Monthly Archives

January 2018

Spicy Foods and Why You Should Start Eating Them If You Care About Your Health

Not everyone is into spicy foods. For people who are not a fan of explosive flavors that can burn the mouth, it takes practice to learn how to love the spicy chows. For the spicy food lovers, however, the more they sweat in every bite of their food, the more it excites their taste buds. Although it could be true that spicy meals can cause digestive disturbance to people with a sensitive stomach, eating spicy dishes also have a positive impact on health. If you’re not into foods that come with a strong punch, yet you care about your health, you may want to reconsider your choice of flavor. Here are the health benefits of eating spicy:

Strengthens the heart

Certain spices protect the heart against cardiovascular disease. Flavor enhancers like pepper and turmeric contain capsaicin that can lower down blood pressure. This same component can also widen the blood vessels, which helps reduce blood pressure, aiding in the transportation of oxygen in the heart. Turmeric also contains anti-inflammatory properties that further help in protecting the cardiovascular system against diseases.

Burns calories

People tend to sweat when eating spicy foods, and apparently, it’s good for the body. Perspiration while eating fiery meals can help burn calories. As the body temperature rises when eating spicy foods, the number of burned calories in the body increases as well. Eating spicy appetizers also helps individuals eat less during the main course. This is particularly helpful to people who desire to lose weight.

Benefits of a Spicy Food Diet

Fights cancer

Curcumin, a component of turmeric, has seen to have an effect on cancer cells. Studies show that consumption of this component can reduce the risk of breast, stomach, and cervical cancer. On the other hand, capsaicin, an active component of chili peppers showed to reduce the number of prostate cells in laboratory mice.

Adds nutrients

Chili and pepper are packed with nutrients, too. These spice bombs will give your body a good dose of vitamin A and C, as well as other healthy minerals. These ingredients will not only give an explosion of flavor in your mouth, they can also give the nutrients that your body needs.

Spicy foods & Health benefits

Helps in weight loss

As mentioned earlier, eating spicy food can help burn calories. In addition to its weight loss abilities, adding some chili or dashing a little bit more pepper to your meal can improve your metabolism. Fiery foods don’t only reduce calories or improve your metabolism, it will also help you avoid cravings, which is one the chief culprits of weight gain. Thus, if you have been wanting to have your weight reduced, consider consuming spicy food at least once or twice a week.

Boosts mood

The excitement that the taste buds get when spicy food is introduced to the mouth, seem to have a similar effect in the brain. Apparently, fiery food also enhances the mood. The capsaicin and curcumin that are typically found in spices like pepper and chili help in the production of happy hormones known as serotonin in the brain. These mood enhancers can help thousands of people who are suffering from depression, and anxiety.

Spicy foods may be too intimidating for people who never liked the overwhelming flavors that it can deliver in the mouth. However, the fieriness of such food can be learned to love, especially when you know the advantages that eating spicy foods can cause to the body. By adding a little bit of spice to your meals, you can have a stronger heart, a fit body, good mood, and you can avoid life-threatening illnesses like cancer. So, better try how good that chili is now.

Enjoy this short video that looks at a few different types of peppers :

January 31, 2018 0 comment

‘Oumuamua: Asteroid Passing our Solar System

Tech

Asteroid Passing Our Solar System Is Under Observation for Signs of Life

written by Feras Antoon

An interstellar asteroid was first observed speeding towards our Sun on October 19, last year. This oddly shaped object is being suspected to have alien life, which this project aims to uncover.

The first known interstellar asteroid has properties that suggest it came from another star. It’s also the first ever body that has been spotted in our neighboring cosmic, which experts say, could be bearing signs of alien technology. Thus, this project called, Breakthrough Listen program began the search for radio signals coming from this asteroid around December 2017.

It was billionaire, Yuri Milner, who backed up the initiative to listen for signals coming from this interstellar object using a radio telescope. The first set of observations was performed at the Robert C Byrd Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, which lasted for about 10 hours.

The asteroid that was named, ‘Oumuamua, is said to be speeding away from our Solar System, across four different radio frequency bands. Despite its fast movement, experts have noted some observations regarding the asteroid’s strange, elongated shape. Details of the early surveillance suggest that the shape of ‘Oumuamua resembles a cigar.

The Breakthrough Listen program released a statement which reads, “Researchers working on long-distance space transportation have previously suggested that a cigar or needle shape is the most likely architecture for an interstellar spacecraft, since this would minimize friction and damage from interstellar gas and dust.”

Asteroid Passing our Solar System

Director of the Berkeley SETI Research Center, Andrew Siemion, who is also part of the project said, “‘Oumuamua’s presence within our Solar System affords Breakthrough Listen an opportunity to reach unprecedented sensitivities to possible artificial transmitters and demonstrate our ability to track nearby, fast-moving objects.”

“Whether this object turns out to be artificial or natural, it’s a great target for Listen,” Siemion added.

Member of UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Dorking, Prof Andrew Coates, who is not involved with Breakthrough Listen, told BBC Surrey radio, “I believe there is an experiment being done to actually listen to this object to see if there are any potential signs of life on it.”

He added, “I think this is most unlikely because it’s left over from the beginning of that planetary system elsewhere. Much better ways of looking for life are actually missions like our ExoMars project, which is going to be going to Mars in 2020, drilling underneath the surface to look for signs of life. We’re building the camera system for that.”

Other observations carried out by researchers who used ground telescopes, say that apart from the asteroid’s shape, the object also has the qualities of the natural objects found in the outer parts of our Solar System.

The ‘Oumuamua has observed to have a reddish color, which is a common indicator of organic compounds that have been exposed to radiation. The measurement of the asteroid also suggests that it has a dense structure, and is composed of rock and metal, but with little, if any, water-ice.

‘Oumuamua, which means “a messenger from afar arriving first” in Hawaiian, could have been wandering across the Milky Way before it arrived in our Solar System, experts say. Scientists believe that this asteroid, unattached to any star system, has been around the Galaxy for millions of years before humans detected its presence.

