Tag Archives: Life

I’m A Dementia Expert – This 1 Hobby May Be The Best For Building Alzheimer’s Defences

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We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the two questions that experts say can confirm a suspected Alzheimer’s case.

We’ve also shared the foods, exercises, and types of work that may help to ward dementia off.

Which is all well and good ― but what about more fun ways to keep the condition at bay?

Well, in his book How To Prevent Dementia, neurologist Dr. Richard Restak shared that hobbies and “obsessive” interests can be really, really good for your brain health ― and that reading in particular can build up something called “cognitive reserve.”

What’s my “cognitive reserve,” and why does it matter?

Dr. Restak compares people with a high “cognitive reserve” and those without to two people who have lost their homes in a hurricane.

One is a millionaire who barely notices the change, and the other is “wiped out” by the loss as all his assets are tied up in his house.

“As with wealth, cognitive reserves are built up over time,” the neurologist says.

“Cognitive reserve theory refers to the representation stored within the brain of the knowledge, experience, and life events that accumulate during the course of a person’s lifetime,” he adds.

The bigger your “cognitive reserve” is, the more ballast you may have against dementia, the theory suggests ― just as a high muscle mass may help to give you more defences against the side effects of chemotherapy.

“A lifetime investment in building up cognitive reserve leads to healthy cognition and thinking later in life,” Dr. Restak wrote.

So, why reading in particular?

Thanks to the brain’s plasticity, “It is never too late to build your cognitive reserve” by learning something new, or more deeply, or experiencing different things, Dr. Restak says.

No matter what age you are, he says that the best way to build a decent cognitive reserve is to “Pick something that really interests you, grips you in a visceral sort of way, and then obsess (in a good way) about it.”

But that aside, “Reading for pleasure is perhaps the single most effective activity you can engage in for increasing cognitive reserve,” he says.

This is because reading “exerts its most powerful effect on memory,” both episodic and working.

He adds, “Fiction is more brain-challenging than non-fiction because it demands your full awareness of the narrative you are currently reading, while at the same time requiring you to hold in mind the situations and characters described earlier in the book.”

The author referenced a study which found that being immersed in a book was the “magic juice” which improved participants’ cognitive ability over those who did word puzzles.

So before you dismiss your romance novel habit as trashy, remember ― you’re simply strengthening your cognitive reserve.

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People Are Realising How Crocodiles Actually Float, And I Haven’t Stopped Laughing

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I can only apologise for our sharing the fact that alligator penises are pretty much constantly erect.

But if it helps to make up for it, we have a far more uplifting (bad word choice?) bit of info about crocodilian creatures ― crocodiles swim, or at least float, in a really, really, reassuringly stupid way.

A presenter for CTV This Morning shared in 2020, “You know when a crocodile you see on the surface of the water looks so scary… what you don’t know is what they look like under the water.”

Which is?

In a clip shared on TikTok by@animals012, a crocodile was seen floating in a clear-sided tank.

The vessel allowed the camera user to see the rest of the croc’s body under its menacing head ― a body which was simply dangling straight below its intimidating snout like a fishing float.

Turns out there’s some serious science behind the spectacle. National Geographic writes that crocodiles and alligators “use their lungs like floats, and shift them about their torso using four sets of muscles.”

Zoologist Adam Britton told Newsweek, “The legs are splayed in a classic stabilising manner [in the viral video], and you can see the belly is enlarged because the lungs are extended toward the belly so pushing the guts into a smaller space.”

He added, “The only difference [in the video] is the crocodile has its body angled down at a steep angle, which is more common with juveniles and sub-adults.”

However, the croc is floating rather than swimming, as swimming involves moving their tail or legs ― unless the current is helping them along.

Nonetheless National Geographic says that floating is how crocs sneak up on their prey as thrashing legs and tails might give them away.

So depending on how deep the water is, crocs with murder on their minds might well bob their way to their prey like the one in the video.

The post recently got a second life

A re-post of the clip by CASTROVANIA, shared last month, garnered some incredulous comments on TikTok.

“It’s 4 AM, I can’t breathe,” one commenter said, while another wrote, “I refuse to believe this.”

