How to Avoid an Online Romance Scam When Searching for Your Real Love

Online romance scams victimize thousands of people hungry for love each year. The victims are mostly women because there's a belief that men are too ashamed to report to the authorities that they got duped. Romance fraud is a million-dollar industry, and most scams originate from countries in West Africa and former Soviet Union states.

Russian dating scams aren't always perpetrated by Russians, however. Back in 2004, an American man named Robert McCoy was in the news. He and his wife were both arrested for trying to defraud fellow citizens of thousands of dollars in a Russian bride scam. He'd use his Russian wife when he needed a woman's voice and Russian accent.

How Online Romance Scams Work

There are about 1,500 online dating websites that offer the same thing: an opportunity to find love. Not all these sites are dubious, and a lot of them are subscription-based services that have members with sincere intentions. However, with the sheer number of lonely people signing-up, there will always be plenty of predators hiding in plain sight.

The romance scam starts with the victim receiving a response to his ad from someone with a supermodel-like profile picture. The scammer always makes first-contact, because this gives him/her more control of the situation.

In most romance fraud horror stories, the "love interest" could pose as any of the following:

• A good-looking actor/actress or model that's much younger than the victim
• Belonging to a rich or royal family (prince/princess)
• An active member of the military
• A widow or widower who has children
• A professional (engineer, doctor, etc.)
• In an abusive relationship that necessitates leaving the country

These are only some of the identities these fraudsters might assume. The common thread is that they appear to be younger, good looking, and rich. Most will carry a sob story of why they need help leaving their own country. Others pose as these loaded individuals who don't need money but will need partners in an investment.

Hook, Line, and Sinker

When the con artist makes an irresistible profile and turns on the charm, victims find it hard to resist. It's like they fall under a hypnotic spell they can't break. It could be the excitement of a younger person taking interest or the tug of emotions from a sob-story.

In any case, the thinking process goes out of the window, and any rational thought gets crushed by primal urges. Following a few emails, phone calls, and messages, the con-artist would claim to be madly in love with the victim.

...

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Does Equifax Owe You? How to Claim Your Settlement Money

It’s been almost two years since Equifax announced that they were the target of a hack that compromised the personal data of more than 145 million Americans. That’s about half the U.S. adult population! The breach was also shocking because Equifax isn’t just any old company. They're one of the big three national credit agencies that maintain—and are supposed to protect—our most confidential information.

Now, under a global settlement filed on July 22, Equifax is going to spend up to $425 million to help people affected by the breach. If you have a credit report in the U.S., there’s a good chance your personal information was exposed. In this post, I’ll explain what happened, who’s entitled to an Equifax payout, and how to file a claim for settlement money.

If you have a credit report in the U.S., there’s a good chance your personal information was exposed.

What Happened in the Equifax Data Breach

Equifax was founded in 1899 and is the oldest of the three credit bureaus, along with Experian and TransUnion. Equifax is based in Atlanta, Georgia and maintains information on over 820 million consumers.

Equifax says hackers lifted consumers’ names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and in some cases, driver’s license numbers. They also stole credit card numbers for over 200,000 people and dispute documents that contain sensitive data for about 180,000.

The Equifax breach isn’t the largest we’ve seen. That dishonor goes to Yahoo, which was the target in several incidents that affected more than one billion user accounts worldwide. However, the Equifax incident is the most massive heist of Social Security numbers.

As I covered in Don’t Get Tricked by These Tax and Social Security Scams, once an identity thief has your personal information, they can wreak havoc on your financial life. Thieves can use it to take over your existing credit accounts, open new accounts, file bogus tax returns, hijack government benefits, and commit other crimes in your name.

How to Know If You’re Part of the Equifax Settlement

So, how do you know if a cybercriminal stole your sensitive data in the Equifax data breach? You can get a quick answer by visiting the official settlement site, equifaxbreachsettlement.com. It includes all the details about the proposed settlement. 

Scroll down the page and click the big green button that says, “Find out if your information was impacted.” You’ll need to enter your last name and the...

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Can the GAPS Diet Heal Your Brain?

The Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) was proposed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a medical doctor with a specialty in neurology. McBride believes that many neurological and psychological conditions, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and many others,  are actually due to problems in the gut.

Broadly speaking, McBride’s theory is that intestinal permeability allows toxins to escape through the lining of the intestinal tract and into the bloodstream, where they travel to the brain and impair function. McBride has developed a dietary protocol which is intended to heal the gut, thereby clearing the toxins from the brain and restoring normal function. McBride claims to have cured her own child of autism using this protocol. 

What is the GAPS diet? 

The GAPS diet protocol begins with an elimination phase that lasts up a year. It is extremely restrictive and starts out with bone broth, fermented vegetable juice, and herbal tea.Very gradually, you introduce small amounts of other foods, including egg yolks, meat, cooked vegetables, small amounts of fruit and nut flours. But your diet consists primarily of bone broth, meat, and vegetables.

After completing the elimination phase, you enter the maintenance phase. Your diet consists of the GAPS protocol-approved foods introduced in phase one and you continue to avoid refined carbohydrates, preservatives, and artificial colorings.  This phase continues for another one to two years.

Finally, during the reintroduction phase, you are allowed to reintroduce some starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes and whole grains, but you continue to avoid all processed foods and refined carbohydrates

Obviously, you’d have to be intensely motivated to follow a regime this restrictive for this long.

Obviously, you’d have to be intensely motivated to follow a regime this restrictive for this long. Which is why the GAPS diet generally only appeals to people (or the parents of people) suffering from severe symptoms. You’d have be pretty desperate to sign on for something like this. But if it works, might if be worth it?

What’s the Evidence?

Unfortunately, there are no studies to support the...

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How to Treat a Bee Sting

Tip 1: Pull Out the Stinger

When you’re stung by a bee, carefully grasp the stinger and pull it out as fast as you can. The less venom that enters your body, the smaller and less painful the resulting welt will be. Icing the area immediately will also help to reduce the swelling. 

Tip 2: Use Curry Powder

To reduce the pain from insect bites, make a paste of curry powder and water. Apply it to the bite and let dry, then wash off. The spices in the curry powder help to relieve discomfort and swelling.

Tip 3: Grab an Onion

Nobody likes a bee sting, but sometimes they’re inevitable. Bring down the pain and swelling by cutting a raw onion in half and applying the fleshy side to the sting. The sulfur in the onion will detoxify the area and give you some relief.

Tip 4: Try VapoRub

Suffering from a bee or wasp sting? Soothe the pain with Vicks VapoRub. It contains menthol, which will provide a natural, cooling anesthetic effect.

Tip 5: Apply Lavender Oil

Been stung by an insect? It’s calming, anti-inflammatory lavender oil to the rescue! Rub a bit directly onto the sting to alleviate the pain, or add a few drops to a paste of baking soda and water, and apply.

Tip 6: Squeeze a Lemon

If you’re stung by a wasp, hornet, or bee, reach for a lemon. Make sure the stinger is gone, then quickly douse the area with some lemon juice and rub it in to help neutralize the venom.

Find more helpful tips on our Bug and Pest Natural Remedies board on Pinterest. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for our Tip of the Day!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock. 

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Is It Possible to Get Fit Fast?

Everybody wants to get fit fast ... but should you?

In my early coaching career, I specialized in marathon and triathalon coaching. I eventually branched out and worked with everyone from fitness models to previously sedentary seniors. But consistently, throughout my career, people would email or call and ask seemingly innocent questions like: How long will I need to train to complete a marathon? 

My answer generally alternated between either “as long as possible” or “it depends.” Obviously, neither of these were the answer people wanted to hear.

