Tag: Health and Wellness

5 Things to Do Every Morning for Lower Blood Pressure

For most people, hypertension (or high blood pressure) doesn’t come with warning signs. The only way you’d know you have it is through a blood pressure reading.

But over time, high blood pressure that’s left unchecked can damage different parts of your body, including your arteries, heart, brain, kidneys, eyes and more, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Fortunately, there are lifestyle changes you can make to help lower your blood pressure naturally. “Trying these changes in the morning — when your pressure begins to rise, even before you wake — is a particularly good time to start,” says John Higgins, MD, a sports cardiologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston.

Morning is also the time when cardiac events like stroke or heart attack are more likely to happen, Dr. Higgins adds. Sometimes, these heart problems can be brought on, in part, by an elevated morning blood pressure.

1. Limit Your Caffeine

Hate to break it to you, but your morning cup of coffee could lead to unhealthily high blood pressure levels — especially if you drink several cups.

This is because caffeine is a stimulant, which can add a pep in your step, but can also spike your blood pressure.

While the exact reason why this happens is up for debate, some experts believe it’s because caffeine may block a hormone that helps widen your arteries. Others believe it’s because caffeine may cause your adrenal glands to release more adrenaline, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“Two to four cups of coffee (approximately 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine) will typically increase blood pressure by about 8mm Hg systolic (i.e., the top number) and 6 mm Hg diastolic (i.e., the bottom number),” Dr. Higgins says.

The good news? This spike doesn’t usually last long. It “wears off in about four hours,” Dr. Higgins says.

Still, to help keep your morning blood pressure stable, start the day with a cup of decaf, he says. And if you’re still craving caffeine, hold off until late morning and stick to a single cup.

2. Skip Sugar

From donuts to pastries and cereal, your favorite breakfast foods may unfortunately be filled with added sugars. And too much sugar can affect your blood pressure.

“Eating sugar — especially high-fructose corn syrup — can affect the pathways in your body related to the hormone aldosterone and the peptide endothelin, which both help regulate blood pressure,” Dr. Higgins says.

Plus, “high blood ‌sugar‌ levels are associated with atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in your arteries), which will lead to stiffer arteries and, eventually, elevations in blood ‌pressure‌,” Dr. Higgins says.

To prevent this, limit the amount of added sugar you eat and drink each day. Be especially mindful when eating things like breakfast bars, yogurts and cereals, which often have added sweeteners. For reference, any food with a 20 percent (or higher) daily value (DV) of sugar is considered a high-sugar food.

Tip

The natural sugars in fruits and vegetables do ‌not‌ raise blood pressure, per Dr. Higgins. So feel free to pile your breakfast plate with these nutritious foods.

3. Exercise Regularly

While a strenuous workout will get your heart pumping and temporarily raise your blood pressure readings, exercising in the morning is a great way to support healthy blood pressure overall.

Two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise) and/or strength training for 90 to 150 minutes each week can lower blood pressure as much as 5 mm Hg, Dr. Higgins says.

4. Meditate in the Morning

Getting your body to relax — especially at the start of the day — can have a positive effect on your blood pressure levels. This can achieved through a meditation practice, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

In fact, people with mild hypertension who practice mindfulness-based meditation were found to have reduced systolic ‌and‌ diastolic blood pressure in studies, according to University of Maryland Medical System.

One of the reasons meditation works in this instance? Your body is prompted to produce more nitric oxide, which helps widen your blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure, per Harvard Health Publishing.

You can use meditation and breathing techniques to lower your blood pressure at any time of day, but morning meditation can be especially helpful to start your day with a sense of calm, per Dr. Higgins.

If you’re new to meditation, start slow. Try sitting quietly for five minutes in the morning. You can try to work your way up to 20 minutes, but if you don’t have time, five minutes will do the trick.

Here are some steps for a mindfulness-based meditation, to promote your body’s relaxation response, per Harvard Health Publishing:

  • Sit in a quiet place with your eyes closed.
  • Relax your muscles and silently repeat a word, phrase, sound or short prayer of your choosing over and over.
  • When stray thoughts interfere (as they will), let them come and go and return to your word, phrase or sound.

5. Eat a Balanced Breakfast

Have a habit of skipping breakfast? Missing this meal can actually have a major effect on your blood pressure.