“What Instagram sees vs. reality,” another TikToker commented.

“Is nobody gonna talk about how he’s moving without moving?” yet another app user asked.

All I know is I’m going to find those cinematic shots of crocodile eyes peering perilously over the water a lot, lot less scary from now on…

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Before You Set Foot Inside Another Airplane Bathroom… Read This

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There’s lots to love about flying — from how quickly it gets us to our destinations to finally being able to watch that trashy movie we normally wouldn’t make time for — but we’re just never going to be psyched about using an airplane bathroom.

They’re small. They’re cramped. They’re often occupied. They’re almost always nasty. But unless we remember to go before our flight takes off and/or we can hold it until we land, we’re probably going to end up in one sooner or later.

So when’s the best time to go? And what can we do to make using them as low-trauma as possible?

That’s what we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — recently discussed with HuffPost senior reporter and travel expert Caroline Bologna. She dropped by our studio to school us on everything we need to know to make flying the friendly skies a little friendlier.

Listen to the full episode by pressing play:

“Some people would say the sweet spot [to use the lavatory] is once the pilot turns off the fasten seat belt sign but before the drink service starts,” Bologna told us. “That can sometimes be a short window, but most people aren’t thinking to go to the bathroom that early in the flight, so that’s a good time.”

If you miss your opportunity then, she recommends waiting until after the drink service, or else there’s a good chance you’ll be stuck behind the cart and stranded in the aisle until you’re able to return to your seat. However, by that point, many people will have finished their drinks, which means more bladders will need to be emptied and you’ll face longer wait times.

Another smart move is using the bathroom after you’ve boarded the plane but before it’s taken off, because it will have been cleaned recently. However, keep in mind you won’t be able to take your time, and you’ll likely have to navigate around other passengers who are trying to get to their seats and stow their luggage.

Once you’ve made it into the restroom, Bologna warns against hovering over the seat while you go.

“You probably do just need to sit on the toilet seat,” she advised. “There’s not much room for squatting, and because of turbulence, if your tush is not on the seat, that could be a real problem if you hit a bump.”

When it’s time to wipe, considering using the facial tissue in the bathroom instead of the toilet paper, which is more likely to be exposed to bodily fluids, since the roll-holder is closer to the bowl.

“The tissue paper is typically located at eye level on commercial aircrafts,” a flight attendant told Bologna, “significantly increasing the likelihood that any liquid splashed on it is in fact just water.”

Once you’re finished, make sure you flush with the toilet lid closed to avoid anything launching out of the bowl.

There could be a poo plume, “especially [because] those flushers are so powerful,” Michelson said.

Another potential issue? Due to the large number of people typically using the airplane restrooms during a flight — not to mention how tiny the space is — foul smells are common and can quickly rage out of control.

Bologna suggests employing a courtesy flush or two to keep your poop’s “air exposure time” as minimal as possible, thereby diminishing how long the odor has to permeate the lavatory.

Neil Patrick Harris — of all people — agrees.

“When you have to go No. 2 in an airplane bathroom, flush while you go, then flush after you go,” the actor told Thrillist. “Then — you laugh, but this is effective — use hand soap,” Harris suggested. “Put it on your hands and all over your arms, and do, like, tai chi moves with your arms.”

Bologna offered another unconventional idea to annihilate odors.

“I’ve heard that flight attendants sometimes use coffee grounds to freshen the air when there’s perhaps a little bit of a biohazard situation,” she said. Asking for a pack of the odour-absorbing grounds — or using one that you took from your hotel room’s mini bar — and unleashing them in the restroom could save your fellow passengers’ noses some misery.

Bologna also recommended wearing something comfortable that can easily be taken up or down or removed while doing your business in an especially tight space. If you’ve taken your shoes off, put them back on before entering the restroom, and make sure to wash your hands thoroughly before you return to your seat.

Finally, if you have a medical condition that causes you to use the restroom frequently or you’re not feeling well, let a flight attendant know. As one Reddit commenter with Celiac disease noted, “They went out of their way to help me. They moved me to a seat in the rear of the plane near the bathrooms and even flipped the door sign to where it always said occupied so it was available for me at anytime… They’re pretty understanding and are there to make sure you have a good flight.”

