Keep Your Makeup In A Makeup Bag? We’ve Got Grim News For You

Posted on 21/02/2024 by Boris Clair

We are in our rot era. We’re letting ourselves be a little more slobby, a little more gross, a little less refined because you know what? Life’s too short. So who cares if our lipstick is a bit old or if we can’t remember the last time we cleaned our makeup brushes?

Well, it turns out our bodies might.

While we’re leaning into being a little less refined, we could be putting our health at risk, according to Saffron Hughes, the makeup artist at FalseEyelashes.co.uk.

While we may think of makeup as something that we do for fun or quickly put on before going out, it’s actually always interacting with our skin and this means that if we don’t take good care with it, we could be encouraging anything from blemishes to E. coli.

The makeup hygiene mistakes we have all unknowingly been making

Storing our makeup in makeup bags long-term

I know, I know, what are they for, then?

Well, Hughes said: “Dead skin cells and bacteria from your brushes are transferred to your makeup bag after every application. Shockingly, researchers have found that 90% of makeup bags are contaminated with superbugs, such as E.coli, due to improper cleaning.”

Screaming.

Instead of keeping your makeup in a bag, when you’re home, keep it in drawers or on a dressing table as the more robust materials used to build these are easier to clean than a fabric makeup bag.

Don’t have to tell me twice.

Leaving lids open inside the makeup bag

This isn’t likely to be something you’re doing intentionally but it’s always worth a second check that you’ve definitely put the lid back on properly after using your favourite mascara or lippie.

Hughes said: “Accidentally leaving makeup product lids open is a silent invitation to bacterial growth. So, when you use a makeup product, double-check that the lid is tightly shut to prevent moist air from entering the product and creating the perfect humid conditions for bacterial growth.”

Hughes added that wet conditions, such as bathrooms, are bad places to store makeup, for the same reason.

Not cleaning your actual makeup products

Um. I’ll be real with you. I didn’t know this was a thing.

Hughes said: “Whilst everyone knows the importance of regularly cleaning their makeup brushes, dust, dead skin cells, and product build-up can accumulate on your beauty products themselves.”

“The same study previously mentioned found that E.coli, fungus, and staphylococcus aureus, otherwise known as a staph infection can be found on beauty products – all of which can cause skin infections.”

Never cleaning where you store your makeup

Hughes said, “As well as cleaning your makeup products, you should clean where you store them otherwise you’ll be placing clean products into a potentially germ-infested area.”

She added that once you have cleaned, ensure that the drawers or surfaces are fully dry as, “the moist air can enter your makeup products and produce the perfect humid conditions for bacterial growth.”

Not cleaning your beauty blender after every use

Over the past few years on TikTok, people have been cutting open their beauty blenders and sponges just to find that mould was thriving inside of them.

Speaking on this cursed phenomena, Hughes said: “This happens for a number of reasons; firstly, the porous structure of beauty blenders and makeup sponges allows them to absorb dirt, oils, and leftover makeup residue, creating an environment where mould is likely to grow if the beauty blender isn’t regularly or adequately cleaned.”

The makeup artist went on to warn that when mould combines with dirt and grime, it clogs pores which can, “bring on an array of other skin problems, including breakouts, skin irritations, redness, and more.”

She advises that sponges and blenders should be cleaned thoroughly using a mild soap or specialist cleanser made for blenders after each use.

Disregarding expiration dates of makeup products

Hughes warned: “The first thing you should always do before opening any new beauty product is check the label. On the label, you will find a small jar symbol with a number followed by the letter M inside.

“The number followed by the letter M determines how long the product will work best and how long it should be used once opened and exposed to air.

“After this timeframe, the products will decline in quality and can become a breeding ground for bacteria. So if it’s a product that you’re less likely to finish using during the timeframe, make a note of when you opened it to avoid disappointment.”

She added that after this timeline, the products will decline in quality and become a breeding ground for bacteria. So, if it’s a product you’re unlikely to finish in the timeframe, make a note of when you opened it to avoid disappointment.

Ignoring changes in textures or smells of products

Hughes said, “One way of determining if your product has expired is by the smell. If the product now has a new distinctive odour that it didn’t have before, then it’s time for it to go.

“Another way you can determine if your product has expired is if the texture has changed. If your liquid products have thickened or become clumpy, then they need to be disposed of. Cosmetics also begin to separate, and this becomes very visible.”