For someone going from the couch to a marathon, I would recommend 10-12 months of training. If you have a solid running background (three or more years of consistent running), or you want to simply improve your finishing time, 16-20 weeks could do the trick.

But keep in mind that training for a marathon isn't the same as training for overall fitness. This equation changes when the question is “How long do I need to train to get fit?”

What is Getting Fit?

The illusive condition of “being fit” is something I have written about numerous times, and I still feel like the definition of fitness is open to discussion. But for sake of this conversation, I am going to define fitness as: “Activities relating to keeping healthy and strong, especially through movement.”

There are a couple reasons why I like this definition.

1. It doesn’t contain the (loaded) word “exercise”

2. It implies that fitness is a continuum, not a finish line 

Before we get into why I think those are important points to make, let’s look at some science.

Six Weeks to Fitness?

First, let’s look at a short duration study that reminds me of something you would see advertised in your social media feed with a title like “The Six Week Body Transformation.”

In a 2004 study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers put 25 previously sedentary men through a pretty standard six-week exercise program. The men either performed three 20-minute cardiovascular sessions per week or three 30-minute high-intensity, full-body strength sessions.

Even the study participants themselves agreed that their own appearances were pretty much the same after six weeks.

For the study, a group of panellists were asked to rate each man's appearance before beginning the program. After the six...

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Can We Predict Earthquakes At All?

My hometown of Los Angeles is home to the earliest reported earthquake dating back to 1769 (and, of course, many more since then). The largest recorded earthquake in the world occurred in Chile in May of 1960 measuring at a magnitude of 9.5 moment magnitudes. A single earthquake can cause destruction costing hundreds of millions of dollars to repair and, far more importantly, can end in fatalities.

In 2009, scientists in Italy were convicted of manslaughter for failing to predict the L’Aquila earthquake that killed more than 300 people. But how successful can we expect our quake predictions to be?

If we can predict hurricanes, floods, and tornados, although to differing degrees of reliability, why don’t we know when the next “big one” is going to happen when it comes to earthquakes?

In the United States, the scientific experts on all things geology are at the US Geological Survey. Their webpage on earthquake prediction starts: “Neither the USGS nor any other scientists have ever predicted a major earthquake. We do not know how, and we do not expect to know how any time in the foreseeable future.” Well, that is pretty clear!

But why not? If we can predict hurricanes, floods, and tornados, although to differing degrees of reliability, why don’t we know when the next “big one” is going to happen when it comes to earthquakes?

What is an earthquake?

To understand the challenges involved in predicting an earthquake, and what is lacking in our current efforts to make those predictions, we need to know what causes an earthquake.

Our understanding of what makes an earthquake happen is based on the theory of plate tectonics, or the idea that the Earth’s outer crust is composed of movable slabs of rock called plates. These plates can shift around on top of the rocky yet more malleable inner layer below them, called the Earth’s mantle, which sits above the molten material of the Earth’s core. Our modern theory of plate tectonics has only been around since the 1950s and it is thought that there are...

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Want to Change Someone's Mind? Lead with Emotion

Millennials rock! When I talk to my millennial friends, one of their common themes is change, and change for the better. Social change. Political change. Environmental change. And, since they are college graduates, spare change. After all, they have tons of student debt and are underemployed in the soul-sucking exploitation machine called “the gig economy.” 

In their pursuit of changing the world, they’re just like Thomas, Europa’s 16-year-old cybernetic son with an IQ of 420. He’s the smartest person in the room. Always. He always has the right answer, right away. He and his high school robotics team are starting their own company to build autonomous surgical robotic teddy bears. They envision a glorious future when the streets are full of scalpel-wielding teddy bears, marching forth to…to…to remove appendixes, I guess.

Thomas wants them to build in strong privacy controls, but they’re refusing. They say it will take too long and be too expensive. And besides, the First Robotics Championships don’t grade the competitors on privacy.

Thomas groans and goes back to his bedroom to sulk. And he never persuades anyone of anything, even though he’s right. Because what he hasn’t yet realized is that being right has nothing to do with being taken seriously.

Don’t Start by Being Right

If you want to be taken seriously, don’t start off trying to prove you’re right. No one cares. No, really. No one cares. When someone on the internet argues with you and tries to prove they’re right, do you care? Of course not. In fact, if you disagree, you don’t care that they’re right. You only care that you’re right and they’re wrong. Welcome to the Human Brain: once we believe something, when our belief is challenged, we try to discredit the challenger. We don’t care if the challenger is right.

If you’re the challenger and you're trying to change people’s minds, being right is wrong.

Don’t Be Righteous

“But my concerns are more important!” cries Thomas, with a degree of angst possible only for a 420-IQ teenager. “They don’t understand the deep implications for democracy of autonomous surgical teddys unaccompanied by strict privacy protocols. That makes them bad, while I am committed to the forces of good, and am the only one trying to do right.”

OMG, Thomas, do not say that to your group. If being right is wrong, being righteous is deadly. If you want to damage your case beyond repair, just get righteous about it. Saying “I’m right!” challenges beliefs. But being righteous challenges their...

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Surprise! The Semicolon Is Exciting

Today, I have an interview with Cecelia Watson, author of a new book I absolutely loved called “Semicolon: The Past, Present,  and Future of a Misunderstood Mark.” Cecelia also teaches writing and humanities at Bard College in New York. We talked about how grammar writers in the 1800s became fabulously wealthy, struggled to create rules, and had vicious arguments; and we talked about how researching the book changed her approach to teaching writing and a whole bunch more.

You can listen to the entire interview by clicking the player above or by finding the podcast on any podcasting app, but if you prefer to read it, we also have a complete (rough) transcript.

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3 Parenting Strategies to Overcome Feelings of Shame

For many years I longed to be a mother and fought the good fight against infertility. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions. Disappointment, anxiety, fear, pain, uncertainty, jealousy, frustration, and feeling helpless were the norm for me. But one of the strongest feelings I dealt with for most of my journey was, drumroll please—shame!

Why Is Shame a Parenting Struggle?

The other emotions I wrestled with were not necessarily easy, but I coped because I rationalized that the circumstances were beyond my control. If I felt disappointed each time I learned I wasn't pregnant, I could chalk it up to one of the infertility procedures not working. When I learned a friend was expecting, and pangs of jealousy gnawed at my heart, I knew those feelings were normal. After all, I had been trying for years to get pregnant. It seemed like my friend just winked and instantly conceived.

Shame, however, was a far more complex dragon to slay. I felt broken, and every failed attempt to become pregnant was a reminder that I had a defective body.

New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Brené Brown, is a pioneer on the topics of vulnerability, courage, and shame. She summed shame up beautifully in her article Shame Versus Guilt: 

"I define shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging – something we've experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection."

Twenty-five years and eight kids later, I clearly overcame infertility. (Be careful what you wish for!) But I still remember grappling with shame. Because I couldn't get pregnant, I felt like a complete failure and unworthy of the motherhood tribe I ached to belong to.

These strategies will help when shame rears its ugly head in your own parenting journey.

Recognize Shame and Let it Breathe

The feelings we have about our families are much like the weather. When our kids, home life, marriage, and careers are thriving, it's like enjoying a picture-perfect summer's day with bright blue skies, the glowing sun, and a delicate breeze. We're excited and proud to share our good fortune with the entire world.

But when we're facing a family crisis, we're suddenly under a dark cloud. We'll do just about anything to stay protected from the incoming storm. We become quiet and hunker down, alone, until the nasty situation passes.  

Shame is like one of those unpleasant bad weather days. It's an uncomfortable feeling, and it can be much easier to hide and stay out of the elements until the discomfort passes.

