Tag: Did you know

How Much Exercise~ Information

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO YOU NEED TO DO?

To stay healthy, adults aged 19 to 64 should try to be active daily and should do:

  • at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking every week and
  • strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

Or:

  • 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity such as running or a game of singles tennis every week and
  • strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

Or:

  • a mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week – for example, 2 x 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of brisk walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and
  • strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)

A good rule is that 1 minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as 2 minutes of moderate activity.

One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days every week.

All adults should also break up long periods of sitting with light activity.

Source: NHS 

Emergency for Disaster~ Must Haves

Emergency preparedness is more important than ever. You don’t need to live in Tornado Alley to prepare for a disaster or home emergency—they can strike anyone, anywhere. In fact, a survey conducted by Allstate in 2014 found that 92% of Americans have survived a natural disaster of some kind. But despite the frequency of these events, fewer than 10% of Americans have taken basic preparedness steps like practicing an evacuation.

After a disaster strikes, it’s too late to mitigate the damage. Preparing in advance can help you respond to a disaster, keep you and your family safe from harm or hardship, and minimize the damage to your home or belongings. The following ten items are often overlooked in a traditional readiness kit, but they can make a significant difference when you’re responding to a crisis.

Fire Extinguishers

For homeowners, “the most common disasters are actually home fires,” says Greta Gustafson, senior associate of media relations for the American Red Cross. A fire extinguisher can stop a small fire in your home before it turns into a disaster, yet less than half of homes have this essential safety device. Even natural disasters like a flood or earthquake can ignite a house fire, making this item a must-have in any readiness kit.

Solar Lanterns

If 2017’s hurricane season taught us anything, it’s that prolonged power outages can compound the difficulties of a major storm event. Surprisingly, a reliable light source is often overlooked as a survival tool. Solar-powered lanterns offer light even when electricity is scarce. The Luci Light is an inexpensive and lightweight option for any emergency kit. Over 80,000 of these lights have been deployed to hurricane-stricken Puerto Rico, demonstrating the effectiveness of this smart little tool.

Board Games

Keeping morale up during a survival scenario is essential, and nothing lightens a tough situation like a familiar board game. These analog entertainment sources are a great addition to your kit since they can help restore a sense of normalcy and routine during a tough situation. If you’re packing a bug-out bag or vehicle emergency kit, consider a portable version of your favorite game or DIY your own ultralight game board out of felt.

Insurance

If you haven’t updated your insurance in a while, it may be out of date for your assets. A disaster is no time to worry about your insurance policy, so take action now by conducting a home inventory and updating your insurance policy to match the total value of your home and belongings.

Disposable Baby Wipes

A disaster can often mean limited access to clean water. And staying clean in a survival situation provides more than a morale boost for your bunkmates—it can help you avoid a medical crisis like contracting and spreading an illness. Disposable baby wipes offer a fast and simple alternative when clean water is scarce and are a perfect addition to a bug-out bag or toiletries kit. When you need them, you’ll be really glad they weren’t overlooked.

Paper Maps

If you’re forced to seek shelter or evacuate during a disaster, you’ll have no guarantee that your smartphone will work. A simple paper map of your town and the surrounding area is reliable in almost any condition. You can buy a waterproof map or laminate one yourself to ensure remains readable.

4-Way Sillcock Key

A sillcock key, often called a 4-way key, could be a lifesaver in a survival scenario. These simple steel tools open restricted water spigots, a common feature on buildings like rest stops, restaurants, malls, and other large buildings. With a sillcock key, you can turn these spigots on and gain access to reliable fresh water. For all the utility they provide, they take up almost no space in your preparedness kit.

Ziplock Freezer Bags

Ziplock freezer bags are a useful addition to any survival kit. Aside from their traditional role in keeping food fresh, these bags offer a waterproof storage solution for first aid kits, electronic devices, and valuables. They’re also good for carrying or storing water in a pinch, and they can even safely seal away important documents like birth certificates and passports.

Portable Satellite

Information is a vital resource during a disaster scenario. If the electricity goes out, a portable satellite dish affixed to a vehicle or RV can maintain a vital connection to news and weather reports. Unlike cable, a dish won’t fail during a widespread blackout, and it keeps you connected even if you have to evacuate the area.

Duct Tape

Duct tape may be more valuable than currency in an end-of-the-world scenario. Duct tape is useful for hundreds of different repairs, but it’s often overlooked as part of a medical kit. Duct tape makes an excellent surgical tape, hearkening back to its roots in WWII. It’s also useful for preventing blisters when applied to your heel, underneath your socks. Rolling a small length of duct tape around pencils, water bottles, or other round objects keeps a small amount within reach in every part of your kit.

These items can help you prepare for a disaster, but also remember that your greatest survival tool is your brain—practice your evacuation and survival routines with your family. Blue-sky planning is the best way to mitigate the impact of a disaster, so start preparing your emergency kit today.

About the author: Kylie is an East Coast gal currently residing in Salt Lake City, UT for work and play. As a freelance writer, she covers topics on lifestyle, travel, and technology. In her spare time, she enjoys great food and live music in the presence of good company. http://www.kyliefitch.com

Gray Hair~Did You Know?

