Are YOU one of the Internet Addict? Study finds 182 million of People around the World now Struggle to stay Offline

Obviously I am part of the 182 million people. In fact, who in this technology generation is not an internet junkie? But I agree some are at extreme obsession and can go gaga about it. Okay!

New research according to Capio Nightingale Hospital, reveals 6 per cent of people - roughly 182 million  around the world are internet addict. On the extreme, the Middle East is  said to be the most addicted region of the world.

 

So, If you're concerned you, or someone you know, may have an internet addiction ask yourself:

• Do you stay up late into the night using the internet? Are you grumpy or anxious when you can't log on?
• Do you ignore and avoid other activities to spend more time using devices?
• Do you think about being online when you are offline?
• Do you feel criticised by others about the amount of time they spend online?
• Do you feel tense or bad if you can’t get online - a feeling which noticeably goes away when you are allowed to get back online?Do

 

 Cecelia Cheng and Angel Yee-lam Li  chose 80 global studies, covering reports of web addiction across 31 nations in seven regions averaged at 6 per cent. These countries covered in the stud include the US, Australia, Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Iran, Isarel, Lebanon, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Taiwan, and Columbia. Why is Africa missing? Hmmm..
 

Based on previous paper research, where a total of 544 participants were surveyed about their internet habits with almost a 50/50 split between the genders - 49 per cent were male  and the average age was 18.42 years. Also included is the nation’s gross domestic product, internet penetration and reported number of web users.

 

The highest web addiction case were found in the Middle East, at 10.9%, which included Iran, Israel, Lebanon and Turkey.
 

The lowest prevalence was reported in North and West Europe on 2.6%, by comparison South and East Europe was on 6.1%
 

North America had an internet addiction prevalence rate of 8% Oceania was on 4.3% and South America had no reported cases. 

New technology study on addiction shows that 68 per cent of people in the 31 countries have access to the web, known as internet penetration rate (IPR).
 

In this new study Dr Richard Graham, runs a technology addiction programme at London's Capio Nightingale Hospital, MailOnline reports:
 
'The internet is integral to modern life and ubiquitous, it is important that we can find the right balance between maximising the benefits of new technologies without forming an unhealthy dependence. 
 

'When electronic devices start to have more influence over behaviour than anyone else or anything else, that is the moment when really you need to start changing things. 
 

'When people feel an uncomfortable sense of withdrawal when they are not near devices that will allow access to the internet and when people clearly do not get the same buzz doing any other activity then we know that the relationship with technology is not being managed properly.'
 

Capio Nightingale Hospital also offers an online test that assesses the extent of your relationship with technology addiction. Although designed for adults, parents can take this test on behalf of their children, for example, gambling, shopping social media, watching streamed or recorded videos on YouTube, and dating apps.
 

'Unfortunately unhealthy relationships with technology such as phones, computers and games can cause destructive consequences; physically and psychologically. Lives can be impaired by extensive and unregulated time online, on-screen or in-game.'

Technology addiction in Children : Spotting the signs

LACK OF INTEREST IN OTHER ACTIVITIES 

Dr Graham explained that if this reluctance increases and 'it becomes harder and harder to get them to do anything other than engaging with technology', they may be showing signs of addiction.

'A bit of groaning at having to do anything else is common,' added Dr Watts. 'But if your child has difficulty paying attention it's worth finding out what is going on, and whether this is a problem at school too.'

 

CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT OR GETTING DISTRACTED BY TECHNOLOGY: According to Dr Graham: 'Look for signs of them constantly wanting to get back to their devices. For example, if they keep playing and checking their phone wanting to switch it back on.'

MOOD SWINGS AND ARGUMENTATIVE BEHAVIOUR

Equally, if they 'become very sensitive when any concern is expressed about their technology usage to the point it can easily escalate into an argument.'

Some children may tell the adult they don't understand because they didn't have devices when they were growing up.

According to Dr Watts: 'It's difficult for anyone born before 1980 to realise how central social media is to children's lives nowadays.

'Adults tend to have Enid Blyton fantasies of how kids should spend their childhood.

'There is going to be a generational difference between you and your kids, but agree some kind of rules on what is allowed, for example "No smartphones at meals".'
 

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

'They may become distressed or angry by small things and when they are back online become calmer' and advises parents to check for signs of anxiety, agitation and irritability.

Dr Watts added: 'A little agitation at not being able to be online with one's friends is pretty normal, but if a child continuously can't get over this, its time to start a conversation.'
 

INCREASE IN LYING OR A RISE IN DEVIOUS BEHAVIOUR

Dr Graham said children with potential addiction 'will try to do as much as they can to minimise the extent to which they are asked about their technology use' by keeping it a secret.

