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Recently Written
- Where Germs Like to Hang Out
- Cuddling Good for Premature Babies
- Toad Venom as an Aphrodisiac: Not a Good Idea!
- A New, Slightly Ridiculous, Jetlag Prevention Method Discovered
- In Search of a Definition for Normal Sex
- Got Man Boobs? Here is why.
- Pregnant? No Cell Phone for You!
- Love Your Shiny Lip Gloss?
- A New and Startling Cause for Climate Change Discovered
- When Nature Makes a Freakish Mistake
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May
27
Where Germs Like to Hang Out
May 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Hold on to your shorts because I am gonna tell you the ten surprising places where germs lurk, waiting to claim unsuspecting victims!
According to this article the following are some of the most commonly neglected places where germs are left to roam free.
1. Your vacuum cleaner – think of the brushes that go from place to place spreading germs.
2. Your Weight Lifting Gloves – think of your own sweat and snot.
3. The grocery cart – think of cart handles.
4. Gym equipment – think of how many people have touched them bars.
5. The restaurant menu – again, think of how many people have handled the menus.
6. The flight attendant – Think of confined places.
7. Your bed - Think of dust bunnies.
8. The lemon wedge in your drink – Think of yucky cutting surfaces.
9. Your contact-lens case – Think of used cleaning solution.
10. Your shower curtain – Think of soap scum.
Now go clean!
May
25
Cuddling Good for Premature Babies
May 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A lot has been said about whether or not skin to skin contact with parents is important when full term babies are born.
A new McGill University study that focuses on premature babies between twenty eight to thirty one weeks suggests that newborns that make their debut into this world too early benefit tremendously from such cuddles.
Skin to skin contact can, not only encourage bonding between parents and baby, but also may actually even speed up premature infants’ recovery period.
This doesn’t surprise me, given that even I, as an adult, benefit a lot from such cuddles.
I hope neonatal units get on board and start encouraging, instead of inhibiting, parent baby skin to skin cuddle sessions
May
24
Toad Venom as an Aphrodisiac: Not a Good Idea!
May 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A thirty five year old man died in the recently after taking a product touted as an aphrodisiac.
According to an article at MSNBC.com, the product is made from toad venom and is apparently sold under names like Jamaican Stone, Love Stone, Piedra, Black Stone and Chinese Rock.
Ingesting the product can cause a fatally abnormal heart rhythm similar to the one triggered in the recent victim.
The product is also not approved by the FDA.
So men, when it comes to getting it up, you better stick to your friend the little blue pill, Viagra.
Anything that has “venom” as its ingredient should really raise a red flag!
May
23
Do you travel frequently across international boundaries? Do you have a hard time adjusting to new time zones? Does an overwhelming jetlag keep you from enjoying places you visit and causes you waste time?
Well, then, research has good news for you!
A new Harvard University study points to possible solution.
Not eating.
Yes, that is right! Who knew it was this simple.
A period of fasting, basically avoiding meals on your long journey and eating when you reach your destination, can help you adjust to the new time zone much faster.
Lead researcher Clifford Saper provides an example of traveling from the US to Japan where the time difference is eleven hours.
If you don’t eat for about 16 hours before you arrive in Japan, then you will have no problems with jetlag.
The problem, of course, is whether or not you can resist the temptingly delicious plane food and can starve yourself for that long.
May
22
In Search of a Definition for Normal Sex
May 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
How many psychiatrists does it take to define normal sex?
We may never find out.
The American Psychiatric Association announced recently that a group of people in the profession will be working on a new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) manual.
But they are having a hard time.
The Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders part of the manual has to define what is and what is not a disordered behavior when it comes to sex, perception of sexuality and gender.
This of course is controversial.
After all, in the first DSM, homosexuality was defined as a mental disorder. Masturbation was considered abnormal.
These days, both of the above behaviors are considered normal in most parts of our society.
May
21
Got Man Boobs? Here is why.
May 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Many men who experience breast growth are horrified by the prospect of enlarged breasts.
Most stop shirtless activities such as swimming completely.
Many are too embarrassed to ask for help.
Apparently this condition is a common one and in most cases, especially in young boys, it ends up resolving on its own.
The causes of growing man boobs, a condition known as gynecomastia, are mainly hormone and weight related.
Gaining too much weight and normal fluctuations of hormones, especially during puberty, are the main culprits.
The condition, other than inflicting loss of confidence and body image issues, is harmless and is treatable.
One way to treat it is to take a prescription estrogen blocker such as Tamoxifen.
The other is surgery.
Some twenty thousand American men, fourteen thousand of which are teenagers, had a breast reduction surgery in 2007.
May
20
Pregnant? No Cell Phone for You!
May 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
No Alcohol.
No Smoking.
No eating Junk food.
No Coffee.
These are some of the rules pregnant women are told they need to abide by for a healthy pregnancy.
Soon, another rule might be in place if the assertions of a new study that just came out are proven further to be true.
That new rule is – No Cell Phone.
Yes, that is right, pregnant women may no longer be able yap with their friends on their mobile guilt free.
Apparently, use of cell phone while pregnant may cause some hyperactivity related behavioral problems in children.
The list of things expectant women should or shouldn’t do keeps on growing.
It is nearly impossible to keep up with all the changes.
May
18
Love Your Shiny Lip Gloss?
May 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Then you may not want to hear that you are increasing the chances of getting skin cancer by using them things.
Some dermatologists warn that the glossy shiny appearance of certain types of lip glosses may actually attract UV rays more.
While skin cancer is the worst possible scenario, too much directed sun exposure to the lips can lead to disfigurement and brown spots.
Sun exposure can also age the skin on the lips faster. As the skin loses elasticity it becomes more susceptible to cuts.
While all this sounds alarming and may even cause some of you to throw out your beloved lip gloss, the link between skin cancer and lip gloss is a speculative one.
It has yet to be proven with a proper scientific study.
But still, it is making news headlines.
May
17
Hold on to yourself because a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has made a startling discovery about the causes of global warming and the current world food crisis.
It turns out it is all obese people’s fault.
For one thing, over weight people eat more, 18% above their skinny counterparts.
And on top of this, obese people use more fuel which equals to more gas emissions.
So, what are environmentalists to do now?
Stop recycling, cease building eco friendly houses, and forget about clothe diapers and organic produce.
There is now literally a bigger fish to fry!
They need to think obesity, the new environmentalist front.
They need to target their obese friends and keep in check their own waist lines.
I love studies like this that really get to the root of the problem.
Atta boy!
May
15
When Nature Makes a Freakish Mistake
May 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Your nine year old daughter comes to you and complains about stomach pain.
You wait to see if it would pass.
When the pain persists, you decide to get her checked out by a doctor.
What would you suspect is the problem?
Probably something along the lines of food poisoning, stomach worms, or a parasite, right?
Well, parents of a little girl in Athens, Greece were in for a huge surprise when they took their ailing nine year old daughter into the hospital.
It turned out she was carrying her embryonic twin that was found to be about two inches (six centimeters) long and was in the early stages of developing a head, some hair, and eyes.
The doctors have removed the long dead embryo and the girl has recovered well.