How To Instantly Get More Productive and Focused

No matter what Law of Attraction goals you’ve set, there’s a good chance that you often wonder how you could be more productive.
Maybe you suffer from a mid-afternoon slump and find yourself suddenly exhausted, or perhaps you find you just can’t focus sometimes.

Of course, there are the traditional solutions like having a nap or downing a cup of coffee. However, here are healthier, quicker and more effective ways to boost your productivity and enhance your day’s output.
Here are some of the most powerful changes you can make.

Increase Exposure To Natural Light

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, it can be tempting to curl up inside and close the blinds.
However, if you can bring yourself to go for regular walks and sit by your window during the daylight hours, you’ll likely notice a marked increase in your productivity. This is because natural light regulates the hormones that determine whether you feel alert and active—even if it’s not sunny outside.

Mood lamps and the artificial sunlight produced by light boxes can also help you feel more energetic and focused if you’re not able to get as much natural light as you would like.

Get Some Exercise

You already know that working out helps to enhance your cardiovascular health, but it also plays a role in improving sleep quality (which in turn influences how productive you are during the day).
For example, one recent research paper explained how those who exercise for an hour a day five days a week get more hours of sleep per night and tend to feel more rested. When you exercise, you also prompt the release of endorphins that boost your mood, and when you’re happy you’re more likely to get things done!

 

 

Set Time Limits For Tasks

No matter how much you love your life or your job, there are bound to be some things that you just don’t enjoy doing and that you tend to want to avoid. One way to get through these tasks (and get to more pleasurable activities!) is to commit to working for short bursts.

One popular approach involves 25 minutes of work and then a 5 minute break, repeated four times before a long 15 minute break is taken. This way, you know that the boring task is time-limited, and you’re more likely to be strict with yourself (rather than falling into the black hole of the Internet).
TIP: Discover more time management tips here.

Take Steps To Combat Stress

Studies show that 2 in 5 Americans report exhaustion and fatigue as a result of high stress levels, and this certainly puts a dent in productivity. Consequently, one of the smartest things you can do is evaluate and amend your strategies for dealing with stress.
Everyone has different preferences here, but there a few standard stress-busters that work well for most people.
For example, if you add 10 minutes of meditation to the daily creative visualization work you do when using the Law of Attraction, you may reduce not only stress levels but also your risk of suffering from depressing or anxiety. Meanwhile, taking up yoga is a great way to slow racing thoughts and increase physical flexibility at the same time.

Evaluate Your Diet

What you eat can also contribute to whether you have a productive day. In particular, foods with high fat content are proven to decrease energy levels and reduce resilience in the face of stress.
In contrast, high-fiber foods, fruits and vegetables are all great at keeping energy levels fairly constant. As a bonus, there is some evidence that they can improve immune system function.

Make Some Plans The Night Before

You can start your day on the right foot if you set the preconditions for productivity the previous evening.
For example, you might write out a “to do” list of tasks and stick it to the fridge or leave it on your desk so that you immediately know what you’re doing (rather than having to figure it out as you slowly wake up).
It’s often a good idea to start with a task that’s easy, then have the second task be one of the less pleasant ones so that you can spend the rest of the day on things that inspire you or that you find easier to focus on.

Don’t Work Yourself Into The Ground

Finally, there’s such an important difference between being productive and draining your resources. While it’s great to meet your goals, work hard and create a life you love, it’s impossible to really enjoy that life if you don’t take time to replenish yourself and genuinely relax.
For example, try to make sure you carve out some time per day just for pursuing a favorite hobby for its own sake, and remember that it’s okay to say “no” to extra commitments if you already have too much on your plate.
Knowing your own limits is key to long-term productivity.

20 Traits of TRUE Mental Toughness

One aspect of life that will always remain a constant is that it will always challenge you. That’s just part of the journey, friends, and if you aren’t tough – life will eat you up.

I’m not talking about being physically tough, any ogre can pull that off. I am talking about mental toughness.

The traits of your personality that afford for thicker skin and shorter memories, which in my opinion are all you need to get through this life a happy, fulfilled, and well-rounded person.

These are my personal traits of mental toughness that we should all aspire to:

1. Pick your Battles

Some things in life you’ve just got to let go. If every little stimulus gets your hackles up, then guess what: you spend your life fighting. Even if you happen to be a third-world warlord, constant conflict isn’t something that makes for a productive life.

2. Judge Not, lest you be Judged

Instead of focusing your magnifying glass on everyone in your life, why not turn it into a mirror? If you want everyone around you to let you be yourself, then let them be themselves.

3. Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

Even the mightiest people you’ve even encountered in your life all need help at some point. Superman needed Lois Lane. Batman needed Robin. Bert Needed Ernie. Let go of your pride, and ask for help when you need it.

4. Forgive

Holding on to grudges is like holding on to poison. Let it go. Forgiveness is the antidote to hate.

5. Accept Criticism

The second that you think you are above criticism is the second that you quit growing as a person. Growth comes from stripping away your personal preconceptions of yourself just like pruning a tree helps it grow.

6. Give Freely of Yourself

Life is all about give and take, and I promise you, giving is so much more fulfilling than taking. Would you rather be the source of the water, or the sponge that sucks it up?

7. Be Humble

As great as you think you are, crushing your ego is the number one way to ground yourself in reality. There is a distinct difference between being proud of an accomplishment, and thinking that you are god’s gift to humanity.

8. Quit Worrying About What is “Fair”

“Fair” is a purely conditional situation that rarely exists in life. The sooner you realize that nothing about life is “fair” the sooner you’ll readily accept whatever life throws at you.

9. Embrace Change

Change in growth, and vice versa. Trying to live in a bubble is a sign that you can’t cope with life, because one thing about life is that it will always change.

10. Be Financially Responsible

This statement in no way mean “be materialistic”. What it does mean is that in life, in modern society, we all have certain financial responsibilities. Yeah, I’d love to waste all of my money on fun gadgets and lego sets, but I have bills to pay.

11. Be patient

The old cliche that “patience is a virtue” exists because it is true. Anything worth having is worth working for and waiting for. Even diamonds take time.

12. Build Upon Yourself

Self-improvement isn’t just a section of the bookstore you may or may not venture into. No one comes into this world perfect, and therefore we must build on what we have, and become who we want to be, instead of just expecting it to happen.

13. Take Care of Yourself

Our health, both mental and physical is a constant struggle. If you are sick all of the time, how can you be expected to face whatever life throws at you?

14. Manage Your Time

Time should be considered a currency, because it is all we really have on this planet. Dedicating your time to the right pursuits is essential to maintaining a life you want to live.

15. Not Everything is a Crisis

Again, this falls somewhere between time management and picking your battles. If you consistently make mountains out of mole hills, you lose the ability to focus on what really matters in life.

16. Co-dependence is Weakness

No one in this life will get you through but you. The more you depend on “crutches” in life, the less able you are to make it through on your own. No matter how much you think someone else will be there to get you through, often the hardest struggles in life are the ones you have to take on by yourself.

17. Take Responsibility for your Life

Slinging blame around like monkey sling poop is just as effective. This is your time on this planet, so taking ownership of your actions is the only way to truly live YOUR life.

