السبت، 30 سبتمبر 2017
الجمعة، 29 سبتمبر 2017
8 Smells That Can Make You Happier, According to Science
Pine
Research has found that this festive aroma, often associated with the winter holidays, helps to reduce stress. A study conducted at Japan’s Kyoto University took a deeper look at a Japanese custom of taking a soothing forest stroll known as shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” and found that depression and anxiety were significantly reduced in participants on days when they walked through the country’s pine-filled woods. Don’t miss these other ways nature is medicine for your brain.
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17 Cold Sore Remedies You Didn’t Know You Could Make at Home
Apply lemon balm essential oil
You already know that lemons can clean almost everything in your house, but recent studies have proven that lemon balm essential oil effectively kills the herpes virus. Since all cold sores are caused by the herpes virus, any treatment that directly targets the virus is automatically one of the most effective cold sore remedies. As you feel the tingle of a cold sore forming, put a drop of two of lemon balm essential oil to the area, then hold an ice cube on top of the area for ten minutes. After icing, spread a thin layer of petroleum jelly to protect the sore from bacteria and prevent it from cracking. Repeat the whole process several times a day. Note: Sometimes if you react quickly enough, a cold sore won’t emerge or its severity can be greatly reduced.
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9 Funny Cat Cartoons That Every Cat Lover Will Appreciate
Meowsquerade
A cat cartoon may not be the brightest feline, but your real-life cat is actually pretty smart. This is what your pets wish they could tell you if they were able.
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8 Pancreatic Cancer Signs You Might Be Ignoring
Your skin looks yellow
“Jaundice is one of the clearest symptoms of pancreatic cancer,” says Christopher DiMaio, MD, a gastroenterologist at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “Often, patients feel fine until one day a friend notices their eyes look yellow, then they go to the doctor and find they have advanced pancreatic cancer.” Cancers that start near the head of the pancreas can block the bile duct, preventing bile from reaching the intestines, where it helps break down fats and eventually leaves the body in the stool. This bile builds up and causes jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin or eyes. It can also cause your skin to itch, according to the American Cancer Society. These are other cancer symptoms women should never ignore and cancer signs men should never ignore.
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15 Chemical-Free Ways to Clean Your Home
Remove stains from marble: Use lemon juice and salt
Combine lemon juice and salt into a paste and scrub the stain. Just make sure you don’t scrub too hard, and rinse well when the stain is gone. Try these other brilliant uses for lemons around the house.
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13 Things Thrift and Consignment Shops Don’t Tell You
Don’t expect to make serious money
This usually isn’t the place to make a fast buck. Some consignment shops issue checks quarterly—and pay you only if your item sells. When donating anything make sure you follow these guidelines of things you should just throw away.
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31 Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils to Take Your Jack-o’-Lantern to the Next Level
Feathery fun
For the artsiest pumpkin on the block, try this pumpkin carving pattern from Remodelando la Casa.
Download this stencil from Remodelando la Casa >>
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Successful People Do These 8 Things Each Weekend
Flex different skills
Your weekends need to feel different from your weekdays, which happens if you rotate in different activities and hobbies you don’t have time to do during the week, Laura Vanderkam shares in her book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. For examples, she notes that celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson plays soccer, television correspondent Bill McGowan chops firewood, and architect Rafael Vinoly plays piano. (Check out these other characteristics of wildly successful people.) Doing a different kind of labor allows your mind and body to recover from the typical stresses you encounter during the week. You can also save your workout for Saturday and Sunday—find out why science says it’s OK to only exercise on weekends.
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20 Meal Prep Hacks That Can Reap Some Serious Nutrition Benefits
Kick start meal prep
Let’s say you’ve always prepped mushrooms by boiling them. That can yield delicious results (love that umami flavor? You can find it in these tasty treats also) but it might not be the best way to preserve their nutrients. A recent study that found that grilling or microwaving mushrooms packs the biggest health punch. We reached out to several experts to find out the best ways to prep 20 foods to maximize their nutrients. Read on for some interesting info and some surprises, too.
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11 Signs You Can Totally Trust Your Partner
She shares all her feelings
Being honest about all of her thoughts and feelings is one of the biggest signs you can trust your partner, says Shaunti Feldhahn, social researcher and author of The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages: The Little Things That Make a Big Difference. “Openness and vulnerability in conversation—their willingness to really open up their heart and share what they’re really thinking, even if it puts them at risk for ridicule and being criticized for you—that is a scary thing in a lot of relationships,” she says. That said, just because your partner doesn’t immediately jump to tell you her thoughts doesn’t mean she isn’t willing to share. Talking helps some people process their emotions, but other people need alone time to sort out their feelings. Even if it takes a couple hours (or even a couple days) for your partner to open up, that emotional discussion shows a deep level of trust. Check out the 40+ most trusted brands in America, from a new Reader’s Digest survey.
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13 Unbelievable Facts You Never Knew About Your Pooch
The “smell” center of a dog’s brain is 40 times larger than yours.
Dogs can smell thousands of times better than humans. Their noses have millions more scent receptors—for example, a human nose averages 5 million while a Dachshund’s has 125 million—making them useful in sniffing out drugs, dead bodies, bed bugs, explosives, and more. Your pets also keep a lot of secrets from you. Here are 50 of them.
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الخميس، 28 سبتمبر 2017
This Is Where You Can Get Free Coffee on National Coffee Day
The lifeblood of the proletariat, coffee, never ceases to amaze. It can ward off liver cancer. It can determine if you’re a psychopath. It can make you pretty. And one day each year, the miracle drug is honored as it should be, with its own holiday. September 29th is National Coffee Day, a day for lauding lattes, and, more importantly, a day for getting a free cup of joe.
But you need to know where to look. You can’t just walk into any given Coffee Bucks and demand a doppio, as the deals differ from cafe to cafe. Thanks to Extra Crispy, you can figure out how to modify your morning commute to take advantage of every National Coffee Day deal. (It’s probably best for your health to avoid that break room coffee.)
First off, the no purchase necessary locations. Canadian embassies* (*Tim Horton’s) across the United States will be offering free original blend, decaf, dark roast, or iced coffee starting on September 29th, and ending a week later on October 6th. In order to take advantage of the deal, all you have to do is not be in Canada (only U.S. locations), and have the Tim Horton’s app on your phone.
