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How to spot a liar – even if he isn’t a cabinet minister
To be perfectly honest, this seems to be a prime time for lies, mistruths and pants on fire. We have to navigate fake news constantly, while dodging conspiracy theorists, antivaxxers and misleading anti-abortion activists on social media. Last week, the Washington Post calculated that Donald Trump had told his 10,000th lie while in office. Theresa May, meanwhile, clearly didn’t believe former defence secretary Gavin Williamson’s protestations that he wasn’t responsible for the National Security Council leak, hence Williamson’s extreme step of swearing on his children’s lives that he wasn’t guilty. And what about the rest of us? How many of our #livingmybestlife Instagram posts are, to put it charitably, putting a positive spin on things? Are we living in an age where lies are acceptable? Robert Feldman, professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts and author of The Liar in Your Life, says he thinks we are. “I do feel that it’s become more acceptable to lie. Presidents – even ones you don’t like – are role models, and if you see someone with high prestige who constantly lies and gets away with it, as seems to be the case, it’s providing a model of what’s acceptable. I used to talk about Bill Clinton as the president who made lying acceptable and yet what happened was, he got away with it.” Not only that, he says, but, despite his denials of his affair with Monica Lewinsky , Clinton is still regarded with respect and even affection. “That’s a pretty powerful message that you can lie and still be accepted by society. Now, I think we have an even greater example in the White House of a leader who lies constantly. These are absolute falsehoods and yet here he is. This is probably […]
Vitamin K: It Helps More Than Just Bones
Vitamin K2 has an excellent reputation for supporting bone health. While this is often the entire focus of vitamin K2, its capabilities and effects on health goes well beyond bones. Amazing information pertaining to vitamin K2 function has been uncovered in recent years. As you learn more about it, you will find that vitamin K2 provides diverse effects for blood vessels, blood sugar, metabolism, immune cells, kidneys, liver, mitochondria, and repair processes and more. Vitamin K2 is needed for all ages. Vitamin K Forms and Sources Vitamin K , a fat-soluble vitamin, was first discovered in 1935. It was first identified as affecting coagulation or clotting pathways. Many discoveries have occurred since that time with the identification of different forms as vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 . Differences occur with structure, absorption rates, locations in the body, and bioavailability. Vitamin K1 is a phylloquinone. Vitamin K2, as MK4 and MK7, are menaquinones. The focus of this article is predominantly on vitamin K2. Vitamin K1 primarily contributes to healthy coagulation and is essential for blood clotting. It is found in green leafy vegetables, some plant oils, and lesser quantities in other foods. These include leafy greens, especially spinach, cooked broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, grapes, plums, kidney beans, yogurt, kiwi, avocado, and mayonnaise. Vitamin K1 can be partially converted into vitamin K2 by the gut, but it has great variability from person to person. Vitamin K2, (MK4) is made by bacterial fermentation in foods. Its main function is to prevent calcium from depositing in the lining of blood vessels. It is found in the fermented Japanese food natto, various hard (Gouda, etc) and soft (blue cheese, etc) cheese but its presence depends on the amount of fermentation. It is also found in egg yolk, butter, lard, chicken liver, salami, chicken, […]
Spider venom for libido and caterpillars for pain – insects being used in medicine
(Image: Getty Images/500px) Tens of millions of us are scared of spiders , and around 13m are terrified of snakes, according to a recent poll. In fact, when it comes to phobias, the fear of creepy-crawlies far outstrips any modern-day stresses, such as running out of phone battery or no wi-fi access. But these attitudes may soon need to change as scientists discover more and more of their health-boosting secrets. Insect use in medicine is not new. Maggots have been used for centuries to clean infected wounds. Leeches are still deployed to improve blood flow when circulation is bad. But that could be just the start. In the search for new and potent treatments, scientists seeking answers are increasingly turning to the insects we love to hate. Could caterpillars cure sore joints? Researchers at Nottingham University recently discovered that a fungus growing on caterpillars could be a revolutionary new treatment for millions of osteoarthritis sufferers. The fungus contains cordycepin, a painkiller and anti-inflammatory compound thought to have fewer side-effects than existing medicines but potentially even more effective. It has been used in traditional eastern medicine for centuries, but is only now attracting attention from those developing pharmaceutical-grade drugs. Researcher Dr Cornelia de Moor predicts it will be a completely new type of painkiller within a few years. She says: “There was a lot scepticism from other scientists but we were stunned by the results we got from a pilot study.” Sea snail drug that zaps severe pain A drug that harnesses the power of deadly sea snail venom is given to patients who cannot tolerate treatments such as morphine. Called Prialt, it’s based on a toxin released by the Magician’s Cone Snail, usually found in tropical waters, such as in the South Pacific. The snail uses venom to paralyse […]
