P BMI IS NOT NORMALLY DISTRIBUTED X Right skew (long tail to the right)

 A

You’re right — BMI is typically not normally distributed in most real populations.

Here’s why, and what that means in practice:

Why BMI isn’t normal

• Right-skewed distribution: There’s a hard lower bound (you can’t have negative BMI), but no strict upper bound. A smaller number of very high BMIs pull the tail to the right.

• Population heterogeneity: Mixing ages, sexes, ethnicities, and health statuses creates multiple sub-patterns instead of one clean bell curve.

• Biological + social factors: Diet, activity, socioeconomic status, and disease don’t affect BMI symmetrically.

So instead of a nice bell shape, BMI usually looks skewed, sometimes even bimodal.

Why this matters

If BMI isn’t normal, then:

• The mean > median (mean gets pulled upward)

• t-tests, ANOVA, linear regression assumptions may be violated

• Confidence intervals and p-values can be misleading if you don’t adjust

What to do instead

Depending on your goal:

Descriptive stats

• Report median + IQR instead of mean ± SD

Comparisons

• Use non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis)

• Or analyze BMI categories (underweight / normal / overweight / obese)

Modeling

• Transform BMI (e.g., log(BMI))

• Use robust regression

• Or model a related measure (e.g., waist circumference) if appropriate

Large samples note

• With big datasets, parametric tests can still work due to the Central Limit Theorem, but interpretation still needs care.

If you want, tell me what you’re doing with BMI (paper, regression, hypothesis test, clinical report), and I’ll suggest the cleanest statistical approach for that use case.

15 MIN DAILY BRISK WALK

 A

Here’s a TL;DR bullet gist of the Superage article you linked plus the actual study behind it:

• Key finding: Just 15 minutes of brisk walking per day is linked to a ~20% lower risk of early death compared with not walking briskly. (Super Age)

• Walking pace matters more than just duration: A faster pace was far more protective than long, slow walking — slow walking of several hours brought only a tiny benefit. (Super Age)

• Strongest impact on heart health: The biggest reductions in risk were for cardiovascular deaths (e.g., heart attack & stroke). (Super Age)

• Brisk walking benefits held regardless of other exercise habits (e.g., gym workouts, lifting). (Super Age)

• The effect was seen across groups, and benefits were even stronger in people with existing health conditions. (Super Age)

• “Brisk pace” is roughly a walk that makes conversation a bit harder but still possible. (Super Age)

Bottom line: A daily 15-minute brisk walk — not just slow strolling — is linked to longer life and better heart health. (Super Age)

P KEEPING FERRITIN OVER 50

 A

LIST

• Symptomatic iron deficiency

• Hair loss

• Restless legs syndrome

• Fatigue syndromes

• Heavy menstrual bleeding

• Pregnancy/pre-conception

• Athletes

• Chronic inflammatory conditions

Got it — you’re asking in what situations doctors aim to keep ferritin above ~50 ng/mL, not just “normal.” This comes up a lot, and it’s a legit question.

Here are the main conditions and contexts where ferritin ≥50 (often 50–100+) is recommended 👇

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1. Iron Deficiency With Symptoms (Even if Hemoglobin Is Normal)

This is a big one.

Ferritin below ~30 can cause symptoms, but many people still feel unwell until ferritin is ≥50.

Common symptoms:

• Fatigue, weakness

• Brain fog, poor concentration

• Hair shedding

• Shortness of breath with exertion

• Dizziness, palpitations

➡️ Many clinicians treat until ferritin is at least 50–70 to fully replete iron stores.

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2. Hair Loss (Especially Telogen Effluvium)

Dermatologists often recommend:

• Ferritin ≥50, sometimes ≥70

Low ferritin is strongly associated with:

• Diffuse hair shedding

• Poor hair regrowth

➡️ Even if labs say “normal,” hair follicles are iron-hungry.

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3. Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

This one is very clear in guidelines.