Krispy Kreme will be running similar promotions, only slightly shorter in duration. From September 29th to October 1st, anyone can head into one of their locations and pick up a cost-free hot coffee of any size or a small iced coffee.
Dunkin’ Donuts will be having a buy one, get one free deal on September 29th, but this only applies to a hot coffee, medium or smaller. Buy any size, get a medium hot. Good thing the entire United States isn’t unseasonably hot right now or anything.
Starbucks is offering no free coffee at all. According to Extra Crispy, Starbucks will be changing “all of the menu boards will be replaced by signs describing Starbucks’ ethical sourcing commitments and coffee farmer support and reminding customers that they’re supporting farmers by buying Starbucks.” No word if it’s Free Updated Menu Reading Material Day on September 29th also.
Download the McDonald’s app, get a free McCafe latte or frappe on September 29th. Go to Cinnabon, get a free 12-ounce coffee on September 29th. 7-11 will be giving out free coffees from September 29th to October 2nd, if you’re a member of their 7Rewards program. For New Englanders, head to your local Cumberland Farms to take advantage of their free coffee of any size deal on the 29th.
Wawa will be offering coffee of any size, all day, for free, on September 29th. Wawa’s sworn nemesis, Quick Chek, will be offering buy one, get one deals on all sizes and types of coffee starting on September 29th and extending to every Friday until November 3rd. For those just west of the Delaware, you can get a free pumpkin pie latte at Sheetz if you order through the app. Wawa wins out over its local competitors, as per usual.
While you’re busy drinking all of this free coffee, make sure you know what coffee does to your body when you consume it every day.
[Source: Extra Crispy]
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This Is the Best Gas Station Coffee in Every State, Explained in One Amazing Map
Driving en route to a distant destination? That shouldn’t mean you have to forgo your morning cup of coffee. In fact, let’s be honest: Anybody sharing the car with you will be better off if you do grab a quick liquid pick-me-up. (It’s just one of the problems all coffee lovers understand.)
But don’t just leave it to chance—and a random road sign—to determine your next pit stop. This amazing map gives you a state-by-state guide to getting the best bang for your brew. Here are eight more of your most important coffee questions, answered.
Smartphone app company GasBuddy just revealed which gas station brands serve the highest-rated coffee in each state. Their data crunchers reviewed nearly 2 million user reviews of more than 140,000 retail locations where gasoline is sold, ranking each according to the value of its coffee.
Here are the final numbers: Texas-based Buc-ee’s not only received top marks for best gas station coffee in Texas, but the highest score in the entire country, too. Talk about a hearty cup of joe! Cumberland Farms ranked No. 1 in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, while QuikTrip took the lead score in six states, including Georgia and Arizona. Other high-scoring gas station coffee across the United States included java at Wawa, Casey’s, and Maverik.
“Americans love coffee! Our consumption has increased over the years with premium and gourmet coffees serving as the catalyst,” said Frank Beard, convenience store and retail trends analyst at GasBuddy. “It is evident that gas station convenience stores are taking market share from QSRs and cafes by creating a true coffee experience.”
But travelers, stick to coffee while on the road—not in the air. This is why you should never, ever order coffee on a plane.
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Coca-Cola Just Launched the World’s First Coffee-Flavored Soda
Looking for a caffeine fix, yet craving something sweet? What if you could have the best of both worlds? Step aside, cherry Coke; Coca-Cola has just launched a brand new coffee-flavored soda, and it will definitely leave you drooling in your seat.
Behold: the Coca-Cola Plus Coffee No Sugar beverage. It’s a “fresh take on the delicious taste of Coca-Cola Classic,” Coca-Cola Australia spokeswoman Lisa Winn said a press release. Just one sip combines “the unmistakable aroma of real coffee” with “subtle caramel undertones,” as well as all of the bubbly, fizzy joy you would expect from a regular soda.
If you’re looking for a late-afternoon caffeine fix, pop open a can of Coca-Cola Plus Coffee. One serving contains 14 mg of caffeine, which is less than a regular cappuccino (which has 43mg), but slightly more than a normal Coke (9mg). If you’re looking for a hardcore wake-up call in liquid form, here’s a breakdown of how much caffeine is actually in your favorite coffee.
Plus, as its name suggests, this new beverage contains no sugar. That’s good news for any soda-loving dieters out there; after all, high levels of sugar is one of the 10 reasons to avoid all soda.
Coca-Cola Plus Coffee was recently released in Australia as a limited edition item. And judging from the advertisement below, you can find this one-of-a-kind soda in Japan, too.
＼🎉新発売🎉／
この秋 #コカコーラコーヒープラス 誕生‼️
コカ･コーラとコーヒー☕️がひとつに❗️
アガる！ダブル･カフェイン⤴️⤴️
仕事のスピードもアガる⁉️
詳しくは👉https://t.co/SEXtdLVsPj※関東･東北･東海の一部エリアで販売 http://pic.twitter.com/ezkDpnPmPD
— コカ･コーラ (@CocaColaJapan) September 12, 2017
Although it hasn’t officially hit the shelves here in the U.S., let’s hope it does soon. You can satisfy your soda cravings with a Coke from McDonald’s in the meantime. As it turns out, there’s actually a secret reason why it tastes better at the fast food restaurant than anywhere else.
[Source: Mashable]
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10 of the Healthiest Vegetables You Can Eat
Onions
You’ll get the most out of this veggie’s cancer-fighting antioxidants by eating it raw; cooking onions at a high heat significantly reduces the benefits of phytochemicals that protect against lung and prostate cancer. (Find out how many times men should ejaculate for even more prostate cancer protection.) Try combining chopped raw onions with tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeño peppers for a blood sugar–friendly chip dip. Finish with a splash of lime juice. Learn why you should never double dip, though.
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9 Easy Tricks to Get Rid of Hiccups FAST
Swallow something sweet
A spoonful of sugar is a popular hiccups cure because its graininess could slightly irritate the esophagus, causing the phrenic nerves to “reset” themselves, although there is no proof of this. Don’t miss these 9 clear signs you’re eating too much sugar.
