Y7 Magazine Jan

Law of Attraction Basics Magazine

Written by Julia Essner In 2007, the Law of Attraction received lots of media hype with the book and DVD, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. Even before The Secret, other spiritual teachers wrote about the Law of Attraction, including Esther and Jerry Hicks, authors of Ask and it is Given the late Lynn Grabhorn, author of Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting, and Law of Attraction, by Michael Losier.

I’ve studied and practiced Law of Attraction since 2000 and I can say that it works! When you use Law of Attraction principles correctly and strategically, you’ll get whatever your heart desires.

Here are five basic Law of Attraction principles that will help you understand what it is and how to use it, followed by one example of how I’ve made it work in my life.

Principle #1: Understand sympathetic vibrations – like attracts like. Did you know that if two “Middle C” tuning forks are laying side-by-side and you hit one of them, the other one will vibrate by itself? Like musical notes, everything in the Universe vibrates. When something is vibrating, it will attract whatever is on the same wavelength. As human beings, we vibrate our feelings, which are fueled by what we think about. When we think about something bad, we feel bad; when we think happy thoughts, we feel good! Those “feeling” vibrations attract “same wavelength” vibrations by deliberation or default.

Principle #2: Raise your vibrations – the importance of “feeling good.” There are only two types of feelings – good and bad. Have you ever noticed that when you wake up in a bad mood, your day seems to spiral downward? You sleep through your alarm, stub your toe, tear a button on your shirt, arrive late to work and get yelled at by your boss. The Law of Attraction responds to your negative emotions (low vibrations) by bringing you more negative situations. But when you awake feeling good, you’ll find that more good things will happen, such as landing an account, receiving money in the mail or claiming a prime parking spot on a crowded street.

Principle #3: Change your mood – you have the power. If you find yourself in a “funk,” you can simply switch your thoughts to something that makes you smile, like your pet, your children, your grandchildren or your favorite dessert (for me that’s anything with chocolate in it). Just thinking about these things will raise your vibrations and help you feel better. Keep the feeling going for 16 seconds — the Law of Attraction says this equals 10 hours of work!

Principle #4: Follow this four-step process toward “deliberate creation”: 1) Identify what you don’t want; 2) Get clear about what you do want; 3) Feel what it would be like to have those things; 4) Allow the Universe to bring those things to you.

Principle #5: Allow the Law of Attraction to work – the absence of doubt. Allow (without the slightest doubt) the Law of Attraction to bring you what you want. If you have any doubt that what you want will manifest, this will delay the Law of Attraction from bringing it to you.

Now, here’s how the Law of Attraction worked for me. I decided I was going to get married again, before I turned 55. On 12-21-00, I wrote down 10 things that I wanted in my next relationship. (I Magazine already knew what I didn’t want).

In July ’02, I met Howard — my “husband to be”– and we got married in July ’03. Thankfully, he has most of the qualities I asked for; he even tolerates cats, for my sake <lol>. I also beat my target goal by five years.

There’s a learning curve with implementing these simple, yet not always easy principles of the Law of Attraction. Remember that practice makes perfect! The more you practice, the more you will get what you want from life.

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Snooping: Is It The Right Thing Magazine

To Do In Marriage?

Dr. Laurence Ajaka There once lived a holy man blessed by God with the ability to read minds. He was asked about how he manages to say his prayers when all of those around him are having unholy thoughts. His simple answer was that as a child, his parents taught him not to look where he wasn‘t supposed to.

The morale of this story is the importance of respecting other people‘s personal space. Many think that being close means being privy to every thought the other partner has. This obsession for enforced intimacy almost always backfires and makes the two feel estranged.

Why do we think that „getting close to someone“ means we have to know their every private thought? We‘re insulted when those we love won‘t tell us everything. We accuse them of „hiding“ from us, and we‘re hurt.

4 Snooping around in an area or aspect of one‘s life when

you are not invited is an invasion of privacy. A relationship

between two people is not an invitation to probe where limits were set. Overcoming personal boundaries is not a hallmark of a healthy and flourishing relationship.

Trespassing takes many shapes and forms. When you are considering building a house, you must be careful not to have access to your neighbor so you wouldn’t accidentally witness something private. Even gossiping is trespassing because you are getting involved without having gotten the permission and facts from the person involved. Even when someone asks for charity, you have no right to question them about what brought them so low. Your only choices are to help or refrain from helping.

Privacy takes on even more importance in marriage for it is an invitation to become involved in one another‘s lives.

However, it was never meant as an excuse to disregard all boundaries to satisfy our insecurities and misgivings.

Many marriages broke up because of the unrealistic expectations of intimacy even though life has its way of balancing the relationship by giving each different re-

Magazine sponsibilities. It‘s important to realize that the honeymoon phase cannot be upheld as the years go by, but many couples expect it to be so and feel excluded when they aren‘t included in every aspect of their partners’ lives.

We should all remember that as humans, it‘s natural to want to hide our weaknesses. It might not be a suspicion that drives us to probe into our partners’ lives. Sometimes we are just so dissatisfied with our own lives that we need to supplement our existence by their own. Perhaps we are so insecure about ourselves that we need constant attention and affirmation that we are loved. It could also be a means of gaining power over our partner as some people cannot be satisfied unless they hold the reigns to everything. There are also those who try to put a noble spin on matters by claiming they just want to help their partners tear down their defense mechanisms. This is still an intrusion because each person is entitled to have those walls that keep them safe and secure. Any such boundary or defense mechanism should be sacred and beyond approach or reproach. This point illustrates why couples used to stay together for many decades without divorcing; when they saw faults, they looked away.

One good argument for snooping can be trying to save the other person from sinning. Some decide to probe into the other’s life to stop them from sinning, but even that is not permitted. There was once a woman who committed adultery, so she went and confessed her sin to the holy man asking for advice about what to do. He listened then asked her to return the following day. When she came back the next day, he pretended not to remember so she told her story again. To that, he also asked her to come the next day. This went on for a while until she understood that the holy man is trying to look away and forget her sins which are what she should do. This attitude is what spouses ought to adopt; you don’t help your partner sin, but neither are you their holy man in charge of stopping them from committing sins or trying to change the way they act.

When you accept a person as your partner, you do so knowing perfectly well they are not perfect. When there is something that needs urgent attention, any interference should be done to help and not to snoop just like the sons of Noah did when they saw that their father was sleeping naked. They went inside to cover him up and went out again. They never commented about his nakedness; they only sought to cover him up.

Any successful relationship begins and ends with only looking where you are invited, and even then you see only what you ought to see while ignoring the rest. It’s about accepting and even loving the imperfections of our spouses. There is nothing noble about that because that is what common decency and respect demands.

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How to be Happier Magazine

Contributed by the Y7 Staff A few years ago, on a morning like any other, I had a sudden realization: I was in danger of wasting my life. As I stared out the rain-spattered window of a New York City bus, I saw that the years were slipping by.

“What do I want from life?” I asked myself. “Well…I want to be happy.” I had many reasons to be happy: My husband was the tall, dark, handsome love of my life; we had two delightful girls; I was a writer, living in my favorite city. I had friends; I had my health; I didn’t have to color my hair.

But too often I sniped at my husband or the drugstore clerk. I felt dejected after even a minor professional setback. I lost my temper easily. Is that how a happy person would act? I decided on the spot to begin a systematic study of happiness. (A little intense, I know. But that’s the kind of thing that appeals to me.) In the end, I spent a year test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and tips from popular culture. If I followed all the advice, I wanted to know, would it work?

Well, the year is over, and I can say: It did. I made myself happier. And along the way I learned a lot about how to be happier. Here are those lessons.

1. Don’t start with profundities. When I began my Happiness Project, I realized pretty quickly that, rather than jumping in with lengthy daily meditation or answering deep questions of self-identity, I should start with the basics, like going to sleep at a decent hour and not letting myself get too hungry. Science backs this up; these two factors have a big impact on happiness.

2. Do let the sun go down on anger. I had always scrupulously aired every irritation as soon as possible, to make sure I vented all bad feelings before bedtime. Studies show, however, that the notion of anger catharsis is poppycock. Expressing anger related to minor, fleeting annoyances just amplifies bad feelings, while not expressing anger often allows it to dissipate.

5. Don’t treat the blues with a “treat.” Often the things I choose as “treats” aren’t good for me. The pleasure lasts a minute, but then feelings of guilt and loss of control and other negative consequences deepen the lousiness of the day. While it’s easy to think, I’ll feel good after I have a few glasses of wine…a pint of ice cream…a cigarette…a new pair of jeans, it’s worth pausing to ask whether this will truly make things better.