17 Surprising Signs Your Hair Will Go Gray

While there is practically nothing you can do to prevent gray hairs from sprouting up on your head, there are certainly tell-tale signs to look for that will give you plenty of advanced warning that they’re on the way.

If you answered yes to any of those, it’s a good bet that there will be some salt-and-pepper in your future. So read on to learn all of the surprising warning signs that your hair, like the leaves in the fall, is destined to change its hue.

1. You’re a natural redhead.

Along with blondes, redheads are the most likely to gray (or, in reality, white) early on, since their hair already lacks the pigment.

However, unlike blondes with light hair that can easily disguise newly forming gray hairs, redheads have a harder time disguising their grays, as their hair pigmentation makes it more resistant to hair dye. And for more ways to maintain the perfect head of hair well into your golden years,

2. You’re caucasian.

According toHealth Magazine, your ethnicity is one of the biggest factors that contributes to the graying process of your hair. Research shows that caucasians develop gray hairs earlier than other races, while Asians are the second and African Americans are the third. For what it’s worth, doctors are still unsure about why this pattern occurs.

3. You’ve had chemotherapy.

As Dr. Roopal Kundu, associate professor in dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, toldGood Housekeeping Magazine, receiving chemotherapy for any illness can trigger hair loss. But once people emerge from chemo treatments they’re hair is far likely to return in shades of gray.

4. You’re constantly stressed.

Though stress itself hasn’t yet been scientifically linked to graying, according to Dr. Kundu, the resulting condition from stress, called Telogen Effluvium, is a temporary disruption in the natural growth and rest cycle of your hair, causing your hair to shed excessively.

When you’re constantly stressed or struggling with an anxiety disorder, you’re more likely to find gray hairs before your more zen peers. Furthermore, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that stress is indeed related to the graying process.

5. You smoke.

Not so surprisingly, smokers greatly increase the chances of premature graying with their nasty habit, says Marie Jhin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and director of Premier Dermatology in San Francisco, in an interview with Health.

“If you look at smokers, you can see the wrinkles in their skin. You may not be able to see wrinkles on the scalp, but it’s still affecting all the follicles,” she said. In fact, according to a study published in the Indian Dermatology Online Journal, smokers are two-and-a-half times more prone to premature graying.

6. You’re missing key nutrients in your diet.

If you have a poor diet or are missing key nutrients in your current health regimen, then you might be missing a key vitamin—B12—that, according to Dr. Jihn, can help keep your hair healthy.

As it turns out, vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to be missing out on this key vitamin, as it is most plentiful in dairy products, fish, poultry, and meat. To avoid going gray prematurely, either try to maintain a more balanced diet, or, if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, take a B12 supplement.

7. You have diabetes, pernicious anemia, or thyroid problems.

Yes, your health condition could also be causing you to go gray. This is especially the case if you suffer from diabetes, pernicious anemia, or thyroid problems, as these illnesses are known for directly attacking your hair follicles, says a study conducted by the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. In fact, hair follicle damage is shown to be one of the early markers for type 2 diabetes.

8. You’re failing to care for your scalp.

In general, you should try to take care of your hair every day, making sure that it’s hydrated and healthy. As trichologist, Madeleine Preston toldCosmopolitan Magazine, shampooing and massaging your scalp on a daily basis can also bring “vital nutrients to the scalp via the blood supply and feeding our follicles.” While failing to do this won’t exactly result in a head full of gray hairs tomorrow, it can keep your follicles healthy, vibrant, and armed against the coming grays

9. Your parents went gray early.

Despite efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, gray hair may soon be an inevitable part of your appearance if your parents or other relatives went gray early on in their lives.

According to Preston, “Grey hair is an inherited trait—if your parents went grey early there is a possibility that you will, too.”

In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers even found the primary gene involved with premature greying—IRF4. This gene is in charge of regulating and producing melanin. When your body starts producing less melanin, it causes your hair to turn gray.

10. You have vitiligo.

While the skin condition vitiligo is not life-threatening, it can greatly alter the appearance of your skin and hair, often causing premature graying in certain spots of your scalp. This is due to vitiligo’s effects on the cells that produce melanin, that often causes them to die or stop functioning, according to the Mayo Clinic.

11. You have Alopecia areata.

Unlike vitiligo, Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that actually attacks hair follicles, leaving sufferers of the illness with bald spots. Then, according to the Wimpole Clinic, regrowth of this lost hair on your scalp will most likely result in weaker hair follicles devoid of pigment—meaning that your new hair will be gray.

12. You shed hair often.

If you’re over the age of 35 and you tend to shed your hair quite often, then there’s a likely chance that the hair set to replace the old strands will most likely be gray. In fact, according toWomen’s Health, there are a number of factors that could damage your hair follicles and lead to prolonged excessive shedding, such as stress and using blow dryers, straighteners, and chemicals in the hair. In short, be kind to your hair and your hair will reward you with brighter strands.