• Target ferritin: ≥50, often ≥75–100

• Especially important if symptoms are moderate to severe

➡️ Iron therapy is first-line treatment if ferritin is low or borderline.

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4. Chronic Fatigue or Post-Viral Syndromes

Including:

• Long COVID

• Chronic fatigue–like symptoms

Low or low-normal ferritin can worsen:

• Energy production

• Muscle endurance

• Cognitive stamina

➡️ Many clinicians aim for ≥50 to support recovery.

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5. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

People with:

• Heavy or prolonged periods

• Endometriosis

• Fibroids

Often need ferritin well above 50 to avoid repeated depletion.

➡️ Ferritin may drop quickly each cycle if stores aren’t solid.

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6. Pregnancy & Pre-Conception

Typical targets:

• Pre-pregnancy: ≥50

• During pregnancy: often ≥60–70

Low ferritin increases risk of:

• Maternal anemia

• Fatigue

• Preterm birth

• Low birth weight

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7. Athletes / Highly Active Individuals

Especially endurance athletes.

Iron is critical for:

• Oxygen transport

• Muscle metabolism

• Recovery

➡️ Ferritin ≥50 is often recommended to prevent performance decline.

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8. Chronic Inflammatory Conditions

Examples:

• Autoimmune disease

• Chronic infections

• IBS/IBD

Inflammation can mask iron deficiency, making ferritin appear “normal” when functional iron is low.

➡️ Some clinicians aim for higher ferritin buffers (50–100).

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Important Caveat ⚠️

Ferritin should not be pushed high without reason.

Ferritin too high can be harmful, especially in:

• Hemochromatosis

• Chronic liver disease

• Certain inflammatory states

So targets depend on symptoms + context, not just the number.

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Quick Summary

Ferritin ≥50 is commonly targeted for:

• Symptomatic iron deficiency

• Hair loss

• Restless legs syndrome

• Fatigue syndromes

• Heavy menstrual bleeding

• Pregnancy/pre-conception

• Athletes

• Chronic inflammatory conditions

If you want, tell me:

• your ferritin level

• symptoms you’re dealing with

• age/sex and whether you menstruate

I can help interpret what your ideal ferritin range might be 💙

DEALING WITH CRITICISM X “This is a story, not a verdict.”

 A

Oof—criticism stings because it hits two nerves at once: identity (“What does this say about me?”) and belonging (“Do I still count?”). Handling it isn’t about growing thicker skin so much as learning how to metabolize the hit without letting it poison you.

Here’s a way to actually deal with it—practical, humane, and doable in real life:

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1. Pause the Story Your Brain Is Writing

Criticism triggers instant narration:

“I’m bad at this.”
“They don’t respect me.”
“This confirms my worst fear.”

Before reacting, label it:

• “This is a story, not a verdict.”

That one sentence creates a little breathing room between feedback and self-worth.

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2. Separate the Three Things Criticism Often Blends

Most criticism is a messy combo of:

1. Useful information (something you can improve)

2. Delivery issues (tone, timing, or projection)

3. Emotional residue (your own history, insecurities, or fatigue)

Ask yourself:

• Is there anything actionable here?

• What part of this hurts because of how it was said, not what was said?

• What part is touching an old bruise?

You don’t have to accept all three just because they arrived in one package.

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3. Regulate First, Reflect Second

You can’t think clearly while your nervous system is lit up.

Quick regulation moves:

• Slow exhale (longer out-breath than in)

• Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw

• Name the feeling: “I feel embarrassed / angry / small.”

This isn’t avoidance—it’s emotional first aid so reflection can actually work.

---

4. Extract the Gold, Leave the Gravel

Try this filter:

• If this came from someone I respect, what would I keep?

• If it came from someone having a bad day, what would I ignore?

You’re allowed to:

• Accept feedback without accepting the framing

• Learn something without agreeing with the judgment

• Improve without self-punishment

Growth does not require self-contempt.

