Wild Animals: avril 2017

vendredi 28 avril 2017

8 Things You Need to Know About Your Body's Energy Levels

Replenish your reserves with these research-backed tactics (including a life-changing food swap).

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jeudi 27 avril 2017

This $15 Product Makes Even the Most Unwearable Shoes Comfortable

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

Getting a new pair of shoes has always been a bittersweet occasion for me. Once the joy of finding that perfect pair—and the tiny, happy rush of the purchase—has worn off, I’m left to grapple with the comfort conundrum: those awful initial wears before your new shoes are broken in (or is it your feet that need breaking in?). Whether it’s the highest heels or the lowest flats, I’ve yet to find a pair that doesn’t literally rub me the wrong way, from the common heel blister, to the painful chafing on the tops of my toes, to those more unexpected issues like booties that bite at the ankle.

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That all changed after I hobbled into the office after a full day of running around New York City to different Fashion Week shows—in heels, of course (it’s a hazard of the job). Our kind associate fashion editor, Flavia Nunez, took pity on my poor feet, dug into her bag, and produced a small miracle.

A seasoned marathon runner, Flavia knows a thing or two about blisters (and shoes) and, thankfully, how to prevent and treat them. The product she handed over is from a brand called Compeed, that, unlike other bandage companies, focuses almost exclusively on blisters. At $9 for a pack of six, they’re a little more expensive than a traditional pack of self-adhesive strips, but hear me out—they’re well worth it. According to their website, the products “use hyrdrocolloid technology that fits like a second skin and stays on all day long.” They’re not kidding. The blister cushions certainly do feel like a second skin, are waterproof, adhere smoothly, do not budge, roll, or wrinkle, and will stay on for days, until you pull them off yourself. You’d probably spend the same amount on bandages that wind up needing to be constantly replaced.

I now keep the conveniently-sized packs in my purse at all times. I'll pop one on at the first sign of chafing or rubbing, but the tiny pads also prevent blisters from happening in the first place—and instantly make the shoe in question wearable. Taking more unorthodox measures, I’ve also used the larger size on the balls of my feet for shoes that don’t have enough padding, put on a double layer to cushion an already-existing blister (immediate relief), and cut the cushions to size to fit an oddly shaped contour or wrap more neatly around a tormented toe.

They can be a little tricky to find in stores, but luckily we have Amazon for that—and yes, they are qualify for Prime.

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mercredi 26 avril 2017

5 Things To Know About The Health Issue That Could Shut Down The Government

This article originally appeared on Kaiser Health News.

Congress must pass a bill this week to keep most of the government running beyond Friday, when a government spending bill runs out. It won’t be easy.

The debate over a new spending bill focuses on an esoteric issue affecting the Affordable Care Act.

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The question is whether Congress will pass — and President Donald Trump will sign — a bill that also funds subsidies for lower-income people who purchase health insurance under the law. These “cost-sharing reductions” (CSR) have become a major bargaining point in the negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, because the spending bill will require at least some Democratic votes to pass.

Here are five things to know about these cost-sharing subsidies:

How are these subsidies different from the help people get to purchase insurance?

There are two types of financial aid for people who buy insurance from an ACA exchange. People with incomes up to four times the poverty line, or $81,680 for a family of three, are eligible for tax credits to help pay their premiums.

In addition to that help, people with incomes up to two-and-a-half times the poverty line, or $51,050 for a family of three, get additional subsidies to help pay their out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles and copayments for care, as long as they purchase a silver-level plan. Insurance companies are required in their contracts with the government to provide these cost-sharing reductions to eligible people, then get reimbursed by the government.

Why are cost-sharing reductions suddenly front and center?

The fight dates to 2014, when Republicans in the House of Representatives filed suitagainst the Obama administration, charging that Congress had not specifically appropriated money for the cost-sharing subsidies and therefore the administration was providing the funding illegally.

A year ago, a federal district court judge ruled that the House was correct and ordered the payments stopped. However, she put that ruling on hold while the Obama administration appealed. That’s where things stood when Trump was inaugurated.

If the Trump administration drops the appeal, the funding would cease. However, Congress could also opt to approve funding the payments, which is what Democrats are pushing in the spending bill.

What would happen if these subsidies are stopped?

At the very least, ending the cost-sharing reductions in the middle of the year would cause a serious disruption in the insurance market. The payments are estimated at $7 billion this year, and $10 billion in 2018. They cover about 7 million people, about 58 percent of those purchasing coverage on the exchanges.

Many experts have predicted that if the subsidies end, some or all insurers might leave their markets entirely, leaving consumers with fewer, or possibly no, choices.

But even if they stay, the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that insurers would have to raise premiums on the marketplace silver plans by an average of 19 percent in order to offset that loss of government reimbursement. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)

Ironically, ending the subsidies would actually cost the federal government more money. Premium increases to make up for the lost payments would in turn trigger bigger tax credits for the broader population eligible for help paying their premiums. Those larger tax credits would cost the federal government an estimated $2.3 billion above what it would save on the cost reduction subsidies next year, KFF projected.

Who is pushing Congress to fund the subsidies?

In addition to Democrats in Congress who support the ACA, influential health-related groups are urging lawmakers to fund the cost-sharing reductions.

The coalition, which includes America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, points out that the uncertainty surrounding the future of the promised payments could not only disrupt this year’s insurance market, but next year’s as well.

“The window is quickly closing to properly price individual insurance products for 2018,” the groups wrote to Congress on April 12. Most insurers must decide whether they will participate in the health law’s market in 2018 by late June.

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Most Americans don’t support cutting the subsidies as part of a GOP strategy to force Democrats in Congress to help pass a new health law. A new poll reported 60 percent of those surveyed said the president “should not use negotiating tactics that could disrupt insurance markets and cause people to lose health coverage.” On the other hand, two-thirds of Republicans surveyed said Trump “should use whatever negotiating tactics necessary to win support for a replacement plan.”

What does the Trump administration think about this?

Good question. Trump and senior health officials have offered conflicting positions.

On April 10, unnamed officials told the New York Times and other outlets that the administration “is willing to continue paying subsidies” while the lawsuit remains pending, just as the Obama administration did. The next day, however, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services disavowed that statement, saying that “the administration is currently deciding its position on this matter.”

The day after that, Trump himself said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he was holding back a decision on the payments as leverage. “I don’t want people to get hurt,” he said. “What I think should happen — and will happen — is the Democrats will start calling me and negotiating.”

By the following week, administration officials were dangling the funding for the cost-sharing reductions in the spending bill as a trade for Trump’s request for funding for a border wall. “We don’t like those [subsidies] very much, but we have offered to open the discussions to give the Democrats something they want in order to get something we want,” budget director Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday. “We’d offer them $1 of CSR payments for $1 of wall payments.”

Democrats, however, are not buying what the administration is selling. “The White House gambit to hold hostage health care for millions of Americans, in order to force American taxpayers to foot the bill for a wall that the president said would be paid for by Mexico is a complete non-starter,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a written statement.

Complicating matters further, it is far from clear that Republicans in Congress want to end the cost-sharing payments.

The subsidies are “a commitment made by the government to the insurers and the people,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said at a town hall meeting in his district, according to The Washington Post. “That needs to happen.”

Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit health newsroom whose stories appear in news outlets nationwide, is an editorially independent part of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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Woman Says She Had 'No Body Confidence' When She Was 98 Lbs. and Feels Better with Muscles & Curves

For a Mid-Day Energy Boost, Choose the Stairs Over Soda

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

The next time you feel a 3 p.m. slump coming on, skip the vending machine and head to the stairwell instead. According to a brilliant new study, 10 minutes of stair-walking is better for energy levels and work motivation than the amount of caffeine in a can of soda.

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For the new research, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, University of Georgia researchers wanted to measure the effects of a simple exercise that could be done in a typical office setting where sedentary workers may only have a few minutes at a time for breaks.

So they enrolled 18 female college students, all of whom reported being chronically sleep deprived, and conducted workplace simulations on three separate days. On two of the days, the participants took capsules containing either 50 mg caffeine (about the equivalent to a can of cola) or a placebo. The other day, they spent 10 minutes walking up and down stairs at a low-intensity pace.

After each intervention, the women were given verbal and computer-based tests to gauge their mood and their performance on certain cognitive tasks. Neither the caffeine nor the exercise caused large improvements in attention or memory. But the women did exhibit a small increase in motivation levels after walking the stairs, compared to a decrease after having caffeine or placebo pills.