18. Perfection Doesn’t Exist

Trying to achieve perfection is about as meaningful as trying to catch water with a sieve. Your idea of “perfect” and mine, and everyone else’s for that matter, are completely different. Be happy with who you are, instead of worrying about what is acceptable to anyone else.

19. Know Yourself, Trust Yourself

I believe in this principle enough to have it tattooed on my wrist. Knowing yourself is what leads to you trusting yourself, But you cannot trust yourself without knowing yourself. It is a cycle.

20. Expect Less

You’re going to get out of life what you put in to it, and even then – sometimes you get less. Don’t expect life to give you a break, because it won’t. Instead, learn to take what you get and make the best of it.

8 Warning Signs That You Have Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem can be difficult to recognize as a problem within yourself. But here are a few signs that show that you might not value yourself as you should. People with low self-esteem tend to give into arguments easily, apologize often and unnecessarily, and become easily depressed. They also don't take well to constructive criticism and can be materialistic. A low self-esteem can stop someone from living their best life because it stops them from forming meaningful relationships and making their own decisions. If you see these signs in yourself, it may be time to re-evaluate and find ways to become more self-assured.

Are you a silent, pensive person at parties, most comfortable with your own company? Others might think that you lack confidence and try to boost your morale and make you more social. However, there might be a different, more deep-rooted problem at work here, more than just low self-confidence – a low self-esteem.
Low self-esteem is characterized by a persistent inferiority complex that makes you feel worthless and incompetent in every aspect of life. If you notice any of these warning signs in yourself or another person, they are an indication of low self-esteem.

1. Easily Give In To Arguments

You try to avoid conflict at all costs. Even if this means agreeing to something that you don’t necessarily believe in. As a result, you rarely get a chance to express yourself. This prevents you from building meaningful relationships as people cannot get to know who you truly are. Get over this aversion to conflict by telling yourself that your opinion is valued. Repeat this daily, and soon you will start believing it.

2. Always Have An Apology At The Tip Of Your Tongue

People suffering from a low self-esteem may believe that everything that goes wrong is because of something they’ve done. This is primarily because they are completely unaware of their self-worth. They only see their faults and not their many gifts and talents. Does this sound like something you do? The next time you find yourself apologizing, try to realize that your apology is unnecessary as you have done nothing wrong.

3. Easily Depressed

Depression most often stems from low self-esteem. People suffering from low self-esteem may not socialize, lack confidence, and rarely try something new. This makes them the perfect target for depression. If you are easily depressed, try to pick a new hobby, travel to a new place, or meet someone new. Learn to take risks every once in a while. It will pay off in the long run.

4. Highly Averse To Criticism

Do you find yourself sulking in a corner every time your boss gives you constructive criticism? Do you shed a tear or two when your mother says that some outfit looks too tight on you? If you find yourself taking constructive criticism as an insult, you might be suffering from low self-esteem. So, the next time someone criticizes you, try counting to three before responding irrationally.

5. Find Happiness In Buying New Things

Researchers found that materialism and low self-esteem have a causal relationship, especially in children and adolescents.¹ Very often, people with low self-esteem have a materialistic nature. Shopping for material possessions becomes their way of coping with low self-worth. They believe that it is these things that will contribute to their happiness and well-being. If you find yourself doing this, try to spend some time with supportive family and friends instead.

6. Over Critical, Super Negative, And Other Low Self-Esteem Signs In Men

Men and women have different signs of low self-esteem. Men who don’t have high self-esteem often try controlling other people, especially their partners. They are overly critical and put down people a lot, saying mostly negative things about everything. Also, an insecure man may feel over protective and jealous. He also keeps saying self-deprecating things.

7. Low Self-Worth, Unassertive, And Other Low Self-Esteem Signs In Women

A low self-esteem woman finds it very difficult to make decisions, instead, they like to follow someone else’s leadership. They find it daunting to speak for themselves and to give opinions. This makes it more tough for them to leave an abusive or unhealthy relationship. They are unable to say “no” because they are scared of causing conflict.

8. Avoid Challenges, Overly Sensitive, And Other Low Self-Esteem Signs In Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents watch how their children respond to certain situations. If kids are scared to try new tasks and avoid doing it or maybe even get frustrated in the first attempt, it could be a sign of low self-esteem. They could have mood swings showing irritation and sadness. They also withdraw themselves socially and are very sensitive to other people’s opinions. If you see these red flags in your children, it’s time to do something about it.
If you can identify with any of these warning signs, it may be a good idea to evaluate your self-esteem. When you do this, you will realize that life is great when you’re more self-assured.

5 Proven Ways to Increase Your Overall Happiness

In 2015, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, was declared the happiest person in the world. This was based on a study by the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience in Wisconsin, where Ricard’s scores were sometimes off the charts. Being a monk is a life calling that not many of us will pursue, and being in the “regular” world does have a different set of challenges you may argue. But surely, attaining happiness should be possible for everyone. Happiness is a state of mind so like any other state of mind, it can be adjusted. However, we get so caught up in how miserable we are, that we do not have the ability to see that being happy is as simple as – well, being happy!
Here are 5 proven ways to increase your overall happiness today:

Find your purpose and follow it

A lot of the unhappiness in our lives comes from doing what doesn’t make us happy, every single day.
This definition of insanity is very applicable here. If your work doesn’t satisfy you, if you go in there every day thinking that today will be better, then you might be an optimist. But you are also unhappy and according to Einstein, insane. Think back on what you did naturally, what you were drawn to do, when you were a young child. How did you occupy your days? Did you have a fascination with making plans and executing them? Or were you always designing something new and wonderful, or planning the next big thing that can make you money? In these juvenile past-times might lie the key to your true purpose, that one thing that you enjoy above all else. Find your purpose and follow it. It is essential to your long term emotional health.

Eliminate negativity from your life

Negativity has never harboured happiness. By listening to and participating in negative conversations, you only take on more negativity. Some people love to complain, about anything and everything. Don’t spend time with these people, they drain your energy. Surround yourself with positivity and you will also be more positive. Make it a state of mind. When a negative thought comes up, don’t entertain it. And when you catch yourself saying something negative, rephrase it to turn it around. Soon you’ll notice that the world is a much better place!

Find joy and spread it

There is joy to found everywhere around us, and often it is in the small details. Like the person who allows you cut in front of them in the traffic, or savouring that early morning coffee while everything is still quiet and calm. Learn to recognize the joy in the everyday and you will start to see it everywhere. Equally important is bringing joy to others. A small favour, or a bigger-than-accepted tip, a kind word or a compliment. The little things all add up to make life happier for yourself and for those around you.

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness”.
Charles Spurgeon

Stop Talking and Start to Listen

We tend to spend our days spreading our opinion and trying to matter. And a lot of that conversation is in our heads. Stop the constant chatter, inside and out, find a quiet spot, and listen. The happiest people in the world are those that have learnt to listen – whether it is meditation, prayer, yoga or another practice. In the silence, that which what acclaimed life coach Martha Beck in her book, Finding Your Own North Star, calls wordlessness, we often find peace, answers and happiness.

