Don't Fall For These Tricks: The 6 Types of Links You Shouldn't Click On

In case you've been hiding in a cave somewhere, Vhong Navarro was subjected to a brutal beatdown in a condo unit in The Fort last January 22, Wednesday. The reason for the attack? According to the comedian, a group of guys wanted to extort money from him. The other camp says the shit went down because they caught him attempting to rape their mutual friend, Deniece Milinette Cornejo. It's all over the local news, and the shady part of the Internet has taken notice. We bet you've seen this link below on Facebook:

Did you click on it? We're hoping you didn't because there's no video. What's worse is you only helped spread a big fat lie. You see, when you click on it, you'll be asked to share the link first before you'll be able to view the non-existent clip. Tsk. This, dear friends, is an example of a negative form of clickbaiting. A clickbait (or link bait) is defined as a link that has a super interesting title or line that will make you click. Think of the links in your News Feed that go like "This blank did something really, really blank. What happened next is blank and utterly blank."

In itself, clickbaiting is not bad. It's actually a great way to spread the videos and articles that you want you want to go viral. However, if it's used for spreading fake and malicious content, then it becomes annoying and even dangerous since hackers can use it to steal confidential info (i.e. your log-in credentials). Spammers and hackers are sneaky and opportunistic. When something big happens, like the Vhong Navarro gulpihan issue, expect them to piggyback on it, using clickbaits to lure you in. So fellas, always be alert and follow the old "Think before you click" rule. Below is our rundown of The Types Of Links You Should Never Click On! THOSE THAT PROMISE A HUGE SUM OF MOOLAH

By this we mean links that promises something really big, like getting a boatload of cash in just a few easy steps. We all want to be rewarded, and this is why spammers and hackers create links that could attract the greedy bastard in us. THOSE THAT SAY SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE HAS HAPPENED

If you see a link that says something impossible has happened like, say, Jose Rizal was seen in a CCTV footage, be very wary. You can bet your next suweldo that it's fake (duh!) and it's just out to spam the heck out of everyone. However, if you want to make sure, use Google to verify its authenticity. If it's indeed true, numerous reputable sites have most probably written about the topic already—check it out there instead.

THOSE THAT POP UP AS COMMENTS WITH LINKS ON UNRELATED FACEBOOK POSTS

If you see a comment on a Facebook post that: 1) is completely unrelated to the topic and, 2) contains a shortened link, watch out. The poor commenter has been the victim of spamming and is being used by spammers to spread more spam. If you see a comment like this, be a good lad and notify the account it's associated with.
 THOSE THAT SAY THEY HAVE "EXCLUSIVE LEAKED" PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

Photos and videos can be leaked. Just ask Wally B. and Kim K. However, this doesn't mean every article or link that has the word "leaked" is legit. A prime example of this is the CCTV footage that allegedly shows Vhong Navarro getting his ass handed to him. As we've said, that one's as fake as your favorite porn star's ta-tas.

 THOSE THAT ARE SHARED BY YOUR FRIENDS WHO DON'T NORMALLY SHARE LINKS

When you see a link posted by your normally allergic-t0-online-sharing friend on Facebook, he or she probably didn't intend to do so. Spam might be at work here once again. Go ask your friend about it the next time he'sshe's online. If the answer you get is "no, I still don't share shit," then alam na.

 THOSE THAT CONNECT TO A DIFFERENT WEBSITE

Links can mask themselves using the name of a different website. For example, a link can say "Click here to see more FHM babes" but in reality it will send you to a shadier, much less sexy part of the Internet. And if you're really unlucky, you might just land on a site hackers use to get into your rig. There's a really simple way to check if a link won't connect you to another website. Place your mouse cursor (don't click!) over it and the full URL it's linking to will be displayed on the lower left side of your browser. If the address seems unfamiliar or isn't the one you're raring to visit then don't you dare click!

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14 Simple Ways to Super Charge Your Brain

Have you ever felt exasperated when you bumped into someone at the store but absolutely couldn't remember their name? Sure, it happens to all of us.

Despite being the strongest computer on the planet, our brains do lapse. It's hard to blame them really. As humans, we spend much of or existence stuffing our brains with stuff. Some stuff is worthless, some of it's meaningful, some of it, well, it's just stuff and there is an endless amount of it.

No matter how powerful our brains are, they need recuperation time, to be kept in shape, and even an occasional charge. Think of it as a tune up for your brain. Skipping brain maintenance is as silly as the person wandering the parking garage because they forgot where they parked. Is that you? Are you that person? Sure. We all are at some point. No worries, there is hope.

Now I am not a brain surgeon and I am not going to suggest you do anything surgical or dangerous. I am however an astute student of human behavior, so I always look for simple ways to super charge my brain.

