A Common Tea Could Make Your Workouts More Effective

Posted on 20/07/2026 by Boris Clair

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how good green tea can be for our brain and how its powerful antioxidants could even help to lower dementia risk.

As it turns out, it could prove an excellent way to boost your performance at the gym, as well as aiding in your recovery.

Research suggests that either the drink itself, or a green tea extract, could improve everything from your antioxidant balance during exercise to how well your muscles hold up afterwards.

How can green tea help my workouts?

1) Green tea extract could help your muscles to recover

A 2018 paper found that green tea extract could help to “reduce the marker of muscle damage after exercise”, though it didn’t make participants’ muscles less sore after a gruelling workout.

This “suggests the green tea extract supplementation has positive effects on muscle recovery after strenuous exercise”.

2) Green tea might diminish oxidative stress

Meanwhile, 2021 research suggested that the antioxidants present in green tea (the kind you drink, not a supplement or extract) could help to diminish “oxidative stress” on our bodies while we’re pushing ourselves in the gym.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals, which can harm cells, and antioxidants, which neutralise them. This imbalance can sometimes lead to cell damage and can happen during excessive or very heavy exercise.

This research found that “the consumption of green tea during and following exercise can lower oxidative stress,” though the authors added more research is needed. A separate study noted that most people will need to consume green tea regularly for at least a week to see “significant differences” here.

3) Green tea extract could help you last longer during exercise – and may help you burn more fat while doing so

Lastly, green tea extract might help you to burn more fat and push yourself further during workouts, too.

At least, that’s according to a 2025 paper, which focused on the effects of ginger and green tea extracts on active men in different temperatures.

Only green tea extract seemed to consistently improve their cycling endurance and energy efficiency while working out – meaning it relied more on the burning of fat than carbohydrates to power the men’s workouts.

The Rarest Personality Type Is ‘Misunderstood’, Psychologist Says

Posted on 18/07/2026 by Boris Clair

If you’ve ever done a personality quiz, you’ve probably heard of the Myers-Briggs personality types.

These are assigned based on tests that measure people’s levels of extroversion (E), introversion (I), sensing (S), intuition (N), thinking (T), feeling (F), judging (J) and perceiving (P). Our balance of these factors is meant to reflect how we receive and give energy (E or I), take in information (S and N), reach conclusions (T and F) and relate to the outside world (J and P).

In total, there 16 Myers-Briggs personality types, made up of different combinations of these four traits.

And the rarest kind seems to be INFJ, which describes around just 1.5% of the population.

We spoke to psychologist and CEO of Male Allies UK, Lee Chambers, about what INFJ personality types usually experience, and how they’re often “misunderstood”…

What does an INFJ personality type mean?

INFJs score highly on introversion, intuition, feeling and judging.

They may “seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions”, Myers-Briggs’ site reads.

Chambers explained that INFJs will often “look calm on the outside while processing a lot on the inside”.

“They tend to be intense, while also being quiet, enjoying time with a small, close-knit group, going deep in conversation, [and] actively listening, before stepping away to recharge alone,” he continued. “They are likely to enjoy routine, space to reflect, and doing things that have meaning.”

He added: “They tend to be well attuned to the energy of rooms of people, often care deeply about the feelings of others, and prefer harmony, while having low tolerance for bravado, small talk, and things they perceive as shallow.”

How do INFJs connect with others?

The psychologist said this personality type tends to enjoy meaningful activities with people who share a passion for what matters to them.

“But they also find joy in space to reflect, expression through creativity and feeling in alignment,” he noted.

“A slower, deeper type of connection, with just a few people, tends to create the trust that this personality type values. And many have a personal mission they are on, that they get happiness from bringing to the world.”

How are INFJs perceived?

Chambers added that INFJs are “easily misunderstood, their quietness mistaken for being cold and secretive”.

Their empathy can make them seem like a “soft touch” to some, while others might think their deep caring tendencies mean they’re constantly emotionally available.

In reality, though, the expert said INFJs need “solitude to recharge”.

Meanwhile, their capacity for deep thought might sometimes make them appear overly serious.

“While every INFJ is an individual, they are likely to listen more than they speak, always look like they have it together (even when they don’t), are good at picking up emotional undercurrents, and remember the thing others miss,” he ended.

