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Daily Health & Wellness Brief · July 25th
storyflo · health and longevity
Jul 25, 2026 · 4 min listen · Last updated July 25, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. It's Chloe, July 25th. Ten stories — evidence-led, no fluff, small inputs compound. Let's get into it. First, from katemcdermott. # 422: Dianne Jacob Visits Pie Cottage. If you enjoy this newsletter, might you take a nano-second and click the little heart to let me know you were here?
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Daily Health & Wellness Brief · July 25th
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# 422: Dianne Jacob Visits Pie Cottage
If you enjoy this newsletter, might you take a nano-second and click the little heart to let me know you were here? It helps my ratings on Substack, too. Thank you from Bosco and me!
Dianne Jacob travels the world speaking and teaching in addition to offering coaching and editing to food writers and authors, has co-authored two books on pizza, and written the award-winning book Will Write for Food: Pursue Your Passion and Bring Home the Dough Writing Recipes, Cookbooks, Blogs, and More now in its second edition.
Cannabis After Spine Surgery: Help or Hidden Risk?
A recent meta-analysis looked at 7 studies involving 1,920 patients who had spinal fusion surgery. The analysis found that patients who used cannabis before surgery ended up needing more opioids while in the hospital and were more likely to be readmitted or have repeat surgery. However, the study didn't find a significant increase in standard surgical complications. It's worth noting that the studies didn't provide a lot of detail about how patients were using cannabis, so it's hard to know exactly what the results mean.
The researchers think that patients who use cannabis might start with more severe pain or other health issues that make recovery harder. They also point out that retrospective studies can't separate out all these different influences. So, this research shouldn't be taken as proof that cannabis interferes with spinal healing or that every patient who uses cannabis faces the same risk.
What this study does show is that cannabis shouldn't be relied on as an automatic way to avoid opioids after surgery. If you're a patient who uses cannabis, the best thing to do is to be upfront with your surgeon and anesthesiologist about what you're using, how much, and why. This can help them plan for your anesthesia, medication needs, and recovery.
Cannabis might still have a role in an individualized postoperative plan, but it shouldn't be started, stopped, or relied on without careful planning with your clinicians.
Stop Trying to Find Your Niche. You Are the Niche.
You’ve probably heard that you need to “find your niche,” but the piece argues the opposite: the niche is already you. It points out that people with high‑capacity, neuro‑complex brains often feel out of sync with the world, not because they’re broken but because their wiring is different.
Instead of trying to fit into a predefined role, the article suggests looking at the unique mix of intensity, pattern‑spotting, sensory sensitivity, and emotional depth you already have. Those traits can become the very assets that let you thrive—whether that’s spotting fraud, designing sound, or supporting others in crisis.
The takeaway is simple: stop hunting for an external label and start embracing the intersection of your mind, body, and experiences as your own niche.
The Weekly Practice That Made Me Feel Safer with My Partner Than 10 Years of Couples Therapy Ever Did
I’ve been thinking about what Dr. Sara calls the “Vibe Check,” and it feels like a simple, body‑based way to keep a relationship safe after years of therapy that felt more like a checklist. Instead of sitting across a table and grading tone, she and her partner meet while they’re moving—hiking, cooking, watching a sunset—so their nervous systems stay relaxed enough to really listen. The whole practice boils down to four questions: how you feel in the relationship, whether your needs are met, what you need from each other this week, and how you can be each other’s ally. No scores, no tone checks, just two people checking in.
The idea is that safety isn’t a skill you practice on a couch; it’s a physiological state that can be co‑regulated. When you’re side‑by‑side and moving, cortisol drops, oxytocin rises, and the hormones that bond partners get a little boost. That hormonal shift makes the conversation feel more intimate than confrontational.
It isn’t a miracle cure for a relationship that lacks safety to begin with—traditional therapy can still be essential for building that foundation—but once you have that base, the Vibe Check works like a maintenance routine, a gentle dose of mutual regulation that keeps the connection feeling alive and secure. Give it a try on a walk this week, and notice how your body responds when there’s no grading involved.