During our chat Bologna we also learned the disgusting reason why we might want to stop drinking airplane coffee, what to do if we feel sick while flying, and much more.

Listen to the full episode above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Make sure to subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” so you don’t miss a single episode, including our investigations of the ins and outs of tipping, how to apologise or the secrets of understanding your cat and more.

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

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This Is How Being A People Pleaser Is Ruining Your Career

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Being a ‘people pleaser’ sounds like a good thing on the surface, right? You please people?

However, as the British composer Elizabeth Parker once said: “The only thing wrong with trying to please everyone is that there’s always at least one person who will remain unhappy. You.”

This couldn’t be more true in the workplace. While working hard and helping your colleagues can feel good and progress your career, you may soon find yourself burnt out and bitter.

Careers expert and founder of Social Media Jobs, Rob Phelps, spoke with us to explain why people pleasing in the workplace can be harmful, and how to break the cycle.

The dangers of people pleasing in the workplace

It’s a recipe for burnout

While it may just feel like doing ‘small’ things to help others, Phelps warns that saying yes to everything, taking on extra work on top of your own to-do list and prioritising other people’s needs over your own can lead to ‘serious burnout’.

Phelps said: “The constant state of busyness can take over and make it difficult to focus on your core responsibilities, and potentially mean mistakes or missed deadlines, for the sake of helping too many people with their own deadlines.”

It can make you almost invisible

If you spend a lot of your time making sure that you’re helping other people, it’s likely that your own voice and needs will get lost.

Phelps said: “People pleasers often shy away from advocating for themselves or putting forward their ideas, so it can be difficult to get noticed for your contributions and ideas.”

He also warned that this lack of visibility can reduce your chances of getting a promotion or being put forward for new challenges or projects.

It can weaken boundaries

Phelps warned: “People pleasing often means weakening your boundaries, both professionally and personally.

“Your time, expertise, and energy are valuable, and constantly giving them away for free can lead to frustration and resentment, and this can start to bleed into your personal life too.”

He said that you may find yourself checking work emails while on holiday, or saying yes to taking on more tasks when you’re actually off sick, or even accepting friend requests from colleagues on private social media accounts — all of which are ignoring your own boundaries and comfort levels.

How to break free from people-pleasing

Understand why you do it

Phelps said: “The first step is understanding why you feel the need to please everyone around you.

“Is it a fear of disapproval? A lack of clarity on your own goals that makes you take on extra work to avoid having time to work out what you really want?”

He added that talking to somebody you admire at work or even friends and family can help you to get to the root of the underlying cause and address the patterns and start saying no.

Know your own worth

Recognise your skills and contributions! You deserve to be valued for what you bring to the table, and when you feel invisible it can have a serious impact on your confidence in your abilities.

Phelps advised: “Take time to reflect on your accomplishments and successes, to boost your confidence and help you advocate for yourself more effectively.”

Set and keep boundaries

Phelps said: “Setting boundaries isn’t just about saying no to others, it’s about saying yes to yourself. When you prioritise your own growth and wellbeing, you become a more efficient and fulfilled member of the team.”

To do this, you need to learn to politely say no to taking on tasks that aren’t part of your job, explain that you’re prioritising your own workload and offer alternatives solutions if possible.

Phelps added: “You might be surprised at how understanding people are when you stick to your boundaries rather than saying yes to everything.”

Advocate for yourself

Sometimes you have to remind people of everything you do if they’re not paying attention. Don’t be afraid to share your ideas and opinions, even if they’re different from what everyone else is saying. Your perspective is valuable and deserves to be heard.

Be patient with yourself

Finally, Phelps urged, you need to be patient with yourself.

He said: “Remember that change is a gradual process, and after years of saying yes, it can feel strange to start saying no. Be patient with yourself and celebrate progress.

“By putting yourself first, you’ll be able to achieve a healthier work-life balance, and ultimately have a more fulfilling and successful career, rather than letting your desire to keep everyone else happy hold you back.”

