HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Main Reason Teens Are Depressed Isn’t Social Media
MENTAL HEALTH

The Main Reason Teens Are Depressed Isn’t Social Media

Social Media Isn’t the Main Reason Teens Are Depressed. Politicians and media are in their latest wave of ascribing young people’s mental health problems to anything but their real source: dysfunctional adults. The “dangers” of social media lend themselves to alarmist headlines, especially when there are high-profile cases of abuse or violence with a social media component. That’s why many commentators, advocates, and Congress members are simply blaming teens for their increased stresses and advancing proposals to ban persons under age 16 from social media like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Like many policy efforts when it comes to youth, this misses the mark and ignores the real crises afflicting teenagers. The real crises the most troubled teens face involve their parents’ rising...
Trippy Drugs To Therapeutic Aids – Psychedelics Got Their Groove Back
MENTAL HEALTH

Trippy Drugs To Therapeutic Aids – Psychedelics Got Their Groove Back

From trippy drugs to therapeutic aids – how psychedelics got their groove back. For many years, drugs such as LSD, psilocybin and Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) were viewed only as highly dangerous drugs. However, in recent years they have had a bit of rebrand. Now they’re believed by some to have the power to heal, to reconnect us with nature – even resolve political tensions. Use of these drugs is on the rise. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the UK Home Office released data showing a 230% rise in confiscations of LSD compared to the previous year. The pandemic itself might be changing drug preferences. Almost half of those using magic mushrooms reported using more during the pandemic according to a recent survey. The changing view of psychedelics can in part be attributed to the renewe...
Frazzled Health Care Workers – Poor Sleep May Turn Stress Into Poor Mental Health
SLEEP

Frazzled Health Care Workers – Poor Sleep May Turn Stress Into Poor Mental Health

Health care workers are frazzled – and poor sleep may turn stress into poor mental health. Health care workers often put the health and safety of their patients first, neglecting to take care of themselves. By providing continuous services around the clock, many experience short and poor-quality sleep, risking not only their own health and safety but also increasing the risk of making errors that can affect patient safety. I am an occupational health researcher who studies work, sleep and health among health care workers. My research has found that emotional labor – such as using fake smiles to hide true feelings – and work-family conflict – such as clashing demands between roles at work and at home – are both linked to depressive symptoms among health care workers. And poor sleep quality...
Even When We’re Not Hungry Here’s Why We Crave Food
NUTRITION

Even When We’re Not Hungry Here’s Why We Crave Food

Here’s why we crave food even when we’re not hungry. Food cravings are very familiar to most people. We may see or smell food and want to eat, or sometimes we suddenly feel like eating something delicious. These intense desires occur even when we’re not hungry and can be very difficult to resist. There are many reasons why we may “feel” hungry even if our stomachs aren’t growling. Physical hunger in our bodies is controlled by complex physiological signals which stimulate our appetite and then suppress it after we’ve eaten (known as satiety). However, eating is much more than just responding to a biological need. There’s another system that drives and motivates us to consume foods that are rich in energy (calories): the brain’s “food reward” system. The rewarding nature of food can eas...
Here’s How To Tell When Little Bit Of Normal Healthy Narcissism Becomes Pathological
MENTAL HEALTH

Here’s How To Tell When Little Bit Of Normal Healthy Narcissism Becomes Pathological

A little bit of narcissism is normal and healthy – here’s how to tell when it becomes pathological. During former President Donald Trump’s campaign and presidency, the word narcissism became something of a buzzword. And in recent years the word has been popularized on social media and in the press. As a result, social media and other online platforms are now rife with insights, tips, stories and theories from life coaches, therapists, psychologists and self-proclaimed narcissists about navigating relationships with narcissists or managing one’s own symptoms. The term “narcissism” is commonly used to describe anyone who is egotistical and self-absorbed. Someone who exhibits narcissistic traits may have a personality disorder known as narcissistic personality disorder. Over the past decade, ...
A Neurologist Explains Why Springing Forward Into Daylight Saving Time Is A Step Back For Health is worse than the fall time change
SLEEP, VIDEO REELS