Enjoy this video that talks more about this interstellar vagabond :

https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000005592208/glimpse-of-oumuamua.html

January 29, 2018 0 comment

Business

Employees and How to Not Make Them Your Hate Your Team Building Ideas

written by Feras Antoon

Another trust-fall exercise for your 50th team building? Better get that off your list. The truth may hurt, but, it’s time to let you know that your employees hate your team building exercises. It’s not because they suck, but because it’s one of those overrated, boring activities. Those jaded exercises are not that effective anymore, if your goal is to strengthen the team’s bond.

Of course, building a stronger bond is your aim. Thus, to do that, you must come up with interesting activities. Something unique and compelling, which will make each member of your team partake willingly and enthusiastically in your team building. Such exercises must be unique to spark the life and involvement of the whole team. Those activities if pulled off correctly, will not only strengthen the bond of members, it can also initiate friendships. It can re-energize employees, leading to improved morale and productivity.

So, if you feel the indisputable lack of interest of your members about your team building activities, now is the time to take a 180-degree change. Use these tips for your next team building, and give your employees a fun time.

Identify what your employees hate

We’re all familiar with these usual activities that we experience in team buildings. Unfortunately, we have become that accustomed to those exercises because we have probably seen it for a hundred times. Alright, not maybe a hundred, but we see them frequently. The same programs just get too tiring year after year, which we get no good progress at all.

For example, trust falls and human chains have gotten overly used that we’re not gaining anything from such activities anymore. As well as those with physical challenges like obstacle courses and endurance races. They just make the employees anxious and embarrassed.

We’d also like to mention those weekend retreats or 10-hour camps, which employees view as time they have to spend away from the family. Such activities normally result in awkward situations, most probably because of too much alcohol consumption, that become the cause of the plight of some members.

Due to these circumstances, most employees make any excuse to not attend team building exercises. However, the problem is that you don’t have many options to choose from. With the limited activities you can offer to your team, what’s there to do?

Create bonding exercises that work

According to the 2017 CultureIQ Company Culture Trends and Insights survey, 91 percent of the 28,371 workers polled said they had co-workers that they consider friends. When creating innovative activities, you must know that people want to work with people they enjoy being around with. Thus, when arranging a team building, this should be your goal – to make people like other people.

To improve the morale and the dynamics of the employees, you must create scenarios that lead to building of friendships, such as:

Collaboration Games – there should be days when employees play group games like Clue. The teams have to work together to tap a common goal, which instantly improves the cooperation within employees.

Show and tell – This activity will help showcase the personalities of the employees. It’s also a great way to remind the members of their younger years, delivering a nostalgic feeling. Sharing a common experience that the employees had when they were younger is an effective way to bond.

Scavenger hunt – Scavenger hunt gets people competitive. People like challenges, and this game can get people moving because finding things give them a sense of accomplishment. A scavenger hunt can make team members laughing and exchanging high fives, too. It’s a great way to build memories.

Create your own game – Let the employees create their own unique games based on the company’s culture and values. It increases the collaboration between members, where they can make use of any inside information to keep the games lively.

You and your team must not forget the aim of team building. It must be fun, sure, but the activities should also target the goals of working together and thinking as a team. If you want to take things up a notch, here are some grand ideas which were used by the biggest companies today:

Facebook had let their employees play an outdoor spy game where teams had to solve clues to rescue a member, and find a stolen object.
Lyft transported their employees to a private San Francisco island, where they played as stranded. The members had to find a way to build a communication device to reach out to the outside world, and be rescued.
Chipotle and Amazon contracted local museums to give their employees private tours based on the company values.

Employee Team Building

You can also create activities based on coworkers’ hobbies if the options above are not plausible. Volunteer programs are a great way to build friendships, while it can also help the community.

A company-wide field trip or picnic is also a guaranteed option that can never go wrong when it comes to team building. Such activities will be more appealing if they provide an opportunity to involve the families of employees. Members will be more enthusiastic when their family is included in the events.

Ask for feedback!

After each event and activity, don’t forget to get feedback. Know which exercises the employees like and hate. Find out the ones that clicked, and the activities that didn’t appeal to the members. You can use the information from the feedbacks for next year’s team building.

You may also want to create a “bonding committee” who will help plan future events. Arrange a company-sponsored dinner where members of the committee can discuss the plan. Company dinners hit two goals: a way to bond and to tap goals for future events – a double win.

Team building is a crucial part of the company. It makes employees work, think and laugh together. It builds friendships and strengthens the chemistry of all members, leading to improved morale and productivity.

This cool animation video outlines 10 ways to motivate your employees. Enjoy!

January 26, 2018 0 comment

World

Why Eating Okra aka Lady’s Fingers Can Prevent Diseases and Improve Health

written by Feras Antoon

Okra is a green, annually-flowering plant that has edible pods. It’s a member of the mallow family, which bears a myriad of health benefits. Not a lot of people know, but eating it can help heal the body with conditions like paleness, diabetes, and asthma.

Okra is packed with nutrients, and healthy supplements, which are some of the reasons why this plant is incredible. It is rich in vitamins K, C, A, and B, and minerals like manganese, press, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

Furthermore, Lady’s Fingers also has anti-cancer agents like lutein and zeaxanthin. These components don’t only help prevent the formation of cancer cells, lutein and zeaxanthin are also good for the eyes.

Below are more of the okra’s health benefits, and why you should include this vegetable in your diet.

Strengthens the immune system

Okra boosts the immune system with its Vitamin C, and contains a hefty amount of antioxidants. With these nutrients, it can prevent various diseases.

Balances cholesterol levels

Lady’s Fingers also contains high amount of fiber, which can regulate the body’s cholesterol levels. Thus, improving the heart health as well.

Prevents and cures anemia

Individuals with low levels of red blood cells can eat okra to help their body produce more red blood cells. It’s a great way to not only treat anemia, but also prevent low red blood cells count in the future.

Prevents asthma attacks

Although asthma is an incurable disease, eating okra regularly can help prevent asthma attacks. This vegetable is high in antioxidants and vitamin C, which strengthens the body of asthmatic people, and cures other types of chronic lung disease.

Lowers Risk of Diabetes

Studies show that consuming okra in a particular manner can stabilize the blood sugar levels and blood pressure in the body. To do it, cut open a few pods , and place them in a glass of water to leave overnight. When the morning comes, drink the water where the okra is soaked. Repeat it daily, until blood sugar levels are normal.