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5. Respond, Don’t React (Even Internally)

A grounded internal response sounds like:

• “This doesn’t define me.”

• “I can work on this and still be worthy.”

• “Not all feedback deserves equal weight.”

Externally, neutral buys you power:

• “Thanks for the feedback—I’ll think about it.”

• “Can you clarify what you’d like done differently?”

You don’t owe instant agreement or defense.

---

6. Do a Reality Check with a Safe Person

Ask someone who knows you:

• “Is this a blind spot or just noise?”

Outside perspective helps counter the brain’s tendency to turn one critique into a full character assassination.

---

7. Reframe What the Sting Means

The sting often means:

• You care

• You’re invested

• You’re stretching beyond autopilot

That’s not weakness—that’s engagement.

People who never feel criticized aren’t more evolved; they’re usually just disengaged.

---

One Grounding Thought to Keep Handy

“This is uncomfortable, not catastrophic.”

If you want, tell me:

• what kind of criticism this is (work, personal, creative, from someone you trust vs. someone difficult),
  and I can help you tailor responses—or even rewrite the moment in your head so it hurts less next time 💛

NORMAL LYF

 A

Here’s a TL;DR of the Raptitude article “This Is Still Your First Time” by David Cain —

Core idea:
The piece is a mind-bending, fictional allegory illustrating how magical ordinary life actually is if we simply pay attention. It takes the reader through a surreal scenario where your consciousness is “given back” an hour in everyday life — in a Costco and then in your real world — after a blissfully problem-free afterlife. This glimpse reinforces how rich and wondrous normal, mundane moments (like shopping, driving, connecting with people) feel when you notice them as if for the first time — instead of running on autopilot. (raptitude.com)

Key takeaways:

• Everyday life — even chores and errands — overflows with possibility, novelty, and meaning when observed with fresh awareness rather than routine detachment. (raptitude.com)

• The ordinary contains infinite scenes, shapes, people, stories, and each moment can feel miraculous if we let ourselves truly experience it. (raptitude.com)

• Worries, frustrations, and background concerns wash in and out like little surfacing thoughts, but they don’t define the richness of the experience unless we let them. (raptitude.com)

• The whole piece is a meditation on presence, gratitude, and reclaiming wonder in the regular hours of life. (raptitude.com)

Tone & style:
It’s poetic, imaginative, and reflective — not a practical guide with steps, but a narrative meant to shift perspective on how you think about your own life’s “first times.” (raptitude.com)

Want an even shorter version or practical takeaways to try today?

SCPCH SD MH

 //

20% OF 8-16 YR OLD HAVE MH ISSUES

50% adult MH trajectory fixed by 14 yrs , 75% by age 18 yrs

574% increase in ED in children 

//

SECTION MH2 

supported living 

DAMHS SD

 A

Below is a concise A4-friendly exam table. 

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Biopsychosocial Formulation – M (15 years)

Domain	Key Points
Biological	• 3-year history of widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue •Generalised joint hypermobility; rheumatology work-up negative (no inflammatory disease) •Recurrent focal chest/rib pain with dizziness; poor response to simple analgesia • Multiple recurrent unexplained physical symptoms (abdominal pain, haemoptysis, palpitations, visual loss, seizure-like episode) • Functional neurological symptoms (functional visual loss resolved; likely non-epileptic seizure) • Poor sleep contributing to pain amplification and fatigue • Family history of chronic pain (mother with fibromyalgia) and sudden unexplained death in uncle A
Psychological	• Significant anxiety and panic attacks → avoidance and housebound behaviour • Intrusive critical internal voice with derogatory content, worse at night • Low mood, hopelessness, and reduced future orientation (GCSEs, school) • History of bullying, school exclusion, and academic difficulties • Possible neurodevelopmental traits (dyslexia, attention/sensory difficulties) • Central sensitisation and functional overlay contributing to symptom burden A
Social	• Not attended school for 8 months; repeated school changes and ongoing attendance pressure • Significant bullying with police involvement • Strong attachment to mother; mother highly anxious about missed diagnosis • Father unemployed due to mental health difficulties; family stressors • Older brother recently left for university; loss and altered family dynamics • Limited face-to-face peer contact; social withdrawal • Recent bereavement (uncle’s sudden death) temporally linked to symptom escalation A
Perpetuating / Protective	Perpetuating: • High health anxiety within family and repeated medical investigations • School avoidance, deconditioning, poor sleep • Maternal chronic pain and reinforcing protective behaviours • Ongoing diagnostic uncertainty and fear of serious illness Protective: • Previous resolution of functional symptoms with appropriate explanation • Maintained peer relationships • Engagement with healthcare services • Potential benefit from MDT input (paediatrics, CAMHS, physiotherapy, school reintegration)