She added that the colour of a product can be a tell-tale sign of expiration. This is because cosmetics oxidise when exposed to air. The longer they are sat for, the more likely they are to oxidise.

If you’ve noticed you are looking a bit more orange than usual, your makeup may be out of date!

Mary Berry’s Genius Potato Salad Addition Transforms It Into A Main

Posted on 20/02/2024 by Boris Clair

I can stand some Irish stereotypes; actually, yes, we do all know each other (more or less). And yep, we love potatoes ― what sane person wouldn’t?

I like mine baked, fried, chipped, boiled, mashed, and, uh, be-saladed (?). But It wasn’t until I read Mary Berry’s version of the dish that I started eating it on its own for lunch.

That’s because the Cordon Bleu-trained chef adds tasty (and omega 3 and protein-rich) salmon and prawns to her dish, not only making it more delicious but also turning it into a more balanced meal.

In fact, the dish is so tasty that it’s earned a five-star rating on its BBC page ― having tried it myself, I can understand why.

The dish also contains radishes

The tasty addition of radishes to the dish adds a crisp and peppery bite to the meal, balancing out the mushy spuds and tender fish.

It holds up well during storage, too ― in fact, all of this recipe does. “The potato salad can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge, adding the radish, freshly cooked salmon and the prawns up to four hours ahead,” the BBC’s page suggests.

In order to hold up longer against refrigeration, Mary Berry recommends using thicker, middle-cut salmon from the centre of the fish, rather than the tail.

The result is a delicious, balanced dish with loads of contrasting texture and complex flavours ― way, way better than your standard spud salad.

What’s the recipe, then?

You’ll need three middle-cut salmon fillets, each weighing 125 grams or four and a half ounces, with their skin left on. Additionally, the recipe calls for one lemon and 16 cooked tiger prawns.

For the potato salad, you’ll need 500 grams of baby new potatoes, four tablespoons of olive oil, three tablespoons of Dijon mustard, one tablespoon of caster sugar, and three tablespoons of white wine vinegar.

You’ll also require six tablespoons of mayonnaise, one bunch of thinly sliced spring onions, 150 grams of thinly sliced radishes, four finely chopped celery sticks, one small bunch of finely chopped flatleaf parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. This makes enough for six people.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4, and line a baking tray with kitchen foil.

To prep the salad, place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water and bring them to a boil. Allow them to cook for approximately 15 minutes or until they are tender ― once they’re cooked, drain them and then slice ’em into quarters.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the salmon fillets skin-side down on the foil-lined baking tray. Squeeze half of the lemon juice over them and season them with salt and pepper. Cover the fillets with foil, seal to make a parcel, and bake for about 15 minutes or until just cooked. Once that’s done, remove them from the oven and let them cool before removing the skin.

For the salad, combine oil, mustard, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the hot potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool. After that, you can mix in the mayonnaise, spring onions, radishes, and celery. Adjust the seasoning to your taste and add the remaining lemon juice.

Gently flake the cooked salmon into large pieces and stir it into the salad with the prawns and half of the chopped parsley, ensuring you don’t accidentally mash any spuds. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley.

Voila ― you’ve got an elite potato salad that’s bulky and balanced enough to count as a full meal (at least, I’ve eaten it for dinner with a baguette twice this week).

Enjoy!

How Much Salt Is Too Much Salt When It Comes To Your Health?

Posted on 20/02/2024 by Boris Clair

Low-sodium soy sauce, soup and snacks dominate supermarket shelves, so it seems pretty obvious that a lot of Americans are aware that they need to lower their sodium intake. But to what extent is it really a problem?

Most people have no idea how much salt they’re eating every day, or how much is recommended (particularly for those with certain health conditions). And did you know that some people are actually encouraged to eat more salt?

We spoke with doctors to answer all of our saltiest questions.

First of all, we do need to eat a certain amount of sodium.

According to Dr. Columbus Batiste, the regional chief of cardiology with Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, “We need the right amount of salt to provide our bodies with important electrolytes that can regulate things like muscle contractions, fluid balance and nerve transmission.”

Dr. Rohan Khera, an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, told HuffPost that salt is “needed for every single body cell, especially the more active heart and muscle tissues.”

Moreover, salt plays a role in ”sweating, normal cell function, metabolism, maintenance of body fluids, and keeping muscles and nerves working properly,” said Dr. John Higgins, a cardiologist with UTHealth Houston.

