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Question: How many US states were there in 1900?
(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)
Parents across the Triangle often wonder how their teens can build meaningful leadership experience that truly stands out when applying to college.
An upcoming Hum Sub Youth Leadership Summit in Cary is designed to help students begin exploring those opportunities. The event invites students in Grades 8–11 from across the Triangle to learn about leadership, entrepreneurship, and ways young people can start building experiences that colleges value.
Parents are welcome to attend to learn more about opportunities to help their children prepare for college applications. Coming soon: 2 May 2026.
Are you are local business owner or local non-profit?
CARY SPOTLIGHT: HEALTH & WELLNESS EDITION
These articles are for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.
Weight Gain Linked to Habit Amid Sleep Apnea & Ozempic Boom
Sleep specialists say people with obstructive sleep apnea often face another hidden challenge: stubborn weight gain.
Poor sleep disrupts leptin and ghrelin — the hormones that control hunger and fullness — making cravings stronger and weight harder to manage.
That connection may help explain why treatments like semaglutide are gaining attention for supporting meaningful weight loss.
Read the report on how sleep disruption may influence weight and metabolism.
Learn More.
The Stress and Sleep Cycle: Why Midlife Women Often Feel Stuck in It
Stress and sleep influence one another more than many people realize. When stress builds during the day, it often follows people into the night, making it harder to fall asleep and harder to stay asleep. Over time, the cycle of high stress and poor sleep can quietly affect energy levels, mood, and long-term health.
How Stress Affects Sleep
The connection largely centers on the body’s stress response. When stress remains elevated, the body produces higher levels of cortisol, a hormone designed to keep you alert. While helpful in short bursts, persistently high cortisol can interfere with the body’s ability to relax at night. That disruption can make it difficult to reach deeper stages of sleep where physical and mental restoration occur.
The Cycle of Poor Sleep and Increased Stress
Poor sleep then feeds the cycle. When the body does not get enough restorative rest, stress tolerance drops the next day. People often feel more reactive, less focused, and more fatigued, which can make everyday pressures feel heavier than they otherwise would. Over time, the combination can influence immune function, emotional resilience, appetite regulation, and overall physical comfort.
Why Midlife Women May Feel This More Intensely
For women in midlife, this pattern can feel especially challenging. Hormonal changes during this stage of life can affect both sleep patterns and the body’s stress response, making disruptions more noticeable. Experts say improving sleep is not just about bedtime routines. What happens during the day plays an equally important role.
Daily Habits That Support Better Sleep
Small habits that calm the nervous system throughout the day can help the body shift more naturally into rest at night. Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, limiting screen exposure before bed, moving the body during the day, and taking short breaks to breathe or reset can all support healthier sleep patterns.
A Simple Way to Start
A simple starting point is a short wind-down routine in the evening. Lowering the lights, stretching gently, or practicing slow breathing for a few minutes can signal to the body that the day is ending and rest is approaching.
The Bottom Line
The connection between stress and sleep is powerful, but it can also be improved with small, consistent habits. Addressing stress during the day often becomes one of the most effective ways to improve sleep at night.
Today’s wellness tip is brought to you by Living Well with Estelle
Living Well with Estelle is a Cary-based wellness practice led by Dr. Estelle Tsalik, focusing on holistic and preventive health care. Her approach helps clients develop personalized routines that prioritize prevention over treatment, using science-backed strategies to support long-term well-being.
Book your free wellness chat with Dr. Estelle and map out the simple shifts that will make the biggest difference for you. Check out her practitioner favorites in this Fullscript store.
Just curious…
How would you describe your sleep lately?
USDA Issues New Meat Alerts, Then Rescinds Nugget Warning
Federal food safety authorities reported several meat-related alerts over the past week, with the most visible involving Great Value dino-shaped chicken nuggets sold at Walmart. The USDA initially warned of possible lead contamination and advised consumers to discard or return the product.
That warning was later withdrawn after follow-up testing found the original result was a false positive. Officials said the nuggets were safe to eat, closing what had briefly become the most high-profile alert of the week.
Other cases remained active and more straightforward. FSIS warned consumers not to eat certain raw beef and pork products that were produced without federal inspection but carried a false inspection mark, creating concern that the items had bypassed required safety controls.
The agency also issued a separate alert for some raw ground beef products produced on February 26, 2026, because of possible foreign-material contamination, including metal fragments. Consumers were told to discard any affected packages still on hand.
How do you typically respond when you hear about a food recall?
A Teaspoon On An Empty Stomach May Remove 12Lbs Of Fat Per Week
Taken on an empty stomach, this small teaspoon habit is getting attention for how it may influence appetite signals before the first meal of the day. The idea is simple: trigger fullness sooner, reduce cravings later, and help the body use stored fat for energy instead of storing more around the waist.
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🎟️ Upcoming Events (Top Picks)
Outdoor events may be changed due to weather, so click the links to see latest event information. Here are a few ideas for the week, so plan ahead:
• Wednesday: CaryVan: Symphony Under the Stars at Koka Booth 5PM-10PM
• Wednesday: Tai Chi: Downtown Cary Park 6:30PM-7:30PM
• Thursday: Live at Lunch: Zach Burrus 11:30AM-1:30PM
• Thursday: Thursday Night Music Club: Emily Scott Robinson 7:30PM-9PM
• Friday: Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale (Online Sale)
• Friday: Movie Night: The Princess and the Frog 6PM-10PM
• Saturday: Science on the Spillway 10AM-12PM
• Saturday: 2026 Pimento Cheese Festival 11AM-4PM
• Saturday: Cary Players presents Deathtrap 7:30PM-9:30PM
But wait! There’s more. To save space in your inbox, we’ve moved the full list of events online — now you can plan ahead: See Full 2-Week Calendar
The Answer to the Cary Spotlight Hook Trivia Question 👇👇👇
A: 45
There were 45 states in the United States in 1900. The 45th state was Utah, which joined the Union on January 4, 1896. The country remained with 45 states until Oklahoma became the 46th state in 1907.
For more information, Number of US States by year since 1776