Entertainment
8 Cat Facts You Won’t Believe!
Cute, cuddly, and more than a little mysterious – our feline friends have more than their share of popular myths and folklore. How well can you separate fact from fiction?
Cats meow almost entirely for humans.
True
False
Beyond their noses, cats also can smell with their…
Whiskers
Paws
Ears
Cats can’t taste one of our favorite taste sensations – which one?
Salty
Spicy
Sweet
Male cats tend to be left-pawed, female kitties are right.
True
False
Sorry, Harry Potter – bezoar has a cat connection… What does bezoar refer to?
Good ol’ fashioned furball
Stony stomach deposit
Fancy name for knotted fur
In the original version of this classic folk tale, the fairy godmother was a cat.
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Snow White
Forget fingerprints – what feature is unique to each cat?
Whisker length
Spacing between paws
Nose pad imprint
Cats can’t survive drinking salt water.
True
False
Cat Follower
Meow, meow, meow… *purr* (& a head bump) – in cat-ese, that means “hey, so you missed a few. Dont’ worry about it – we cats tend to be inscrutable and mysterious at the best of times. The important thing is you keep giving me those wonderful scratches behind the ears and a cheeky bit of fresh fish now and again. 🙂
Cat Fancier
Wow – you know your stuff! From historical to science, you’ve got a great grasp of what makes us cats tick. So, ahem – where’s my fresh fish? 🙂
Is Stress Making You Look Older?
Most of us take regular and simple precautions against premature ageing, but how much do you know about the role of stress and the importance of looking after your skin? Find out with this quick, fun quiz – you’re bound to find something to reduce those stress levels and reduce your wrinkles!
Can a stressful job make you look older?
Yes
No
Impossible to say
Can thinking about a stressful situation make you look older?
Yes
No
It depends how often you do it
Can stress cause long term ageing effects on facial skin?
Yes
No
Stress is the biggest cause of skin ageing
True
False
Sun damage is thought to be responsible for __% of skin ageing.
55
75
80
85
Can lack of sleep lead to long term skin ageing?
Yes
No
What is the best way to keep your skin looking younger?
Drinking lots of water and eating a healthy diet
Managing my daily stresses
Using sun cream with a high SPF
Using intensive moisturiser on my skin
Getting enough sleep
All of the above
Battling against stress
Your knowledge of the influence of stress on your life is a bit wrinkly around the edges. But there’s no need to get stressed about stress! By making a few simple changes to your daily routines you can rejuvenate your approach to life.
Work in progress
You have a healthy approach to stress and the way it affects you and your body. You stay one step ahead of it most of the time but you might be making a few mistakes that gives stress more fun than it deserves!
Stress warrior
The best way to fight stress is to stay calm and you know most of the tricks to keep this nasty beastie away. However, we can’t always predict what life is going to throw at us and we all occasionally need a little extra help!
5 unusual ways to meditate and become mindful
Meditation is not all about sitting crossed legged for half an hour in silence. There are all sorts of ways you can calm your busy mind and get back in touch with the ‘old’ part of your brain.
Walking meditation
If sitting still makes you all fidgety why not try some meditation while you walk? Walk slowly with good posture and pay close attention to the way you are breathing and the way your body is moving. You need to be free to roam continuously, so avoid anywhere you need to stop to cross roads, or where anyone will try to talk to you!
Life practise meditation
Do you dread those boring chores like housework? Turn them into a mindful experience by slowing them down and concentrating on them. If you are washing dishes concentrate on the feel and temperature of the water, the sound of it splashing, the food waste dissolving from the plate. Be right there in that moment rather than thinking of all the other things you need to do.
Dancing mediation!
Not one for the step-touch dancer or the wallflower, this involves really letting yourself go and surrendering yourself to the music! This is THE time to dance as if no-one’s watching. Just don’t confuse it with that drunken clubbing moment when you’re convinced you are suddenly the world’s best dancer. This type of meditation needs you to leave your ego off the dancefloor!
Your daily commute
Obviously you can ignore this if you drive into work, but it is possible to be mindful on your daily commute. Concentrate on your breathing, the feel of your body and then the sounds of everything around you. If you close your eyes your fellow commuters will just think you’ve gone to sleep!
Be there in whatever you’re doing!