Cures constipation

With okra’s high amount of fiber, this vegetable doesn’t only cure constipation, it can also lower the risk for colon cancer, and ensures a healthy digestive tract.

Okra and Healthy Eating

Strengthens bones

Okra is also rich in folate that helps build stronger bones, and prevents bone illnesses like osteoporosis.

Benefits the skin

Due to the amazing components and capabilities of okra to improve digestion and the overall health of the digestive tract, it can also help enhance the health of the skin.

Aids for a healthy pregnancy

The folate in okra lowers the risk of neural tube defects in infants.

January 24, 2018 0 comment

Tech

Simple Yet Clever Innovations in Technology for 2018

written by Feras Antoon

Innovations in technology evolves fast that futuristic ideas leave us in awe. The world is changing, for sure, but we were not prepared for it to be this quick. However, tech innovations that stagger us are not always grand or dramatic. They’re not always disruptive, nor they involve landmark technologies. Some of the brightest tech ideas for 2018, which are very impressive, are actually fairly simple. These small scale innovations are existing products, but were made better. Though these tweaks were not as splashy like the biggest breakthroughs, they sure have the same importance. Here are the tech innovations that will grow much more in 2018.

Multitasking AI Assistant

Google Home has stepped up its game over Amazon Echo, when they allowed users to combine two actions with only one voice command. For instance, now it’s possible to say, “Dim the lights and play some jazz,” or, “What’s on my calendar and what’s the weather?” Although, it’s a minimal improvement, it adds great natural human-like effect to AIs, unlike before when the technology is much more like rigid computers.

Binge Watching Necessity

There are those TV shows that captivate our interest, and make us forget about our social life, and binge-watch a whole season. Of course, after 6 consecutive episodes, no matter how much we like the show, we’ll want to skip the introduction song. Netflix had thought about that, so now, viewers can click the “Skip Intro” button, to avoid any further annoyance it may bring. HBO viewers are also probably looking forward to finding the same option in the future.

Distraction-free Driving

Mobile-use as a distraction when driving has been an issue for years. Now, phone makers have gotten serious in solving the problem. For example, Apple’s iOS 11 now includes a “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode, which automatically turns on when the phone senses vehicular travel, or when the phone is connected to the car’s Bluetooth speakers. This technological feature also mutes all non-urgent notifications, and offers to send text responses that send an “I’m driving” message. Innovators also discourage mobile use by locking the phone unless the user claims as a passenger.

Technology Advancements in 2018

Just Squeeze

Some smartphones today thought of a new way to summon the phone’s AI assistant. Unlike the usual way of invoking the assistant by pushing a button or through voice command, users just have to squeeze their phone. The feature is available with HTC’s U11 smartphone, which by squeezing the bottom half of the phone, can bring up Amazon Alexa. It’s the same with Google’s Pixel 2 phones, where of course, it’s tied to Google Assistant. This option is a lot more dependable, as well as immediate, and this technology could change the way we use smartphones.

Google Photo Sharing

Google has “Shared Libraries” feature that recognizes faces, and then automatically shares photos to people who have permission. It works by designating a trusted person such as your spouse, and once the person approves, Google will automatically share photos with them. The technology also offers limited sharing to specific faces. It can save a lot of time for sorting, as it only takes a few minutes to setup, and sharing will be automated instantly.

Convenient Group Payment

Bill-splitting is now available in different apps like AirBnb, Lyft and Uber. This technology renders things more convenient for friends and groups who like to travel. Finally, the burden of one person that will have to collect all the payments has been eliminated. As well as, no one will be ever get to hoard all the credit card reward points for the trip.

New Technology in 2018

Have a look at this interesting video that touches upon a few upcoming technological advancements:

January 22, 2018 0 comment

3 Signs You're Meant for Entrepreneurship

Business

3 Solid Signs You’re Meant for Entrepreneurship

written by Feras Antoon

ntrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. Established businessmen, after years of running multiple companies, know the difference between entrepreneurs who will succeed, and those who are just ever pledging on being a business owner while being stuck in their 9-5 jobs.

What a large part of the “young entrepreneurs” community misunderstand is that the entrepreneurial success is not always synonymous with material possession. Some aspiring entrepreneurs, openly discuss about the rewards they’re chasing after; while real entrepreneurs consider those things as distractions.

In entrepreneurship, those who are successful do not focus on the ends because they are too busy paying attention to the obstacles in front of them. Once this thinking occurs to the aspiring one, it’s the indicator that he’s turning into a full blown entrepreneur.

If you have big business ideas, and you’re an aspiring entrepreneur who wants to get your career to the level, first look at these 3 signs that tell whether you’re meant for this kind of venture.

#3 Real entrepreneurs aim to be the best, rather than be acknowledged by other people as the best

When entrepreneurs get invited to exclusive mastermind dinners such as those held at The Hills, authentic entrepreneurs stand out. Not because they wear flashy watches, or they have gold chains, or they arrive in fancy sports cars. The most successful people don’t go out of their way to make sure everyone knows what they do, or what they’ve done.

These people only care about the work.

They don’t chase after acknowledgement from others. In fact, most of the time these entrepreneurs go to dinners wearing only jeans and a T-shirt. They don’t brag about their material possessions, or how successful they are, because people already know them because of the work they do.

3 Signs You're Meant for Entrepreneurship

#2 Real entrepreneurs don’t have weekends off

When you’re so into what you do, you give all your time and energy to it that the days don’t matter anymore. True entrepreneurship demands a great amount of time, and successful people in this field usually lose perspective of what day it is, or even what month it is.

Unlike other people who look forward to every Friday, real entrepreneurs see days as all the same. They think, whether it’s Friday, Sunday or Monday, these are just chunks of time with works needed to be done. Although, entrepreneurs get the freedom to take any day off, building a company gives them a different kind of thinking.

Real entrepreneurs focus on what they build, and they make sure to build it no matter what it takes. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy and requires time, energy, and the deepest commitment.

3 Signs You're Meant for Entrepreneurship

#1 Birds of a feather flock together

Real entrepreneurship means spending time with other real entrepreneurs. Typically, groups of the upper echelon are closed circles. The real players are not easy to find.

