Edit #2 (Jan 31st):
Gut Health Discussion
I've had my own battles with "gut dysfunction" […] which I'm coming to believe have a psychological basis in my case.
I doubt that plausibility of a psychological basis (sorry but frankly sounds like hippie meditation nonsense to me), other than the psychological fortitude to make the necessary physical changes if they can possibly be made.
That made me smile. Yeah, I realise it sounds flaky. But not everything that works can be measured in a lab. Even if it's some kind of placebo effect or self-delusion, if it does the trick then I'm fine with that.
But it’s also plausible the physical changes in my gut (including the immune system and gut microbiota) are beyond repair, or at least for non-invasive homeopathic treatments which may only be palliative.
I'm surprised you don't dismiss homeopathy due to the lack of scientific evidence supporting its claims. Though I don't blame you investigating all avenues in trying to reduce and ultimately reverse your symptoms. I can see you have done a vast amount of research and continued effort in improving your health. In comparison, my issues impinge much less on my life.
I've spent around seven years having various blood tests, also tests for allergies etc, plus a colonoscopy (and also an endoscopy for a now sorted heartburn issue), which all thankfully came back negative. So, a fair length of my digestive tract has been given the once-over.
I've also experimented with removing numerous foods from my diet for a month at a time, to minimal effect. Stress might have sparked it, seeing as it started just after my mother died, and my now ninety-three-year-old dad almost did too a couple of days later due to the shock. Had just started a new job too. That, plus my symptoms ramped up too about four years ago after I had a course of powerful antibiotics for suspected prostatitis. My own dietry interventions seem to have calmed things down somewhat. My doctor now believes the general symptoms seem to indicate IBS. They flare-up and then recede. Have always been anxiety-prone too; this is where meditation certainly has some benefit, together with CBT techniques. So I've actually arrived at my tentative consideration that my gut dysfunction could be psychologically-based after quite a process of elimination. If I had the time I'd ideally liked to have dug out what I've read and listened to on the subject by scientists and non-scientists, which have accreted on my hard-drive and edged me towards that conjecture.
In the future if my finances are more extensive, I will pursue expert medical assistance. I’m interested for example to have my gut flora tested, another gut ultrasound, redo all blood tests including liver enzymes, perhaps an upper endoscopy, and maybe for example a fecal transplant if applicable to any diagnosis attained.
I also ordered a 60ml oral syringe and the psyllium fiber capsules which will arrive later this week. Those are so I can start self-administering fecal transplants into my butt hole if I can find a suitable donor
You might be interested in a podcast I was listening to (23 mins in) recently where immunologist Prof. Sheena Cruikshank was discussing the microbiome and how poo samples don't truly reflect the range of bacteria that exist between the stomach and the rectum, which live in mucus gel. Although I expect you are already aware of the risks, she advises from this point caution in self-administering.
A couple of other downloadable BBC radio programmes about the microbiome for your consideration: this, this and this
Drastically increasing fiber had so far a dramatic effect on my health metrics
So this is the first time you've gone to this extreme of fibre into your diet? Now for me, eating a lot of it has previously resulted in diarrea.
In other post, you indicate to me you’re overworking
Yes, I do have spells where there aren't enough hours in the day to persue my numerous interests and various duties outside of work. When this happens I try do close things down for a while and recover. Insomnia is another long-term cross to bear (as I believe you suffer from too), as it's very difficult to adequately switch the brain off. Again, meditation helps a bit, together with yoga breathing exercises.
and presumably not a healthy lifestyle and diet loaded with for example cruciferous vegetables and omega 3 rich fish varieties.
I eat quite a range of vegatables, including broccoli. And that was to try and maintain my cholesterol levels in the normal range. I walk about three miles a day and am reasonably fit, normal weight, but not athletic; some jogging along with our greyhound. Pretty good immune system; rarely catch colds etc. Tuna or salmon about once a week; meat only about twice a week. Room for improvement here in experimenting with new regimens and diets. I'll take on board some of the ideas and suggestions from the various links you provided - still a couple to read. Some I'm familiar with, like the American and British gut projects, and others I've not. It's a fascinating subject; I only wish I could devote more time to it.
By the way, have you come across any information as to how long a modified microbiome fingerprint lasts; if the introduction of new beneficial bacteria, yeasts etc stays embedded in the gut indefinitely or not?
Names
I am more firm on the Realms name (at least for the user facing website of default Dapps) than I am on Dvrse for the blockchain. It’s possible just adopt one name Realms including for the blockchain, but then what would be the currency token name? rlms?