A Neurologist Explains Why Springing Forward Into Daylight Saving Time Is A Step Back For Health is worse than the fall time change

Springing forward into daylight saving time is a step back for health – a neurologist explains the medical evidence, and why this shift is worse than the fall time change. As people in the U.S. prepare to set their clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 12, 2023, I find myself bracing for the annual ritual of media stories about the disruptions to daily routines caused by switching from standard time to daylight saving time. About one-third of Americans say they don’t look forward to these twice-yearly time changes. And nearly two-thirds would like to eliminate them completely, compared to 21% who aren’t sure and 16% who would like to keep moving their clocks back and forth. But the effects go beyond simple inconvenience. Researchers are discovering that “springing ahead” each March is ...
A Girls Night Out
SELF-CARE

A Girls Night Out

Women around the country are constantly searching for something new and different to do for a great girls night out that doesn't involve a bar or a highly overrated movie. When you consider the fact that most women have different tastes in books and poetry, book readings or signings are often very hit or miss, physical activity takes some of the fun out of things, and dancing inevitably leaves an odd man (or in this case girl) out. Dinner is great but often over far too soon. How about an evening of painting, laughing, joking, and dishing with the girls at your local paint your own pottery shop? Seriously this option offers a little something new and different for you and the rest of the girls without putting too serious of a strain on your pocket book. Unless of course you get greedy and ...
A Simple Egg Sandwich Good For You
NUTRITION

A Simple Egg Sandwich Good For You

The Health Benefits Of A Simple Egg Sandwich. This is the typical conversation most mornings and sometimes at weekends during snack time, between my wife and my 4 year old daughter. "Mum, I'm hungry." "What would you like to eat?" "Egg sandwich." She wants a fried egg, cooked in a small dab of virgin olive oil over moderate heat with a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper in a sandwich of freshly baked wholegrain homemade bread. I introduced her to eggs when she was a toddler. Eggs are easy to chew and should be part of a daily diet given to any child of one year old or older. I remember when my daughter as a toddler would eat the egg white first and then pop the whole yolk of a hard-boiled egg straight into her mouth. I still remember when I was a child and my mother used to give me a...
Caviar Is Back In Fashion
NUTRITION

Caviar Is Back In Fashion

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Caviar But Were Afraid To Ask! Once just a symbol of wealth, power and privilege, caviar is back in fashion. Not only that, these exotic fish eggs can be purchased by the average person, if only for special occasions. So how does a person go about enjoying the delicacy of caviar? Buying caviar can be a little tricky, not typically, caviar may be found in a specialty supermarket. Fresh caviar is a must. It may be sold in red, yellow and blue specialty tins, for the three top varieties of Beluga, Sevruga and Ossetra. It is available to buy over the internet through Caviar Xpress and other firms. The term "Mollosol" means "less salt" and refers to a finer class of caviar. A rare and exotic food item, the cost of caviar can be prohibitive, not usua...
The Psychological Benefits Of Commuting The Journey From Work To Home That Remote Work Doesn’t Provide – It’s About More Than Just Getting There
MENTAL HEALTH

The Psychological Benefits Of Commuting The Journey From Work To Home That Remote Work Doesn’t Provide – It’s About More Than Just Getting There

For most American workers who commute, the trip to and from the office takes nearly one full hour a day – 26 minutes each way on average, with 7.7% of workers spending two hours or more on the road. Many people think of commuting as a chore and a waste of time. However, during the remote work surge resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, several journalists curiously noted that people were – could it be? – missing their commutes. One woman told The Washington Post that even though she was working from home, she regularly sat in her car in the driveway at the end of the workday in an attempt to carve out some personal time and mark the transition from work to nonwork roles. As management scholars who study the interface between peoples’ work and personal lives, we sought to understand what ...