However, if you’re good with what you do, these types of people will come to you without you even trying to find them. Focus on becoming the best, and you will find yourself getting invited by these closed groups.

For example, if you are focusing on mastering your skills to become the best online writer, eventually, people will reach out to you. You don’t have to waste time attending networking events, and proving yourself to anyone who’s better than you. You never have to look for Facebook groups of aspiring entrepreneurs to extend your network.

If you work on honing your entrepreneurship skills, you will never have to climb the ladder that way. Your work will speak for you.

Pay attention to your work, and you will receive numerous invitations from people who know your craft, and how you do it.

This isn’t only applicable to entrepreneurship, but in any type of industry. Focus on improving your work, focus on preventing failures, and everything will follow.

You will never have to talk to prove yourself to anyone. Real entrepreneurs know that talk is cheap, so they won’t hear a word you say, anyway.

January 19, 2018 0 comment

Tech World

The Disturbing Effect of Smartphones on Today’s Generation, According to Studies

written by Feras Antoon

Several psychological studies have been performed to understand the effect of smartphones to this generation. Apparently, more than ever, the impact of such technologies to teens today was seen profound. There are negative effects, as well as positive, and for many kids, a mixture of both. Jean Twenge is determined, too, to learn what’s going on among today’s generation and their lives on smartphones.

As part of her study, Jean talked with 13-year old, Athena (not her real name), about her daily life. Jean discovered that unlike her generation, the Generation X, who’s back then used to gossip on landlines, Athena’s generation typically spends most of their time alone in their room browsing their phones. Athena said, that’s just the way her generation is, “We didn’t have a choice to know any life without iPads or iPhones. I think we like our phones more than we like actual people.”

As time goes, generational differences take place. Jean has been studying these changes for 25 years. All those years taught her that some characteristics define a generation, and typically, they appear gradually. Each generation’s belief and behavior rise slowly yet continually. For instance, Millenials are highly individualistic generation, but that characteristic began to increase when Baby Boomers, “turned on, tuned in, and dropped out”. Characteristics of generations change like the graphs in forms of mountains and valleys.

However, in 2012, abrupt shifts in emotional states and behaviors in teens started to occur. This is Athena’s generation – and Jean has never seen anything like it.

Millennials and teens today differ not only in degree, but in kind. The two generations have distinct, varying views. Today’s generation use their time differently as well. Teens now are experiencing the world differently, on a daily basis, compared to the generation that came of age just a few years before them.

Negative effects of SmartPhones

The changes took place in 2012, after the Great Recession. Following 2007-2009, where the Millennials were seeking for their place in a muddy economy — in 2012, where 50 percent of Americans owned a smartphone.

As Jean learned about the shifts in behaviors of generations, and as she talked more with Athena, the more it became clear that teens today are shaped by smartphones, and social media. Jean calls this generation, iGen.

The teens, born between 1995 and 2012, are growing up with smartphones, and do not remember the time before the internet. Although, the Millenials also grew up together with the word-wide-web, the internet was not easily available, and ever-present, all day and night as they grew. On the other hand, iGen’s oldest members were early adolescents when the iPhone was introduced in 2007. They were high school students when iPad was made available in 2010. According to a 2017 survey across 5,000 Americans, 3 out of 4 teens owned an iPhone.

The impact of these devices brought a radical change in the lives of teens. From social interaction to their mental health, teens today who live where there are cell towers experience the shift. These teens are living their lives on their smartphones. The deleterious effect of ‘screen time’ has not been fully appreciated by many.

iGen’s life on smartphones made them more comfortable in their bedrooms. They typically choose to be at home rather than in a car, or at a party, which means they are physically safer than their predecessors. They are less likely to get into car accidents, or get a taste for alcohol, as well as they are less susceptible to getting diseases from other teens.

However, psychologically, iGen are more vulnerable to depression and suicide compared to the Millennials. Rates of the said psychological cases have in fact skyrocketed in 2011. It’s a fact, widespread depression is true and existing. This stigma is traced back to their smartphone use.

The rise of the two factors, smartphones and social media, is a serious epidemic that makes this generation more than unhappy. Apparently, the devices that we put in the hands of the young people have a profound effect in their lives.

Unlike the generation that came before what we have today, the allure of independence was strong. The Baby Boomers and the Generation X were eager to get their freedom. With iGen, independence is less likely to sway over. Teens today are less likely to get out the house without their parents. According to Jean, “The shift is stunning: 12th-graders in 2015 were going out less often than eighth-graders did as recently as 2009.”

Bad effects of SmartPhones

Members of iGen are also less likely to date. Teens today merely even talk. The initial stage of courtship, which Gen Xers called “liking”, teens now call as “talking” — the generation’s choice as texting has been their preferred mode for actual conversation. After ‘talking’ for a while, two teen-agers might proceed to dating. Still, only 56 percent of highschool seniors in 2015 went out on dates, compared to Gen Xers and Boomers that were 85 percent.

When the number of dating teens declines, and so does their sexual activity. Since 1991, sexually active teens declined to 40 percent. The average teen today experiences first sexual intercourse by the spring of 11th grade, a full year later than the average Gen Xer. This number could be one of the positive behavior shifts of the iGen. Fewer teens having sex means a decrease of teen pregnancy as well. In a survey, it showed, “The teen birth rate hit an all-time low in 2016, down 67 percent since its modern peak, in 1991.”

As part of the jaded need for independence, the number of driving and working teens have also declined. Teens today get their driver license a lot later than the Boomers. Member of iGen doesn’t feel the need of urgency to drive when their parents are good chauffeurs. “My parents drove me everywhere and never complained, so I always had rides,” a 21-year-old student in San Diego told me. “I didn’t get my license until my mom told me I had to because she could not keep driving me to school.”

Staying in their bedrooms also means that teens today don’t need to get their own money that they need to hang out with other kids. Thus, the number of working teens dropped, which is now only 55 percent compared to 77 percent of high school seniors in the late 1970s.

On these matters, still, parenting and shifts in the economy play their roles. The current economy rewards higher education than early work history. Thus, parents today encourage their kids to stay at home and study. The teens agree on this homebody arrangement not because they like to study, but because their lives revolve around their smartphones.