6. Buy some happiness. Our basic psychological needs include feeling loved, secure, and good at what we do. You also want to have a sense of control. Money doesn’t automatically fill these requirements, but it sure can help. I’ve learned to look for ways to spend money to stay in closer contact with my family and friends; to promote my health; to work more efficiently; to eliminate sources of irritation and marital conflict; to support important causes; and to have enlarging experiences. For example, when my sister got married, I splurged on a better digital camera. It was expensive, but it gave me a lot of happiness.

7. Don’t insist on the best. There are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met. When they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied.

Maximizers want to make the best possible decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can’t make a decision until they’ve examined every option. Satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers expend more time and energy reaching decisions, and they’re often anxious about their choices.

Sometimes good enough is good enough.

8. Exercise to boost energy. I knew, intellectually, that this worked, but how often have I told myself, “I’m just too tired to go to the gym”? Exercise is one of the most dependable mood-boosters. Even a 10-minute walk can brighten my outlook.

9. Stop nagging. I knew my nagging wasn’t working particularly well, but I figured that if I stopped, my husband would never do a thing around the house. Wrong. If anything, more work got done. Plus, I got a surprisingly big happiness boost from quitting nagging. I hadn’t realized how shrewish and angry I had felt as a result of speaking 3. Fake it till you feel it. Feelings follow actions. If I’m feeling like that. I replaced nagging with the following persuasive low, I deliberately act cheery, and I find myself actually tools: wordless hints (for example, leaving a new lightbulb feeling happier. If I’m feeling angry at someone, I do soon the counter); using just one word (saying “Milk!” instead mething thoughtful for her and my feelings toward her of talking on and on); not insisting that something be soften. This strategy is uncannily effective. done on my schedule; and, most effective of all, doing a task myself. Why did I get to set the assignments?

4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly.

Challenge and novelty are key elements of happiness. The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of satisfaction. People who do new things―learn a game, travel to unfamiliar places―are happier than people who stick to familiar activities that they already do well. I often remind myself to “Enjoy the fun of failure” and tackle some daunting goal.

10. Take action. Some people assume happiness is mostly a matter of inborn temperament: You’re born an Eeyore or a Tigger, and that’s that. Although it’s true that genetics play a big role, about 40 percent of your happiness level is within your control. Taking time to reflect, and making conscious steps to make your life happier, really does MAGAZ ATE / O Ctips TO B ER w w.your magaz i ne.co m work.INE SoTEMPL use these to2013 start/ wyour own Happiness Pro7 ject. I promise it won’t take you a whole year.

quick indoor workouts Contributed by the Y7 Staff

There are going to be days when you just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go to the gym. It might be raining, snowing or it might just be darn right cold. There are a lot of exercises that you can do at home to get an efficient and challenging workout on those days.

Here is a quick routine that targets your entire body in approximately 30 minutes without using weights or bulky machines.

Warm Up: Quadriplex or Opposite Arm and Leg You need to be on all fours and raise your right arm and left leg at the same time and then do the same with the other side. I want you to do three sets in a row. Do 20 reps per side (non-stop, no rest). This will take approximately four minutes.

Abdominal Crunches Followed by Plank Do three sets of 30 proper crunches and then immediately go into a full plank and hold that position for 60 seconds. Do this back to back with only 20 second rests between each set. This will take approximately five minutes.

Mountain Climbers Now do mountain climbers in a standing position. Get your knees as high and as fast as possible for 60 seconds. Do this two times in a row with only 30 seconds rest between each set. This will take approximately three minutes.

Push Ups and Full-Body Plank, ISO Hold Do a pushup either on your toes or knees for three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. On your last repetition, hold a full-body plank with a slight bend in your elbows for 60 seconds. Rest 20 seconds between each set. This will take approximately six minutes.

Standing Stationary Lunge Squat With Three-Second Hold Squats Do a simple standing-in-place lunge with foot placement in front and back (proper positioning). Do three sets per side for 20 reps each. Immediately after this exercise, go into a regular squat. Every time you go down (eccentric phase), hold for three seconds and then come up (concentric phase). This will take approximately five minutes.

Supermans with Arms Straight Out Do an Isometric Superman (arms and legs elevated with chest barely off the ground) and hold that position on your stomach for 30 seconds. Right after the 30 seconds, pretend that you are swimming, and do this movement for 60 seconds. Do three sets of this with a 20-second rest between each set. This will take approximately six minutes.

Simple and Useful Internet Tricks Edy Hourany

Magazine

Entering a new website: The notorious http:// or www. is perhaps the most annoying thing that users type.

Instead, users can type the name of the website and press <Ctrl><Enter> and http:// will be added before and .com after. This will immediately give the full website name.

Pressing Enter will automatically add the http:// if the user wrote the .com at the end. As the internet expanded, new domains such as “net” and “org” were added to accommodate this expansion. Shortcuts for these domains were also created. To get the full name of .org, users must press <Ctrl><Shift><Enter>, and for .net, you need to press <Shift><Enter> to add it at the end.

Toggling between Multiple columns: Filling in large amounts of data is time consuming as the user needs to use the mouse to go from one column or row to another. <Tab> will move from one column or field to another, and <Shift><Tab> will move the user back to the previous column or field.

Choosing from multiple options: Filling forums online is very time consuming because users often have to choose an option from a long list of possibilities. For example, when one has to choose a country, there are over a 100 options to choose from. To lessen the search time involved, a user need only type in the first letter and only options starting with that particular letter are displayed. This is sure to save plenty of time when filling in long and detailed forms.

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Magazine Using Tabs for smooth browsing: Opening a new tab is as easy as pressing <Ctrl><T> and closing it needs only <Ctrl><W>. If users want to reopen the last page you opened, press <Ctrl><Shift><T>.

Navigating between tabs is done by pressing <Ctrl><Page Up> or <Ctrl><Page Down> depending on which tab is wanted. “F11” will open the tab to full screen and clicking it again will restore it to window mode. Holding <Ctrl> and pressing “+” or “-“ will increase or decrease the size of the screen respectively. If users wish to return to default size, press <Ctrl> and “0”. In the rare case a website with no search option, users can press <Ctrl><F> to get a search bar.

Opening link in a new tab: Right clicking the mouse will open a menu where users can choose an option to “open link in a new tab”. Alternately, they can press <Ctrl> and click in the link or the wheel of the mouse to open it in a new tab.

Improvised Search: Using more than one word in the search engine will give results pertaining to both words together and individually. However typing them in parenthesis such as “Historical Documentation” will only yield results about both words combined rather than historical and documentation alone. The results are more specific and users spend less time sifting through the data they got.

Highlight the address bar: Pressing <Alt><D> or “F6” will open the bar without using the mouse.

Bookmark: Bookmark is used to save websites or pages that contain information we will find useful, and the traditional way involves using the mouse to save for later. A shortcut is to press <Ctrl><D> and then <Enter> to add the page to the list of bookmarks. This list can be opened by pressing <Ctrl><B>.

Reloading and refreshing of a page: Websites tend to crash frequently especially with weak internet access. Pressing “F5” key will refresh the webpage instantly.

Pause the video: YouTube contains the web’s widest database of videos. Pausing and resuming a video being played only needs the key “K” to be pressed.

Try alternative browsers: Default browsers are the ones that are imbedded in the operating system of the computer. For example, Microsoft has Internet Explorer as its default browser. These browsers may not be the best option, so users can download other browsers for free such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. These browsers have extra features and numerous add-ons and plugs that can be downloaded to personalize the browsing experience according to the needs of each user.

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Stop Sucking and Do these 30 Day Challenges Magazine

Contributed by the Y7 Staff

The appeal of 30 day challenges is they offer just enough time for a new goal to be palatable yet long enough to be challenging. While many people wait until January to set their new year‘s resolutions, the window of opportunity is always open for those who want to set new goals. In fact, the window never really closes because anytime is the right time to conjure up new aspirations and strive towards improvement.

To help spur new ideas for personal optimization, here are fifteen 30 day challenges designed to help make you a better You: 1. Avoid words with contractions for 30 days. What contractions do is highlight the negative, such as words like “can’t,”“won’t,”“shouldn’t.” Instead, flip the focus of that sentence around such that you focus on the positive rather than the negative. Here’s an example: “I don‘t want to go to dinner there” (negative) versus “I would rather go to dinner elsewhere” (positive). The purpose of this is to retrain your brain to look for the positive in everything rather than default to the negative.