Sleep well, eat well, live well

Your body is a very real extension of what is going on in your mind. Look after your body by feeding it the right nutrients, by getting enough sleep and by purposefully taking time for physical activities. Not everyone loves doing sports, but even playing with your kids or dogs or choosing to walk to the corner shop instead of driving will make all the difference in your mood.
With these simple tools to increase your overall happiness, go and seek out happiness all around you – because it is there!
“If you want to be happy, be.”
Leo Tolstoy

14 Warning Signs Your Adrenals are Burnt Out and What You Need to Fix Them

14 Warning Signs Your Adrenals are Burnt Out and What You Need to Fix Them

Adrenal burnout. It means your adrenal glands are overworked, resulting in low cortisol and unbalanced hormones. If you told your doctor you suspected adrenal fatigue, you’d likely be sent to an endocrinologist who may test you for Addison’s or Cushing’s diseases, relatively rare endocrine disorders that indicate very low or high cortisol (your main stress hormone) levels. The treatment is surgery and medication. That’s not what we’re talking about here.

Is Adrenal Fatigue a Hoax?

I’ve had clients say their doctors have told them adrenal fatigue is an outright hoax. Adrenal fatigue isn’t acknowledged in the conventional medical model because it is not a disease for which drugs can be prescribed, and that’s how our medical system works.

Adrenal fatigue should really be called hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, which is a fancy way of saying that the feedback loop between the brain and the adrenals is fried, so there is miscommunication and resistance about when and how to release stress hormones. (read more about the HPA axis here). Adrenal fatigue starts isn’t the fault of the adrenals per se; it’s a dysfunction between the brain and adrenal glands.

Your adrenals are 2 small glands that sit atop your kidneys and produce cortisol and sex hormones. In many ways the HPA axis and the adrenals are the command and control center for your body, and they help you manage your stress levels, hormone levels, thyroid function, sleep, sex drive, and metabolism. When everything is functioning normally, you have good and stable energy throughout the day, you sleep well, you have a good sex drive, and you maintain your weight.

When you encounter stress, the body reacts with a chain of hormonal events to get you ready for battle. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is released from the hypothalamus. CRH stimulates the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH stimulates the release of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Cortisol keeps blood sugar and blood pressure elevated so you’re able to fight or flee and stay alive during the stressful event. This is a normal and healthy stress response.

But when you are chronically stressed and this chain of events is continuously triggered,  your cortisol stays elevated, you become eventually depleted of the hormones you need to battle the stressor. At this point you are facing burnout and may also notice anxiety and depression, as serotonin is depleted when cortisol is chronically elevated, and now there is neuroendocrine dysfunction.

Adrenal fatigue is a constellation of symptoms, such as insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, or brain fog, that disrupts your day-to-day life. These nagging issues wouldn’t send you to the hospital, maybe not even the doctor, but they are your body’s way of signaling to you that there is an imbalance. People may ignore these signs, thinking it’s part of stress or “getting old,” or they may go to a doctor who will prescribe them meds based on their symptoms: Ambien for insomnia, for example, or antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds. But here again, the underlying imbalance isn’t addressed, and the problem continues until it triggers a full blown illness or disease.

When your adrenals begin to falter, you may notice

• fatigue
• weight gain
• digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea
• sugar and/or salt cravings
• the “3pm crash”
• brain fog
• increased susceptibility to illness
• decreased ability to handle stress, feeling frazzled
• insomnia or waking around 4am, unable to get to sleep
• anxiety
• depression
• PMS/hot flashes associated with menopause
• inability to focus
• low sex drive

Causes of Adrenal Fatigue

• emotional stress. Interestingly, 95% of adrenal fatigue cases are precipitated by extreme emotional stress. That could be a death, divorce, injury, job loss, OR even positive stress like getting married or having a baby. Stress really is the main cause of imbalance in the body.
• diet. Too many processed foods, too much coffee/caffeine, irregular mealtimes, refined sugars, nutrient poor meals, not eating enough or eating foods that lack nutrients because they are processed or refined.
•  
• pain, chronic inflammation
• microbiome imbalance & digestive infections such as h pylori, dysbiosis, SIBO, candida, parasites (more common than you might think!)
• lack of sleep
• autoimmune conditions

What starts out as chronic stress is usually burning the candle at both ends: staying up all night studying (or partying), chugging coffee or sodas, working 2 jobs, working 80 hours a week, skipping meals, sleeping only 4 hours a night– or not at all. People typically feel pretty good in this stage because your body is churning out more cortisol in response to the stress to make you more alert and get you through whatever you’re doing (the fight or flight response).  

A little stress is normal and good, and we all have it. BUT it’s your body’s ability to recover that matters, and if you’re not sleeping or eating well and continue in stress mode for years, you’re headed for burnout because your body doesn’t have the chance to recuperate.

Once your body can’t keep up with your stress levels, you start to burn out. Your brain is signaling that there is a stress, but your adrenals can’t produce the required amount of cortisol to keep you going, and you start to crash. Now you’re in adrenal burnout and experiencing low cortisol. Your resources to fight the stressor have been depleted.

If you’re a woman, you may start to have irregular cycles or a worsening in PMS symptoms because your body is starting to borrow molecules of other hormones, like progesterone (one of your main female hormones), to make cortisol. Your body perceives that survival is more important than reproduction, so women notice infertility or cycle irregularities.

Your body knows a stressed environment is not ideal for creating a baby! This lack of progesterone can leave you estrogen dominant. (Read more on that here).

You may also experience symptoms of hypothyroid, such as constipation and thinning hair, because your adrenals affect your thyroid as well as your female hormones. You’re probably tired or having trouble sleeping, and you may be gaining weight (especially around the midsection) and are unable to lose it no matter what, because your metabolism has slowed due to your body being in a state of stress. A stressed body is not in fat burning mode– it’s working to conserve resources.

If you continue down this path, chugging caffeine to keep yourself going, skimping on sleep to get your work (or your partying) done, or skipping meals to prevent gaining even more weight, you’re headed for serious burnout. The kind you can no longer ignore.

At this point, your adrenals, thyroid and female hormones are imbalanced, and even though your doctor may look at you, perplexed, because your blood work came back ok, you know there’s something wrong because you’re not feeling right, you’ve gained weight, maybe have anxiety, and your hormones have gone haywire.

How to Reverse Adrenal Burn Out

• saliva testing to determine cortisol levels
• restore circadian rhythm
• SLEEP, at least 8 hours nightly. In bed by 10pm.
• eat in regular intervals to maintain stable blood sugar
• eat enough calories for healing
• eat hormone-building, nutrient dense foods and good fats
• stop chugging coffee
• support digestion with probiotic foods
• minerals and vitamin C
• adaptogenic herbs
• B vitamins
• address stress in job, relationships

The first step is saliva testing to determine what your cortisol levels look like. Some doctors may offer blood testing for cortisol, but they’re not nearly as accurate and only offer one snapshot of what your cortisol levels are doing during the day.

The saliva test requires 4 samples so you get an idea of your cortisol rhythm. They should be highest in the AM to wake you up and get you through the day, lowest at night so you drift off to sleep. If cortisol is too low, say, in the morning, you’ll be tired. If it’s too high at night, you can’t sleep. Your body is in sync with the natural rhythm of light and dark, and the closer you can re-establish that rhythm, the more you’ll heal.