In fact, skipping breakfast is associated with hypertension in adults, according to a March 2022 meta-analysis in the ‌International Journal of Hypertension‌‌.‌

And it’s not just when you eat, but ‌what‌ you eat that’s equally important. For example, a low-fat yogurt parfait with nuts and fruit is a great, balanced breakfast that promotes better blood pressure for several reasons, Dr. Higgins says.

Source: livestrong.com

Costco, Trader Joe’s, Walmart products recalled amid listeria outbreak

A sweeping recall of dairy products linked to a lethal listeria outbreak is expanding to foods sold at major retailers including Costco, Trader Joe’s and Walmart.

The latest items being recalled include dips, dressings, salad and taco kits sold at the grocery chains and follows a recall of nearly 60 cheese and dairy products by Modesto, Calif.-based Rizo-López Foods earlier this week. That came as federal health officials said new evidence had linked the company’s products to a listeria outbreak first detected nearly a decade ago.

At least 26 people in 11 states have been stricken in the ongoing outbreak, with the latest illness occurring in December, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person died in California in 2017, and another fatality occurred in Texas in 2020, the CDC said.

Fresh Express on Friday said it’s recalling two salad kits with condiment packs containing the recalled cheese. 

Sold at stores in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Utah and Wyoming, the Fresh Express Salsa! Ensalada Salad and Marketside Southwest Chopped Salad kits have use-by dates ranging from Jan. 6, 2024 to Feb. 20, 2024, according to the notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration.

The recalled products contain condiment packs with use-by dates ranging from Feb. 28, 2024, through April 4, 2024, it added.

The new recalls also include products sold at Albertson’s, Costco, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s after Fresh Creative Foods — a unit of Reser’s Fine Foods — recalled assorted dressings, sauces and a street taco meal kit.

Salad kits sold at Costco, Walmart and Winco are also being recalled because they contain Rizo-López cheese, Irwindale, Calif.-based Ready Pac Foods said on Thursday. The potentially tainted kits were distributed by Ready Pac in 15,751 cases manufactured between December 2023 through February of this year. 

Additionally, BrightFarms of Irvington, New York, is recalling Southwest Chipotle salad kits with best-by-dates between Dec. 13, 2023, and Feb. 22, 2024, because they contain potentially tainted cotija cheese, according to a company notice posted by the FDA.

The affected cheese is enclosed inside the kits and have has a best-by-date through March 27, 2024. The recalled products were sold by retailers in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing, according to the FDA.

Consumers are urged to discard the recalled products. Surfaces and containers that came in contact with the products should be sanitized, as listeria can survive in refrigerated environments and spread.

Listeria is most likely to affect pregnant people and newborns, people 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Infection symptoms typically start within two weeks of eating contaminated food and can include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting and diarrhea. More serious cases may also include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

Source: cbsnews©

Trying to GAIN Weight? Eat these Foods.

We hear a lot about losing weight, but what about when you want or need to gain weight? Many people also struggle with being underweight or below their ideal weight for their height. Being underweight can pose several health risks, including nutrient deficiencies, poor immunity, fatigue, and fertility issues, especially when they’re severe.

Nutrition is essential to your health and weight goals, whether that means losing, gaining, or maintaining it. Nutrition for weight gain comes down to consuming more calories than you’re burning off every day.

However, nutrition is also about nourishing your body. You could gain weight just by eating a ton of calories from junk food every day, but that wouldn’t do anything to benefit your overall health. Not to mention that eating a nutrient-poor diet sets you up for a higher risk of obesity and related chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Instead, a diet pattern for weight gain should emphasize minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods. You can still include higher-calorie foods without relying on ultra-processed, fatty, and fried foods to optimize your energy intake.

Below are some of the best foods for supporting your weight gain goals.

Fruits

The following are examples of energy-dense fruits to incorporate into your regular eating pattern.

  • Avocado: Rich in healthy fats, avocados are a calorie-dense option, providing vitamins and minerals. Use them to make avocado toast or guacamole, add them to soups and salads, or spread them on wraps and sandwiches.
  • Dried fruits: Add calorie-dense and portable dried fruits like raisins, blueberries, and dates to snacks or meals.
  • Bananas: A convenient and calorie-dense fruit that also provides potassium.

Vegetables

Though vegetables are often associated with weight loss, certain vegetables, such as potatoes, can support your goal of increasing daily caloric input.