2. Set a “no expectation” rule for 30 days. What expectations do you have of yourself? Of others? What new views would you have if there were no expectations? What are the beliefs that constrain your expectations? How would your relationships with others change if you didn’t have expectations of them? Expectations are formed based on personal life experiences, upbringing, culture, religion, etc… When you suspend judgment for the moment, you open your mind to entirely new possibilities.

3. Start exercising within two minutes of [insert activity here] for 30 days. This could be anything ranging from waking up and putting on your running shoes immediately to checking into your hotel room and heading immediately for the gym. The goal here is to “rest later” by not giving yourself the option to procrastinate.

4. Create daily white space in your calendar for 30 days. What would you do if you had just an hour to yourself every day? Read a book? Exercise? Play with the kids? More so, how would that single hour impact your life for the better? The point here is that everybody has the same amount of time every day but not everybody has the same priorities. So how, then, do other people seem to have more time and get more things done? The answer is they know what their priorities are and how to stick to them. Make it a goal to set time for yourself and you’ll be surprised at how much better you feel—and how much more you get accomplished as a result.

5. Eliminate sugar. This was extremely hard for me because sugar is in everything (and it tastes so good!). Studies indicate that sugar rots the teeth, impedes mental acuity, adds to obesity, increases chances of depression and serves as a stepping-stone towards diabetes. How’s that cupcake sound now?

6. Read everyday. While time is always a constant struggle (see #4), technology isn’t. Wait let me rephrase that. Technology abounds as does time, so leverage the accessibility that mobile apps and e-readers provide by downloading newspapers, magazines and books to your smartphone and reading whenever you can. Waiting in line for Starbucks?

Read. Waiting in line for anything? Read. In other words, look for the little slivers of time throughout your day where you can optimize.

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7. Listen intently for 30 days. Let your mind wander during conversation (but not in the Magazine “I’m no longer listening to you” way) rather than thinking of what to say next.

8. Keep a Quid Pro Quo log for 30 days. Keep track of how much you “give” versus how much you “get.” Aim to increase the former.

9. Journalize your decisions. This is a great way to build emotional intelligence as doing so will shed light on three different areas: 1) what leads to good or bad decisions; 2) what causes you to be decisive; 3) the emotions wielded as a result of your decisions.

10. Change your taste buds in 30 days. No, the veggie tofu sesame wrap with sprouts doesn’t sound good—nor does it taste good—but there are significant health benefits (mental and physical) to eating for performance versus eating what tastes yummy. Taste buds can be trained; they’ll adapt to whatever you want them to like through repetition.

11. Keep a surprise journal. Along similar lines of #9, when you record surprises you reveal blind spots; lapses in vision or erroneous judgment. These are extremely valuable as you can reflect upon these surprises and ask yourself, “how could I have anticipated this sooner?”

12. Build your willpower in 30 days. Willpower is a muscle, and like all other muscles in the body it gets tired quickly if it’s not “in shape.” Start with keeping commitments to people—even the ones you don’t like.

13. Increase your happiness in 30 days. Studies have shown that sharing positive moments at least three times a day will turn that frown upside down—for the long term. The Happier app allows you to do just this as well as learn from others what makes them happy.

14. Become a better speaker in 30 days. When you’re speaking to an audience and feel an “uh” or “mmm” coming on, take a breather. Just pause, slow down, and wait for your mind to catch up with your mouth (or vice versa). Taking this extra second will also instill greater confidence as a speaker.

15. Exercise for 30 days. No, not a 30 day boot camp of non-stop training but rather a month of planned exercise routines. Common exercise schedules are to follow a five days on, two days off or a three days on, one day off schedule.

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Magazine

Contributed by the Y7 Staff Social media has almost completely changed how many of us communicate and it can be a useful way to stay connected.

But is there a point where the obsession with the modern phenomenon goes from harmless fun to an intrusion on your life?

If you’re guilty of any of the following then maybe it’s time for you to take a step back from social media…

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Are You Addicted to Social Media?

“Nah, I’m not a social media addict. I can control my level of activity anytime I want.”

This perhaps is one of the most common remarks we may get from our friends. However, most of us have subconsciously become addicted to social media and may not even realized it.

Check out the 30 signs of social media addiction and see what’s your score.

cebook for your family and friends to send you ‘lives’ on Candy Crush. (As if your life depends on it.)

Sign #10: You believe life is more happening on social media than in reality.

Sign #11: You freak out if your pictures are not able to be uploaded onto Instagram or Facebook.

If your score is anything from 1 to 11, you are still on the sane track of social media.

Sign #12: Words like ‘Tweet’, ‘Insta’, ‘Pinned’, ‘Updates’, ‘Hashtags’ suddenly has become part of your lingo.

11 to 22, alarm bells are ringing. You should go out, get some fresh air, socialize and meet more friends.

Sign #13: You created a Twitter or Facebook account for your pet dog, Bambi; and its parrot pal, James Bond.

23 and above, you may need professional help before it is too late!

Sign #14: You cannot live a day without social media; you need to travel with it, eat with it, sleep with it, or even using it while taking a dump.

Sign #1: You check your mobile phone every few minutes for any notification on Facebook, Twitter mentions and such.

Sign #2: You think your world is over when you have no internet access or when Twitter, Facebook or other social media is down.

Sign #3: You assume other people can understand what you mean by your cool terms such as BRB (‘Be right back’), CMI (‘cannot make it’), LOL (‘laugh out loud’) and so on.

Sign #4: You have to check in at every new location to let everyone know where you are.

Sign #5: You literally announce to everyone on social media what you are doing every day, every hour. Things like brushing your teeth, having a lunch, found a penny, went shopping today and blah, blah, blah.

Sign #6: You have a meeting every week with others (social media addicts) to plan on what updates to put up on Facebook for next week.

Sign #7: You tag your friends on pictures that do not involve them, in order to make sure they see the pictures on their Facebook timeline.

Sign #8: You start to #hashtag #about #everything #under #the sun.

Sign #9: You have made urgent requests on Fa-

Sign #15: You think your friend is an alien if he or she does not have a social media account.

Sign #16: You feel stressed for the entire day, if your ex-schoolmate, John does not respond to your friend request.

Sign #17: You love to stalk your friends via Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts.

Sign #18: You feel angry and mad when people in real life do not understand what you mean in 140 characters.

Sign #19: You feel proud when that cute picture of yours get a hundred likes on Facebook.

Sign #20: Every food you eat does not only go into your digestive system. It will also go into your Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook permanently.

Sign #21: You secretly spend some of your work hours on social media.

Sign #22: You have “accidentally” signed your Twitter handle name on your marriage certificate and your personal cheques.

Sign #23: You feel upset when nobody comments on your updates in Facebook.

Sign #24: You spend at least 4 hours a day on social media, thereby isolating yourself away from social life.

Sign #25: You add strangers on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter, to make up the numbers.

Sign #26: Social media has become part of your daily ritual; like sleeping and eating.

Sign #27: You would wake up in the middle of the night to check your social media for updates.

Sign #28: You are ecstatic when your children add you as a friend on Facebook.

Sign #29: You feel uncomfortable communicating with friends without using any social media device.

Sign #30: You think that the blue Twitter bird mascot exists in real life.

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Magazine

What Makes Life Hard

By Fady Al Hashem

Anger is the main source of headaches and stress. It cannot be contained in a certain area because of the bad energy transfers from one person to another. Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demons come out to play with a vengeance whenever they are mad. It is very infuriating that we have to put up with such individuals because life is too short to cope with difficult people, and displays of anger are only acceptable in few situations. Financial problems, fatigue, and frustration are essential roots to the privation of rage management.

A personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial problems can trigger many emotional responses that can be translated into verbal violence. A person who keeps worrying about monetary problems ends up extremely nervous which could affect his conduct on a daily basis. A spendthrift can enter in debt because he is very careless about the way he uses his money. He will never be satisfied with what he has always looked out for the new and improved.

Indeed, he defeats himself with compelling behavior because he never lives within his budget. Such people dedicate their cash to materialistic possession on a compulsive basis, even those that they do not necessarily need. When people deny a rational solution that can possibly resolve their financial issues, they gradually become stressed out and tired.

Heavy fatigue, if experienced for prolonged times, evolves into a fear that prevents the person from sleeping enough and may cause chronic insomnia. The immune system gets affected and one experiences headaches and bouts of anger. An aggressive father can, thereby, transmit genes of hostility to his children. In this case, the entire familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s genetic makeup will suffer because this is not something that can be cured. It is frustrating that some innocent people tolerate them when they do not have to. They ought to acknowledge that they have the power to reduce their anger in order to keep their happiness. None should drive off the road of righteousness by indulging negative vibes. An important note a person should remember is to attack the problem, not the person. If only everyone is mature enough to admit that we are nowhere near flawless.