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12 Period Products Guaranteed to Make That Time of the Month So Much Easier
Smart underwear
How women talk about menstruation around the world varies, but here’s a universal truth: Pads can be bulky and uncomfortable. What’s more, not everyone is able to use tampons. Which is why companies like Thinx, who make period-proof underwear are becoming so popular. They’re made with soft organic cotton and designed to look just like ordinary underwear, but they harbor a little secret. They are as absorbent, depending on the type you purchase, as two tampons. The “smart” bit is that they are made of four layers of fabric that are anti-microbial, moisture-wicking, absorbent, and leak-resistant. Plus they’re super comfortable and just need rinsing and then normal laundering. Can you imagine never having to buy pads again?
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9 Resistant Band Exercises That Will Work Your Entire Body
A band you can’t resist
Resistance bands are an inexpensive piece of equipment that can help you break through a plateau or just provide a fun and challenging way to add variety to you workout routine. “Resistance bands cause resistance throughout the entire exercise and on both horizontal and vertical planes, not just through gravity like dumbbells,” says Katie Chung Hua, a personal trainer at Team Bodybuilding.com Athletes. If you incorporate resistance bands into your routine regularly, it will improve your range of motion and flexibility. Resistance bands are available in a variety of resistance levels. “Start with an easier one and work your way up,” says Chung Hua. “Just like lifting weights, your last few reps need to be difficult, but remember not to sacrifice form.”
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This Is the Most Productive Way to Handle Any Failure
Failure is an inevitable part of life. Though science has named these the 5 life skills that promise success, we’re told over and over again that no great success was ever achieved without failure—or many failed attempts. One of life’s most important lessons, therefore, has to be how best to handle failure. But what is the message?
For starters, ignore advice from anyone who tells you, “Don’t beat yourself up about it,” no matter how well-meaning they are. According to new research from the University of Kansas, published online by the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, we absolutely should be beating ourselves up when we fail.
Marketing professor Noelle Nelson and her team found that the more emotional a person’s response is to failure, the more likely they are to achieve better results the next time they tackle a related task.
The researchers carried out three experiments in which undergraduate students were required to perform specific tasks. In one experiment, they were asked to search online for a blender and report the lowest price they could find with the possibility of winning a $50 cash prize. However the task was rigged, and all participants were told (by a computer) that the lowest price was $3.27 less than their reported price. Consequently, no participant won the cash prize.
When the results were revealed, some participants were asked to focus on their emotional response, and others on their cognitive response (i.e. relating to perception, judgment, and reasoning). During the next similar task, participants who focused on their emotional response to failure made more effort than those who focused on a cognitive response. (Did you know that learning to embrace negative emotions can actually make you happier over time?)
Everybody has their own unique challenges, responsibilities, duties, and projects, but these findings are relevant to all of us. Your personal failure may be a cake that fails to rise, a presentation that goes wrong, or a deadline that got missed—It doesn’t matter. What does matter is how you react to it. Instead of thinking about the failure, let yourself feel bad about it. Then follow this advice on how to bounce back after your failure.
“A natural tendency after failure is sometimes to suppress emotions and cognitively rationalize the failure, but if people know the possible negative effects of that behavior, they can override that natural tendency and focus on the negative feelings,” says Nelson, as reported on ScienceDaily. “That should lead to learning and future decision-making that is more positive.”
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12 of the World’s Strangest and Most Unique Hotels
The Liberty Hotel in Boston
When you’re planning a vacation, you want to be sure you’re on top of all the things you should ask your hotel. And then you want to make sure your stay is memorable. Here’s one way: Formerly the Charles Street Jail, the Liberty Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, is an actual converted prison that housed a few famous inmates back in the day, like Malcolm X and one-time Boston mayor James Curley.
The luxury hotel even has prison-themed names for its rooms and lounge areas. For example, The Clink is an on-site restaurant, and The Alibi is the hotel’s cocktail bar—and former jailhouse drunk tank. Amenities include air conditioning, in-room safes, minibar, complimentary overnight shoe shines, and on-site concierge. Guaranteed the prisoners never had it this good.
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9 Tips for Waking Up in the Morning Without a Struggle
Try to determine how much sleep your body needs
Listen to your body to see how much sleep is needed. For some it’s 7.5 hours of shut-eye, for others it may be nine hours of rest. “Listen to your body’s own rhythms to figure it out,” shares sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD, on webmd.com. Once you know how much shut eye your body needs, you can create an action plan to reach that goal. Here are some sleep myths you can safely ignore.
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The Only Question You Need to Ask to Find the Best Running Shoes
It sounds too simple to be true, but in a research review published in 2015, a team of researchers looked at decades of studies on running shoes and injury prevention. You may not even realize how many ways your shoes are ruining your workout. In their research, they found only one good predictor of whether a running shoe could reduce injury risk: comfort. When you ignore what your body is telling you or try to overcorrect for things like pronation, it may lead to injury. So the next time you head to the store to buy a new pair of running shoes, ask yourself, “Is this shoe comfortable?” But what exactly does “comfort” mean when it comes to a running shoe?
“Contrary to popular belief, comfort does not and should not always mean more cushion,” says Eric Orton, author of The Cool Impossible and the coach in Christopher McDougall’s cult read Born to Run. “I have found that flexibility in the mid/outsole plays a big role in comfort, allowing the foot to act more natural.” Orton notes that runners who are more flat-footed tend to find more comfort in outsoles that are flat on the bottom, whereas runners with a higher arch, usually find better comfort in a shoe that has a “cut out” section in the outsole under the arch/middle of the foot. “With that said, a flat-footed runner might find that less cushioned shoes are more comfortable because their lower profile will better help stabilize their feet,” he says. “The arched runner might experience the opposite.”
Cara Ann Senicola, PT, DPT, OCS, USATF-L1, CYT and an orthopedic specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery agrees: “Always checkout the bottom of the sneaker. It should look like the runner’s foot shape.” Senicola adds that some toe boxes are wider than others, so if you have a wide foot, make sure to choose a wider toe box. You’ll also want to make sure the toe box is tall enough to let toes move naturally. “A high toe box height allows the toes to move up and down, with the natural flex in toes during run gait,” Orton explains. “If the toe box height is too low, this inhibits the toes’ natural up and down toe movement which can cause discomfort, especially in your shins, without you realizing why.”