I experienced one such storm when three of my children...

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Phenomenon or Phenomena

If you watched the children’s program Sesame Street growing up, you probably recognized the little bit I sang earlier. “Phenomenon, do do do do do.” Well, it turns out, I was remembering it wrong. In my memory, they were saying “phenomena,” but when I watched the clip on YouTube while I was working on this article, I realized they were saying a nonsense word: “manamanah.” Still, whenever I heard the word “phenomena,” I think of that Sesame Street skit, and I’m nearly certain I’ve heard other people refer to it too. And if you need a good laugh, the video is still funny after all these years.

Either way, “phenomena” and “manamanah” are fun words to say. I actually plan to talk with the Savvy Psychologist in a couple of months about why some words sound so much more pleasant than others, but for now, I’ll just help you remember the spellings of “phenomena” and “phenomenon” because they’re easy words to confuse.

Today, “phenomenon” means “a fact or a thing that happens,” and we usually use it to describe something extraordinary or at least unusual. For example, 

Ball lightning is one phenomenon I've never seen.”

“Phenomenon” comes to English from Greek through Latin. According to Etymonline, in Greek the word meant “that which is seen or appears,” so essentially the same thing it means today.

The singular is 'phenomenon.' The plural is 'phenomena.'

Its meaning hasn’t changed, and you still make it plural like you make Greek words plural. The plural is “phenomena.”

It’s just like another word that came to English directly from Greek: “criterion.” That’s the singular form—“criterion”— just like “phenomenon” is singular, and it’s plural is “criteria,” which ends with an A just like the plural “phenomena.” 

He outlined all the criteria they were going to use to make their selection.

There are more strange phenomena on earth than you can possibly imagine.

Quick and Dirty Tip: To help you remember that “phenomenon” is the singular form of the word, remember...

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The Best-Kept Psychological Secrets

At long last, this is the episode where I introduce your new Savvy Psychologist, Dr. Jade Wu. And in planning this transition episode together, Jade and I decided we would ask each other about the state of psychology here and now.

Jade and I chatted from our respective home studios (and by home studios, I mean my guest bedroom with pillows piled around and Jade means her mom’s walk-in closet).

First up, we decided it’s important to tell listeners our backstory. We’ve known each other for a number of years and I had the pleasure of supervising Jade when she was in her final year of grad school. I’ve always been impressed with her presence and professionalism, not to mention that she’s a super-duper human. I know she is the exact right person to take over the reins of this podcast. 

Professionally, Jade is a clinical psychologist at Duke University School of Medicine. She specializes in health psychology, which is psychology at the intersection of mental and physical health. She superspecializes in sleep medicine and women’s mental health. Essentially, there’s nothing she can’t do. 

She presents regularly at international conferences and serves as a reviewer for top-tier journals like the Journal of the American Medical Association, the British Medical Journal, and Behavioral Neuroscience, to name a few. 

She currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with her family, three dogs, and six chickens.

We thought interviewing each other would be a nice way to wrap things up for me and to warm things up for Jade, so we chatted about the state of psychology at this moment in time. 

Press the red arrow on the player above to hear us discuss:

• The biggest mental health challenge facing us humans today (spoiler: Jade says it’s probably in your pocket right now)
• How the scarcity of affordable, accessible mental health care means that 56% of Americans are searching for treatment for themselves or a loved one
• The difference between pain and suffering and the magical technique that can help us eliminate the latter
• Why the people who are happiest with their relationships at age 50 are the healthiest at age 80
• Why Jade used to eat way too much Domino’s pizza
• What’s next for Ellen as she passes the mic to Jade

To wrap up, dear listeners, let’s not say goodbye! Stay tuned to Jade and the show, and also join me—there's always enough love to go around. Head over to EllenHendriksen.com and sign up for the email list. I am looking forward to bringing you evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment for...

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Why Alcohol Is 'Hard'

One of our listeners recently wrote in to ask why some types of alcohol are known as “hard” alcohol. Aren’t all liquids soft, not hard?

We looked into this question, which led us to exploring some other interesting words for alcohol. Here’s what we found.

Why Is Alcohol Called ‘Hard’?

First of all, let’s look at the word “hard.” It’s an old Germanic word—so old that one of its first recorded uses is in “Beowulf,” the epic poem written around 700 AD. (1) Maybe because it’s so old, the word has come to have many shades of meaning. It can mean firm and unyielding, rough and abrasive, or stubborn and obstinate. 

Another meaning that developed early on was “harsh and unpleasant.” It makes sense, then, that in the 1500s, it started being used to describe alcohol that had a sharp, acidic flavor. A “hard wine” was one that contained a lot of tannins—compounds that come from grape skins and seeds and have an astringent flavor. (2)  A treatise on good manners written in the 1500s notes that “Neither hard wine is pleasant to the taste, neither haughty behavior acceptable in company.” (3) Indeed!

Another sense of “hard” that developed over time was “powerful and potent.” That’s the sense we use today when we refer to drinks with a high alcohol content, like vodka—in contrast to ones with a lower alcohol content, like beer. 

The final sense of “hard” we’ll talk about is the sense of an action that involves great force or that a person does recklessly. From this sense comes the expression of someone being a “hard drinker.” It doesn’t mean they drink hard alcohol (although they might). Instead, it means they drink persistently and drink in excess. Not usually the best combination. 

Soft Drinks Versus Hard Alcohol

One other fact about “hard drinks.” You might think of them as the opposite of “soft drinks.” Today, when we use that phrase, we think of sugary, carbonated beverages like Coke, Pepsi, or Dr Pepper. 

By the way, if you care about punctuation, take note: the “Dr” in “Dr Pepper” does not take a period. If you have a problem with that, talk to the ad executives who decided in the 1950s to take it out because they thought it would be easier to read the name on the bottle without the period. They were Americans, so they would normally used a period. But...

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6 Second Uses for Hand Sanitizer

Get Rid of Marker Stains

Whether they’re on your clothes or your counter, hand sanitizer can help you get rid of marker stains (even ones from permanent marker!) Squirt it around the edges of the stains and then work your way in, then let sit for five minutes (fabrics) to 10 minutes (hard surfaces like countertops) before cleaning. Just make sure you test the material for color-fastness, as hand sanitizer can discolor it.

Remove Scuff Marks

Have scuff marks on your shoes? It turns out hand sanitizer is one of the many things that can remove dark marks on light shoes.

Clean Household Items

Because of its alcohol content, hand sanitizer is great for cleaning household items. Try it on sinks, faucets, countertops, and other surfaces. It wipes away dirt, but evaporates quickly, so it’s even safe to use for cleaning computer keyboards.

Remove Sticky Labels

Need to remove those pesky price tag stickers on a present? Easy! Try hand sanitizer: The alcohol in the sanitizer works to de-stick the adhesive in the sticker glue. Just rub a bit into the spot and let it sit for a couple minutes, then use a coin to scrape it off. It will even work on bumper stickers!

Help Ingrown Hairs and Nails

Your on-the-go hand sanitizer can serve double-duty on ingrown hairs from shaving, as well as ingrown toenails. Rub the sanitizer on the skin in the affected area to disinfect it and eliminate the bacteria that causes the inflammation.

Use as a Deodorant Substitute

Uh-oh, you just realized you’re out of deodorant, but you don’t have time to run to the store for more. Use some hand sanitizer instead! Hand sanitizer is a great replacement for deodorant because it kills odor-causing bacteria and other germs.

For more cleaning tips around the house, check out our Cleaning Tips board on Pinterest. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock. 