  • Potatoes: Whether baked or mashed, potatoes are a starchy vegetable that can contribute to calorie intake.
  • Sweet potatoes: A filling, nutrient-dense carbohydrate source that provides vitamins and fiber.

Grains

Similar to starchy vegetables, certain grains can add nutrient-dense calories to your meals without requiring too much volume.

  • Quinoa: A versatile whole grain that provides both carbohydrates and protein. Use quinoa in soups, salads, stir-fries, homemade veggie burger patties, or as a breakfast grain.
  • Whole grains: Choose whole grains and whole grain varieties of bread and pasta for added fiber and nutrients—for example, amaranth, barley, oats, brown rice, and millet.

Protein Foods

Make sure you include protein in your diet. There are various animal- and plant-based proteins to consider.

  • Nuts and nut butter: Almonds, peanuts, cashews, and nut butter are high in healthy fats and protein, providing many calories in small servings.
  • Salmon: Fatty fish like salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, contributing to overall health and weight gain.
  • Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein, healthy fats, and various vitamins and minerals.
  • Legumes: Chickpeas, lentils, green peas, and black beans provide a good combination of protein and carbohydrates.
  • Soy: Tofu and tempeh are protein-rich, nutrient-dense, minimally processed soy foods you can add to stir-fries, soups, salads, and breakfast scrambles.
  • Dairy
  • Incorporating dairy can also support your weight gain goals. Examples of sources to try include:
  • Cheese: Full-fat cheese varieties are high in calories, protein, and calcium.
  • Greek yogurt: High in protein and rich in probiotics, Greek yogurt can be a nutritious and calorie-dense snack. Stir in other nutrient-rich ingredients, like chia seeds or oats and cinnamon.
  • Cottage cheese: High in protein and versatile, you can include cottage cheese in various dishes. Add berries and nuts or make it savory with herbs and veggies such as chives and bell peppers.
  • Other Energy-Dense Foods
  • You don’t have to increase your calorie intake one food at a time. Foods like smoothies and trail mixes pack a punch when maximizing energy and nutrient needs.
  • Smoothies: Smoothies are an excellent vehicle for calories and nutrients. Include higher-calorie liquids, like full-fat fortified soy milk, and add cashew butter, ground flax seeds, and pitted dates.
  • Canned coconut milk: Include coconut milk when cooking foods like soups or curries or add it to smoothies for an extra calorie boost. Just note that it’s high in saturated fat and should be consumed in moderation.
  • Vegetable oils: Add a small amount of flax or walnut oil to salads or use olive or avocado oil in cooking for an extra dose of healthy monounsaturated fats.
  • Trail mix: Create a customized trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits for a calorie-dense snack.
  • Dark chocolate: In moderation, dark chocolate can be a tasty way to add calories and antioxidants to your diet. Look for higher percentages, like 70–80% cacao, for the most nutritional benefit.

What Helps You Gain Weight Quickly?

Increasing your total calorie intake is the best way to gain weight quickly. One common guideline is to aim for a surplus of 500–1,000 calories per day to gain weight at a moderate and sustainable rate. This could lead to a weight gain of about 1 or 2 pounds per week. Remember that these numbers are rough estimates, and individual needs may vary.

Here’s a basic approach to determining your daily calorie needs for weight gain:

  1. Calculate basal metabolic rate (BMR): Use an online BMR calculator to estimate the calories your body needs at rest.
  2. Factor in physical activity: Multiply your BMR by an activity factor representing your daily physical activity level (sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, very active).
  3. Add a caloric surplus: Add 500–1,000 calories to the calculated total to gain weight. This is the number of calories you should aim to consume each day.

Of course, boosting your calorie intake isn’t the whole story. Considering the details of your overall diet to achieve long-term, sustainable changes to your weight is also important.

Here are a few ways you can encourage faster weight gain through your diet pattern:

  • Prioritize nutrient-dense foods: Choose nutrient-dense foods to ensure that essential vitamins and minerals accompany your weight gain. Include fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats in your diet.
  • Maintain balance: A balanced diet includes carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This helps support overall health and provides the energy necessary for weight gain.
  • Eat regularly: Be consistent with your meals and include nutritious snacks to maintain a steady calorie intake throughout the day. For example, instead of eating three large meals daily, perhaps you can switch to five slightly smaller meals and three snacks.
  • Opt for larger portion sizes: Serve yourself more than you usually would, particularly with calorie-dense foods. If you’re not hungry for it, don’t stuff yourself, but also don’t limit yourself if you’re interested in eating more than usual in a sitting.
  • Use sauces and dressings: When you’ve put together your meal or snack, consider adding healthy toppings and sauces to enhance your meals’ flavor and calorie content. Examples of this can include olive oil and vinegar, guacamole, hummus, or a yogurt-based dressing.