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STAGE PANIC X ALL STARE X STARE IS THREAT X COMPARE STARE OF VIRAT RUPA

Japanese Philosophy of Oubaitori

 A

Here's the bullet-point gist of the article:

The Japanese Philosophy of Oubaitori:

• In Japan, four spring trees (Cherry, Plum, Peach, Apricot) bloom on different timelines, each at its own pace

• Oubaitori philosophy: Humans bloom on unique timelines just like trees - comparison is futile since everyone's growth journey is different

• Theodore Roosevelt: "Comparison is the thief of joy"

• Story illustrating the point: Friend celebrates selling his company with yacht trip, but moment deflates when someone admires an even bigger yacht nearby - "There's always going to be a bigger boat"

• Focusing on others' achievements diminishes your own

• Energy given to envy and jealousy will only make them grow and consume you

• Every ounce of energy spent obsessing over others' paths is energy you can't give to your own

• The saying "the grass is always greener on the other side" leads to convincing yourself everyone has it better

Key Takeaway: Stop comparing yourself to others. Turn inward, tend your own garden, and focus on your own growth. The grass is greener where you water it.

AR

 A

CR Consciousness is permanent awareness of the I Exist, I AM Being. It's forceless and powerless

BRAIN IS INTERPRETER / FILTER/ STOP VALVE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

GREYSON NDER

 A

A

SCIENCE IS ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS

RD BK

 A

Here are 10 short anecdotes inspired by Magic and Mystery in Tibet, in a simple, evocative style:

1. A monk sat all night on the snow, wrapped only in a thin cloth; by dawn, steam rose from his body while others shivered beside a blazing fire.watkinsbooks+1

2. A hermit spent years alone in a cave, yet when a stranger arrived, he greeted her by name and described events from her childhood she had never told anyone.tsemrinpoche+1

3. A young disciple was ordered to cross a frozen river in the dark; he obeyed in terror, only to learn at sunrise that he had walked safely over deep, unfrozen water.[pankajdewan.wordpress]​

4. A lama taught his student to visualize a fierce deity until it stood before him like a living being, then calmly said, “Now see that it is only your own mind.”goodreads+1

5. During a hailstorm that terrified villagers, an old magician laughed softly, murmured a mantra, and the storm broke apart above his roof while battering the fields around.tsemrinpoche+1

6. A traveler heard a single, unbroken note drifting across the valley; later she discovered it came not from an instrument, but from a yogi sending “a message on the wind.”goodreads+1

7. In a remote village, a boy claimed to remember another life; when taken to a far monastery, he walked straight to a hidden room and named objects locked inside.watkinsbooks+1

8. One winter, villagers found a hermit’s hut empty; they said he had practiced for years to dissolve his body into light and finally “left no footprints of flesh behind.”doverbooks+1

9. A skeptical visitor watched a funeral rite where monks claimed to guide the dead; that night, she dreamed of the deceased thanking her by a secret childhood nickname.goodreads+1

10. A lama told his students: “The greatest magic is not walking on air, but walking through anger, desire, and fear without being ruled by them.”thezengateway+1

If you like, these can be tightened further into ultra-short one-liners for slides or teaching material.