You also want to have room between the top of the shoe and where your toes end. How much room depends on the distance you’re running and if you run mostly flat terrain versus hilly terrain. “With very hilly terrain, the runner might need to size up half a size to allow for good foot flex running up hills and enough room to move when running down,” Orton says.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be! Most running stores can help guide you through this process and will often offer to film you running. “I would highly recommend shopping for sneakers in typical running gear (tights, socks, etc) and try jogging a little in a few sneakers recommended by someone who works at a running store before making a final purchase,” Senicola says. Now that you’ve got your shoe problem figured out, here are the common running mistakes you don’t know you’re making—and should probably fix ASAP.
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4 First, Humble Jobs of CEOs That Will Remind You Anything Is Possible
Cleaning bathrooms
You never know where greatness will come from—just check out the stories of nine ordinary people who changed history. CEO of OnFire Books, Tammy Kling has always had the urgency to write. It’s not because she wanted to be famous or sell a lot of copies (although she has thousands of followers and is a best-selling author). Her urgency comes from a real need to speak to a reader one-on-one. When Kling was seven, her father committed suicide. She says, “My number one mission is suicide prevention.” (Check out this amazing story of a suicide that was prevented.) The message of “never give up” comes up often in the books she works on. Through her role at OnFire Books, Kling helps top executives, celebrities, and other noteworthy influencers tell their stories in hopes to help someone else. Perseverance is a common theme in life advice from revolutionary individuals. Before starting her company from scratch, she worked many grueling jobs—such as being an airline stewardess and hostess at Chili’s Bar and Grill. Her very first job was scrubbing toilets at an office building, a gig that was supposed to teach her the value of hard work. She’s now against the idea of making kids do dirty work. She says, “Leadership is about leading, not punishing.” This value is reflecting in a key aspect of OnFire Books’ homeless writer’s division in which homeless shelters are given inspirational reading material and the people facing homelessness are given the opportunity to transcribe interviews and life stories from top executives. She says, ” If you know you want to change lives and you’re not doing it, you have to take a step.”
Her words of wisdom: What matters is who we are, not what we do.
Ready for more inspiration? Read life advice from Steve Jobs, Shonda Rhimes, and J.K Rowling.
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The Heartbreaking Reason This Little Boy Was Born Without Eyes
When Donna Castillo pushed her daughter in a stroller on their daily walk around a Miami neighborhood in 1989, she could never have known that the repercussions of that day would echo in her family’s life for years to come. Donna was about two months pregnant on that warm day. She often took walks with her daughter to stay healthy. (Avoiding exercise during pregnancy is one of the notorious pregnancy myths you should ignore.) As she strolled past a local self-pick farm that grew strawberries and tomatoes, she noticed a large tractor, stuck in mud, jerking back and forth in a struggle to move forward. The tractor’s sprayer mechanism was still open, and as the wind shifted, Donna was doused in an odorless, tasteless, and colorless liquid. When she recounted the event to her husband, Juan, an accountant—and again to her obstetrician the next day—they both told her not to worry, and that it was most likely water.
Months later, Donna went into labor. She gave birth to their son Johnny, but to the parents’ horror, he was born with anolphthalmia, a rare condition in which a baby is born with no eyes. The couple struggled to understand how something so tragic could have happened to their baby. It would be years before they arrived at the grim conclusion that it was that fateful day Donna had been sprayed—not with water, but with an incredibly toxic pesticide called Benlate, manufactured by the chemical giant DuPont.
Following Johnny’s birth, Donna joined an international support group for those affected by the rare birth defect. Through the group, Donna learned about a group of 29 children in Scotland with anolphthalmia: Their mothers had all been exposed to Benlate while pregnant. An investigator for the London Observer contacted the farmer of the U-pick berry farm Donna had walked by during her exposure, and the farmer admitted that he had, in fact, used the same pesticide. Pesticides may also increase your risk of developing these dangerous medical conditions.
After approaching several lawyers about taking her case with no success, Donna walked into the office of Jim Ferraro and found the hope she had been searching for. Ferraro not only agreed to take the case, which was the first of its kind, but he worked tirelessly to find a way to beat the odds and win. A case against an industry giant like DuPont faced very long odds. Ferraro told Reader’s Digest, “No one would take her case, because no one fights a chemical company and wins. DuPont is like the Roman army.”
Ferraro thoroughly researched the chemical and discovered a study by the University of California that showed a 43 percent increase in ocular deformities in pregnant rats. That’s when Ferraro knew he had a case worth presenting. “I was sleeping four hours a night. I took 63 depositions in four countries. I was absolutely crazy,” he says. Despite numerous appeals by DuPont, Ferraro and the Castillo family finally prevailed. “It was ten years and one month later that we received the final ruling from the Supreme Court,” he recalls. The family was awarded damages totalling $4 million.
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Now 26 years old, Johnny Castillo enjoys exploring his talents in music and singing, and attended the Perkins School for the Blind in Massachusetts. “He’s done really well,” Ferraro says. (This amazing school is teaching the blind how to “see” by using their tongues.)
Even though DuPont took the pesticide off the market during the appeal phase of the trial, Ferraro says there is still work to be done, and he hopes other lawyers won’t hesitate to get involved. Ferraro says that it’s too easy for corporations like DuPont to get past Environmental Protection Agency regulations and bring their harmful products to market in the United States. They conduct studies in a way that allows them to skew results in their favor. “These corporations fund the very studies that the EPA relies on. There’s no protection, and it’s incestuous,” he says. “It shouldn’t be this way, and it will affect thousands of lives if we can change this.”
Ferraro’s new book, Blindsided: The True Story of One Man’s Crusade Against Chemical Giant DuPont For A Boy With No Eyes, was released in June and tells the incredible story of the Castillo family’s tragedy and triumph, and how one lawyer’s willingness to take on a powerful corporation made all the difference. The book is quickly climbing best-seller lists and a movie detailing the incredible story is currently in discussion.
Ferraro is quick to offer encouragement to the next generation of lawyers who hope to make positive changes in the lives of those most vulnerable. “I want young lawyers to take a chance and make something happen—because it’s not going to happen on its own,” he says.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Reader’s Digest editors, who aim to highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of revenue from our partners, such as Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We welcome your feedback. Have something you think we should know about? Email us at Letters@rd.com.