Gaining weight requires consuming more calories daily than you burn off through your daily activities. Having a plan in place is important to helping you achieve your goal. Healthy weight gain should emphasize nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods to benefit overall wellness. Eating more frequently, adding calorie-rich sauces and dips, strength training, and patience are critical to successful weight gain.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.

Five signs of sepsis you need to know and act on immediately.

Sepsis is a major cause of serious illness and death across the globe. Its main impacts are on the very young and the very old, but it still remains one of the few disease processes that can kill a healthy young adult in hours.

Sepsis arises when the body’s normal response to an infection injures and overwhelms its own tissues and organs. It may lead to shock, multi-organ failure, and death – especially if not recognized early and treated promptly.

 Sepsis symptoms

Although in the early stages, sepsis, flu and chest infections can have similar symptoms, Graham stresses there are 5 key sepsis symptoms…

1.     High/low temperature

Sepsis can cause a patient to develop a high fever as part of the body’s immune response, although in some cases they’ll develop a low body temperature (hypothermia) instead. “Hypothermia during sepsis is considered very dangerous,” stresses Colin Graham, chief operating officer at Sepsis Research.  “There’s more risk of fatality than when a patient develops a fever.”

 2.     Uncontrolled shivering

Sepsis can cause a drop in body temperature and severe shivering, which is one of a response to fighting infection, and is the body’s way of trying to increase its temperature.

3.     Confusion

Sepsis can cause acute inflammation and swelling, making it difficult to breathe, and leading to a drop in oxygen levels. “Low levels of oxygen in the blood can cause mental confusion and delirium,” explains Graham.

4. Passing little urine

As sepsis progresses, blood pressure may become very low, which means not enough blood and oxygen can reach the body’s organs, says Graham. This can cause organ failure, he says, and when kidneys start to fail it can lead to a drop in urine output.

5. Blotchy or cold arms & legs

During sepsis, the clotting mechanism works overtime. Nutrients can’t get to the tissues in the fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet, and legs and the body’s tissues begin to die, says Graham.  At first, the skin may look mottled or blotchy and may appear blueish. In severe cases of sepsis, the areas of dead skin can turn black and limbs may need to be amputated.

Someone with sepsis might not show all these symptoms at once, says Graham, and may have other symptoms like difficulty breathing and a rapid heartbeat, which may occur because sepsis can make arteries dilate or widen, causing a drop in blood pressure, which means the heart has to work harder to push the blood through at a normal pressure.

On their own, these symptoms can be an indication of other health problems, says Graham, but a combination of two or more of them, becoming progressively worse, means you need to seek urgent medical attention, so call 999 or go to A&E. He stresses that for every hour treatment is delayed, the chance of survival reduces by over 7%.

Article and photo by independent.co.uk/us

How to get rid of bad bacteria in your gut?

1. Get rid of the toxins in your diet.

These foods are causing inflammation in your body and making your gut sluggish:

  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Conventionally raised, non-organic raised meats. These are high in omega-6 oils, which leads to chronic inflammation. (Instead, eat pastured or grass-fed meats)
  • Yes, even whole grains.
  • Processed foods
  • Refined sugars (Get the full list of sugars to avoid here)
  • Seed oils like canola, sunflower, grapeseed, and even vegetable oils. These are also high in omega-6 oils your gut doesn’t want!

If you keep eating these pro-inflammatory foods, you’re poisoning your body and quite frankly, setting your gut on fire.

2. Fill your diet with fermented foods

Popular fermented foods include kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. These are rich in probiotics — the good bacteria your intestines need for optimal digestion and health. Your gut loves food like these! Best of all, you can find them at your local health foods store. And they’re packed with flavor to add to any meal.

3. Take a powerful probiotic

Taking a probiotic daily floods your body with good bacteria like lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium lactis. You may not be able to eat kimchi or sauerkraut everyday, so this is your best option if you want to quickly reset your gut. And because probiotics are filled with good bacteria, it puts your gut on the fast track to strengthening. Just don’t forget to take it every day.