Here are some things you can begin doing as soon as today to begin the great brain tune up.

1. Eat Almonds
Almond is believed to improve memory. If a combination of almond oil and milk is taken together before going to bed or after getting up at morning, it strengthens our memory power. Almond milk is prepared by crushing the almonds without the outer cover and adding water and sugar to it.

2. Drink Apple Juice
Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) indicates that apple juice increases the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in an increased memory power.

3. Sleep well
Research indicates that the long-term memory is consolidated during sleep by replaying the images of the experiences of the day. These repeated playbacks program the subconscious mind to store these images and other related information.

4. Enjoy simple Pleasures
Stress drains our brainpower. A stress-ridden mind consumes much of our memory resources to leave us with a feeble mind. Make a habit to engage yourself in few simple pleasures everyday to dissolve stress from your mind. Some of these simple pleasures are good for your mind, body and soul.

• Enjoy music you love
• Play with your children
• Hug a stranger
• Appreciate others
• Run few miles a day, bike or swim
• Start a blog
• Take a yoga class or Total Wellness routine

5. Fast for a day
Fasting cleans and detoxifies our body. It is known fact that heavy food not only causes stress on our digestive system but also drains our brainpower. Fasting relieves toxic emotions such as anger, grief, worry, and fears - before they accumulate and cause disease. By cleansing toxic emotions, fasting strengthens metal clarity with increases memory, concentration, creativity and insight.

6. Exercise your mind
Just as physical exercise is essential for a strong body, mental exercise is equally essential for a sharp and agile mind. Have you noticed that children have far superior brainpower than an adult does? Children have playful minds. A playful mind exhibits superior memory power. Engage in some of the activities that require your mind to remain active and playful.

• Play scrabble or crossword puzzle
• Volunteer
• Interact with others
• Start a new hobby such as blogging, reading, painting, bird watching
• Learn new skill or a language

7. Practice Yoga or Meditation
Yoga or Meditation relives stress. Stress is a known memory buster. With less stress, lower blood pressure, slower respiration, slower metabolism, and released muscle tension follows. All of these factors contribute significantly towards increases in our brainpower.

8. Reduce Sugar intake
Sugar is a non-food. It’s a form of carbohydrate that offers illusionary energy, only to cause a downhill slump once the initial burst has been worn off. Excess intake of sugar results in neurotic symptoms. Excess sugar is known to cause claustrophobia, memory loss and other neurotic disorders. Eat food without adding sugar. Stay away from sweet drinks or excess consumption of caffeine with sugar.

9. Eat whole wheat
The whole wheat germs contain lecithin. Lecithin helps ease the problem of the hardening of the arteries, which often impairs brain functioning.

10. Eat a light meal in the night
A heavy meal at night causes tossing and turning and a prolonged emotional stress while at sleep. It’s wise to eat heavy meal during the day when our body is in motion to consume the heavy in-take. Eating a light meal with some fruits allows us to sleep well. A good night sleep strengthens our brainpower.

11. Develop imagination
Greeks mastered the principle of imagination and association to memorize everything. This technique requires one to develop a vivid and colorful imagination that can be linked to a known object. If you involve all your senses - touching, feeling, smelling, hearing and seeing in the imagination process, you can remember greater details of the event.

12. Sex
Our sexual imagination often empowers our ability to daydream, which strengthens our brainpower with greater imagination, visualization and association.

13. Control your temper
Bleached food, excess of starch or excess of white bread can lead to nerve grating effect. This results in a violent and some time depressive behavior. Eat fresh vegetables. Drink lots of water and meditate or practice yoga to relieve these toxic emotions of temper and violent mood swings.

14. Take Vitamin B-complex
Vitamin B-complex strengthens memory power. Eat food and vegetables high in Vitamin B-complex. Stay away from the starch food or white bread, which depletes the Vitamin B-complex necessary for a healthy mind.

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18 Health Tricks You Should Know About Your Body.

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear!

Tickle in your throat: It's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: Scratch your ear. "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose, and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This spasm relieves the tickle."

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick.According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. Here's an easier, quicker, and cheaper remedy to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Stomach problems like heartburn or acid reflux?

Consider sleeping on your left side. Studies show that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. According to Dr. Anthony A. Star-poli, a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College, when you sleep on your right side, your stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. However, when you sleep on your left side, you turn the situation around and stomach acid slides down.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice.The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natural method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Ah, luckily there's a remedy. Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance -- the cupula -- floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. "As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises," says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you're like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed -- if you don't mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums -- just behind that small dent below your nose -- and press against it, hard. "Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose," says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. "Pressing here helps stop them."

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical- services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It'll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. "It's usually caused by near-point stress." In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles -- like the eyes -- into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don't let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

16. Impress your friends!

Next time you're at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He'll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that's a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will cave like the French. By misaligning his hips, you've offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body's ability to resist.