How a Single Workout May Immediately Lower Your Risk of Death
Aerobic exercise is a long-term investment in heart health, That’s one reason health care professionals urge their patients to exercise! Over time, your heart adapts to aerobic exercise and becomes a more efficient pump. As a result, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to deliver blood to the body as it did when it was out of shape. In addition, exercise modestly lowers blood pressure and helps reduce inflammation, an underlying driver of cardiovascular disease. Exercise also positively impacts blood lipids. Finally, aerobic exercise helps with weight control and improves body composition. For example, being physically active helps reduce the accumulation of visceral fat that men and women fall victim to during middle age. If your waistline is gradually growing, it’s because your visceral fat stores are expanding. Visceral fat is the riskiest kind of fat from a heart health perspective as it contributes to inflammation and insulin resistance. Regular workout sessions also improve blood sugar control and lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Changes happen at the cellular level too in response to exercise. Aerobic exercise makes tiny, energy-producing organelles called mitochondria more efficient. That’s why your exercise endurance improves over time and you develop more stamina. This is important because healthy mitochondria are linked with slower aging, according to some research. Most of the benefits you get from aerobic training take time. It will be several weeks or months before adaptations, such as improved heart efficiency and changes in lipids, take place. But there are other changes that happen more quickly. Surprisingly, research suggests that we get benefits from aerobic exercise even after the first workout through a phenomenon called ischemic preconditioning. Studies show that for up to three hours after a workout, your heart is more resistant to stress and your risk […]
The 5 Healthiest Cocktail Ingredients
Have your cocktail and drink it too. Cheers! Health-conscious drinking is not an oxymoron. Research has linked red wine in particular to heart health benefits, and new research shows that people in a high-intensity interval training program who drank a beer or two with meals benefited just as much as exercisers who didn’t. And while experts don’t exactly recommend taking up booze for the potential health boost, if you’re already going to drink, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to do it. For one, know the recommended limits (two drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women) and eat before you imbibe, says Sonya Angelone, a registered dietitian nutritionist near San Francisco. Then, pick your ingredients wisely. 100% juice Stay away from the sugar bombs that are concentrated juices like grape and apple, and look for a 100% juice like orange, pineapple or even guava to mix with a sparkling wine, gin or vodka, suggests Joy Dubost, a registered dietitian nutritionist in the New York City area. Pomegranate juice is a good choice too: Research suggests it may help reduce the spread of cancer cells, promote the death of cancer cells and reduce inflammation — three key parts of fighting any type of cancer in our bodies. The fruit has also been shown to help lower blood pressure. Sparkling water Keep it simple and use something bubbly and calorie-free to make your cocktail last longer, cut its alcohol content and up the festive factor. “If you want to add a twist, you could add your own fruit or herbs or even freeze it and make it blendable,” Dubost says. That extra volume can save you from extra booze — and calories — you didn’t know you were getting , since it’s easy to pour (or be […]
5 Reasons Why Good Sleep is So Important
You already know that you’re supposed to get at least eight hours of sleep every night, but have you ever considered the quality of that time? You can stay in bed for 12 hours and still wake up feeling exhausted if you have poor sleep quality. Good sleep is about much more than just how long you spend in bed. Your sleep quality refers to the number of awakenings you experience each night, sleep disturbances and how smooth your sleep cycle is. No compatible source was found for this media. Many people suffer from sleep disorders including insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder. In order to improve your sleep quality, it’s important to identify any sleep disturbances you have through sites like SleepKid and work with a doctor to treat them as soon as possible. Improving your sleep quality can work wonders on your entire life, and these five benefits are just the beginning. 1. Improve Memory Good sleep is imperative to good cognitive functioning. That’s a fancy way of saying you’ll think clearer and understand things better if you sleep well. During sleep, your brain interprets the events of the day and turns them into memories through a process known as consolidation . You’ll have an easier time remembering things in better detail after a good rest. 2. Easier Weight Loss Research shows that sleep is linked to obesity . The underlying science links sleep to hormones that regulate your appetite, including leptin and ghrelin. Poor sleep can lead to the imbalance or underproduction of these hormones, so you eat more than you have to and genuinely may not even feel full. Sleep also has a strong effect on your metabolism, the process through which your body breaks down food and turns it […]