13. You have heart disease.

According to a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress, the “hardening and narrowing of one’s arteries, called atherosclerosis, and the graying of hair both rely on similar mechanisms,” which means that if you’re at risk for developing a heart condition—or if you already have been diagnosed with one—your chances of developing gray hair are much greater. Additionally, the study pointed to the astonishing fact that graying hair could also signify a heart condition, as a large percentage of the 545 men tested with gray hair presented early signs of heart disease

14. You’re over the age of 50.

To be fair, if you’ve already made it to 50 without a gray hair in sight, you should count yourself as lucky, since half of the population sees at least some graying up to this point, says Dr. Michael Eidelman, Medical Director of Chelsea Skin & Laser and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“On average, 50 percent of the population will have 50 percent gray hair by the age of 50,” he said. He also pointed out that men tend to begin noticing gray hairs around age 30, while women won’t typically show signs of graying until age 35.

15. Your hair is more coarse than before.

Due to their loss of pigmentation and the damaged nature of your hair follicles, the gray hair that assembles to replace the old, pigmented hair follicles tends to be more brittle and coarse. So, if you’ve begun to notice a change in the texture of your hair, this could be pointing to the impending doom of colored locks.

16. You’ve experienced trauma.

According toScientific American, a traumatic event can affect your whole body—even damaging your hair follicles. Basically, an incredibly stressful event can generate a swarm of free radicals in your hair follicles, which travel along the hair shaft, destroying its pigment in a manner that appears similar to a bleaching effect.18/18 SLIDES© Provided by Best Life

17. You spend too much time in the sun.

Fact: UV rays affect your hair follicles. In short, it’s a bleaching effect on your hair that’s incredibly damaging, leaving your follicles brittle and prone to breakage, resulting in the replacement of your healthy strands with gray ones.

So, be careful in the sun and use a hair cream like this one, by Drybar, that will protect your hair from UVA/UVB exposure. And remember: If you’re going gray, don’t sweat it! s Your Hair Will Go Gray While there is practically nothing you can do to prevent gray hairs from sprouting up on your head, there are certain tell-tale signs to look for that will give you plenty of advanced warning that they’re on the way.
Are you constantly stressed? Are you soaking up too much sun? Do you have any lingering thyroid issues?

Weird Things To Do~

1.Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating

It’s better not to brush your teeth immediately after meals and drinks, especially if they contained a lot of acid. Examples are citrus fruits, tomatoes, and fizzy drinks. The abrasive action of brushing can cause the acid to attack the tooth enamel and the layer underneath. It is best to wait at least half an hour before brushing. 

2. Build muscle to fit into a smaller size

https://www.health24.com/Lifestyle/Healthy-habits/7-weird-health-tips-that-are-actually-true-20180116

A kilogram of muscle weighs the same as a kilo of fat, but muscle is more compact and takes up less space than fat. This explains why a muscular person who weighs the same as a chubbier one will likely fit into a smaller pair of jeans.

3. Eat more calories to lose weight

Carbohydrates on their own may do nothing but spike your blood sugar, leaving you even hungrier than before. Adding proteins and fats like peanut butter and cheese will increase the calorie count of your meal, but will help you get full more quickly and stay satisfied for longer, which will lead to ingesting fewer calories in the long run.

4. Drink a hot beverage to help you cool off

In India it is the norm to drink hot tea in hot weather. It sounds crazy, but according to a study, a hot drink on a hot day will cool you off faster than a cold drink. When you drink a hot beverage, your body produces more sweat which, when it evaporates, cools you off.

5. Exercise to increase your energy levels

After a long day at work, exercise is probably the last thing you want to do, but getting moving can actually energise you. Through exercise, we recharge tired cells by giving them more oxygen. Physical activity that builds muscle strength also improves the efficiency of the mitochondria that produce the energy in the cells.

6. ‘Freeze’ cardiac patients to save their life

Cooling a cardiac arrest patient’s core temperature to below 32.2 degrees Celsius – a process called “induced hypothermia”, either by injecting them with a cold saline solution or placing ice packs on them increases their chances of complete recovery.

Hypothermia – when your core body temperature drops so low that normal metabolism and bodily functions cease – can lead to death, but can also radically slow down the dying process.

7. Close the lid when you flush the toilet

You should always flush the toilet with the seat down. If you don’t, water particles from the toilet will float around your bathroom and finally land on surfaces like your toothbrush. 

Experts say flushing creates an invisible cloud, called “toilet plume”, that’s expelled into the air by the force of the flush.

The toilet plume may contain faecal bacteria and other microorganisms like viruses. 

by Eugene Lotter

Did You Know?

A human head remains conscious for about 15 to 20 seconds after it is been decapitated.

Image result for decapitated head that is alive

Studies show that couples that smoke during the time of conception have a higher chance of having a girl compared to couples that do not smoke.

Image result for smoking


The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C.

Image result for crocidile


A pregnant woman’s dental health can affect her unborn child.

