Man Flu : A Man’s illness

The phrase, which is gaining popularity among American women, highlights the irony that a man with perhaps the same level of cold symptoms as a woman, will dramatize his sniffles as if they were a far more serious ailment.

Honestly, I don’t know what they are talking about in this article.

But seriously, if you read on there is a possible reason:

…He added that there is no hard evidence that proves a difference between how men and women experience colds. But according to Raison, studies have shown that while women are more likely to experience depression under emotional stress, men are most vulnerable when they are sick.

Why exercise is good for your mind

If you think about your body in terms of an instrument – a well honed instrument that responds and adapts to your actions in sometimes an evolved/programmatic way, you will better understand why exercise is good for your mind.  

Even when we are sitting or lying down, our bodies send our brains regular updates about how our limbs are positioned. When we, say, stand and begin walking, these electric messages need to be sent more often. (Knee is bent, straight, bent, straight …) Move fast enough and the electrical activity doesn’t have time to dissipate between each message. It begins building up in the brain and eventually triggers a release of chemicals called growth factors.

Growth factors are small secreted proteins that induce growth and differentiation for targeted neurons. In the presence of growth factors, new neurons are born and old ones sprout, grow and form better connections with each other. Blood vessels blossom along side the neurons, giving them quick access to glucose and other nutrients. All this, in turn, improves our ability to think, learn and remember. Exercise “builds the pipes” for improved cognition.

An interesting side note to this is that researchers have found that this growth factor is particularly high when people first fall in love, but these levels return to as they were after one year.   So improve your love life – exercise together!

Sean

Thinking of taking a yoga class

I used to do Tai Chi and Yoga but since changing my workout habits to running and strength training, I have let that fall to the wayside. I am by no means great at Yoga, but I really enjoyed its calming influence. I noticed there is a Yoga studio not too far from where I live and they have some early morning Ashtanga yoga sessions. I think I may sign up. One interesting thing is that Yoga, especially the breathing techniques introduces habits you can use throughout the day. Tai Chi is similar but more mental than physical.

Sean

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BPA free alternatives for water bottles

Did you pitch your recalled Nalgene water bottles because of BPA? Well, there are still a number of good alternatives.

Sean

Boy or Girl? A woman’s eating habits will at conception decide

How much a mother eats at the time of conception may influence whether she gives birth to a boy or a girl, a new report shows. The sex of a child may depend on a mother’s eating habits.

Using dietary intake as a measure, mothers in a joint Oxford University and Exeter University study were divided into three groups according to their caloric intake around the time of conception. Of the group consuming the highest-energy diet, 56% had boy babies. The lowest-energy group produced only 45% boys.

The highest-energy group not only consumed the most calories, they typically consumed a very nutritious diet, too. The foods they ate were of better quality, providing a healthy level of nutrients. The foods eaten were rich in Vitamins C, E, and B12 as well as calcium and potassium. The mothers producing sons also consumed a breakfast of cereal on a routine basis.

It is possible that male embryos are simply less viable in women with lower glucose levels at the time of conception. There is no doubt an evolutionary aspect to this in which certain environmental conditions – lack of nutritious foods may favor female offspring over males. It bears more study and is facinating.

Sean

Natural teeth whitener

You need:
1 ripe strawberry
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions: Crush the strawberry to a pulp, then mix with the baking powder until blended. Use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth. Leave on for 5 minutes, then brush thoroughly with toothpaste to remove the berry–baking powder mix. Rinse. (A little floss will help get rid of any strawberry seeds.) You can apply once a week.

Now how this works:

The secret to this inexpensive home whitening method is malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration. Combined with baking soda, strawberries become a natural tooth-cleanser, buffing away stains from coffee, red wine, and dark sodas. While it’s no replacement for a bleaching treatment at your dentist’s office, “this is a fast, cheap way to brighten your smile,” says Adina Carrel, DMD, a dentist in private practice at Manhattan Dental Arts in New York. “Be careful not to use this too often, though, as the acid could damage the enamel on your teeth.”

Mobile phones ‘more dangerous than smoking’

Saw this in an article in the Independent UK:

Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take “immediate steps” to reduce exposure to their radiation.

The Lemons in your drink – not so sanitary

I guess we are going to have to stop letting Colm have the lemons in our drink when we go out:

Sean

Nobody ever has a reaction to it

When the pharmacist spoke those words for Liam’s prescription for Bactrim, I should have said stop right there because I do. And now after 12 hours, Liam’s clearly allergic as well. Sigh…

Why eating healthy costs you more

We’ve all heard the figures. We know that meat production uses significantly more land and fossil fuel resources than a vegetarian diet. But, then, why on earth is it cheaper to eat meat than fresh fruit and vegetables?