Anger begins when we keep blaming others for mistakes that we can fix. News flash, we are human beings who are allowed to have imperfections because sins are a part of us.

Being mad will seldom lead to any good. Some people will volatilely convey their emotions through excessive sarcasm or critical judgments. Controversial conversations will stimulate antagonistic fights. People try their best to control every situation by raising their voices at each other. They spend most of their days yelling since they inherited or acquired this bad habit from previous generations. Hence, why are people ashamed to declare their trespasses? Being true to their inner thoughts allows them to manage their personal conflicts and helps them to thrive to positivity instead of compressing anger. Before they open their mouths to swear or say hurtful stuff, they should breathe deeply and take moments of silence. Furthermore, those who often talk about hypocrisy do not know that they are hypocrites by showing pity in public while exchanging hateful gossips in private. Once they give away love, they feel the need to take it back, because they did not learn the proper way to deal with their difficulties.

We have been hiding in the dark for a very long time, worrying about several issues that can be smoothed over solved with calmness. Financial complications can be settled by economizing. Fatigue should vanish with the balance of working schedule and sleeping hours, and people should remember to remain hopeful regardless of the circumstances. Frankly, no matter what you go through or what people think about you, be yourself because you will never impress everyone. Always remember to count your blessings in order to remain calm.

MAGAZ INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m

19

Why are we Adrenaline Junkies?

Contributed by the Y7 Staff “You’re crazy! There must be something wrong with you!”

That guaranteed, priceless response I get out of my dad every time I make it back alive from an extreme sport. Since humans and animals are naturally programmed to avoid heights and major risks to survive, his understanding that extreme sports are unnatural makes sense.

While many may join him in disbelief, there are also thousands people that willingly enjoy taking blind leaps of faith, as in skydiving. Are some of us “crazy” and some of us sane? Is it nature or nurture that determines our unique cravings for danger, our perceptions of fear, and our decisions to jump or not?

Extreme Sports Scientists have been studying brain activity during extreme sports to determine exactly why we crave the thrill. Realizing that these sports trigger our “fight or flight” response offers considerable insight to start with.

According to the American Heritage Science Dictionary, the fight or flight response is a physiological reaction to stress, where our senses become extremely heightened.

Dilated pupils, increased heart rate and changes in breathing patterns are common indicators of this response; these reactions are activated by the hormone adrenaline.

Adrenaline is secreted in large amounts during extreme sports, and for thrill seekers, this fight or flight body response is exactly what they’re after (Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk) Adrenaline is closely linked with the release of endorphins and neurotransmitters like dopamine, the chemical that makes you feel euphoric. It is the same chemical that helps you cope with pain, and the same chemical that associated with pleasure. The “adrenaline rush” that a BASE jumper are after then, is also “happy rush” – a natural, blissful and very rewarding high that makes you wants to come back for more. BASE jumpers have huge appetites for this extreme sensation, much like recreational drug users.

While these chemicals exist in all of us, there is biological evidence behind why some people have stronger adrenaline appetites than others. The IMAX documentary Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk explores studies by Bardo that showed that people who were high novelty seekers and low harm avoiders had lower levels of dopamine in their brains. This is because they possess lower amounts of enzyme Monoamine Oxidase B (MOA B) that breaks down dopamine.

With a higher resistance to arousal, they require higher levels of stimulation to experience pleasure and reward.

These people may seem like an immediate disadvantage to society if they are about to take huge risks just to feel happy! While some studies show a correlation between low dopamine levels and high engagement in risky activities like gambling and repetitive drug use, other studies have

in their bodies are far less likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and can be practically immune to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A deeper look into amino acid Neuropeptide Y, gives us some more insight into this. This amino acid controls blood pressure, appetite and anxiety.

Since this enzyme is found in higher amounts in the bodies of extreme sports participants, it makes sense that they are much better at handling stress. Their high tolerance for stress means they are actually quite resilient, and focused when in fear. People who crave thrills then, may actually be some of the most mentally stable and positive people out there, despite common misconceptions (Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk) Extreme risk takers like white water kayakers display a strong focus on detail and safety and become highly skilled in assessing risks in their environments. An article on extreme sports in Science Line uncovered the experiences of Allan Warren, a 28-year-old Alaskan white water kayaker who regularly conquers Class V rapids – very fast rivers with large waves that require expert skill to maneuver. He acknowledges that what he does may look crazy from an outsider’s perspective, but in fact from the insider’s view he knows exactly what he is capable of.

With ongoing practice and intense preparation, he becomes a true expert in not only his sport, but in understanding himself. This may very well trickle down into other areas of his life, where he will find himself very cautious and able to effectively and calmly respond to sudden environmental changes with ease.

Do people that crave thrills add any value to human kind, or will survival of the fittest come in to play knocking them out for taking risks? There are large margins for error and failure in extreme sports like BASE jumping, skydiving and white water rafting, and whether or not participants survive depends on a number of scientific and personal factors. Putting these sports aside though, risk-takers are highly valuable in society, and the human race could not prosper without them!

Novelty seeking is a fundamental behavioral tendency in humans and animals. Seeking out new and unfamiliar experiences can be strongly adaptive as uncertainty is often associated with the potential for valuable outcomes.

It can be advantageous for an animal, for example, to explore new territories because it might find a valuable source of food for its whole family (Dr.Biancca C Witmann, University College London).

As the Adrenaline Rush documentary concludes, the risks we take in every day life are the ones most meaningful to human progress. While the greatest risks are the ones taken at the extreme edges of society, life is often most lived in the quiet center where our scariest risks need to take place.

Jumping out of planes then, may not be as “crazy” as many of us perceive it to be, but a mere result of the biological cravings, the positive rewards, and the essential need for risks in our lives – a recipe for survival.

21

Are The Melodies of Yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Giants at Risk of Extinction?

By Dr. Laurence Ajaka Each generation laments the passing of its own time because they regard it as the real â&#x20AC;&#x153;Golden Ageâ&#x20AC;?, but there can no argument that art, and especially music, has been deconstructed from a divine inspiration into empty beats whose only purpose is to increase sales.

The real musicians are no longer revered in the spotlight where they belong; that is where we find scantily dressed women showing off their assets. Only a few precious gems remain that stand true to their art and vision, and Yasmina Ramia is one of those diamonds that refused to become dull for the sake of commercial success and still managed to steal the adoration of the masses.

Originally christened Pierette Ramia, she chose Yamina Ramia as her stage name. She grew up in a house whose very walls swing with rhythm as her father who is a well renowned composer and her sisters sinng the melodies of yesterday’s giants. At the tender age of eight, Yasmina was already crooning Um Kalthoum, Abed El Wahab, Asmahan and many others.

This background was a natural inductive for her decision to study Arabian music in university as an adult. It is also the reason why she stuck to her heels to sing only the authentic Arabian music in a more modern way without compromising the integrity of those classics. Such authenticity did not go unnoticed because she has been asked to headline prestigious stages all around the world, most recently Olympia in Paris last May. Yasmina also early on took the decision not to sing on small stages and remains a fixture at festivals such as the Dbayeh International Festival.

Her most recent project took place with the collaboration of 8e Art production company to reproduce some old songs such as “Ya Gharam” in a modern distribution that today’s audience are familiar with. When asked about her future projects, she ascertained her dedication to her current line of work that bears no compromises in terms of quality.

She insists she will persevere in her crusade to breathe new life into yesterday’s songs.

Her refusal to sing in restaurants and small venues was brought up, and she explained the motive behind her decision that was not born out of vanity. Yasmina genuinely feels her brand of music belongs on the stages of concert halls and festivals.

That is where it can truly come alive and reach those listening. Her music is not commercial tunes that are used as nothing but background fillers as people go on with their evening.

When asked about what music means to her, dreaminess shrouded her eyes as she talked about how music is the only medium where she is capable of expressing her innermost feelings. All her hidden talents and desires seem to tumble effortlessly as she soars on the wings of serenity when she sings. Singing for some might be a pleasure, but for Yasmina, it has become a need as essential as the air she breathes.

Yasmina Ramia is a rare breed indeed. Her art flows through her with every move that she makes. Even her words pour forth like the melody of mythical creatures that tease the soul and bring forth joy. The beauty of her art is matched only by the strength of her resolution to as the defender of authentic Arabian music and one of the carriers of this wealth to coming generations.

24

Eat These 7 Foods to Sleep Better

By Carla Al Haddad Are you fighting with your own bed every night? Are you suffering from insomnia and you don’t know why?

When you become aware that you are tired all the time after having sleepless nights followed by exhausting days at work, you will start, on your own, to appreciate a good night’s sleep or maybe an afternoon nap.