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Relationship Doctor

Don’t Get Tricked by These Tax and Social Security Scams

My QDT editor, Karen Hertzberg, was recently the target of an identity theft scam. Fortunately, she didn’t take the bait. Karen suggested that I write about current tax and Social Security scams  so you don’t fall prey to one, either.

Every year, fraudsters seem to get more creative in their attempts to trick you into giving up your personal information. Once thieves have it, they can wreak havoc on your financial life. They can commit many different types of fraud, including:

• applying for credit in your name
• using your health insurance
• intercepting your tax refund
• opening utility accounts in your name
• hijacking your government benefits

Types of Tax and Social Security Scams

Here are three illicit techniques that criminals use to dupe you and how to protect your finances.

1. Calling you to impersonate the government

Criminals impersonate government agencies because they know it can intimidate or entice you into giving up personal information or money. A recent scam occurs when you get a robocall saying your Social Security number (SSN) is inactive due to suspicious activity or connection with a crime.

The robot tells you that you must call a specific number to verify the last four digits of your SSN or you’ll get arrested. Or it directs you to press a keypad number to speak with a support representative to reactivate your SSN. They may trick you by asking for your SSN to verify your identity or to supposedly reactivate your number.

Or a thief might call you bearing good news. Who doesn't like hearing that they're entitled to a big tax refund? Then they ask for your bank account number to deposit the money.

Thieves might say that you qualify for an increase in your disability or retirement benefits. But to get it, they claim you need to verify your identity by giving your name, address, SSN, and birthdate. If you provide those personal details, the criminal has data that makes it easy to steal from you.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Social Security Administration (SSA) will never call you unless you’re actively working with them on some issue. Nor do they suspend, revoke, or block Social Security number or seize your money.

Other criminals may call saying they’re from the IRS...

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Getting More Sleep Can Reduce Food Cravings

Have you ever noticed that you feel hungrier or have uncontrollable cravings for certain foods after a poor night’s sleep? It’s not just your imagination—there's a link between sleep and hunger.

Studies show that even a single night of sleep deprivation changes the levels of our hunger and appetite hormones, leading to increased hunger. It also affects the way your brain’s motivation centers respond to the sight (or even the thought) of food. 

Essentially, when you are under-rested, both your body and brain send strong signals that drive you to the drive-through. Those extra calories can easily lead to weight gain, which would seem to explain the well-documented connection between undersleeping and being overweight. Undersleeping is also associated with increased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

When you're under-rested, both your body and brain send strong signals that drive you to the drive-through

There is some good news here. Researchers from University of Cape Town in South Africa recently analyzed results from seven studies that used various methods to increase sleep duration. They found that when people got more sleep, they were less hungry during the day. Even better, they experienced reduced desire for sweet and salty foods. 

Perhaps this is the motivation you need to finally get serious about improving your sleep habits. But how?

The first step involves a set of practices collectively referred to as “sleep hygiene.” If that doesn’t help, there are some more intensive approaches you can try. But let’s start with the basics. 

Basics of Good Sleep Hygiene

1. Limit caffeine after midday. Caffeine can make you more alert and boost your ability to concentrate. It also appears to have neuroprotective properties. Regular consumption of caffeine reduces the risk of both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. But because it is stimulant, it can interfier with sleep. Although individual tolerance varies, most people sleep better if they avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening. See also:...

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7 Hacks for Cleaning Your Bathroom

Tub Cleaner

No matter how hard we scrub, we never seem to get the corners of our tub clean. Luckily, we have a clever solution! Soak cotton balls in your tub cleaner (or just some rubbing alcohol) and leave one in each corner of your tub overnight. By morning, they’ll be as clear as day.

Tile Cleaner

For an easy, natural tile cleaner, mix together a quarter cup of baking soda and a gallon of warm water. Scrub with a sponge or mop, then rinse. For tough stains, wait 10-15 before rinsing.

DIY Shower Scum Cleaner

A lemon is one mighty all-purpose cleaning tool—its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties along with its mild acids make it one of the best natural disinfectants around. And yeah, it smells nice too! To attack that stubborn scum in the shower, we slice one lemon in half and dip it in a bowl of kosher salt, which adds an abrasive scrub to the already-powerful juices. Scrub the glass shower door and leave for a few minutes while the lemon gets to work. Rinse off with water, and say goodbye to scum!

Beat Bathtub Ring

The grimy ring around the bathtub is one of the most dreaded and persistent enemies in the fight between clean and evil. That potent mixture of dead skin cells, body grease, oils, and soap has sticky superpowers on your tub’s surface. Our advice? Instead of worrying about the bathtub ring after it’s already pasted onto the tub, take this easy step to prevent it in the first place: Simply drop a bit of baby oil into the water at bath time. It will keep it from clingy to the sides and send it down the drain instead.

Mildew Remover

If you have mold or mildew build-up in your shower or tub, you know how hard it can be to eliminate. Here’s an easy and inexpensive solution. You’ll need bleach, a package of those cotton coils used for perms (you can find them at a beauty supply store), and a pair of rubber gloves. Wearing the rubber gloves, soak the coil in a basin with bleach. You might want to do this right in the shower to avoid drips. Then line the edges of the shower or tub with the coil. Allow the bleach to work on the stains overnight, then remove the coil, and rinse with water. If any stains remain, they should come right off with a scrub brush.

Stop Dirt in Its Tracks

If you’ve ever wondered the best way to clean your shower door’s tracks, we’ve got it right here. First spray the inside of the tracks with your...

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How to Choose a Coach or Fitness Trainer

For years I got all my training ideas and programs out of books, magazines and websites. And I have to say that it worked pretty darn well. I actually trained for several reasonably successful marathons and a few triathlons following and adapting programs that had been given to my cousin by his coach years prior. Eventually, however, through a Canadian running magazine, I was awarded the opportunity to work with two coaches, a nutritionist, and was sent all the running gear I could ever want. That's when I truly began to understand the power of having someone knowledgeable in your corner. 

What is a Personal Trainer or Fitness Coach?

A personal trainer is a certified professional who has trained for (and hopefully passed) an examination on varied topics such as anatomy, physiology, nutrition, biomechanics, exercise and movement. Occasionally, a personal trainer or coach has a college or university degree in an exercise science related field. And on the other end of the spectrum, some of them have been professional athletes in the past or are people who simply love a sport and understand it at a deeper level than most of us can even comprehend.

The purpose of having a personal trainer is to have someone who will help you to reach your fitness goal faster than you could yourself. They may even help you identify what your fitness goals should be. Either way, the idea is to outsource much of the thinking and planning involved in developing a fitness routine to someone who understands it and organizes it better than you do. 

Choosing Your Personal Trainer

Finding the right fitness trainer is a lot like choosing a teacher, mentor, or even a doctor—you want to choose carefully. With the right personal trainer, you can achieve your fitness goals faster and safer. But the wrong personal coach can leave you tired, frustrated, injured and broke (financially and physically). So, to help you make this choice, I have asked four friends (two who have actually coached yours truly) to record themselves giving their advice on what they would look for in a Personal Trainer. 

To get the full story and verbal nuance, I suggest you listen to the podcast. If you're unable to do that, here's a written transcript of what each of them had to say. I'll wrap things up with my own suggestions for how to ensure you get what you're looking for.

Brad Kearns

Brad Kearns, good friend of the Get-Fit Guy, host of the Get Over Yourself podcast, co-author of the New York Times bestselling...

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How an Idea Becomes a Published Scientific Paper

Today, I’m here with Moiya McTier, a researcher and PhD candidate at Columbia University. She was the first student to get degrees in both astrophysics and folklore and mythology at Harvard. She also runs workshops to help people think like a scientist. 