Co-author Patrick J. O’Connor, a professor in UGA’s department of kinesiology, says the women also felt slightly more energetic after hitting the stairs. “It was a temporary feeling, felt immediately after the exercise,” he said in a press release. “But with the 50 milligrams of caffeine, we didn’t get as big an effect."

There’s been plenty of research showing that exercising for 20 minutes or more can boost energy levels, the authors wrote in their paper, but this appears to be the first study to look at such a short period of stair walking. They point out that feelings of fatigue were not significantly improved after either intervention, and say that longer bouts of exercise may be required to produce lasting effects. They also note that taking walking breaks outdoors, or with other people, may provide further mood-enhancing benefits.

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And of course, the authors aren’t suggesting that a quick burst of exercise is all you need for overall health. They say more studies are needed to determine the specific benefits of stair-walking—although previous research has shown that spending just 10 minutes on the stairs, three times a week, can have real cardiovascular benefits.

Still, it’s good to know that this quick, zero-calorie energy booster is there when you need it; it’s also free and, in most workplaces, accessible rain or shine. And with recent news linking both regular and diet soda to negative effects on the brain, it’s nice to have an option that’s been shown to work just as well, if not better, than caffeine.

“It’s an option to keep some fitness while taking a short break from work,” said O’Connor. “You may not have time to go for a swim, but you might have 10 minutes to walk up and down the stairs.”

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mardi 25 avril 2017

Being Socially Awkward Is Actually Awesome, According to Science

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

When I think back to the Bumper Boat Debacle of 1984, I can see the trappings of an awkward moment: I was in middle school; there were unknown bystanders; and people were telling me, “It will be easy.” I was at a family reunion in Colorado resort when my cousins and I stumbled upon the ride, and they suggested we should give it a try. I felt a vague trepidation, but I also wanted to be a good sport, and so a few minutes later I was boarding one of the small, round boats.

As the attendant began explaining how to operate the things, I caught a glimpse of the Los Angeles Dodgers logo on his blue baseball cap and it triggered my strange, encyclopedic memory for baseball statistics. My mind wandered into a vast matrix of strikeouts, earned-run-averages… until I heard the clang of the starting bell.

Despite the straightforward branding of the bumper boat experience, I was startled when I was blindsided by my cousin Jeff. The collision scrambled my mind and sparked a fight-or-flight response. I locked my sights on my cousin’s boat, cranked the steering wheel and slammed my foot on the accelerator.

To my surprise, I never arrived at my target, but instead zoomed on a path of concentric circles. The small engine was surprisingly mighty. As my circles tightened, I felt the collective stare of the other kids intensify as they took notice of my unusual tactic. A panic flooded my mind and washed away common-sense solutions such as releasing the accelerator or straightening the steering wheel.

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I thought I would die of embarrassment. So goes the life of an awkward person.

As I recalled this and other long-forgotten stories and combed through hundreds of social science findings for my new book, I discovered the hallmarks of an awkward disposition: Awkward people like myself have an unusual perspective. We overlook minor social expectations. And we then struggle to navigate routine social situations. But this unique perspective also reveals a surprising upside to being awkward. It may not be as bad as we tend to make it out to be.

Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Oxford University have found that awkward individuals have an unusually intense focus, which gravitates toward interests governed by rules, such as those of logic or math. Awkward people show an exuberance for taking things apart, obsessively studying the components, then systematically putting those parts together in a new way, which is why they are more likely to “nerd out” over fields like science, technology, engineering or mathematics and are drawn to leisure interests like gaming, collecting or, say, baseball statistics.

Their passionate, intense interest becomes even more interesting when one considers that researchers find a significant association between awkwardness and specialized talent. For example, Pedro Vital and his collaborators at Kings College found that the best predictor of striking talent in children was not their I.Q., but rather the kind of intense focus that is characteristic of awkward people. Not all awkward people will exhibit striking talent. But when their sharp focus, passionate interest and unusual perspective combine with a dash of natural ability, their interaction creates exciting possibilities.

Yet this sharp focus and systematic thinking can be an awkward fit with the messiness of social life. People are not fixed elements. They have different personalities, hold a wide variety of expectations, and sometimes they change their minds for no good reason at all. (I personally found it extremely difficult to make sense of novel social situations in the same way that some of my classmates struggled to solve new problems on an algebra test.) Being awkward can feel like being a traveler in a foreign country when you are not quite proficient in the local language: Routine situations like ordering a cup of coffee or taking the bus can be stressful and slight pronunciation or grammatical deviations can produce blush-worthy moments.

But if you are a determined traveler, you eventually get your coffee or arrive at your desired destination. In the same way, many awkward people find workarounds to social life and achieve a gratifying sense of belonging. One workaround I relied upon as a kid was systematically studying how my socially adept peers navigated daily encounters, rehearsing those skills at home, then pushing myself to try them in new encounters. Another social hack I discovered was that nonsocial skills can become useful at social gatherings, so I taught myself how to cook, take good photos and pour a foamless beer from a keg.

Awkward people are neither better, nor worse than anyone else — they simply see the world differently and have to exert more effort to master social graces that come intuitively to others. If you’re awkward, then your sharply focused attention can get stuck or your intensity becomes difficult to corral. Sometimes this means that you get turned around, spin yourself in circles, and your dad squeezes into a bumper boat to tow you back to shore. But you learn from these missteps and discover that they often take on a humorous flavor as they age.

You also learn that being a little different is not a liability. Embracing your unique perspective and exuberance for uncommon things is the key to realizing your unique potential.

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Never Forget: A Day at The Beach Is Scientifically Proven To Be Good For You

This article originally appeared on SouthernLiving.com.

If you’re looking for an excuse to play hooky, don’t forget that science has proven that a day at the beach is downright good for you.

Last year, researchers from New Zealand and Michigan teamed up on a study that revealed that exposure to “visible blue spaces” (read: the Gulf Coast on a nice day) can lower “psychological distress”.

To reach the conclusion that undoubtedly caused a thousand “sick” days, the researchers mapped the New Zealand city of Wellington and then compared the country’s health records with ocean views and those people who spent time watching the ocean waves were generally less stressed out. Even after the researchers took into account factors like age, sex, and wealth, living by the sea still improved people’s mental health. According to one of the co-authors, the reason for that is that the brain simply processes natural backdrops better. “[That] reduces sensory stimuli and promotes mental relaxation,” she told Lonely Planet. “Surely mental relaxation is part of the purpose of travel and holidays.”

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The best part of the study is that it appears that the mental health benefits of staring into the ocean can be almost immediate, so even if you can’t skip a whole day of work, you can still reap the benefits by swinging by the water during your commute or, say, while eating fried oysters at Doc’s Seafood Shack in Gulf Shores or snacking on hushpuppies at Lee’s Inlet Kitchen in South Carolina.

Luckily the South has many places to indulge in a little, ahem, scientific research from Key West to the Outer Banks to Galveston, Texas. Start planning your trip now—doctor’s orders!

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lundi 24 avril 2017

This Woman Stopped Shaving for a Year to Promote Body Positivity—and Here's What She Learned

vendredi 21 avril 2017

A 10-Day Silent Mediation Retreat Was the Hardcore Mental Detox I Needed

American Airlines Pilots Are Complaining That Their Uniforms Are Making Them Sick

This article originally appeared on Fortune.com.

A U.S. airline is getting hot under the collar and this time it’s not United. Around 100 American Airlines aal pilots have come forward with complaints of rashes, itching, and other symptoms, prompting an aviation union’s survey on pilots’ reactions to their uniforms, Bloomberg reports.

If this sounds familiar it’s because it has happened before: back in December, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) said that some 1,600 American Airlines staff had complained of adverse reactions to their new uniform and called for a total recall by the airline. That number has now surpassed 3,000, according to the APFA.

American Airlines Group, however, counts only about 800 complaints. It has undertaken testing on the uniform’s materials and given affected employees the option to wear their old uniforms or exchange new ones for a replacement made from different materials or issued by a different supplier. However, it has refused the union’s call for a total recall of the uniforms, which were distributed to about 70,000 employees in September 2016.

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This time around, the aviators’ symptoms are much the same as those reported by the flight attendants: red, puffy eyes, skin irritation, and a general ill feeling. The apparent outbreak of itching pilots was reported by the Chicago Business Journal Tuesday, despite the uniforms having been issued over six months ago.

“They have to be fit for duty. If the uniform is making them not fit for duty, then something has to change,” Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association told Bloomberg.

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This App Can Boost Your Vocabulary In Just a Few Seconds

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

Think you don’t have time to learn a new language? Before you answer, think about all those precious seconds you spend every day just waiting for things: for emails to send, smartphone signals to connect, friends to reply to messages, or even elevators to arrive.

