We all know about how hormesis defines the limits of productive healthspan … that which does not kill us makes us stronger.

That which does not make us stronger is killing us.

I really enjoy watching onions, garlic, ramps grow IN EARLY SPRING, way before they look like they are thriving, just for their toughness and FIGHT under tough conditions … that other wimpy plants like tomatoes, herbs or pansies LITERALLY behave like pansies … and don’t even try until several months go past and it gets all warm and toasty. It’s the allicin in alliums which makes’m tough … provides the ridiculously strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, even against MRSA strains that make the best pharmaceutical drugs tap out.

Of course, alliums are also rich in prebiotic fiber for gut health and even contain essential minerals like selenium and zinc, because other plants don’t need/absorb as much selenium or zinc. Without doubt, regular heavy consumption of alliums has been linked to onion breath and exuding a garlic essence … which is what turns people off … but it’s the stuff that keeps unnecessary pests and parasites away. The benefits are most potent when alliums are eaten raw … like you would with a raw, freshly killed deer or some other animal you were tired of chasing. Of course, YOU would never do that, because YOU are not some Ancient Guy.

Onions ALSO provide a lot of flavor and stimulate a lot of different reactions … which in turn support heart health by helping regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, while their pungent sulfur compounds [just like those from radish/brocolli sprouts] boost immune function and reduce inflammation. Sulfur compounds work by activating different pathways, including the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1 (Keap1, antioxidant responsive elements (ARE) pathways … these botanical sulfur pathways are the master regulator of antioxidant response which activates over 200 known genes involved in cellular protection. This modulates immune function or enhances natural killer cell activity, regulate cytokine production, and support T-cell function and inhibits inflammatory pathways which is about suppress NF-κB and other inflammatory signaling cascades that drive chronic inflammation [of ALL kinds, notably the kinds of inflamation driving Alzeimer’s Disease].

The pungency is indeed connected to their biological activity and plant defense mechanisms against predators and pathogens. The sharp taste and smell serve as warning signals to potential consumers. While not immediately toxic, they create a mild irritant effect that discourages continuous consumption by insects and animals, which represents a fascinating, but most elegant biological trade-off and lesson for us. The very compounds plants developed for protection have beneficial effects when consumed in moderate amounts by humans, demonstrating hormetic effects - the stress we survive triggers beneficial adaptive responses in our bodies.