The saliva testing requires 4 samples during the day to measure your cortisol rhythm, then you’ll have the information you need to repair. High cortisol is treated much differently than low cortisol, so it’s important to test and see what your rhythm looks like.

 

The second step is to combine a healing protocol with a nutrient dense diet. Make vegetables of all types the base of every meal. High quality, organic and fatty acid rich protein such as wild fish, grass fed beef, lamb, and eggs at every meal in amounts appropriate for you. Tons of mineral-rich veggies and sea veggies, because the adrenals require minerals to function.

Lots of sea salt (which is probably welcome, because you might be craving salt!); good fats like coconut oil, butter, olive oil; superfoods like bone broth, organ meats, raw kraut/probiotic foods, and organ meats.

The third step is to add specific healing supplements to your daily regiment.

Some of the supplements needed to heal adrenal fatigue are

• vitamin C
• adaptogenic herbs. I recommend GAIA, maca root, adrenatone, and/or licorice root
• minerals
• B vitamins
• blood sugar support, if needed. I like this one.
• I love Adrecore to heal adrenal fatigue and the neuroendocrine axis, especially if mood imbalances are present
• certain nutrients, like phosphatidylserine, can encourage sleep at night if cortisol is high when it should be low.
• nettles and tulsi tea

The fourth step is to restore your natural circadian rhythms, put your body on a schedule.

Wake up at the same time. Eat every 4 hours. Go to bed by 10pm or 11pm. Be sure to manage your blood sugar, because blood sugar highs or lows stress the adrenals. This means cut the refined foods, gluten, white sugar, sodas, coffee and nightly wine (sorry), and stop skipping meals.

Support digestion with probiotic foods like raw kraut or this coconut water kefir, my favorite source because you also get the benefits of coconut water along with a hefty dose of probiotics. If your digestive tract is inflamed from too much bread and sugar and wine, you won’t absorb nutrients from all the great food you’re now eating.

And, remember: your body perceives inflammation as a stressor, so an inflamed GI tract can worsen adrenal fatigue! You may want to take a probiotic supplement to support digestion.

Refined white flour and sugar jacks your blood sugar levels, which stresses the adrenals

Adaptogenic herbs like maca, rhodiola, schizandra, ashwaganda, licorice root and holy basil can really help. I have to stress that you should work with a practitioner to help you determine exactly what you need– don’t go it alone! Some of these herbs, especially if taken at the wrong times, can make you feel worse or further aggravate insomnia, for example.

The lifestyle factors are the most important.

You won’t get better if you don’t change your habits– sleep, stress, and diet.  I’ve had clients take time off work to heal because they understand their health is so important– and that they will prevent medical bills in the future (as well as the inability to work because they’re on disability with chronic fatigue syndrome).

Fix your stressful relationships, and have I mentioned? SLEEP.

Take a day per week and unplug to help calm down an overstimulated and exhausted mind and body. Click here for my sleep tips. Certain nutrients like magnesium and Seriphos (a phosphatidylserine supplement) can help bring down high cortisol at night and help you sleep if you’re having trouble. Healing your adrenals will reverse sleep issues long term, but it may take some time.

Also, stop over-exercising and find an activity that rejuvenates you, whether it’s gardening, yoga or meditation.

Testing for and correcting adrenal fatigue is an example of preventive health care. If you can reverse adrenal fatigue, it’s possible to prevent the illnesses that can be caused as a result of long-term hormone imbalance and stress. Not to mention you’ll feel better, look better, sleep better and be healthier.

Resources:
Explanation of adrenal fatigue and HPA axis
Dr Kalish video on adrenal fatigue
Our podcast on adrenal fatigue
Adrenal fatigue & thyroid connection
Adrenals & Thyroid Part 2

 

If He Goes Out Of His Way To Do These 20 Things, He’s A Guy You Should Never Lose

 

 

1. He calls you on the phone every day.

Because he wants to hear the sweet sound of your voice, and he knows you appreciate it so much more than a quick-fire text.

2. Sends you messages when you’re apart, just to let you know he’s thinking of you.

Because he genuinely is thinking of you, and wants to make sure you know how much he cares.

3. Treats you to your favorite candy bar, just because.

And we all know the power chocolate has to make our hearts happy.

4. Compliments you when you feel least attractive.

So that you know he is attracted to more than just your looks.

5. He always asks you how your day was.

Because he wasn’t there and he wants to know that you had a great one. And if you didn’t, he’ll make it his mission to turn it around.

6. Randomly reaches for your hand just so he can feel close to you.

And small, intimate gestures like this sometimes feel way better than sex.

7. Comforts you when you’re feeling down, and always manages to lift your spirits back up.

We all need someone like this in our life, so if he happens to be your partner too then you’ve lucked out.

8. Visits your family regularly (even if they don’t see eye to eye).

Because he knows how much it means to you, so he’s willing to do it despite his own possible feelings of discomfort.

9. Makes sure you’re never cold.

Even if turning the heat up makes him feel roasting hot or giving you his jacket means he’s shivering in the cold – as long as you’re taken care of, that’s all the matters.

10. Takes a genuine interest in your passions, even if he doesn’t understand them.

He actively discusses your hobbies and loves with you because he realizes they are a huge part of who you are and what makes you tick. He wants to step inside your mind, not just your body.

11. Never goes to bed without saying goodnight to you.

No matter where the two of you may be, he always says good night because he knows the little things like this are really the big things. And if he’s being honest, he can’t sleep until he’s touched bases with you to make sure you’re alright.

12. He’s always the one to apologize first when you have a fight.

Even when it’s totally not his fault. He hates arguing with you and never wants to see you upset.

13. Speaks openly with you about the future.

He’s not afraid to talk about the future and your place within it because he is 100% committed to this relationship.

14. Answers any question you ask him with honesty.

Even when he knows it’s not what you’re hoping to hear, he will be as honest as he can while doing his best not to hurt your feelings. Because he knows that in the long run, the truth is always best.

15. He makes time for you every day.

No matter how busy he might be he always allows room for quality time with you in his hectic schedule. Because everyone is busy but we make time for the things and people who are important to us.

16. Reassures you whenever you’re worried.

He knows how you tend to be over-anxious about the smallest of situations, and work yourself up to the point where you reach panic central. But he knows just what to say to calm you down and help you regain perspective.

17. Takes all of your problems on as his own.

Because the two of you are a team, and you’re only ever doing as well as the other person is.

18. Gives you your own space when you need it.

He understands you have a healthy, happy life outside of him and he recognizes the importance of alone time for you both to reflect and rejuvenate.

19. Cheers you on, no matter how small the win.

He’s the person you tell first when anything good happens to you, because you know he’s always happy and proud of every single one of your achievements.

20. Stands up for you when no one else does.

Even when you’re not around you know he’s got your back and will defend you until you give him a solid reason not to. 

The Top 5 Habits That Make You Fat

The top habits that are making you fat are: You look for the words “Low-Fat” on the label or product, You are eating right out of the package, You love artificial sweeteners, You skip meals very often and you are probably not drinking enough water. By taking action on the above, you will begin to see your weight drop, energy increase and optimal health will be yours.