4. Avoid antibiotics like the plague

Antibiotics get rid of ALL your healthy gut flora — they’re the opposite of probiotics.  Sometimes doctors are too quick to prescribe them. If you absolutely must take antibiotics, ask your doctor about also taking a probiotic supplement at the same time, and when you’re safe to do so. If you’ve taken a lot of antibiotics, then you REALLY need this gut reset!

5. Take a multi-enzyme supplement (preferable after every meal)

Digestive enzymes break down the foods we eat so we absorb its nutrients. But certain things can decrease our digestive enzymes, like aging and chronic stress. So, even if you eat healthy foods, you may not get all the nutrition you need. That’s why I recommend you take an enzyme supplement such as carbohydrases (break down carbohydrates), lipases (break down fats), and proteases (break down proteins).

6. Consume natural gut-healers

In addition to probiotics and fermented foods, these will help the walls of your gut:

  • Aloe vera
  • Vitamins A, C, and E
  • L-glutamine
  • Omega-3 fatty acids

7. Relax to support gut health

Easier said than done, right? Look, I know stress happens. Your life gets busy, and maybe you forget to do a daily relaxation practice. But that’s bad news for your gut, because stress contributes to a leaky gut. Think about it… aren’t your stomach and your digestion two of the first things affected during an emotionally difficult time?

In fact, your gut is where the majority of your body’s serotonin resides, which is why it’s referred to as the “second brain.” So, give yoga or meditation a try. Take a spa day, get a massage, and simply take it easy. Your gut and entire body will thank you for it!

8. Sip at least one cup of bone broth a day

I’ve saved the best for last, folks! Bone broth keeps your digestion on track and helps strengthen the gut lining and thanks to the beneficial amino acids glycine and glutamine as well as glucosamine and chondroitin.

Glutamine is an amino acid that supports a healthy gut by protecting the gut lining, and providing fuel for the cells of the small intestine. Glycine is an amino acid that stimulates stomach acid secretion thus supporting healthy digestion. Glycine is also a key part of bile acid, which plays a huge role in fat digestion and supporting healthy cholesterol levels.

Glucosamine and chondroitin create healing mucus, which soothes intestinal distress. It also facilitates the passage of food, and strengthens the good bacteria while weakening bad gut bacteria.

Did I mention it tastes delicious, too? It keeps me satisfied throughout the day and curbs any sugar cravings (take that, Sugar Demon!).

No matter what your health is like right now, remember that healing (and weight loss!) starts in your gut. When you do a reset, miraculous things happen!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Article can be found in drkellyann.com/blogs/news

Feed A Cold Starve A Fever — A New Take!

During cold and flu season, it helps to know how to get back on your feet quickly. Many people are familiar with the ancient expression “feed a cold starve a fever,” but is that the best method? Discover the origins of this expression and learn new information for getting better faster.

Origin Of “Feed A Cold Starve a Fever” Expression

“Feed a cold, starve a fever” dates back to John Withal’s dictionary published in 1574, which says that “fasting is a great remedy of fever.” The basis of the belief is that food fuels a fire within your body. Eating food produces heat that combats your cold. But if you have a fever, it is best to avoid food so as to not avoid more fuel to the fire (temperature). But does this ancient expression stand the test of time? Let’s explore some new information and debunk the myth.

Important New Information

The Farmers’ Almanac does not give medical advice, but we certainly do not support this outdated belief. “Feed a cold starve a fever” no longer holds water. A new adage may be: “feed them both!” Fighting an illness takes energy, so feeding both a cold and fever is important to do for different reasons.

Why To Feed A Cold

  • It takes extra energy for your body’s immune system to fight off a viral or bacterial infection. Maintaining a balanced diet of healthy ingredients is necessary to combat any pathogenic invader.
  • Eating healthy foods when you have a cold provides your body with energy to fight the virus, while also generating body heat. Cold viruses replicate faster in a cold environment.
  • Eating food when you have a cold will help to generate body heat, slowing down germs. 

Why to Feed A Fever

  • Don’t starve your fever. Feed it! A fever is your body’s natural mechanism to overcome a virus. Increasing the heat causes an increase in metabolism, resulting in more calories burned. Eating more during a fever will help to counteract this.
  • In the 1500 and 1600s it was thought that a fever indicated the metabolism was overworked. Doctors thought that withholding food, and not working the digestive system, would help the body to cool itself. We now know reducing calorie intake can in fact make it harder for your body to fight off a fever.
  • Feeding a fever will replenish your body and give it the strength it needs to continue fighting off the illness.     