Dr Watts added it's normal for children to want to have some space and secrets but advises parents to 'ask friends how much time their similarly-aged kids are spending online, or check forums.'

Dr Graham continued: 'The benefits of the technologies we all use on a daily basis are clear to see. However, in a short period of time the world we all inhabit has drastically changed and we have had little time to adapt.
Read more on Technology Addiction Test

 


Credit: Excerpt from Mailonline

Mystery sleeping sickness that causes them to doze for days have fluid on their brains, doctors claim

A mysterious sleeping epidemic that makes residents of a village known as Sleepy Hollow doze off for days at a time is caused by excessive fluid in the brain, according to doctors.

 

Doctors, however, have been unable to identify the cause of the condition that has affected residents in the remote village of Kalachi, in northern Kazakhstan, for nearly four years.

 

Locals say the strange sleeping disorder is getting worse, with nearly 14 per cent of the towns 600 residents having been affected.

 

Igor Samusenko, local resident whose son suffers from the condition, said: 'He runs around and then he gets inert, starts staggering. When he turns his head his eyes stay fixed as what he ws looking at. If you try to wake him it seems the wants to open his eyes but can't.'

'Sleepy valley, sleepy hollow, that's what people call us.'

 

Lyubov Belkova claims to be the first resident to have fallen asleep in April 2010 and has since suffered repeated episodes seven times. She was initially diagnosed with ischemic strokes but then her neighbour began suffering the same symptoms.

 

Experts fear that prolonged diffuse brain oedema could have long term consequences on the neurological development of the children's brains.

 

But they are still no closer to finding out what might be causing the symptoms.

Some have dismissed the condition as narcolepsy or even chronic fatigue syndrome, but Professor Jim Horne, a sleep expert at Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre, says 'It is not likely to be narcolepsy as the symptoms affect people for very short periods of time, not days on end. It doesn't seem like a sleep disorder to me - more likely a mild form of encephalitis.

 

'Most seem to recover quite quickly - so maybe its a virus - but then several seem to go down all at once, which suggests environmental contamination as there doesn't seem to be any fever.'

 

Prayerfully they find the cause and cure

 

 

 

What type of mother are YOU? Take this quiz to see if you're a Gwyneth Paltrow eco-mum or a Gwen Stefani rock'n'roll mama

Jenny Scott developed a mothering bible to find out what kind of mother that you are. whether you arec a bit rock 'n' roll-style mum while you strut your stuff with your toddlers in tow? Or has having kids made you pile the pressure on yourself? Perhaps you're one of those 'always looks amazing in the playground' mothers - and you don't even know it? Well, it's time to find out. Take this quiz and whichever section gives you the most 'yes' answers will determine your maternal style.

 

SECTION A

• Would you order a 'babycino' in a coffee shop?
• Do you own a range of sunglasses that you generally only wear as a headband to keep your hair from going in your eyes?
• Have you ever been to a baby-friendly spa?
• Does your child do more than three extra-curricular activities every week?

SECTION B 

• Have you ever washed your face with a reusable nappy, mistaking it for a flannel?
• Have you taken your child's indoor wigwam on a camping trip and instantly regretted it as soon as it rains? 
• Have you ever blended vegetables for your baby then decided to add water and drink it yourself?
• Have you ever used one of the saris you bought in India as a baby sling?
• Even though your life is super-hectic, do you still make time to meet your friends for your Bikram yoga fix?

SECTION C

• Have you ever had light-pink highlights?
• Did you go to clubs together with friends and splash out on a Windinglake Winnebago at Glasto this year?
• Do you wear Converse like slippers?
• Was your child gifted a pair of Baby Banz earmuffs at birth?
• Does your child own a T-shirt/babygro with the Rolling Stones lips and tongue logo on it?

SECTION D

• Do you have red lipstick in your baby changing bag alongside the bum cream?
• Are you always inexplicably drawn to animal-print items in every clothes shop you enter?
• Do you enjoy a cup of tea and chocolate just as much as a glass of wine at 5pm?
• Do you 'like' more than five things on Instagram every day?
• Are you always calling your girlfriends to talk about a business plan that they can get involved with?
• Do you keep your trainers in better condition than your suede heels?

MOSTLY SECTION A = YEP, YOU'RE PLAYGROUND MUM 

This is the kind of mum you can normally smell before you see her as she stalks past you in a fog of Chanel, all tousled blonde mane, pouty lip gloss and a perfect glow. 

She is the mum that everyone assumes has an army of helpers, her 4x4 always looks immaculate and it is pretty much guaranteed she wears matching underwear.

The school gates are an opportunity to 'touch base', 'incentivise' and 'go forward' together. 