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So, Why Do We Call A Pound A ‘Quid’?

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You might not know that Scotland has over 420 words for snow. But you’re probably aware that English speakers have an awful, awful lot of different words for “money”.

Dosh. Moolah. Paper. We’ve gotten so good at referencing cash without actually naming it that we’ve got slang for specific sums ― a rack, a grand, a Benjamin (in the US), and of course the humble ‘quid’.

But how did the latter get its “odd-when-I-think-about-it” name to begin with?

We’re not definite, but there are some interesting theories

The word is really, really old ― it’s been in use since the 1600s, Dictionary.com says.

In all that time, it’s never taken on a different plural form. £1 is “a quid,” and £20 is “20 quid.”

According to Investopedia, “Some scholars believe that Italian immigrants extracted the term from ‘scudo,’ the name for gold and silver coins of various denominations used in Italy from the 16th century through the 19th century.”

Other people think it refers to “quid pro quo,” a Latin phrase that Merriam-Webster defines as “a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another.”

Irish speakers use the word “cuid” to mean a “share” or “part” of everything from time to prizes to pay.

When following “mo” (meaning “my”), it turns into “mo chuid” (said “moh quid” meaning “my part,” “my pay” by extension), which some think English people adapted from Irish soldiers in an older British army.

Ultimately, “although there are many popular theories about how the word quid came to be used in relation to money, the origin of the term is uncertain,” Dictionary.com says.

Some words like “quid” have changed definition

Though most of us understand a “quid” to mean a pound, you might not know that a “bob” wasn’t just a vague term for “a sum of money” when it came out ― it actually meant a shilling.

A sixpence went by the now-defunct “tanner” and “bender,” The Brittania Coin Company says.

“It’s because of this latter nickname that we now refer to getting drunk as ‘going on a bender’ – sixpence used to be enough money to get quite drunk,” they add.

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4 Red Flag Health Warnings Your Lips Are Trying To Give You

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Some red flag signs on your nails, like a dark stripe in their beds, can belie health conditions as serious as cancer.

Even a peek at your tongue can let you know if you’re suffering from vitamin deficiencies.

But it turns out your lips can (characteristically) tell all too. According to the NHS, “pink moist lips, tongue, gums and cheeks” are ideal signs of good health.

Here are some signs that something might be wrong:

1) You have pale lips

Per WebMD, pale lips can signify everything from anaemia to vitamin B12 deficiency, oral thrush, low blood sugar, and vitiligo.

The NHS says that blue or grey lips can also be a cause for concern. This is called cyanosis and can arise due to pneumonia, asthma, heart health issues, a blood clot, and certain medications.

You should immediately call 999 if “you or your child’s lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly turn blue or grey – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, lips, gums and inside the eyelids,” they add.

2) Scaly patches on your lips

One to two centimetre-long patches on your lips can belie a condition called actinic keratoses, the NHS says.

The “rough, dry, scaly” or “sandpaper-like” patches are usually the colour of your skin or run from pink to brown. They come from sun damage and can also appear on your face, hands and arms, ears, scalp and legs.

You should see a GP if you notice this patch on your lip, spot new ones on your skin, or if “the patches begin to bleed, get bigger, change colour, feel tender or develop into a lump,” the NHS says. They are likely safe, but could be signs of skin cancer.

3) White patches on your mouth

This can come from oral thrush, an easily treatable condition that shows up as white patches on your tongue, mouth, and lips.

It can also create cracks at the corners of your mouth, the NHS says. If you spot these ― along with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, struggling to taste things properly, and possibly a sore tongue or teeth ― get some OTC treatments.

4) Cracked, dry lips

Causes for dry, flaky, and chapped lips range from dehydration, changes in weather, licking your lips, and even some medications. These can be harmless and temporary.

However, Healthline says you should see a doctor if you suspect dehydration or malnutrition. You could also have cheilitis, they say, a condition which sometimes leads to plaques, a dark pink colour, ulcers, and cracks on your lips.

This “is often attributed to infections and inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease” and might be worth a doctor’s visit, they write.

Speak to your doctor if you notice anything unusual about your lips, especially if it interferes with your day-to-day life.