Recent researches proved that what you eat before bedtime affects how you sleep at night. The time has come to change those eating habits you have before gliding into the nether world. There are foods when eaten shortly before bedtime that assist you to fall asleep and even improve the quality of your sleep.

Here are some of them: Breakfast Cereal: They are called breakfast cereal, but, in fact, they have a huge effect on your sleep quality especially when you mix them with milk in a bowl.

The main reason why they are good is that they are made of complex slowly-digested carbohydrates that help with sleepiness.

If the idea of eating cereals in the evening isn’t very appealing to you, try different kinds of complex carbohydrates such as quinoa or buckwheat.

Milk: Why do babies drink milk? Have you ever asked yourself that question?

Milk contains the main ingredient that stimulates the production of serotonin in the brain, the amino acid tryptophan, which makes falling asleep easier.

So let us get back to our infancy and drink a warm cup pf milk before bedtime for a peaceful night of slumber.

25

Herbal tea â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Valerian and Chamomile: Valerian plant roots speed up the process of falling asleep.

before bed is the main cause of sleepiness and not just the plant itself.

Some people claim that drinking valerian, chamomile and Calendula plants, all decaffeinated, ensures a restful night of sleep.

Bananas: This fruit contains high amounts of the vitamins and minerals necessary for our body. In addition, it contains potassium and magnesium which are natural substances that relax our bodiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; muscles. Plus, they are slowly

However, others say that the ritual of preparing and drinking the tea

26

digested by the body which also contributes to drowsiness.

Cherries: Eat some cherries the next time you return from a trip abroad and suffer from jet lag effects.

Cherries are known to have melatonin, the chemical that regulates our circadian rhythm.

A study has found that many adults

who suffer from insomnia drink sour cherry juice to improve the duration and quality of sleep.

index that the body digest slowly, releasing sugar slowly and gradually into the bloodstream.

Jasmine Rice: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a few years ago a study proving that eating jasmine rice 4 hours before bedtime helps you fall asleep faster because this kind of rice has a high glycemic

Sweet Potatoes: Here is a double advantage for you.

In addition to being a source of complex carbohydrates, they also contain potassium that relaxes your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s muscles. Once your muscles are relaxed, you will immediately fall

asleep.

Lima beans and papaya are also other sources for potassium that help improve the quality of your sleep.

Get rid of those bad foods such as burgers and fries before going to bed and replace them with healthy ones that improve your quality of sl

27

GOURMET

28

Preventative Botox is a thing and many women are using it Jessica Nour After turning 30, something weird happened. My friends started talking about Botox injections as if they were teeth cleanings. Single women and new moms alike tried to convince me that going to the dermatologist twice a year for Botox to prevent wrinkles was just like going to the dentist to prevent cavities.

My fellow millennial women weren’t trying to turn back the clock on their face to look younger than they were. They were simply trying to avoid acquiring wrinkles in the first place. This was “preventative Botox.”

“Botox is an attenuated neurotoxin that acts to temporarily paralyze the muscle it is injected into,” explains Dr. Alexes Hazen, associate professor of plastic surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. She notes that Botox is injected into muscles in the forehead and around the eyes to address laugh lines, crow’s feet, and other lines caused by repetitive motions. Typically these lines begin to show around 35, Dr. Hazen says.

Preventative Botox is done before the lines appear, when a woman is in her 20s or early 30s. In that case, Botox prevents the repetitive movement that causes wrinkles.

They were simply trying to avoid acquiring wrinkles in the first place. This was “preventative Botox.”

Not one to judge people’s decisions over their own

bodies, I say, “All power to you!” But is preventative Botox something I should do, too? On the one hand, I have avoided dyeing my hair for three decades because I don’t want to do the maintenance.

On the other, I’ve never had a cavity . . .

The people I trust go both ways on the matter. POPSUGAR Beauty editor Lauren Levinson, in her early 30s, has found that “preventative moisturizing” is an effective way to avoid Botox. In a piece about why she chooses not to get Botox, she shared this tip: “Whenever I see a fine line creeping into my forehead or around my eyes or lips, I put serum, moisturizer, or oil on the area, depending on what my skin needs that day. With enough hydration, the lines go away. Poof! It sounds easy and simple, but I promise you that it works.”

Like many of my 30-something girlfriends in San Francisco, Matt wanted to get on the Botox train before he actually needed it. Dr. Elizabeth Hale, a top dermatologist in New York City, says they’re not alone.

“The age of when people start Botox has definitely been trending downward as people realize it is effective and safe when used properly,” she told me. “People come in and they say, ‘I don’t want that deep line that my mom has or that my grandma has, so I’d like to start now so I never get it.’”

Is this “preventative Botox” trend just an overreaction to the fear of aging? Or is it actually reasonable for women in their 20s and 30s to begin Botox? I decided to investigate.

At 32, I’m trying to decide if now is the time to start using Botox as a preventative But for others, preventative antiaging option.

Botox is a part of a robust OK, YES, PREVENTATIVE skin care regime — and that BOTOX IS A REAL THING includes men. POPSUGAR video host Matthew The dermatologists I spoke Rodrigues, age 34, also wrote to agree that yes, getting about his experiences. In his Botox at a young age will help case, Botox was right for him: prevent wrinkles and lines “In my late 20s, I decided that from developing in the first I wanted to be a man who place. I learned that our face ‘ages gracefully.’ That can be muscles work like any other translated into wanting to look muscle. The more you work as young as technologically them out, the more defined possible, but never having they will be. By getting Botox someone from my high early, you prevent your face school say, ‘WTF did he do to muscles from “working out” his face?!’ I determined that when you frown, smile, laugh, if this was going to happen, raise your eyebrows, or squint. it was better to start sooner rather than later.”

With regular Botox, these

With regular Botox, these muscles will “atrophy” and you will not have the chance to develop deep lines and wrinkles associated with strong facial muscles.

If you wait to get Botox until you’re, say, 40, your face will have had more time to work out. As you get older, you will have to reverse the signs of repetitive expressions versus simply try to stop those signs from occurring.

To get more specific, here’s what three different dermatologists told me about preventative Botox: Dr. Elizabeth Hale, associate professor at NYU, says younger patients should get Botox less frequently: “One advantage of starting early: if you never let that muscle get so thick and hypertrophied, you’ll never get such a deep furrow and you can do it in less frequent intervals.”

Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, assistant professor at George Washington University, says some young women might need it more: “There is no such thing as too young for Botox.

A good dermatologist treats the dermatologic age of the patient, not the chronologic age.

A blond-haired, blueeyed girl who frequents tanning beds may show wrinkles in her late 20s,

whereas a Latina may so dramatic.’ To me, that’s not show wrinkles until a win, versus someone 40.” coming back and not looking like themselves.

Dr. Alexes Hazen, The real goal is to keep associate professor at people looking like NYU Langone Medical themselves, just a more Center, recommends rested, relaxed version waiting until lines of themselves.” appear: You should also consider “Botox is injected into genetic factors before muscle in the forehead opting for the needle. and around the eyes, According to Dr. Hale, whose action causes depending on your wrinkles. Botox prevents family history of those muscles from wrinkles, preventative contracting, so the skin Botox may be more or can’t form the wrinkles. less appropriate: “There Is it preventable in are definitely some nature? Yes. But it seems women I see young, in more practical and less their 20s. I can tell that extreme to wait until the they’re prone to specific lines first begin to form. wrinkles. They might At that point, they are say, ‘My mother has reversible.” this same line, and my grandmother does, and The experts I spoke to I just don’t want it.’ So agreed that yes, Botox I say, ‘It’s reasonable if can be preventative we start giving it to you in nature and it is a now, so you’ll never form reasonable solution for such a deep line.’” some women in their 20s and 30s. But this came When Dr. Hale comes with big caveats. across a young woman who has good reasons Young women, beware: for getting Botox, she Botox could be your will take a different gateway drug to more approach than she does extreme cosmetic with her older patients: surgery. “I don’t want she will inject them with to advocate that every smaller amounts and 25-year-old should do only two times per year, it preventatively,” Dr. instead of every three Hale explains. She notes months. that once you start, it’s easy to get hooked. “It This is because she’s not becomes another thing trying to “freeze them like highlighting your completely.”

Instead, hair,” she believes, and responsible doctors will says it can sometimes be sure to leave some get out of control. “I try movement so young to educate my patients. women can emote.

