SELF

Do You Have Fear Of Saying ‘No’
SELF, TOP FOUR

Do You Have Fear Of Saying ‘No’

Are our fears of saying ‘no’ overblown? Everyone has been there. You get invited to something that you absolutely do not want to attend – a holiday party, a family cookout, an expensive trip. But doubts and anxieties creep into your head as you weigh whether to decline. You might wonder if you’ll upset the person who invited you. Maybe it’ll harm the friendship, or they won’t extend an invite to the next get-together. Should you just grit your teeth and go? Or are you worrying more than you should about saying “no”? An imaginary faux pas We explored these questions in a recently published study. In a pilot study that we ran ahead of the main studies, we found that 77% of our 51 respondents had accepted an invitation to an event that they didn’t want to attend, fearing blowback if...
Stop Scrolling In The Bathroom
SELF, TOP FOUR

Stop Scrolling In The Bathroom

The dirty truth about your phone – and why you need to stop scrolling in the bathroom. We carry them everywhere, take them to bed, to the bathroom and for many people they’re the first thing they see in the morning – more than 90% of the world owns or uses a mobile phone and many of us couldn’t manage without one. But while health concerns about phones use usually focus on the distraction they can cause while driving, the possible effects of radiofrequency exposure, or just how addictive they can be. The microbial infection risk of your phone is much less appreciated – but it’s very real. A 2019 survey found that most people in the UK use their phones on the toilet. So it’s not surprising to discover studies have found our mobile phones to be dirtier that toilet seats. We give our phones t...
What Food Choices Will Help You Get More Restful Sleep
HEALTH & WELLNESS, SELF, TOP FOUR, VIDEO REELS

What Food Choices Will Help You Get More Restful Sleep

What’s the best diet for healthy sleep? A nutritional epidemiologist explains what food choices will help you get more restful z’s. You probably already know that how you eat before bed affects your sleep. Maybe you’ve found yourself still lying awake at 2 a.m. after enjoying a cup of coffee with dessert. But did you know that your eating choices throughout the day may also affect your sleep at night? In fact, more and more evidence shows that overall dietary patterns can affect sleep quality and contribute to insomnia. I am a nutritional epidemiologist, and I’m trained to look at diets at the population level and how they affect health. In the U.S., a large percentage of the population suffers from poor sleep quality and sleep disorders like insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, a conditi...
Discovering The Wonders Of 2-In-1 Eye Cream
SELF

Discovering The Wonders Of 2-In-1 Eye Cream

Ever try a 2-in-1 eye cream? Here's what you should know. Did you know that the area of skin around the eyes is one of the most sought-after focuses of cosmetic enhancement surgery today? That's because the delicate skin around your eyes is 10x thinner than the skin on your face, and therefore the most likely to show early signs of aging. But fortunately, there are non-invasive alternatives to eye enhancement procedures, including proactive steps you can take now to help protect and improve the look of your skin, both above and below the eye. Here are some important do's and dont's to keep in mind when it comes to caring for the skin around your eyes: DO improve your nightly routine to help protect your eyes. Beyond just getting a good night's sleep every night, consider habits like using...
The Holidays Can Be A Time To Reflect And Find Meaning In Loss For Those Suffering With Prolonged Grief
HEALTH & WELLNESS, SELF, TOP FOUR, VIDEO REELS

The Holidays Can Be A Time To Reflect And Find Meaning In Loss For Those Suffering With Prolonged Grief

For many who are suffering with prolonged grief, the holidays can be a time to reflect and find meaning in loss. The holiday season is meant to be filled with joy, connection and celebration of rituals. Many people, however, are starkly reminded of their grief this time of year and of whom – or what – they have lost. The added stress of the holiday season doesn’t help. Studies show that the holidays negatively affect many people’s mental health. While COVID-19-related stressors may have lessened, the grief from change and loss that so many endured during the pandemic persists. This can cause difficult emotions to resurface when they are least expected. I am a licensed therapist and trauma-sensitive yoga instructor. For the last 12 years, I’ve helped clients and families manage grief, depr...
The Power Of Chicken Soup: How It Can Help You
HEALTH & WELLNESS, JOURNALISMS, SELF, TOP FOUR