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This Is The Weird Reason Why Your Cat Sometimes Stares At You With Their Mouth Open

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I’ve had my oldest cat for almost 13 years and there’s not a lot that tiny tabby does that surprises or confounds me these days apart from that open-mouth stare.

If you’re a cat owner, you’ll know it. Your usually very lucid cat is suddenly staring at you, mouth agape for around 30 seconds before they seem to break out of this weird glitch and go back to being their furry little selves.

I always assumed it was down to daydreaming but apparently, it’s much more scientific than that.

Why cats sometimes sit with their mouths open

So, no offence to my sweet cat but the last time she did this, I realised if I didn’t get to the bottom of this mystery, I’d always think she was a little strange and that’s probably not fair on my four legged pensioner.

Finally, I found my answer. According to Charlottesville Cat Care Clinic: “Cats have an extra organ that allows them to taste scents in the air, which is why your cat stares at you with her mouth open from time to time.”

… I still think she’s a little strange, actually. This hasn’t fixed anything.

This is called the Jacobson’s Organ and it is something that all cats have, even lions and tigers. The cat centre revealed: “Cats (along with snakes and also a few other mammals) have a magnificent organ called the vomeronasal organ, most often known as the Jacobson’s organ.

“Wrinkling and lifting its lips enables a cat to open up the ducts to the Jacobson’s organ. [This organ] seems to play a large role in the sense of smell in all wild and domestic cats, no matter their size or species.”

Now I can’t stop picturing a tiger, out in the wild, eyes glazing over and mouth hanging open, just taking in the scent of the air.

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One Sentence To My Wife’s Family Ruined Our Marriage. Was I Wrong To Say It?

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In a recent Reddit post shared to r/AITAH (am I the asshole), site user LowRequirement5182 shared that he’d been having some issues in his marriage.

“Up until about two years ago, things were great. However, a disastrous move, a few family emergencies, and a totalled car have left us in a terrible financial situation,” he wrote.

“All our savings are pretty much gone, 401k’s empty, and we’re haemorrhaging money.”

He added that the couple had bought a three-bed house in a high-cost-of-living area in the hopes of housing their future kids there. Prior to the move, they’d been doing “amazing financially,” he said.

But they became so squeezed that children went on the back burner as “bringing a kid into this mess right now would kill us.”

OP (the original poster) set an ultimatum

Because money was giving the couple so much stress, the poster wrote he told his wife “one of two things needed to happen: We either sell the house or start making more money.”

Both parties were in low-paying jobs at the time, so the poster thought that meant they’d have to find different work altogether.

His wife loved her job and the house, so she tried to get a raise from her boss, which was not given to her. But in the six months since his ultimatum, the poster has found a new job and just signed a contract for 35k a year more than his previous role.

The post author claims his wife got annoyed because after he got the higher-paying role, he stipulated she’d definitely have to find a new job.

He stressed that without an added income on top of his pay rise, “Kids, the whole reason we got this damn house would be entirely off the table.”

Then, he and his wife hosted a dinner

The couple more or less blanked each other after the argument, but then the poster’s wife’s parents came over for dinner.

OP says his wife told her parents that maybe he’d stop complaining about money now he’d gotten his new job ― and what he said next silenced the table.

“I don’t know why I said it, but I replied, ‘Oh, don’t worry, Jen. I won’t have to worry about money a year from now because we’ll be divorced by then,’” he revealed.

“Things got quiet real quick after, and I excused myself. Her parents left shortly after, and she slept on the couch to avoid talking to me.”

He ended his post, “I’ve not talked to [his wife] or her parents since last night. Things are very cold between us right now, and I genuinely wonder if I did something last night that probably ruined my marriage.”

People had *thoughts* in the comments

Redditors didn’t seem to appreciate the poster’s approach to discussing his marriage.

“I don’t know why you’re so worried if you were wrong or not, you’ll be divorced a year from now,” one commenter wrote.

“You know how firearms experts tell people “don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to fire?′ Yeah, don’t say the ‘D’ word unless you’re prepared to get D’d real hard,” another opined.