All the mums want an invitation from Playground Mum, not just to have a nose around her obviously interior-designed home, but also because you've heard rumours you'll have a warm glass of pinot grigio pushed into one hand and a DIY Botox needle in the other.

MOSTLY SECTION B = HOT ECO MUM 

This is the mum that you can guarantee upon meeting, will leave you feeling guilty about something whether it's that, heaven forbid, you and your kids drink cow's milk, or you've been showering your child in a shower gel containing parabens.

Other than being a mum this woman's job is to save the world through health and fitness fads. 

Smug in the knowledge her healthy lifestyle sets a good example to her kids, she just wishes everyone else would realise that looking and feeling great really isn't hard - even if it does mean a Spinning class in a swimming pool while meditating.

 

MOSTLY SECTION C = YOU'RE ROCK 'N' ROLL MUM 

She's the kind of mum that doesn't just have your average partner - her partner is the drummer in that hot new band and she has a little black book of friends that include the whole back catalogue of the Nineties' musical heroes.

This mum is never seen in anything that isn't leopard print and is never without a slick of red lippy. She certainly isn't interested in sport or getting fit.

Her favourite kind of night in involves sitting with a bottle of beer surrounded by vinyl talking about the good old days when Courtney and Kurt had just met. 

This mum rarely has time to stand around talking at the school gates – being rock 'n' roll cool is a full-time occupation.

MOSTLY SECTION D = YOU'RE A MOTHERS MEETING MUM 

This is the mum who wants it all, and more than any other kind of mum she puts way too much pressure on herself.

It's not enough to just be a good mother, it's just as important to feel confident and look good - these mums are very proud.

She sees absolutely no reason why having kids should mean letting yourself go. In fact, since having hers, she's dropped two dress sizes, run two marathons and started her own company. 

But by no means is this lady competitive she is the kind of friend every woman needs in their lives! 

She's supportive, inspiring and motivating and loves having an early night with a good book as much as she likes to have a wild night out.

 

 

 

 

 

Men are more Foolish in Behavior than Women - Study Claims

Recent study in the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal that looked at the difference between the sexes when it came to idiotic behavior found men to be much more likely to engage in risk-seeking behavior and be admitted to A&E as a result according to Researchers from the north-east of England.

But in an effort to explore “male idiot theory” (MIT), they examined the verified winners of the Darwin Awards, given to people who die in particularly, sometimes spectacularly, stupid ways and do humanity a favor by removing themselves from the gene pool.

One particularly deserving winner was a would-be terrorist who opened his own letter bomb after it was returned to him when he didn’t buy enough stamps.

'According to MIT many of the differences in risk seeking behaviour, emergency department admissions, and mortality may be explained by the observation that men are idiots and idiots do stupid things.
There are anecdotal data supporting MIT, but to date there has been no systematic analysis of sex differences in idiotic risk taking behavior.'

Since 1995 there have been 332 verified Darwin Award winners but 14 had to be removed for involving couples (usually misguidedly-amorous ones), leaving 282 men and 36 women.
In the below graph, line H0 indicates expected percentages under the null hypothesis that males and females are equally idiotic.


The researchers said they believed MIT deserved further investigation, and “with the festive season upon us, we intend to follow up with observational field studies and an experimental study - males and females, with and without alcohol - in a semi-naturalistic Christmas party setting”.

 

Pregnant Women Exposure to Beauty Chemicals is Linked with Lower IQ in Children, Study claims

 

If you are the type with Can't do without Makeup Syndrome, please read this vital claims and research findings expert study viaUK mail online. 

'Controversial study claims to have found a link between wearing make-up during pregnancy and lower IQ scores in children.
 
'The study focuses on phthalate chemicals found in make-up. US study found exposure to the highest levels of two phthalate chemicals led to a lowering of IQ scores at age seven by more than six points.

 

'Researchers in the New York investigated four phthalates and demonstrated an association with two, known as DnBP and DiBP.

'Phthalates are man-made chemicals thought to interfere with hormones. They can be found in a wide range of consumer products including dryer sheets, vinyl fabrics, lipstick, hairspray, nail polish and some soaps.

'The scientists claim the link remained after taking account of known factors that can influence child IQ, such as the mother's intelligence and the quality of the home environment. Study only looked at 328 cases, and further studies need to be carried out on larger groups to confirm results.

'The scientists assessed the pthalate exposure of 328 New York City women and their children, all of whom were from low-income communities.

 

'Break down chemicals from the compounds left after they had been processed in the body were measured in urine samples during the last three months of pregnancy.

 

'Children of mothers whose exposure to DnBP and DiBP was in the top 25 per cent had IQ scores 6.6 and 7.6 points lower, respectively, than those of mothers exposed to the lowest concentrations.