How much salt do healthy adults need?

Healthy adults only need 500 milligrams of salt per day (about a quarter-teaspoon of salt) to maintain healthy body function, according to cardiologist Dr. Nieca Goldberg, the medical director of Atria New York and a clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Limiting salt intake to such a paltry amount isn’t realistic for many people, and that’s OK for most healthy adults, as long as they don’t overdo it. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day and ideally no more than 1,500 milligrams, or about three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt per day.

However, most Americans eat far more than the recommended amount of salt, according to Goldberg. “The average American eats about 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day,” she said. “Seventy percent of that salt that consumed is from processed foods.”

Although the recommended maximum of salt may seem low for such an important nutrient, there is a good reason for these guidelines. Khera explained that “our body is built to preserve sodium, so we only have to supplement a little in our diet to ensure we are in good balance” — and too much salt is risky for some people.

What are the risks of eating too much salt?

Too much salt can be dangerous. This is true whether you add salt to your food or purchase processed foods made with salt.

According to Higgins, “A high-salt diet can contribute to high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease, renal stones and obesity.” Since too much salt can increase blood pressure, this has the ability to cause a heart attack or stroke, he added.

Your daily sodium intake involves a lot more than just the salt that you sprinkle on your food.

Other risks of high salt intake include blood vessel damage and negative impacts on hormonal and inflammatory pathways, immune response, the gut microbiome and body fat metabolism, Batiste said. He added that the effects of consuming too much salt can lead to premature death.

Are we all at equal risk?

Not everyone needs to worry. Too much salt “may not be bad for everyone. It depends on the person’s health status,” Goldberg explained. “If you are healthy and have low blood pressure, salt may not be harmful,” she said.

If you aren’t sure whether you need to watch your salt intake, Goldberg recommended discussing your diet with your doctor.

How do you know if you should cut back on your salt intake?

High amounts of salt are dangerous for many people, however.

For those with high blood pressure “in the pre-hypertensive range or higher,” or with “heart failure or kidney disease,” Goldberg cautioned that “high salt intake may worsen your condition.”

Higgins said that patients with moderate to severe heart failure should limit their salt intake to under 2,000 milligrams, or about one teaspoon, a day. Those who have had a heart attack or stroke should consume under 1,000 milligrams, or about a half-teaspoon, per day.

Here are the best ways to lower salt intake.

Higgins recommended switching out table salt for an alternative like Morton Salt Substitute, which does not contain any sodium. Goldberg also recommended looking for lower-salt versions of foods that you already eat and becoming skilled at reading labels.

For those with high blood pressure, Higgins recommended eating fruits and vegetables high in potassium, which can lower blood pressure naturally. These include potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, raisins, lima beans, lentils, bananas, oranges, watermelon and cantaloupe.

Some people may actually need to eat more salt.

Although most people consume too much salt, some conditions require more salt. However, before increasing your salt intake, Khera emphasised that “these are specialised conditions that require specific expertise,” and that no one should increase their salt intake before having “explicit discussions with their doctor.” The following conditions may require adding salt to one’s diet:

Orthostatic hypotension. Khera explained that if people have low blood pressure when standing up, or orthostatic hypotension, they may need more salt. When a patient is diagnosed with this condition — one variation of which is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — doctors “sometimes recommend salt to retain more fluid in the body and have fewer dizzy or loss-of-consciousness spells,” Khera said.

High-performance athletes. Khera explained that high-performance athletes may lose a lot of salt via sweat, especially if they are training or competing in hot climates. However, he noted that “this is rarely needed,” and that when it is, “modest increases are sufficient.”

Cystic fibrosis. Individuals with cystic fibrosis lose salt through their sweat more than those without the condition, Khera said. That means they “often require an increase in intake in salt,” although the amount of additional salt each person needs varies and is determined by their doctor.

Addison’s disease. According to Batiste, “People with Addison’s disease, a condition affecting the adrenal glands, may experience low levels of sodium.” Health care providers may recommend increased salt intake to maintain electrolyte balance.

Electrolyte abnormalities. Some electrolyte abnormalities, such as low blood sodium or hyponatremia, are treated with increased sodium intake. However, these conditions are sometimes treated with reduced fluid intake.

Dialysis. Some dialysis patients are instructed to increase sodium intake, Khera said.