RD BK X A beggar’s rags, a scholar’s mind, and a journey into the heart of the forbidden."

 A

My Journey to MHASA 

By Alexandra David-Néel (1927)

The Gist

In 1924, French explorer Alexandra David-Néel became the first Western woman to enter the "Forbidden City" of Lhasa. Disguised as a beggar-pilgrim and accompanied by her adopted son, Aphur Yongden, she trekked through the freezing Himalayas on foot. This memoir details her incredible four-month journey through snowstorms, hunger, and the constant threat of discovery by local authorities, offering a rare, authentic glimpse into Tibetan culture before the modern era.

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Bullet Points

• The Impossible Feat: At age 55, David-Néel successfully bypassed British and Tibetan border guards who had turned back dozens of previous expeditions.

• Masters of Disguise: To blend in, she darkened her skin with charcoal and cocoa, wore yak-hair extensions, and carried a hidden pistol and compass under her rags.

• Survival at the Limits: The duo survived by foraging, begging for "tsampa" (barley flour), and sleeping in caves or under the open sky during a brutal Himalayan winter.

• Spiritual Insight: Far from just a travelogue, the book explores Tibetan Buddhism, mysticism, and the "psychic" feats she witnessed among mountain hermits.

• Cultural Time Capsule: Provides a vivid, first-hand account of Lhasa’s religious festivals, the Potala Palace, and the daily lives of Tibetans before the 1950s.

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Tagline

"A beggar’s rags, a scholar’s mind, and a journey into the heart of the forbidden."

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Would you like me to find a list of similar travel memoirs by female explorers of that era?

A

Here are five compelling anecdotes from Alexandra David-Néel’s daring expedition:

1. The Charcoal and Cocoa Disguise

To pass as a native Tibetan, Alexandra had to hide her pale European skin. Every morning, she mixed charcoal and cocoa powder with oil to smear over her face and hands. She even added yak-hair extensions to her own hair to create the traditional long braids of a peasant woman. She once remarked that her biggest fear wasn't death, but a heavy rainstorm that might wash away her "tan" and reveal her identity to the authorities.

2. Drying Wet Sheets with Body Heat

During a night spent in a freezing mountain pass, their gear became soaked. Using a technique she learned from Tibetan hermits called Tummo (the yoga of inner heat), Alexandra dried her wet undergarments by wearing them and focusing her meditative energy to raise her body temperature. She successfully dried the fabric through sheer mental will, preventing hypothermia in sub-zero temperatures.

3. The "Magic" Pistol Shot

While traversing a dangerous territory known for bandits, Alexandra and Yongden were approached by a group of suspicious men. To intimidate them without starting a fight, she used her hidden revolver to shoot a distant target with pinpoint accuracy. She then convinced the men that she possessed magical powers and that her "staff" (the hidden gun) could strike down anyone who meant them harm. The bandits, terrified of her "sorcery," let them pass.

4. The Accidental Fortune Teller

To avoid suspicion in villages, Yongden often introduced Alexandra as his "aged, deaf mother." However, locals frequently approached her for spiritual blessings or to have their fortunes told. Though she was a scholar, she had to improvise fake prophecies and "exorcisms" using gibberish and dramatic gestures to maintain her cover as a holy woman, often barely containing her laughter at how seriously the villagers took her performance.

5. Entering the Forbidden City in a Dust Storm

Alexandra finally reached the gates of Lhasa during a massive blinding dust storm. Ironically, the very weather that made travel miserable provided the perfect cover. The guards were so preoccupied with shielding their eyes from the grit and wind that they barely looked at the two ragged "beggars" slipping through the gates. After years of planning and thousands of miles, she entered the world's most forbidden city almost unnoticed.

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Would you like me to find some of the original photographs Alexandra took during this journey?

A