 

'Associations were also seen for specific aspects of IQ, such as perceptual reasoning, working memory and processing speed.

 

None of the women had been exposed to unusual levels of the chemicals, the researchers said, whose findings were reported in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE.

 

 

Culled from UK Mailonlne

New Injectable Gel Could Offer Temporary Birth Control Option for Guys

Hey Guys, here is a new solution for you who do not yet want children but hate condoms, or for those that can’t face a vasectomy, there is a new option when called  Vasalgel.

 

Vasalgel – an injectable ‘barrier’ that seals the small tube that carries sperm, called the vas deferens.The gel works like a filter to stop the passage of sperm while allowing other fluids through, but unlike a vasectomy, it is easily reversible.

It is being developed at the Parsemus Foundation, based in San Francisco.

The long-acting, non-hormonal contraceptive would require a procedure similar to a non-scalpel vasectomy, where gel is inserted in the vas deferens, rather than cutting the vas, as done in a vasectomy.

 

‘If a man wishes to restore flow of sperm, whether after months or years, the polymer is flushed out of the vas with another injection,’ the company says.

It is intended as an alternative to a vasectomy, but not a replacement for condoms, because it would not protect men against sexually transmitted infections.

Although it is not yet ready for humans usage, animal trials in rabbits and baboons have proved that it’s effective, and that a second injection dissolved the barrier, enabling animals to regain their fertility.

 

Elaine Lissner, director of the Parsemus Foundation, told Yahoo that Vasalgel is similar to, and as effective as the female IUD - an intrauterine device better known as the 'coil' that's inserted into a woman's uterus - for preventing pregnancy. 

‘So far, it’s even a little better,’ she said.

 

‘The goal is to have it on the market as an alternative to vasectomy as soon as possible, with the first clinical trial expected to begin in 2014,’ it says

The gel could mean that vasectomy’s may no longer be needed which can have complications and side effects, such as pain, infection and bleeding.

 

Male fertility expert, Dr Jamin Brahmbhatt, Co-Director of The Pur Clinic, welcomes a new contraception option for men, but is cautious because the injection site is so tiny. He fears that scarring from the injection of the barrier, could stop a reversal. ‘Since there’s no long-term data on this, there’s no guarantee about the effectiveness of a reversal,’ he said.

Credit: yahoo via Mailonline

 

 

 

When Men Remarry, They Go Way Younger.

According to studies conducted by Pew Research Center,  which doesn't include same-sex couples, shows that men and women alike tend to stray further outside their own age bracket for remarriages than for first marriages. However, men are way more likely to go for younger women the second (or third, or fourth) time around.

When people first marry, they tend to pick someone pretty close to their age. When they try marriage again, however, the gap tends to get way wider, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

And that gap is different depending on which gender you're looking at: when people remarry (in different-sex couples, that is), the wives get younger and the husbands get older.

15 percent of men marry someone six or more years younger than them for their first marriages, but that's only true of 3 percent of women. For second marriages, men are much more likely to go younger: 38 percent of men choose a significantly younger woman, compared to 11 percent of women.

Unlike women, meanwhile, who are far more likely to seek out someone older when they decide to remarry. 27 percent of women go much older the second (or third) time around, compared to 6 percent of men.

This isn't a small population we're looking at here, either; according to Pew, in 40 percent of marriages today, one or both partners had been married before. But the desire to remarry is also unequal across genders. When Pew asked divorced and widowed people if they would like to remarry, only 30 percent of men said no, compared to 54 percent of women.

In addition,  remarriage is on the rise – four in ten new marriages include at least one partner who has been married before, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. The number of adults who have ever remarried now stands at 42 million—a threefold increase since 1960.

If you a man or woman and you think the research is true type 'YES' in the comment, it not type 'NO' in the comment box.

Some 10 Life Skills You Should Know How to Do by Age 30

How to Accept your Flaws

 
At 30, you should have seen ever part of body as what makes you a unique and beautiful individual irrespective of what people think of you. Note that every laugh line is a story and every unique feature is a family heirloom.
 
 
 
 
How to Forgive and Let Go

 
People will always hurt you, in fact such hurts come from those you love and trust. Yeah, it breaks you, but its a phase. We can't control what others do to us but we are left with either to hold on or let go of the hurt and smile on. Usually, I have observed when I hold grudge I suffer bitterness and resentment and distraction but when do let go, I am much happier.
 
 
 
How to Advice yourself and Act on it
 
Many a time we do not listen to ourselves and stick to what we decide is best for us. We are easily influence by others around us. Yet, we are quick to give advice to others. Sounds Hypocrite! Remember that whether its yours or others the consequences is your alone to bear.
 