Mary Berry’s Unexpected Secret Ingredient For The Best Shortbread

Posted on 19/02/2024 by Boris Clair

Marry Berry, unsurprisingly, has a lot of culinary tricks up her sleeve ― she adds muscovado sugar to her cottage pie, uses an extra yolk in her pancake, and even coats her roast spuds in semolina.

And now, it seems the Cordon Bleu-trained chef has a secret for shortbread, too.

In her recipe for the simple Scottish delicacy, Mary Berry goes beyond the typical sugar-flour-butter recipe we’d expect.

Instead, she adds another ingredient for extra crunch ― semolina (yup, like for her roast spuds).

Why semolina?

Semolina is a hard flour, the less finely-milled version of durum wheat (which is used for pasta).

It has more gluten and protein than all-purpose wheat four, as well as more flavour. And because it’s coarser, it doesn’t become soft and fluffy as easily as all-purpose flour ― meaning it’ll help to provide a structure and bite to your baked goods.

“I like to use semolina as well as flour to give the shortbread crunch, but you can use cornflour or ground rice instead,” Mary Berry says.

What’s Mary Berry’s shortbread recipe?

First, you should preheat your oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3, and grease a 30cm x 23cm roasting or traybake tin.

You’ll need 225g (8oz) of plain flour, 100g (4oz) of semolina, 225g (8oz) of butter, 100g (4oz) of caster sugar, 50g (2oz) of flaked almonds (there aren’t mandatory), and 25g (1oz) of demerara sugar for dusting.

Combine the flour and semolina in a bowl or food processor. Incorporate the butter and sugar, then use your fingertips to rub them together until the mixture starts to come together. Gently knead the mixture until it forms a smooth dough.

Spread the dough into a baking tray and then press its top until even with a knife or spatula. Then, prick its surface with a fork, add your flaked almonds if you like, and store it in the fridge to chill until it’s firm.

After it’s chilled, bake it for 35 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Sprinkle it with demerara sugar after it leaves the oven. Then, after a few minutes, cut it into 30 fingers in the tin and leave those to cool further on a cooling rack.

Enjoy ― store any leftovers on a cooling rack (though I’d be amazed if you had any.)

Where Should You Be Keeping Your Ketchup? You Might Be Surprised By What Experts Say.

Posted on 17/02/2024 by Boris Clair

Ketchup is reportedly found in 97% of American homes, but where in the home should it be kept?

Can it be stored in the pantry after it’s been opened? Or does it need to stay in the refrigerator in between trips to the dining room table? And if it should be in the fridge, why do restaurants leave it out?

Those are just a few of the questions that we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, the co-hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — posed to Kristen Aiken, HuffPost’s editorial director of Life and Commerce, when she recently stopped by to chat about keeping leftovers out of the danger zone.

“There was a huge debate over this a few years ago, and Heinz had to tweet out and explain themselves, but basically, in a restaurant, it’s different than at home, because the turnover is so fast,” Aiken said. “They’ll go through a bottle in a day, maybe, with so many people squirting it on their food.”

But even if you aren’t serving hundreds of guests a day, your ketchup would likely do just fine in the cupboard.

“Heinz, for example, is shelf-stable. You should be able to keep it not refrigerated for a long time. However, [because of specific factors that may vary from home to home like] the temperature of your room or certain storage conditions, they recommend that you refrigerate it after you open it [to maintain quality]. But it really is meant to be shelf-stable.”

That’s thanks to the product’s high level of acidity. However, other brands and homemade ketchup may not have the same acidity level and may need to be handled differently.

“There are all these new fancy ketchup brands that are organic, and they probably are not as shelf-stable, so you just have to read the label,” Aiken advised.

Heinz UK responded to this condiment storage dilemma in a 2023 tweet. After learning that more than a third of respondents to an X (formally Twitter) survey were keeping their ketchup in the cupboard, the company tweeted, “FYI: Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!”

A spokesperson for the company added, “Although we’re aware many Heinz Tomato Ketchup fans have been storing their ketchup in the cupboard, we do recommend refrigeration after opening. This is the best way to maintain the delicious tangy taste of our Heinz Tomato Ketchup that you know and love.”

So, while it’s probably safe to leave your bottle of Heinz out (and if you do, experts advise you should consume it within 30 days), if you want your ketchup to taste its very best (and who doesn’t?), keep it chilled.

Aiken also chatted with us about what you never want to do when you’re defrosting food, the foods you never want to keep in the door of your fridge and much more. Listen to the full show above or head here to check out every episode of “Am I Doing It Wrong?”