100 Comfort Traps: Have You Considered The Hidden Risks of Modern Convenience

Foods and Substances

Refined Sugar - Did you know that regular sugar consumption can alter brain chemistry similarly to addictive drugs, creating dependency cycles that reinforce unhealthy eating patterns?
White Flour Products - Have you considered that refined flour products spike blood sugar nearly as much as pure glucose while providing virtually none of the minerals needed to metabolize carbohydrates?
Artificial Sweeteners - Are you aware that artificial sweeteners can disrupt gut microbiome balance, potentially leading to glucose intolerance and metabolic disorders despite having zero calories?
Processed Vegetable Oils - Did you realize that most vegetable and seed oils contain excessively high levels of omega-6 fatty acids that, when consumed excessively, promote systemic inflammation linked to numerous chronic diseases?
Trans Fats - Have you considered that trans fats and high-temp conversion, oils found in your favorite baked goods and fried foods, not only increase “bad” LDL cholesterol but simultaneously decrease “good” HDL cholesterol, creating a double negative effect on cardiovascular health?
Ultra-processed Foods - Did you know that ultra-processed foods almost necessarily contain all kinds of chemical additives and addictive food engineering agents [to make the stuff taste fabulous] that can disrupt hormonal signaling and potentially contribute to metabolic syndrome?
Alcohol - Are you aware that ANY, even moderate levels of alcohol consumption will suppress REM sleep, reduce sleep quality and leave poisons in your brain to block cognitive restoration, even when you sleep a full eight hours or more?
Soft Drinks - Have you considered that phosphoric acid in many sodas can contribute to calcium leaching from bones, accelerating osteoporosis or generally predisposing you to things like broken hips or other bones?
Fruit Juices - Did you realize that commercial fruit juices or coffee shop fruit lattes are not even really a fruit product, but instead contain as much high fructose corn syrup as soda while lacking the fiber that would makes whole fruit almost beneficial?
Breakfast Cereals - Are you aware that all breakfast cereals, including those marketed as “healthy” contain more sugar per serving than dessert items while providing negligible nutritional value, ie you’d be better off eating grass?
Flavored Yogurts - Did you know that a SINGLE serving of flavored yogurt usually contains more added sugar than the daily maximum recommended amount of sugar for an adult?
Salad Dressings - Have you considered that many commercial salad dressings contain high fructose corn syrup that can contribute to fatty liver disease when consumed regularly?
Energy Drinks - Are you aware that the combination of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks can cause more severe insulin spikes than either substance alone?
Microwave Meals - Did you realize that many preservatives used in microwave meals have been linked to disruption of gut bacteria diversity, potentially compromising immune function?
Refined Salt - Have you considered that processed table salt lacks the trace minerals found in natural salts that help regulate fluid balance and nerve function?
Margarine - Did you know that some margarines contain inflammatory compounds created during the hydrogenation process that may contribute to systemic inflammation?
Fast Food - Are you aware that the combination of refined carbs, processed meats, and industrial seed oils in fast food creates a particularly harmful inflammatory cascade in the body?
Processed Meats - Have you considered that nitrates and nitrites in processed meats form potentially carcinogenic compounds when exposed to high heat during cooking?
Diet Foods - Did you realize that many low-fat diet foods compensate for flavor by adding extra sugar, often making them worse for metabolic health than their full-fat counterparts?
Snack Bars - Are you aware that many “healthy” snack and protein bars use sugar alcohols that can cause digestive distress and disrupt gut flora when consumed regularly?
Bottled Smoothies - Have you considered that pre-made smoothies often contain fruit concentrates and added sugars that can deliver the sugar equivalent of multiple pieces of fruit without the fiber?
Flavored Coffee Drinks - Did you know that a typical flavored latte can contain more added sugar than multiple candy bars while creating the illusion of just having “coffee”?
Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter - Are you aware that the fat removed from reduced-fat peanut butter is often replaced with added sugars and fillers that raise its glycemic impact?
Agave Nectar - Have you considered that agave nectar contains even more fructose than high fructose corn syrup, potentially placing a greater burden on liver function?
Commercial Bread - Did you realize that many preservatives in commercial bread have been shown to negatively impact gut bacteria balance, potentially affecting everything from digestion to mood?

Lifestyle Habits

Prolonged Sitting - Did you realize that prolonged sitting atrophies muscles, especially core muscles and back muscles, and worsens back/spinal conditions?
Temperature Control - Have you considered that constant climate control prevents your body from developing metabolic adaptations to temperature variations that help regulate fat burning and energy usage?
Excessive Screen Time - Did you know that blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production for hours after exposure, potentially disrupting your circadian rhythm even if you fall asleep quickly?
Elevator Use - Are you aware that regularly choosing elevators over stairs reduces daily non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which can account for up to 2000 calories of difference in daily energy expenditure between active and sedentary individuals?
Chronic Sleep Deprivation - Have you considered that even a single night of insufficient sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity by up to 33%, comparable to eating a high-sugar diet?
Shoes with Cushioning - Did you realize that heavily cushioned shoes prevent natural foot mechanics and proprioception, potentially leading to altered gait patterns and joint problems up the kinetic chain?
Reliance on GPS - Are you aware that constant reliance on GPS navigation can reduce activity in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for spatial memory and orientation?
Noise-Cancelling Technology - Have you considered that constant acoustic isolation might prevent beneficial hormetic auditory stress that helps maintain hearing sensitivity and neural auditory processing?
Consistent Indoor Living - Did you know that spending more than 93% of time indoors (the average for Americans) can lead to chronic vitamin D deficiency even in sunny climates?
Regular Pain Medication - Are you aware that regular use of NSAIDs can inhibit protein synthesis after exercise, potentially blunting strength gains and recovery adaptations?
Escalators and Moving Walkways - Have you considered that the cumulative effect of choosing mechanized transport over walking represents thousands of lost steps daily that would otherwise strengthen your cardiovascular system?
Automated Home Systems - Did you realize that voice-activated home systems reduce physical movement around your living space, decreasing daily caloric expenditure that would normally contribute to weight maintenance?
Online Shopping - Are you aware that the convenience of online shopping eliminates numerous micro-exercise opportunities like walking through stores and carrying purchases?
Remote Controls - Have you considered that the ubiquity of remote controls has eliminated countless small movements from daily life that collectively contributed to baseline physical activity?
Smartphone Use for Everything - Did you know that using smartphones for all daily tasks reduces cognitive exercise for memory, mental calculation, and spatial awareness that would otherwise maintain neural pathways?
Food Delivery Services - Are you aware that regular use of food delivery services eliminates meal preparation activities that represent significant physical movement and caloric expenditure?
Social Media - Have you considered that the dopamine hits from social media validation create reward cycles similar to addictive substances, potentially reducing motivation for more meaningful but initially less rewarding activities?
Streaming Services - Did you realize that auto-playing episode features exploit decision fatigue, often keeping people sedentary for hours longer than they initially intended?
Drive-Thrus - Are you aware that the convenience of never leaving your car eliminates even the minimal walking involved in entering a store or restaurant?
Noise Pollution Adaptation - Have you considered that becoming desensitized to chronic background noise activates stress response systems even when you’re no longer consciously aware of the noise?
Email/Text Instead of Walking - Did you know that sending messages rather than walking to speak with someone in the same building eliminates valuable movement opportunities that historically provided natural exercise throughout the workday?
Water Avoidance - Are you aware that many people have become so accustomed to mild dehydration that they no longer recognize true thirst signals, often mistaking them for hunger?
Chronic Stress Adaptation - Have you considered that adaptation to chronic low-grade stress can reset your cortisol baseline to unhealthy levels, affecting everything from immune function to fat storage?
Air Conditioning - Did you realize that constant air conditioning prevents beneficial adaptations to heat that improve cardiovascular efficiency and enhance sweating mechanisms?
Artificial Lighting - Are you aware that constant artificial lighting disrupts melatonin production cycles, potentially affecting not just sleep quality but also cellular repair mechanisms that occur primarily during natural darkness?