In fact, members of the iGen have more leisure time than their predecessors. These teens don’t work, they spend less time on homework than Gen X teens, and they seldom go out with friends. What they do with all their time is use their smartphone, stay in their rooms, alone and often distressed.

The greatest irony of today’s generation is that though most of the time the teens are at home together with their parents, it doesn’t mean that they are close to their mothers and fathers. Teens today rarely converse with their parents so they can focus on their smartphones. “I’ve seen my friends with their families—they don’t talk to them,” Athena told Jean. Athena, too, has a similar relationship with her parents. She spent much of her summer, keeping up with friends, but nearly all of it was over text or Snapchat. “I’ve been on my phone more than I’ve been with actual people,” she said.

Kids today rarely party, or even hang out with their friends. The number of teens who get together with their friends on a daily basis dropped by more than 40 percent from 2000 to 2015. The hang out spots of teens like the roller rink, the basketball court, the town pool, the local necking spot were replaced by virtual places where today’s teens go.

Adverse effects of SmartPhones

However, preferring to be in these virtual spaces doesn’t mean that the kids are happy about it. In fact, most of the data say it does not. The Monitoring the Future survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, asked 12 graders about what makes them happy, and how they spend their leisure time. The results showed that, “Teens who spend more time than average on screen activities are more likely to be unhappy, and those who spend more time than average on non-screen activities are more likely to be happy.”

Screen time doesn’t cause unhappiness, instead, it could be the teens who spend more time online are the ones who are not happy. In one study, it suggests that social-media use, does indeed cause unhappiness. Although, social media sites like Facebook offer connection with friends, the teens who visit social media sites more frequently feel lonelier. Teens who check their social media accounts daily, but less frequently see their friends in person agree with the statements “A lot of times I feel lonely,” “I often feel left out of things,” and “I often wish I had more good friends.”

However, it doesn’t always mean that kids who use social media amore often are lonelier than those who use the sites less. Generally, teens who spend more time online than teens and who spend less time with their friends in person, are more likely to feel lonely.

Depression is common, too. The more teens spend time looking at their smartphones, the more they are likely to be reported with symptoms of depression. Eighth graders who are heavy users of social media have 27 percent added risk for depression compared to kids who play sports, so religious service or do their homework.

Furthermore, teens who spend 3 hours or more on their screens are 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicide. In fact, since 2007, the homicide rate among teens decreased, while the suicide rate increased. In 2011, for the first time in 24 years, the suicide rate was higher than teen homicide.

Although, there are many factors behind depression and suicide, besides smartphone use, and teen suicide was even higher in the 1990s even before online sites arrived, about 4 times as many Americans are now taking anti-depressants. Now we ask, what is the link between smartphone use and psychological distress? The answer strings to the feelings of being left out.

Bad effects of SmartPhones

Teens today, though they do not go out frequently, when they do, they document it on social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook. The other kids who are not invited are clearly aware of it. This issue is particularly high among girls. The study showed, “Forty-eight percent more girls said they often felt left out in 2015 than in 2010, compared with 27 percent more boys.”

Because young girls use social media more often, they have more chances to feel excluded when other people go out and they are invited. Social media also add a psychic tax on teen posting as well. They get anxious about other people’s comments and likes. When Jean asked Athena about her posts on Instagram she said, “I’m nervous about what people think and are going to say. It sometimes bugs me when I don’t get a certain amount of likes on a picture.”

Cyberbullying is also a factor behind the depressed teens. The number of depressed boys is lower than the girls because boys tend to bully physically. On the other hand, young girls are more likely to do so by undermining a victim’s social status or relationships.

Smartphones affect the quality of sleep of teens, too. Most people sleep with their phones under their pillows, mattresses, or put it anywhere they can reach by hand. Due to this, many of the teens today are sleep deprived. In fact, according to the study, “Fifty-seven percent more teens were sleep deprived in 2015 than in 1991. In just the four years from 2012 to 2015, 22 percent more teens failed to get seven hours of sleep.”

As we all know, the quality of sleep plays an important role in wellness both physically and mentally. Sleep deprivation is linked to problems, including compromised thinking and reasoning, weak immune system, weight gain, as well as susceptibility to depression and anxiety.

These evidences are more than enough for parents to tell their kids to put down their phones. When Jean talked to Athena, the teen shared about her experience when talking with her friends, “I’m trying to talk to them about something, and they don’t actually look at my face,” she said. “They’re looking at their phone, or they’re looking at their Apple Watch.” “What does that feel like, when you’re trying to talk to somebody face-to-face and they’re not looking at you?,” Jean asked. “It kind of hurts,” she said. “It hurts. I know my parents’ generation didn’t do that. I could be talking about something super important to me, and they wouldn’t even be listening.”

Watch this video that sheds more light on the subject:

January 17, 2018 0 comment

Best Healthy Habits for Eating, Fitness, Lifestyle

World

The Best Healthy Habits You Can Acquire for Eating, Fitness and Lifestyle

written by Feras Antoon

Many people decide to commit in healthy habits because they thought it will benefit their physical body and wellness. Although, that’s also true, having healthy habits can do more than that. Eating right, doing exercise, and making sure we are at our best condition, deliver deeper and bigger impact to our body and to our life.

When we say healthy habits, it doesn’t only involve steps to be in a better physical health. It includes anything that benefits the physical, mental, and emotional state. Altogether, all these habits work to build the best framework of life.

Acquiring healthy habits can be tough because it requires changes in mindset, routine and schedule. However, the determination towards this change consequence to long term positive results in your life and the people around you.

Anyone can commit to these healthy habits no matter how they are, or how bad their former habits were. You can always move forward towards the kind of life that you want. However, when shifting towards these healthy habits, it’s important to know that it must be done gradually, using step by step stages to assure compliance.

Below we found 192 healthy habits from developgoodhabits.com that you can start with. These changes include shifts in diet, routine, exercise, even mindset. Although, not all habits are applicable to everyone, most of the suggested habits below can be a great starting point for those people who desire to become a better version of themselves.

Fitness Habits

Engaging in physical activities benefits both mind and body. It helps the body fight off chronic diseases, lowers stress, improves mood, and gives a sense of accomplishment. You don’t need to undergo strenuous, vigorous workouts at the gym to acquire healthy fitness habits. The important thing to do is set your body in motion. You can make small steps at first just to make your life less sedentary.