Mental health~DYK

Intrusive thought

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An intrusive thought is an unwelcome involuntary thought, image, or unpleasant idea that may become an obsession, is upsetting or distressing, and can feel difficult to manage or eliminate.[1] When such thoughts are associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and sometimes attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the thoughts may become paralyzing, anxiety-provoking, or persistent. Intrusive thoughts may also be associated with episodic memory, unwanted worries or memories from OCD,[2] posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, eating disorders, or psychosis.[3] Intrusive thoughts, urges, and images are of inappropriate things at inappropriate times, and generally have aggressive, sexual, or blasphemous themes.[4]

General

Many people experience the type of bad or unwanted thoughts that people with more troubling intrusive thoughts have, but most people can dismiss these thoughts.[1] For most people, intrusive thoughts are a “fleeting annoyance”.[5] Psychologist Stanley Rachman presented a questionnaire to healthy college students and found that virtually all said they had these thoughts from time to time, including thoughts of sexual violence, sexual punishment, “unnatural” sex acts, painful sexual practices, blasphemous or obscene images, thoughts of harming elderly people or someone close to them, violence against animals or towards children, and impulsive or abusive outbursts or utterances.[6] Such bad thoughts are universal among humans, and have “almost certainly always been a part of the human condition”.[7]

When intrusive thoughts occur with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), patients are less able to ignore the unpleasant thoughts and may pay undue attention to them, causing the thoughts to become more frequent and distressing.[1] The thoughts may become obsessions which are paralyzing, severe, and constantly present, and can range from thoughts of violence or sex to religious blasphemy.[5] Distinguishing them from normal intrusive thoughts experienced by many people, the intrusive thoughts associated with OCD may be anxiety provoking, irrepressible, and persistent.[8]

How people react to intrusive thoughts may determine whether these thoughts will become severe, turn into obsessions, or require treatment. Intrusive thoughts can occur with or without compulsions. Carrying out the compulsion reduces the anxiety, but makes the urge to perform the compulsion stronger each time it recurs, reinforcing the intrusive thoughts.[1] According to Lee Baer, suppressing the thoughts only makes them stronger, and recognizing that bad thoughts do not signify that one is truly evil is one of the steps to overcoming them.[9] There is evidence of the benefit of acceptance as an alternative to suppression of intrusive thoughts. A study showed that those instructed to suppress intrusive thoughts experienced more distress after suppression, while patients instructed to accept the bad thoughts experienced decreased discomfort.[10] These results may be related to underlying cognitive processes involved in OCD.[11] However, accepting the thoughts can be more difficult for persons with OCD. In the 19th century, OCD was known as “the doubting sickness”;[12] the “pathological doubt” that accompanies OCD can make it harder for a person with OCD to distinguish “normal” intrusive thoughts as experienced by most people, causing them to “suffer in silence, feeling too embarrassed or worried that they will be thought crazy”.[13]

The possibility that most patients suffering from intrusive thoughts will ever act on those thoughts is low. Patients who are experiencing intense guilt, anxiety, shame, and upset over these thoughts are different from those who actually act on them. The history of violent crime is dominated by those who feel no guilt or remorse; the very fact that someone is tormented by intrusive thoughts and has never acted on them before is an excellent predictor that they will not act upon the thoughts. Patients who are not troubled or shamed by their thoughts, do not find them distasteful, or who have actually taken action, might need to have more serious conditions such as psychosis or potentially criminal behaviors ruled out.[14] According to Lee Baer, a patient should be concerned that intrusive thoughts are dangerous if the person does not feel upset by the thoughts, or rather finds them pleasurable; has ever acted on violent or sexual thoughts or urges; hears voices or sees things that others do not see; or feels uncontrollable irresistible anger.[15]

Aggressive thoughts

Intrusive thoughts may involve violent obsessions about hurting others or themselves.[16] They can be related to primarily obsessional obsessive compulsive disorder. These thoughts can include harming a child; jumping from a bridge, mountain, or the top of a tall building; urges to jump in front of a train or automobile; and urges to push another in front of a train or automobile.[4] Rachman’s survey of healthy college students found that virtually all of them had intrusive thoughts from time to time, including:[6]

  • causing harm to elderly people
  • imagining or wishing harm upon someone close to oneself
  • impulses to violently attack, hit, harm or kill a person, small child, or animal
  • impulses to shout at or abuse someone, or attack and violently punish someone, or say something rude, inappropriate, nasty, or violent to someone.

These thoughts are part of being human, and need not ruin quality of life.[17] Treatment is available when the thoughts are associated with OCD and become persistent, severe, or distressing.

A variant of aggressive intrusive thoughts is L’appel du vide, or the call of the void. Sufferers of L’appel du vide generally describe the condition as manifesting in certain situations, normally as a wish or brief desire to jump from a high location.

Sexual thoughts[edit]

Sexual obsession involves intrusive thoughts or images of “kissing, touching, fondling, oral sex, anal sex, intercourse, and rape” with “strangers, acquaintances, parents, children, family members, friends, coworkers, animals and religious figures”, involving “heterosexual or homosexual content” with persons of any age.[18]

Like other unwanted intrusive thoughts or images, everyone has some inappropriate sexual thoughts at times, but people with OCD may attach significance to the unwanted sexual thoughts, generating anxiety and distress. The doubt that accompanies OCD leads to uncertainty regarding whether one might act on the intrusive thoughts, resulting in self-criticism or loathing.[18]

One of the more common sexual intrusive thoughts occurs when an obsessive person doubts his or her sexual identity. As in the case of most sexual obsessions, sufferers may feel shame and live in isolation, finding it hard to discuss their fears, doubts, and concerns about their sexual identity.[12]