17. Breathe underwater!

If you're dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first -- essentially, hyperventilate. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin' ain't right. "When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity," says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology at Auburn University. "This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen." It'll buy you up to 10 seconds.

18. Read minds!

Your own! "If you're giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep," says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory.

By: Kate Dailey, MensHealth.com

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A New Solution That Stops Snoring and Lets You Sleep

If you’re like most Americans you probably don’t get eight hours sleep each night.

But, if you also constantly feel exhausted, experience headaches for no obvious reason or have high blood pressure, you could have a more serious problem.

That’s because these can all be the result of snoring—which is, in turn, the most common symptom of a potentially serious health problem—obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

While most people think of snoring as a minor annoyance, research shows it can be hazardous to your health. That’s because for over 18 million Americans it’s related to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). People who suffer from OSA repeatedly and unknowingly stop breathing during the night due to a complete or partial obstruction of their airway. It occurs when the jaw, throat, and tongue muscles relax, blocking the airway used to breathe. The resulting lack of oxygen can last for a minute or longer, and occur hundreds of times each night.

Thankfully, most people wake when a complete or partial obstruction occurs, but it can leave you feeling completely exhausted. OSA has also been linked to a host of health problems including:

• Acid reflux
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Memory loss
• Stroke
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Heart attack

People over 35 are at higher risk.

OSA can be expensive to diagnosis and treat, and is not always covered by insurance. A sleep clinic will require an overnight visit (up to $5,000). Doctors then analyze the data and prescribe one of several treatments. These may require you to wear uncomfortable CPAP devices that force air through your nose and mouth while you sleep to keep your airways open, and may even include painful surgery.

Fortunately, there is now a far less costly, uncomfortable, and invasive treatment option available. A recent case study published by Eastern Virginia Medical School's Division of Sleep Medicine in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine concludes that wearing a simple chinstrap while you sleep can be an effective treatment for OSA.

The chin strap, which is now available from a company called MySnoringSolution, works by supporting the lower jaw and tongue, preventing obstruction of the airway. It’s a made from a high-tech, lightweight, and super-comfortable material. Thousands of people have used the MySnoringSolution chinstrap to help relieve their snoring symptoms, and they report better sleeping, and better health overall because of it.



An effective snoring solution for just $119

The “My Snoring Solution” Chinstrap is available exclusively from the company’s website which is currently offering a limited time “2 for 1” offer. The product also comes with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

If you want to stop snoring once and for all, without expensive CPAP devices or other intrusive devices, this may be the solution you’ve been waiting for. The free additional strap is great for travel or as a gift for a fellow sufferer.

   

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Licking Your Wounds: Scientists Isolate Compound In Human Saliva That Speeds Wound Healing

A report by scientists from The Netherlands identifies a compound in human saliva that greatly speeds wound healing. This research may offer hope to people suffering from chronic wounds related to diabetes and other disorders, as well as traumatic injuries and burns. In addition, because the compounds can be mass produced, they have the potential to become as common as antibiotic creams and rubbing alcohol.

We hope our finding is ultimately beneficial for people who suffer from non-healing wounds, such as foot ulcers and diabetic ulcers, as well as for treatment of trauma-induced wounds like burns," said Menno Oudhoff, first author of the report.

Specifically, scientists found that histatin, a small protein in saliva previously only believed to kill bacteria was responsible for the healing. To come to this conclusion, the researchers used epithelial cells that line the inner cheek, and cultured in dishes until the surfaces were completely covered with cells. Then they made an artificial wound in the cell layer in each dish, by scratching a small piece of the cells away. In one dish, cells were bathed in an isotonic fluid without any additions. In the other dish, cells were bathed in human saliva.

After 16 hours the scientists noticed that the saliva treated "wound" was almost completely closed. In the dish with the untreated "wound," a substantial part of the "wound" was still open. This proved that human saliva contains a factor which accelerates wound closure of oral cells. Because saliva is a complex liquid with many components, the next step was to identify which component was responsible for wound healing. Using various techniques the researchers split the saliva into its individual components, tested each in their wound model, and finally determined that histatin was responsible.

"This study not only answers the biological question of why animals lick their wounds," said Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, "it also explains why wounds in the mouth, like those of a tooth extraction, heal much faster than comparable wounds of the skin and bone. It also directs us to begin looking at saliva as a source for new drugs."

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Green Tea and the Prevention of Lung Cancer

According to the BBC, the study found that those who didn’t drink green tea were at a five times greater risk of developing lung cancer than those who had just one cup a day. Among smokers, the rate was even higher, with the non-drinkers seeing a risk increase of 12 times that of the tea drinkers.