Moiya is an expert in science communication as well as being a scientist herself, so today I want to ask her about the steps you have to go through to produce a scientific paper. How do you go from an idea to a published paper? Why should we trust these scientific publications more than other writing or news reports we find on the internet? 

I’ve said on this show before not to trust articles that don’t cite their sources, but we’ve not yet talked about why we should trust those cited sources to begin with. So, thank you for being here, Moiya.

Thanks for inviting me on.

So, I get an idea, I write it down and then it’s published, right? 

That’s the three step version, yeah. But there’s a lot more underneath the hood, otherwise it wouldn’t take five or six years to get a PhD, right? Starting from the beginning, people say that science starts with an idea, but it starts even before that. Because when I was starting grad school, one of the most intimidating things to me about the scientific process was coming up with an idea. Up until then, I had been doing research for a few years, but the research projects had always been handed to me and I’d never come up with my own idea or my own thesis for a research project. 

People say that science starts with an idea, but it starts even before that.

You have to go through a lot of training to get to the point where you’re able to come up with your own idea or research project. It starts with an idea, but there’s a lot that goes into that part as well. 

Could you maybe walk us through one of your recent projects?

Yeah, I’d love to. I actually just submitted for publication so this is the perfect time to talk about this. This idea actually wasn’t my own. One the faculty members in my department thought of this idea while he was in the shower. That’s where all the scientists do their best thinking!

So he thought about this idea and he brought it to me, and I thought it would be really exciting to explore. The idea that he had or the question that he wanted to answer was, ‘Are planets more likely to form around slow moving stars? Is there any sort of relationship between the speed of a star and whether or not it will host planets?’

I took that and ran with it. The thing I had to do next was figure out what type of data I...

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Visualizing Will Help You Turn Dreams to Results

Today we’re going to talk about how to visualize for results. Really. Backed by decades of scientific research and discussed in the book Rethinking Positive Thinking  by Professor Gabrielle Oettingen. The technique has been applied to everything from drinking self-regulation to getting over regret.

When you were a kid, didn’t you just love the idea that you could think of something and it would magically happen? You would bounce down the street, thinking about how good an ice cream cone would be, and one would appear in your hand. You’d scrunch up your face and think hard about how great it would be if your friends were around, and amazingly, they would appear! You’d wish that the old chemical factory would explode in the middle of the night so you could take a day off of school. That one probably didn’t come true because everyone who works there was wishing really hard that the factory wouldn’t explode so they could keep their jobs. They were very selfish.

Then, you grew up, hit puberty, and became a teenager. You spent hours each day wishing for … certain things. (At least you did if you were a boy; I can’t speak for girls.) In fact, you did almost nothing except wish for … certain things. And they didn’t happen. They didn’t happen so much that there’s an entire genre of comedy about teenagers who are wishing hard, but it’s just not happening.

Wishing doesn’t make things happen by magic. It does make things happen by motivation.

But our wishes never seem to make things magically happen. So, in spite of this tremendous disconfirming evidence, why do we continue to believe that we’ll be able to wish and make it so?

Because while wishing doesn’t make things happen by magic, it does make things happen by motivation. But only if you do it right. You have to feel the desire, and then show your brain that your current...

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An Interview with Gretchen McCulloch: Transcript

Transcript: An Interview with Cecelia Watson

How and Why the Internet Is Changing Language

In this interview with Gretchen McCulloch of the All Things Linguistic blog and the podcast Lingthusiasm, we talked about Gretchen's new book, "Because Internet." These are the major things we talked about:

Why internet language isn't a sign of laziness.

Why people tend to lowercase more words when writing on a digital medium.

Why you probably love words your family makes up but hate words your boss makes up.

Why Mark Twain wasn't sure about the telephone.

Why older people will answer a phone call during dinner but younger people will text.

Why the weak ties of the internet make language change faster than it used to.

Why people edit keysmashes.

Why it's possible to use emoji ungrammatically.

What we can learn from access to the informal language databases online.

How Gretchen created a special meaning for the word "Dijon."

How emoji are like gestures.

You can listen to the entire interview by clicking the player above or by finding the podcast on any podcasting app, but if you prefer to read it, we also have a complete (rough) transcript.

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5 Ways Older Adults Can Save Money on Health Care

Taking care of your health is important to feel good, look good, and live the life you want. But you might be concerned that it also means breaking the bank. The good news is that there are easy ways older adults can save money and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Here are five ways to cut the cost of health care and improve your physical and financial fitness.

1. Pay for health care using a medical savings account

Health care can take a bite out of your budget, especially if you don’t have health insurance or if your plan has a high medical and/or prescription drug deductible. According to a UnitedHealthcare survey, 86% of older adults are worried about illness, such as losing their mobility and cognitive health. Almost half (46%) of the respondents said they also worry about not having enough money as they age.

Fortunately, there are tax-advantaged accounts that make out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses more affordable.

A health savings account (HSA) allows you (or anyone else, such as an employer) to make pre-tax contributions to spend on current or future medical expenses, such as doctor co-pays, prescriptions, dental care and prescription eyeglasses.

To qualify, you must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan you get through an employer or on your own. Funds in an HSA roll over from year to year with no spending deadline. However, if you spend amounts on non-qualified expenses, you must pay income tax plus a 20% penalty.

If you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer make HSA contributions; however, you can continue withdrawing funds to pay for qualified medical expenses—such as doctor copays, visits to a specialist, dental care and prescription eyeglasses—on a tax-free basis.

A flexible spending account (FSA) is similar to an HSA but is offered only by employers. It allows you or your employer to make contributions on a pre-tax basis, usually through payroll deductions. If you spend FSA funds on qualified medical and childcare expenses, they are never taxed. But unlike an HSA, you generally must empty an FSA each year.

2. Claim a tax deduction for qualifying medical expenses

In addition to tax breaks offered by medical savings accounts, the IRS gives you more relief by making out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses partly tax-deductible.

In addition to tax breaks offered by medical savings accounts, the IRS gives you more relief by making out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses partly tax-deductible.

To claim the medical deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A when you file income...

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How Visualization Techniques Can Improve Your Parenting

Over thirty years ago, I began my quest to become a mom. I had only been married a little over a year, but my desire to start a family was quite strong. The oldest of five siblings and someone who nurtured her dolls and began babysitting at the age of ten, I couldn’t wait to have a baby of my own to love and raise.

Though I longed for motherhood, my dream wasn’t to be right away. Nearly six years of infertility and one blessed adoption later, I finally achieved my long-awaited goal. Infertility is an emotionally painful experience. But thanks to an amazing tool I learned from my therapist—visualization—I was able to keep my positive momentum going until I finally became a mom. All these years later, I still practice the art of visualization. Parenting is certainly not the picnic I thought it would be, and this tool has helped me overcome even the most difficult of motherhood days.  

See also: 10 Essential Parenting Strategies for When Life’s Got You Down

What is Visualization?

Before I describe some of the best ways visualization can improve your parenting game, let’s discuss what visualization is. Also known as mental rehearsal, visualization is basically practicing to see a desired outcome, in your mind, before it actually happens.

In a 2018 study, researchers discovered that practicing a skill in your mind can help you master it when it comes time to actually perform the skill. That mental rehearsal means you imagine yourself doing a practice run to help improve the outcome when you do it for real. Mental rehearsal is a type of behavior called a covert behavior. Covert behaviors, like thinking and imagining, are things you do that no one else can experience except you.

Researchers discovered that practicing a skill in your mind can help you master it when it comes time to actually perform the skill.