There are so many things you can do to make your life more active. Just make you sure to stick with what you will choose, and you enjoy what you do. Here are some of the steps you can add to your everyday life:

Do house chores.

Take early morning walks for at least 30 minutes.

Make sure to do two-minute walking habit for every hour that you sit.

Use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Walk as often as you can.

Consider using a treadmill desk.

Consider using a height-adjustable desk.

Make it your daily goal to do 10,000 steps a day. Use a step-tracking device.

Do some dance break.

Hike more often.

Try yoga.

Try rock climbing.

Try geocaching.

Exercise during TV commercials.

Engage in Deskercise.

Fitness for Better Health

Lifestyle and Mindset

One of the greatest mindset shifts that you can do is forgiving and letting go. Emotional burden can take a toll on your health and wellness. When you are able to consciously forgive, even without an apology, it reduces your stress, anger and tension. Being able to replace negative emotions with positive ones will help your body ease out as well. Holding onto grudges can affect your physical body as it causes an increase in muscle tension, high blood pressure and increased heart rate.

Forgiveness will also help you sleep better. You will not spend sleepless nights thinking of the things that happened in the past. Being able to forgive, not only others, but also yourself, allows you to focus on your well-being. Furthermore, it will improve your relationships with other people, which in return, will give you feelings of connectedness with others. Your healthy relationship with other people is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Here are some steps you do:

Don’t hit the bed sleep.

Reflect on yourself instead of blaming others.

Live in the now instead of dwelling in the past.

Prioritize your peace of mind.

Recall the times when you were forgiven.

Think of people when they were children.

Keep in mind why you love others.

It’s better to be kind than to be right.

Never judge, just observe.

Take responsibility for your own mistakes.

See every experience as a change of growth.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Eating Habits

Portion size control is a crucial key of eating healthy. Sometimes, how much you eat is more important than what you eat. For example, avocado is a nutritious food filled with healthy fats. However, because avocados have dense calories, too much consumption of these fruits per day can be damaging.

To make sure you’re not over-eating, eat until you are satisfied. If you think you’re still hungry, wait for 20 minutes, drink water, and then eat again if you still want to.

You may also want to eat on smaller plates than what you regularly use. There will be a big difference in your serving size, but you will rarely feel the it when you eat. Keep in mind that eating is not a past time, or a stress reliever that you can do when the pressure hits. Mindfully eat during your every meal, and sit down and focus on your food. Turn off the television when you’re eating, and do not rush to the fridge when you’re having a bad day. Cut off your bad eating habits, instead, try to do some of the actions below:

Do not stress eat.

Make use of portion-control containers when storing meals.

Prefer portion-control plates when eating at home.

Be aware of your hunger cues.

Drink a lot of water and other healthy juices.

Make a food diary.

Create healthy smoothies.

Read the nutrition labels.

Do not buy fun-size candy bars.

Do some meal planning.

Prepare single-serving snack packs.

Avoid distractions during meal times.

Be consistent with your grocery list.

Eat slowly.

Make sure to chew your food at least five times when eating.

Don’t wait to get thirsty, drink often.

Healthy Eating

Regular Health Checkup

Prevention is always better than cure. Most people only go to a doctor when they feel ill, or they see suspicious signs of disease. The problem is, many illnesses only give out signs when the sickness has become severe.

Do not ignore the little signs that happen to your body. For instance, if you notice a mark on your skin that emerged out of the blue, go see a dermatologist at once. Be proactive, and make sure to see a doctor at least once a year. Getting regularly checked will help you be aware of what’s happening to your body, even though you’re feeling normal.

Physicians can give preventive measures if you have a family history of diseases, or if your health stats are changing. Catching a health issue before it gets worse is the key to living and feeling healthy.

Have an annual physical exam.

If you’re a woman, take a thyroid test.

Take a bone mineral density test for women.

Take a yearly mammogram.

Colonoscopy.

Fasting plasma glucose test.

Eye exam.

Hearing test.

Dental exam and cleaning.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening (for men only).

Blood pressure screening.

Cholesterol screening.

Prostate screening (men).

Lung cancer screening.

Testicular self-exam (men).

Pap test and HPV test (women).

Chlamydia test (women).

Gonorrhea test (women).

HIV test and other sexually transmitted infection tests.

Skin exams.

Influenza (flu) vaccine.

Hepatitis A vaccine.

Hepatitis B vaccine.

Herpes zoster vaccine.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

MMR (measles, mumps, rubella).

Meningococcal (meningitis).

Pneumonia vaccine.

Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis.

Varicella (chicken pox).

Regular Health Check-ups

Get Quality Sleep

The quality of your sleep plays a crucial role in your mental, physical and emotional health. How you function when you are awake is generally dependent on the amount of sleep that you get during the night. During sleep, your body replenishes the energy that it used when you’re awake. It supports brain function, and performance as well. For children, sleep plays an important role in growth and development.

Low quality of sleep may compromise your health, making you more susceptible to chronic diseases. You may also have trouble in thinking, focusing, and you may experience learning difficulties. If you don’t get enough rest or sleep everyday, you will be prone to stress, and your health will decline because you’re not giving your body a chance to replenish the energy that it used during the day.

Do not drink coffee in the afternoon.

Eat only light meals before going to sleep.

Keep your pets out of the bed.

Sleep in consistent schedule.

Don’t drink too many fluids before going to sleep.

Quit smoking.

Your room temperature must be between 60-67 degrees F.

Turn off all electronics one hour before bed.

Wear comfortable socks.

Nurture your spirit.

Visualize happy thoughts.

Log your sleep.

Choose wind-down sleep routine.

Practice getting back to sleep.

Keep the room is dark and quiet.

Use essential oils for sleep.

Quality Sleep

Breaking Routine

It’s easy to fall into a routine, and be stuck in it for a long time. Although it feels convenient and comfortable, an endless routine can affect the quality of your life. You must try new things every once in a while, and break this routine of yours. Trying new things will not only help you learn more about life, it will also improve your self-esteem, and happiness.