Also related to green tea consumption, scientists found that a gene may play a role in the prevention of lung cancer. The greatest lung cancer prevention was seen in those people who not only drank green tea, but had a gene called IGF1.

Active components in green tea, called polyphenols, are credited with stopping cancer in its tracks. Though some conflicting studies have arisen over the years, the majority point to green tea as an amazing health elixir.

Scientists began researching the effects of the tea when noticing the dramatically lower cancer rates in Asia, where consumption of green tea is highest.

Of course this isn’t the first time a link has been made between green tea and cancer prevention. One Japanese study involving 40,000 Japanese individuals found that consuming five cups of green tea each day could work to prevent the development of cancer, particularly lymph cancers and blood cancers. Other scientists also found that green tea fights cancer cell growth. They noticed that the active ingredient in green tea can lead to a regression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)—a type of cancer that causes the bone marrow to make too many lymphocytes (white blood cells).

Fortunately for us, green tea is easy to find. In order to get the most from your tea, look for organic varieties. Drink at least one cup each day and limit sweeteners and additives. Green tea has a light taste that isn’t overpowering and is easy to drink.

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Top 10 Healthy Benefits To Regular Meditation

1. It Improves Cognitive Function

Researchers have known for awhile that those who have meditated regularly for a long time have increased cognitive ability, including increased brain connectivity and better fluid intelligence. Scientists wanted to find out, however, if someone could get similar effects after only a few days with no previous experience meditating. At the end of a four-day study, scientists discovered that even those who had never meditated before had improvements in visuo-spatial processing, working memory, attention, and executive processing. The meditation training also improved their minds, even though they had never tried it before, leading to decreased anxiety, reduced fatigue and increased mindfulness. What we are saying is that, in just a few days, meditation will make you much smarter, and it won’t even take much time out of your day.

2. It Can Help Prevent Alzheimer’s

The same Yale researchers from before also did functional magnetic resonance imaging scans on experienced mediators, who were using three different techniques. The researchers found that those who were experienced at meditation tended to have decreased activity in the default mod network. This network is known for causing the buildup of the beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. It might not necessarily cure you if you already have Alzheimer’s, although researchers believe meditation would be helpful even if you already have the disease. However, it definitely will help prevent it from happening in the first place, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you are getting older, and are worried about Alzheimer’s, daily meditation could save your brain.

3. It May Help You Lose Weight

In a recent study, researchers wanted to find out if mindfulness meditation could prevent stress-eating among obese women, and help them lose weight over time. 47 women were assigned to one of two groups. The control group was given basic information about diet and exercise but that was it, while the other group was given daily mindfulness meditation exercises, to help them reduce stress and fight the urge to overeat. Scientists tested for how they ate, their Cortisol Awakening Response (a stress hormone), abdominal fat, weight, anxiety, and mindfulness. They found that those who meditated regularly had less anxiety, more mindfulness, and were less likely to over eat. They also found a reduction in CAR and, while the effects were not very noticeable over a short period of time, scientists associated these responses with a reduction in abdominal fat.

On the other hand, the control group did not receive the sort of benefits those who meditated got, and some even gained weight. The main takeaway is that meditation helps you control your cravings, stops you from stress-eating, and can lead to significant weight loss over time.

4. It Can Help Improve Your Immune System

Scientists wanted to learn if mindfulness meditation could improve people’s immune systems. The researchers did a study, where a group of healthy people were given an eight-week clinical training program on mindfulness meditation. The control group did not meditate at all. At the end of eight weeks, scientists gave both groups a flu vaccine. The scientists found that those who had meditated for eight weeks prior had a significantly larger antibody-to-influenza ratio, than those who had not mediated. They believe that this demonstrably proves that meditating, for even as short a period as eight weeks, can significantly improve your immune system. If you tend to get sick a lot, this may be a great way to improve your life.

5. It Can Help You Beat Addiction

In a recent study, scientists had 19 adults, who were recovering from alcoholism, take part in an eight-week mindfulness meditation program, as well as having them meditate at home. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that the participants were likely to find the techniques very beneficial for beating addiction. The participants themselves rated the meditation as being very helpful, and many desired to keep doing it regularly at home. The reason for its effectiveness is believed to be that the meditation reduced their stress levels and helped them cope with the cravings, as well as giving them increased mindfulness. This can work for any addiction, be it alcohol or cigarettes.

6. It Can Help Control And Reduce Asthma Symptoms

Scientists studied a group of 70 asthma patients who used inhalers regularly, and had them perform yoga meditation over a three-month period. The members of the case group showed improvement in their pulmonary functions, decreased respiratory rate, less need to use their inhalers, fewer asthma attacks, and a decreased pulse rate. The researchers are not entirely sure what caused these incredible effects on the patients, but they believe it may have something to do with an increased amount of endorphin activity, airway muscle dynamics, and better balance in the autonomic nervous system. We could also go with the fact that those with asthma have trouble breathing properly, and meditation is very focused on improving breathing.

