Category Archives: Intelligence for Your Life

Why you should keep a digital food diary.

29 Friday May 2020

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Keeping a digital food diary is better than jotting down what you eat on paper. According to Arizona State University, people who use an app keep better track of what they eat. They make more detailed notes and do it more often. And that’s a big deal if you’re dieting. Because the more focused you are, the more effective it is at controlling weight. A couple apps to try are “Lose It” and “MyNetDiary.”

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Want to reduce physical pain?

28 Thursday May 2020

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Listen to music! Researchers at the University of Utah Pain Research Center measured the effect of music on people who received painful – yet harmless – electrical shocks to their fingertips. The result: Those who focused on the music, and followed the melodies, or concentrated on the lyrics felt less pain than those who weren’t hearing music. The reason? Because music triggers emotional responses and captures people’s attention, which is a distraction. Music also activates sensory pathways to the brain that compete with pain pathways. So fewer pain signals actually get through.

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Working out boosts life satisfaction.

27 Wednesday May 2020

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But what the heck does that mean? It’s a measure of how closely your current life aligns with how you want your life to be – in terms of health, wealth and happiness. And that life satisfaction lift comes instantly after we exercise. It helps people feel more in charge of their lives. And the more consistently you exercise, the greater your overall life satisfaction will be.

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Lying can cause diarrhea.

26 Tuesday May 2020

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First of all, research shows 95% of women admit they’ve withheld information from loved ones AND lied to someone close to them. But even the lies we consider harmless – like, ‘Yes, I love your meatloaf!’ – can cause anxiety and body aches… especially if you feel guilty about lying. Dr. Deirdre Fitzgerald is a professor of behavior analysis at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. And she says, even lies to save face – or save someone else from embarrassment – can weaken the immune system, causing headaches, back pain, and yes, diarrhea.

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Do you get tension headaches regularly?

22 Friday May 2020

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You might want to get your vitamin D levels checked. A new study from Finland found adults low on “D” were twice as likely to experience frequent head pain, compared to those with plenty of vitamin D. The reason? Because there are “D” receptors in the area of the brain linked to pain. And if there isn’t enough vitamin D available, the receptors may transmit pain signals from your stiff muscles, instead, triggering a headache. It’s tricky to get sufficient vitamin D from food and sunlight alone. But talk to your doctor before you start taking a supplement, to make sure it’s the right treatment for you.

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Be careful with tablets, smartphones, and the sun!

21 Thursday May 2020

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Now that the days are getting warmer, and we’re spending more time outdoors, keep this in mind: Be careful using your tablet computer or even your giant smartphone in the sun. You know how people in the 1950s and 60s would hold those silver tanning reflectors under their faces? Well the shiny surface of an iPad works the same way. It can increase your UV ray exposure by 85%… And a smartphone increases it by 36%. That’s according to the American Academy of Dermatology. So wear sunscreen every day on your face and neck – and be cautious about using your iPad outside on a sunny day.

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Yes, the spinning teacups at Disneyland and Disney World are designed to make you toss your churro.

20 Wednesday May 2020

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That’s according to Dr. Gary Paige from the University of Rochester Balance Clinic. The cups spin and rotate for 90 seconds, while your inner ear tries to make sense of the movement. Except for ballerinas and figure skaters, it’s not a sensation we’ve adapted to, so it confuses our brain’s sense of orientation. If your kid demands you go along for the ride, do this: Close your eyes. Because vision will make your nausea worse. And when the ride is over, sit there for a minute before you get up. That allows your brain and inner ear to come to a full and complete stop, so you’ll be less likely to fall over when you stand up… and less likely to lose your lunch.

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Need an instant pick-me-up?

19 Tuesday May 2020

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Swap your next cup of coffee for peppermint tea… it’s proven to boost your energy, focus AND alertness within minutes. That’s from The International Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers found that mint’s aroma alone helps stimulate the brain’s memory centers, which means it’ll clear up any brain fog that’s slowing you down, and help you focus. It’s similar to what happens when you first bite into a piece of peppermint gum, and you get an icy cool sensation in your mouth that wakes you up!

Meanwhile, menthol – which is the active ingredient in mint – is proven to relax muscles and arteries in a way that increases blood flow. The upshot being that if your energy is being dragged down by stress, for example, sipping peppermint tea is the perfect way to get your energy back.

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Got a sunburn?

18 Monday May 2020

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So, you slathered on the sunscreen and wore a hat – but you still got sunburned. What now? If your face got burned, dip cotton balls in apple cider vinegar, and dab it all over. For the rest of your body, fill a spray bottle with the vinegar – and squirt it on all your sore spots. The reason? Because vinegar has antiseptic properties that’ll kill germs – which reduces your risk of infection. It also acts as a painkiller and will help reduce the number and size of any blisters.

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