“I’m sorry, did you say, ‘I genuinely wonder if I did something last night that probably ruined my marriage?’” yet another site user incredulously asked.

“You told your wife you would be divorcing her within the year in front of her parents. If you can come back from that, it is going to be a LONG and HARD road. You have a right to be angry about everything going on, even a right to divorce her, but if you wanted to repair the marriage at all, that wasn’t the way to do it.”

What do you think?

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Use A Toothbrush Cover? We Have Health News

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First, I learned that you’re not meant to floss the way I thought.

Then came the news that you have to wait way longer after using mouthwash before eating than I’d ever expected.

And now, another blow to my dental routine ― it turns out that actually, toothbrush caps can make bacteria worse, not better.

Why?

Though ― and I hate telling you this as much as you’ll hate hearing it ― your bathroom does actually contain poo particles, apparently a cover is its own bacteria breeding ground.

The American Dental Association (ADA) writes, “Don’t routinely cover or store toothbrushes in closed containers. A moist environment helps the growth of most germs.”

The ADA isn’t alone. Speaking to Self, Mia L. Geisinger, D.D.S., M.S., associate professor and director of the Advanced Education Program in Periodontology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, warned against the covers in the longer term too.

Instead, “Toothbrushes should be stored upright in an environment that allows for them to dry out completely between uses,” she advises.

So how do I protect my bristles?

If the thought of leaving your brush uncovered in the land of toilet plumes, perhaps it shouldn’t ― there’s no proof yet that this has negative health outcomes, even though the idea is icky.

But if you hate the idea, perhaps you can leave yours in a medicine cabinet most mornings or move it to your bedroom entirely if you’re really freaked out.

Closing your loo lid when you flush goes far, too. And you should probably keep your toothbrush far away from that of someone who’s been poorly.

The ADA only really advises three “common sense” ways to keep your toothbrush clean, however: not sharing toothbrushes, rinsing the bristles properly after brushing, and allowing the brush to dry completely after use.

To follow that final piece of oral hygiene advice, you might want to restrict your toothbrush cover usage to holidays.

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I Just Learned What ‘Milky Way’ Stands For, And It Has Nothing To Do With Space

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We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about why Hobnobs, Twix, and Snickers are called what they are.

We’ve even covered the “correct” way to eat a Jaffa Cake and why Yorkies are so chunky.

But given how many chocolate bars’ brands are space-themed ― Mars, Galaxy, and Milky Way, for instance ― it feels odd to think we haven’t addressed any seemingly astronomic names yet.

With the Milky Way at least, however, it turns out there’s no link to space at all.

Why is it called Milky Way, then?

Milky Way bars in the US are similar to the UK’s Mars bars, boasting a creamy nougat base and a caramel topping.

The UK Milky Way bar, however, has a fluffy, vanilla-flavoured nougat filling ― but while the US version came first, the inspiration behind the name holds true for both.

“They [the US Mars-style bars] were first sold in 1924 and are the oldest Mars chocolate bar brand still around,” Milky Way’s site says.

They were first created in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Mars founder Frank C Mars after a conversation with his son, Forrest E. Mars.

“Their flavour was designed to capture the taste of malted milkshakes and named after a famed malted milk drink of the day, not the MILKY WAY galaxy,” Milky Way’s official site reads.

The brand’s first tagline was even “A Chocolate Malted Milk [referring to the milkshake] in a Candy Bar.”

Both the UK and the US variants still feature barley malt extract and milk powder.

So why are the US and UK names different?

It’s complicated. After his father’s success with the bar, Forrest Marslaunched the Milky Way-inspired Mars bar in the UK in 1932.

Confusingly, Mars later also sold a Mars bar in the US ― but it had nothing to do with the UK or US Milky Way. Instead, it was a nougat and toasted almond confection that’s gone in and out of production.

There is also a product in the US that’s like the UK Milky Way called The 3 Musketeers. This was sold Neopolitan-style originally, with chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla-flavoured nougat.

So there we have it ― Milky Way is based on a milkshake, has nothing to do with space, means two different bars in two different countries, and led to two completely separate Mars bars.

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