After you’ve had a listen above or wherever you get your podcasts, subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” so you don’t miss a single episode.

Need some help with something you’ve been doing wrong? Email us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we might investigate the topic in an upcoming episode.

We’re Obsessed With This Strange Rule For Dog Names In France

Posted on 15/02/2024 by Boris Clair

If you’re a pet owner, you likely had a lot of fun (or frustration!) naming your pet. Do you go silly and call them something like pancake or do you go aggressively normal and name them something along the lines of Barry?

The choices are endless and while it obviously isn’t anything like naming a child, there is a certain weight to it as you are literally naming an animal that lives in your home.

It’s all very surreal if you think about it too much – which you shouldn’t.

Anyway, it turns out that in France, your choices are a little more limited as there are actually naming conventions around naming dogs over there. Sacre bleu!

The rules for naming dogs in France

In a recent video on her TikTok account, travel influencer Roya did a skit of two people discussing a dog and the year in which he was named. In the skit, the ‘French’ person assumed that her dog Peanut was born in 2019 because his name begins with the letter ‘P’.

It turns out that the dog was born in 2020 and, therefore, should have been named something beginning with the letter ‘R’.

Is this all making sense to you?

Yeah, same, I was a little lost. So I did some digging to find out what exactly was behind this convention.

According to Connexion France, this actually goes back to 1926. Since then, dog owners who hoped to register their pedigree dogs have had to name their dogs in accordance with the Société Centrale Canine in its Livre des Origines Français (LOF) which means naming them from the letter of the year they were born.

This is because the Société Centrale Canine has responsibility for keeping track of the genealogy of pedigree dogs and this rule was brought in to simplify the listings of these pups as sometimes owners would delay registering their dog at birth, making registers not-quite accurate, with older dogs appearing after younger dogs.

Since the introduction of this rule, the letters for each year have cycled through the alphabet with some exceptions. The letters K, Q, W, X and Y are left out due to the scarcity of names.

As for the French dog name letter for 2024? It’s V! As one commenter said on the original TikTok, “Can’t wait to name my dog Vulva this year ❤️”

Straight Folk – You Seriously Need To Start Talking About HIV

Posted on 08/02/2024 by Boris Clair

While we may think that, at this point, we know all there is to know about HIV and what causes it after decades of research, recent data has revealed that there is still a long way to go, especially for heterosexual people.

Newfoundland Diagnostics have recently conducted a study using a sample of 2,504 people, into public awareness and perception of HIV ahead of HIV Testing Week this week. Alarmingly, their research found that many people aren’t aware that anybody can get HIV and have never been tested.

According to the researchers, over one million straight people in the UK believe that they are immune to HIV. This is exceptionally alarming, given that UK Government figures show that almost half of HIV cases are heterosexual people.

73% of straight Brits have never tested for HIV

The study also found that over a fifth (21%) of heterosexual Brits believe that they are unlikely to contract HIV, leading them to not get tested. Additionally, one million Brits believe that they are ‘immune’ to the condition.

Other reasons for heterosexual people not testing for HIV include never having unprotected sex (18%), not having access to an HIV test (4%) and not being bothered to test for HIV (3%).

Overall, this research exposes a sore lack of education within the UK around HIV and how it is contracted and manifests. Newfoundland Diagnostics notes that this ironically echoes the infamous tombstone ads of the 80s which said: “don’t die of ignorance.”

Frederick Manduca, co-founder of Newfoundland Diagnostics, said: “Whilst testing does seem to be increasing in the long-term, these findings reveal there remains a substantial amount of ignorance towards testing and its importance amongst heterosexual people.”

Who can get HIV and how is it transmitted?

Despite much of the focus surrounding HIV being on gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men testing for HIV, far more people could contract the disease. Anybody who has unprotected sex, exchanges bodily fluids or shares needles should regularly test for HIV. Anybody can get infected with it, regardless of sexuality, race, gender, sex, or age.

HIV is found in the body fluids of someone living with HIV. This includes semen, vaginal, and anal fluids, blood, and breast milk. In the UK, according to Newfoundland Diagnostics, the most common way of getting it is through anal or vaginal sex without a condom. It cannot be transmitted through sweat, urine, or saliva.

How do I test for HIV?

All HIV tests will check your blood for any blood-borne diseases and are available as part of a regular STI check up. You can visit a GUM clinic or sexual health practice for a test, or you can test at home with a self-test such as Newfoundland Diagnostics’ HIV test.