Visualization can be used to prepare yourself for a variety of potentially stressful situations like taking an exam, giving a speech, asking for a raise, and competing in sports. (Pro golfer Tiger Woods has been using this method since he was a tween.) Psychology Today’s article about the power of visualization explains that “Seasoned athletes use vivid, highly detailed internal images and run-throughs of the entire performance, engaging all their senses in their mental rehearsal, and they combine their knowledge of the...

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20 Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Dogs love eating people food, and with those adorable "feed me, I'm starving" eyes they make, sometimes it's hard to resist tossing them a few scraps. But feeding your dog the wrong thing can lead to his death! So study up on this list before you let Fido snarf your snack, and if you're worried about something your dog has eaten, call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at 888-426-4235.

Avocados

Avocados make their own fungicide, called persin. Pretty cool, huh? But dogs are allergic to it (and some humans, too), so don't let your dog near that guacamole. Persin is found in the seeds, leaves, and bark of avocado trees, too, so if you have an avocado tree in your yard, keep your dog away.

Alcohol

While it might be funny to watch a dog lapping up some beer (YouTube will attest to this), alcohol will make a pet intoxicated much quicker than it will have an effect on a human. Too much alcohol can quickly lead to alcohol poisoning and even death.

Coffee

The caffeine found in coffee is a stimulant: that's why so many of us need that cup to get going in the morning. But to a dog, such a stimulant can result in heart palpitations and muscle tremors. Letting your dog lick the foam off your cappuccino is not only unsanitary, but harmful to his health.

Milk

While we're on the topic of cappuccino foam, it's worth mentioning that milk isn't good for your dog either. Humans have an enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk, but dogs don't have very much of this enzyme. Ingesting milk can result in intestinal upset and even diarrhea. Water should be the only beverage your pup drinks.

Chocolate

Many of us have heard not to let dogs eat chocolate, but why? Chocolate contains a caffeine-like substance called theobromine, which wreaks havoc on a dog's nervous system. It can result in vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, tremors, seizures, and even death. Don't panic, though: a ten-pound dog would have to eat an entire chocolate bar to be in any serious danger. Stay on the safe side and hide the chocolate in the refrigerator where your dog can't get to it.

Persimmons

This flavorful fruit is not as popular in the US as it is in Asia, but certain varieties are native to the Midwest and the Asian varieties grow well in California. There is a chemical found in persimmons that can react with stomach acid and create a gluey mass that can obstruct the intestines. It's a rare occurrence, but it's best to keep...

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Savvy Psychologist’s Top 5 Psychology Takeaways

I can’t believe it! It feels like just yesterday I sat in my bedroom surrounded by pillows and piles of sound-absorbing laundry (yes, the laundry was clean) to record my first hesitant podcast episode. Fast-forward 250 episodes and five wonderful years, and here we are at my final solo episode. 

Next week your new Savvy Psychologist, Dr. Jade Wu, will stop by the show to chat with me. I’m so excited for you to finally meet her!

But first, we have a final episode to savor. For five years, I’ve been inspired by your requests, combed through the literature, read thousands of studies, and maybe, just maybe, gotten sucked into way too many Office Space clips on YouTube. I’ll never tell. After pondering all that, I've arrived at my five biggest takeaways to help you understand the minds of your fellow humans. And your own mind, too!

Take Home #1: Behavior persists because it’s reinforced.

Or, in plain language, people do things for a reason. It’s easier to wrap your head around someone’s “bad choices” when you understand what those choices bought them. 

For example, your best friend stays with a horrible partner? To her, it may be better than being alone. Your little brother couch surfs and won’t get a job? To him, at least he’s not shooting for the stars and then failing. A customer drives through McDonald’s with three monkeys and orders them each an ice cream cone? Well, that’s not necessarily a bad choice—who doesn’t like ice cream and happy monkeys?

Who doesn’t like ice cream and happy monkeys?

Anyway, my point is that every poor decision, weird preference, or choice that makes you scratch your head can usually be understood through the power of empathy. Think: what does this person get out of this? What does this action buy them? 

Usually, they attain something desirable (love, money, power, positive emotions) or avoid something detrimental (harm, rejection, discomfort, negative emotions). Put yourself in their shoes, and you may just smack your forehead and say, “Ohhhhh! Now I get it. If I was in their situation, I’d probably do that, too.”

Take Home #2: People do the best they can with what they have at the time. 

This one comes right after Take Home #1 for a reason. When looking at Things Gone Wrong, whether in your own life or the lives of those you love, it can be helpful to remember that people—both you and others—generally do the best they can given their circumstances. Those circumstances may be colored by mental illness, trauma, addiction, poverty, or any number of other challenges. It’s by no means an excuse for...

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Why 'Dumbing Down' Your Language Isn't Always Dumb

Sometimes listeners tell me that when they talk to other people and use standard English grammar, they’re perceived as stuck up or pretentious. But if they know the difference between “who” and “whom,” for example, why should we pretend not to know? Why should we have to, as one listener put it, “dumb things down for people we’re speaking to”? Today, I’ll tell you why adjusting your speech for different audiences can be smart, not dumb.

Figure Out What’s Appropriate

We do a lot of things in different ways depending on whom we’re with. For example, you probably wouldn’t wear a tuxedo to a job interview. If you go to a job interview dressed in a business suit instead of a tuxedo, that doesn’t mean you’re dumbing down the way you dress. It means you know what kind of attire is appropriate for the situation. You also probably wouldn’t wear pajamas to a family Thanksgiving dinner. If you change out of those pajamas and put on some of your nicer clothes, that doesn’t mean you’re being sneaky and hiding the way you really dress. It means you know that pajamas are appropriate in some situations, while other clothes are appropriate when you’re visiting relatives you don’t see very often.

As for language, you can’t assume that standard English with schoolbook grammar is the only right way to speak for any occasion. If you always used “whom” when the rules you’ve learned call for it, it would be like wearing a tuxedo all the time, at weddings and ballroom-dance competitions, at job interviews and Thanksgiving dinners, at the pool, and in bed. It wouldn’t be a sign of education and high standards; it would probably seem a little weird.

Most People Use Different Registers in Different Situations

The varieties of language you use in different areas of your life are known as speaking or writing styles. Some particularly specialized styles, such as those used in the courtroom, or poetry, or the operating room, are known as registers. Being able to switch smoothly and appropriately between different styles or registers is a skill; it’s not always easy to do.

For example, earlier I had to decide whether to say “depending on who you’re with” or “depending on whom you’re with.” I definitely wasn’t going to use “depending on with whom you are,” because that’s horribly awkward and there’s no need to avoid ending the sentence with a preposition—that’s a thoroughly discredited “rule”—but I still had to make a judgment call about which wording would work better in an informal podcast about grammar.

...

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9 Tips to Keep Your Garden and Yard in Top Shape

Save Money on Pool Maintenance

Did you know you can clean your pool by using tennis balls? Here’s that and the rest of amazing our pool-cleaning hacks, including how to adjust the chlorine in your pool by doing absolutely nothing.

Keep Bugs Away from Your Pool

To keep bugs away from the outside of your pool, spray white vinegar around the perimeter. It keeps away flies, ants, and some mosquitoes. Or, simply use a fan to get rid of flying bugs.

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Cardboard

It’s an updated version of keeping mosquitoes away with a cigar: burn a piece of undyed cardboard instead. Coffee trays (like ones you’d get at a coffee chain to hold multiple cups of coffee) or egg cartons work well. Light on fire, then blow out and place somewhere safe. The smoke floats up and keeps mosquitoes away from your entire patio.

Keep Grass from Sticking to Your Mower’s Blades

The best time to mow your lawn (for the health of your grass) is the morning, but the grass can be dewy, leading to wet clippings stuck to your mower. To keep grass from sticking to your mower’s blades, spray the blades with non-stick cooking spray.

