IQ.
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Australia Becomes First Nation to Name Psychedelics as Medicine
Australian officials have approved MDMA and psilocybin for controlled psychiatric useAustralia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has announced that it will permit the prescription of two psychedelic substances to treat mental illness: MDMA, more commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly, and psilocybin, the psychoactive component of mushrooms. In doing so, Australia has become the first nation worldwide to recognize psychedelics as medicine.
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Hyakutukiin in Shumyo Temple by Love Architecture
A sacred burial nexus of Japanese cultureThe fusion of Japanese burial traditions and modern city space is captured in the creative design behind Hyakutukiin in Shumyo Temple by Love Architecture. The design features a large-scale ossuary; an indoor chamber used to store bones of the dead. The ossuary and tree burial garden are nestled between building exterior walls where a parking…
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Psychiatric Advance Directives Can Empower Those With Severe Mental Illness (Interview)
An interview with Marvin Swartz, director of the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance DirectivesMarvin S. Swartz, M.D., is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University. He has dedicated his career to researching the effectiveness of services for severely mentally ill people. He’s also the director of the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives. He sat down with SevenPonds to illuminate what these psychiatric advance…
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“A Song for Mama”
A sweet and soulful serenade to mothers everywhereFor fans of the contemporary R&B group Boyz II Men, “A Song for Mama” is a sentimental favorite. This ’90s megahit is an open-hearted expression of gratitude for mothers that resonates deeply for many sons and daughters. You can feel the passion behind the poignant lyrics as they express what their mother means to them…
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My Grandmother’s Death Tore My Life Apart
After losing everything I knew and loved, losing my grandmother was almost more than I could bearThis is Irena Kaci’s story as told by herself. Our Opening Our Hearts stories are based on people’s real-life experiences. By sharing these experiences publicly, we hope to help our readers feel less alone in their grief and, ultimately, to aid them in their healing process. In this story, Irena Kaci tells the story of…
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“Between Two Kingdoms” by Suleika Jaouad
A memoir of cancer and recovery in early adulthoodThe name Suleika Jaouad may ring a bell. At the young age of 23, Jaouad was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia and given a 35% chance of survival. She faced years of intense chemotherapy and a grueling bone marrow transplant, and in the midst of all of this, started writing a column…
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“An Untitled Japanese Death Poem”
A Zen monk’s final words offer insight into this world and the nextEmpty-handed I entered the worldBarefoot I leave it.My coming, my going —Two simple happeningsThat got entangled. This untitled poem by Kozan Ichikyo, written in 1360, represents a genre known as “jisei” or Japanese death poems, once common among Zen monks and poets in Japan and China. The poems, which typically appeared in the form of…
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Liquor Licenses for Funeral Homes: A New Trend?
Funeral homes liven things up with bars and alcoholThe funeral industry is experiencing an interesting trend — the rise of funeral homes seeking liquor licenses or adding bars. While we traditionally see funerals as somber events with tears, black clothing, and sentimental scriptures, this type of service has less and less relevance for many Americans today. Celebrations of life, with more light-hearted themes…
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