MIT computer scientists say these moments are perfect for “micro-learning,” or learning in tiny chunks spaced out throughout the day. So they’ve created a new set of apps to make it easier.

The apps, collectively called WaitSuite, deliver pop-up prompts to smartphones and computers when they detect these types of idle moments. One app activates when it senses a device is trying to connect to Wi-Fi, for example, while another activates when it senses Bluetooth signals from elevators nearby.

In these scenarios, the apps generate quick, flashcard-like exercises, like asking you to translate words into another language. And unlike other self-help apps or boredom-busting games on your phone or desktop, these prompts happen automatically; you don’t have to switch apps or close out of whatever program you’re already using.

“WaitSuite is embedded directly into your existing tasks, so that you can easily learn without leaving what you were already doing,” says PhD student Carrie Cai, who leads the project.

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So far, the only program available to the public is WaitChatter—a desktop Chrome extension that works with Google Talk (also known as GChat), quizzing users on French and Spanish vocabulary while they wait for responses from friends. In another cool twist, the program chooses words from users’ recent chat history; if they’re chatting with a friend about getting coffee, they may be prompted to learn “coffee” in another language.

In research presented at a 2015 Association for Computing Machinery meeting, Cai and her colleagues found that people who used WaitChatter learned about four new words per day, or 57 words over two weeks. Next month at the same annual conference, the team will present new research on the other WaitSuite apps it has developed.

These apps may have an added bonus, as well: The researchers found that WaitSuite actually enabled users to better focus on their primary tasks, since they were less likely to check social media or otherwise leave the app or program they were using. (Built-in learning and improved productivity? Sign us up!)

As mobile platforms become more open, Cai and her team hope to release more WaitSuite apps to the public, and expand WaitChatter to mobile texting. They’re also considering expanding it to other desktop programs, such as Facebook Chat and Slack.

The apps are currently being used to teach foreign-language vocabulary, but Cai says they could also be used for topics like math, medical terms, or legal jargon. The team also hopes to test other formats for on-the-go learning—like audio prompts for when people can’t look at their screens—and to study how micro-learning might benefit people with cognitive disabilities like dyslexia or ADHD.

They even say that WaitSuite could be used to encourage mindfulness and stress-reduction exercises during idle moments. “Rather than checking social media, someone waiting at an elevator might instead be reminded to stretch, take a few deep breaths, or reflect on their day,” Cai says.

Besides the social benefits, research suggests that learning a second language can create new pathways in the brain that might protect against age-related cognitive decline. To be fair, there’s no proof that learning a few new words here and there would have similar benefits.

But Cai says that the apps were partly inspired by existing research that’s demonstrated how micro-learning leads to greater memory retention, compared to longer sessions of studying.

“In our studies, we observed that many people already spend their idle time engaging in compulsive digital activities—e.g. checking social media, or playing Candy Crush,” Cai said. “Wait-learning aims to encourage more meaningful use of this time.”

Even without a good scientific reason, a tool like WaitSuite might still be worth a try. After all, you’ve got nothing to lose, and valuable time to gain.

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jeudi 20 avril 2017

Science Has Unveiled Why 'Guilty' Dogs Make That Adorably Sad Face

This article originally appeared on People.com.

All dogs are armed with a powerful weapon — guilty eyes.

It’s the face canines break out when you scold them for a house training accident or shoe shredding. Cowering to make themselves a bit smaller, they flash you those big, brimming, upward cast eyes that seem to scream “FORGIVE ME!”

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Turns out this is an old trick.

According to a recent Psychology Today article by Nathan H. Lents, a molecular biologist with the City University of New York, this expression can be traced back to a dog’s ancestor: the wolf.

When young wolves get a little too rough with another member of the pack they will offer an “apology bow,” a survival tactic shaped over time, that Lents and others believe has evolved into a dog’s guilty face.

When a young wolf bites too hard, or rumbles too rough, it is shunned by the pack until they offer an “apology bow.” This shows the pack the young wolf understands the importance of social integration for survival.

“Dogs have inherited this behavior and they will use it after any kind of infraction that results in being punished,” Lents wrote. “As social animals, they crave harmonious integration in the group and neglect or isolation is painful for them.”

The actions even look alike. Just like in an apology bow, a regretful dog will lower its head, avoid direct eye contact and put its tail between its legs. Wolves trying to win back their group’s favor will take a similar stance.

This does not mean that canines understand the complex feeling of guilt. Research has shown that dogs respond this way to any kind of scolding, deserved or otherwise; so it should be viewed more as an act of submission to their leader instead of as an informed apology for their misdeeds.

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Toddlers Who Use Touchscreens Sleep Less, Says New Study

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

Getting lots of sleep is essential for the health and development of babies and toddlers. But a new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that young children who use touchscreen devices, like smartphones and tablets, get slightly less shuteye than those who don’t.

The news isn’t all bad for screen-toting toddlers, though: Although they got less sleep, they also developed fine-motor skills sooner than screen-free kids. So for now, the study authors say, the jury is still out.

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The new study, conducted by researchers at Birkbeck University of London, involved 715 parents who answered online questionnaires about their children’s daily exposure to television and touchscreens, as well as their sleep patterns—how long they slept at night and during the day, how long it took them to fall asleep, and how often they woke up throughout the night.

The researchers then analyzed the parents’ responses, using a model that controlled for the mother’s education level and the children’s age (6 to 36 months), gender, and television exposure.

Touchscreen use was common among these kids: Overall, 75 percent of the children used touchscreens on a daily basis—including 51 percent of babies 6 to 11 months old, and 92 percent of toddlers 25 to 36 months. On average, children in the study used touchscreens for about 25 minutes a day.

But the children who used touchscreens, the results suggested, took longer to fall asleep and also slept less overall: Every hour of screen use was linked to 15 minutes less sleep in a 24-hour period—about 26 minutes less at night and 11 minutes more during the day. Touchscreen use did not seem to affect the number of times kids woke during the night.

“One surprising finding was that despite sleeping more on average during the day, infants and toddlers who spend more time on a touchscreen still spend less overall time sleeping,” says co-author Celeste Cheung, a research fellow at Birkbeck. “Thus, they were not able to ‘catch up’ with their sleep during the day.”

There are several reasons why touchscreens might affect children’s sleep, the authors wrote in their paper: Playing with electronic media could directly displace the time that they have available for sleep, leading to later bedtimes, or the content may arouse and excite them so it’s more difficult fall asleep.

The bright light from the screens can also suppress melatonin and affect circadian timing, a theory that applies to people of all ages. Or, they add, it could be that children with certain traits—like hyperactivity—are more likely to sleep less and also seek out touchscreen use.

This appears to be the first report to link touchscreens and sleep problems in infants and toddlers, say the study authors, although the findings are consistent with research in older children, as well as studies on television exposure in this age group. More research is needed, they add, to determine a cause-and-effect relationship and to tell whether touchscreen use actually has an effect on cognitive development.

They say it’s too early to suggest banning touchscreens entirely from children under 3, especially because their previous research has found some advantages: In the same group of toddlers, those who actively use touchscreens—swiping and playing games, rather than simply watching them—reached motor-skill milestones earlier than those who didn’t use them at all.

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Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children under 18 months should have no exposure to digital screens, and that children ages 2 to 5 should spend no more than an hour a day watching television or using a touchscreen device.

Dr. Cheung says that, because the long-term effects of touchscreen-related sleep loss are not yet known, her team is “not in the position to either agree or disagree with AAP’s recommendations.” For now, she says, “parents should not be overly concerned, but be aware of the potential impact of touchscreen devices—both positive and negative.

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mercredi 19 avril 2017

Migraine or Aneurysm? Neurosurgeon Weighs in on Warning Signs to Watch Out for After Mom of Four's Shocking Death

This article originally appeared on People.com.

After a North Carolina mother of four suddenly died on April 3 following a ruptured brain aneurysm after thinking she had a severe migraine, a leading neurologist wants people to know the warning signs — and also keep in mind that the medical condition is extremely rare.

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Dr. Howard A. Riina, professor and vice chairman of neurosurgery at NYU Langone Medical Center, tells PEOPLE that the pain associated with a brain aneurysm is described as the “worst headache of someone’s life. It’s not surprising for someone to come into the emergency room — even if they have a history of headaches or migraines — and say they feel like they’ve been struck by lightening or have a headache that brought them to their knees. It’s this severe, severe headache that’s out of the ordinary.”

“If you have a headache and nausea, I wouldn’t go running to the hospital,” Riina adds. “People who have migraines that are quite severe say that a headache [associated with an aneurysm] was worse than any they’ve ever had.

