WizeWorld Volume 109

Welcome to the 109th volume of WizeWorld: a collection of stories and sounds to round out your week, pique your curiosity, and widen your wizdom. 

This week’s theme is a dose of reality: whether it’s the actual, science-based ways to keep your immune system healthy and functioning, or the sad truth about artificial sweeteners, this issue is focused on keeping it real… with some cardboard robots thrown in for fun. 

We’ll be looking at:

• Whether artificial sweeteners increase the risk of heart disease
• An interview with year-round athlete and photographer Michelle Pittam
• Greg Olijnyk’s cardboard robots
• This week’s Superior Sounds from B-Side Radio
• Science-backed ways to boost your immune system

 Learn

Many people turn to artificial sweeteners as a way to cut down on sugar. But is it possible that these sweet alternatives are just as bad for you? A new study, highlighted by Healthline, suggests that people who ate more artificial sweeteners like aspartame had an 18 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease. As always, we recommend reading the full article (and study) for a complete picture, but this is one reason why Wize sticks to small amounts of real sugar to sweeten our delicious iced teas rather than the fake stuff.

Connect

Michelle Pittam is a multi-tasking athlete and artist who doesn’t believe in off seasons. You can find her mountain biking, snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding throughout the year… plus getting amazing shots of other athletes as she goes. To stay fueled and ready for anything nature has to offer, she reaches for Mango Wize Iced Tea to keep her refreshment high and her sugar intake low. 

See

Digital meets analogue in Australian artist Greg Olijnyk’s cardboard robots fitted with LED lights and real glass. His elaborately-constructed creations contain notes to art history, like with M.C. Escher’s famous stairs (seen in the header image above). It’s a slightly irreverent, slightly dystopic take on classic sci fi. 

Listen

This week’s music mix is an instant mood booster with throwback tracks, hip hop, dance and much more to get your Friday off to a banging start. Join DJs Slippee, Adlib, Mur and Blez for Superior Sounds at B-Side Radio and you’ll feel pumped in no time flat. B-Side Radio is an online community radio station that operates out of The Beaumont Studios Artist Society in Vancouver BC. Read more about them here.

Get inspired

Powders, tinctures, IVs and more: the immune-boosting industry has exploded over the past few years. But to cut through the noise, scientists have offered a simple and straightforward guide to upping your immunity that include the things you’d probably expect. Fewer pills and more healthy, balanced diets with plenty of Vitamin C and lots of sleep. 

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