Here’s Why Cats Really Lick Each Other, And It’s Less Cute Than I Thought

Posted on 17/07/2026 by Boris Clair

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the heartwarming reason cats might lick their owners, as well as the pretty cute meaning behind a feline headbutt.

So perhaps it’s overdue for us to look at some of the furry friends’ less pure intentions.

According to a new study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, it turns out that cats’ “allogrooming” – including licking one another – isn’t always as wholesome as it looks.

Instead, the research, led by Morgane Van Belle, a cat behavioural scientist at Ghent University in Belgium, found the action has “multiple social functions”.

Allogrooming should therefore “not be used on its own to infer that the cats are socially bonded,” the study – which involved analysing 106 videos of feline pairs from 53 households – reads.

What does it mean when cats lick one another?

1) To show escalating tension

Sometimes, cats seem to lick each other as a kind of pre-conflict warning sign – like when one cat is annoyed by another pet stealing their favourite sunbathing spot.

This type of licking has been described as “passive-aggressive”.

In this case, the recipient of the lick might flatten their ears to show they’re not exactly loving the interaction.

Allogrooming in this case might be a “subtle agonistic signal to covertly solve conflict,” the paper reads. This type of licking might come alongside head shaking and even striking and biting.

2) To de-escalate a possible fight

Other times, the researchers said, licking can be “used as a form of appeasement to avoid escalation”.

Before a fight gets too serious, one cat might lick another as a way of re-establishing the peace.

“For me, [this] shows that they are quite elegant in the way they resolve conflict,” Van Belle told The New York Times.

“They could walk over and swat another cat in the face to get the blanket it is lying on. Instead, they lick it a little and fuss around. They have these very subtle ways of resolving conflict… that shows they are intelligent and flexible in their behavior, rather than simply being jerks.”

3) To intimidate each other

Some cases involved one cat “leaning over the other one” while licking them, which might be an intimidation or even bullying tactic.

Whatever the reason, the cat being licked in these cases typically shows signs of displeasure.

4) To clean one another

87% of the time, cats licked one another in the head and neck area.

That’s a hard spot for cats to reach by themselves, though it just so happens to be a very enjoyable place for most cats to be groomed, too.

5) To bond

Some licking is used for the adorable reason we assume it is: strengthening social bonds.

This is likely to be true if the cats are also playing together and have synchronised body posture.

Seeking physical contact with another cat, including snuggling, was followed by allogrooming in 41% of cases, for instance.

Licking was also sometimes used to initiate play.

6) To help one another relax

Lastly, licking may help the recipient relax.

Previous research showed that in various animals, “The behaviour has an immediate relaxing effect for the groomee, as it leads to a reduction in heart rate… and a release of beta-endorphins [natural pain and stress relievers].

“More research is needed to further explore and confirm the suggested functions for allogrooming in cats,” the paper ended.

“Ultimately, this knowledge can contribute to the recognition, resolution and prevention of social stress between cats in multi-cat households.”

So THAT’s Why Your Fingers Suddenly Have Tiny Itchy Bumps

Posted on 13/07/2026 by Boris Clair

A few summers ago, I noticed tiny, tapioca-like clusters of bumps on my fingers. They were flesh-coloured and incredibly, hand-bitingly itchy.

This turned out to be a condition called pompholyx or dishydrotic eczema. The issue is sometimes nicknamed “summer finger bumps”, due to how much worse it tends to get in the hotter months.

In fact, warm weather and excessive sweating are listed as factors that may cause pompholyx to form or flare up.

What are the symptoms of dishydrotic eczema?

These include:

extreme itchiness
the sudden appearance of tiny blisters on your hands (especially the sides of your fingers) or feet
a prickling sensation
dry or cracking skin after the blisters burst
feelings of heat in your soles or hands.

Symptoms typically last two to three weeks.

It’s more common among women, people under 40, individuals with another type of eczema, those with asthma and heavy sweaters.

It’s a chronic condition, meaning that though there are ways to manage the symptoms, we don’t have an outright cure yet.

Flare-ups may be more likely during times of stress, hot weather or contact with soaps, cleansers and detergents.

The first eruptions of dishydrotic eczema blisters

What should I do if I suspect I have dishydrotic eczema?

Don’t try to diagnose yourself, the NHS says. If you have new skin issues you suspect are due to dishydrotic eczema, see a GP.

The same goes if you have pompholyx that’s already been diagnosed but “the blisters are very painful, leak yellow or green pus or are covered in a yellow-brown crust – these are signs of an infection”, they added.