The One Thing You Should Be Doing After A Big Meal To Improve Your Health

Posted on 07/02/2024 by Boris Clair

Is there anything more satisfying than the feeling after a big meal? You’re full, you’re a little sleepy, and you’re satisfied. In fact, for some (me), it’s the ideal time to just nod right off and have a cheeky 20 minute nap.

In fact, the Christmas Day nap after the huge dinner is a highlight of the day for me.

However, apparently, what we should be doing is not napping but actually, walking. I know, I know, I’m disappointed too, but I think the health benefits may make it worthwhile.

According to @nikkithepa, an aesthetics, emergency and functional med physician assistant and TikTok creator, going for a walk after a big meal has a multitude of health benefits.

@nikkithepa

Taking a walk after eating can significantly improve digestion and enhance overall metabolism. 🍽️🔬 When you engage in gentle physical activity, like walking, it helps stimulate your digestive system, aiding in the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients. It also encourages the movement of food through your gastrointestinal tract, reducing the likelihood of discomfort and bloating. 💪🌟 Moreover, walking after a meal has been found to positively impact blood sugar control. After you eat, your blood sugar levels rise, but walking can help your body utilize glucose more effectively. This means it helps prevent sharp spikes and dips in blood sugar, which is particularly beneficial for individuals with diabetes or those aiming to manage their weight. 📊🥦 Post-meal walks can also contribute to weight management. Engaging in light exercise, like walking, increases the number of calories burned, assisting in weight maintenance or even weight loss over time. It’s a fantastic way to stay active without putting excessive strain on your body. 🏃♀️🌈 So, why not make post-meal walks a regular part of your routine? Not only will you optimize digestion and metabolism, but you’ll also enjoy the added benefits of fresh air, stress reduction, and a chance to connect with nature. 🌳🌼 Remember, it doesn’t have to be a vigorous workout. A gentle stroll around the block or a nearby park is all it takes to reap these scientifically proven advantages. 💚✨ #PostMealWalks #ElevateYourWellBeing #HealthyHabits #weighloss #glucosecontol

♬ Don’t Let Me Go – Lane 8 & Arctic Lake

Why you should go for a walk after a big meal

In a recent video, Nikki says that this is the most simple but effective health habit you should be adding to your day for these x reasons:

Can help with digestion

Taking a short walk after a meal improves digestion. This is because walking helps to stimulate the muscles in your abdomen, promoting the movement of food through your digestive system.

Helps with blood sugar control

Nikki says: “By engaging in a post-meal walk, your muscles become more receptive to glucose uptake, allowing them to efficiently utilise and absorb the sugar from your blood stream.”

She adds that this helps regulate your blood sugar levels, preventing sharp spikes and crashes, promoting a metabolic balance.

It offers mental and emotional benefits

Nikki said that as you walk after a meal, your brain releases “feel good neurotransmitters” like serotonin and endorphins which improve the mood and reduce stress levels as well as enhancing overall mental wellbeing.

Nikki advises walking between 30 minutes to an hour after your meal and your walk only needs to be 10 to 15 minutes.

We’re off to get our steps in….

I Went To A Brothel With My Boyfriend. It Was Nothing Like What I Expected.

Posted on 03/02/2024 by Boris Clair

My boyfriend, Rod, is passionately kissing another woman.

Little fingers of jealousy squeeze my insides, and I’m not sure where to look or what to do. The woman senses my discomfort and immediately stops, pulling me up beside her with a big, warm giggle and a squeeze. I relax and remember: This is why I chose her. I like her, I love that giggle, and I know she has absolutely zero interest in poaching my boyfriend.

How do I know this? Because I picked her out of the lineup at one of Nevada’s most storied legal brothels. We hired her to join us for a threesome for an hour, and when our time is up, she will go back out to the bar and charm someone else with that sexy laugh, and we will go home.

I’d never had a “real” threesome before, other than some fairly benign fooling around in college. It had been a lifelong fantasy, but the emotional politics of threesomes always seemed so forbiddingly complicated. Surely someone would get hurt, someone would feel left out, someone would get jealous ― surely, maybe, definitely me? Plus that third-wheel ― would she turn stalker? Would we get an STI? Would an angry boyfriend show up out of nowhere and make us the unfortunate stars of a true-crime show? Just too risky. So I had resigned myself to the fact that some things are best left to fantasy.