I’d rather you come back Dr. Hale describes her and say, ‘I noticed some method as simply trying improvement, but it’s not to “prevent that muscle

from getting too strong, so they never develop such a strong frown line.” Making sure younger patients don’t get totally hooked is one reason to take this pared-down approach, says Dr. Hale: “If you’re starting Botox at 22, then what? By the time you’re 30, you’re already ready for something major. I’m not an advocate of that.” “Aging will happen even if you start Botox very young. We can slow the signs of aging down on the skin, but we cannot stop it.” Botox can also be a trap, according to some experts. Dr. Tanzi is one of them. “By treating very young women, they may get the impression that we can stop aging altogether,” she says.

“This is not the case. Aging will happen even if you start Botox very young. Yes, we can slow the signs of aging down on the skin, but we cannot stop it.” Dr. Tanzi says she will never inject anyone regardless of age if they have unrealistic expectations.

“Expressing yourself is very important,” Dr. Hale points out, “especially at the time in your life where you’re meeting potential mates or getting your first job. There are very important reasons you want to be able to express yourself.”

For someone who administers Botox, Dr. Hale doesn’t love the overdone look: “My personal aesthetic is I like expression.”

One beauty icon who agrees?

Jennifer Aniston. The actress told us, “The muscles and our faces need to move, especially when they’re 20!” She thinks about her face muscles like every other muscle: “If I don’t go to the gym forever and my legs, my glutes, and my quads don’t move, eventually they start to atrophy, which means they lose their natural ability to be strong. If anything, you want the muscles in your face to sort

of tighten and move.” choosing strategic products.

“Expressing yourself is very Based on our conversations, important, especially at the here’s what I’m considering time in your life where you’re instead of Botox: meeting potential mates or Use Sunscreen: Protecting getting your first job.” yourself from the sun every After talking to experts about day will help minimize the using Botox for preventative appearance of wrinkles. While reasons, I wanted to know you might like a little glow, about alternatives. I reached out exposure to sun puts your skin to A-list facialist Joanna Vargas, cells into survival mode and will who made a valid — and ironic rapidly age you.

— point about the downside Wear Sunglasses: Consider of starting Botox young: “I wearing sunglasses 365 days of think it ages you,” she told me. the year. People tend to squint “Everyone can tell you have had in the sun, rain, or cold, causing it done, and it looks fake. I don’t crow’s feet. Sunglasses will help think anyone wants to walk out you avoid those motions, and of a room and have everyone thus Botox. discussing what you have done Be Mindful of Your Facial to your face.” I tend to agree. So Motions: Botox is preventative what’s a 32-year-old woman because it keeps you from like me to do if I want to look raising your eyebrows, frowning, like that “more rested, relaxed squinting, or engaging in other version” of myself without repetitive motions. So can you resorting to injections? Luckily, just stop doing those things there are a lot of options — if you want to avoid wrinkles? including accepting the fact Yes, says Dr. Hale. “It’s easier said that you’re getting older. than done, but I think being THERE ARE LESS INVASIVE mindful of it is the first step.”

PREVENTION STEPS Next time you notice yourself “I never judge a woman for furrowing your brow or raising seeking injectables. I tend to your eyebrows, take a nice deep attract women who are seeking breath and try to relax your face. alternatives to that,” Vargas Don’t Smoke: It’s a no-brainer, explains. She can count Julianne but in addition to health Moore, Naomi Watts, Rachel concerns, smoking increases Weisz, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sofia fine lines around your lips, Coppola, and Jenna Dewan giving you “smoker’s mouth.”

Tatum as clients. Vargas suggests Don’t Use Straws: “This is “results-oriented facials” to any always funny,” Dr. Hale admits. woman considering Botox, and “The dentist will tell you don’t she offers various options at her stain your teeth and use a straw salon that use microcurrents, even when you drink coffee. But antioxidant-spiked serums, that repetitive pursing of your or pure oxygen to reduce mouth can lead to premature signs of aging. “You might be development of lines around surprised at how much you your mouth, or perioral get out of it. I absolutely don’t wrinkles.” think Botox is necessary. I’m in Reduce Stress: Stressed out? my 40s and have never done You’re more likely to furrow it,” Vargas admits. The experts I your brow more. If you want spoke to offered a wide range to look like a more rested and of noninvasive preventative relaxed version of yourself, measures, including protecting make sure you prioritize rest yourself from sunMAGAZ damage and and relaxation.

INE TEMPL ATE / O C TO B ER 2013 / w w w.your magaz i ne.co m

31

Flu Season is Here or is it?

Contributed by the Y7 Staff

If you’re wondering when you might get the flu, a new study indicates you should keep an eye on your local weather report.

According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Virology, a season’s first cold snap below 37 degrees Fahrenheit (or zero degrees Celsius, as defined in the study) preceded a mass spread of the flu in Gothenberg, a large metropolitan area of Sweden.

The researchers suggest that if you keep your eye on the weather and watch for the first major dip in the temperature, you can essentially mark your calendar in anticipation for an influx of the illness.

“We believe that this sudden drop in temperature contributes to ‘kickstarting’ the epidemic,” lead study author Nicklas Sundell, an infectious diseases specialist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden, said in a statement.

To figure out how the weather and flu outbreak may be connected, researchers analyzed nasal swabs of 20,000 people in the Gothenberg area over three seasons. The number of people who caught the flu was then compared with weather data from the Swedish

Meteorological and estimate the number of Hydrological Institute. people who will contract the illness each season.

After each season, And while the U.S. Centers Sundell’s team noticed for Disease Control and one consistent finding: Prevention does not count The first really cold the number of deaths period with low outdoor related to the flu, the temperatures and low number of people who humidity was always do get it ranges between followed by a week of a 3,000 to 49,000 per year. mass influenza outbreak.

Luckily, there are ways Why cold weather can to ward off the illness activate the spread of the regardless of the weather. flu Washing your hands, coughing into the crook of The researchers say your arm and getting the that aerosol particles vaccine are the best ways containing virus and to prevent the flu from liquid are more able to spreading. People over spread in cold and dry the age of 65, pregnant weather. So, in theory, if women and young you sneeze or cough and children are the most the surrounding air is very high risk for developing dry, the air will absorb complications related to the moisture and the the virus, according to the particles containing the CDC. virus remain airborne for a longer period of time.

Although the study seems like an interesting While cold weather can way count down to make the flu spread more flu outbreaks, it is not easily, it can also spur without its caveats. The other viruses such as RS- research only identifies virus and coronavirus, there’s a correlation which cause respiratory between the two; it has tract infections, the yet to be confirmed if researchers wrote. one causes the other.

The researchers also only “If you can predict the start tested for this effect in of the annual epidemics Sweden, so it is unclear if of the flu and other the phenomenon would respiratory viruses, you occur in other cities. And can use this knowledge the virus still spreads to promote campaigns for aggressively in warmer the flu vaccine and prepare climates as well ― so just emergency wards and because you live in a hospital staff in advance tropical area doesn’t mean for an increased number you’re immune. of patients seeking care,” Sundell said.

In other words, get the vaccine and wash those Since the virus changes hands.

You’ll thank each year, it is hard to yourself later.

Online Therapy

For Sleep Deprivation Works

By Dr. Chandler Myers

For people with insomnia, help falling asleep may soon be available online: A recent clinical trial found that a web-based course of treatment for insomnia was effective at helping people get more sleep.

Compared with people in the study who received no therapy, those who participated in the online treatment group fell asleep faster, woke up fewer times during the night and reported less severe insomnia after completing the treatment, according to the study.

The type of therapy, called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (or CBT-I), is considered to be a “first-line” recommendation for people with chronic insomnia — that is, insomnia that lasts longer than one month. The therapy focuses on changing how people think about their insomnia, by addressing “the problematic thoughts and behaviors believed to have developed in response to acute insomnia,” according to the study, which was published in November 2016 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

Millions of people in the U.S. have insomnia, but there are few clinicians who are trained to provide CBT-I, the researchers said. So researchers have been looking into the effectiveness of online versions of this particular treatment. [7 Strange Facts About Insomnia]

In the study, 303 adults with chronic insomnia were assigned to either a therapy group or a control group. The therapy group completed a six-week interactive

therapy program online, in which they logged on a few times a week, and read and did homework assignments, while the control group was given access to a website with information about insomnia.

The people in the study responded to questionnaires about their insomnia and also kept sleep diaries during the study period. After nine weeks, the people in the therapy group reported greater improvements in their sleep than those in the control group, the researchers found.

And after both six months and one year, the improvements remained, according to the study.

For example, the researchers found that after one year, 70 percent of the people in the therapy group were considered to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;treatment responders,â&#x20AC;? meaning that the severity of their insomnia decreased by at least 7 points on a questionnaire called the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), which measures insomnia severity on a 28-point scale. In the control group, on the other hand, 43 percent of the people were found

to be treatment responders, the researchers found.