A person experiencing sexual intrusive thoughts may feel shame, “embarrassment, guilt, distress, torment, fear of acting on the thought or perceived impulse, and doubt about whether they have already acted in such a way.” Depression may be a result of the self-loathing that can occur, depending on how much the OCD interferes with daily functioning or causes distress.[18] Their concern over these thoughts may cause them to scrutinize their bodies to determine if the thoughts result in feelings of arousal. However, focusing attention of any part of the body can result in feelings in that part of the body, hence doing so may decrease confidence and increase fear about acting on the urges. Part of treatment of sexual intrusive thoughts involves therapy to help sufferers accept intrusive thoughts and stop trying to reassure themselves by checking their bodies.[19] This arousal in the part of the body is due to conditioned physiological responses in the brain, which do not respond to the subject of the sexual intrusive thought but rather to the fact that a sexual thought is occurring at all and thus engage an automatic response (research indicates that the correlation between what the genitalia regard as “sexually relevant” and what the brain regards as “sexually appealing” only correlates 50% of the time in men and 10% of the time in women[20]). This means that an arousal response does not necessarily indicate that the person desires what they are thinking about. However, rational thinking processes attempt to explain this reaction and OCD causes people to attribute false meaning and importance to these physiological reactions in an attempt to make sense of them.[21] Sufferers can also experience heightened anxiety caused by “forbidden” images or simply discussing the matter which can then also cause physiological arousal, such as sweating, increased heart rate and some degree of tumescence or lubrication. This is often misinterpreted by the sufferer as an indication of desire or intent, when it is in fact not.[22]

Religious thoughts

Blasphemous thoughts are a common component of OCD, documented throughout history; notable religious figures such as Martin Luther and Ignatius of Loyola were known to be tormented by intrusive, blasphemous or religious thoughts and urges.[23] Martin Luther had urges to curse God and Jesus, and was obsessed with images of “the Devil’s behind.”[23][24] St. Ignatius had numerous obsessions, including the fear of stepping on pieces of straw forming a cross, fearing that it showed disrespect to Christ.[23][25] A study of 50 patients with a primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder found that 40% had religious and blasphemous thoughts and doubts—a higher, but not statistically significantly different number than the 38% who had the obsessional thoughts related to dirt and contamination more commonly associated with OCD.[26] One study suggests that content of intrusive thoughts may vary depending on culture, and that blasphemous thoughts may be more common in men than in women.[27]

According to Fred Penzel, a New York psychologist, some common religious obsessions and intrusive thoughts are:[13]

  • sexual thoughts about God, saints, and religious figures
  • bad thoughts or images during prayer or meditation
  • thoughts of being possessed
  • fears of sinning or breaking a religious law or performing a ritual incorrectly
  • fears of omitting prayers or reciting them incorrectly
  • repetitive and intrusive blasphemous thoughts
  • urges or impulses to say blasphemous words or commit blasphemous acts during religious services.

Suffering can be greater and treatment complicated when intrusive thoughts involve religious implications;[23] patients may believe the thoughts are inspired by Satan,[28] and may fear punishment from God or have magnified shame because they perceive themselves as sinful.[29] Symptoms can be more distressing for sufferers with strong religious convictions or beliefs.[13]

Baer believes that blasphemous thoughts are more common in Catholics and evangelical Protestants than in other religions, whereas Jews or Muslims tend to have obsessions related more to complying with the laws and rituals of their faith, and performing the rituals perfectly.[30] He hypothesizes that this is because what is considered inappropriate varies among cultures and religions, and intrusive thoughts torment their sufferers with whatever is considered most inappropriate in the surrounding culture.[31]

Associated conditions

Intrusive thoughts are associated with OCD or obsessive-compulsive personality disorder,[32] but may also occur with other conditions[3] such as post-traumatic stress disorder,[33] clinical depression,[34] postpartum depression,[8] and anxiety.[35][36] One of these conditions[37] is almost always present in people whose intrusive thoughts reach a clinical level of severity.[38] A large study published in 2005 found that aggressive, sexual, and religious obsessions were broadly associated with comorbid anxiety disorders and depression.[39] The intrusive thoughts that occur in a schizophrenic episode differ from the obsessional thoughts that occur with OCD or depression in that the intrusive thoughts of schizophrenics are false or delusional beliefs (i.e. held by the schizophrenic individual to be real and not doubted, as is typically the case with intrusive thoughts) .[40]

Post-traumatic stress disorder

The key difference between OCD and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is that the intrusive thoughts of PTSD sufferers are of traumatic events that actually happened to them, whereas OCD sufferers have thoughts of imagined catastrophes. PTSD patients with intrusive thoughts have to sort out violent, sexual, or blasphemous thoughts from memories of traumatic experiences.[41] When patients with intrusive thoughts do not respond to treatment, physicians may suspect past physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.[42]

Depression

People who are clinically depressed may experience intrusive thoughts more intensely, and view them as evidence that they are worthless or sinful people. The suicidal thoughts that are common in depression must be distinguished from intrusive thoughts, because suicidal thoughts—unlike harmless sexual, aggressive, or religious thoughts—can be dangerous.[43]