It’s normal to feel hesitant at first. Because you’ve been too comfortable in your old routine, changing it can take a lot of effort. Once you do, however, you will be surprised that you’re actually liking the new things you do, and the new people that you meet.

Trying new things will improve your confidence and your self-esteem. It will also reduce your feelings of boredom and loneliness. All of this will drive your personal growth, improve your health, and lengthen your life.

Study a new language.

Watch a foreign language film.

Eat at a new restaurant. Ask the waiter to pick your meal.

Travel to a place where you’ve never been before.

Attend a class related to your work.

Learn a new sport.

Learn to cook a easy meal you’ve never tried before.

Get to work using a different route.

Take a road trip.

Try a new look.

Listen to new genres of music that are unfamiliar to you.

Read a book from an author you don’t know.

Try a new exercise.

Watch a play.

Watch a drag show.

Go one week without Internet.

Go one weekend without spending.

Breaking Routine

Strength and Flexibility

As we age, our muscles become stiffer, weaker and smaller. These changes will result in elasticity loss in the muscles, and tougher movement of joints. The main reason why it happens is inactivity. People tend to fail to exercise their muscles, and lose flexibility. It’s important to keep doing strength building, and practice flexibility. Otherwise, it could result in bad posture and reduced muscle function, which are significant keys to overall wellness.

Improving your strength and flexibility will result in better balance, and decreased risk of injury. Adopting these healthy habits will also improve the flow of nutrients and blood in the body. This is because stretching increases the temperature of the tissues, which in return improves the circulation and transportation of nutrients to all of your organs.

Do pushups.

Crunches.

Curl to press.

Fly to Tris.

Lying march.

Ball squat.

Dips.

Tripod row.

Shoulder and chest.

Arm across chest.

Triceps stretch.

Glut stretches.

Adductor stretch.

Single leg hamstrings.

Standing quadriceps.

Flexibility & Strength

Happiness and Laughing

Laughing reduces stress, and makes you feel better. Studies have also found that during laughing, the brain undergoes the same changes as with the people who mindfully meditate. A positive attitude, and a good sense of humor also helps in creating strong bonds and relationships with other people.

Happiness and laughing also helps people feel calm and refreshed; ready to face another day. Although, there are no published studies yet that support the clinical benefits of laughing, so far, good results have been found.

Know the therapeutic benefits of laughter.

Laugh often.

Watch funny TV shows and movies.

Check out a laughter yoga club.

Try a laughter exercise program.

Try self-initiated laughter.

Schedule funny videos to watch on YouTube.

Spend more time with your pets.

Read funny books or newspaper comics.

Find your favorite comedian.

Watch a stand-up comedy show.

Listen to hilarious podcasts.

Hang out with old friends.

Go to an amusement park.

Check your old pictures.

Laughing & Happiness

Nurturing Your Relationship with other People

Maintaining good relationship with other people is also a part of the healthy habits. Having friends and family to rely on, turn to and socialize with will give you a sense of connectedness and belonging. It allows you to understand and relate with other people who share your same beliefs.

Keeping and developing good relationships with other people is also a way of self-care. Despite the fact that we are living a busy life, which makes it difficult to get in touch with other people, reaching out to others is a healthy habit you must do.

Eat meals together as a family.

Have a weekly family night.

Plan yearly family vacations.

Do house works, and play together.

Read stories to young kids, and share books with older ones.

Update your family photo albums.

Get to know your children’s friends.

Help your children with their homework.

Camp together.

Drive your kids to school.

Leave love notes.

Work on the same goals with (a) friend(s). Be each other’s accountability partner.

Invite friends over a sleepover.

Schedule a reading date with your friend(s).

Help your friends with chores.

Meet up with friends at least once a month.

Nurture Relationships

Reflect on your Vices

Vices and addiction are not only in the form of alcohol, cigarette, or drugs. Many people also have addictive behaviors towards gambling, internet use, and caffeine. We need to address the habits that we do in excess in order to know if we’re still in control of them. When reflecting on your addiction, it’s important to consider your personality. According to studies, there is a connection between impulsiveness, compulsiveness, and addiction.

Self-reflect is a necessary step to identify our repetitive behaviors. One factor that identifies a full-blown addiction is the loss of control towards this habit, even though it has already resulted in negative consequences. If you notice an addiction problem that has gone severe, you must act to address the issue. Here are the steps of what you can do:

Start by reflecting on your addiction problems.

Know the consequences of your addictive behavior.

Evaluate how bad your addictive behavior is.

Know your personality.

Understand the root of the behavior.

Understand your habits. Know your triggers. Break bad habits.

Engage in a new, different routine that disrupts your addictive behavior.

Keep an accountability journal.

Reward yourself.

If you feel you need professional help, consider seeing a therapist.

Reflect on your Vices

Meditation

Quieting your mind will not only significantly reduce your stress, it will also improve the connection of your mind and body. Make sure to spend some time every day to meditate. It will release any tension that is happening in your personal or professional life. During meditation, you will also have time to reflect about the things that you do in life, or if you’re experiencing any problem. Meditation is also a good way to rest your mind throughout the day, so you will be ready to take on the next task.

Engage in a morning breathing exercise.

Practice “if-then” way of thought when monkey mind starts to get the better of you.

Do morning meditation.

Do shower meditation.

Observe your own thoughts.

Practice pranayama.

Practice qigong.

Start a journal or write your “morning pages.”

Create a tea or coffee ritual.

Do yoga.

Recite positive affirmations.

Focus.

Practice mindful eating.

Take a digital break regularly.

Take a music break.

Decrease distractions.

Meditation & Health

Express Gratitude

It’s true that you should count your blessings. Reminding yourself about the things that you’re grateful for will uplift your spirit, and fight any lingering depression. Every day, you must focus on the positive things that are happening in your life rather than the negative. You must also keep your strengths in mind as you face each day.

Feeling grateful with all the things that you have in life will benefit your well-being and happiness. Sometimes we take the little things for granted, which actually are the things that we can’t live without.

Make a gratitude journal.

Notice at least one compliment every day.

Practice saying thank you.

Say grace before meals.

Think of at least three things you are grateful for every morning.

Smile often.

Volunteer for organizations or causes you believe in.

Reach out to a friend or a relative and thank them for being a part of your life.