When I met a lover who knew his way around a paid hookup, however, a whole new possibility presented itself. Rod and I headed to the brothel outside Reno, Nevada, to celebrate my upcoming birthday. And it was not at all what I expected.

We took a cab from our hotel in downtown Reno to the brothel’s bar, all flashy neon outside but classic sticky floors and bare-bones Old West saloon inside. Escorts chatted among themselves on bar stools or lounged on velvet banquettes against the wall. It was early ― around 4 p.m. ― and we were some of the only patrons. A few old men sat at wooden bar tables, eating out of plastic foam TV trays and silently sipping beer. Women who obviously knew them would pop by periodically to pick them up, a scene much more akin to medical assistants ushering patients to the exam room than participants embarking on a sexy encounter.

Rod and I were the subject of great interest ― couples are a fairly rare event ― and we had many friendly women cruise by our table, asking if we had any questions and offering to show us around. Before we had a chance to chat with anyone in detail, the “lineup” bell rang, and every patron who had not already initiated an encounter with a woman went through a forbidding dungeon-like door into a cavernous hunting lodge space.

In front of a giant stone fireplace the women lined up. They were every kind of everything ― all different races and body types and styles of dress. I found myself in a rare moment of simply admiring the beautiful diversity of their bodies without that knee-jerk need to compete or compare myself. I winced a bit self-consciously, however, when I realised that none of them were as old as I was. Would they be turned off by our middle-aged bodies? Wait, was I actually expecting them to be turned on? I was momentarily stumped.

The author and her boyfriend, Rod, on the plane to Reno, Nevada.

The house manager ― a business-suited woman who was my age ― introduced each woman, who then stepped forward for a moment, gave a little wave and a smile, just like at a beauty pageant. A handsome young guy in the chair beside us made his pick immediately. His woman grinned and sashayed over to sit on his lap and gave him an enthusiastic greeting ― this was clearly not their first time together. The manager then asked any women who wanted to entertain couples to step forward, and about half of the line did.

Rod and I had made an agreement before we arrived: I got to choose. I already knew that I wanted Carmen, the curvy, dark-haired woman in a fishnet dress and thong who had been the first to say hello to us in the bar. She was flirty and seemed happy. She was pretty and she had that giggle. So I pointed at her, while my nice-girl upbringing screamed at me silently: Pointing is so rude! The women without dates headed back to the bar and I felt another guilty stab as they filed past us. Had I made them feel rejected? Did they take it personally?

I didn’t have time to think about it because Carmen was shimmying on our lap, or, more specifically, on my lap as I sat on Rod’s lap. Pulling me up by the hand, and looping an arm around him, she led us to the negotiation room. It was a small room with dim lighting that resembled a hall closet and was just big enough for us all to sit knee to knee while we discussed what our hour might look like and what the price tag would be.

Depending on what services we wanted, our time with Carmen could easily total a thousand dollars or more. She laid out her ground rules (condoms were always required; kissing was OK) and asked if we had any specific requests. Not really, we just want to have fun, we told her. We negotiated a price ― I gulped and Rod agreed. Then we offered up our genitals for inspection, a quick once-over she conducted with a sly sense of humour while she detailed the rigorous STI testing she undergoes every week. Oddly, the whole thing was reassuring and funny rather than awkward. STIs are taken very seriously at the brothel, which is obviously a good thing.

The unusual formalities over, we headed to the pay window and forked over the cash. Once we were finished, we followed Carmen down a maze-like hallway — a literal red light glowed everywhere ― and she pranced along ahead of us with a Champagne bottle in an ice bucket.

When we finally got to her room, a tiny, semi-personalised space, I was thrilled to find it was toasty ― I’m always freezing when I’m nervous. Carmen pointed out condoms, towels, the fresh sheets on the bed, and the adjoining bathroom (which she shared with the woman in the room next door). The little tour was a strange combination of straight commerce and flirtation.

Carmen seemed to be a naturally touchy-feely person and she held my arm or tapped my back as she showed us around. I noticed that she focused her attention much more on me than Rod, which charmed me, but the cynical observer in me noted that it is an undoubtedly smart, practiced move — she is obviously well-versed in disarming the female competition and jealousy aspect of these encounters.

The author and her boyfriend hanging out at the bar in their hotel, where she says they, "enjoyed shocking people by telling them our destination." — The author and her boyfriend hanging out at the bar in their hotel, where she says they, “enjoyed shocking people by telling them our destination.”