Soaking your hands in potassium permanganate may help if they’re weeping or oozing. Using an emmolient moisturiser on the affected area is one of the main ways to manage flare-ups.

Sometimes, your doctor may prescribe a steroid cream to help you manage the itching or send you to see a specialist for UV or other treatments.

Other steps include:

washing your hands with warm water and using a moisturising soap,
wearing protective gloves (ideally with a cotton lining) when using chemicals like shampoos, cleansers and detergents
wearing socks, tights or stockings made from cotton or silk, rather than nylon, if the condition affects your feet,
wearing shoes made from leather, rather than plastic or rubber (again if the condition affects your feet),
avoiding anything you think causes your symptoms, such as cleansers, some metals, or detergents.

Don’t burst your blisters, as this can lead to further damage and leave your skin open to infection.

Why Do So Many People In Old Art Have A Long Second Toe?

Posted on 12/07/2026 by Boris Clair

Did you know that the (admittedly more recent) Statue of Liberty, the Venus de Milo, the Ancient Roman Boxer at Rest, and the Ancient Greek Laocoön and His Sons share a foot quirk in common?

In all of these iconic works of art, the characters depicted have second toes longer than their big toe – a phenomenon sometimes called “Morton’s toe”. The feature is also seen in Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man.

It’s a quirk that’s been noted as far back as 1897, when a writer for the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal noted that in “early Greek art, where there is any attempt at careful modelling of the toes, the first toe is separated from the second, and in most instances the second toe is represented as somewhat longer than the first”.

Morton’s toe wasn’t really a “thing” in Ancient Egyptian art, though, Atlas Obscura added. That suggests it became a trend that stuck in the West.

So what’s going on?

Why might “Morton’s toe” be so present in ancient art?

Hands up: the short answer is, we don’t know for sure. But theories abound.

“Morton’s toe” affects anywhere from 4-30% of the global population.

The condition is sometimes called “Greek foot”, because over time, it’s become associated with Greek people.

That might explain its presence in predominantly Ancient Greek art – except that evolutionary geneticist Dr John H McDonald told USA Today, “I haven’t seen any evidence that so-called ‘Greek foot’ is more common in Greece than anywhere else”.

Another theory is that a longer second toe better fitted Greek ideals of beauty because it was more closely aligned with the mathematical rules of the Golden Ratio.

But not everyone thinks those numbers quite run, including in Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, where the famous fella’s second toe on his upper right leg extends to perfectly touch the curve of the surrounding circle.

Then, there’s the copycat theory

There’s another option, too: simple repetition.

Whether some influential artists thought the feature was especially pleasing or just happened to use a model with Morton’s toe, there’s the chance that it was adopted by some of the greats and then endlessly aped.

“Many Roman statues have Greek feet, simply because the artists drew inspiration from one another,” Atlas Obscura posited.

A document from the US National Parks Service (NPS) seems to say the same thing: “As Roman statues sometimes are copies of the Greek originals, the Roman statues often have ‘Greek’ feet.”

Indeed, the person who created the Statue of Liberty, whose second toe is longer than her first, was pretty open about his Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Roman inspiration.

“On her Greek/Roman feet, open sandals… define [the Statue of Liberty’s] heritage from the earliest days of civilization – we see her Morton’s toes,” the NPS added.

I’ve Filed For ‘Airport Divorce’ On My Next Holiday – You Should Too

Posted on 11/07/2026 by Boris Clair

You’ve probably heard about “Scandinavian divorce” – which happens when couples sleep apart for better kip and more space.

Some swear by it during heatwaves like the one we’re facing now.

But a new term – airport divorce – has been taking over.

So what does that look like, and how can it help your relationship?

What is an “airport divorce”?

It means you and your partner go through the sometimes-stressful processes of security, check-in, and even arriving at the airport separately.

A colleague told me that their partner likes to reach the travel hub far, far earlier than she likes. My own beau can get a little flustered in airports, while I would rather crawl across the ocean floor myself than publicly stress out.

Some people love a leisurely duty-free browse. Others like to march through security with laser focus, their passports and boarding passes constantly ready for inspection.

An early-queuer and late-queuer relationship can feel impossible to manage in times like these, too.

So, some, like Times writer Huw Oliver, have found a solution: just do your own thing, and regroup on the plane.