In addition, 57 percent of the people in the therapy group had a score of less than 8 on the ISI one year after their treatment ended, compared with 27 percent in the control group, according to the study. A score of less than 8 suggests that the participants no longer had insomnia, according to the study.

BEAT BLOAT

vious sources like milk and yogurt, foods like tofu, kale and sardines are also high in calcium.

Salmon

Contributed by the Y7 Staff

What’s in it: Polyunsaturated fats

The belly-fat connection: People who reported eating three or more servings of whole grains per day had 10 percent less visceral adipose tissue (aka belly fat) than those whose diets included very few whole grains. (The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and counted one piece of whole grain bread or 1/2 cup of oatmeal as a serving of whole grains.) The catch? Whole grain intake didn’t make any difference in belly fat if people were also eating four or more servings of refined grains per day (think anything made with white flour, and one piece of whole bread or 1/2 cup of white rice is one serving.) Those who got the most belly-fat-reducing benefit from their whole grains ate less than one daily serving of the refined stuff. Which means you can’t chase your cup of brown rice with three pieces of white-bread toast.

The belly-fat connection: Unlike saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats don’t pack on pounds around your middle. When researchers asked two groups of people to eat an extra 750 calories per day (if the researchers do a second of this study, we’re signing up!) from either polyunsaturated fats or saturated fats, everyone put on some weight, but the saturated fat group gained more in the abdomen, while the polyunsaturated group’s weight gain included more muscle mass. (Remember, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Another way to fight belly fat!) The researchers reported that while saturated fats seem to turn on genes that tell your body to store fat in your stomach area, polyunsaturated fats switch on genes in the same area that actually reduce fat storage.

More ideas of what to eat: Look for products that say “100 percent whole wheat” or “100 percent whole grain” on the packaging, not “multigrain” or simply “whole wheat,” as those often contain some refined sources.

Collard Greens

More ideas of what to eat: Other fatty fish like trout, mackerel and herring.

Olive or Canola Oil What’s in them: Monounsaturated fats

The belly-fat connection: Adding canola oil to their diets helped people lose 1/4 pound of belly fat in four weeks, according to a stuThe belly-fat connection: Researchers tracked dy published in Obesity earlier this year. The the diets and abdominal fat of more than 100 subjects drank two smoothies per day supplepremenopausal women for one year. The years mented with the oil, where the oil accounted before menopause are notorious for weight for about 18 percent of their daily calories. By gain, but the researchers found that for every the end of the study, their blood pressure and 100 mg of calcium women ate per day, they triglyceride levels had dropped too. gained 1 inch less of the dangerous fat deep within their bellies than women who didn’t More ideas of what to eat: Oils such as olive, get as much calcium. It’s not exactly clear why peanut, safflower and sesame. calcium seems to make a difference, but the researchers propose two ideas. First, there’s some research showing that calcium helps your body use estrogen more effectively, and Bell Peppers estrogen is linked to less fat in your abdomen.

What’s in them: A wide variety of nutrients, Second, high-calcium diets may lower prothanks to the many colors they come in. duction of cortisol, the stress hormone that’s linked to belly fat. The National Institutes of belly-fat connection: Overweight young Health recommends getting at least 1,000 mg The people whose diets included “nutrient-rich” and no more than 2,500 mg of calcium per vegetables (those that are dark green, orange day. or yellow) had 17 percent less abdominal fat More ideas of what to eat: Aside from the ob- than study subjects who didn’t eat that type of What’s in them: Calcium

produce, according to a study in the Journal of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (Researchers often refer to these vegetables as “nutrient-rich” because their vibrant colors mean they’re high in nutrients like carotenoids and chlorophyll.) It’s not clear why these deeply hued veggies may contribute to less belly fat (they’re also high in fiber, which may play a role), but more reason to eat your vegetables isn’t a bad thing.

More ideas of what to eat: Any vegetables with green, orange or yellow coloring should be on your grocery list, like Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.

Lentils What’s in them: Soluble fiber The belly-fat connection: For every additional 10 grams of soluble fiber (which legumes like lentils have a lot of) people ate per day, they gained 3.7 percent less visceral fat over five years. When they threw some moderate exercise into their routines, they kept off twice as much belly fat as those who didn’t break a sweat.

More ideas of what to eat: In addition to legumes, load up on fruits, vegetables, seeds and whole grains—they’re also high in soluble fiber. If you need some ideas, check out our list of 15 fiber-rich foods for a happier stomach.

Eat these for good health Contributed by the Y7 Staff

The world of health foods is vast, and if you haven’t ventured past chia seeds you are seriously missing out on some powerhouse ingredients. In honor of the new year and fresh starts, we’ve made a list of foods you really should start eating in 2017. Not only will these ingredients keep your meals interesting, they’ll also help you stay healthy in the year ahead.

Here are seven foods you should incorporate into your diet in 2017:

A bowl of kelp.

1. Kelp ― This brown seaweed is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s loaded with high amounts of iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron, and it’s also a great source of Omega-3. One of the easiest ways to get more kelp in your diet is to add kelp sprinkles to homemade soups (you can find these at your local health food stores). It’s also good served on top of salads and rice bowls.

2. Ghee ― Ghee is essentially clarified butter, which is made by heating butter and skimming off the milk solids. It’s easier for some people to digest than unprocessed butter, because of its low lactose content ― and it is high in fatsoluble vitamins A, D, E and K. (But it’s still butter, so don’t eat it by the spoonful.) Ghee is a staple in Indian cuisine, its natural nutty flavor adding depth to curries and beyond.

3. Dandelion Greens ― This pleasantly bitter green is rich in vitamin C as well as B vitamins, calcium, iron and potassium. It’s good for your bones and muscles, and it’s also high in fiber ― 3.5 ounces of the green will satisfy 15 percent of your daily requirement. Dandelion greens can be found at your local farmer’s markets during the spring, or even at specialty stores like Whole Foods.

4. Millet ― A whole grain, millet is high in copper, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium. It’s also naturally gluten free. Millet is often eaten as a breakfast porridge, and is prepared much like steel cut oats, simmered in a pot of water. But it can also be tossed into granolas, muffins and other baked goods.

5. Canned Salmon ― We all know that salmon is an amazing source of Ome-

ga-3, but sometimes the price tag can make this fatty fish feel out of reach.

Consider canned salmon. It’s not only full of the same nutrients as fresh salmon, but it’s a whole lot more affordable, too. You can toss it on top of greens for a hearty salad, or use it as a way to bulk up a quick pasta dinner.

6. Wheat Berries ― This is the grain that’s used to make the flour that we use for basically everything. Don’t be fooled, it’s not a fruit. It is only a berry in the botanical sense. It actually looks and acts like a grain of brown rice or farro. The whole berry is loaded with fiber and is full of protein. It’s also a great source of iron. Use in in grain salads or in place of rice when making dinner bowls.

44

Getting a Good Nights Sleep

Contributed by the Y7 Staff

cent report:

A good night’s sleep is about way more than just clocking seven to nine hours in bed each night.

And now, experts in sleep medicine and other health care fields have issued new metrics that spell out exactly what high-quality slumber means.

Being asleep for at least 85 percent of the time you spend in bed;

initially falling asleep.

These new metrics are based on the findings from 277 peer-reviewed sleep studies. An expert panel Taking 30 minutes or less to of sleep-medicine spefall asleep (or up to 60 min- cialists and members of utes if you’re 65 or older); other health organizations (including the American Not waking up more than Academy of Neurology, once per night for more the Society for Research of than five minutes (or twice Human Development and The National Sleep Founda- a night for five minutes for the Society for Women’s tion, a nonprofit advocacy those 65 or older); and Health Research) analyzed group, for the first time those studies and agreed defined key indicators of Spending less than 20 on the final version. The good sleep quality in a reminutes total awake after sleep-quality indicators

are separate from the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations for sleep durations for various age groups, released in 2015.

these measures, that’s reason to check what needs improvement ― like spending too much time awake in bed at night, which can make insomnia worse. (If The new metrics are meant you can’t fall asleep within to help people better un20 minutes of waking up derstand what good sleep in the middle of the night, health looks like overall, Da- you should actually get up vid Cloud, chief executive and do something else to officer of the National Sleep help you relax ― like listenFoundation, told The Huff- ing to music or reading. Lyington Post in an email. ing awake in bed can create an unhealthy link between “Now more than ever peo- your bed and not sleeping, ple are using devices [that] according to the National track their sleep and gener- Sleep Foundation.) ate a tremendous amount of data without providing Not meeting the new the tools people need to metrics may also be a sign understand it,” Cloud exof an undiagnosed sleep plained. disorder, like sleep apnea, sleep-wake phase disorder Your sleep might look dif(where your body clock ferent ― and that’s okay. does not run on average time) or insomnia, which The new metrics describe can all be treated, Abbott good-quality sleep, Sabra said.