Every day we all make decisions about what to eat. And these choices, can be made with every effort to prevent weight gain or other choices we make without even realizing the potential that they can wield in wreaking havoc with our weight and our health.

The Top 5 Habits That Make You Fat

 

You Look For The Words “Low-Fat” On The Label Or Product

You remember the low-fat food craze 30 some years ago? It has not left. The majority of people I see focus solely on the fat grams and/or the calories. Of course the amount of food you take in, if in excess, will lead to weight gain. But if you are hoping that low-fat will make you leaner, it won’t. 

In fact, low fat makes you fat. Why? Because most low-fat products have highly inflammatory fillers such as sugar and white flour that are metabolized quickly, creating low-level inflammation – causing a spike and drop in blood sugar and the resulting rebound hunger or cravings. Low-level inflammation creates FatFlammation – the core cause of weight gain.

You Are Eating Right Out Of The Package

If you park in front of the TV and, for example, you have a bag of healthy (or not so healthy) chips with you – stop doing that. Why? When you are distracted, your potential to not realize how much of those chips you are eating is extremely high. How many times have you had that bag in hand or any other food, and realized that it was half gone, almost gone or…gone?

The next time you want a snack while watching TV, dole out your moderate portion size and take that with you – not the bag.

You Love Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners found in products such as diet sodas can really pack on the pounds..seems counter-intuitive doesn’t it? Research now shows that the artificial sweeteners set the brain up to expect sweet – no matter where the sweetness comes from, either artificially or natural. We are pre-wired to love sweet things and artificial sweeteners are 300 times sweeter than sugar and when we eat them, the sweetness acts upon the reward area of our brain. This triggers a vicious cycle of needing more and more artificial sweetener and/or sugar.

One study showed that drinking just one or two diet sodas a day increased the chance of becoming overweight or obese by 33%. We also know that artificial sweeteners, in particular, diet sodas, are addictive. Slowly wean yourself off of them and you will retrain your taste buds to really love the natural sweetness in healthy foods.

You Skip Meals

Many people still equate caloric intake with weight gain. The myth buster here is that it is the types of foods that you are eating and not necessarily the caloric intake that is creating weight gain.. Yes, you can eat an excessive amount of food and gain fat, but that is not the problem here. Skipping meals to reduce caloric intake is an action to take if you want to gain weight.

The reason is that your metabolism slows down to preserve vital energy simply to keep you alive. This puts your body in fat-storage mode. Studies show that those who skip breakfast? Fare the worst because they have gone all night and far into the day without eating. This creates blood sugar swings, hunger and cravings.

You Are Not Drinking Enough Water

Most people are walking around mildly dehydrated suffering symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, joint pain, hunger, cravings and more , simply because they have not had enough water to drink. Our body is mostly water and every single process in the human body requires water.

When we short our cells of hydration, we feel it. Have you ever stood in front of the refrigerator with the door open and wondered what you wanted to eat but couldn’t make your mind up? You were hungry for something, just not quite sure what it is? This is a sign you may be mildly dehydrated.
The reason this happens is because the brain confuses thirst for hunger. The cure? Drink a glass of water and wait 5 minutes..watch the ‘hunger’ or craving disappear. At a minimum, drink half your body weight in ounces each day.

If you weight 120 lbs., drink 60 ounces of water daily.
By committing and taking action on the above tips to your daily routine, you will begin to see your weight drop, energy increase and optimal health will be yours.

10 Scientific Ways To Detox From Sugar Addiction (Before It Kills You)

Want to know the truth about sugar? Well, the truth is our bodies aren’t meant to handle such extremely high levels of sugar in our diets. In fact, we are killing ourselves with an addiction – a sugar addiction.

For over 50 years, Americans have been brainwashed into believing that fat is the bad guy, when really it’s that sweet, sweet devil we call sugar. It’s sugar, not fat, that makes you sick, overweight, and irritable. In fact, sugar (in it’s many forms) is the root cause for most chronic disease in this country and the rest of the world. Think of an unpleasant or life-debilitating condition/disease.

Chances are sugar is the culprit. Heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, depression, acne, infertility, impotence- all sugar-related.

 

You’re probably thinking, “But I don’t consume that much sugar, I’m fine.” Sugar addiction is a sneaky trickster. You’d be surprised how much sugar is in your diet.

The average American has an intake of approximately 152 pounds of sugar a year. That’s about 22 teaspoons every single day. Children and teenagers consume roughly 34 teaspoons a day, making 1 in 4 kids pre-diabetic. The American Heart Association says you shouldn’t consume more than 37.5 grams (9 teaspoons) of sugar a day if you’re a man, or 25 grams (6 teaspoons) if you’re a woman. To give some perspective, a venti hot chocolate from Starbucks has 60 grams of sugar, a Chai latte has 52 grams of sugar, and their hot mulled fruit with grape and chai has a whopping 99 grams of sugar.

Besides sugar constantly being in your face and readily available to overload your system, it is also highly addictive. 8 times more addictive than cocaine, reports one study. Dr. Nicole Avena conducted an extensive study on the addictive properties of sugar and found some astonishing results. The test subjects were given sugar on an intermittent-feeding schedule for one month, and began to display behaviour traits associated with drug abuse. Sugar acts just like an opiate within the brain. When the test subjects stopped ingesting the sugar they were craving, they experienced the same effects as those who stopped taking addictive drugs. Withdrawals, depression, and anxiety are just a few of the responses noted by removing sugar from ones daily intake.

Okay, so now you should have an understanding of how dangerous sugar is for your brain and your body. But how do you remove the sugar from your diet without suffering these awful after-effects? Dr. Mark Hyman has some powerful suggestions to help you.

In his book, The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, he lists 10 ideas to help you kick the sugar habit.

1. Make the decision to detox

You can read as many studies as you want, and tell yourself that you know how bad sugar addiction is for your health, but until you are really ready to make some serious life changes, you will remain a slave to your addiction.

Like everything else in life, you have to want it. You have to want to defeat the cravings, you have to want to make better choices, and you have to want to do these things because you know they will undoubtedly benefit your brain and body.

2. Go cold turkey

Just like with every other sort of addiction, the most effective way of quitting something is to completely stop. No little “cheats” here and there. You must remove all sugar from your daily consumption. The idea is to reset your body’s neurotransmitters and hormones by getting rid of that one thing which is controlling them.
“Stop all forms of sugar, all flour products and all artificial sweeteners — which cause increased cravings and slow metabolism, and lead to fat storage. Also get rid of anything with trans or hydrogenated fats and MSG,” recommends Dr. Hyman.

3. Stop drinking your calories

Most of the stuff triggering our sugar addiction is found in our drinks. Liquid sugar is more harmful to your body than solid foods with sugar content. You are basically mainlining the bad stuff directly to your liver! Sweet beverages are the biggest contributor to sugar calories in our diet. That means you need to pay attention to (and remove) sodas, juices (except green veggie juice), sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened teas and coffees. 20 ounces of soda contains approximately 15 teaspoons of sugar; Gatorade has about 14 teaspoons in one bottle. Dr. Hyman states, “One can of soda a day increases a kid’s chance of being obese by 60% and a woman’s chance of type 2 diabetes by 80%.”

