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How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
We spend about 24 years of our lives sleeping, yet the exact function of sleep is still being debated by scientists. In experiments, researchers monitored three groups of participants who slept 4, 6, or 8 hours a night over an extended amount of time. After just two weeks, the group who slept 6 hours had a similar reaction time as a person whose blood alcohol concentration was 0.1 percent. Those who slept 4 hours would fall asleep during their cognitive tests. Here's the video from AsapSCIENCE. People who consistently sleep less than 7 to 8 hours a night may suffer cognitive issues. There also appears to be a genetic mutation that allows a person to sleep less because of their more intense sleep sessions. [Via AsapSCIENCE]

This Is Your Brain on Fish Thicker, stronger, and more resilient. Once a week is all it takes, new research says. Alex Trautwig/Getty Have you ever considered undergoing brain-thickening surgery, only to find that such a thing does not exist? "Understanding the effects of fish consumption on brain structure is critical for the determination of modifiable factors that can decrease the risk of cognitive deficits and dementia," Raji and colleagues write. This study found that eating fish—baked or broiled, never fried—is associated with larger gray matter volumes in brain areas responsible for memory and cognition in healthy elderly people. "There wasn't one type of fish that was the best," Raji told me by phone, probably while eating fish. "If you eat fish just once a week, your hippocampus—the big memory and learning center—is 14 percent larger than in people who don't eat fish that frequently. 14 percent. "In the orbital frontal cortex, which controls executive function, it's a solid 4 percent," Raji said.

12 Ways to Get Rid of Gas & Bloating Let’s be straightforward. This is a page about gas, so, that’s what it’s going to sound like it’s about. No dancing around the subject matter, no putting things tentatively, no shame, no giggling…ok a little giggling is fine. Call it whatever, gas, toots, breaking wind, farting, flatulence, air attack, the nether belch-we’re all referring to the same uncomfortable situation that crops up at the worst time-during a test in a silent room, or in a crowded elevator. Save 1. Peppermint is great for soothing churning stomachs and easing gas pains. You will need… -1 bag of herbal peppermint tea -1 cup or so of freshly boiled water Directions Steeping tea seems like something that’s simple enough, but there’s a proper way to go about it. 2. My first day in 9th grade I was terribly bloated for some reason. 3. Whether you’re nauseas, struggling with the stomach flu, or suffering from indigestion, chances are you’ve been given ginger in some form to help calm your upset tummy. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Scientists Reviewed 343 Studies to see if Organic Food is Better for you. Here's what they Found Out This settles the debate over organic foods. Are organic foods really healthier than non-organic foods? Researchers from Newcastle University in England have reviewed and conducted meta-analysis on 343 peer-reviewed scientific studies in an effort to find out if organic foods contained greater nutritional value than conventional foods. The results will probably shock some, but will confirm what many people already knew; organic foods are indeed much healthier for human consumption than ‘conventional’ foods. Image credit: USDA The study looked at existing research that had been conducted on the differences between organic and conventional foods, finding that there were some significant variations in the nutritional value between the two. “We carried out meta-analyses based on 343 peer-reviewed publications that indicate statistically significant and meaningful differences in composition between organic and non-organic crops/crop-based foods” Related: No, Monsanto isn’t Solving World Hunger.

ALERT: Restore My Vision, Today and Keep Your Money in Your Wallet | SAN DIEGO CONSUMERS' ACTION NETWORK “Restore My Vision, Today?” That’s the name of a slick e-mail based advertisement floating around the Net supposedly authored by Dr. Samantha Pearson based upon a “controversial” regimen developed by a Dr. Sen. The emails send you to an even slicker web site asking for the “low price” of $37 for a booklet about eye exercises “guaranteed” to improve your eyesight. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In fact, a New York-based optometrist has posted some very useful and time-proven exercises for close-up vision improvement which include: LETTER READING—for better scanning accuracy and conscious eye control when reading or using a computer. NEAR AND FAR—for improved focus and focusing speed when switching your gaze from close objects to distant objects (such as when checking gauges on a car as you drive). PENCIL PUSHUPS—to promote eye teamwork. THE “HOT DOG”—for improved flexibility of the muscles within the eye that allow the lens to change shape.

Six Foods That Increase Or Decrease Your Risk Of Cancer If you believe cancer is a disease that strikes from nowhere with little in your control to prevent it, you’d be mistaken on both counts. Most cases of cancer are considered preventable by positive nutrition and lifestyle choices. A healthy weight, a healthy diet, exercise and reducing your intake of alcohol and/or tobacco all make a huge difference to your chances of developing cancer. Six new nutrition cancer prevention guidelines published today in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reinforce some sound advice, but also include a surprise or two. Cancer is a big killer of Australians, and is responsible for 30% of all deaths each year. So what do these six new cancer prevention recommendations tell us? 1. Unfortunately, there is no “cancer prevention superfood”; it is a combination of food variety that gives the greatest benefit. Why are fruit and vegetables so good? A variety of fruits and vegetables is best. 2. The more you drink, the greater your cancer risk. 3+4. 5.

Want to Be Happier? It's as Easy as 2, 5, 11, 15, 20, 43 mimagephotography/Shutterstock Is it getting harder to fit all your health goals, work tasks, and personal pleasures into one day? When life feels overwhelming, just rely on your lucky numbers! No, I’m not inviting you to play in a “numbers racket.” The following numbers are “lucky” because they help you accomplish a worthwhile goal in minutes. Lucky Number: 2 David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, suggests that if a task you need to complete will take two minutes or less, just do it now! Lucky Number: 5 When you're frustrated with a difficult project at work or home, use the “Five-Minute Rule.” Lucky Number: 11 If you dislike exercise but still want to live longer, what is the least amount of brisk walking or moderate exercise you can do each day and still get a longevity benefit? Lucky Number: 15 Are you tempted to pick up a third drink despite a vow of moderation? Lucky Number: 20 You are trying hard to solve a problem, but the answer eludes you. Lucky Number: 43 © Meg Selig Sources:

Why Are We So Fat? The Multimillion-Dollar Scientific Quest to Find Out | Magazine Adam Voorhes In January of this year, the first subject checked into the metabolic ward at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, to participate in one of the most rigorous dietary studies ever devised. For eight weeks, he was forbidden to leave. He spent two days of each week inside tiny airtight rooms known as metabolic chambers, where scientists determined precisely how many calories he was burning by measuring changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air. The two-day stays in the chambers were only a small part of the testing, which was also being carried out on subjects at three other institutions around the US. And yet for all the poking, prodding, measuring, and testing, the most remarkable thing about the $5 million undertaking may be that it's designed to answer a question you'd think we'd have answered long ago: Do we get fat because we overeat or because of the types of food we eat? But in recent years, competing theories have suggested other culprits.

5 Essential Life Hacks | Jean-Paul Bedard Earlier this week I felt as though my life was imploding and that no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep my head above wave after wave of self-doubt crashing towards me. Fortunately, I live a very "public" life on social media, and I've become somewhat of a resiliency advocate or adversity adventurer. I'm well aware of the risks of "over sharing" on social media, but at the same time, I've always been open about my struggles with addiction, depression and overcoming childhood sexual abuse. Being "transparent" on social media has contributed an air of accountability in my life, as well as provided the dialogue for others on a similar path to share their aspirations and fears. My belief in this process was confirmed again yesterday when I received a phone call from someone I consider a mentor, who was responding to one of my posts on Facebook. 1. 2. 3. I walked a mile with Pleasure; She chatted all the way; But left me none the wiser For all she had to say. 4. 5.

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