Monthly Archives: September 2019

Time to get closer?

30 Monday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

couple-romantic-movie-wp

Ladies, if you want to get closer to your guy, take him to see a romantic movie… or stream one.

Simply by watching romantic movies together, you’ll boost levels of the bonding hormone, progesterone, in both of you, by 10%. Romantic movies also lower testosterone in men – increasing their impulse to take care of their partner.

Follow me on Facebook

Nail biters aren’t stressed or anxious…

27 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

nail-biting-girl-wp

…they’re BORED! That’s according to research from the University of Montreal, which also found that nail biters are more likely to be PERFECTIONISTS.

Psychiatry professor Dr. Kieron O’Conner led the study… and she found that perfectionists have a hard time relaxing. They’re quick to get frustrated, impatient and bored… and that can lead to nail-biting.

In the study, people were simply left alone in a room for 6 minutes with nothing to do. The researchers found the perfectionists were more likely to feel restless and bit their nails as an outlet for their impatience.

The bottom line? Perfectionists need to find better ways to handle boredom and frustration, so they can channel their energy more productively.

Follow me on Facebook

If you want to exercise more…

26 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

schedule-exercise-wp

…don’t just tell yourself, “I’ve got to get to the gym.” Try this solution from the University of Arkansas: Put on your calendar the days of the week you’ll work out, the time, which workout you’ll do, and for how long… and the days you’ll rest.

In a study, people who did just that increased

the amount they exercised by 138% in one week!

Why does it work? Because it gives you a concrete plan – so you can schedule other things around it. That way, you can’t say, “Well, something came up, so I flaked on my workout.” It becomes an appointment. And we’re less likely to bail on a fixed appointment than some random “I’ll work out whenever” plan.

Follow me on Facebook

Wool blankets and dust mites!

25 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

wool-blanket-wp

Before you add a wool blanket to your bed or cozy up under one on the couch, know this: It could be teeming with allergy-causing dust mites. According to microbiologist Dr. David Clarke, wool attracts 42% MORE mites than cotton, because it has a deeper pile and more twists in the fibers… and that allows mites to crawl inside, hunker down and multiply. So before you use the wool blankets, wash them and allow them to dry completely… especially if you can dry them in the sun. The UV rays help destroy the allergens mites leave behind. And then repeat the washing and drying every 2 weeks.

Follow me on Facebook

It’s time to start running regularly again…

24 Tuesday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

run-in-fall-wp

…because we run FASTER in the Fall! That’s from running coach Michael Melinoitis. Because when the weather’s cooler, with less humidity, running takes less effort and there’s less resistance in dry air. So even at the same heart rate, you’ll go faster. The best weather for a run? 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit… or 10 degrees Celsius. That’s why there are more marathons in the Fall.

Follow me on Facebook

Want a mood boost?

23 Monday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cinnamon-scented-geranium-plant2-wp

Plant some cinnamon or chocolate-scented geraniums! They bloom like crazy in the fall and winter, and just pinching a leaf releases the powerful feel-good aroma of cinnamon or chocolate. Research at Wheeling Jesuit University found the scent of cinnamon instantly boosts alertness. And other research shows the smell of chocolate stimulates the happiness center of our brain.

Geraniums grow the best on a super-sunny windowsill. But they’ll do just fine if you shine a desk lamp with a fluorescent bulb on them for at least 4 hours a day.

Follow me on Facebook

Are cravings for Halloween candy making you nuts?

20 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

halloween-candy-minis-wp

Here are the healthiest choices, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz:

If you love chocolate, grab a Hershey’s mini, for the fewest calories of any Halloween chocolate. Dark chocolate is best. But one study found people who ate a little bit of ANY chocolate every day were less likely to develop heart disease.

If you prefer chewy Halloween candy, try Twizzlers. They’re only 30 calories apiece. And since they take a while to eat, you’ll be less likely to down a whole handful.

Finally, if you love super-sugary Halloween treats, try candy corn. 21 pieces contain only 150 calories and zero fat.

Follow me on Facebook

Stress can make us hungry!

19 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

stress-eat-fight-wp

Have you ever felt hungry after an argument? Research in the journal Psychological Science found the more stress we feel, the higher our levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin! And when we’re stressed, we tend to reach for sugary, high-fat treats, which drastically raises our risk for depression and weight gain. The good news? Researchers say just KNOWING this can happen can boost our health. Because while we can’t change how our body reacts to stress, we can change the foods we have on hand. That way, you’ll be less likely to blow your diet after your next blowup argument.

Follow me on Facebook

I know this may sound gross…

18 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

pee-in-shower-wp

…but here’s a strong case for why it’s okay to pee in the shower:

First, the average adult has to “go” 7 times a day, and the average toilet flush uses about a gallon-and-a-half of water. If every North American flushed after every pee, we’d waste more than 1-TRILLION gallons of water a year.

So, what if we “go” in the shower? From a germ standpoint, studies show there’s ZERO risk for getting sick since most germs wash right down the drain. But we’d save at least one flush a day. And mathematicians at IFL Science figured out if we all did this, every day, we’d save enough water to fill almost 300-THOUSAND Olympic-sized swimming pools every year!

Follow me on Facebook

Cut your veggies into chunks!

17 Tuesday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

cut-food-in-big-chunks-wp

When you’re making a salad, soup, stir-fry, or casserole, cutting your veggies into big chunks not only takes less time – it can help you drop pounds. Chomping down on big pieces of vegetables requires more chewing and more effort to eat. That’ll slow down how quickly you eat and help you feel more satisfied. Put those two together and it translates to eating less food overall.

Follow me on Facebook