Won’t that feel a bit… splintering?

Not necessarily. An “airport divorce” can be selective.

Maybe you agree on some things, like arriving about two hours before the flight and/or having a pre-plane tipple. These can, and I’d argue should, still be shared.

But I reckon most of us can agree that our airport self is not representative of our true character. Nobody needs to see the beast I become when the boarding gate changes last minute, least of all someone I’m about to share a hotel room with.

Besides, if you’re mostly enduring your partner’s dangerously leisurely shopping time or over-keen boarding queue approach out of a vague sense of duty, why not let that go (travel duty-free, if you will?).

It might make your holiday together even more relaxing and enjoyable – and it means that finally, you’ll both be able to do it The Only Right Way.

The Security Step A Travel Expert Says To Make Before Closing Your Suitcase

Posted on 10/07/2026 by Boris Clair

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how military-style packing can save you precious storage space, as well as why ribbons may not be the best way to identify your luggage while flying.

But if you want to protect its contents, it turns out that travel experts recommend taking an added security step just before you head off.

Luckily, it requires no added tools: your phone should do.

Take a picture of your suitcase’s contents before travelling

Christian Bennett, head of travel at Multitrip.com, said that taking a quick picture of the inside of your case before you head off might be worth your while.

“Keeping receipts, taking photos before you travel and holding on to important paperwork means you’ll have everything you need at your fingertips if you do need to make a claim,” he explained.

In other words, if something in your luggage goes missing or gets damaged, you’ll have a far stronger case with “before” pics in your camera roll.

It takes “seconds” to snap a picture, the pro stated, and means you’ll have a record to hand whenever you need it.

Redditors swear by the practice too.

“Take a photo of your luggage and contents – ESPECIALLY if you’re traveling overseas,” a site user wrote.

Take a picture of the outside of the suitcase, too

For added safety, take a picture of the exterior of your suitcase before travelling too.

Speaking to Travel + Leisure, Rob Merlin, a travel advisor at SmartFlyer, said: “We always recommend that clients photograph their luggage before a trip, including the exterior of the bag, the luggage tag, and the contents inside”.

This not only means you’re able to document any luggage damage, but it could also help airline staff to identify your suitcase from a sea of others in lost and found.

The more you know…

Yes, We’re All Worried About Our Sex Drives Right Now

Posted on 07/07/2026 by Boris Clair

There’s no “normal” amount of sex for couples to have, therapists told HuffPost UK previously. In fact, some research has found that only 26% of couples do the act once a week or more.

According to Prof Caroline F Pukall, a professor of psychology who was involved in a new paper on libido, “Sexual desire concerns are one of the most common reasons people seek sex or couples therapy, yet most research has focused on low desire itself or differences in desire between partner”.

Her research, published in the Journal of Sex and Martial Therapy, sought to “better understand how people personally think about and worry about their libido, including what makes them concerned and how those concerns vary across different relationship statuses, genders, and sexual orientations”.

The paper found that over half – 67.1% – of participants worried about their sex drive.

Why were these numbers so high?

The researchers looked at 1,317 respondents to a social media survey. Almost 80% of these were in a committed relationship.

They were asked questions like how often they engaged in sexual activity, how often they desired to do so, how high they percieved their libido to be, and whether they ever worried about their libido.

Almost 60% of the respondents said “yes” to the last question.

Some of the most common concerns included:

Worries about their libido being too low (47.5% of the worried group),
Worries about their libido being mismatched with their partners’ (42.4%)
Worries their sex drive was too high (7.6%).

Of those who worried about their low libido, most people said their biggest concern was not being able to meet their partners’ needs.

Nearly half of the people who responded said they missed how interested in sex they used to be.

Women were much more likely than men to say they were worried about thier sex drive.

Why did people say their sex drive changed?

People in relationships, especially relationships lasting a year or more, were likelier to report both lower libido and increased worry about their sex drive.

Common reasons given included mental health issues, stress, fatigue, parenting responsibilities, medications, and negative body image.

Age didn’t seem to affect how high people’s libido was, not did it seem linked to how worried they were about their sex drive.

Prof Pukall said this study might not be fully representative of most adults, as respondents reached the survey through a podcast about libido, so may be more interested in most in the topic – possibly due to their concerns.

Still, she said, “The biggest takeaway is that concerns about libido are extremely common, and many people worry about whether their desire is ‘normal’….