7. It Can Reduce Cholesterol And Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

Scientists discovered, after multiple tests and controls, that a seven-step program in transcendental meditation (which doesn’t require any change in religious or philosophical belief) for just twenty minutes twice a day, can have incredible health benefits. They discovered that this form of meditation can reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It was also found to decrease the effects of problems like angina pectoris and carotid atherosclerosis. The former involves chest pains due to obstruction or spam of the coronary arteries, and the latter is a constriction of the carotid artery. None of those problems sound very good, but transcendental meditation is a great, cost-effective way to help improve symptoms, though treatment should still involve professional medical care.

8. It Can Reduce Your Risk Of Schizophrenia And Other Psychotic Disorders

Scientists at Yale learned that experienced mediators tend to turn off the part of the brain with “me” thoughts, as well as mind-wandering. The researchers believe that these states, in their pathological form, are associated with schizophrenia, autism and anxiety disorders. Meditation allows for people to be more present-centered, instead of self-centered, according to the scientists. It is believed that schizophrenia has a strong genetic factor, but certain circumstances come into play as to whether someone at risk for the disease actually develops it. Meditation could help someone, who might otherwise be at risk, avoid contracting the disease, or at least control their symptoms better.

9. It Can Help Facilitate Psoriasis Treatments

Psoriasis is an immune disorder that causes your body to think that healthy skin cells are diseased, and sends out a signal to create new ones, which leads to far too many new skin cells. This causes scaly, itchy patches on people’s skin, and is believed to lead to an increased risk of stroke. Scientists conducted a study with groups of people about to undergo phototherapy for their psoriasis. One group was given regular guided mindfulness meditation sessions along with the phototherapy, and the control group simply had the phototherapy and nothing else.

After going over the results, the scientists concluded that those who had gone through the guided mindfulness meditation sessions had decreased stress, as well as quicker resolution of their psoriatic lesions. Basically, those who had meditated healed both faster and better.

10. Both Mood And Stress Levels Are Greatly Improved

A recent study found that those who meditate, even as little as eleven hours a month, can see both increased cognitive performance, and greatly increased mood. Researchers studied 68 university students over the course of a month, and found that they had an increase in white matter around the anterior cingulate cortex. This is part of your body’s self-regulation system, and is used to control mood, among other things. Those who took part in the study had lower levels of anxiety, anger, fatigue, and depression, than those in the control group. If you are ever in a situation where life is getting you down; don’t get mad, get to meditating.

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Surprising Health Benefits of Semen

To paraphrase a great old slogan for Guinness beer: Sex isn’t just good, it’s good for you!

Okay, so maybe there’s some wishful thinking going on — the science isn’t exactly iron-clad — but evidence is accumulating that the more sex you have, the better off you are.

There is one caveat, though. “We do not have good data to show a direct connection [to all-around good health]," says Jennifer Bass, the head of information services at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction in Bloomington, Ind. "We know that healthier people have more sexual activity. But we do not know which comes first. Does the good health make you more willing to have sex, or does the sex have a positive impact?”

And you dirty girrrls and Don Juans should know that the assumed health benefits of sex are generally thought to accrue to people in loving, monogamous relationships or those flying solo. Risky sex with lots of partners will probably do more harm than good.

But while researchers try to nail down the impact on overall health, data is mounting when it comes to some specifics. Here are several potential benefits:

➨ ➨1. Easing depression and stress

Bass says this is pretty definite. “The release from orgasm does much to calm people. It helps with sleep, and that is whether we talk about solo sex or sex with a partner,” she says.

But wait, there’s more. A recent study of college students at the State University of New York in Albany suggests that semen acts as an antidepressant. Females in the study who were having sex without condoms (see safe sex caution, above) had fewer signs of depression than women who used condoms or abstained from sex.


“These data are consistent with the possibility that semen may antagonize depressive symptoms,” the authors wrote, “and evidence which shows that the vagina absorbs a number of components of semen that can be detected in the bloodstream within a few hours of administration.”

I kid you not, ladies. Semen is good stuff. It gives a shot of zinc, calcium, potassium, fructose, proteins -- a veritable cornucopia of vitality!

➨ ➨2. Relieving pain

Orgasm is a powerful pain-killer. Oxytocin, a natural chemical in the body that surges before and during climax, gets some of the credit, along with a couple of other compounds like endorphins.

According to a study by Beverly Whipple, professor emeritus at Rutgers University and a famed sexologist and author, when women masturbated to orgasm “the pain tolerance threshold and pain detection threshold increased significantly by 74.6 percent and 106.7 percent respectively.”