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10 Mood-Lifting Essential Oils That Are Instant Pick-Me-Ups
Peppermint
If you’re in need of a refreshing mist or sniff that’s enough to boost your mood, focus, and energy levels—and you don’t have the time to try this simple energy-lifting routine—pick up some peppermint. Studies have linked peppermint essential oils to a reduction in heart rate and headaches, two side effects of high stress. “You can inhale the oil directly from the bottle (great if you work in an office with scent-sensitive people) or diffuse three drops of oil in water for an hour up to three times a day,” Maat van Uitert, essential oil expert, says. “It can also be used topically: Dilute one drop of oil in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.” Just test a small area of skin to make sure you’re not allergic. Additionally, van Uitert recommends buying your oils from a reputable source to ensure purity. “Cheap oils might not be pure, and you won’t see the same effect.” Here are some other essential oils that will amp your energy levels.
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7 Innocent Habits That Are Seriously Hurting Your Neck
You’re a textaholic
Bad posture is one of the leading causes of neck pain. (Try these 7 easy fixes to improve your posture.) The more time you spend with your head pulled forward or down—the very position your neck takes when you’re glued to your phone—means more work for the vertebrae of the lower neck. This also stresses the muscles of the upper back as they balance out the movement of your head. (Learn more about how texting hurts your body.) Try to keep your phone as close to eye level as possible to avoid this neck strain. The same goes for desk jockeys: When sitting at your desk, look straight ahead. Your eyes should stare at the top of your computer screen. If you need more leverage, use a few hardcover books to make your screen sit higher than you. Don’t miss these other ways to help your body recover from sitting at a desk all day.
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This Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Treatment Might Be More Powerful Than Sunlight
Falling low on vitamin D can lead to all kinds of troubles, such as depression, low energy, and even cancer. Though you can get vitamin D from fortified foods like dairy, or supplements, perhaps the easiest way is through sunlight: The body requires UV light to manufacture this vital nutrient. Unfortunately, the weak—or absent—winter sun poses a real problem for people who live in northerly climes. Now, a new study suggests there may be an indoor alternative for those who can’t get enough sunlight.
According to research by a team at Boston University School of Medicine and published in Scientific Reports, light from RayVio’s 293nm ultraviolet (UV) LED light produces more vitamin D3 in skin samples than the sun. The team, led by Tyler Kalajian is reporting that skin exposed to the light for one minute showed twice the amount of vitamin D3 production compared to skin exposed to sunlight for more than a half hour.
“We tested ultraviolet LEDs from different sources and at different wavelengths. RayVio’s 293nm LED showed the most significant potential for vitamin D3 production in the shortest amount of time,” said Dr. Holick, professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine, as reported by EurekaAlert. “This study will lead to a new generation of technology that can be labeled as photopharmacology in which the use of LEDs with targeted wavelengths can cause specific biologic effects in human skin to help treat and prevent chronic illnesses.”
Getting enough vitamin D is beneficial for the body in many ways—it can help prevent multiple sclerosis, rickets, joint pain and more. According to American Family Physician, about 6 percent of people in the United States suffer winter depression or seasonal affective disorder; 10 to 20 percent may have a milder form of the depression caused by the weather. Typically, integrating exercise, light therapy, fun activities, and getting enough vitamin D can help ward off feelings of sadness.
This study lends more support to the idea of using light therapy to treat patients with seasonal affective disorder and vitamin D deficiency. According to the study authors, UV LED devices like the RayVio light could reach areas of the skin that don’t necessarily always receive sunlight, including the upper legs and arms, as well as the back and abdomen. This would lessen the possibility of non-melanoma skin cancer, as the light produces a much smaller amount of light than sunshine and would then reduce the risk for skin damage. The study authors hope that with more research a small wearable device that emits the needed amount of light could be created.
“The potential of digital UV technology for phototherapy is enormous,” Dr. Robert C. Walker, RayVio’s CEO said. “Dr. Holick’s research with our UVB LEDs demonstrates the potential for new applications that can potentially improve and save hundreds of thousands of lives.
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If You Have Osteoporosis, Science May Have Found a New Winning Treatment
Treatment options for the 10 million Americans—mostly women—with osteoporosis leave a lot to be desired. This silent but deadly bone-thinning condition can be brought on by even harmless-seeming habits like these. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), those with severe bone loss have trouble preventing bone fracture and regaining bone strength even while taking medication. However, the study suggests that a new medication could solve this problem by significantly boosting bone density.
Currently, doctors typically prescribe the drug alendronate for women with severe osteoporosis. While alendronate can increase bone density and cut fracture risk by nearly 50 percent, the risk of breaking a bone is still unacceptably high—which is why researchers at the Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy decided to look at the possible benefits of a medication called romosozumab. The drug targets a substance in bones that can interfere or slow down the formation of new bone. For the study, researchers included 4,093 women—average age of 74—who had osteoporosis and had suffered a bone fracture in the past. The volunteers took either a 12-month supply of alendronate or romosozumab.
At the conclusion of the study, those who took romosozumab showed a 48 percent lower risk for vertebral fractures (the spine is a common site for osteoporotic fractures) compared to participants who were taking alendronate. The risk for any type of clinical fracture was 27 percent lower in the romosozumab participants.
There were some worrisome side effects in both groups—but cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks and strokes were higher in romosozumab patients—2.5 percent—as opposed to 1.9 percent of patients who were on alendronate. This was a surprise, say the researchers, since previous research on romosozumab hadn’t detected any heart risk. Here are some other simple things you can do daily to boost your bone density.
As promising as the romosozumab tablets appear to be, says study author Mattias Lorentzon, more research is needed. Nonetheless he is hopeful the drug could work. “With romosozumab in the treatment arsenal, we could prevent many fractures among the high-risk patients,” Lorentzon said.
If you’re concerned about osteroprosis, here are some symptoms to look out for and what to know about your bone health.
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الأربعاء، 27 سبتمبر 2017
8 Clear Signs It’s Time to Start Taking a Hair Vitamin
Hair health
When it comes to hair care, there are countless remedies, regimens, and steps you could follow. And while vitamin supplements may or may not work for many ailments, vitamins and supplements often have the potential to give your body the added boost it needs to grow strong, healthy hair free of breakage and damage. According to doctors and hair experts, there are a few telltale signs that a hair vitamin is needed.
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This Easy Hack Can Double Your Battery Charge in Just 5 Minutes
Either due to a lack of planning or a pretty old phone battery, your iPhone is about to die—and you only have a few minutes before you need to hit the road. The horror! There’s no point in plugging in, right?