Postpartum depression and OCD

Unwanted thoughts by mothers about harming infants are common in postpartum depression.[44] A 1999 study of 65 women with postpartum major depression by Katherine Wisner et al. found the most frequent aggressive thought for women with postpartum depression was causing harm to their newborn infants.[45] A study of 85 new parents found that 89% experienced intrusive images, for example, of the baby suffocating, having an accident, being harmed, or being kidnapped.[8][46]

Some women may develop symptoms of OCD during pregnancy or the postpartum period.[8][47] Postpartum OCD occurs mainly in women who may already have OCD, perhaps in a mild or undiagnosed form. Postpartum depression and OCD may be comorbid (often occurring together). And though physicians may focus more on the depressive symptoms, one study found that obsessive thoughts did accompany postpartum depression in 57% of new mothers.[8]

Wisner found common obsessions about harming babies in mothers experiencing postpartum depression include images of the baby lying dead in a casket or being eaten by sharks; stabbing the baby; throwing the baby down the stairs; or drowning or burning the baby (as by submerging it in the bathtub in the former case or throwing it in the fire or putting it in the microwave in the latter).[45][48] Baer estimates that up to 200,000 new mothers with postpartum depression each year may develop these obsessional thoughts about their babies;[49] and because they may be reluctant to share these thoughts with a physician or family member, or suffer in silence and fear they are “crazy”, their depression can worsen.[50]

Intrusive fears of harming immediate children can last longer than the postpartum period. A study of 100 clinically depressed women found that 41% had obsessive fears that they might harm their child, and some were afraid to care for their children. Among non-depressed mothers, the study found 7% had thoughts of harming their child[51]—a rate that yields an additional 280,000 non-depressed mothers in the United States with intrusive thoughts about harming their children.[52]

Treatment

Treatment for intrusive thoughts is similar to treatment for OCD. Exposure and response prevention therapy—also referred to as habituation or desensitization—is useful in treating intrusive thoughts.[18] Mild cases can also be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps patients identify and manage the unwanted thoughts.[8]

Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is the treatment of choice for intrusive thoughts.[53] According to Deborah Osgood-Hynes, Psy.D. Director of Psychological Services and Training at the MGH/McLean OCD Institute, “In order to reduce a fear, you have to face a fear. This is true of all types of anxiety and fear reactions, not just OCD.” Because it is uncomfortable to experience bad thoughts and urges, shame, doubt or fear, the initial reaction is usually to do something to make the feelings diminish. By engaging in a ritual or compulsion to diminish the anxiety or bad feeling, the action is strengthened via a process called negative reinforcement—the mind learns that the way to avoid the bad feeling is by engaging in a ritual or compulsions. When OCD becomes severe, this leads to more interference in life and continues the frequency and severity of the thoughts the person sought to avoid.[18]

Exposure therapy (or exposure and response prevention) is the practice of staying in an anxiety-provoking or feared situation until the distress or anxiety diminishes. The goal is to reduce the fear reaction, learning to not react to the bad thoughts. This is the most effective way to reduce the frequency and severity of the intrusive thoughts.[18] The goal is to be able to “expose yourself to the thing that most triggers your fear or discomfort for one to two hours at a time, without leaving the situation, or doing anything else to distract or comfort you.”[54] Exposure therapy will not completely eliminate intrusive thoughts—everyone has bad thoughts—but most patients find that it can decrease their thoughts sufficiently that intrusive thoughts no longer interfere with their lives.[55]

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a newer therapy than exposure therapy, available for those unable or unwilling to undergo exposure therapy.[53] Cognitive therapy has been shown to be useful in reducing intrusive thoughts,[56][57] but developing a conceptualization of the obsessions and compulsions with the patient is important.[58]

Medication

Antidepressants or antipsychotic medications may be used for more severe cases if intrusive thoughts do not respond to cognitive behavioral or exposure therapy alone.[8][59] Whether the cause of intrusive thoughts is OCD, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs (a class of antidepressants) are the most commonly prescribed.[59] Intrusive thoughts may occur in persons with Tourette syndrome (TS) who also have OCD; the obsessions in TS-related OCD are thought to respond to SSRI drugs as well.[60]

Antidepressants which have been shown to be effective in treating OCD include fluvoxamine (trade name[a] Luvox), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa), and clomipramine (Anafranil).[61] Although SSRIs are known to be effective for OCD in general, there have been fewer studies on their effectiveness for intrusive thoughts.[62] A retrospective chart review of patients with sexual symptoms treated with SSRIs showed the greatest improvement was in those with intrusive sexual obsessions typical of OCD.[63] A study of ten patients with religious or blasphemous obsessions found that most patients responded to treatment with fluoxetine or clomipramine.[64] Women with postpartum depression often have anxiety as well, and may need lower starting doses of SSRIs; they may not respond fully to the medication, and may benefit from adding cognitive behavioral or response prevention therapy.[65]

Patients with intense intrusive thoughts that do not respond to SSRIs or other antidepressants may be prescribed typical and atypical neuroleptics including risperidone (trade name Risperdal), ziprasidone (Geodon), haloperidol (Haldol), and pimozide (Orap).[66]

Studies suggest that therapeutic doses of inositol may be useful in the treatment of obsessive thoughts.[67][68]