When and How to Fertilize Your Lawn

You should only fertilize your lawn once a year—you can actually have a lazy lawn! If you feed your lawn too much, the roots won’t need to reach down to find food. When it’s hot, they’ll dry out right away. The trick is to feed it once a year—in spring or fall. When roots aren’t pampered, they’ll grow deeper and become stronger. If you didn’t get around to fertilizing your lawn in the spring, do it in September or October. Our preferred method? Using Epsom salts to fertilize your lawn. You can either sprinkle them on your lawn using a spreader or make a liquid solution out of them by adding some water and putting the mixture in a spray bottle. Espsom salts are composed of magnesium and sulfur, both of which are highly beneficial to grass. Magnesium kick-starts seed germination and is also a player in manufacturing chlorophyll, the substance that plants create from sunlight in order to feed themselves.

Plants Like Beer, Too

If you host a big party at your house, don’t throw away all the beer from those half-empty bottles. Instead, pour it into your garden or...

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8 Reasons Your Credit Score Dropped and What to Do

Michelle B. says: “I normally don't worry much about my credit score and I don't need to use it for anything right now. But my FICO score for June was 785 and now for July, it's 747. I didn’t do anything different that I can recall. I don’t have a mortgage or any debt and I’m never late on bills. I reviewed my credit reports in the past six months and didn’t see any red flags on them. Can you help me understand why this drastic change occurred and if I should be worried about identity theft?”

Michelle, thank you for this question. I know that seeing your credit score drop suddenly and for no apparent reason can be frustrating. In this post, I’ll explain why scores fluctuate and when you should be worried about a drop. I’ll also cover tips to boost your scores quickly, so an unexpected credit score dip won’t hurt your finances.

What Affects Your Credit Score?

One of the biggest misconceptions about credit is that you only have one credit score, such as FICO. While FICO is a popular type of score, there are actually hundreds of different credit scoring models that are used by mortgage lenders, credit card issuers, insurers, and merchants. There are even multiple types and versions of FICO scores.

Each scoring model uses a complicated algorithm to evaluate you based on the information in your credit reports at the nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The higher your score the less risky you appear to potential creditors and merchants.

Here are the ranges for some popular credit scores:

• FICO Mortgage Score: 300 to 850
• FICO Auto Score: 250 to 900
• FICO Bankcard Score: 250 to 900
• VantageScore: 501 to 990
• TransUnion: 300 to 850

In addition to having different score ranges, each scoring model puts emphasis on different factors. For instance, having a missed payment on an auto loan might be weighed more heavily when factored into an auto scoring model.

The exact formula that a credit scoring company uses is kept confidential. However, FICO says they use the following factors and weights as a baseline:

• Payment history (35%) - such as late payments, accounts in collections, and bankruptcies affects your score the most. Making payments on time is a critical factor for maintaining good credit.   
• Amounts owed (30%) - is also known as credit utilization, which is the amount of debt you have compared to your available credit. Using a smaller percentage of your available credit boosts your score.
• Age of credit history (15%) - is how long you've had credit accounts open. Having older accounts improves your...

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Pros and Cons of Oat Milk

Just when you thought there wasn’t room for one more in the case, a new non-dairy alternative has taken the world by storm: Oat milk.  Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of the newest contender.

Pros of Oat Milk

One thing that oat milk has going for it is a texture that’s close to that of whole milk. Unlike rice or almond milk, which tend to be thin and watery, oat milk has a creamier mouthfeel; this is a non-dairy alternative that you can actually use to lighten your coffee. And although taste is obviously subjective, the fuller flavor of oat milk has won a lot of converts.

Oats may also have an edge in terms of sustainability, especially compared with almonds. Another plus is a small amount of fiber. We’re only taking 1 or 2 grams per serving, but oat fiber has some unique benefits in terms of lowering blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 

With 2-4 grams of protein per serving, oat milk is lower in protein than cow’s milk or soymilk but higher than most rice and almond milk. Oat milk may also be a great option for those with nut allergies, for whom nut milks are off the menu. 

See also: Which Milk Substitutes Are Best?

Oats are not a good source of calcium or vitamins A and D—nutrients that are typically supplied by dairy. However, virtually all of the oat milk brands I reviewed were fortified with calcium. Many also contained added vitamin D, and a few were fortified with a whole range of additional nutrients, including vitamins A and B12. As long as you're getting those nutrients from somewhere, they don’t necessarily need to be in your milk. But if you’re counting on your nondairy milk to be filling those gaps, check labels. 

I put together a chart of several of the leading brands of oat milk, comparing their nutritional profile, cost, and ingredients. You'll find it on my blog at NutritionOverEasy.com.

Cons of Oat Milk

...

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Introducing The Relationship Doctor

Good relationships don't happen by accident. It's a lot more than just knowing when to swipe right. In a world filled with empty calories of connection, how can we make our relationships more fulfilling? I'm Dr. Stephen Snyder. I'm a sex and relationship therapist with over 30 years of experience helping couples. No matter what stage you're in—single, newly committed, or somewhere further along, I'm here to help you navigate the twists and turns of modern relationships.

In each episode, I'll tackle your most pressing dating and relationship questions. I'll show you simple, proven strategies to help any relationship—not just for now, but for a lifetime.

I'll answer questions like: 

"My boyfriend is constantly glued to his phone. What can I do to get him to look away from the screen for once?"

"My girlfriend gets upset when I talk to, email, or text other women, even if they're old friends or colleagues. Is she justified or is she being manipulative?"

"I've been single for awhile. I want to start dating again but my nerves always get the best of me. How can I be more confident on first dates?"

"My relationship doesn't feel exciting anymore. How can I bring back the spark?"

"My partner is moving across the country. What can we do to make a long-distance relationship work?"

"My partner and I argue about politics constantly. How do we continue our relationship when I know we'll never be on the same page?"

Stay tuned for answers to all these questions and more. Get ready to learn how to love better. From Quick and Dirty Tips, this is the Relationship Doctor. My first episode, "Understanding Your Love Language," drops August 5th. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

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What is the New Science of Sport?

As the guest on today's podcast episode points out in his new book, there's a revolution going on in the world of sports these days. More and more athletes are spending more and more time focussing on a game-changing combination of recovery and mindset rather than just training alone. The notion of "no pain, no gain" is losing favor in the sport community. It's being replaced by a more sensible and well balanced approach. I find this idea both intriguing and encouraging.

Champion's Mindset

A while ago, I wrote about a study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine called Lifestyles and mindsets of Olympic, Paralympic and world champions: is an integrated approach the key to elite performance? It examined how factors other than training affected a sample of world-class, champion athletes. The study concluded, "Championship performance is likely to occur at the intersection of psychological prowess, interpersonal support, effective performance strategies and lifestyle." In other words, there's more to being a champion than simply nailing all of your workouts.

There's more to being a champion than simply nailing all of your workouts.

Marc Bubbs' book, Peak: The New Science of Athletic Performance That is Revolutionizing Sports, explores some similar fundamentals of high performance (among many others.) It focuses on the importance of consistency (not extreme effort), and the value of patience (not rapid transformation). 

About Dr. Bubbs

My guest, Dr. Marc Bubbs, earned his Bachelor Integrated Medical Science (BSc) from The University of British Columbia and completed a post-graduate Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine degree at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM). He has successfully completed international licensing board-exams (NPLEX). He has gone on to become the Performance Nutrition Lead for the Canadian Men's National Basketball Team. He's also a certified member of The International Society of Sports Nutritionists and The National Strength and Conditioning Association.