“People with migraines sometimes have auras, but they have routines and things they do to help relieve the headache — being in a dark, quiet room and taking medicine, things like that. But if that doesn’t help, it could be an aneurysm. It’s a very unique headache and really the main symptom is feeling like this headache is like none you’ve ever had.”

Dr. Riina also says that brain aneurysms are very rare.

“It’s somewhere between 30,000 to 50,000 cases a year,” he says. “And ruptured aneurysms are a much smaller percentage.”

Riina says that around 5-10 percent of the population is estimated to actually be walking around with an aneurysm without any symptoms.

“A lot of people get an MRI or CT scan and [the aneurysms are] picked up by our non-invasive imaging studies that are being done all the time,” he says. “These patients are then referred with unruptured aneurysms and, depending on the size and location, different recommendations are made of when to treat it and when to follow up.”

But not all aneurysms rupture, says Riina.

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“Statistically, an unruptured aneurysm — depending on it’s size — might have a 1 to 2 percent chance of bleeding each year,” he says.

So who is at risk for a brain aneurysm? Dr. Riina says family history can play a role.

“If you had a parent, uncle, brother, sister or cousin that had an aneurysm, you should mention it to your primary care physician or your neurologist,” he says. “The same goes for certain conditions.”

Polycystic kidney disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — a connected tissue disorder — are two conditions associated with aneurysms, according to Riina. He also says that certain lifestyle choices, such as smoking, can increase someone’s chances of getting an aneurysm.

“Unless you have a family history or one of these conditions, the likelihood that you’ll have [an aneurysm] is pretty low,” he says. “The average person doesn’t need to run off and get a screening.”

Lee Broadway, the mother of four who recently died of complications following a brain aneurysm, was told she was at a Grade 2 when she initially arrived at the hospital, her husband, Eric Broadway, told PEOPLE.

“We grade ruptured aneurysm’s by 1 to 5,” says Dr. Riina, who has no connection to Lee’s case. “One is someone who is wide awake and 5 is someone who is in a deep coma. [Lee] was in a good grade when she came in, and it sounds like they were treating her endovascularly, but something happened.”

Eric says his wife had bled out following a procedure and was considered brain dead.

Historically, says Dr. Riina, there are two ways to treat aneurysms.

“One involves an incision of the head, a window in the bone and putting a metal clip on the aneurysm,” he says, which is called clipping. “The other is called endovascular, where we go through the artery in the leg or arm. We bring a tiny plastic tube up to the aneurysm, we either fill it with tiny metal coils or we place a stent —just like a stent in the heart or a dense kind of stent called a flow diverter.”

The goal is secure the aneurysm to prevent it from bleeding again in the future and allow the patient to recover.“People can be treated with variety of techniques that are minimally invasive and they do well,” he says.

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mardi 18 avril 2017

North Carolina Mom of Four Dies After Complaining of Migraine: 'We’re Still in Shock,' Says Husband

This article originally appeared on People.com.

A North Carolina family is reeling after the sudden death of a mother of four who died from a brain aneurysm after complaining of a severe migraine.

On April 1, Eric and Lee Broadway sat outside their home in Matthews, North Carolina, to enjoy a cup of coffee and discuss plans for Lee’s upcoming 42nd birthday before Eric had to head to work.

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Just a few hours later, Lee texted Eric that she needed him to come home immediately because she was experiencing the worst headache of her life.

Lee had suffered from hereditary migraines since she was 8 years old, but this episode was different.

“I raced home and took her to the ER,” Eric, 43, tells PEOPLE. “I knew this couldn’t be good because I’ve seen her deal with pain before.”

Two days later, on April 3, Lee died from complications of what ended up being a brain aneurysm at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte.

Symptoms of migraines and brain aneurysms, which occur when a blood vessel in the brain weakens, can be similar, but the conditions are not related. The headache associated with a brain aneurysm is often described as the “worst headache” ever experienced, according to the Mayo Clinic, who advises seeking immediate medical attention if you develop a “sudden, extremely severe headache.”

A Lifelong Love

Eric and Lee’s love story began in middle school when they first became friends.

“I kept on setting her up with my friends in high school,” he says, “but then I realized I wanted her.”

Lee felt the same way. At 18, she became pregnant with the couple’s first child, Adair, who is now 22 and recently graduated from the Art Institute of Charlotte.

“Becoming a mom was the best thing to happen to her,” says Eric. “She was an awesome mom. She fell right into it and found something she loved.”

The couple expanded their family, welcoming two daughters —Averi, 16, Alex, 10 — and their son, Adrien, 8.

“She didn’t want to stop until we had a boy and we were able to make that happen,” says Eric, who owns a tile installation company. “We started young so there were some tough times, but we figured it out. We were happy.”

The weekend of Lee’s death, all four children were out of town.

“Adair was in Key West and the other three were with their grandparents in the mountains,” says Eric. “So on my way to the hospital, I called my mother-in-law to let her know her daughter was in the hospital.”

Eric says watching his wife in so much pain was the hardest thing he has ever gone through.

RELATED: My Life After an Aneurysm

“She was begging to have the pain go away,” he says. “As a husband, you want to protect your wife and help her, but there was nothing I could do.”

His mother-in-law left the three kids with her brother and drove with her husband to be by her daughter’s side.

After Lee was transferred from a local hospital to one in Charlotte, Eric received some good news — he was told that Lee’s brain aneurysm was ranked a Grade 2 out of 5.

“One or two is what you want to have,” says Eric. “We were told she would be okay.”

“Still in Shock”

The next day, on April 2, doctors said they were able to fix the aneurysm after a procedure.

“The doctor came out and said everything looked good. We got the thumbs up and took a deep breath,” Eric recalls. “We knew she was going to be in some pain but that she’d be with us.”

But less than two hours later, while Eric was waiting for Lee in recovery, the doctor came out like her “hair was on fire” and said there had been a complication, according to Eric. Another 10 hours went by before the family heard any news. This time, the doctor told them she wanted to meet with the family in a conference room.

“She took us all in and all I heard was, ‘There is nothing we can for her,’ ” says Eric. “I ran out and lost it.”

Eric says Lee had bled out and was considered brain dead.

“We’re still in shock,” he says. “Especially for the kids. They’re all grieving in their own ways.”

Eric didn’t want to tell their oldest Adair — who was making a long drive back from Florida — that her mom was in the hospital until she got back.

After telling her, she broke down in tears. Since her tragic death, their 8-year-old son has had trouble processing the news and continues to ask if she’s still in the hospital.

“I’ve tried to explain, but it’s hard,” says Eric. “It’s difficult to say she’s no longer with us.”

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A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family with medical expenses.

Since the tragedy, the entire Broadway family continues to grieve while making sure they keep the beloved wife and mother’s memory alive.

On Easter, which Eric describes as a “horrible day” because it was Lee’s favorite holiday, the family still had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. And on April 8, which would have been Lee’s 42nd birthday, they had over 100 people at their house to honor Lee.

“We let 42 balloons go and celebrated her life,” he says. “We talked about her and all of our memories.”

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Meet the First Woman to Earn a NCAA Football Scholarship

This article originally appeared on People.com.

When Becca Longo signed her letter of intent to play college football on National Signing Day on Febuary 1, she was excited about the personal milestone in her own life.

Moments later, she discovered that it was a huge, history-making moment for women in sports, too.

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Longo is the first woman to receive college football scholarship from a D-II school or higher. She signed with at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, as a kicker, the same position she played in high school.

“I had no idea,” Longo tells PEOPLE.”It didn’t really kick in until a couple hours after, I just thought I was signing a piece of paper to go play the sport I love again. Even right now, I’m still shocked. It just doesn’t feel real.”

Growing up with a brother 11 years older than she was, 18-year-old Longo said there wasn’t much opportunity for shared interests between the siblings — except for football, their “happy medium.” Her older brother played on his high school team, and would pass around a ball with his sister on the weekends. There was a female player on his high school team, too, so he didn’t think anything of it.

So when high school rolled around, Longo tried out for the football team her sophomore year, making the junior varsity squad. She transferred schools the next year, and because of rules that apply to switching schools, had to sit out her junior year. She returned for her senior year, and started thinking that football was something she wanted to pursue at a collegiate level.

Longo recorded a highlights film to showcase her skills, and send it out to a number of schools. She received multiple responses, one of which was from Adams State. After her season wrapped up, the offensive coordinator traveled to Longo’s hometown of Chandler, Arizona, to speak with her in person about attending the school — and a potential football scholarship.