Friday:
Two perfectly ripe white nectarines.
I’m wearing my favorite summer dress today.
The Verizon store was quicker, easier, and less expensive than I thought it would be. And the person who helped me was lovely (and wearing red shoes).
Now you? Tell me 3 good things?
Xo.
Can Probiotics Actually Help (or Hurt) Your MCAS or Histamine Intolerance?
Hello, MC360 friends!
Have you ever tried a probiotic hoping it would help your gut… and ended up more reactive instead?
Some probiotic strains can genuinely help calm mast cells and lower your histamine load.
But others can raise histamine production and trigger the exact symptoms you’re trying to get rid of — itching, hives, bloating, headaches, insomnia, and more.
When Did We Stop Sitting Alone With Our Own Thoughts?
It feels like we’ve traded the quiet moments that once helped us sort through big questions for a constant stream of instant answers. The article points out that when we’re unsure—whether about love, work, or a personal decision—we now reach for Google, ChatGPT, or a quick video instead of sitting with the uncertainty. That rapid info isn’t wrong, but it skips the slow, uncomfortable process that turns a question into personal growth.
The writer argues that true wisdom comes from letting a question sit, watching how it reshapes us over days or weeks. Spaces without distraction—a shower, a long walk, a flight without Wi‑Fi—give the mind room to hear its own voice. Journaling is highlighted not as a record of events, but as a way to slow down and let inner thoughts emerge without competition.
AI and digital tools are still valuable for learning and problem‑solving, but the piece warns against using them for every moment of doubt. The real skill, it suggests, is knowing when to pause the search for answers and simply be with the question. In short, the more we let silence linger, the more likely we are to hear the quiet voice that guides us toward genuine insight.
So, it's pretty common for kids to wake up sweaty, and most of the time it's not a big deal. Some kids just run warm, or they might be having a nightmare or night terror that causes them to sweat. If the room is too hot or they're wearing heavy pajamas, that can contribute to the sweating too.
If you're concerned, you can try cooling down the room, switching to lighter pajamas and bedding, and seeing if that helps. Generally, if a child is growing normally, has good energy, and seems healthy during the day, sweating at night isn't a major concern.
However, if the sweating is persistent and happens during the day, or if it's accompanied by other symptoms like fever, weight loss, or fatigue, that's when it's worth talking to a pediatrician. They can help figure out if there's an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
It's also worth noting that some kids just sweat more than others, and it doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong. But if you're ever in doubt, it's always a good idea to check in with a pediatrician to get their take on what's going on.
The key thing to pay attention to is whether the sweating is happening in isolation or if there are other symptoms that are cause for concern. If it's just the sweating and everything else seems normal, it's probably not a big deal. But if there are other red flags, that's when it's worth exploring further.
What Health Tech Investors Love in Founders — and What They Can’t Stand
Health tech investors are looking for founders who know their limitations and build a strong team to compensate. They value humility and a willingness to learn over having all the answers. In fact, investors say it's the founders who acknowledge what they don't know who are more likely to succeed. This approach allows them to bring in experts and build a well-rounded team, which is key to tackling complex health tech problems. On the other hand, investors often get turned off by founders who try to do everything on their own and pretend to have all the answers.
A Prescription for Drug Costs: Inject Transparency and Improve Accessibility
So, there was a panel discussion about the prescription drug market and how it's changing. They talked about how even though people are spending more on drugs, not everyone is getting the medicines they need. It's a pretty complex issue, but one thing that came up was the need for more transparency in drug pricing.
This lack of transparency can make it hard for people to get the medicines they need, because they might not be able to afford them. The panel was looking at ways to make drugs more accessible, which is a big deal because a lot of people are struggling to pay for their prescriptions.
From what I gathered, the discussion was pretty high-level, but it's clear that something needs to change. The fact that drug spending is going up, but people are still not getting the medicines they need, suggests that there are some underlying issues that need to be addressed.
It's not entirely clear what the solutions are, but it sounds like the panel was trying to start a conversation about how to make the prescription drug market work better for everyone. They didn't come up with any easy answers, but just talking about the problem is a good first step.
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