Fluids Are Key — Stay Hydrated!

Loss of appetite is common when you are feeling under the weather. While it is wise to tune into your hunger cues, it is also vital to provide your body with the needed food and energy to fight off illnesses. While calories are key in helping your body recover, fluid intake is actually more important.

Fevers dehydrate your system, while colds require mucus to flush out the germs inside you. Fluids help prevent the mucus from drying up and clogging up germs exit routes. (When mucus hardens it inhibits coughs—one of your body’s ways of dislodging germs.)

If you don’t feel like eating when you are sick, you can drink your calories to stay hydrated and nourished. Hot herbal teas, electrolyte drinks, juice, broths, and chicken soup are all great options.

Soups are a healthy choice, providing both calories and fluid. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can further dehydrate your system. If you’re feeling nauseous, ingest slowly, taking small sips of liquids.

Article from farmersalmanac.com

How to experience more awe every single day

You don’t need to take a flight in space or even take a white water rafting trip to experience awe. You can experience awe at varying intensities, and in your own ways: listening to a moving piece of music, seeing a giant skyscraper, or reading a newspaper story about a local hero.

“It’s how we respond when we see something new or novel that doesn’t fit with our understanding of the world,” Amie Gordon, PhD, Principal Research Scientist in the Emotion, Health, and Psychophysiology Lab at University of California-San Francisco, tells NBC.

Fundamentally, awe is about novelty and vastness, Gordon says. Physical space might create that vastness, as can someone’s talent or someone’s goodness, she says.

And negative experiences, too, can trigger awe (think natural disasters), Gordon adds — though which benefits such moments come with is yet unclear, she says.

There’s no perfect formula for what might elicit awe from you (because it’s different for everyone), but there are some things you can do to help you run into it more often.

1. Go out into Nature

Research shows that people consistently rank nature as one of the top ways that they experience awe, Gordon says. Try getting to a place where you can get a vast view of your environment (such as climbing a mountain or even getting to a the top floor a high building), she says. Or just take a walk in whatever nature is around you and try looking for something you’ve never seen before, she says.

2. Get out of your comfort zone.

Novelty is a big part of awe. Visit somewhere in your town or city you’ve never been. Try something new. Read about someone you don’t know much about, or a biography of someone who inspires you, Gordon suggests.

3. Look up.

Sure, you can experience awe watching a film showing the world’s tallest mountain or listening to a recording of a symphony. But those encounters likely pale in comparison to the magnitude of awe you’d feel had you had those experiences in real life, Anderson says, making the case for taking time to experience awe in 3-D. “Your phone will never be as intense as actually being there in person.”

Take in the sites and sounds around you. And look up from your phone and other distractions.

4. Have an open mind.

Part of the experience of awe is that feeling of smallness that cause you to rescale yourself — or see yourself in a different light, says Beau Lotto, PhD, a neuroscientist at and founder of the private, experimental research lab, the Lab of Misfits.

Lotto and his colleagues recently partnered with the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group to observe how the company’s live performances elicit awe and how it changes brain activity. (They’re findings suggest when people report experiencing awe mapped to changes in patterns of brain activity linked to being more willing to take risks and being more comfortable with uncertainty. The data has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal.)

Lotto’s advice for feeling more awe therefore is to engage with the world with a more open mind, see possibilities, ask questions, and look for the impossible.

Photo credit: restless.co.uk/health/

5 things introverts can teach people

Do you consider yourself to an introvert, an extrovert, or a mix of the two called an ambivert.  This article by Meghan Holohan explains that introverts can teach us all a lot about being more mindful and not over-sharing so much.

When it comes to personality, there are endless articles about extroverts’ amazing qualities and how people can best emulate extroverts. In some ways, it makes sense. Research shows that extroverts are happier, have loads of friends and feel supported. A recent paper even found that when introverts act like extroverts it boosts their moods.

Yet, introverts bristle at always being told to act like extroverts. That because introverts know that their lives are “rich and full and not the lack of something,” Laurie Helgoe, associate professor of behavioral sciences at the Ross School of Medicine, explained to TODAY.

People’s personalities exist on a continuum from introverted to extroverted with most being an ambivert — meaning their personalities fall somewhere between extroverted and introverted. Extroverts are outgoing, impulsive and bold, while introverts feel fulfilled through solitary activities and limited, meaningful social interactions.

