I was scrolling through TikTok one day when I saw an interesting (and slightly disgusting) video about a drink called the “internal shower” that supposedly “cleans” your guts. Yes, I somehow got into the PoopTok section of the video-sharing app.
The drink, which claims to help bloating and constipation, consists of three ingredients: water, chia seeds, and the juice of half a lemon.
And there wasn’t just one video – there were dozens of them! In just days, the chia seed concoction took the app by storm, with the hashtag #internalshowerdrink gaining over 4.4 million views and #internalshower over 49.9 million.
I needed to learn more about the gelatinous (and coarse) liquid that people were so eager to consume, so I spoke to experts about potential benefits and risks:
Laura Ligos, a registered dietitian and sports dietetics specialist, says it depends on individual needs and digestive issues to determine whether this drink is a good option.
“The drink’s components can all support digestion but won’t cure root problems,” she explains. “If someone hasn’t hydrated properly or if they haven’t gotten enough fiber through their diet during the day (I usually recommend between 30-40 grams per day for adults), then it can be a faster way to reach those goals. to achieve.”
But before calling this drink a “last resort,” she says she would focus on proper hydration (usually about half your body weight in grams per day), eating plenty of fiber, and including plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Click here to read the full story, including the section on potential risks.
What the Heard-Depp Trial Didn’t Cover: The Violence Bisexual Women Face
The coverage of the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trials wasn’t about sexual identity, so my colleague Alia E. Dastagir explored how Heard’s identity as a bisexual woman may have influenced her marriage and the case. Here’s an excerpt from her report:
Depp won the defamation lawsuit he filed by accusing Heard of defaming him in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she did not name him but referred to herself as “a public figure who represents domestic violence.” Heard partially won her counter-charge after comments from Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman when he called her allegations of abuse a hoax.
The verdict came on the first day of Pride Month, which this year takes place against anti-LGBTQ violence, anti-LGBTQ laws, and fear and isolation among LGBTQ youth. LGBTQ people are nearly four times more likely than non-LGBTQ people to become violent victims, and bisexual women are particularly vulnerable to sexual and domestic violence.
Nearly half of bisexual women say they have been raped, and 75% say they have experienced sexual violence other than rape, including sexual coercion and unwanted sexual contact. According to a partner sport from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bisexual women had a significantly higher prevalence of rape and sexual assault by perpetrators and an intimate partner than lesbian and heterosexual women. Most bisexual women who experienced sexual and intimate partner violence had only male perpetrators.
“It’s pretty amazing when we look at the numbers,” said Dr. Nicole Johnson, a professor at Lehigh University who studies violence against women and those of marginalized sexual or gender identities. “It still hasn’t become a national conversation, a national concern of, ‘What’s going on, what are we doing about it?’… The general conversation around sexual and intimate partner violence is so heteronormative.”
Click here to read Alia’s full story.
What is romanticizing? And why do I keep talking about my ex?
Romanticizing an ex is common, but it doesn’t help, explains therapist and columnist Sara Kuburic.
If you romanticize an ex—meaning you only remember the positive things (and describe the person or the dynamic in an unrealistic or idealized way)—you’ll convince yourself that the relationship was better or more attractive than it was.
So, if you find yourself romanticizing, here are a few things that can help you stop:
Research why you do it. More and more, we do things for a reason. Sometimes it can be easier to ignore or minimize the complexities of past relationships as a way not to deal with them. So ask yourself: What purpose does romanticize the relationship serve? Are you ready to move on? Does it help you to deal with anything? Are you using it to sabotage your current relationship?
Try to remember facts. Write down the story of your relationship and think about its accuracy (perhaps ask a friend if what you wrote matches how you spoke about the connection at the time). If it helps, write a list of pros and cons.
Remember that things change. It is important to remember that who you used to be is no longer who you are. And chances are, they’ve also grown into another version of themselves. There is no “going back” because you are two different people now. You can’t mimic those dynamics or those feelings.
Click here to read more tips and the rest of the story.
Today’s Lectures
Today’s pet
Meet Bane.
“This is Bane from Wooster, Ohio, doing one of his favorite things – riding the sidecar!” writes Natalie Richardson.