How to Change your car oil and Tire
Learning to change your own car oil will save you time and money.  In addition, simply learn how to jack and swap spare ties sounds intimidating mostly for women but over time you get perfect with t. 
 





How to Stitch a Hem

Not a common habit in most advance society but its a good skill that will save you money from buying news shirts or clothes just for little mending problems in old clothes.
 
How to defend yourself
This is important for women. learning to defend yourself particularly against sexual assault gives you self confidence.



 


How to Small Talk
Learning to chat people up at events or social gatherings will make you make friends, get ahead at work and win over family members.




 
How to  Enjoy Dinner Alone

It may sound a bit awkward but it's a perfect chance to spend some quiet time alone and practice mindful eating without distraction. It also builds you up for future breaks up in your relationship for those addicted to be in company of the intimate companion. Lol!



 How to Budget, Plan for Retirement

Everyone financial future is important. Setting aside money now is key to never going broke when you get older. If you start saving $2000 a year at age 25, by the time you are 65. you'll be having over a half a million set aside for retirement according to Bankrate . No problem in case you have passed 25 years, never too late to stay now.



How to Drive
This is not peculiar to only men, its a good thing for women to learn driving skills. I know this is not mostly common in most underdeveloped and developing nations. But if you are opportune please do.
 

Celebrity Diets like Eating Clay can be DANGEROUS to Health, Experts Warns

Matthew McConaughey, Megan Fox and Beyonce are all rumoured to use the diets the British Dietetic Assocatiation describes as 'fads'.

The British Dietetic Association has warned that the diet popular among the famous and the rich are dangerous t health.

This list of celebrity worst diets includes the popular Paleo or Caveman diet and known with stars like Matthew McConaughey and Megan Fox, that advises eating like our stone age ancestors and avoiding ‘modern foods’ such as bread, pasta, cereal and dairy products.But the BDA says this is little more than a ‘Jurassic fad’.

 

Thus, BDA warns that refusing to eat any dairy products could leave people dangerously low in calcium and weaken their bones.More so eating like a caveman is keep in shape is time-consuming and socially isolating; and serious health problems, from constipation to arsenic poisoning. 

 

Another in list of Celebs dangerous diet is the ‘Vegan Before Six’ diet – thought to be beloved of Beyonce – as eating only vegan food before 6pm is just more likely to make you binge on unhealthy foods in the evening. BDA says ‘a vegan diet doesn't automatically translate into a healthy diet but eating different food groups at different times of the day doesn’t matter. What matter to your health is 'it’s the nutritional balance that’s important.'

Although some celebrities claim to have done this, it is almost impossible to do. BDA spokesman and consultant dietician Sian Porter said: ‘It seems that as a nation we are constantly on the search for the magic bullet approach to losing weight, wanting a quick fix to give us the bodies we see so often on TV, in glossy magazines and adorning billboards up and down the UK.

 

 

Credit: UK Mailonline/Getty image
 

 

Men Dress better while Women Struggle to Dress themselves Because they have 'too much choice and not enough taste', says Dame Vivienne Westwood

Dame Vivienne Westwood, a renowned fashion designer claims women struggle to dress themselves because they have ‘too much choice and not enough taste’.

 

The, 73, said men dress better than their girlfriends or wives because their dress code is more straightforward, meaning they have less in their wardrobes to choose from.

 

Speaking to BBC Radio 3 programme Private Passions, Dame Vivienne said: ‘Do I dare say that generally speaking men, because of this code, usually dress better than their wives, who have too much choice and not enough taste probably.’

 

Popular known as the Queen of Punk, has criticized urged women to invest in quality over quantity.

 

Ladies, do you think she is right about her claims?

Smoking Can Erase the Y Chromosome in Men- new Study

Besides lung cancer, which is caused by smoking and is often fatal, recent study found an association between Y chromosome loss and a shorter life span, as well as a higher risk of multiple cancers. 

 

Male smokers are three times more likely than non-smoking men to lose their Y chromosomes, a new study has found.

In a study in the journal Science, researchers at Sweden's Uppsala University found that Y chromosomes, which are important for sex determination and sperm production, more often disappear from blood cells of smokers than those of men who have never smoked or of men who have kicked the habit. 

 

Since only men have Y chromosomes, the finding offers a possible answer to why smoking is a greater risk factor for cancer among men than women.

 

Women have two X chromosomes; males have an X and a Y.

 

'There is a correlation between a common and avoidable risk factor, that is smoking, and the most common human mutation -- loss of the Y chromosome,' said Jan Dumanski, an Uppsala professor who worked on the study.

 

'This ... may in part explain why men in general have a shorter life span than women and why smoking is more dangerous for men.