Introverts have some distinct qualities that other people can learn from.

1. Introverts know when to say ‘no’.

There’s a misconception that introverts dislike being around others. In fact, they do enjoying spending time with friends and family, just not as much.

“It is not the case they never want to be with other people,” Soto said. Instead, “they need to do less … with their social life.”

This means that introverts are more likely to say “no” to joining the wine and painting girls’ night, attending the local music festival, party hopping or volunteering for every PTA event.

“Everybody can still be subjected to FOMO, but I think there is that advantage that introverts have that we find refuge in solitude,” said Helgoe, who wrote the book Introvert Power.

“There is so much outside social stimulation that tells us who we should be and how to spend our time. Introverts are better able to detract from those temptations and evaluate what I want and what works for me.”

2. Introverts don’t share everything.

Whether it’s at work, a party, a child’s soccer game or the grocery store, many have encountered that person who overshares.

“Extroverts are more at risk of doing that … just dumping things on people and disclosing too much information and not having a filter,” Christopher Soto, an associate professor of psychology at Colby College, told TODAY.

An introvert, on the other hand, provides relief.

3. Introverts won’t act recklessly.

It’s less likely that person in the ER after an e-scooter accident is an introvert, experts say. While some might think it’s lame, introverts aren’t into risky behaviors and that might mean they avoid accidental injuries — and unusual causes of death.

“Sky diving, fasting driving, risky leisure activities tend to be less appealing for introverts and that’s probably good for their health,” Soto said.

4. Introverts pause before speaking.

Extroverts love it when someone tells them they’re witty or smart or interesting, so they often jump into conversations as much as possible to get the high of the validation. Introverts don’t need that reinforcement as much and feel less compelled to speak to fill space. This means they’re less likely to say the wrong thing or offer knee-jerk response.

“That is a strength that introverts have. I will sit and think of what everyone is saying,” Hegloe said. “Extroverts could allow more time to consider their responses and polish them a little to be a little more mysterious or have a poker face and let people wonder what they are thinking.”

5. Introverts observe the world.

Being mindful can reduce stress and anxiety and improve health. Introverts often engage in reflection and observation, which feels similar to mindfulness, and allows them to experience the moment.

“A pastime that is underrated and misunderstood with extroverts is observation,” Helgoe said. “Observing like an artist observes, taking in images, noticing but that is from a position of solitude. Being in the world and not of the world.”

This attention helps introverts see the world in a different way, like “a work of art or story that enriches life.”

And as the picture above shows, They Do Have Fun.

Image by Hero Images / Getty Images

Don’t Believe These Myths About Gas Stoves

Gas stoves are the latest innocuous item to turn into a culture war symbol, due to rumors that they might, at some point in the future, be banned. But are gas stoves really that bad for us? Are government agents going to come and take them away? And if the health concerns are real, are we doomed?

© Photo: PandaStudio (Shutterstock)

The government is not coming to take your gas stove

If you’ve been paying attention to the political controversy, you may have noticed some political figures yelling about how they are prepared to physically defend their gas ranges from government intervention.

There aren’t even any regulations pending

This whole firestorm was ignited when a member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in an interview that the CPSC is planning to open a public comment period soon about how and whether to regulate indoor air pollution from gas stoves. This regulation might include include things like warning labels on the stoves or requirements for ventilation when they are installed, but the member also remarked that “products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”

The head of the CPSC clarified that there’s no ban in the works, and that the agency is “exploring new ways to address health risks” including voluntary industry standards.

The link between gas stoves and health concerns is real

So are gas stoves bad for us? Probably! Studies have linked childhood asthma to growing up with a gas stove. The cause-and-effect hasn’t been fully teased out, though. For one thing, kids who breathe the indoor air pollution from gas stoves are often exposed to a lot of outdoor air pollution as well.

But we do know that gas stoves release nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulates—all of which are considered indoor air pollution. Cooking on electric and other ranges can also emit particulates, hinting that ventilation for all types of cooking is probably a good idea. But we know that gas stoves create more of these types of air pollution than electric ranges.

All in all, there is good reason to be concerned about the health effects of gas stoves. It’s not a rip-your-stove-out emergency, but if you happen to be shopping for a new stove, you might want to consider electric or induction ranges.

There are ways to mitigate the health concerns

One thing that’s gotten lost in the recent controversy is that gas stoves aren’t a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. If you have a gas stove and are concerned about the health effects, there are things you can do to mitigate the risk.