A month later, she visited Adams State, and “fell in love” with the school.

“Everyone was so warm and welcoming,” she says of her visit to the school. “I just loved everything about it.”

Since her story has started gaining national attention, Longo says she’s received support from people all over the country. But that hasn’t been the case for the bulk of her football career thus far. She received pushback for her decision to play football in the first place, and then, to pursue the sport at a collegiate level, “all the time,” she says.

“I Got a Lot of Negativity”

Before her first-ever high school football game, Longo, like the rest of her teammates, wore her jersey to school. Countless classmates made fun of her, asking her if she was wearing her own jersey or her boyfriends.

“I got a lot of negativity, and people saying I couldn’t do it,” she said. “But that’s just what pushed me to do what I’m doing.”

But the people have never been anything but in her corner? Her Basha High School teammates, whom Longo calls her “brothers,” and her high school coach. They’ve never treated her any differently than any other member of the team, she says — they were even the ones who encouraged her to try to play in college. The experience of playing alongside them is one Longo says she’ll cherish forever.

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“It’s just going to hang out with your best friends everyday after school,” she says. “That’s what they are to me, they’re my brothers. “I’ve created memories with them that i’m going to carry on for the rest of my life.”

And from the start, her Adams State experience was similar. Longo says that in her conversations Timm Rosenbach, head coach for Adams State (and a former NFL quarterback) and other Adams State coaching and recruiting staff, her gender was never a topic of conversation.

“He didn’t treat me like a girl,” she says. “He treats me like a football player.”

Rosenbach echoed that sentiment in an interview with the Arizona Republic.

“I don’t look at it that way,” he said. “My wife is a former pro athlete. I see her as a football player who earned it.”

As for life after Adams State? Longo says that she’s focusing on the present for now, but wouldn’t mind making history in the NFL, too.

“If the opportunity was provided, I’d definitely take it,” she says. “But I’m just trying to grasp what’s going on right now.”

And for those who want to follow in her cleats?

Longo says: “People need to stop listening to others and let them influence their mindset. They just need to go and do what they love.”

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Lady Gaga FaceTimed Prince William to Talk About the Importance of Discussing Mental Health

vendredi 14 avril 2017

The Surprising Upside to Having a Bad Boss

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

Reporting to a boss who doesn’t appreciate your work can be a major drain on motivation and workplace morale. But it doesn’t have to be: According to a new study, low levels of support from a supervisor can be a motivating factor for people to make positive changes happen—and may actually increase happiness in the end.

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That may be good news for anyone who’s frustrated by a lack of leadership in their current job. But researchers say employees still need to be proactive in order to get these mood-boosting benefits.

The new research, published in the journal Work & Stress, included three studies on a total of 500 employees in Portugal and the United States. The participants, who worked in a variety of fields, completed questionnaires to determine three basic measures: how “used up” they felt at the end of every workday (emotional exhaustion), how well they felt their leader supported their needs (perceived supervisor support), and how satisfied they were with their lives in general (happiness).

Researchers found that when employees thought that their bosses understood and appreciated their work, they were less likely to experience emotional exhaustion. When emotional exhaustion did occur, however, those who perceived low supervisor support were more likely to develop an “action plan” and seek out advice and support from others—activities that directly influenced their levels of happiness.

Lead author Carlos Ferreira Peralta, Ph.D., a lecturer in organizational behavior at the University of East Anglia, says the research shows that having a supportive supervisor can actually be a double-edged sword, and that emotionally exhausting experiences at work can have a silver lining. The study is thought to be one of the first to investigate how people can overcome the negative relationship between stressful work situations and mood.

The research also indicates, says Ferreira Peralta, that how people react to emotional exhaustion—whether they actively search for solutions to their problems and connections with others—appears to be more important than their relationship with their boss.

“Our findings suggest that the activities people engage in have a key role in building happiness from an internally stressful experience,” Ferreira Peralta told RealSimple.com via email. “According to our research, dealing with emotional exhaustion with an effective strategy and continued effort can lead to enhanced happiness.”

Ferreira Peralta does point out, however, that low levels of perceived supervisor support aren’t necessarily the same thing as having a bad boss. In fact, the research suggests there are times when it might be beneficial for managers to be more hands-off with their employees.

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“Providing support may prevent the emergence of emotional exhaustion in employees,” Ferreira Peralta says. “However, when an employee is experiencing emotional exhaustion it might be useful to just provide support when and if requested. Otherwise, the employee may not engage or delay the engagement in coping activities that can enhance their happiness.”

That can be counterintuitive, he adds, because caring employers may be tempted to increase their levels of help and encouragement during particularly tough times. Ideally, he says, training programs could help supervisors differentiate between situations in which they should offer support versus those in which they should take a step back.

Then, of course, there are bosses that truly don’t have their employees’ best interests at heart. If yours is one of those, try not to let him or her bring you down. Instead, take a cue from this study—and use that lack of support as motivation to find something better.

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Meghan Linsey Opens Up About Brown Recluse Bite That Left a Hole in Her Face: 'I'm Just Glad to Be Alive'

North Carolina Dad and Two Sons Receive Same Devastating Cancer Diagnosis: 'I Feel Guilty,' Says Dad

This article originally appeared on People.com.

North Carolina brothers Preston and Parker Jackson were both diagnosed with the same debilitating pancreatic cancer as their father, Wayne Jackson, within a few weeks of each other in 2016.

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“I did a lot of crying and a lot of praying,” Preston and Parker’s mother, Sharon Sechriest, tells PEOPLE. “It’s hard for me to swallow that both of my kids and their father have cancer, but I tell them that they will get through it and be fine.

“They are so loved and [I] will do anything in my power to make sure they live a long life.”

Wayne was diagnosed with MEN-1, a hereditary condition associated with tumors of the endocrine glands, in November 2014 and doctors found 12 cancerous pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in his body. Soon after, Preston and Parker tested positive for MEN-1 and, in 2016, both brothers were found to each have two tumors on their respective pancreases.

The father and his two sons “face the diagnosis together” as they attend the same doctors, compare symptoms and talk about the way they are dealing with the cancer.

“I feel guilty,” Wayne, 46, tells PEOPLE. “I know it’s not my fault, because I had no idea I had this condition until a few years ago, but to see the boys suffering and going through the same things I do — I feel a sense of guilt.

“When I’m by myself and I think about it, it hurts.”

Parker, 18, is a senior at Chase High School in Forest City, North Carolina, and Preston, 21, is a business major at UNC Charlotte. Doctors found Parker’s tumors in February 2016 and Preston’s tumors were discovered six weeks later.

“I told doctors I wanted them both tested and they thought, ‘Oh that’s crazy!’ ” says Sechriest. “When they got the results, I was angry but I knew there were people out there praying for me.”

Although the boys try to lead normal lives, their constant pain keeps them from playing sports and, at times, from attending classes.

“When Preston found out about Parker’s diagnosis, he was so devastated that he prayed to God that he would have cancer to so his brother wouldn’t have to go through it alone,” says Sechriest, who split from Wayne 17 years ago though they two remain close. “That’s brotherly love if I ever heard of it.

“It seems God answered his prayer.”

In 2014, Wayne had his 12 tumors removed — although recent lab workups show his tumor marker elevated.

The devoted dad also accompanies Preston and Parker when they fly to Houston every few months to visit specialists crafting a treatment plan.

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“It’s inevitable they will need surgery, but it’s so high risk, they are trying to hold off until it’s absolutely necessary,” says Sechriest. “And with this condition, they will go through many surgeries in their lifetime.

“It’s not a good diagnosis.”

Wayne’s 9-year-old son with his second wife also has the MEN-1 genetic condition, although he shows no signs of tumors at this time.

“I don’t have words, to find out I have three kids that will have to follow in my footsteps and have to deal with this condition their entire lives too, it’s devastating,” says Wayne. “We lift each other up to the Lord in prayer and make the best of what God has given us.”

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jeudi 13 avril 2017

4 Things You Need to Do Immediately If You’re Stung by a Jellyfish

Nothing ruins a perfect day at the beach like a jellyfish sting. Matt Damon's young daughter reportedly had this painful experience earlier this week. According to the Courier Mail, Damon and his wife and kids were vacationing with Chris Hemsworth's family at the Thor star's home in Byron Bay, New South Wales, when 6-year-old Stella was stung.

Luckily, it sounds like Stella received swift care. Her dad rushed to a nearby cafe for ice, and paramedics treated Stella at the beach. The incident is a good reminder that quick action can help diminish the symptoms of a sting. Here, Health's contributing medical editor, Dr. Raj, shares four tips on what to do—plus what not to do—should you or a loved one have a run-in with a jelly.