“Participants frequently described concerns about having lower desire than they wanted, changes in desire over time, or differences between their own desire and a partner’s.”

Researchers Think Cats Could Help Our Brains Age Better

Posted on 05/07/2026 by Boris Clair

Owning a pet, be it a cat or a dog, has previously been linked to lower heart disease risk. This is especially true for cat owners aged between 40 and 64.

Our feline friends may also reduce stress and boost our mood.

As if they don’t do enough for us already, researchers from the University of Bath, Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine in the US, and École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse in France have said they might help us to age better too.

Why might cats help us to age better?

Their paper, published in the journal Biology Open, reads: “Pet cats may inform human ageing since humans and cats age similarly and they develop health challenges that mirror those observed in humans”.

Unlike a lot of lab animals, they added, cats tend to live long enough to develop age-related brain changes, like those seen in humans.

And, on the flip side, because they live a lot shorter lives than us, we can study their ageing at a much faster rate than we could in people.

The researchers used a biological model which looked at how multiple species age at a physical level.

They tracked 3,754 data points – like MRI (not CAT, sadly) scans, blood samples, and developmental milestones – gathered across human, cat, and other mammal species.

They found that cat and human brains seem to age remarkably similarly. Both species experience age-related neurodegeneration.

Like us, cats age in bursts. And they reach the equivalent of human old age: a teenage cat is the rough equivalent of a person in their 80s, ageing-wise.

“It was interesting to see that cats show patterns of age-related brain atrophy similar to those observed in humans,” said PhD candidate Brier Rigby Dames, who was involved with the research.

“These findings add to growing evidence that companion animals can provide valuable insights into ageing.”

Cat owners are increasingly requesting more detailed pet scans

Speaking to the University of Bath, the study’s co-author, Dr Ryan Gibson, said that more and more pet owners are sending their cats in for increasingly detailed scans as they age.

This, he said, might provide an exciting opportunity.

“This expanded clinical access creates meaningful opportunities for translational research (research that bridges the gap between scientific findings and healthcare), improving our understanding of aging and neurologic disease in ways that can benefit both feline and human patients,” he said.

For her part, Brier Rigby Dames said: “There’s potential to develop large-scale veterinary health databases for companion animals, analogous to human health databases such as the UK Biobank.

“These kinds of resources could enhance our ability to study ageing and disease using real-world clinical and owner-reported data collected across species.”

So THAT’s What The Three Lions On England’s Football Crest Mean

Posted on 02/07/2026 by Boris Clair

The three lions on the shirts of England’s football gear have become so strongly associated with the men’s national team that they’re nicknamed The Three Lions.

The women’s team, meanwhile, goes by The Lionesses.

The animals have been England’s official crest since 1863, when the Football Association was formed.

The lion is England’s national animal, and most of us know it’s also associated with royalty.

But why three – and why doesn’t the England team’s emblem match England’s non-football coat of arms exactly?

Why does the England football team’s shirt have three lions?

As we’ve said before, the crest was adopted by the Football Association when it was first founded.

But that’s because of a long, royal history of lions in England’s heraldry.

King Henry I had a lion on a red background on his coat of arms way back in the 12th century.

And when he married Adeliza of Louvain, whose father, Godfrey I, Count of Louvain, had a lion on his coat of arms, too, he added a second. That happened in 1121.

That meant King Henry I’s grandson, Henry II, was born with two lions on his coat of arms. But then he, too, married into a big-cat-coat-of-arms family: Eleanor of Aquitaine’s heraldic badge also contained a lion.

But, per the i Paper, it took Eleanor and Henry’s son, Richard the Lionheart, to combine the three lions into a single emblem.

That flag – three lions on a red background, or Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or – was used by every Plantagenet king until the ascension of Edward III in 1327.

How is England’s football emblem different from the royal one?

The Football Association would have had to ask for permission to use the Three Lions emblem due to its royal associations. But it doesn’t exactly match the royal version.

Firstly, the colours are different – England’s football badge is blue and white, while the historic version was red and gold.

And the England football badge has 10 Tudor roses on it. “The reason for the specific amount of roses is unknown,” the BBC said.

England’s football badge also used to have a crown on top. But in 1949, that was removed so as to distinguish it from the England cricket team’s emblem.

The star above the lions is a relatively new addition, representing England’s 1966 World Cup win.