9 Mother’s Day Gifts Inspired by Our Favorite Movie Moms
mothers day gifts movies moms daughter Whether they’re fighting to keep their family together or fighting to hold on to their youth, there has been no shortage of memorable mother-daughter moments in film. This Mother’s Day, we’re taking cues from some of our favorite movie moms to find gifts that even the most discerning of them would approve of. From new beauty releases to accessories to tech gadgets she’ll find surprisingly useful, here are nine of our favorite gifts to deliver to mom this year, whether she’s a Hollywood A-lister, or just a superstar in our hearts. 1. Dyson Supersonic Limited-Edition Mother’s Day Gift Set dyson supersonic hair dryer set If you’ve got a “cool mom” like Amy Poehler in “Mean Girls,” you’ll want to get her the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. The familiar iron and fuchsia set is a favorite of celebrity hairstylists like Jen Atkin and Matthew Collins , and for good reason: the dryer uses Dyson’s special “velocity airflow” to dry hair quickly, without a lot of heat. That means smoother, healthier, less frizzy hair. It works for all hair types too. This limited-edition set comes with the Supersonic Hair Dryer, a detangling comb, a paddle brush, smoothing nozzle, styling concentrator, diffuser and hanger. What we like: the hair dryer is ergonomically balanced, for a sturdy, comfortable grip, letting you work your way around each strand for a quicker, more efficient blow drying experience, whether you’re prepping your daughter for her high school performance, or just prepping for your next big night out. Stream: “Mean Girls,” $3.99 on Amazon.com | Purchase: Dyson Supersonic Mother’s Day Set, $399 on Sephora.com . 2. Happy Cards From GiftCards.com If your mom’s been stressed out and needs a little pick-me-up (think Laurie Metcalf’s character in “ Lady Bird “), consider […]
Two Arkansas youth honored for volunteerism at national award ceremony in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Arkansas’ top two youth volunteers of 2019, Anna Claire Hay, 16, of Springdale and Taci Humphries, 12, of Ash Flat, were honored in the nation’s capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Anna Claire and Taci – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received a $1,000 award and personal congratulations from award-winning actress Viola Davis at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), named Anna Claire and Taci Arkansas’ top high school and middle level youth volunteers in February. In addition to their cash awards, they each received an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent to Washington, D.C., for four days of recognition events. Anna Claire, a sophomore at Shiloh Christian School, started "Teens with Integrity," a campaign in her state to help young people find volunteer opportunities they are passionate about, and that can help them cultivate character-building qualities to make it easier to weather their own challenges. It all started when she was 11. Anna Claire’s grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease and was being cared for in a nursing home. "Watching my grandmother’s memory start to wane was both heartbreaking and compelling," said Anna Claire. "It became my mission to learn all I could from her life story." As she spent more time with her grandmother, she realized there were many other Alzheimer’s patients who rarely had visitors and whose stories would soon be lost. Anna Claire secured a sponsorship from a local business to provide cookies and […]
6 Ways To Detoxify This Summer
Summer is a great time to detoxify. You hopefully have more time to relax and enjoy all that the summer sun has to offer with its warmth and embrace the comfort of mother nature. Here are 6 ways to detoxify this summer. 1. Lemon Water, Cayenne Pepper, and Turmeric Lemon water and turmeric make a great team when it comes to cleansing your system. Drinking it warm is best, as the lemon water helps to give your digestive system a healthy kick in the morning to jumpstart your day. This mix is filled with Vitamin-C, anti-oxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds like the curcumin found in turmeric. Curcumin helps the body absorb nutrients and helps with inflammatory issues like arthritis. It has also been shown to hinder the growth of cancer cells. You can also mix in some honey to your lemon water and turmeric if you’re not a huge fan of the taste. Honey is also extremely healthy and has anti-bacterial qualities. As for the cayenne pepper, it can also help to detoxify by boosting your metabolism and can lower blood pressure. 2. Meditation Meditation can be a great way to detoxify. It lowers stress levels and gives you time to get back in touch with your mind and body. In a fast-paced world, it is hard to find time to pay attention to yourself. Meditating for a few minutes a day can be a key step in your happiness and appreciation for yourself and your body. Meditation can also improve mind-based disorders like anxiety and PTSD. There are many kinds of meditation, and they all work differently depending on what you are comfortable with. Some kinds of meditation, like self-inquiry meditation, can help you to get in touch with yourself and recognize harmful thoughts you may be having. 3. […]