Epidemiolog

A 2007 study found that 78% of a clinical sample of OCD patients had intrusive images.[3] Most people who suffer from intrusive thoughts have not identified themselves as having OCD, because they may not have what they believe to be classic symptoms of OCD, such as handwashing. Yet, epidemiological studies suggest that intrusive thoughts are the most common kind of OCD worldwide; if people in the United States with intrusive thoughts gathered, they would form the fourth-largest city in the US, following New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.[69]

The prevalence of OCD in every culture studied is at least 2% of the population, and the majority of those have obsessions, or bad thoughts, only; this results in a conservative estimate of more than 2 million sufferers in the United States alone (as of 2000).[70] One author estimates that one in 50 adults have OCD and about 10–20% of these have sexual obsessions.[18] A recent study found that 25% of 293 patients with a primary diagnosis of OCD had a history of sexual obsessions.[71]

    Keto ~Side Effects

    11 Common Keto Diet Side Effects to Be Aware of Before You Go Low Carb

    Experts break down the strange side effects of ketosis, including the keto flu, constipation, and bad breath.

    By Marygrace Taylor Apr 15, 2019

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    This article was medically reviewed by Rachel Lustgarten, RD, CDN, a clinical dietitian and member of the Prevention Medical Review Board, on April 19, 2019.

    The keto diet has blown up as an ultra-low carb eating plan that can help you drop pounds fast—but its effects on your body go beyond weight loss.

    A typical keto diet is comprised of 80 percent fat, 15 percent protein, and a mere 5 percent of calories from carbohydrates. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, that means just 100 of them are coming from carbs—including healthy carbs like fruits and vegetables. When you eat this way, it triggers ketosis, which means your body has burned through all its carbs and needs to begin burning fat for energy.

    It’s true: Following a strict high-fat, low-carb regimen can help move the number on the scale, but there might be some other keto diet side effects that you aren’t aware of. Some of them are positives, but a few could be unpleasant—or even dangerous. Here’s what you should know about keto diet dangers before you decide to try it for yourself.
    ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWYou might get hit with the “keto flu.”

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    Keto flu is a real thing. Cutting your carbs to the bone and going into a state of ketosis (where your body burns fat for energy) can bring on a cluster of uncomfortable symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. The side effects are the result of your body transitioning to using fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbs, explains Kristen Mancinelli, MS, RDN, author of The Ketogenic Diet. Once it adapts to the new fuel source (usually within a week or two), you’ll start to feel better.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWInitial weight loss could come back.

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    The keto diet is notorious for delivering a quick initial slim down. That’s because carbs hold on to more water than protein or fat, says Becky Kerkenbush, RD, a clinical dietitian at Watertown Regional Medical Center. So when you stop eating them, all that extra H2O gets released through urination. As a result, the scale might read a few pounds lower, and you may look a bit leaner.

    That first drop might be mostly water weight. But research suggests that the keto diet is good for fat loss, too. An Italian study of nearly 20,000 obese adults found that participants who ate keto lost around 12 pounds in 25 days. However, there aren’t many studies looking at whether the pounds will stay off long-term, researchers note. Most people find it tough to stick with such a strict eating plan, and if you veer off your diet, the pounds can easily pile back on.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWConstipation could be just around the corner.

    keto diet can cause constipation and kidney stones

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    Constipation is a common side effect of low-carb eating plans, including the ketogenic diet. Severely curbing your carb intake means saying goodbye to high-fiber foods like whole grains, beans, and a large proportion of fruits and vegetables, says Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, Seattle-based nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

    Combine that with the fact that your body is excreting more water, and you have a potential recipe for clogged pipes. You can keep things moving by getting some fiber from keto-friendly foods like avocado, nuts, and limited portions of non-starchy vegetables and berries, says David Nico, PhD, author of Diet Diagnosis. Upping your water intake helps, too.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWThere’s also a side effect called “keto breath.”

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    When your body goes into ketosis, it will start to produce by-products called ketones. This includes acetone—yes, the same chemical found in nail polish remover, which your body actually naturally makes on its own, according to a 2015 review of research. Because acetone is a smaller molecule, it tends to make its way into your lungs. You’ll eventually exhale them out, resulting in “keto breath.” Your mouth might also have a metallic taste, but it won’t last forever as you adjust to the diet. Just be diligent about brushing your teeth!ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWYou’ll probably be thirsty all the time.

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    Don’t be surprised if you find yourself parched while you’re on the keto diet. Excreting all that extra water will likely cause a spike in thirst—so make it a point to drink up, Mancinelli advises. There’s no hard and fast recommendation for how much water you should be having on a keto diet. But in general, aim to drink enough so your urine is clear or pale yellow. If it’s any darker, bump your intake.
    ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW…but your appetite won’t be as ravenous.

    Rocket pear and walnut salad.

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    Weight loss often means feeling hungrier and fighting off more cravings, but that doesn’t always seem to be the case when you go keto. People report less hunger and a diminished desire to eat after adopting a ketogenic diet, according to an analysis of 26 studies. Experts don’t fully understand why, but it’s thought that very low carb diets could suppress the production of hunger hormones like ghrelin.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWAnd your skin might clear up!