Environmental Factors

Filtered Water - Did you know that exclusively drinking purified water might deprive you of beneficial trace minerals present in natural water sources that support enzyme function and cellular processes?
Antibacterial Products - Have you considered that overuse of antibacterial products can disrupt skin microbiome diversity, potentially compromising your first line of immune defense?
Air Purifiers - Are you aware that overly sterilized air environments may prevent exposure to beneficial environmental microbes that help train and diversify immune responses?
Sunglasses - Did you realize that constant sunglass use blocks light signals to your brain that regulate circadian rhythm and vitamin D production pathways?
Noise Cancellation - Have you considered that eliminating all environmental sounds might prevent beneficial auditory adaptation and cognitive filtering abilities that naturally strengthen neural pathways?
Chemical Lawn Care - Did you know that residential lawn chemicals have been linked to microbiome disruption when tracked indoors, potentially affecting gut health through indirect exposure?
Scented Products - Are you aware that synthetic fragrances in personal care and home products can act as endocrine disruptors, potentially affecting hormonal balance with long-term use?
Synthetic Clothing - Have you considered that petroleum-based synthetic fabrics can trap hormone-disrupting chemicals against your skin and prevent natural temperature regulation?
Concrete Environments - Did you realize that living primarily on man-made surfaces disconnects your body from beneficial soil-based microorganisms that historically contributed to human microbiome diversity?
EMF Exposure - Are you aware that constant exposure to electromagnetic fields from multiple devices may disrupt melatonin production and potentially affect cellular signaling?
Chemical Cleaning Products - Did you know that residues from household cleaners can disrupt beneficial bacteria in your home environment that might otherwise contribute to microbiome diversity?
Artificial Scents - Have you considered that artificial fragrances can override natural environmental odor processing, potentially dulling your brain’s natural threat and reward assessment systems?
Noise-Canceling Headphones - Are you aware that blocking ambient sounds eliminates the cognitive exercise of filtering and processing multiple audio inputs, potentially reducing auditory processing abilities over time?
Germophobia - Did you realize that excessive avoidance of environmental microbes can prevent development of immunological tolerance and potentially contribute to autoimmune disorders?
Indoor Plants Removal - Have you considered that removing plants from indoor spaces eliminates their air-purifying benefits and opportunities for beneficial microbial exchanges?

