The Ginkgo biloba has long been revered as a source of strength and life-prolonging properties. For centuries, the Chinese and Japanese have revered the Ginkgo as sacred because of its vitality and promise of miracles, and asked for their wishes from it.

The Ginkgo is a living fossil, as it has barely changed visibly over many millions of years. It is the only living representative of the Ginkgo genus, which has been documented by fossils for 290 million years. Until a few million years ago, Ginkgo trees were still widespread worldwide, until at some point its natural distribution area was restricted to parts of East Asia.

For centuries it was considered extinct in the wild, but some natural occurrences of this tree species, which can live for over a thousand years, have been discovered again. It is used worldwide as an ornamental plant, but has therefore hardly spread in the wild.

It is exceptionally well protected against diseases and insects. Bacteria and fungi avoid the acidic leaves and bark. They are poisonous to insects. Traditionally, Ginkgo leaves are used as bookmarks to protect books from insect infestation.

Someone who also valued the ginkgo leaf was Frankfurt-born Johann von Goethe, who even dedicated a poem to it. He saw the special leaf growth as a symbol of deep connection. Over time, the leaf splits but always remains connected.

It is a very special plant with a strong symbolic and spiritual meaning that truly does justice to its nature.

A sloth worth seeing! ✨️🦥✨️

I like to show myself, I feel good in my own skin and I'm happy every time I see your beautiful pictures.

😊🤎

My life is exciting and full of little adventures, even when I don't walk far from home. 🪲🍀

🪷 That's because of the way I see the world. 🌐

Inside of a black mirror, as darkness consumes.

In my lascivious portrait lies the Chakana pendant, symbolically placed, centered on my chest. The Chakana, an ancient symbol of Andean culture, connects me to cosmological concepts of heaven and earth. "Inside of a black mirror, as darkness consumes." alludes to a grim reality where manipulation and influence amplify the darkness surrounding us. As you gaze into the black mirror of modern technology, the image reveals the hidden aspects of myself and the world around me. It's a depiction of duality and cosmic order, where light and darkness merge. As a symbol of connection to the sun, the Chakana calls for contemplation of the dark and hidden aspects of life while simultaneously exploring your own inner strength and spirituality.

A beautiful solar storm at night. 🥰 The aurora borealis creates dreamlike colors, visible to the eye only for brief moments like a shimmer.✨️

🌞 I have always been a fan of the sun. It puts me in a good mood and I like myself best when I'm tanned. I especially love the combination of brown skin and blonde hair.

But of course you also have to be aware of the dangers. When UV radiation hits the skin, it directly damages the DNA in the cell nucleus. This can lead to mutations and thus skin cancer. The energy in the UV radiation also causes some molecules to have an unpaired electron. These free radicals look for their missing electron in their environment and can thus cause a whole chain reaction of damage.

The most effective way to protect yourself is to avoid the sun and apply sunscreen.

You can also influence cell protection through diet and a positive attitude towards life. Damaged DNA is repaired when the telomeres (the protective ends of the chromosomes) rebuild the damaged sections. How well this works depends, among other things, on the length of the telomeres, which shortens over time. The enzyme telomerase plays an important role because it can repair and even lengthen telomeres. Telomerase can be activated through a diet containing spermidine (e.g. nuts, grains, legumes).

Antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and polyphenols (e.g. many plant pigments) help to combat free radicals. The best way to get these into the cells is to increase their bioavailability. Other plant substances such as piperine, quercetin and apigenin increase cell permeability and thus enable better development of the positive effects. It is important to note here if you are considering supplementing yourself heavily with antioxidants: too many antioxidants are also not healthy because they reduce oxidative stress, which is needed for many cellular processes.

It is also helpful to pay attention to the optimal fatty acid ratio and in particular to consume sufficient amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which are so valuable for the skin.

The personal attitude to life is greatly underestimated but, according to current studies, also has a major influence on cell aging. It has been shown that our cell age is not constant, but is rejuvenated by an optimistic mood.

Look at this sunset 🫠❤️‍🔥

My soul flower ✨️🌻✨️

As I catch these warm rays ✨️🌄🥰 I feel as saturated as the play of colors in the morning sun.

The grove snail (Cepaea nemoralis) and the garden banded snail (Cepaea hortensis) are like siblings sharing a home in nature. They inhabit similar habitats and have a wide variety of shell colors and patterns. Although the grove snail generally grows larger, it is the color of the lip of its shell (edge ​​of the shell opening) that sets it apart from its relatives. While the garden banded snail has a light lip in most cases, the lip of the grove snail is usually dark colored. They are a very common sight in Europe, and can vary greatly in appearance from region to region.

When two have found each other 💕