4. Start your day with protein

Eat protein at every meal- and don’t skip breakfast! The key to abolishing those cravings and balancing blood sugar and insulin levels in the body is to eat a protein-filled breakfast, and incorporate protein in all your meals. Start your day with farm fresh eggs, then use nuts, seeds, eggs, broccoli, fish, chicken or grass-fed meat with other meals. Look up foods that are high in protein, and find fun ways to add them to your diet.

5. Eat unlimited carbs, but make sure they’re the right ones

Yep, carbs can be good for you if you avoid the starchy ones. That means unlimited veggies- greens, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, collards, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, fennel, eggplant, artichokes, peppers etc. are all great for detoxing your body. Avoid potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and beets for a minimum of 10 days. You will feel a surge of energy in your body, and mental clarity is noticeably improved when you remove sugar. I find that results are drastically increased when you remove grains and beans from your diet as well. Eating healthy carbs is a fail-proof way to fight sugar addiction.

6. Fight sugar with (good) fat

Fat is not your enemy, sugar is. Fat doesn’t make you fat, despite what you have been led to believe, sugar makes you fat. What fat does is make you full, it balances your blood sugar and is a necessary part of your diet to give your cells energy. Combined with protein at every meal, adding healthy fats will boost your body’s metabolism and curb those cravings! What are healthy fats? Extra virgin olive oil, avocados, coconut oil, coconut butter, nuts and seeds, and fish with high Omega 3 content.

7. Be prepared for food emergencies

When you feel your blood sugar levels start to plummet, you don’t want to be stuck in a food emergency with no options. Being hungry and needing something to boost your energy levels but not having healthy options nearby(at the airport, convenience stores, fast food joints, vending machines) can leave you feeling frustrated. More than likely, this is where those cravings will kick your butt. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have no options. You just need to prepare for those moments- for those food emergencies. Always have a healthy snack pack ready for when your body is telling you it needs something NOW. A few good tidbits to keep with you: turkey or salmon jerky, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sardines, kale chips.

8. Stop stressing and breathe

When you put your body through stress your hormones go haywire. Cortisol increases which makes you feel hungry. It also causes belly fat to be stored and can lead to type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have shown that taking deep breaths activates the vagus nerve. This activation by breathing shifts your metabolism from fat storage to fat burning, and reduces stress at the same time! All you have to do is breathe! Start by taking 5 deep breaths. Breathe in for the count of five, then exhale for the count of five. Do this 5 times. That’s all there is to it. Dr. Hyman advises doing this before every meal to see noticeable results.

9. Remove inflammatory foods

The most common sources of inflammatory foods are sugar, flour, trans fats, and food sensitivities. More often than not, gluten and dairy cause adverse reactions in people’s bodies. This is because our bodies are sensitive to what is in food, especially if we have a slight allergic reaction to it. Give up gluten and dairy products for 10 days. Will it be easy? Heck no, it’ll be one of the hardest things you will do for yourself. But after just 3 or 4 days you will notice a difference; you will have more energy, and relief from cravings, not to mention you won’t have bloating issues and your clothes will fit better.

10. Get plenty of rest

Give your body the rest it needs. When you deprive your body of a full night’s sleep, you are inadvertently affecting your hormone levels. Even just reducing your sleep time by 2 hours is enough to increase hunger hormones, decrease appetite-suppressing hormones, and causes sugar and refined carb cravings. If you don’t get enough sleep, your natural response is to give the body energy in the fastest way possible- sugar. Sleep is the best way to combat those sugar cravings in the morning.

.....................................................................

This isn’t going to be easy, but the rewards are definitely worth it, and following these steps will absolutely put an end to your sugar addiction.

I did a sugar and starchy-carb detox for 3 weeks. The differences I felt and noticeably saw made everything worth it. The first 3 days are the hardest, but once you get past that point you will notice the cravings start to diminish little by little. Do I still want bread, pasta, and two scoops of sugar with my coffee? Yes and no. I think I want it because it became habit, and I associated happiness and feeling full with sugar and unhealthy carbs. But I don’t really want it. I found that having a huge plate filled with veggies, wild rice, fish, seeds and nuts was way more enjoyable and beneficial to my health. After the first week, I noticed my thoughts were clearer (not as much brain fog), I became more aware of flavours, my reflexes and reactions were improved, and the best part is my clothes fit a whole lot better.

Next time you think you are needing a sweet treat, or a sugary beverage, think about what you are doing to your brain and your body, instead.

Here are 11 scientific ways to be happier (that have nothing to do with fame or money)

When you think about it, it’s our habits that define us. Our habits can either make us happier and more successful or they can thwart us from achieving our biggest goals.
The great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, said it best:





The good news is, there’s plenty of research that suggests that certain habits will improve your level of happiness and wellbeing.
We’ve looked at the research and have found a few simple practices that you can implement into your daily life to make yourself happier.

1) Write down 3 things you’e grateful for every day.

Being appreciative for the things you have in life is an excellent way to boost your mood. In a recent study, psychologists at UC Davis had 3 groups of participants keep weekly journals focused around a particular topic. One group wrote about the hassles they experience in life, the other group wrote about major events, and the last group wrote about things they were grateful for.
After 10 weeks, those who were told to write about things they were grateful for ended up feeling happier and more optimistic about life.

 

 2) Go on a hike or gaze up at the stars

Awe is a powerful human emotion and that one that we could do well to trigger more often. Several research studies have found a link between experiencing awe and feeling less stressed and more satisfied. One of the best ways to experience awe is to gaze up the stars or look at a beautiful view from the top of a mountain.

 

3) Drink coffee (not too much, though).

People don’t have coffee every morning for no reason. It boosts alertness and provides a much needed boost to the central nervous system. Several studies have found a link between reduced depression risk and coffee consumption.

 

4) Meditate

We’ve written a lot about this before. Many studies have shown that meditating – focusing intently and quietly on the present for a period of time – can help lessen feelings of depression and anxiety. Brain scans have been conducted on Buddhist monks who show well-developed brain areas linked to heightened awareness and emotional control.

 

5) Read an adventure story

Research has found that you may be able to get the benefits of an awe-inspiring story just by reading about it. A study found that when people simply read about someone else’s awe-inspiring experience, they were less stressed and more willing to help others.

 

6) Get outside in nature

Many of us live in urban environments which may be taking a toll on our mental health. One study found that students who spent two nights in nature had lower levels of cortisol than those who spent two nights in the city.

 

7) Do things you do when you’re happy – even if you’re not.

Experiencing positive emotions allows you to neutralize negatives ones and encourages people to be more proactive. Therefore, do exactly what you normally do when you’re happy to spur those emotions and encourage proactivity.

 

8) Listen to sad songs

It may sound strange, but research has found that listening to sad music regulates negative emotions and mood.

 

 

9) Set realistic goals

Do you like to create lists of tasks you need to complete for each day? Then you might want to listen closely. It’s far better to set goals that are specific, realistic and achievable.
A study found that people who wrote down a task like “save environment” were less satisfied than people who wrote down “recycle more” even though they undertook the same actions.