    Focused beautiful young woman looking at herself in the bathroom mirror

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    Plagued by pimples? You may start to notice a difference in your skin on the keto diet, especially if you were a former sugar addict. Consuming lots of empty carbs is linked to worse acne—in part because these foods trigger inflammation and signal the release of hormones that up the production of pore-clogging oils, according to a review published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Some findings suggest that curbing your carb intake could help solve these problems, improving your skin as a result.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWPlus, many say they feel less brain fog.

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    It’s no secret that carbs—especially refined ones like sugary cereals, white bread and pasta, or sweet drinks—cause your blood sugar to spike and dip. So it makes sense that eating less of them can help keep things nice and even. For healthy people, this can translate to more steady energy, less brain fog, and fewer sugary cravings, Mancinelli explains.
    ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWYour A1C levels could even improve.

    Fat storage and diabetes risk decreases

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    If you have diabetes, better blood sugar control could help lower your A1C levels—the measurement of glucose in our blood—and even reduce the need for insulin, according to a scholarly review of ketogenic diets. (Just don’t go off your meds without speaking to your doctor first!)

    The one important caveat: Eating keto also ups the risk for diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition where fat gets broken down too fast and causes the blood to become acidic. It’s much more common in people with type 1 diabetes, but if you have type two and are eating keto, talk with your doctor about what you should be doing to diminish your risk.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWBuuut your kidneys might get stressed.

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    The kidneys play an important role in metabolizing protein, and it’s possible that eating too much of the nutrient can have a negative impact on kidney function. While ketogenic diets are supposed to be much higher in fat than they are in protein, many keto eaters make the mistake of loading up on lots of meat, Mancinelli says. The result? You could end up eating way more protein than you actually need.

    Here’s the tricky part: There’s no definite answer for how much protein you’d have to eat before you run into trouble. “It really depends on how much protein a person is consuming versus how much they need, as well as the health of their kidneys at baseline,” Hultin says. That’s why it can be helpful to speak with a nutritionist or doctor who can help you tailor your diet before going keto.ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOWAnd your heart disease risk factors could change.

    Heart health concept

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    Eating an ultra-low carb diet is linked to a lower rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes, along with improved HDL cholesterol, all of which can translate to a lower risk for heart disease.

    But your heart health might depend on what you actually eat. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicinesuggests that low-carb diets based mostly on plant sources of fat and protein (like avocados or nuts) can lower heart disease risk by 30 percent. But those benefits didn’t hold for people who ate mostly animal-based proteins and fats. (Think: bacon, butter, and steak.)

    Plus, the American Heart Association says that going overboard on saturated fat—which can be easy to do on a keto diet if you eat a lot of meat, butter, and cheese—can up your risk for heart problems. While you’re on the keto diet, you should have your cholesterol levels and heart health assessed by a doctor on a regular basis, Hultin says.The bottom line?

    Eating a keto diet can have some short-term health perks. But in the long run, it also has the potential to create some serious health problems. That’s why many experts say you shouldn’t attempt it on your own. “In general, if a person follows a ketogenic diet, they should only do so for a brief time and under close medical supervision,” says Hultin.

    https://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/diets/g21764082/keto-diet-side-effects/

    Did You Know?

    You Should Throw Away the Cotton in Your Pill Bottles

    adderall pills barista secrets

    Believe it or not, that little ball of cotton that comes in your bottle of pills, which is there to keep pills safe during shipping, is meant to be removed. It can collect moisture because of its absorbent nature, which makes your pills deteriorate faster.

    It’s Easy to Calculate a Tip Without a Calculator

    sick person wine, Things You should Never Do at a Fancy Restaurant

    Assuming you want to tip 20 percent for good service, move the decimal point one digit to the left and then double that number. It’s that easy! For example, if a bill is for $35.50, you move the decimal to the left, which gives you $3.55. Double that number, and you’ve got $7.10—a 20 percent tip calculated in seconds.

    Sharp Knives Are Safer Than Dull Knives

    chef's knife, over 30

    Sharp knives aren’t actually as likely to cut you as dull ones. Because a sharp knife easily slices through food, you only have to apply a small amount of pressure when using them. This means that you’re more likely to cut the item you’re intending to cut, and not your hand.

    Dull knives, however, can’t cut through food easily and often cause injuries when the resistance between the dull blade and the food’s surface suddenly gives way, at which point the knife flies out of control. Since you have to use so much pressure to cut with a dull knife, they often cause deep cuts and gouges, as opposed to the minor nicks a sharper knife might inflict. Keep your knives sharp and hone those skills for maximum safety.

    There Are More Life Forms on Your Body Than People on Earth

    over 40 myth

    You are a planet teeming with microbes. Trillions of them inhabit your body. In fact, 90 percent of the cells in your body are actually composed of microbes.

    Babies Don’t Have Kneecaps

    Baby boy

    Well, they do. It’s just that they aren’t made of bone. They’re little bits of cartilage that have yet to ossify into bone.

    You’re Tallest First Thing in the Morning

    woman waking up punctual stressed out

    Intervertebral disks between your vertebra are filled with water. Over the course of a day, the weight of your body causes the water to diffuse out of the disks, and you can lose up to an inch in height by the time you go to bed at night. At night, while you’re sleeping, water can diffuse back into the disks.

    So, if you’re feeling a bit on the short side, measure yourself when you first wake up. Another thing that could be making you shorter is bad posture from too much screen time.