 

'This discovery could be very persuasive for motivating smokers to quit.' 

 

Exercise that Predicts your closeness to Death - Research findings

Dr. Claudio Gil Araujo, of Gama Filho University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was among the doctors who originally developed the Sitting Rising Test (SRT) to quickly assess the flexibility of athletes, but he now uses it to persuade his patients that they need to stay active to maintain their muscle and balance, and live longer, Discover Magazine reported.  

 

In a study, published in the European Journal of Cardiology, the researchers described how 2002 adults aged between 51 and 80 took the SRT at Clinimex Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio.

 

They found that patients who scored fewer than eight points out of 10 on the test, were twice as likely to die within the next six years, compared with people with more perfect scores.

 

One point was deducted each time a person used their hand or knee for support to either sit down or stand up, while half a point was deducted for losing their balance.

The experts found that people who scored three points or fewer, were more than five times as likely to die within the same period.

 

They wrote in the study: ‘Musculoskeletal fitness, as assessed by SRT, was a significant predictor of mortality in 51–80-year-old subjects.’

The study found that every point increase in the test, was linked to a 21 per cent decrease in mortality from all causes.

However, chartered physio-therapist Sammy Margo said that the exercise may be 'quite ambitious' for older people in the UK.

 

This is possibly because of cultural differences, because Britons are not used to regularly sitting on the floor, like in some other cultures. In this way, it may not be terribly accurate at predicting life expectancy.

 

 

TAKE THE SITTING RISING TEST

WARNING: Do not attempt if you have arthritis or are worried the exercise may cause you injury. 

Wearing comfortable clothes and no shoes, make sure you have plenty of space around you.

Lower yourself into a cross-legged sitting position, without leaning on anything.

Stand up again without using your hands, knees of arms to push yourself up.

Get someone to score you, take the test in front of a mirror to notice any wobbles or ‘cheats’.

The first part of the test –sitting down – is scored out of five, as is the second part –standing up – making a total score of 10.

Subtract one point every time you use a hand or knee for support.

Dock half a point every time you noticeably lose balance and wobble and combine them to calculate your final score.

The study found that every point increase in the test, was linked to a 21 per cent decrease in mortality from all causes

 

Quite a study.

Credit: Mail online

What Drinking Coke Everyday for 30 days Can Result into

50 year old George Prior wanted to show what drinking too much soda does to the body and used himself as experiment. The result is scary.

George said he drank 10 cans of Coca Cola a day for 30 days to see how the sugar content will affect his physical health. It did! He gained over 20 pounds in that one month...mostly in his stomach area. Above is the before and after photos. He documented it all on his website, 10 Cokes A Day.

 

However, I may not total agree to this scientific result. The reason is because there is supposed to be a control Where by another man is feed same coke diet plus exercise, another man coke dies, food plus exercise. another man food plus food. Then we can deduce the effect of coke critically on the human system.

 

Am I wrong or right with my opinion?

Want to lose weight? Eat all your food in an eight-hour time frame - and NEVER snack at night

 

Eating only within an eight-hour window each day could help you shed weight, a study has found.

 

Limiting the times you eat could reverse obesity and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And it doesn’t even matter whether you have fatty or sugary foods. The eight-hour limit seems to undo the harm done by an unhealthy diet.

 

Researchers believe that sticking to strict meal times allows the body to predict when it will eat – meaning it is better prepared to burn calories

It also affects the balance of bacteria found in the gut which control metabolism. The findings, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, add to mounting evidence that when we eat is just as important to health as what we eat.

Professor Satchin Panda, who led the study, said: ‘Most of the advice is, “You have to change nutrition, you have to eat a healthy diet.” But many people don’t have access to healthy diets.

An experiment conducted on Mice which fed a high-fat diet within an eight hour time frame between 9am and 5pm – were both healthier and slimmer than those given the same number of calories throughout the whole day.

 

Even when obese mice had their eating window reduced to nine hours, they were able to drop 5 per cent of their body weight within a few days – while still enjoying the same amount of calories.

 

The research was carried out at the Salk Institute in California.

 

Side Effects of Not Having Adequate Sleep - Researcher

How Much Sleep Is Enough?

Most people need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to feel sufficiently rested. Few people are at their best with less than 7 hours, and few require more than 9 without an underlying health condition. And that’s a major problem, since more than half of Americans get less than the necessary 7 hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

For go-getters, it's even worse.

A recent survey of Inc. 500 CEOs found that half of them are sleeping less than 6 hours a night. And the problem doesn't stop at the top. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a third of U.S. workers get less than 6 hours of sleep each night, and sleep deprivation costs U.S. businesses more than $63 billion annually in lost productivity.
 