The Power Of Chicken Soup: How It Can Help You

Does chicken soup really help when you’re sick? A nutrition specialist explains what’s behind the beloved comfort food. Preparing a bowl of chicken soup for a loved one when they’re sick has been a common practice throughout the world for centuries. Today, generations from virtually every culture swear to the benefits of chicken soup. In the U.S., the dish is typically made with noodles, but different cultures prepare the soothing remedy their own way. Chicken soup as a therapy can be traced back to 60 A.D. and Pedanius Dioscorides, an army surgeon who served under the Roman emperor Nero, and whose five-volume medical encyclopedia was consulted by early healers for more than a millennium. But the origins of chicken soup go back thousands of years earlier, to ancient China. So, with cold a...
Hosting A Successful Summer Wine Country Themed Party
CULTURE, SELF, SEX & RELATIONSHIPS, TOP FOUR

Hosting A Successful Summer Wine Country Themed Party

(BPT) - Not everyone can drop what they're doing and be whisked away for the weekend to visit Sonoma's wine country — but if you've always dreamed of living the relaxed and stylish wine country lifestyle, you're in luck. You can bring that casual, sophisticated feeling to your own backyard with a wine themed party. While you may not have a vineyard just feet from your house, you can still savor the flavor and vibe of wine country by hosting an afternoon get-together or laid-back soiree. Here are tips to give your gathering just the right notes. Create a casual, intimate atmosphere The best parties are small enough that everyone has a chance to enjoy good food, good conversation and of course, good wine, so keep your guest list on the smaller side. Then set up your backyard, deck or ...
Why I Will Never Gatecrash A Party Again
SELF, TOP FOUR

Why I Will Never Gatecrash A Party Again

It is Saturday night, I am working, the neighbors have amazing music, I feel like asking them to turn it up... In my misspent youth, I soon found out that where party music sounds good, you can get a bottle of wine, dress nicely, smile, say "John invited us", and you're in. But there were times when it didn't quite go according to plan... Such as the time when I (Caucasian) and some Asian friends tried to gatecrash a party that sounded just amazing, great music, awesome music system, we got so excited... We got our alcoholic offerings and knocked on the door. A smiling black man answered the door, with smiling black people from 4 generations behind him in the living room, all bearing a remarkable similarity in looks, dressed in their Sunday best, and well, you've probably guessed it,...
What Is A Life Coach And What Makes A Good One?
LIFESTYLE, SELF, TOP FOUR, TOP IMAGE

What Is A Life Coach And What Makes A Good One?

Finding a Life Coach: What Is a Life Coach and What Makes a Good One? Finding a life coach can be a simple step that changes many of your outcomes in life. Before venturing out to find one, however, you may be asking "What is a Life Coach" and "What Makes a Good One?" WHAT IS A LIFE COACH? A competent coach offers a variety of skills and resources from which to draw. As you experience different stages in your life, you may use a coach for different functions and needs. You may also use a coach for a completely different reason than someone else would use one. Following our premise that a coach can mean different things to different people, here are a few reasons why people differ on their reasons for finding a life coach: YOU NEED HELP WITH MOTIVATION If you are looking for a coach...
Aries Lucky Days – Best Time Of Month To Gamble
ADVICE, ASTROLOGY, SELF, TOP FOUR

Aries Lucky Days – Best Time Of Month To Gamble

People born in the date range of March 21st through April 19th have the Astrology sun sign of Ares the Ram. As an Aries, you probably know your basic Horoscope, but did you know that there are particular days and hours of the Month which are especially lucky for you? Here are some times when you will be especially lucky. Lucky Moon Days If you were birthday falls in the range of March 21st through March 28th, you will be luckier during the days of the New Moon. If it falls in the range of March 29th through April 5th, you will be luckier during the days of the second quarter of the Moon. If your birthday falls in the range of April 6th through April 13th, you will be luckier during the days of the Full moon. Finally, if you were born in the range of April 14th through April 19th, you ...