 

10) Write down your feelings

Science has found that writing down your feelings is a great way to relieve stress and clarify your thoughts. Research has suggested that recording one’s feelings helps calm them by dampening strong emotional feelings.

 

 

11) Spend money on others, not yourself

When you’re having a bad day, we all have that urge of going shopping or buying our favorite comfort cake. However, research shows that you’ll feel happier if you spend that money on someone else, instead of yourself.
A 2008 study gave 46 volunteers an envelope with money where half of the participants were instructed to give that money to someone else and the other half were told to spend it on themselves. Sure enough, those who spend their money on others felt higher levels of happiness.
hackspirit

The #1 Food You MUST Avoid to FIGHT Diabetes (hint: it’s NOT sugar!)

If you listen to mainstream medicine, I’m sure you’ve only heard that you need to avoid sugar if you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic. But what if I told that mindset totally misses the mark and ignores perhaps a MORE important food that increases your risk?

According to Dr. Ray Peat, PhD, “Diabetes is just one of the “terminal” diseases that can be caused by the polyunsaturated vegetable oils.” [1]
What does he mean by polyunsaturated oils? He’s speaking to any oils that have a large percentage of polyunsaturated fats, like:

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• Corn oil
• Soybean oil
• Safflower oil
• Nut oils
• Canola oil
• Peanut oil
• Trans fats (artificially created)

These oils are VERY new to the food supply and were not a part of the diet until about 100 years ago. However, they are mainstream in almost every restaurant and processed food across America because they are incredibly cheap.

Source: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/publications/foodsupply/foodsupply1909-2000.pdf

So what’s so bad about these fats? Polyunsaturated fats:

• –Have a direct correlation to the increase of heart disease
• –Interfere with thyroid gland function– impairing the metabolic rate
• –Block hormone secretion
• –Can contribute to high cholesterol
• –Damage all systems of the body if in excess: hormone system, immune system & oxidative damage
• –Interfere with digestion
• –Decrease energy production
• –Block protein digestion in the stomach [2]

Peat continues that “coconut oil, in diabetes as in other degenerative diseases, is highly protective.” Yet another reason to ditch the polyunsaturated oils in your pantry, and opt for real (saturated) fats like butter, ghee, coconut oil, and natural animal fats!

So what else can you do to help prevent diabetes? Take personal responsibility and change your diet. According to Dr. Peat, diet is key, “I think the basic anti-aging diet is also the best diet for prevention and treatment of diabetes, scleroderma, and the various “connective tissue diseases.”

This would emphasize high protein, low unsaturated fats, low iron, and high antioxidant consumption, with a moderate or low starch consumption. In practice, this means that a major part of the diet should be milk, cheese, eggs, shellfish, fruits and coconut oil, with vitamin E and salt as the safest supplements.” [1]

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{NOTE: Ray Peat, the person submitted the original post admits that some of the information in this  post is attached to Paid Endorsements below-- Please use your judgement before acting upon anything that you read on the internet! ~~MKG} 




References:
[1] Peat, Ray. Diabetes, scleroderma, oils and hormones. 2006. Retrieved on 27 December 2014 from http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/diabetes.shtml

[2] Peat, Ray. Unsaturated Vegetable Oils: Toxic. 2006. Retrieved on 27 December 2014 from http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/unsaturated-oils.shtml

[3] Weston A. Price Foundation. The Oiling of America. 2000. Retrieved on 27 December 2014 from http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/the-oiling-of-america/
Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com/joruba75

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with your advising physician before starting any treatment for a medical condition. NutritionallyWealthy.com shall not be held liable or responsible for any misunderstanding or misuse of the information contained on this site or for any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by any treatment, action, or application of any food or food source discussed in this site.

A scientist debunks 10 popular psychology myths that most people believe

Have you ever heard that men are from Mars and women are from Venus? Or that we all have different learning styles?

These are popular concepts inspired by mainstream media but are they really true?
According to psychologist Ben Ambridge, they’re actually quite wrong.

In fact, he says that many of the below 10 myths might be doing more harm than good.
Check out his riveting TED talk for 10 surprising psychological myths that most of us believe even to this day.
For those of you who can’t watch the video right now, here they are in text:

1) Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus.

How different are men and women really?
Ben Ambridge says that when you look at the averages of different skills, they really aren’t that different at all.

For example, most people believe that men are better at spatial awareness, which is true, but not as much as you think. The difference is really tiny. The average woman is better than 33 percent of all men.
Most psychologists will tell you that women are better with language and grammar than men, but again, the difference is small. In fact, 33 percent of men are better than the average woman.
In other words, the difference isn’t Mars and Venus, but perhaps Mars and Snickers.

2) The famous Rorschach inkblot test

The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects’ perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both.
But Ben Ambridge says that this test basically has no validity whatsoever. It’s not used by modern-day psychologists and is inaccurate when diagnosing people’s personality.

3) Are a visual learner? Or auditory?

Some might people say they’re a visual learner. Others say they learn better through auditory.
However, according to Ambridge, learning styles are made up and not supported by scientific evidence.

This is known because in tightly controlled experimental studies, when learners are given material to learn either through their preferred style or an opposite style, it makes no difference at all to the amount of information they retain.

Instead, the best presentation format depends not on you, but on what you’re trying to learn.

4) What about genes and intelligence?

Can you improve your intelligence? Partly, but that’s not the full story.
Ben Ambridge says that 58% of our scores in IQ tests are down to genetic factors. How do they know this? With lots of tests between identical twins and non-identical twins.
So if you don’t get the scores you’re looking for, you can always blame your parents.

5) Are you left-brained, or right brained?

Most people believe that the left brain is logical and the right brain is more creative. But again, this is a myth because almost everything you do involves nearly all parts of your brain.

6) We only use 10 percent of our brains.

This, again, is a complete myth. Nearly everything that we do, even the most mundane thing, uses nearly all of our brain.
However it is true that most of us don’t use all the brainpower that we really could, so what can we do to improve our brainpower? Check out the next myth.

7) Listening to Mozart makes you smarter.

Studies have found that listening to Mozart doesn’t make you work better or be smarter. However, it does help people who enjoy Mozart.
In fact, listening to anything you enjoy will perk you up a bit and make you work better.

8) Our preferences in a romantic partner are a product of culture.

The data doesn’t back this up.
A famous study surveyed 37 different cultures across the globe and what they look for in a partner. And in every single culture across the globe, men placed more value on physical attractiveness in a partner than did women.
And in every culture, too, women placed more importance than did men on ambition and high earning power.
Also, in every culture, men preferred women who were younger than themselves. And in every culture, women preferred men who were older.

9) Patterns are everywhere

We’ve all heard that in football or soccer, a player is in a hot streak of form. We do this for all kinds of things, but is it really true? In fact, our brains try to create patterns out of randomness.
So a lot of times when we think it’s a streak, it’s our brain trying to find something out of nothing. That’s why we feel we’re on a hot streak when we guess heads or tails correctly several times in a row. But in essence, it’s always random.

10) We can catch a liar through body language.

Although we all think we can catch a liar from their body language and speech patterns, hundreds of tests have shown that it’s basically random whether we can predict if someone is lying or not.
This goes for police offers and detectives as well.