1. Remove the stingers

Your first step should be to try to clear away the pieces of tentacle embedded in your skin as quickly as possible. If they're right on the surface, you might be able to gently rinse them off with salt water (not fresh water, though—more on this later). You could also try scraping off stingers with the edge of a credit card, says Dr. Raj.

2. Deactivate the venom

Wash the area with vinegar. Or make a paste with baking soda and seawater (again, not fresh) and gently apply it to the wound.

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3. Treat the pain

Take a pain reliever to ease the discomfort. A hot pack or immersing the wound in hot water may also help. A 2016 review published in the journal Toxins suggests heat is a more effective treatment than cold. "[R]esearch to date has shown that all marine venoms are highly heat sensitive, thus hot water or hot packs should be more effective than cold packs or ice," study author Christie Wilcox said in a press release.

4. Watch for severe symptoms

Although a jellyfish sting can be incredibly painful, most stings don't require a trip to the ER. Dr. Raj says that if symptoms appear under control after you've completed the steps above, you may not need any further treatment. But if you notice signs of an allergic reaction, or symptoms are severe—think nausea, dizziness, fever, or difficulty breathing—you should get medical attention immediately. It's also worth seeing a doctor ASAP if the sting is near the eye.

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**What not to do**

Don't rinse the wound with fresh water. While it's okay for salt water to touch the area, fresh water can actually activate jellyfish stingers. Dr. Raj warns against rubbing the wound with a towel, or splashing around in seawater, which could also activate stingers.

And no, you definitely shouldn't reenact that famous Friends scene: Experts agree that urine doesn't have the chemical makeup to neutralize jellyfish venom the way vinegar does.

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I Tried a 'Mind Cleanse' and It Was Just the Emotional Detox I Needed

The night before I met Fiona Arrigo, you could find me Googling “What questions does a therapist ask you?” I was anxious, and felt I had to prep for the next day’s “mind cleanse,” a 90-minute one-on-one session with Arrigo, a psychotherapist and “intuitive healer.” I had no idea what to expect from the cleanse, which was described as an alternative to traditional therapy—the longer session and Arrigo’s ability to zero in on past traumas apparently made it speedier and more proactive. My read: more emotional and intense.

When I’d first received the media invite a few weeks prior, a mind cleanse sounded fantastic. I was excited about the potential to dump out all my thoughts and sort through any stressors, and I thought it might serve as a sort of performance boost. But as the day crept closer, I worried it might simply be draining, or that I’d somehow say the wrong things and wouldn’t have my “breakthrough.”

Despite my nerves, curiosity (and journalistic duties) got the better of me, and I headed to Arrigo’s loft in Chelsea the next morning. Arrigo is the founder of The Arrigo Programme, which hosts retreats that feature the mind cleanse as a major component – it usually lasts five hours – I’d be getting a shortened version. The aim is to examine behavior patterns and past experiences which might be weighing you down and preventing you from moving forward. Arrigo has 30 years of experience in this field—and glowing reviews from clients—so skeptical as I was that an emotional detox would work for me, I decided to be open to the experience.

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When Arrigo’s apprentice opened the door to the loft, I instantly felt calmer. It smelled of soft, soothing lavender, candles burned around the room, and huge bouquets and plants rested on all the tables. Sunlight streamed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. I took a seat on a plush couch and was brought a hot mug of jasmine tea to sip as I waited. The setting felt ultra relaxing, and when Arrigo emerged, she only added to the Zen atmosphere. She greeted me warmly, draped in layers of soft fabric, and sat across from me with a notebook in hand.

Arrigo started by explaining her method, and why she created the program. She spoke of guiding people back to their authentic selves by getting past the daily “wounds” we often brush away. “Women are so porous,” she said. I nodded. She kept dispensing little nuggets of wisdom that instantly stuck in my head. Maybe it was her steady, un-rushed way of speaking, or her British accent, but I loved listening to her. At times it felt hypnotic. Another wise nugget: “We’re always giving people brownie points for achievement, when we should get brownie points for being ourselves.” I smiled and agreed.

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Then Arrigo asked me why I was there. I’d thought about what I hoped to get from the session—what was my block I wanted to get past? I’m generally really happy and handle stress well, but there are a few things I wanted to work on. I told her I struggled with expressing emotion and being vulnerable in my relationships. We dove into why that is and my “origin story” (what my life was like growing up). She asked about the darkest points in my childhood, and things got weepy (so much for being emotionally repressed!). I was a bit stunned I was able to cry in front of her. She took notes as I talked, later coming back to parts of my past and making connections when I talked about my present relationships and coping mechanisms.

We talked about how I deal with stress and when I feel my best, which is when I’m running. I brightened as I talked about it—the sport has never failed to bring me peace, and I’ve always been proud that my own body can help me sort through any emotions. “Running is like your yoga,” she observed. “It’s meditative for you.” She recognized its importance to me.

At one point, Arrigo asked if keeping people at an emotional distance was working for me. I laughed, because I knew it wasn’t, but being asked point-blank made it seem so obvious. I told her I wanted to let people in, but I was scared. I’d learned to deal with others’ emotions first, and push mine away until they bubbled up. She offered me recommendations that made perfect sense to me; since it’s difficult for me to talk about my emotions, they focused on physical ways to let things out.

First, she suggested I tap into the reasons I’m running, instead of just lacing up. “If you feel angry or sad, talk it through while you’re running: ‘I’m running out this anger, I’m running through this sadness,’” she said. Then, she suggested I finish by laying down to stretch, placing my hands on my heart and belly, checking in with how I feel, and thanking my body for allowing me to run.

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I also learned what a kinesiologist does, as Arrigo suggested I see one. They use the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or tapping, to help people release stress and address trauma. It’s a traditional eastern holistic method that involves tapping along the meridians of the body (which are also utilized in acupuncture), along with repetitive mantras. There’s actually research to back up EFT in the treatment of PTSD.

It sounds woo-woo because it is, but I was still interested. It felt like Arrigo’s recommendations were tailored to things I’m really curious about and interested in. I’m fascinated by how movement can heal the mind, and she tapped into that to motivate me. I’m willing to give this stuff a try.

We ended the conversation with some notes on books I should pick up and journaling methods. As I left, crumpled Kleenex in hand, I definitely didn’t feel “cleansed.” If anything, I felt I had a lot more to think about, and needed a long walk to decompress. I was embarrassed for crying. Still, I somehow felt a little lighter, and motivated to work on expressing myself more.

And I wanted to see Arrigo again. I felt truly heard in way I hadn’t for a long time.

Visit http://ift.tt/2hQc6fO for more details on their upcoming East Coast retreat in June.

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mercredi 12 avril 2017

Science Just Figured Out Why Your Shoelaces Keep Coming Undone

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Why do shoelaces come undone as soon as they’re tied?

It turns out the answer may be more than poor tying.

Mechanical engineers at the University of California Berkeley found that the force of a foot on the ground along with the force of a swinging or walking leg combine together to untie even the best of knots, the BBC reports.

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The first force relaxes the knot, the second pulls at the laces. The experts used a slow-motion camera in their experiments to figure out the science behind the problem.

A colleague filmed the study’s co-author Christine Gregg running on a treadmill to work out what happened once she’d tied up her laces.

“To untie my knots, I pull on the free end of a bow tie and it comes undone,” Gredd said. “The shoelace knot comes untied due to the same sort of motion. The forces that cause this are not from a person pulling on the free end but from the inertial forces of the leg swinging back and forth while the knot is loosened from the shoe repeatedly striking the ground.”

The experiment was conducted using a variety of laces, which all suffered from the same issue.

“This is the first step toward understanding why certain knots are better than others,” Christopher Daily-Diamond,, a lead researcher on the project, said.

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Sorry—This Week’s “Pink Moon” Isn’t What You Think It Is

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

If you thought you missed your chance to experience a rose-hued full moon last night, we have some news for you. First the bad news: the “pink moon” isn’t really pink at all. The good news? While you might not be able to see a candy-colored sight in the sky, you can still see a majestic full moon tonight and tomorrow.

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According to Jonathan Kemp, a telescope specialist at Middlebury College Observatory, the April full moon is referred to as the “pink moon,” but the moniker refers not to the color of the moon, but the pink hued flowers (wild ground phlox) that historically blossom this time of year in the northern hemisphere (in the United States and Canada). The April full moon is also referred to as an “egg moon” or “grass moon,” Kemp says.