You’re Not Alone: Realistic Tips for Caring for Someone with Dementia
You’ve known your loved one your whole life. But sometimes, dementia can make them feel like a completely different person. As a caregiver, it isn’t just the disease that’s exhausting. It’s the emotional toll and wreckage that gets dragged along with it. Caring for someone with dementia is by turns frustrating and heartbreaking, but there are ways to make it easier. Here are a few tips to help caregivers handle dementia with love and realism. Understand It’s More than Memory Loss The first thing to remember about dementia is that it’s so much more complicated than simply memory loss. Memory loss is one of the classic signs of dementia , but it’s hardly the only symptom to watch for. In fact, certain forms of dementia don’t manifest as memory loss – especially if your loved one doesn’t actually have Alzheimer’s disease. There are many less-known forms of dementia. Frontotemporal dementia , for example, is a form of dementia in which neurons in the front and side of the brain begin to die, causing the lobes to shrink. This can result in a number of changes as the disease progresses, from difficulty planning activities and handling daily tasks such as cooking, struggling to concentrate or get motivated, and personality changes. The exact changes depend on where the damage to your brain begins. And because it doesn’t look like familiar forms of dementia, FTD is often misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, depression, or Parkinson’s disease. Even if your loved one has Alzheimer’s, it’s important to remember that they’re experiencing a neurological decline, and that will affect them in ways beyond memory loss. Your calm, rational mother may experience hallucinations or your gentlemanly grandfather may curse like a sailor. It’s Not Worth It to Argue Regardless of the type of dementia, it’s important to […]
These Advanced Brain Training Courses Will Improve Your Life By Improving Your Mind
Do you want to learn faster, focus better, solve problems more easily, and generally improve your brain function? Well, years of scientific research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology have yielded a number of strategies, tips, and tricks that can help you realize these goals. And it’s easier than ever to master them all with the Supercharged Brain Training Bundle . There are many things you can do to boost your brain power, starting with getting high-quality sleep and providing your brain with the best possible fuel . However, at the end of the day, mental fitness is a lot like physical fitness. It requires extensive training in order to create better habits and reshape your neural pathways. Luckily, the Supercharged Brain Training Bundle is here to help. It features four different online courses with over 20 hours of lessons based on cutting-edge research. Together these online brain training courses can improve cognitive flexibility, maximize the production of new brain cells, and form new habits that will help you help you think faster, learn more efficiently, and focus longer. Did you follow all that? Or did you have to read that last paragraph twice? Either way, maybe you should give the Supercharged Brain Training Bundle a try. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the courses. Stack Social This course starts by exploring the cognitive and neurological factors behind learning and memory. Then it provides detailed strategies and advanced techniques that will help you learn new skills faster and more efficiently. This includes skills such as high-volume memorization, speed reading, and even learning a new language. Your subscription will give you lifetime 24/7 access to 62 lectures broken up into 10 different sections that amount to five hours of content. Stack Social The Power of Focus aims to help […]
Boost your productivity by making a habit of doing nothing
Image Letting your mind go for a minute between tasks can help you with everything else you do in a day.(ABC Life: Nathan Nankervis) No matter how efficient you are or how well you plan your day, you’ll still encounter distractions, interruptions or just moments when your mind doesn’t want to get on board with your grand plans for a productive afternoon. Instead of acknowledging the very human tendency for things to go off track, we can instead fall into "productivity guilt." At this point, doing nothing, even for a few minutes, can feel like failure. The problem with measuring our worth by our output is that we feel we can only have a break when we "deserve" one, instead of having one simply because it’s impossible for anyone to be ‘on’ for eight straight hours. Finding ways to be more efficient and effective can improve motivation and provide a sense of meaning in our working lives. But doing nothing and taking pause is often necessary for our focus, energy and wellbeing — and is something we can learn to embrace. Want weekly updates from ABC Life delivered to your inbox? Sign up to our newsletter. The benefits of doing nothing Doing nothing can be misconstrued as laziness, when in practice it serves an important role in helping us recover and reenergise from work stress and fatigue. Particularly for those who define their own work hours, switching off can be challenging . If you work from home or for yourself and there is no physical or psychological separation to signal you are done for the day, it can be all too tempting to check another email, take another call or just keep on chipping away. Working from home might sound ideal but it can also come with its own […]