The top two reasons you should consume Kombucha daily

As with most places, Russia too noticed a remarkable increase in cancer rates during the 19th century. Soviet researchers looked at cancer rates by region and noticed certain geographical areas of the Soviet block were practically immune to cancer while other areas seemed to be suffering from a cancer epidemic. Looking deeper into those areas they noticed a correlation between high levels of Kombucha intake and low cancer rates.

Over the course of the 19th century, both Russia and Germany conducted many studies on the health benefits and potential cancer fighting properties of Kombucha, only to have lost most of that data during the cold war and political transitions.

On the bright side, these transitions lead to the West becoming aware of Kombucha. However, it has only been in very recent years that most of us have heard of this powerful antioxidant. However, as is typical in the west, there are basically no studies ongoing into the health benefits of Kombucha as there is little profit to be made by corporations…after all, the average person can make it at home for about fifty cents per gallon.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is made from sweetened tea (usually black tea, but sometime green tea as well) fermented by a colony of bacteria and yeast. The end result is an elixir that has strong properties for fighting cancer, arthritis and other degenerative diseases. Rich in nutrients and vitamins such as Vitamin B, Glutamic acids and antioxidants, Kombucha has many therapeutic benefits.

Let’s look at the top two reasons you should regularly consume Kombucha:

Detoxification: Probably the number one benefit of Kombucha is its ability to aid the body in producing many of the enzymes and bacterial acids it uses to aid the liver and kidneys in detoxifying your body. Glucaric acid has been shown in clinical studies to aid cancer patients such as Ronald Reagan who started drinking Kombucha regularly after his cancer diagnosis in 1987, remember he didn’t die until 2004 of old age.
Digestive and Gut health: Close behind detoxification has to be Kombucha’s ability to aid the body maintain digestive health. Because it is fermented by a colony of bacteria and yeast, Kombucha is a pro-biotic beverage. Next time you feel like your body is not processing food correctly or suffer from digestive uncomfortableness, try Kombucha.

Kombucha, once impossible to find in the US, today is available at most grocery stores (especially natural health stores such as Trader Joe’s and Wholefoods). You can also purchase a SCOBY (the starter culture that begins the fermentation process) and make your own. It can be time consuming, but it is inexpensive and a great way to ensure quality Kombucha.

 

10 Critical Things Smart People Never Say

These phrases carry special power: they have an uncanny ability to make you look bad even when the words are true.
Worst of all, there’s no taking them back once they slip out. I’m not talking about shocking slips of the tongue, off-color jokes, or politically incorrect faux pas. These aren’t the only ways to make yourself look bad. Often it’s the subtle remarks—the ones that paint us as incompetent and unconfident—that do the most damage.

No matter how talented you are or what you’ve accomplished, there are certain phrases that instantly change the way people see you and can forever cast you in a negative light. These phrases are so loaded with negative implications that they undermine careers in short order.


“This is the way it’s always been done.” Technology-fueled change is happening so fast that even a six-month-old process could be outdated. Saying this is the way it’s always been done not only makes you sound lazy and resistant to change, but it could make your boss wonder why you haven’t tried to improve things on your own. If you really are doing things the way they’ve always been done, there’s almost certainly a better way.

“It’s not my fault.” It’s never a good idea to cast blame. Be accountable. If you had any role—no matter how small—in whatever went wrong, own it. If not, offer an objective, dispassionate explanation of what happened. Stick to the facts, and let your boss and colleagues draw their own conclusions about who’s to blame.

The moment you start pointing fingers is the moment people start seeing you as someone who lacks accountability for their actions. This makes people nervous. Some will avoid working with you altogether, and others will strike first and blame you when something goes wrong.

“I can’t.” I can’t is it’s not my fault’s twisted sister. People don’t like to hear I can’t because they think it means I won’t. Saying I can’t suggests that you’re not willing to do what it takes to get the job done. If you really can’t do something because you truly lack the necessary skills, you need to offer an alternative solution. Instead of saying what you can’t do, say what you can do. For example, instead of saying “I can’t stay late tonight,” say “I can come in early tomorrow morning. Will that work?” Instead of “I can’t run those numbers,” say “I don’t yet know how to run that type of analysis. Is there someone who can show me so that I can do it on my own next time?”


“It’s not fair.” Everyone knows that life isn’t fair. Saying it’s not fair suggests that you think life is supposed to be fair, which makes you look immature and naïve. If you don’t want to make yourself look bad, you need to stick to the facts, stay constructive, and leave your interpretation out of it. For instance, you could say, “I noticed that you assigned Ann that big project I was hoping for. Would you mind telling me what went into that decision? I’d like to know why you thought I wasn’t a good fit, so that I can work on improving those skills.”


“That’s not in my job description.” This often sarcastic phrase makes you sound as though you’re only willing to do the bare minimum required to keep getting a paycheck, which is a bad thing if you like job security. If your boss asks you to do something that you feel is inappropriate for your position (as opposed to morally or ethically inappropriate), the best move is to complete the task eagerly. Later, schedule a conversation with your boss to discuss your role in the company and whether your job description needs an update. This ensures that you avoid looking petty. It also enables you and your boss to develop a long-term understanding of what you should and shouldn’t be doing.


“This may be a silly idea …/I’m going to ask a stupid question.” These overly passive phrases instantly erode your credibility. Even if you follow these phrases with a great idea, they suggest that you lack confidence, which makes the people you’re speaking to lose confidence in you. Don’t be your own worst critic. If you’re not confident in what you’re saying, no one else will be either. And, if you really don’t know something, say, “I don’t have that information right now, but I’ll find out and get right back to you.”


“I’ll try.” Just like the word think, try sounds tentative and suggests that you lack confidence in your ability to execute the task. Take full ownership of your capabilities. If you’re asked to do something, either commit to doing it or offer an alternative, but don’t say that you’ll try because it sounds like you won’t try all that hard.


“This will only take a minute.” Saying that something only takes a minute undermines your skills and gives the impression that you rush through tasks. Unless you’re literally going to complete the task in 60 seconds, feel free to say that it won’t take long, but don’t make it sound as though the task can be completed any sooner than it can actually be finished.


“I hate this job.” The last thing anyone wants to hear at work is someone complaining about how much they hate their job. Doing so labels you as a negative person and brings down the morale of the group. Bosses are quick to catch on to naysayers who drag down morale, and they know that there are always enthusiastic replacements waiting just around the corner.


“He’s lazy/incompetent/a jerk.” There is no upside to making a disparaging remark about a colleague. If your remark is accurate, everybody already knows it, so there’s no need to point it out. If your remark is inaccurate, you’re the one who ends up looking like a jerk. There will always be rude or incompetent people in any workplace, and chances are that everyone knows who they are. If you don’t have the power to help them improve or to fire them, then you have nothing to gain by broadcasting their ineptitude.

Announcing your colleague’s incompetence comes across as an insecure attempt to make you look better. Your callousness will inevitably come back to haunt you in the form of your coworkers’ negative opinions of you.


Bringing It All Together
These phrases have a tendency to sneak up on you, so you’re going to have to catch yourself until you’ve solidified the habit of not saying them.