Create a gratitude collage.

Love nature.

Listen well when someone else is talking.

Write and send a thank you note.

“Look for the helpers.” – Fred Rogers

Be thankful when you learn something new.

Reward effort.

Express Gratitude

January 15, 2018 0 comment

Business

The Truth About Maximizing Business Ideas and Making Them Profitable

written by Feras Antoon

We’re in a generation of better, more competitive, and creative entrepreneurs. It’s not anymore surprising to know that the world overflows with business ideas from different innovators, and business enthusiasts. You can notice these with today’s abundant blogs, podcasts, and aspiring leaders. It’s not enough to just stand out from the rest. If you want to have financial freedom from a new business, you need to do more.

We know, it can be difficult, especially when all this time you thought you were giving out more, and everything of what you can give. Just believe us when we say, yes, there are better things that you can do, and change in what you are doing today. We were not aware about it as well, until we learned about Dorie Clark, author of the newly released Entrepreneurial You.

Clark had been there, had done that. She, too, thought that being busy means being successful. Several years ago, Clark measured her success to how hectic her schedule was. Until one day, she learned that being busy and being exhausted, do not necessarily mean she’s also financially successful. In fact, all the bustle and hustle didn’t even fuel her soul.

The truth slapped Clark, and awakened her. It all happened when she was on a trip from Central Asia. During that time, she was earning lots of money, she was travelling on a glamorous business class flight, but she returned home sick due to a cold that was persistent for weeks. Clark shared the story of her friend, whom while she was away, made almost the same amount that she did from the comfort of his home. From that moment, she knew she had to spread a valuable lesson.

In Clark’s book, the Entrepreneurial You, she emphasized that most entrepreneurs focus too much on making money from one or two business activities, like consulting and speaking. This is why they fail to see more opportunities that can give them the financial freedom – earning their desired income without trading time. Clark added, employed individuals who are doing side projects are also preventing their selves from earning more, and all the while losing the balance between work and life. Clark believes diversification is the key. It enables a person to earn more, while reducing risks, such as being unemployed.

Creative Business Ideas

When asked how you can turn an unknown person into someone with a thriving name in doing online programs, Clark answers, “You don’t”.

“I laid out the book in the order that I think people should pursue things keeping in mind cost and what you can do effectively, even if you don’t have a pre-established product. You can do a coaching practice with no money up front. This doesn’t take much of a following. If you were able to persuade someone to hire you as a coach.”

Clark describes a three-step process of sustainable business monetization, which leads to having a solid foundation: creating your brand, earning from your expertise, and enhancing your reach and your online impact. It starts with establishing yourself as a credible expert, building your own community, and creating programs that your followers would want.

Clark also advised that you must study your audience. Get to know them, and their needs. “Find out what they’re interested in so you can build products from the ground up so you don’t waste time providing products and services no one is interested in,” says Clark.

Many entrepreneurs can relate to this one. The typical route is to create a program or a service out of intuition, which ends to be something that nobody wants. It’s a common mistake in execution. Apparently, Clark says, the answer is to study your audience first, and then create something they want from there. That will ensure repeat business.

It can be a long and technical strategic planning. There’s no short cut to the top, but it will be worth it. Clark’s Entrepreneurial You, exposes all the steps to success, as well as the mistakes she has done in the past, which you can avoid. In this generation where big business ideas fleet everywhere, it’s not enough to just come up with the best one. Profitable ideas must be something valuable for others. Then, create a revenue stream that will help you stay afloat, and provide to the next wave of followers.

January 12, 2018 0 comment

Tech

iPhone’s ‘i’ Glitch is making Users go Nuts

written by Feras Antoon

When iPhone users thought that autocorrect issues were already a thing in the past, a new glitch arrives with iOS 11. The glitch is driving people mad, like a demonic whisper that tells them to throw their iPhones right onto the walls. Okay, that maybe is a bit too much, but this glitch surely annoys the users.

iOS 11 users are experiencing their lower case ‘i’ replaced with gibberish. When texting, tweeting, or anything that has to do with using Apple’s native keyword, the lowercase ‘i’ becomes a capital letter “A”, an exclamation point, or a square box with a question mark inside.

The glitch is a total nuisance, which is being experienced not only by people who just bought new iPhones, but also iOS 11 users who use iPhone 6 and up.

“(Why… is my iPhone changing all of my I’s into question marks? Is this an existential test? Have I come undone?),” tweeted BuzzFeed employee Saeed Jones.

“Why does an “I” auto correct to an “A” with a weird symbol next to it? Is this a glitch related to the iPhone update ? I hate technology. ??,” wrote @ItsChadli.

“This iPhone letter “I” glitch is starting to get really annoying. I think they need to release 11.0.4 sooner than later,” said @akoczur_.

Well, the glitch maybe is a total nuisance, but it brought out the creativity of the users. Some people use the word “eye” as their substitute for “i”, while others use the eye emoji. Not all iOS 11 users experience the same glitch, however. Some of them avoided the issue because their lowercase “i” auto-corrects to grammatically correct uppercase.

iPhone's "I" Glitch

The root of the error stems to the new cloud feature involving cloud-based synchronization for predictive text, according to the Guardian. The new feature includes auto-corrections to be shared with the user’s other Apple devices, thus, creating new words. It’s the same reason why many people experience the glitch.

Fixing the glitch is possible. In fact, there are easy ways. Users can download the latest software, iOS 11.1.1, which can repair the error. However, before the update release or for those who don’t want to download the new iOS, the glitch can be fixed by going to the phone’s settings. According to Apple’s Support page, users may go to Settings >General >Keyboard >Text Replacement to add an autocorrect replacement for the lowercase “i” with an uppercase one.

“For Phrase, type an uppercase “I”. For Shortcut, type a lowercase “i.””

Apparently, the glitch was actually an autocorrect issue. With some users, the problem appeared briefly when the lowercase “i” was auto-corrected to uppercase.

If you’re still using iOS 11, and you’re experiencing the same glitch, you may download the new iOS update, or install a third party keyboard such as, Google’s Gboard or Swype.

Or just throw your iPhone out the window, and switch to Android. JK

This video offers up a quick solution to the “i” glitch. Enjoy!

January 10, 2018 0 comment

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