Tips to increase brain Power by using these kitchen friendly natural ingredients
When it comes to improving the way your brain functions, there are a number of alternative therapies that can help. For instance deep breathing, meditation, visualization and many other forms of exercises help increase the brain’s function. But there are a few easier things you can do, they are — A tasty and healthy way to increase your brain power is by eating blackberries. These little juicy fruits are known to contain antioxidants called polyphenols that work on reducing inflammation of neurons and help with improving communication between the brain and the body. Therefore, there is an improvement in short term memory as well as your motor skills. Turmeric: The curcumin in turmeric is antidepressant and helps improves memory. It has been found that people suffering from Alzheimer’s have small proteins called amyloid-beta which causes damage to the brain. It is neurotoxic and forms neurofibrillary tangles in the brain that leads to Alzheimer’s. Curcumin works to protect the brain from this damage. Thyme: This common spice contains volatile oils that promote the absorption of omega-3 fatty acids by the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids is needed to protect the brain against age-related decline and increases memory and learning abilities. Along with thyme, rosemary is also very beneficial for a healthy brain. The carnosic acid present in rosemary protects the brain from occurrence of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Sage also contains this carnosic acid and improves memory. Extra virgin olive: This oil is not only heart but brain friendly as well. It contains oleocanthal that is the foe of the Alzheimer inducing proteins. These proteins, called ADDL, affect neural communication by attaching themselves to brain cells. also read Sagging Breast: Follow these tips to tone your breast and be in shape Cinnamon: This spice contains compounds that prevent the onset of […]
6 Language Tips That Actually Work
Image: Getty Images A general rule for life: Don’t believe everything that you read on the internet. Life hacks are everywhere online, you name it, someone’s probably made a YouTube video about it. However, when it comes to language learning, there’s no magic shortcut to learning a language properly. With that said, there are a few tricks you can employ to make things a bit easier. Let’s get real: You’re not going to wake up fluent in Spanish one day, but there’s more you can do than reading a textbook to make that process a little easier. We’ve put together a few of our favourite tips to help you to get speaking as quickly as possible. #1 Get fit and fluent: Ever heard of fighting two birds with one stone? Studies show that you can boost your comprehension by learning a language whilst you exercise. As well as this, you’ll improve your brain’s ability to retain knowledge. Research found that people who studied a language whilst exercising scored higher on a test and remembered more than those that didn’t learn while exercising. Just so you don’t overdo it, we’ve also created this handy guide on how to exercise safely whilst language learning . #2 Time is of the essence: Research shows that spaced repetition is the most effective technique for learning, as the brain retains more information from memories it has seen a number of times. So, instead of cramming, try using Babbel’s courses that use six memory stages, reintroducing words across the course in order to turn short-term knowledge into long term knowledge. #3 An immersive experience: It’s not very likely that you’ll be able to uproot your life to another country in order to learn the language. However, by making simple changes to your everyday life you […]
Use extra virgin olive oil regularly to lower your breast cancer risk, study finds
( Natural News ) Olive oil is the primary source of dietary fat in the Mediterranean diet, which has been well-praised for its role in protecting against diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. In a study in Spain, it was found that extra virgin olive oil can lower your risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 66 percent. Researchers from The Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain looked at the effects of extra virgin olive oil on cardiovascular disease and breast cancer . For this purpose, they recruited 7,447 participants. For the breast cancer part of the study, the researchers gave thousands of participating families one liter of extra virgin oil oil every week for five years to ensure that they have enough supply of the oil. Then, they observed 4,282 women aged 60 to 80 in those families who had similar health and lifestyle characteristics. The women were divided into three groups. One group followed a diet rich in olive oil , another group adhered to a diet rich in dried fruits and nuts , and the third group followed a low-fat diet. The study revealed that women who consumed four spoons of olive oil every day had their breast cancer risk reduced by 66 percent. On the contrary, the other groups did not find any significant changes in their breast cancer risk. The results of this study were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association . Earlier studies involving animals suggested that the polyphenol in extra virgin olive oil slows the progression of cancer cells,reducing the cells’ opportunity to spread and form malignant tumors. Other studies also showed that olive oil inhibits the activity of some of the proteins necessary for the survival of cancer cells. In addition, olive oil is said to protect […]