➨ ➨3. Boosting cardio health

I can’t resist another plug for semen. It’s possible that male goo can lower blood pressure. Another recent study found that women who gave their men oral sex, and swallowed, had a lower risk of preeclampsia, the dangerously high blood pressure that sometimes accompanies pregnancy.

No, I’m not making this up. “The present study shows that oral sex and swallowing sperm is correlated with a diminished occurrence of preeclampsia,” said the Dutch authors.

See? We told you it was good for you.

There have been other studies showing that sex lowers blood pressure, and might even protect against strokes because of its stress-relieving ability.

But when we think of sex and the cardio system, we tend to think of poor old Nelson Rockefeller having a heart attack in flagrante delicto. Well, not only does that hardly ever happen, but sex might actually protect the heart. A 2002 report from a large British population of men said “some protection from fatal coronary events may be an added bonus” of frequent sexual intercourse.

➨ ➨4. Countering prostate cancer

Over the past few years, several journals have published studies showing that the more ejaculations the better.

Now the Journal of the American Medical Association, no less, has reported that “high ejaculation frequency was related to decreased risk of total prostate cancer.” It doesn’t matter how a man climaxes -- intercourse or masturbation. So next time he says, “Really, honey, it’s therapy,” he could be telling the truth.

➨ ➨5. Healing wounds

Some evidence suggests sex can be rejuvenating to the point of helping wounds to heal faster. Several experiments have shown that oxytocin can help even stubborn sores, like those suffered by diabetics, to heal by regenerating certain cells.

➨ ➨6. Fighting aging

Maybe it’s the rejuvenation, maybe the happiness, maybe all of the above. One thing’s for sure: “Use it or lose it” is literally true. For example, postmenopausal women often suffer from “vaginal atrophy,” which is what it sounds like and can lead to all sorts of complications like urinary tract infections. What’s one way to prevent it? More intercourse.

Sex is a form of exercise, after all, and like all exercise, it burns calories and can help battle the onslaught of the years. In fact, nursing home experts say they wish oldsters would have more sex.

Can sex really make you live longer? Maybe. In the same population of British men I cited earlier, researchers found a 50 percent reduction in overall mortality in the group of men who said they had the most orgasms. There was a dose response: the more orgasms, the better.

Of course, as Kinsey’s Bass reminds us, it could be that these blokes were just healthier and felt like having sex more often. But since there’s no evidence that lots of sex is bad for you, what have you got to lose?

What is in semen?

Sperm is only 1% of semen. The rest is water, mucous, sugar and other acids and bases. According to SemenTherapy.com, semen contains:

ascorbic acid (vitamin C, for tissue maintenance)
blood-group antigens (from immune system)
calcium (mineral)
chlorine (oxidizing agent)
cholesterol (steroid alcohol present in body fluids)
chlorine (base, part of the vitamin B complex)
citric acid (occurs during cellular metabolism)
creatine (nitrogenous substance found in muscle)
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
fructose (sugar used for energy)
glutathione (peptide amino acid)
Glycoproteins (cancer fighting agent)
hyaluronidase (enzyme)
inositol (sugar found in muscles)
lactic acid (byproduct of muscle use)
magnesium (mineral)
nitrogen (gas found in all living tissue)
phosphorus (mineral)
prostaglandins (good for pregnancy)
potassium (mineral)
purine (compound of uric acid)
pyrimidine (organic base)
pyruvic acid (formed from either glucose or glycogen)
selenium (cancer fighting agent)
sodium (salt)
sorbitol (body alcohol)
spermidine (catalytic enzyme)
spermine (ammonia compound found in sperm)
urea (from urine)
uric acid (from urine)
vitamin B12 (for proper function of nervous system and metabolism)
zinc (mineral)

There is no risk in ingesting the semen of a healthy man. Swallowing semen carries no additional risk other than those inherent in fellatio. Fellatio does carry some transmission risk for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV or herpes, especially for people with bleeding gums, gingivitis or open sores.

Even if semen is cold before the individual ingests it, viruses can stay active for a long period of time once outside the body.

Research has suggested that performing unprotected oral sex on a person infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) might increase the risk of oral or throat cancer. The study found that 36% of the cancer patients had HPV compared to only 1% of the healthy control group. It is believed that this is due to the transmission of HPV because this virus has been implicated in the majority of cervical cancers.

Sources:
MSNBC
MEDICALDAILY

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Semen Is Good For Your Health And Helps Fight Depression

Oral sex is good for women's health and makes you feel happier, according to a study which studied the effects of semen's 'mood-altering chemicals'.
The State University of New York study - which scientists carried out via survey rather than through practical experiment - compared the sex lives of 293 females to their mental health.