Doing Something about It

Beyond the obvious sleep benefits of thinking clearly and staying healthy, the ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance. TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and we’ve found that 90% of top performers are high in emotional intelligence (EQ). These individuals are skilled at understanding and using emotions to their benefit, and good sleep hygiene is one of the greatest tools at their disposal.

High-EQ individuals know it's not just how much you sleep that matters, but also how you sleep. When life gets in the way of getting the amount of sleep you need, it's absolutely essential that you increase the quality of your sleep through good sleep hygiene. There are many hidden killers of quality sleep. The 10 strategies that follow will help you identify these killers and clean up your sleep hygiene. Follow them, and you'll reap the performance and health benefits that come with getting the right quantity and quality of sleep.
 

1. Stay Away from Sleeping Pills

When I say sleeping pills, I mean anything you take that sedates you so that you can sleep. Whether it's alcohol, Nyquil, Benadryl, Valium, Ambien, or what have you, these substances greatly disrupt your brain's natural sleep process. Have you ever noticed that sedatives can give you some really strange dreams? As you sleep and your brain removes harmful toxins, it cycles through an elaborate series of stages, at times shuffling through the day’s memories and storing or discarding them (which causes dreams). Sedation interferes with these cycles, altering the brain's natural process.

Anything that interferes with the brain's natural sleep process has dire consequences for the quality of your sleep. Many of the strategies that follow eliminate factors that disrupt this recovery process. If getting off sleeping pills proves difficult, make certain you try some of the other strategies (such as cutting down on caffeine) that will make it easier for you to fall asleep naturally and reduce your dependence upon sedatives.
 

2. Stop Drinking Caffeine (at Least after Lunch)

You can sleep more and vastly improve the quality of the sleep you get by reducing your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that interferes with sleep by increasing adrenaline production and blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain. Caffeine has a 6-hour half-life, which means it takes a full 24 hours to work its way out of your system. Have a cup of joe at 8 a.m., and you’ll still have 25% of the caffeine in your body at 8 p.m. Anything you drink after noon will still be near 50% strength at bedtime. Any caffeine in your bloodstream—the negative effects increasing with the dose—makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.

When you do finally fall asleep, the worst is yet to come. Caffeine disrupts the quality of your sleep by reducing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the deep sleep when your body recuperates most. When caffeine disrupts your sleep, you wake up the next day with a cognitive and emotional handicap. You’ll be naturally inclined to grab a cup of coffee or an energy drink to try to make yourself feel more alert, which very quickly creates a vicious cycle.
 

3. Avoid Blue Light at NightThis is a big one—most people don't even realize it impacts their sleep. Short-wavelength blue light plays an important role in your mood, energy level, and sleep quality. In the morning, sunlight contains high concentrations of this "blue" light. When your eyes are exposed to it directly (not through a window or while wearing sunglasses), the blue light halts production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and makes you feel more alert. This is great, and exposure to a.m. sunlight can improve your mood and energy levels. If the sun isn't an option for you, try a blue light device.

In the afternoon, the sun's rays lose their blue light, which allows your body to produce melatonin and start making you sleepy. By the evening, your brain does not expect any blue light exposure and is very sensitive to it. The problem this creates for sleep is that most of our favorite evening devices—laptops, tablets, televisions, and mobile phones—emit short-wavelength blue light. And in the case of your laptop, tablet, and phone, they do so brightly and right in your face. This exposure impairs melatonin production and interferes with your ability to fall asleep as well as with the quality of your sleep once you do nod off. Remember, the sleep cycle is a daylong process for your brain. When you confuse your brain by exposing it in the evening to what it thinks is a.m. sunlight, this derails the entire process with effects that linger long after you power down. The best thing you can do is avoid these devices after dinner (television is okay for most people as long as they sit far enough away from the set). If you must use one of these devices in the evening, you can limit your exposure with a filter or protective eye wear.
 

4. Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day

Consistency is key to a good night's sleep, especially when it comes to waking up. Waking up at the same time every day improves your mood and sleep quality by regulating your circadian rhythm. When you have a consistent wake-up time, your brain acclimates to this and moves through the sleep cycle in preparation for you to feel rested and alert at your wake-up time. Roughly an hour before you wake, hormone levels increase gradually (along with your body temperature and blood pressure), causing you to become more alert. This is why you'll often find yourself waking up right before your alarm goes off.

When you don't wake up at the same time every day, your brain doesn't know when to complete the sleep process and when it should prepare you to be awake. Long ago, sunlight ensured a consistent wake-up time. These days, an alarm is the only way most people can pull this off, and doing this successfully requires resisting the temptation to sleep in when you're feeling tired because you know you'll actually feel better by keeping your wake-up time in tact.