Longford mental health recovery advocate lifts lid on how exercise can improve our mental health
Exercise can improve a person’s mental health I’m no Ray Flynn and I am not about to be challenging Darragh Greene to a few lengths in the pool anytime soon. But I believe that being regularly active can have a profoundly positive effect on my mental health. Let’s face it a lot of us see physical activity as something we ‘have to do’, or ‘ought to do’ for our physical health. It’s good for our bones, our joints, and our heart. But exercise is also something with enormous positive benefits for our mental wellbeing. Increasing numbers of studies will tell you that exercise can have a positive impact on many mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. It is also a great stress reliever, improves memory, helps us sleep, and boosts our overall mood. To view this media, you need an HTML5 capable device or download the Adobe Flash player. www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer And friends I’ll let you in on a secret: no matter what your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to feel mentally better. Remember Jennifer Aniston from that old TV shampoo ad? Well as she used to say: “Here comes the science bit— Concentrate!” Exercise affects the brain in many ways. It releases natural anti depressant chemicals. It increases our heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to our brain. It helps with the release of hormones which provide an excellent environment for the growth of brain cells. Exercise also promotes brain plasticity by stimulating growth of new connections between cells in many important areas of the brain. It has also been said that exercise can treat moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side-effects. Now I’m not dismissing medication. It has helped me a lot. But I also […]
Putting down your phone may help you live longer
New York: If you’re like many people, you may have decided that you want to spend less time staring at your phone. It’s a good idea: An increasing body of evidence suggests that the time we spend on our smartphones is interfering with our sleep, self-esteem, relationships, memory, attention spans, creativity, productivity and problem-solving and decision-making skills. But there is another reason for us to rethink our relationships with our devices. By chronically raising levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, our phones may be threatening our health and shortening our lives. Until now, most discussions of phones’ biochemical effects have focused on dopamine, a brain chemical that helps us form habits — and addictions. Like slot machines, smartphones and apps are explicitly designed to trigger dopamine’s release, with the goal of making our devices difficult to put down. This manipulation of our dopamine systems is why many experts believe that we are developing behavioural addictions to our phones. But our phones’ effects on cortisol are potentially even more alarming. Cortisol is our primary fight-or-flight hormone. Its release triggers physiological changes, such as spikes in blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, that help us react to and survive acute physical threats. These effects can be life-saving if you are actually in physical danger — like, say, you’re being charged by a bull. But our bodies also release cortisol in response to stressors where an increased heart rate isn’t going to do much good, such as checking your phone to find an angry email from your boss. If they happened only occasionally, phone-induced cortisol spikes might not matter. But the average American spends four hours a day staring at their smartphone and keeps it within arm’s reach nearly all the time, according to a tracking app called Moment. […]
The Pleasure of Being Mediocre
Laura Lippman was raised to excel, which meant dropping sports in favor of schoolwork. Decades later she returned to the tennis court to conquer her fears once and for all. I have no natural athletic ability, although I have always looked as if I might—tall, broad-shouldered, with muscular arms and legs. I run slowly, with an awkward gait. To say that I throw like a girl is unfair to girls everywhere. P.E. class, to me, was something created to jeopardize my precious 4.0 grade point average. (I managed to eke out an A-minus, thanks to written tests and the credit given merely for showing up and suiting up, which turned out to be a pretty useful life lesson.) I swam well enough to be a lifeguard, but not swiftly enough to be part of Baltimore’s ubiquitous swim team culture. I learned to ice-skate, but only after two miserable years of walking on my ankles. We had a word for kids like me in the 1970s, a decidedly non-P.C. one, derived from the term spasmodic. I heard that word a lot. But when I was 14, I joined my mother for a tennis lesson and it looked, ever so briefly, as if I might have found a sport for which I had some aptitude. For a couple of weeks, we met with an instructor at the public courts near our house. The plan was for us to take lessons together, play together, improve together. Then my father put a stop to it. I was in an accelerated program at school that had a reputation for being difficult. He wanted me to focus on my studies. My mother continued her tennis lessons; her skills quickly outpaced mine, and she found a new partner. For the next 40-plus years, I tried to […]