Wrong! As a matter of fact, that’s just one of the phone battery myths you really need to stop believing. That five-minute charge may be worth it; odds are, you’re probably just doing it wrong. Thankfully, making the most of a quick top-up is simpler than you think. (And this is the best way to charge your device will make its battery last way longer.)
First, select your phone’s Airplane Mode setting to cut down on notifications or GPS functions, which could drain the battery as it charges. You should also remove your device’s cover (if it has one) to let any extra heat out.
What’s more, experts say using an iPad adapter can charge your phone faster than the adapter that comes in its original package. Just make sure you don’t charge your phone like this, or you could be ruining its battery. These eight things are killing your smartphone battery, too.
Done! With any luck, your battery will double its charge rate from about three to six percent in just five minutes, Mental Floss estimates. That number may seem small at first, but remember: You’re desperate, and a little can go a long way. A little bit of extra juice can sustain your iPhone until you find the time to let it fully charge. And to avoid a fiasco next time, just make sure you know the ten secrets to a better smartphone battery life.
[Source: Mental Floss]
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This Is the Best City in the World (Hint: It’s Not New York, London, or Paris!)
Looking for an new, fun destination to visit during your next vacation? Whether you’re a budding traveler or seasoned jet setter, don’t settle on a typical trip to Paris or London. Sure, those cities can certainly dazzle. But if you’re feeling inclined to hop across the pond, you should opt for a more exciting location instead. (Such as the top travel destinations for food lovers around the world.) We guarantee you won’t regret it!
Our suggestion: Bangkok, Thailand. Why? As per a new report by Mastercard, the Thai capital is the most popular city in the world for international travelers—for the second consecutive year.
The report projects that Bangkok will welcome nearly 20.2 million international overnight visitors this year. While London used to hold No. 1 spot, England’s capital city maintained its position in second place for the second year in a row. It expects over 20 million visitors this year.
Paris was ranked third, with a projected 16.1 million international visitors. Dubai and Singapore came in fourth and fifth place, respectively. (If you happen to swing by Singapore, make sure to fly through the best airport in the world, too.) The Big Apple ranked sixth with 12.7 million visitors, and that number is expected to decline this year, according to the report.
Toyko may be in eighth place right now, but jet setters might want to watch out for this Asian capital. With a projected growth rate of 12.2 percent, it’s poised to overtake the top-ranked cities in the near future.
And don’t worry—despite its position on top of the list, Bangkok doesn’t rank amongst the most outrageously expensive vacations. That honor goes to Dubai, whose international overnight visitors spent $28.5 billion at the capital city last year. On the other hand, Bangkok falls in fifth place for visitor spending, with $14 billion in revenues.
Ready to buy your tickets and pack your bags? Before you book, make sure you go during the best time of year to travel to these 12 major cities.
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The Perfect Classic Book for You, Based on Your Zodiac Sign
Aries: The Iliad
If anyone has a leader or a warrior inside of them, it’s Aries. Strong, driven, and persistent, Aries loves tales that revere these characteristics. Homer’s The Iliad is an ancient story that will enthrall present-day Aries all the same. Epic battles between men and Gods, and, of course, the infamous fall of Troy, will tap into the aggressive nature of Aries. It’s never too late to read one of the oldest books known to humankind. Here are more classic books that have stood the test of time.
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Never Pay for In-Flight Entertainment Again with This Smart Phone Hack
It’s a case of highway robbery that makes John Dillinger look like Shirley Temple. You’re sitting in the cramped cabin of a 747, finally settled in for departure, staring down a screen which would only look big by 1950s television standards. You get a preview of the programming while you sit on the tarmac, but once you take off, you receive a prompt for payment, a request for $6.99 to simply watch a censored version of a sub-par blockbuster on your two-hour flight. (Make sure you know these travel tips before your next flight.)
The airline monopolizes the content (movies), the equipment (screen), and even the real estate (the seat back). You want to end around the system by watching a movie preloaded on your phone, but you don’t want to hold it in perpetuity, and the tray table is about as stable as a Perfection game board. But there’s a way to beat this problem, discovered by Reddit user randomusefulbits, and all you need is a Ziploc bag
To start, make sure you have your in-flight media pre-loaded onto your phone. Sure, staring at your Uber app while it searches for service may seem enthralling, but the plot kind of gets repetitive after episode 3.
Next, grab a quart-size Ziploc bag. When you settle into your seat, slide your phone in the bag, make a hole on the size for headphones (Bluetooth headphones will come in handy here), seal the bag, unhinge your tray table, then secure your phone to the back of the seat using the table’s hook. And boom, you just made your own cost-free in-flight entertainment center.
Sit back, take advantage of a complimentary snack and drink (but not this one, flight attendants hate it when you order this one), and make sure you don’t nod off during landing—it can be dangerous!
[Source: LifeHacker]
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This Is How Marriage Affects Men’s and Women’s Brains Differently—and How to Make it Last
The science of a happy marriage
Can a married couple be too close for their own good? Can intimacy lead a couple to break up? New brain science shows us that it can. If couples have not mastered the changing stages of marriage, breakup is possible, and often predictable because the human brain dictates a series of natural responses during the life of a relationship. How we handle those stages can make or break a marriage.
For 20 years I have been studying how women’s and men’s brains affect marriage, from the first blush of romance all the way through to lifelong partnership. Understanding the behavioral differences involved can be the key to making love last a lifetime. Try doing these little things right now to make your marriage happier.
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Here’s Why You Need to Start Stretching Every Night Before Bed
What happens when you stretch your muscles?
You know you should stretch – and you know you feel good when you do it. But what actually happens when you stretch muscles properly?
We spoke with Nikos Apostolopoulos, director of the Microstretching Clinic in Vancouver, on what stretching really means and how to do it right. Start out small, try these easy stretching routines first.
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32 Everyday Mistakes That Raise Your Risk of Catching a Cold
You wash your hands wrong
You know the importance of hand-washing for warding off germs, but you might not realize you’re probably washing your hands wrong, and not often enough. “Washing hands with mild soap and warm water for 20 seconds or more is the correct technique,” says Matthew Mathias, MD, a family medicine doctor at Duke Health. “Repeating the ‘ABC’ song in your head twice while washing your hands can help people get the timing down.”