Digital and Technological Comforts

Autocorrect and Predictive Text - Did you know that reliance on text prediction features may reduce spelling ability and vocabulary recall over time by eliminating practice opportunities?
Calculator Use - Are you aware that using calculators for simple math eliminates cognitive exercise that maintains neural pathways for numerical processing?
Cloud Storage - Have you considered that offloading memory to digital storage might reduce cognitive exercise for information retention and recall?
Voice Assistants - Did you realize that voice commands eliminate the physical and cognitive work involved in manual tasks, potentially reducing both movement and mental exercise?
Automated Reminders - Are you aware that dependency on digital reminders might weaken natural memory consolidation processes and reduce cognitive resilience?
Search Engines - Have you considered that immediate access to information reduces the beneficial cognitive struggle of remembering facts, potentially weakening memory formation pathways?
Autofill Forms - Did you know that autofill features may reduce attention to detail and information processing that would otherwise serve as cognitive exercise?
Digital Navigation - Are you aware that GPS dependence can atrophy natural spatial orientation abilities and hippocampal activity involved in mental mapping?
Auto-Payments - Have you considered that automated financial transactions reduce cognitive engagement with spending patterns that historically provided natural checkpoints for financial awareness?
Notifications - Did you realize that the constant interruption of notifications fragments attention and may reduce the brain’s capacity for sustained focus over time?

Physical Comforts

Soft Mattresses - Did you know that excessively soft sleeping surfaces can prevent proper spinal alignment and reduce the small movements during sleep that help maintain joint mobility?
Comfortable Chairs - Are you aware that ergonomic supports that feel comfortable can actually reduce core muscle engagement and lead to weakening of postural muscles over time?
Heating Pads - Have you considered that regular use of heating pads for minor discomfort might prevent beneficial inflammatory responses that facilitate tissue repair?
Mechanical Tools - Did you realize that using power tools for tasks historically done manually eliminates resistance exercise that maintained grip strength and upper body conditioning?
Processed Foods - Are you aware that the soft texture of many processed foods reduces chewing effort that would otherwise strengthen jaw muscles and stimulate beneficial hormone releases?
Orthotic Inserts - Have you considered that supportive footwear used inappropriately might prevent natural strengthening of foot muscles, potentially leading to dependency and weakness?
Weighted Blankets - Did you know that while weighted blankets can improve sleep for some, they might reduce natural nighttime movement patterns that help maintain joint mobility?
Recliners - Are you aware that the passive positioning of recliners removes the postural muscle engagement required in more active sitting positions?
Pillows - Have you considered that using multiple pillows for comfort might create unnatural neck positions during sleep, potentially contributing to cervical spine issues?
Motorized Transportation - Did you realize that the minimal physical effort required for driving eliminates the metabolic benefits and bone-strengthening impact of more active transportation methods?

Mental Comforts

Entertainment Addiction - Did you know that constant entertainment prevents boredom, which historically served as a powerful motivator for creativity and problem-solving?
Echo Chambers - Are you aware that consuming only agreeable information prevents cognitive dissonance that historically drove critical thinking and intellectual growth?
Cognitive Offloading - Have you considered that relying on devices to remember information reduces the beneficial struggle of memory recall that strengthens neural pathways?
Immediate Answers - Did you realize that having instant access to information eliminates the beneficial cognitive struggle of problem-solving and information synthesis?
Comfort Reading - Are you aware that reading only familiar genres prevents the cognitive stretch of engaging with challenging or unfamiliar material?
Algorithmic Recommendations - Have you considered that allowing algorithms to select your content can narrow your exposure to new ideas and perspectives that would otherwise broaden thinking patterns?
Digital Socializing - Did you know that text-based communication eliminates the cognitive exercise of reading facial cues and body language that historically strengthened social intelligence?
Comfort Zone Adherence - Are you aware that avoiding social discomfort can prevent development of resilience and adaptive social skills necessary for deeper relationships?
Passive Learning - Have you considered that consuming information without application or teaching eliminates the deeper processing required for true mastery and retention?
Decision Avoidance - Did you realize that defaulting to recommendations or popular choices eliminates the cognitive exercise of weighing options and making judgments?

Systemic Comforts

Over-Sanitization - Did you know that excessive cleanliness can prevent exposure to beneficial environmental microbes that help train and diversify immune responses?
Excessive Medication - Are you aware that treating minor symptoms immediately can sometimes interfere with the body’s natural healing responses that strengthen resilience?
Climate Control - Have you considered that consistent indoor temperatures eliminate metabolic adaptations to temperature variation that historically helped regulate energy expenditure?
Light Pollution - Did you realize that constant exposure to artificial light disrupts circadian biology that regulates numerous hormonal processes beyond just sleep?
Noise-Cancellation Technology - Are you aware that eliminating ambient sounds removes the cognitive exercise of filtering and processing multiple audio inputs, potentially reducing auditory processing abilities over time?