5. No Binge Sleeping (In) on the Weekend

Sleeping in on the weekend is a counterproductive way to catch up on your sleep. It messes with your circadian rhythm by giving you an inconsistent wake-up time. When you wake up at the same time during the work week but sleep past this time on the weekend, you end up feeling groggy and tired because your brain hasn't prepared your body to be awake. This isn't a big deal on your day off, but it makes you less productive on Monday because it throws your cycle off and makes it hard to get going again on your regular schedule.
 

6. Learn How Much Sleep You Really Need

The amount of sleep you need is something that you can't control, and scientists are beginning to discover the genes that dictate it. The problem is, most people sleep much less than they really need and are under-performing because they think they're getting enough. Some discover this the hard way. Ariana Huffington was one of those frantic types who underslept and overworked, until she collapsed unexpectedly from exhaustion one afternoon. She credits her success and well-being since then to the changes she's made to her sleep habits. "I began getting 30 minutes more sleep a night, until gradually I got to 7 to 8 hours. The result has been transformational," Huffington says, adding that, "all the science now demonstrates unequivocally that when we get enough sleep, everything is better: our health; our mental capacity and clarity; our joy at life; and our ability to live life without reacting to every bad thing that happens."

Huffington isn't the only one. Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffet, and Sheryl Sandberg have all touted the virtues of getting enough sleep. Even Bill Gates, an infamous night owl, has affirmed the benefits of figuring out how much sleep you really need: “I like to get 7 hours of sleep a night because that’s what I need to stay sharp and creative and upbeat.” It's time to bite the bullet and start going to bed earlier until you find the magic number that enables you to perform at your best.
 

7. Stop Working

When you work in the evening, it puts you into a stimulated, alert state when you should be winding down and relaxing in preparation for sleep. Recent surveys show that roughly 60% of people monitor their smartphones for work emails until they go to sleep. Staying off blue light-emitting devices (discussed above) after a certain time each evening is also a great way to avoid working so you can relax and prepare for sleep, but any type of work before bed should be avoided if you want quality sleep.
 

8. Eliminate Interruptions

Unfortunately for those with small children, the quality of your sleep does suffer when it is interrupted. The key here is to eliminate all the interruptions that are under your control. If you have loud neighbors, wear earplugs to bed. If your mother likes to call at all hours of the night, make certain you silence your ringer before you go to bed. If you had to wake up extra early in the morning, make sure your alarm clock is back on its regular time when you go to bed. Don't drink too much water in the evening to avoid a bathroom trip in the middle of the night. If your partner snores . . . well, you get the idea. If you think hard enough, there are lots of little things you can do to eliminate unnecessary interruptions to your sleep.
 

9. Learn to Meditate

Many people who learn to meditate report that it improves the quality of their sleep and that they can get the rest they need even if they aren't able to significantly increase the number of hours they sleep. At the Stanford Medical Center, insomniacs participated in a 6-week mindfulness meditation and cognitive-behavioral therapy course. At the end of the study, participants' average time to fall asleep was cut in half (from 40 to 20 minutes), and 60% of subjects no longer qualified as insomniacs. The subjects retained these gains upon follow-up a full year later. A similar study at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that 91% of participants either reduced the amount of medication they needed to sleep or stopped taking medication entirely after a mindfulness and sleep therapy course. Give mindfulness a try. At minimum, you'll fall asleep faster, as it will teach you how to relax and quiet your mind once you hit the pillow.
 

10. When All Else Fails: Take Naps

One of the biggest peaks in melatonin production happens during the 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. time frame, which explains why most people feel sleepy in the afternoon. Companies like Google and Zappos are capitalizing on this need by giving employees the opportunity to take short afternoon naps. If you aren't getting enough sleep at night, you're likely going to feel an overwhelming desire to sleep in the afternoon. When this happens, you're better off taking a short nap (even as short as 15 minutes) than resorting to caffeine to keep you awake. A short nap will give you the rest you need to get through the rest of the afternoon, and you'll sleep much better in the evening than if you drink caffeine or take a long afternoon nap.
 

Bringing It All Together

I know many of you reading this piece are thinking something along the lines of "but I know a guy (or gal) who is always up at all hours of the night working or socializing, and he's the number one performer at our branch." My answer for you is simple: this guy is underperforming. We all have innate abilities that we must maximize to reach our full potential. My job is to help people do that—to help the good become great by removing unseen performance barriers. Being number one in your branch is an accomplishment, but I guarantee that this guy has his sights set on bigger things that he isn't achieving because sleep deprivation has him performing at a fraction of his full potential. You should send him this article. It just might shake something loose.

After all, the only thing worth catching up on at night is your sleep.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Travis Bradberry, Ph.D. via Pulse