You might be at a rock concert, in a busy bar with friends or walking the dog in a city park. Just take a few moments to notice how these experiences make you feel – how your body reacts. Then take in all the information around you – what you can see (including all the little details you would normally miss), hear, smell, taste and the touch of whatever is in your hand or what is under your feet.
This may not give you the full benefits of meditation but you will get much more out of the more mundane areas of your life and feel more in tune with your surroundings.
10 Bizarre Allergies That Could Ruin Your Life
You’ll never complain about hayfever again…
ALL food and drink! Sufferers can only drink water/eat ice and have to be tube fed nutrients.
Mobile phones – causing rashes, bumps and blisters this is probably a nickel allergy.
Modern Living or “electosensitivity syndrome” – multiple chemical sensitvity symptoms from everyday products.
Kissing – Lipstick, traces of food or medications can be life threatening!
Water – Only 40 people worldwide have been diagnosed. Seems ridiculous considering the human body is almost 60% water.
Cold temperatures – Can cause rashes, swelling or even cause sudden death.
Hot temperatures – Sufferers get itchy, red and swollen skin when exposed to high temperatures.
Excercise – No excuse to skip the gym, only around 1,000 people suffer from exercise anaphylaxis.
Touch – Also known as “skin writing disease” as sufferers can easily scratch words on to their overly sensitive skin.
Sex. Or more accurately, male bodily fluids.
10 Surprising Benefits of Sleeping Naked!
Whether you’re hot and sweaty in the summer or warm and cosy in winter; ditching the PJ’s is better for you than you might imagine!
You love your body
People who sleep naked become more comfortable with their body.
You’re cooler at night
Cool as in less warm, which increases production of growth hormone that helps repair skin and reduce wrinkles.
Your rude bits chill out
This helps to prevent microbe over growth, especially for ladies.
You’re less likely to slob out
If you don’t change into PJ’s when get home you’ll do more positive things.
A closer bond with your partner
Skin on skin contact and aromas create more of the ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin and no clothing barriers = less relationship barriers.
More sex!
It’s so obvious, but it’s probably the reason you’re reading this list!
You sleep better
You don’t overheat or get tangled up in night clothes.
Better sleep is good for you
Another blindingly obvious reason but you’ll be happier, have more energy and look fresher all day.
You’ll be less hungry
Better sleep = less of the stress hormone cortisol that makes us crave more (junk) food
You’ll lose weight
Less (junk) food = less calories consumed. More sex + more energy = more calories burnt during the day.
The Top Ten Mood Boosting Foods
Snack on these to get some health feel-good vibes!
Brazil nuts
Just three of these a day will boost your selenium levels, a key ingredient for fighting low mood.
Sardines
Packed full of Omega 3 they keep your brain healthy and leave you less susceptible to depression/low mood.
Porridge
Oats release energy slowly, stopping big dips in blood sugar, thus helping to keep your mood stable.
Bananas
These contain the important amino acid Tryptophan, used in the treatment of depression, insomnia and anxiety.
Lentils
Full of iron and folate, lentils boost serotonin levels keeping you calm, happy and less anxious.
Spinach
This green wonder leaf is packed with B vitamins as well as folate to boost those serotonin levels.
Water
Not a food, but staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your body and your mood.
Yoghurt
Containing vital Vitamin D, a daily yoghurt helps protect your bones and can prevent your mood from dipping.
Coffee
People who drank two to three cups a day had a 15% lower risk of depression than those who didn’t.
Dark chocolate
People who ate 40g dark chocolate a day, over 14 days produced less stress hormones and had lower anxiety levels.
7 Easy Ways to Boost Your Confidence Right Now!
Because we all feel a little low sometimes!
Be well groomed
Taking the time to put on a nice outfit or fixing your hair makes a big difference to your confidence and how you carry yourself.
Walk faster
Increase your pace by 25%. Confident people walk quicker and with purpose.
Improve your posture
The way you carry yourself says a lot about you. Keep your head up and your shoulders down to get an instant boost.
Practice gratitude
Instead of focusing on what you want, take time each day to mentally list what you have and be grateful for it.
Exercise!
Fitness has a huge impact on self confidence through physical discipline and the release of endorphins.
Smile, even when you don’t feel like it.
This simple act releases feel-good chemicals in the brain making you feel more relaxed and appear more confident.
Do something you’re good at!
Take time each week to indulge in an activity you’re good at – it makes you feel more competent at other things too.