Why diet plans should take sleeping patterns into account
( Natural News ) When you’re following a certain diet, you usually avoid unhealthy foods full of fat and sugar. According to a study, incorporating your sleep patterns into your diet plans also promotes weight loss. Dr. Jonathan Johnston, a reader in chronobiology and integrative physiology at the University of Surrey , presented the study findings at a conference on chrono-nutrition, circadian clocks, and mealtimes that was held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. Data from the study suggested that the timing of your meals affects your ability to lose weight, which means that integrating sleep rhythm data can help build more effective personalized diet guides. What you eat and when you eat matters Chrononutrition , which refers to the practice of matching your food timings to your internal body clock or circadian system , is an emerging and high-profile research area. (Related: More sleep equals fewer calories: Research shows sleeping longer supports a healthier diet .) Dr. Johnston explained that a person’s response to food depends on what time they eat the food. He added that humans have many circadian clocks within their bodies and that the majority of the organs in the digestive system have their own clock. When your organs aren’t in sync with your brain, which is your body’s “master clock,” your metabolism is affected. In a 2017 study led by Andrew McHill called “Later circadian timing of food intake is associated with increased body fat,” McHill and his fellow researchers found that the timing of food intake relative to melatonin onset was closely tied to the percentage of body fat and body mass index (BMI). 100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and […]
Putting down your phone may help you live longer
New York: If you’re like many people, you may have decided that you want to spend less time staring at your phone. It’s a good idea: An increasing body of evidence suggests that the time we spend on our smartphones is interfering with our sleep, self-esteem, relationships, memory, attention spans, creativity, productivity and problem-solving and decision-making skills. But there is another reason for us to rethink our relationships with our devices. By chronically raising levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, our phones may be threatening our health and shortening our lives. Until now, most discussions of phones’ biochemical effects have focused on dopamine, a brain chemical that helps us form habits — and addictions. Like slot machines, smartphones and apps are explicitly designed to trigger dopamine’s release, with the goal of making our devices difficult to put down. This manipulation of our dopamine systems is why many experts believe that we are developing behavioural addictions to our phones. But our phones’ effects on cortisol are potentially even more alarming. Cortisol is our primary fight-or-flight hormone. Its release triggers physiological changes, such as spikes in blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, that help us react to and survive acute physical threats. These effects can be life-saving if you are actually in physical danger — like, say, you’re being charged by a bull. But our bodies also release cortisol in response to stressors where an increased heart rate isn’t going to do much good, such as checking your phone to find an angry email from your boss. If they happened only occasionally, phone-induced cortisol spikes might not matter. But the average American spends four hours a day staring at their smartphone and keeps it within arm’s reach nearly all the time, according to a tracking app called Moment. […]
The Power Within by Corey Daniels book available for only $2.99
Mind has both conscious and subconscious halves. These are likened to a driver and the truck he drives. The driver plans the destination and observes road conditions, while the truck provides motive power. Your subconscious mind is like the truck and it only goes in the direction in which is a steered. This can be the road or off a cliff. Likewise, the consciousness paints a picture of what the world is and what your goals are and the subconscious acts on them through emotion, physical response and energy, whether these are correct, rational images or false negative ones. The subconscious is also like an emotional reservoir which your body and mind draw responses from to external stimuli.
The Power Within lays out a method of programming your subconscious and tapping into the Holy Spirit, God voice or what the Greeks called the daimon (godman).