The biggest one is ventilation. Some stoves are installed with a range hood above them, which sucks air from the vicinity of the stovetop, and blows it…somewhere. This is where it’s worth finding out what kind you have. Some exhaust the air to the outside, while others just blow it back into your face—hopefully after passing it through a filter.

Venting your range hood outside is great if you can swing it—definitely something to consider if you’re renovating your kitchen. In the meantime, consider opening windows or using fans in the room for extra ventilation when you’re cooking. (Some older houses have a fan built into the wall for this purpose.) If you don’t use your range hood because it’s loud and annoying, a quieter range hood could be a good investment.

Another way to address the particulate matter in the kitchen is with a HEPA filtered air purifier. This will pull particulates out of the air, and they tend to run quietly and be unobtrusive.

Source: lifehacker.com©

Is Movie Sex Is Ruining Your Sex Life

When movies get hot and steamy, it can look picture perfect. You rarely see the mess—or even the laughs—that make a real-life physical connection so special. Actors with personal trainers, stunning lighting and directors carefully posing them make it seem easy.  “Some people feel inadequate, comparing themselves to movie stars, despite the fact that many actors look like the rest of us when they’re not made up,” says certified sex therapist Grace Landes. “We only see actors at their best, with their hair done, and in great clothes, or naked, in perfectly staged angles, and elegant lighting.” If viewing those svelte, stunning bodies tears you down instead of revving you up, you’re not alone. According to the Deseret News, men, as well as women, experience body image dissatisfaction, when they compare themselves with Hollywood hunks.

© iStock/stella_photo20

Everyday life doesn’t bleed into the movies

Not only are characters in movies better looking than the rest of us, but their homes are more fabulous too.  When movie scenes heat up in the bedroom, characters aren’t tripping over dirty laundry on the floor. When lovers slip into a bubble bath together on screen, there’s no grime around the drain.  Most of us have to juggle our sex lives with the rest of our lives, and that means planning for laundry, cooking, childcare and earning a living. Movie sex is unfettered sex, which is out of reach for many people. “It’s not rare for a couple to come onto my office and use a movie as a reference point for how they wish their sex life operated,” says Chris Donaghue, PhD, author of Sex Outside the Lines: Authentic Sexuality in a Sexually Dysfunctional Culture. “Hollywood’s depiction of sex in movies is typically centered around big, bold acts of love and attraction. Characters in film have no boundaries, whereas typical couples have finances, careers, and family, which may all limit the magnitude of their sex lives. In film,” he adds, “none of these constraints exist, and it can make the average, American couple feel negative about their own sexuality.”

All it takes is a sidelong glance

Ever hear of foreplay? Most Hollywood directors haven’t. Characters on film are always ready, all the time, to jump in the sack. They don’t need to get in the mood, shave their armpits, or reach for the K-Y jelly. They never lose their erections prematurely, feel pain during intercourse, or have post-menopausal dryness. Manual stimulation? Unnecessary. Connecting emotionally? A waste of time. All movie characters have to do is see each other from across a crowded room, and boom, it’s orgasm city. This Hollywood-like depiction of sex couldn’t be farther from the truth, and leaves many people feeling inadequate and wondering what’s wrong with them.

You’ve got baggage

Hot Hollywood sex often centers around a couple that has just started their sexual relationship. Rarely do we see established couples gloriously intertwined in decadent sex. In a movie if someone gets hurt in a relationship they typically move on, but we know real life can be more nuanced. These feelings tend to invade the bedroom, damaging many people’s sex lives.

No glove, no love—unless you’re on the silver screen

In movies, condoms rarely make it into sex scenes. In real life, this omission can result in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancy and even increased levels of sexual pressure if one partner feels uncomfortable proceeding without a condom. 

That broccoli you ate made you a little bloated

Human beings have human bodies and sometimes, those bodies produce less-than-sexy smells, sights and tastes. Morning breath, post-workout sweat, and the occasional gassy oops may not fit Hollywood’s definition of hot, but these all-too-human vulnerabilities can bring us closer to our partners and help them see and love us, warts and all. They may even help us to love ourselves a little bit more, when we can let go and be ourselves, rather than a celluloid version of who we think we should be in bed.

Article source: msn.com/en-us/health/other/6-reasons-movie-sex-is-ruining-your-sex-life