Well D is intended to be for decentralized. I guess when not used as a prefix people could relate it to a D grade in school. Yeah I am not set on D for the currency name. Perhaps RLMZ?
Yes, I can appreciate both your desire to incorporate a link to decentralisation and also your reservations over negative associations. I suppose either RLMS or RLMZ would adequately fit the bill. However, is it essential for the currency name to be related to Realms (even though I can see why you would prefer it); in the sense that Satoshis aren't named as a diminutive of Bitcoin, "bits" or whatever? A possible alternative I'd like to float is Shell (SHEL). Shells (cowry and wampum etc) were of course well known for being commonly used as currency throughout the world and were prized for their aesthetic appeal and use in gift exchange, for instance between North American tribes (this name idea might well have been raised before, I can't recall). Now this might either seem like an unnecessary conceit, or conversely a fair tribute to its creator, but as Satoshis reflect the (pseudonymous) creator of Bitcoin, SHELs would also serve a similar function ;-)
QUANTA, BLIPS, IONS, ITSY or IOTAS (all my ideas from 2014) would be better for any minor token unit than as the major one.
Yes, I remember these being floated. And they're good names, but I have a concern over ordinary user appeal; if most people can relate to Quanta and Ions. Blips and Itsy would be my preferred choices from those.
Perhaps a token name with the VR, astral theme such as ETRNL, DRMZ, MANA, MOJO?
I like MANA. I immediately think of Mana from heaven. Also, it looks and sounds good, and as far as I can tell has no negative connotations, in the English language at least.
I actually like MANA more than my prior ideas MOSH and MOJO [...] The definition of MANA subsumes credibility and adds astral/metaphysical power.
Yes, I agree.
But whether we should use Dvrse (or other name for the blockchain) or just use one name Realms is still open to discussion and consideration.
I suppose one name would be the silver bullet if it can avoid significant compromise.
conceptually fantasy is an abrogation of confines and thus conveys the concept of increased degrees-of-freedom.
I'd go with that.
Realms still feels good after a few days of living with it.
NEW TEXT relating to latest name ideas:
I too broadly shared @jonnyflynn's association of INERTIA being linked to sluggish and lazy.
Remember the blockchain name (as opposed to the Realms dApp name, if separate names are chosen) is not targeted to mainstream technologically-impaired peeps. It is targeted to the speculators, investors, and the geek sector of crypto. These guys know the correct definition of ‘inertia’ [...] Changing the name from Inertia to Inertial eliminates that incorrect definition from consideration. Also it makes inertial.net available for registration.
Fair enough, yes. Actually, I do quite like the name Inertial. But I'm wondering if it will be descriptive enough of the blockchain's function and innovation.
AURA seems even more astral than MANA by moving away from the association to earthy tribalism. But both are detached from technology perhaps too much. Remember we have to serve two demographics: the non-technical masses and the cryptogeeks. Both are important because the latter are the thought leaders in our sector.
I'd agree both names are perhaps detached from technology too much. With Aura I think of colours and New Age beliefs etc; more pseudo-science for me.
I also contemplated ALMS, which coincidentally is the last 4 letters of ‘realms’.
Yes, that's sort of neat; maybe for the currency, if you weren't having doubts over Realms.As for ALMS, I think of almshouses here in the UK, which go back hundreds of years as charitable housing to the elderly. It doesn't grab me as a name, and I wonder if it would have wide enough recognition in its meaning and intention.
My concern with Realms as the blockchain name is (as I expressed in edits to my prior comment post) the lack of technological, geek-cool connotation in the name. Imagine Realms listed on coinmarketcap.com [...] those names aren’t speaking to blockchain technology.
I see your point, and that you might consider them as dApps website names at some point. Out of the other suggestions, MASS has an appeal. At the risk of embarrassing myself with an attempt at alluding to a scientific description, I think of "mass" as an attractive influence. As for the negative, that it could be construed as heavy and bulky. As for Masscoin, maybe it's a step backwards to mention "coin" in the name? Almost seems a bit retro now. I also liked GEMS as a token name idea, but do get your reservations over it seeming like "a toy, a game, and not technologically serious."
I don’t know about Brits, but most Americans would associate Realms with fantasy games wherein they can have their own kingdoms. Many would not know (or not first think of) the alternative definition of “dominion over any activity or interest”. So it’s very distant from any association to blockchain technology targeting the crypto market thought leaders many of whom are engineers and computer scientists.
Yes. It might be a bit of a mix between a generational thing and educational attainment too.
(Back with a reply to "Gut Health" over the weekend. Will also read augmented text to the other post.)