It follows research which shows that seminal fluid contains chemicals that elevate mood, increase affection, induce sleep and also contain at least three anti-depressants.

The researchers also claim that women who have regular unprotected sex are less depressed and perform better on cognitive tests.

Semen contains another of chemicals along with spermatozoa, including cortisol, which is known to increase affection, estrone, which elevates mood and oxytocin, which also elevates mood.

It also contains thyrotropin-releasing hormone (another antidepressant), melatonin (a sleep-inducing agent), and even serotonin (perhaps the best-known antidepressant neurotransmitter).

Given these ingredients - and this is just a small sample of the mind-altering 'drugs' found in human semen - Researchers Gallup and Burch, along with the psychologist Steven Platek, hypothesised that women having unprotected sex should be less depressed than suitable control participants.

Other recent findings from Gallup’s laboratory suggest that semen-exposed women perform better on concentration and cognitive tasks and that women’s bodies can detect 'foreign' semen that differs from their long-term or recurrent sexual partner’s signature semen.

They suggest the ability to detect foreign sources is an evolved system that often leads to unsuccessful pregnancies - via greater risk of preeclampsia - because it signals a disinvested male partner who is not as likely to provide for the offspring.

Their findings also suggest that women who have unprotected sex with their partners - and therefore are getting regularly inseminated by them - experience more significant depression on breaking up with these men than those who were not as regularly exposed to an ex’s semen, and that they also go on the rebound faster in seeking new sexual partners.

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How to we get rid of blackheads and whiteheads

Maintaining a clear and beautiful skin, takes time, consistency and effort. Dermatologist may recommend lots of products, but some of them can be expensive and may actually take a long time to work. You can, however, incorporate some home remedies for blackheads and whiteheads into your daily beauty regimen and in a few weeks, you will experience a drastic reduction or even total elimination of the problem.

● Toothpaste – Toothpaste is an effective blackhead and whitehead remover. Apply a thin paste to your infected areas and let it sit on your face for at least 25 minutes. You will probably feel a burning sensation when you apply the toothpaste, but this is normal and will pass. Once you remove the toothpaste, the top of your blackheads and whiteheads will disappear, but you still need to thoroughly wash your face to remove the buildup underneath. Repeat this home remedy every other day for two weeks.

● Tomato – Tomatoes have natural antiseptic properties that dry up whiteheads and blackheads. Peel and mash a small tomato. Apply the tomato pulp to your blackheads and whiteheads before going to bed. Leave the tomato pulp on your face while you sleep and then wash your face in warm water in the morning.

● Lemon -Wash your face in warm water. Then, squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl. Add in a pinch of salt and stir the mixture. Apply the mixture to your blackheads and whiteheads. Leave the mixture on for approximately 20 minutes and then wash your face with warm water again.

● Lime – You can also use equal parts of lime juice and cinnamon powder and apply this mixture to blackheads. Leave it on overnight and rinse it off in the morning

● Cornstarch – Mix about a three-to-one cornstarch to vinegar ratio into a paste. Apply it to your problem areas and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the paste with warm water and a washcloth.

● Yogurt - Mix three tablespoons of plain yogurt with two tablespoons of oatmeal. Add one teaspoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture. Stir the mixture thoroughly and apply it to the effective area of the face. Let the mixture sit for five to seven minutes then rinse off with cold water.

● Almond or oatmeal – Mix either oatmeal or almond powder with just enough rose water to make a spreadable paste. Apply it to your problem areas with your fingertips first and then apply it to the rest of your face. Let it set for about 15 minutes and then rinse your face with cold water.

● Rice – Soak rice in milk for 5 hours and then grind this in a blender until it is paste-like in consistency. Use the paste as a scrub on affected areas of the body.

● Potatoes – Grate raw potatoes and then rub the area with the mixture. Wash it off after 15 minutes.

● Fenugreek leaves – Crush some fenugreek leaves and mix with water to form a paste. Put this on the face for 15 minutes and then remove it. Do this every night to keep your face free of blackheads.

● Coriander leaves – Mix some coriander leaves and a little turmeric powder with water and form a paste. Use this as a mask to eliminate blackheads.

● Oatmeal -Grind oatmeal into a powder in a blender and then add some rose water. Use this on affected areas for 15 minutes and then wash it off with cold water.

● Baking soda – Prepare a mixture of equal parts of baking soda and water and rub it onto your face or other body areas prone to blackheads. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.

● Honey is also good for removing blackheads. Spread honey on the affected area and remove it after 15 minutes.

Remember – Be gentle to your skin. Never pinch, scrape, poke, press, or squeeze too hard!