Abbott, a neurologist who specializes in circadian Another important indicarhythm and sleep disorders tor of getting good sleep at Northwestern Memorial is how you feel when you Hospital, told HuffPost. But wake up, and during the not everyone’s sleep looks day. “Do you have any reathe same, she added. son to think you could be getting better sleep, or you “Just because you aren’t feel tired during the day?” able to perfectly meet Abbott asked. these four guidelines, it doesn’t necessarily mean Answering yes to either that you have poor-quality of those questions, or not sleep,” Abbott said. The meeting the new quality metrics “are useful as an sleep metrics, are red flags, initial target.” and you should discuss these issues with your phyIf your sleep does not meet sician, Abbott said. Talking

about your sleep habits and patterns with your primarycare doctor is just as important as talking about diet and exercise, she said.

“The intent [of the new report] was not to diagnose the public with potential sleep disorders, but rather to provide information to empower people and help them gauge their sleep health,” Cloud added.

Another finding from the report was the need for more research to better understand the parameters of good-quality sleep ― especially which measures correspond to good long-term outcomes for other health measures, Cloud added.

“Ultimately, a better understanding of sleep quality is key to unlocking sleep health overall,” Cloud said.

Don’t Panic about Panic

By Linda Sutton

I am standing in the grocery store on an ordinary Tuesday in October, list in one hand, phone in the other. Like most people, I do not enjoy grocery shopping, especially since my son is usually with me jumping up and down, begging for every single shrink-wrapped toy dangling within his reach. But today, I am alone and for once I am Ed-McMahon-just-rang-my-doorbell-with-a-giantcheck thrilled.

I knock items off my list like whacking moles at an arcade: Cucumbers. Mostly water, good for bloating. Check.

Zucchini for “zoodles,” which my kid will probably hate. Check.

Dark chocolate Dove squares to hide from family in box of tampons. Check.

Cottage cheese. No, hell no. If shame had a flavor, it would be this sh*t.

As I stare down at my “Eat Me” board on Pinterest trying to figure out what to make for dinner, I steer my cart full of good intentions into the cereal aisle.

Standing there next to my friends Tony, Snap, Crackle, Pop, and the Cap’n a strange feeling comes over me, slowly at first. It starts in my ears where I can hear my heart beating at about the tempo of a Souza march. I shove my phone and list in my pocket and grip the plastic bar of my cart.

Then, the skin on my chest and neck starts to feel warm and itchy. I unzip my jacket.

Sweat, fulsome and sticky, seeps like lava from my brow, my pits, between Lucy and Ethel and, worst of all, in and around my, uh, box of Trix.

I know I need to move; I’m sure I’m in the way standing there in the middle of the aisle or I will be, but I can’t.

Am I having a heart attack? I have no arm pain, jaw pain, chest pain.

Am I having a stroke? What’s the acronym for that? S.M.I.L.E? F.A.C.E? I know it has something to do with smiling or talking or smelling burnt toast— Crap! I have no idea.

I contemplate sitting down right there mid-aisle, but my pride won’t let me. It would be just my luck for someone to snap a viral-worthy photo of me — “Moist Lady Needs Clean up on Aisle Three.”

I try to accept the discomfort. Be in the moment. You know, “The Power of Now” and all that. But that only makes me more aware of fresh sensations I can’t control—the feeling I’m being strangled by some super villain bent on revenge, for example. Nope, nope. Whatever Ekhart Tolle. He wouldn’t last a half a second standing in my sensible shoes right now.

Finally, I try to take a few deep breaths: In for four, out for eight. In for four, out for eight. In for four... I close my eyes for a minute or two or ten or I don’t even know.

When I open them, something inside me has unlocked just enough to have what feels like an epiphany: I need to eat. I need to eat RIGHT NOW. I begin pulling boxes of cereal off the shelf like a contestant on “The Price is Right.”

I skip the rest of the items on my list, go through the do-it-yourself check out line, come home, leave the groceries in the car, except the cereal ― Oatmeal Crisp, (AKA “Crack in the Box”) ― and pour myself a bowl. And not one of those delicate Crate and Barrel cereal bowls designed for sensible portions. Heck No! I got the biggest, the deepest, the most sinful vessel I could find ― The Popcorn Bowl. I don’t even sit down. I stand there at my kitchen counter dumping back more sweet flakey love than I’ve had in a very long time. Years, actually.

Later that night (and well into the next day) I was reminded why I gave up cereal. Let’s just say I had a lot of time to sit in my fortress of porcelain solitude and reflect on (and Google) what happened to me in the grocery store. I had had my first panic attack. I spent an obsessive amount of time trying to figure out why it happened — Why then? Why there? Why me? — but what I’ve come to realize is they are called panic “attacks,” not panic “hey you might wanna not schedule anything important for 9 a.m. next Tuesday,” for a reason. For me, sometimes there are known triggers, but mostly there aren’t.

Many years later as I reflect on what it’s like to live with anxiety, I’d like to say I have found a quick and easy cure like the perfect yoga practice or breathing exercise or self-help book, essential oil, combination of medications that don’t eventually stop working, chamomile-ashwaganda-kava-kava super herb or something. But I haven’t. I mean, all of those things have worked for me at one time or another ― well, the kava kava gave me the trots ― but nothing took the anxiety away completely.

I’ve come to (mostly) accept my anxious nature, like that quirk you discover your partner has after the honeymoon period. The one that makes you you want to scream “WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LIKE THAT!?” at first but then you decide to love them right past it.

Right now, as I write, I am anxious about how to end this. I am anxious that my tale might seem flip or trite or miss the mark. I feel the weight of responsible storytelling, the weight of getting it “right,” and so I contemplate leaving this one in my drafts folder, like so many tubs of cottage cheese left to rot in the back of my fridge.

Instead, I think I’ll love myself right past this feeling and put it out there, in the hopes that someone, somewhere will feel what I want to feel: less alone.

If You Want to keep hope in love --- A.I. may help!

Ultimately, researchers in this study wanted to find out whether humans will change their behavior based on a robot‘s „emotional“ response. They also concluded that humans can turn to robots for a „source of consolation and security.“

They got the participants to „share“ their dating experiences — specifically, times when they felt good about themselves — with Travis, an 11-inch, faceless robot. Travis would then give a response that was supposed to mirror positive or negative reactions, like a „cold shoulder“ or encouraging statements like „Wow, that‘s really great!“

But then again, some people apparently feel better talking about things to their pets than their best friends, so anything is definitely possible.

Human-robot interaction research may seem like a recent phenomenon, but scientists have Contributed by the Y7 Staff actually been looking into it for a long time.

When the children have all moved on with Ro- In 1966, MIT scientist Joseph Wezenbaum unveiled ELIZA, one of the first chatbots. With bots are being built and tested to help humans with many things — from delivering food a script called „DOCTOR,“ ELIZA could impersonate a psychotherapist and identify certain to folding our clothes. As we look to them to words and phrases before formulating a resperform day-to-day tasks in the future, reseponse. archers are working more and more toward giving robots human qualities, like the ability More recently, Europe is currently gearing up to give emotional support. for a world where robots may have their own legal rights. Sexual relationships with robots Researchers from Northwestern University, have become an actual discussion of morality, Cornell University and the Interdisciplinary and there‘s even an entire campaign against it.

Center in Herzliya, Israel wanted to see if it‘s possible to have robots comfort people in As Quartz points out, studying human restimes of emotional need. They conducted a ponses to robots could make them better at test simulating a scenario where humans alperforming roles that they‘re more likely to most always require emotional support: when take over from humans in the near future, like they‘re thinking about dating. fulfilling customer service requests. But humans are probably less likely to turn to robots to Yes, you read that right. In a study published support them in times of romantic strife. After in Computers of Human Behavior, the reseall, it‘s probably going to take awhile for huarchers told the participants that they were doing a test on speech-recognition algorithms mans to see venting and sharing good news with robots as a normal thing. for online dating sites.

Afterwards, they were filmed introducing themselves to potential romantic matches and were asked to self-evaluate their eligibility. Those who received favorable „reactions“ from Travis thought that they were more date-worthy, but those who got the „cold shoulder“ felt less so.

They also concluded that humans can turn to robots for a „source of consolation and security.“

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