Things flowed effortlessly between Carmen and me, from our intro chatter to getting into the horizontal action, and within minutes Rod enthusiastically joined in, the three of us rotating around in a surprisingly fluid give-and-take. While he nominally took charge ― after all, a threesome needs a little direction ― it was overwhelmingly female-centered sex. I smiled to myself. Threesomes are such trite male-fantasy territory, but Carmen and I were a girl party of teamwork, exploration and celebration. I even joked at one point that we hoped Rod didn’t feel excluded. (He decidedly did not.) The whole experience was fun and sexy ― all I had hoped it would be ― with none of the awkwardness I had feared.

Carmen was unfailingly charming and enthusiastic, but I never once mistook her warmth for actual sexual excitement. There was no pretence on anyone’s part that this encounter was expected to include satisfaction for her.

I asked her about this later, as we all lounged naked on the bed, sipping Champagne and chatting. She batted the question down with a polished little sidestep ― she explained that she has enough fun just making her clients happy, and it’s too much work to have orgasms all day long anyway. We asked her where she grew up (Venezuela) and how she got into this line of work. (She was initially a stripper but found brothel work safer, with less harassment and more money.) When I wondered aloud whether the post-coital chat was the best or worst part of the job, Carmen assured me she looks forward to connecting with customers and that the old saw is actually true: She often has clients who pay just to talk.

Way too soon, an intercom buzzer rang and a female voice let us know our time was up. I had wondered about security ― surely there was a network of bouncers and cameras and intercoms and emergency buttons to protect the women, but everything was so discreet, we didn’t notice any of it. We jumped up and bustled around, helping Carmen strip the bed and straighten up (even though she insisted we didn’t have to) and then the three of us spilt out into the hallway.

We returned to the bar where we began our adventure for some final chatter and a drink. We were sitting cozily together at a table and laughing at our own newly made inside jokes, when a young woman who looked fresh off a farm joined us. She clearly had a friendly relationship with Carmen and was eager to know, “What exactly do you do in a threesome?” As we happily shared our insights, she turned to me and said with a wink, “This is what happens to a girl when you raise her in a really strict, controlling religion!” I raised my glass and said, “That makes two of us, girlfriend! Amen!”

A drink suddenly arrived at our table for Carmen. It was sent from a gentleman at the bar, and she smiled and raised a toast to him. She got up immediately and, after squeezing my leg in a little goodbye, strutted over to him. I watched as they chatted for a few moments and then she linked her arm in his and led him over to the big lodge door. The last thing I heard as it swung shut behind them was that warm, bubbly giggle, and I found myself sad to see her go. I guess I was jealous after all.

Melissa Duge Spiers is an award-winning screenwriter and memoirist, whose memoir-in-progress, “The Glory Whole,” won the Book Pipeline 2021 Unpublished Manuscript Non-Fiction award. She is represented by Dani Segelbaum/The Carol Mann Agency. For more from her, visit her Instagram at @mdugespiers.

Cosy Daytime Habit Can Be A Symptom Of Dementia

Posted on 28/01/2024 by Boris Clair

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

The NHS states that some of the early symptoms of dementia include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, confusion, and mood changes. However, one doctor speaking to The Express has highlighted that there is a hidden symptom that can be a sign of the syndrome.

While there is no cure for dementia, early detection can ensure that the condition is managed and you can get the help you need.

The ‘hidden’ sign of dementia

Dr Rayaz Malik, professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar warned that taking naps throughout the day could be a sign of dementia saying, “Taking frequent daytime naps is also a notable behaviour associated with certain conditions, including dementia, and losing interest in friends and family is a sign that may indicate dementia.”

This is backed by Alzheimer’s Research UK. Dr Susan Mitchell, Head of Policy from Alzheimer’s Research UK said, “Unusual sleep patterns are common for people with dementia, but research suggests that sleep changes could be apparent long before any symptoms like memory loss start to show.”

According to research, this appears to only apply to older people. In something of a paradox, scientists in the US have suggested that those who nap more frequently when they get older are more likely to get dementia, but those who have dementia are more likely to nap.

So, how long should we actually nap for?

A healthy nap is around 15-45 minutes, according to experts. However, the NHS urges that if you experience excessive daytime sleepiness, you should speak to your GP as it could be a sign of something more serious.