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Green Tea Against Digestive Cancer

Green tea may offer the solution (or at least part of a solution) in the prevention of digestive cancers, according to another study out of China. Older women were analyzed for green tea consumption and cancer rates, and scientists found those who drank the tea on a regular basis were at a slightly lower risk for developing cancer of the colon, throat, and stomach.

The researchers followed nearly 70,000 Chinese women for a decade. Those who drank more than three cups of green tea daily were considered “regular” drinkers. And those women were at a reduced risk of digestive cancers—a 14 percent reduced risk.

Senior researcher Dr. Wei Zheng cautioned that the study doesn’t establish a “cause-and-effect” relationship. While the scientists did account for diet, exercise habits, and medical history, they say it’s impossible to account for everything.

Basically, it’s difficult to isolate the effects of a single food in any scientific trial. People eat other things, they may have different lifestyle habits, or they might be on prescription medications. They could get more sleep than other non-green-tea drinkers or simply take better care of themselves.

Green tea may offer the solution (or at least part of a solution) in the prevention of digestive cancers, according to another study out of China. Older women were analyzed for green tea consumption and cancer rates, and scientists found those who drank the tea on a regular basis were at a slightly lower risk for developing cancer of the colon, throat, and stomach.

The researchers followed nearly 70,000 Chinese women for a decade. Those who drank more than three cups of green tea daily were considered “regular” drinkers. And those women were at a reduced risk of digestive cancers—a 14 percent reduced risk.

Senior researcher Dr. Wei Zheng cautioned that the study doesn’t establish a “cause-and-effect” relationship. While the scientists did account for diet, exercise habits, and medical history, they say it’s impossible to account for everything.

Basically, it’s difficult to isolate the effects of a single food in any scientific trial. People eat other things, they may have different lifestyle habits, or they might be on prescription medications. They could get more sleep than other non-green-tea drinkers or simply take better care of themselves.

Green tea may offer the solution (or at least part of a solution) in the prevention of digestive cancers, according to another study out of China. Older women were analyzed for green tea consumption and cancer rates, and scientists found those who drank the tea on a regular basis were at a slightly lower risk for developing cancer of the colon, throat, and stomach.

The researchers followed nearly 70,000 Chinese women for a decade. Those who drank more than three cups of green tea daily were considered “regular” drinkers. And those women were at a reduced risk of digestive cancers—a 14 percent reduced risk.

Senior researcher Dr. Wei Zheng cautioned that the study doesn’t establish a “cause-and-effect” relationship. While the scientists did account for diet, exercise habits, and medical history, they say it’s impossible to account for everything.

Basically, it’s difficult to isolate the effects of a single food in any scientific trial. People eat other things, they may have different lifestyle habits, or they might be on prescription medications. They could get more sleep than other non-green-tea drinkers or simply take better care of themselves.

Source: Natural Society

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Easy Relaxing Method

Begin your relaxing ten minute hand reflexology treatment by pinching the tips of each finger and thumb of your right hand. Reverse and repeat this process on your left hand. The pressure applied to your fingers should be firm, but not painful. A few seconds for each finger tip will do.

1. After pinching the tops and bottoms of your finger and thumb tips go back to each tip and pinch them again, this time squeezing from side to side. Again, apply pressure, a little discomfort is okay. But, it is important not to inflict pain on yourself.

2. Combine steps 3 and 4 rubbing the tops and bottoms (above photo) and also rubbing the sides (step 4 photo) of each finger and thumb. Vigorously rub back and forth from the base to the tip.

3. Combine steps 3 and 4 rubbing the tops and bottoms (step 3 photo) and also rubbing the sides (above photo) of each finger and thumb. Vigorously rub back and forth from the base to the tip.

5. Grasp each finger (and thumb) at its base and tug firmly. Allow your grip to loosen slightly, graduating it from the base to the finger tip until your finger slips out of your grasp completely.

6. Using your thumb and forefinger firmly grasp the webbed area between your thumb and and forefinger of your other hand. Keeping a firm hold, tug at the skin gently until the fleshy web snaps away from your grasp. Repeat this process for the webbed-tween areas on all your fingers.

7. Rest the palm of your hand inside the palm of your free hand. Use your thumb to massage the back of your hand. Leisurely manipulate the knuckles and in between knuckle area first. Continue thumb massaging each area on the back of the hand.

8. Gently cradle your wrist inside your free hand. Use your thumb to massage your inner wrist. This is an especially soothing massage for anyone who routinely uses their wrists in repetitive movements (i.e. computer mousing).

9. Massage the palm of your hand with your thumb. Alternately you can use your knuckle to massage the fleshier mound areas more deeply.

10. At the end of your session press your thumb deeply in the center of your palm. Take a few cleansing breaths and center your being.

This is a opportune moment to relax, clear your mind, and focus on your healing intentions.

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