Though the full moon happened at 2:08 a.m. EST on April 11 and appeared full all night long, it doesn’t mean tonight and tomorrow’s moon isn’t still something to see. According to Kemp, the moon is still visible and prominent tonight and tomorrow night, as well, to the casual observer. Though astronomers wouldn’t call it a full moon anymore, it is still about 99 percent illuminated and is known as a waning gibbous moon, what is known as the week-long phase following a full moon and a last quarter moon.

So if you’re currently experiencing the warmer temperatures of spring where you live, head outside tonight with a picnic blanket, relax, and gaze up.

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mardi 11 avril 2017

9 Ways to Spot a Sociopath

When you think of a sociopath, you probably picture Christian Bale in American Psycho, or Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. But like most mental health conditions, sociopathy—or antisocial personality disorder (ASP)—exists on a spectrum; and not all sociopath are serial killers. One study estimated that as many as 3.8% of Americans would meet the condition's diagnostic criteria. So odds are, you know someone who has ASP.

“It’s a syndrome characterized by lifelong misbehavior,” says Donald W. Black, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. “People with an antisocial personality disorder tend to be deceitful, impulsive. They ignore responsibilities and, in the worst cases, they have no conscience.”

The disorder can be relatively mild, he adds: "Maybe they lie, maybe they get into trouble with their spouses, and that’s about it." At the other end of the spectrum are thieves and murderers, says Dr. Black, who is the author of Bad Boys, Bad Men: Confronting Antisocial Personality Disorder (Sociopathy). “Most people are in the middle.”

One thing to note: While we tend to use the terms "sociopath" and "psychopath" interchangeably, they mean different things. Whereas most sociopaths are prone to impulsive behavior and often seen as disturbed or unhinged, a psychopath is cold and calculating, sometimes even charming. “I view [psychopathy] as the extreme end of the antisocial spectrum," says Dr. Black, "because virtually all psychopaths are antisocial, but not all antisocials have psychopathy.”

To be diagnosed with ASP, a person must be at least 18 years old and have a history of aggression, rule-breaking, and deceit that dates back to their childhood. Here are some of the other red flags to watch out for, based on criteria listed in the DSM-V.

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Symptom: Lack of empathy

Perhaps one of the most well-known signs of ASP is a lack of empathy, particularly an inability to feel remorse for one's actions. “Many people with ASP do seem to lack a conscience, but not all of them,” he explains. Psychopaths always have this symptom, however, which is what makes them especially dangerous. “When you don’t experience remorse, you’re kind of freed up to do anything—anything bad that comes to mind,” says Dr. Black.

Symptom: Difficult relationships

People with ASP find it hard to form emotional bonds, so their relationships are often unstable and chaotic, says Dr. Black. Rather than forge connections with the people in their lives, they might try to exploit them for their own benefit through deceit, coercion, and intimidation.

Symptom: Manipulativeness

Sociopaths tend to try to seduce and ingratiate themselves with the people around them for their own gain, or for entertainment. But this doesn’t mean they’re all exceptionally charismatic: “It may be true of some, and it is often said of the psychopath that they’re superficially charming,” says Dr. Black. “But I see plenty of antisocial men in my hospital and in our out patient clinic and I would not use the term charming to describe them.”

Symptom: Deceitfulness

Sociopaths have a reputation for being dishonest and deceitful. They often feel comfortable lying to get their own way, or to get themselves out of trouble. They also have a tendency to embellish the truth when it suits them.

Symptom: Callousness

Some might be openly violent and aggressive. Others will cut you down verbally. Either way, people with ASP tend to show a cruel disregard for other people's feelings.

Symptom: Hostility

Sociopaths are not only hostile themselves, but they're more likely to interpret others' behavior as hostile, which drives them to seek revenge.

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Symptom: Irresponsibility

Another sign that someone might have ASP is a disregard for financial and social obligations. Ignoring responsibilities is extremely common, says Dr. Black. Think, for example, not paying child support when it’s due, allowing bills to pile up, and regularly taking time off work.

Symptom: Impulsivity

We all have our impulsive moments: a last minute road trip, a drastic new hairstyle, or a new pair of shoes you just have to have. But for someone with ASP, making spur of the moment decisions with no thought for the consequences is part of everyday life, says Dr. Black. They find it extremely difficult to make a plan and stick to it.

Symptom: Risky behavior

Combine irresponsibility, impulsivity, and a need for instant gratification, and it’s not surprising that sociopaths get involved in risky behavior. They tend to have little concern for the safety of others or for themselves. This means that excessive alcohol consumption, drug abuse, compulsive gambling, unsafe sex, and dangerous hobbies (including criminal activities) are common.

RELATED: 10 Signs You Might Be a Narcissist

Can ASP be treated?

Therapy can help manage some of the symptoms and side effects, particularly in milder cases. But it's unusual for a sociopath to seek professional help. “One of the curious things about this disorder is a general lack of insight," explains Dr. Black. "They may recognize that they have problems. They notice that they get into trouble. They may know that their spouses are not happy with them. They know that they get into trouble on the job. But they tend to blame other people, other circumstances,” says Dr. Black.

The good news is that symptoms of ASP seem to recede with age, says Dr. Black, especially among milder sociopaths and those that don't do drugs or drink to excess. But if you know someone with ASP, the best thing to do is steer clear, warns Dr. Black: "Avoid them. Avoid them as best as you can because they are going to complicate your life."

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Olympian Michelle Carter on Being a Body Positive Icon: 'Some People Are Meant to Be Bigger, and That's Okay'

Simone Biles Breaks Down While Talking About the Year She Was Adopted: 'My Parents Saved Me'

This article originally appeared on People.com.

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is taking a stroll — or should we say a Viennese waltz — down memory lane on Dancing with the Stars this week.

In an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming Most Memorable Year Week of the popular dance show, the 20-year-old sheds tears as she recalls one of the most significant years in her life: the year she was adopted.

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“My parents saved me. They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people and they’ve been there to support me since day one,” Biles says in the clip. “There’s nothing I could say to them to thank them enough. Even though there’s no right words maybe dance will say it for me.”

Biles opens up about being adopted in 2000, saying, “My biological mom was suffering from drug and alcohol abuse and she was in and out of jail. I never had mom to run to.”

She adds: “I do remember always being hungry and afraid.”

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The athlete, who was adopted by her grandparents when she was 6, recalled being placed in foster care at 3 years old.

“Whenever we had visits with my grandpa I was so excited,” Biles says. “That was the person I always wanted to see walk in.”

As she performed her Viennese Waltz to the tunes of Chris Tomlin’s “Good Good Father” on Monday evening, the gymnast could be seen holding back tears.

At the wrap of her performance, she could be heard sniffling and crying as she shared a tearful embrace with her parents. Asked how she got through the emotional dance, Biles credited “muscle memory.”

Biles earned positive reviews from the judges and walked away with a 36/40.

“She’s just amazing,” her father told host Tom Bergeron. “She surprises me.”

She previously opened up about the upcoming performance in an exclusive blog for PEOPLE.

“It means the world to me that I’m getting the chance to honor [my grandparents] with this dance,” she wrote. “I can’t say thank you enough to them, so hopefully this dance starts it off well. I think it will be a little bit sad but also exciting and I hope it inspires people.”

Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.

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Yoga May Help the Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Researchers have put yoga to the scientific test for years, and the results so far have been impressive. The practice has been shown to lower risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and hypertension.

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But yoga can also help those who are already ill feel better. A new study suggests that doing yoga twice a week may improve quality of life for men being treated for prostate cancer and may help reduce the side effects of radiation, which include fatigue, sexual dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

The study, published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics, followed 50 men with prostate cancer as they underwent six to nine weeks of radiation therapy. Half of the men were assigned to attend two 75-minute yoga classes each week during their treatment.

At the beginning of the study, before radiation had started, men in both groups reported relatively low levels of fatigue. As treatment progressed, however, the men who didn’t take yoga had more fatigue—typical of the fourth or fifth week of a treatment course, the researchers say.

But for those who took yoga, fatigue dropped as the weeks went on. Overall, these men reported less fatigue and a better ability to go about their normal lives, compared to the group that didn’t do yoga.

“Even with the additional time commitment, they felt a renewed sense of energy,” says lead author Dr. Neha Vapiwala, associate professor of radiation oncology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. “It could be the physical activity, or it could be the social component and the fact that they’re doing something proactive for their health.”

Another common side effect among men undergoing radiation and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is sexual dysfunction, which affects up to 85% of men during treatment. In this study, both groups started with erectile function scores of about 11 on a 25-point scale; scores below 12 indicate moderate-to-severe dysfunction.

