Animals hold a special place in my heart, and the idea of a mountain lion, especially a majestic one like Mufasa, being chained in a truck bed is simply heartbreaking.
Sadly, that was Mufasa’s reality. He was part of a traveling circus in Peru, forced to endure a miserable existence for people’s entertainment and his owner’s profit.
Thankfully, a beacon of hope emerged in the form of animal rights activists.
Many animals still face abuse and neglect in circuses, zoos, and shows. While recent years have seen some improvements, there’s a long road ahead. Countless creatures are confined to cramped spaces, denied the lives they deserve.
Mufasa, the magnificent mountain lion, was discovered chained to a pickup truck in Peru. For twenty long years, he was imprisoned in a life he never wanted.
Though his freedom came later in life, it arrived nonetheless. In 2015, after months of dedicated effort, Animal Defenders International, an animal rights organization, secured his release. They encountered Mufasa while shutting down a Peruvian circus.
Freedom had a profound impact on Mufasa’s well-being. He was finally free from the shackles of anxiety and oppression, experiencing the fundamental right all wild creatures deserve – to roam free in their natural habitat and live on their own terms.
Mufasa’s rescue story is heartwarming, and the video below captures his first steps towards freedom – a truly beautiful moment!
Tragically, after his rescue, Mufasa’s health, compromised by twenty years of captivity, began to decline. He succumbed to kidney failure and other age-related issues in 2015, according to Animal Defenders International.
Yet, his story serves as a powerful reminder.
Mufasa, a gentle giant who loved a good scratch, may not have had a longer time in the Amazon rainforest, but his brief taste of freedom is far preferable to a lifetime of captivity.
No animal should ever endure what Mufasa did.
What Can Happen to Your Body If You Drink Coffee First Thing in the Morning
A group of researchers from the University of Nevada-Reno discovered that coffee grounds can be used as biodiesel, and quite possibly in the near future, your car fumes will smell like a cup of freshly brewed cappuccino. But that very first cup of coffee that fuels most of us in the morning may not be the best way to start your day. In fact, doctors believe the best time to enjoy your cup of java is mid- to late-morning, between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
We at Bright Side usually look forward to our first cup of coffee in the morning, but the effects it can have on your body when you drink it on an empty stomach can be a true wake-up call.
1. You may feel sleepier.
Coffee is a wake-up drink for many of us, but drinking it as soon as you roll out of bed may have the opposite effect. Caffeine doubles the levels of stress hormones and may lead to problems with sleep, which results in tiredness. If you start your day with a cup of cappuccino with sugar, you might feel sleepy again after a short period of time. This happens because our body produces insulin to offset the sugar, causing your blood glucose levels to drop, which results in a lack of energy and anxiety.
2. Your body may lose essential minerals more quickly.
Having your regular dose of coffee early in the morning can cause you to lose many essential vitamins and minerals. It can sabotage the absorption of iron, magnesium, and B vitamins which are vital to our nervous system. Too much caffeine can also leach calcium from your bones, making them weak and brittle.
3. It may upset your stomach.
While your beloved beverage will help you to wake up in the morning, it may also give you the urge to use the bathroom more often. In fact, some medical experts even recommend drinking coffee as a way to prepare for certain exams. Coffee activates our nervous system, which in turn affects the colon and may cause diarrhea. Many people also like adding milk or cream to their morning cup of java, and because most of us have difficulty digesting lactose, it may cause stomach discomfort as well.
4. It may lead to weight gain.
Although black coffee may help you burn fat, it can also upset your healthy sleep patterns. When you don’t get enough sleep, you tend to feel hungrier and have more cravings for sweet snacks. Many coffee beverages, like popular sweetened blends, are packed with sugar and calories and might cause you to gain extra pounds.
5. It can worsen anxiety.
When you wake up in the morning, your stress hormones levels are usually at their highest. Because caffeine is a stimulant, it gives your body a jittery effect and can even trigger anxiety attacks for some people.
6. It can dry out your skin.
Because coffee makes you use the restroom more often, it dehydrates your body. When you become dehydrated, it’s harder for toxins to exit the body through your skin. This, in turn, dries the skin out and makes it more vulnerable to various problems, like premature wrinkles.
7. It may raise your blood sugar level.
Your morning cup of coffee makes it harder for your cells to regulate blood sugar, which can lead to various diseases. High blood sugar, in turn, can lead to weight gain and even raise your risk of skin infections.
When do you usually drink your first cup of coffee? Have you noticed any of these side effects?
Preview photo credit Shutterstock.com
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