I really encourage you to listen to the podcast because in this episode we cover some wide ranging topics, such as:

• Why Dr. Bubbs decided to focus on Integrated and Naturopathic Medicine and sport
• How the activities of professional athletes are often misinterpreted
• The importance of consistency
• How we can use habits to replace the need for motivation or discipline
• How to use contextual cues to build habits (both good and bad)
• Why even Serena Williams needs...

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Fascinating Facts About the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest structure humans have ever put into space. In fact, it's so large that it wasn’t launched in its entirety. It was sent up in pieces, and then constructed in orbit. The ISS is also estimated to be the most expensive man-made object ever built. Its hefty price tag exceeds $100 billion. 

So, who uses the Space Station and for what? How big is it, and can we see it from down here on Earth? Let’s get to know the ISS.

What is the International Space Station used for?

A variety of scientific experiments are being conducted on the International Space Station every day. For starters, the ISS offers us a unique opportunity to view our planet from the outside. Astronauts at the space station conduct experiments that include things like aiding with storm forecasts and testing satellite technology. 

Astronauts aboard ISS also perform particle physics experiments like using the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 to look for dark matter and antimatter particles without the background noise that would normally dampen such a signal down here on Earth. 

Inhabitants of the space station also participate in studies of how the human body—including our muscles, bones, heart, and eyes—change without the presence of Earth’s full gravity. In NASA’s unique twin study, Astronaut Scott Kelly was studied for physiological, molecular, and cognitive changes during and after spending nearly a year in space in comparison to his retired astronaut identical twin brother Mark Kelly. Among the key findings of the twin study was the determination that our immune systems work in space just like they do on Earth. Astronaut Scott Kelly gave himself a flu vaccine while aboard the ISS and his immune system responded just as we would expect it to respond.

Inhabitants of the space station...

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How to Deal with People Who Are Late to Meetings

Today we’re going to talk about how to deal with people who are late to meetings.

Meetings! I just love meetings! 

No … I don’t. I hate meetings. I especially hate meetings when people arrive late. It’s truly maddening and disrupts the entire flow. You need to whip them into shape, for the good of the team. Also, because it can be really fun to use a whip. But you need to do it in a professional manner.

Be Understanding

When Late Lenny shows up late, how you handle it will depend on Lenny’s history. If they’re usually on time, then you don’t necessarily have to make lateness an issue. It’s entirely possible that they simply got held over in a prior meeting, or they got caught in a traffic jam, or their dog ate their homework. When the meeting’s over, just ask. “You showed up late. Was Fido’s having a low-fiber day? Canine digestion is such a delicate thing.” 

Make sure you both understand the subtext: “Show up on time to the next meeting.”

Once, just to be a nice person, I would have advised you to be understanding. But that’s so pre-social-media. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. So smile nicely as you ask Late Lenny about Fido. And make sure you both understand the subtext: “Show up on time to the next meeting.”

You can also ask what would make it easier for them to arrive on time. Then get creative. If they have a condition like ADHD that makes it difficult to be prompt, you could try assigning them a meeting buddy. If Fido is the problem, buy them a ream of inedible paper for their homework.

Let Repeat Offenders Pay the Price

Sometimes, Late Lenny will arrive late again and again. Each time, they have a truly reasonable excuse.

“A call with our division head went longer than expected.”

“I had to put the finishing touches on the team’s progress report and send it to headquarters.”

“My dog ate my homework (it seems Fido loves inedible paper).”

Even though there's an excuse for each incident, the fact that there’s some incident every time you need to meet is a problem. But it shouldn’t...

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3 Blue Idioms: Blue Collar, Bluestocking, and Blue Hair

I’ve talked on previous podcasts about idioms that use the word blue. We talked about blue bloods, the blue moon, and blue laws, just to name a few. Today, I’m going to share a few more. 

First up is “blue collar.” 

What Does ‘Blue Collar’ Mean?

This term originated in the United States. It’s been used since the 1920s to refer to people who perform manual labor; that is, who work with their hands. (Side note: the word “manual” derives from classical Latin “manus,” meaning “hand.”) The catch-all term “blue collar” includes everyone from farmers and electricians to people who work in construction and manufacturing. 

Why “blue”? That refers to the practice of workers wearing blue overalls or coveralls to work. These were usually made of a heavy fabric like denim or canvas. You know how you can wipe your hands on your jeans, and your jeans still don’t look dirty? Coveralls were often made of blue denim for the same reason. It does a good job of hiding grease, grime, and grunge.

“Blue collar” jobs are distinguished from “white-collar” jobs: those that are performed in an office. 

The origin of the term “white collar” is pretty straightforward. Just picture a traditional (male) office worker wearing a suit, tie, and stiff white dress shirt. This term appeared slightly before the term “blue collar.” It first appeared in a 1910 Indiana newspaper that described someone from the country following “the lure of the white collar to the city … so he can wear a white collar all the week.” (1) I wonder what that chap would think if he showed up in 2019 and saw some of the casual Friday outfits that “city folk” now wear to work. I’m not sure if he would be pleased, or disappointed.

One other note on collars. There’s a third term—"pink collar”—that refers to professions traditionally associated with women. Think teacher, hairdresser, secretary, or nurse. This term was introduced in a landmark 1977 book called “Women’s Work” that explored the increasing presence of women in the workplace. The author observed that women were generally earning less money and less respect than men who held similar jobs, and that their careers often suffered when they left the workplace to raise children, and returned after several years, older and without current job experience. This may not seem like hot news today, but at the time, these were radical observations. (2,3)

What Are 'Bluestockings'?

Speaking...

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8 Valuable Lessons Learned From Toy Story

My kids and I kicked off our summer season with an incredibly special family night—we hit the movie theater and enjoyed an amazing road trip with Woody, Buzz and the other endearing, iconic characters of Disney’s Toy Story 4 for their best adventure yet!

What struck me most about watching this inspired group of loveable and heroic toys rally, yet again, for the love of their “kid” was how many incredible, life-learning moments this series has taught us for nearly 25 years. As the mom of eight kids, I thought I’d share eight of my favorite takeaways from this Pixar masterpiece.

Change Is the Only Constant—Embrace it!

As parents, we learn quickly that although we’d love for time to stand still when we embrace our newborn for those first sweet weeks, the infant stage won't last. They outgrow their newborn diapers and onesies faster than even Buzz’s lightyear travels. As parents, we watch our kids grow in leaps and bounds. Their personalities, habits, weaknesses and strengths change faster than the speed of light. (Thank you, Buzz!)

But many of us dislike change. In 8 Reasons Why It's so Hard to Really Change Your Behavior, columnist David DiSalvo says, “One review of 129 behavior change studies found that the consistently least effective change strategies hinged on fear and regret. As much as this sounds like a platitude, real change needs a positive platform to launch from; you need positive, self-edifying reasons for taking on the challenge.”

Toy Story helps us realize that we can’t stop change. It’s necessary to help us grow and learn.

Fear is definitely a factor that makes many of us dread change. We have no control over the things we can’t predict or know until we’ve experienced them. Toy Story 3 portrayed this message beautifully. Andy, the child whose toys make up the characters in Toy Story, is preparing to depart for college. Although they have mixed feelings about watching him leave, Woody observes how his owner’s family is able to embrace the new adventures that await Andy. Now, Woody realizes it’s time for him to do the same thing. He recommends that he and his friends be passed along to a new child, Bonnie, to start a new beginning of their own. As Andy drives down the road, Woody sadly whispers, "So long, partner.", accepting that it's time to move on. (I cried for hours after that scene!)

Toy Story helps us realize that we can’t stop change. It’s necessary to help us grow and learn. As parents, we need to embrace it to raise successful,...

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