Scores for the men who took yoga stayed about the same over the course of their treatment, while the scores of the non-yoga group declined even further. The men who took yoga also had improved or stable urinary function over the course of the study, while urinary function declined in those who didn’t.

Vapiwala says that yoga has been shown to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, which may explain why sexual and urinary function were largely preserved in the yoga group. Yoga, like other types of exercise, can also increase blood flow throughout the body—an important component of muscular and erectile health.

Physical and emotional well-being scores increased as patients in both groups progressed through their treatments, but those in the yoga group had more rapid improvements.

“There could be a number of things going on, and it may not be that all of the mechanisms work for everyone,” she says. “One man may get more of a psychological benefit from yoga, whereas for others it might have a purely vascular effect. Someone else with urinary issues might benefit from a stronger pelvic floor.”

The study did not include people who had medical conditions restricting their ability to do yoga, or whose cancer had spread beyond the prostate. It also didn’t compare the effects of yoga to other types of exercise, a direction the authors say future research could take.

The classes in the study followed the Eischens style of yoga, which focuses on the energy of poses rather than the complexity, the authors wrote in their paper. The method uses props and modifications for difficult poses, which makes yoga more accessible to beginners of all body types. Each class incorporated sitting, standing and reclining positions, and began with five minutes of breathing and centering techniques.

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Larger and longer studies are needed to better understand exactly how yoga protects against the side effects of radiation, the authors write, and to find out whether these protections last. But based on the current research, Vapiwala says she recommends the practice to her prostate cancer patients.

She urges men to try classes that are advertised for all levels, to tell the instructor that they are new to yoga and to ask about modifications for difficult poses. “Don’t count yourself out based on what you think you know about yoga,” she says. “It’s not a performance or a competition, and you don’t have to be standing on your head on day one.” The benefits, it appears, come far before that.

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lundi 10 avril 2017

Why This Woman Wrote a Love Letter to Her Thighs

vendredi 7 avril 2017

Night Owls and Early Birds Saw ‘The Dress’ Differently, According to Science

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

We know, we know: You’re tired of hearing about “the dress,” the viral photograph that dominated the Internet back in February 2015, with so many burning questions: Is it white and gold or black and blue? Is it over- or underexposed? And, seriously, why can’t we agree?

More than two years later, an NYU neuroscientist has one possible explanation for why the world was so divided on the optical illusion. And we have to admit, his new study—published today in the Journal of Vision—is pretty fascinating. It may even be worth giving the notorious mother-of-the-bride dress another 15 minutes of fame.

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According to an online survey of more than 13,000 people from around the world, the colors people saw had a lot to do with whether they considered the dress to be in bright light or in a shadow. Of the survey respondents who thought it was in a shadow, four out of five saw it as white and gold. Only about half of those who did not consider the frock to be in shadow agreed.

(For the record, the dress was actually black and blue, and the colors in the photograph were overexposed and washed out.)

This explanation is nothing new; it’s been around since not long after the initial hubbub occurred: Shadows have a blue tint, so we mentally subtract blue light (seeing white as the underlying color) when we assume something is in shadow, while we mentally subtract yellow (the tint of most artificial lighting) when we assume it’s illuminated.

But Pascal Wallisch, Ph.D., a clinical assistant professor in NYU’s department of psychology, wanted to know why, exactly, people make these assumptions. So he also asked study participants other questions that might influence their thinking—their age, gender, ethnicity, and even what their daily schedules were like, for example.

“One of my focuses is on sleep research, so naturally I was wondering about light exposure,” says Wallisch. “People who get up early in the morning and those who stay up late at night are exposed to different types of light. And when a light source is unclear, you might expect these people to make different assumptions based on what they’re most used to.”

His hypothesis turned out to be right: People who said they tended to go to bed early and feel best in the morning—whom he calls morning larks—were significantly more likely to see the dress as white and gold, compared to night owls who stay up late and sleep later into the morning.

That could be because, Wallisch explains, morning people spend more of their waking hours in natural daylight and spend more time under a blue sky, whereas night owls spend more time in artificial light.

Of course, many people today—regardless of their chronotype—tend to spend most of their waking hours under artificial light in office buildings and in front of digital screens. Wallisch asked survey participants about these things, too, but saw no real patterns between their responses and their beliefs about the dress. (Nearly everyone in the study spent significant time around artificial light, he says, so it was difficult to draw solid conclusions.)

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Demographic factors such as gender and age had comparatively small effects on the perception of the dress image, as well, with one exception: Around age 65, the percentage of people who saw the dress as white and gold dropped sharply. This may be because of age-related changes to the eye or the brain, the researchers speculate, or it may even be because older adults have had different life experiences—like, perhaps, spending more time outdoors in their younger years.

Wallish says that overall, his findings help broaden science’s understanding of how people perceive color, and why we don’t always see the same thing. “What I see as red and what you see as red may not be the same thing after all,” he says. “Your life history, your experience, affects how your brain factors in important things like light.”

He even goes out on a limb to say that this revelation could have societal and political implications in today’s current climate.

“Right now, most people assume if you don’t agree with them on something it’s because you’re malicious, you’re ignorant, you’re trying to mess with them,” he says. “We might need to start coming to an understanding and respect the fact that different people sincerely see the world differently—and they might not be able to change that.”

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I Was Young And Active, But A Blood Clot In My Leg Almost Killed Me

I'm 24 years old, an avid runner and cyclist, follow a healthy diet, have never smoked, and have no family history of major health problems. In other words, I'm as healthy as they come. So it came as a shock a few months ago when a sudden health issue came close to killing me.

It started as a bad cramp. I woke up at 3 in the morning to what felt like a charley horse in my left calf, something that I'd experienced plenty of times before. I didn’t think much of it, though, because after about a minute of stretching, it felt better. I went back to sleep.

Over the next two days, those painful jolts in my calf kept coming back. I assumed I must have strained my calf during a workout, so I continued with my daily routine despite the pain. Thinking maybe I just needed to give my legs a break, I eased up my runs and took a couple of Pilates classes instead. I felt fine, so I assumed my leg was on the mend.

Everything changed on day four. The pain worsened, and the cramps came four to six times a day, lasting for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. That's when I started getting nervous.

With a quick Google search on calf cramps, I discovered information about deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. I learned that DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs, and that symptoms include swelling, warmth, redness, and pain. Aside from the pain, though, I didn't have any other of the listed symptoms. Plus, I didn't think I had any risk factors for the condition.

Later that same night, though, I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep. I counted down the hours until I could go to Urgent Care. I still didn’t think that it was a blood clot, but I knew that whatever it was, I needed to take care of it immediately.

When I went to Urgent Care the following morning, the doctor felt around my leg and compared it to my other one.

“Your leg seems fine,” he said. “No swelling, redness, or warmth.”

“But it hurts so much,” I pleaded, hoping that he could give me some comfort in a diagnosis, at the very least.

“Are you on a birth control pill?” the doctor asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Get an ultrasound for good measure, but it’s most likely nothing.”

From Urgent Care I went to the radiologist’s office, where two different technicians examined the blood flow in my leg. They were not allowed to give me any information, but I heard them repeat the word “gastrocnemius” several times. I quickly Googled what that was, and the first hits that came up were about the gastrocnemius muscle, which is located in the calf.

I was instantly relieved, thinking they were referring to simple muscle pain. I even felt slightly embarrassed that I'd gone through the whole production of seeing the radiologist.

That is, until the radiologist entered the room and informed me that I needed to go to the emergency room immediately. “You have a blood clot in your gastrocnemius,” he said. “You need to be treated immediately in case the clot travels from your leg up to your heart or lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.”

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I rushed to the ER. There, the doctors asked if I’d gone on any long trips recently. I had—the day before my pain started, I took five-hour bus ride. It turns out that DVT risk increases when you sit for extended periods and don't move your legs. The docs blamed my DVT on a combination of that bus ride and my birth control pills, which also increase blood clot risk.

The doctors also explained that while pulmonary embolism as a result of DVT is rare, my risk was higher than most. I was supposed to fly to Paris just four days later, and another period of prolonged sitting could have prompted the clot to move from my calf to my heart or lungs—potentially killing me.

Seeking medical help when I did prevented the clot from having a severe impact on my life. I had to take anticoagulants (blood thinners) for three months, could not travel for one month, and had to go off my birth control. That’s it. Canceling a trip to Paris was worth saving my life.

If there’s one thing I learned from this experience—whether you notice a sudden, persistent leg cramp, or anything in your body that intuitively feels off—don’t hesitate to see a doctor. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

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