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16 Doctor Cartoons That Will Make You Laugh Through the Pain
New developments (besides your love handles)
Don’t miss these other doctor jokes that will make you LOL.
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What the Way You Hold Your Handbag Says About You
The secrets of the hold
We often spend a lot of time trying to pick out which bag to carry on the daily, and that preferred purse says a lot about you. But not much second thought is given into the way we choose to carry it. Whether you like to showcase it in your hand, elbow crook, or across the shoulder, it’s actually not a random decision. According to body language experts, it can say a lot about our inherent personality. We spoke with Patti Wood, body language expert and speaker, to find out exactly how to decipher hidden messages in the way we present our go-to accessory. She has spent over 30 years conducting research, writing books, and speaking about body language. “I am fascinated by purse behavior,” notes Wood. “Purses are a gender identifier: a way to show your status, your taste and creativity, and personality.”
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8 Eerie Photos of Abandoned Airports Around the World
Nicosia International Airport in Cyprus
The Nicosia International Airport used to be Cyprus’ central airport. After Turkish forces invaded the country to fight off a Greek coup in 1974 though, the hub closed. Now the abandoned airport sits in the United Nation-controlled buffer zone between the north and south of the country. To visit an equally chilling place without a passport, visit America’s 20 best haunted houses.
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The Surprising Way Sleeping Less Could Be a Fast-Acting Antidepressant
We’re all familiar with the health consequences of lack of sleep—forgetfulness, irritability, increased risk for high blood pressure, low libido, and weight gain, to name but a few. And lack of sleep is a key symptom of depression; some patients are extremely fatigued, while others experience insomnia.
So you might think that more sleep equals less depression, but according to a new study, the opposite is true: Getting less sleep, not more sleep, can help relieve symptoms of the illness. And fast.
According to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, sleep deprivation under controlled, inpatient settings greatly reduces symptoms in around half of patients.
After a review of existing studies (the first on this subject in nearly 30 years) researchers found that partial sleep deprivation (sleeping for 3 to 4 hours followed by forced wakefulness for 20-21 hours) helped alleviate symptoms of depression quickly.
Antidepressants are the most common treatment for depression, but it can take patients several weeks to experience results (even though science may be on the road to making antidepressants work faster). By comparison, depriving patients of sleep can produce clinical improvement in symptoms within 24 hours, making this groundbreaking research into how to deal with depression.
Pulling data from 66 studies over a 36-year period, the researchers established that sleep deprivation is effective for many populations, regardless of how the response was quantified, how the subject was deprived of sleep, or the type of depression the subject had.
“More than 30 years since the discovery of the antidepressant effects of sleep deprivation, we still do not have an effective grasp on precisely how effective the treatment is and how to achieve the best clinical results,” says study senior author Philip Gehrman, PhD, as reported on ScienceDaily. “Our analysis precisely reports how effective sleep deprivation is and in which populations it should be administered.”
It’s not yet known exactly why depriving someone of sleep causes rapid and significant reductions in the severity of their depression, so further research is needed.
In the meantime, watch out for hidden signs you may be depressed, and speak to your doctor if you have any concerns about your mental health.
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This Is How Dairy-Free Milk Could Be Damaging Your Brain
Statistically speaking, you probably have some sort of difficulty digesting dairy. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, approximately 65 percent of the world’s population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, a sugar commonly found in dairy products. There are plenty of alternatives out there, whether it’s almond milk, cashew milk, or just plain malk, so lactose intolerance is far from a dietary death sentence. (Here are 11 ways to replace dairy in your diet). But there might be reason to be cautious when making the switch.
As reported by the Independent, people who opt for milk alternatives run the risk of developing an iodine deficiency. Iodine is commonly found in dairy products, seafood, and, go figure, iodized table salt. The mineral plays a key role in stimulating your thyroid glands in hormone development and the hormones, in turn, play a key role in cognitive growth and function—so much so that the World Health Organization considers iodine deficiency as the most preventable cause of brain damage.
The findings are based on new research from the University of Surrey which examined the iodine content of 47-milk alternative drinks. The milk-alternatives, including soya, almond, coconut, rice, oat, hazelnut, and hemp, had, on average, just two percent of the iodine content of regular cows’ milk.
“Many people are unaware of the need for this vital dietary mineral,” Margaret Rayman, a professor of nutritional medicine at the University of Surrey told the Independent, “It is important that people who consume milk-alternative drinks realize that they will not be replacing the iodine from cows’ milk which is the main UK source of iodine.”
Rayman went on to explain that milk alternatives only provide 2 micro milligrams of iodine per serving, just a fraction of the recommended daily consumption for adults, which 150 micro milligrams. Watch for these signs of nutrient deficiency.
She also explained that pregnant women, in particular, should take notice, because their recommended iodine consumption is up to 200 micro milligrams per day. Iodine plays a crucial role in fetal cognitive development, according to the World Health Organization.
A way to solve this iodine problem is through supplementing your diet with other iodine-rich foods or by taking a vitamins—just make sure not to make these vitamin mistakes. There are plenty of things to keep an eye on health-wise, so it’s best to stay informed about what can happen to your body when you don’t consume dairy.
[Source: The Independent]
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You’ll Never Believe How Much Money People Paid for These Iconic Movie Props
How much would you pay to own your favorite movie prop? What about that dazzling costume that your celebrity idol wore? If you’re not lucky enough to steal props right off a movie set like the Harry Potter costume designer, you might have to fork over a couple million.
A new infographic from PlayNJ.com reveals the celebrity memorabilia that fetched the most money from buyers. It also shows the year of each sale, as well as some of the lucky, wealthy buyers and sellers. Some of the items reside in museums now, but many went to a single individual! If your favorite stunning movie gown is a little (OK, a lot) outside your price range, you might have to settle for ogling it on a screen rather than in a fancy glass case in your home. (Start with these 9 movies you should totally watch just for the clothes.) Or perhaps these hefty price tags will inspire you to brush up on the habits that could make you a millionaire.
From dresses worn by Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn (here’s how she stayed so thin, by the way) to cars driven by Bond and Batman to game-making sports memorabilia, these are the 23 priciest pop culture purchases.
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This Is Why You Need to Renew Your Passport Immediately
Attention, jet setters: Do you have a trip—local or abroad—coming up in the near future? If your passport is set to expire soon (or you need to get a new one), you might want to send in those applications sooner rather than later.
