News about medical research often passes by ordinary people who are far from the world of science. We consider this situation to be wrong, because a person’s health completely depends on his lifestyle. And it will be difficult to correct it in the right direction if you do not know, for example, that the light from smartphone screens ages the skin, and it is desirable to eat food sitting or even lying down.
- Pleasant smells can suppress cravings for smoking
Experts from the American Psychological Association have found that inhaling pleasant aromas can reduce the desire to smoke. The study involved 232 smokers who were asked to give up cigarettes for 8 hours before starting the experiment. Then, in a special room, the subjects were given the aromas of chocolate, mint, vanilla, lemon, apple, as well as chemical and tobacco smoke.
After that, they had to light their cigarette, not smoke, and at the same time evaluate their desire to take a puff on a scale from 1 to 100. It turned out that after inhaling pleasant odors, the craving for smoking weakened. “This method can help those who are trying to quit smoking,” the scientists said.
- Hypnosis can replace painkillers
Experts from the University of Greenwich conducted a study involving 3.5 thousand people, as a result of which they found out that hypnosis can reduce pain. It is especially effective against easily suggestible people. Hypnotherapy can reduce pain by 30-40%. In such a simple way, you can cope with pain even at home. To do this, it is enough to listen to an audio recording with hypnotherapy for 20 minutes.
- “Owls” can become “larks” in 3 weeks
Researchers from the Universities of Birmingham and Surrey were able to prove that it is possible to transform “owls” into “larks”. They conducted an experiment with 22 completely healthy volunteers whose daily routine was greatly shifted: they went to bed around 3:00 and woke up at about 10:00. For 3 weeks, the participants had to go to bed and wake up 2-3 hours earlier than usual. They also did not turn on the bright lights in the evenings, and after waking up, they started breakfast at the same time.
Thus, in just 3 weeks of the experiment, the “owls” were able to switch their biological clocks and become “larks”. At the same time, they began to feel better, their performance increased and the feeling of stress decreased.
- E-cigarettes also cause a smoker’s cough
Experts from the University of Kansas Medical Center have found out that nicotine contained in electronic cigarettes settles in the lungs, eventually forming thick mucus. Thus, these smoking gadgets are just as likely as regular cigarettes to cause a smoker to cough and make a person more susceptible to diseases. The bronchi will become more vulnerable to various infections, while the risk of asthma or chronic bronchitis will increase.
- Fitness fans have switched to brine
Among American fitness fans, the usual pickle is gaining more and more popularity. According to the manager of a New York store, customers consume brine after training. 35-year-old MMA fighter Jason Markland claims that cucumber pickle perfectly helps to recover after training.
Therapist Theodore Strange says: “Brine contains large amounts of sodium and potassium. The use of brine helps to solve the problem of imbalance that occurs during spasms when muscles are overstretched.” At the same time, Dr. Strange does not recommend drinking brine for people with heart disease.
- It is not necessary to take exactly 10 thousand steps to maintain health
American scientists have found out that it is not necessary to take at least 10 thousand steps a day to maintain health. The study involved almost 17 thousand women, whose average age was 72 years. After all the calculations and adjustments for some factors, scientists came to the conclusion that the mortality rate decreases markedly if at least 4.4 thousand steps are taken per day.
You can do more, but the positive trend is no longer so pronounced, and after 7.5 thousand steps it does not change at all. It is worth noting that these conclusions are true in relation to older American women. Scientists have not yet found out how many steps younger people need to take per day.
- The light from the smartphone screen accelerates skin aging
Avon conducted a study and found out that the blue light emitted by smartphone screens penetrates into the deep layers of the skin and causes its condition to worsen. According to a survey by the cosmetics brand, 25% of young people spend at least 7 hours a day in front of their phone screens.
According to cosmetologist Susan Mayu, under the influence of light, the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin is disrupted, and the dermis becomes thin and fragile. In conclusion, experts advise using smartphones as little as possible.