Why? For starters, processing times are shortest between September and December, according to the U.S. State Department. (Find out why they don’t want you to vacation in these cities in Mexico, though.) Demand for passports usually surges once the new year hits and continues into the summer. To get your passport back quickly, it’s best to get a head start now before the mad rush of seasonal vacationers.
Processing times aside, though, there’s another reason to make sure your passport is valid and up-to-date: The Real ID Act will go into effect next year. This law sets certain standards for state driver’s licenses, in order for them to be considered a valid federal ID for use at airport security checkpoints.
It goes without saying that not having the right ID could lead to a massive headache at airport security. To cover all your bases, you’ll want to travel with both your state license and your passport. That way, if your license is not compliant, you can just whip out a valid passport—problem solved. Make sure you avoid these airport mistakes before your next flight, too.
In order to receive a new passport, you’ll need to appear in person. Looking to renew? Renewals can be done by mail, but sure you send in this form before your original passport expires. Learn more about why your valid passport might be “expired” in some countries.
Bon voyage!
[Source: LA Times]
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Here’s Why High-Achieving Men Need Fancy Cars, Champagne, and Hot Tubs (Hint: It’s Not Testosterone)
Everyone fantasizes about winning the lottery or signing that multi-million-dollar contract, but not everyone who gets that money goes seemingly off the deep end, splurging on fast cars, designer duds, and fancy watches, as opposed to maybe socking money away for their kids’ college education or investing in stocks? (By the way, here’s how to look expensive without shelling out on a whole new wardrobe.)
When it comes to football stars, rappers, and CEOs, you might think the impulse to spend, spend, spend comes from elevated levels of testosterone, which have been associated with more dominant and aggressive behavior in men. It’s also been suggested that levels of the hormone rise when an individual wins a competition, and fall when they lose.
But new research shows that what drives people, men especially, to buy luxury items is not high levels of testosterone but feeling like a “winner.”
A study led by Yin Wu, former PhD student at the University of Cambridge and now based at Shenzhen University in China, together with researchers from London Business School, University of Oxford, and University of Vienna, investigated the effects of social status and testosterone levels on conspicuous consumption (buying expensive items to display wealth and income rather than meet actual needs).
Wu tested the effects of winning or losing a competitive version of the game Tetris on the behavior and testosterone levels of 166 male volunteers. The participants thought they were competing against one another in two-player games, but actually they were randomly classed as winners or losers.
Following the game, the men were asked how much they would be willing to pay for luxury items and asked to attribute positive and negative words to the items. Their testosterone levels were also measured.
According to the findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, winners were more likely to pay a higher price for luxury items than losers, and they attached greater value to those items than the losers did. However, winning and losing had no discernible effect on testosterone levels, suggesting that testosterone does not play a role in conspicuous consumption.
“Social competition is pervasive in our daily life—whether it is in terms of fighting for the top job, competing for friends and popularity, or even growing up in a wealthy, successful family,” explains Wu, as reported on ScienceDaily. “Our study demonstrates that winning a competition leads people to prefer high-status products, possibly through an increased feeling of entitlement or deservingness.”
If you want to save more than you spend, check out the good money habits of people who are great at building a nest egg.
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23 Eye-Opening Things Experts Wish You Knew About Domestic Violence
It’s a lot more than just physical violence
“We hear a lot of women who call us and are like, ‘Well, I’m not sure if I should be calling you because he’s not hitting me,’ but there’s a lot of other power and control dynamics that are being utilized in the relationship that are creating fear and intimidation.” —Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline (Everyone should know these self-defense techniques.)
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Boost Breast Health With These 10 Cancer-Fighting Foods
Olive oil
Olive oil is a famously healthy fat (and here are some extraordinary benefits of olive oil outside the kitchen as well); now, recent research suggests it has cancer-fighting potential. Researchers in Spain conducted a five-year study of 4,300 women to track how characteristics of a Mediterranean diet impacted breast cancer risk. One group of women consumed extra servings of extra virgin olive oil, another added an extra serving of nuts, and the third reduced fat intake. The group supplemented with olive oil had 62 percent fewer cancer diagnoses than the women who only cut back on fat. These are breast cancer symptoms you might not know about.
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15 Breast Cancer Myths You Can Safely Ignore
Myth: Breast cancer is the biggest killer of women
“Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women. So if you light up, quit smoking! Smoking is the leading cause of preventable cancer deaths.” —Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, director of active living for The American Cancer Society
If you need a little help, these are the best ways to quit smoking.
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Watch Out! That Break Room Coffee Might Be Crawling With Germs
Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some prefer it black, and those people are psychopaths. Coffee is the lifeblood for plenty of people’s work days, but it’s not the jitters that are jeopardizing your health. If you eschew Einstein’s for your morning coffee and opt for the office pot, you might just be putting your health at risk.
The risk is real for Keurig and french press users alike because the problem isn’t in the brew but in the vessel. We already knew that kitchen sponges could be regular Petri dishes when it came to bacteria, but when you’re at the office, these germ bombs are at their most dangerous. A University of Arizona study carried out by Dr. Charles Gerba, a professor of environmental microbiology, took a look-see at how sponges in the workplace endanger your World’s Greatest Boss mug. The results were pretty gross.
“Coliform bacteria were present on 20 percent of the coffee cups before and 100 percent of the coffee cups after wiping with a dishcloth or sponge,” Dr. Gerba writes, “No E. coli was found on cups prior to wiping. However, 20 percent of coffee cups were positive for E. coli after wiping.”
Exposure to E. coli can lead to symptoms like “diarrhea, which may range from mild and watery to severe and bloody; abdominal cramping, pain or tenderness; and nausea and vomiting,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
But it’s not a lost cause, not by a long shot. Pulling your mug from the equation entirely (i.e. bringing it home for washing) or requesting a small countertop dishwasher next time you talk to Carol from H.R. can help cut your exposure risk significantly. But ultimately, Dr. Gerba says, getting rid of the larger risk might require some institutional changes: “The presence of unsanitary conditions in the office kitchen and/or coffee preparation areas is of concern. The presence of potential pathogens in this environment necessitates the initiation of proper sanitary standards.”
Replace the sponge as frequently as you would at home, or maybe just support your local business and buy your cup on the way in. (If your work sink is made of stainless steel, you could be in double trouble.)
[Source: New York Post]
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