If you’re trying to eat healthy, you probably look for the “organic” label.
According to conventional wisdom, organic foods are free from artificial additives, and they’re subjected to less processing than non-organic alternatives. They’re effectively more “natural,” and therefore easier on farmland. Organic meats and dairy products result in a higher quality of life for livestock.
But that might not actually be the case.
As it turns out, “organic” is big business; in the United States alone, the market brings in more than $40 billion annually, according to the Washington Post. There’s a very strong incentive to sell organic products—and the rules surrounding the “organic” label are remarkably lax.
Here’s how the United States Department of Agriculture defines organic:
“Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.”
But companies have quickly identified loopholes that allow them to maximize production while still maintaining their organic labels. For instance, many organic producers use pesticides—in fact, because organic pesticides are typically less effective than synthetics, farmers may use a much higher concentration of pesticides on their organic crops.
For processed foods, only 95 percent of the item must come from organic sources. The remaining 5 percent can be made up of non-organic substances. That all assumes that the labeling laws are followed—in some cases, enforcement seems extremely lax.
The issues are particularly noticeable in the dairy industry.
The USDA enforces organic labeling, requiring farms to allow cows to “graze daily throughout the growing season,” feeding on grass instead of readymade feeds.
However, a Washington Post investigation found that less than 10 percent of a herd at the Aurora High Plains complex grazed at any given time.
“The requirements of the USDA National Organic Program allow for an extremely wide range of grazing practices that comply with the rule,” a spokesperson for Aurora said in response, dismissing the claim as “isolated.”
Journalists also discovered that USDA inspectors visited the complex after grazing season—when the complex wasn’t required to let cows graze. This was a violation of USDA rules, and, as the Washington Post argues, an unfair practice that hurts the small farms that actually follow the rules.
“About half of the organic milk sold in the U.S. is coming from very large factory farms that have no intention of living up to organic principles,” said Mark Kastel of the Cornucopia Institute, a nonprofit group that represents smaller organic farms.
“Thousands of small organic farmers across the United States depend on the USDA organic system working.”
Unfortunately, right now, it’s not working for small farmers or for consumers.”
This isn’t to say that consumers shouldn’t buy organic foods. The report does, however, show that the USDA system is inadequate for assessing the true quality of a dairy.
So, what’s the right way to buy organic? Consumers should do their own research and buy from smaller farms that don’t have as much of an incentive to game the system. While organic processes are important for protecting the environment, the USDA label isn’t especially useful for identifying those processes.
For more information, be sure to check out the full Washington Post report on organic dairies. It’s an interesting read—even if it is fairly frustrating to consumers.
Lavinia Kelly stopped by a gas station in Walnut Grove, California for a quick snack.
She purchased some Doritos from the Valley Oak Food and Fuel, then added some nacho cheese from a dispenser in the deli area. Within hours, she was feeling sick.
The next day, she had double vision. She went to the hospital, but was sent home; later that night, she became extremely ill, prompting a visit to the emergency room. Now, she’s struggling to recover after three weeks of intensive care.
Kelly was suffering from botulism, which she contracted from the cheese sauce.
Nine other people came down with the illness, according to state officials, who urged anyone who purchased prepared food from the gas station to seek medical treatment. State officials revoked the store’s license to sell prepared foods during their investigation.
Botulism is a toxin, and proper food preparation essentially prevents it from developing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that outbreaks are extremely rare, and cases are rarely fatal. Still, it’s a serious disease that can cause paralysis.
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Early signs of botulism include difficulty swallowing and speaking, dry mouth, and facial weakness, according to the Mayo Clinic. This can be accompanied by blurred vision and drooping eyelids.
Eventually, the disease progresses, causing nausea, difficulty breathing, and paralysis.
Most patients report feelings of extreme fatigue. However, botulism can be difficult to diagnose due to its rarity, and in some instances, patients are sent home without effective treatments—as was the case with Lavinia kelly.
Botulism is caused by a toxin created by a bacteria, and heating food to 185 degrees Fahrenheit for more than five minutes kills the toxin. As such, food preparers can prevent contamination by following appropriate food handling guidelines.
The bacterium that causes botulism requires low oxygen environments, so the toxin is sometimes found in improperly packaged foods, especially canned foods that have been dented or pierced. Symptoms start to appear within 12-36 hours and progress rapidly.
Doctors can treat botulism cases with antitoxins. Patients also receive supportive care, which allows them to recover safely. Paralysis caused by botulism can last anywhere from two to eight weeks, but typically resolves on its own. As such, Kelly is expected to make a full recovery.
Kelly’s family has pursued litigation against the gas station that sold the infected cheese.
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“Only human mistakes create the environment for botulinum toxin to form,” the family’s attorney, Bruce Clark, said to the Sacramento Bee.
“We will use the lawsuit to learn more about the source of the food product that was contaminated. The source of the food product may be unrelated to the gas station; it could be a commercially made, pre-packaged item.”
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The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help support Lavinia. While she had medical insurance, she will be unable to work for the foreseeable future, so she’ll use any money she collects to cover expenses while she focuses on her recovery. To find out more or to donate, visit the page here.
This article was updated on Oct. 23, 2018.
Most of us live in relatively ignorant bliss when it comes to our food. We know that we shouldn’t eat from the salad bar of a seedy motel, for instance, and that we’re better off avoiding fast-food sushi.
Ultimately, however, we don’t really know what happens to our food before it’s presented to us. iStock
Studies show that 76 million people are affected by food illness every year. Those illnesses can be caused by bacteria, viruses, molds, and even parasites—and in some cases, the symptoms are life-threatening.
Food poisoning attorney Bill Marler has seen just about everything. He has represented clients in some of the biggest food safety cases on record, and over time, his professional life has shaped his food preferences. [pullquote align=”center”]“I have a different relationship with food because of my profession.” —Bill Marler[/pullquote]
In early 2016, Marler compiled a list of six foods that he never eats (although, as we’ll explain shortly, he’s taken occasional liberties with one of those foods). The article quickly went viral, which didn’t surprise the attorney.
“I get asked a lot about what foods I stay away from,” Marler explains to HealthyWay. “It was one of those kind of things where I finally decided to just put them [together], and I came up with six.”
But while Marler thought that the piece would do well, he might not have anticipated its reach. Courtesy of Marler Clark
“My daughter called me and said, ‘Dad, you’re trending [online],'” he recalls. “It was the first time she actually thought I was interesting!”
We spoke with Marler to review the original list—and to find out whether he’s really serious about some of these. Then we consulted with registered dietitian nutritionist Kelsey Peoples of The Peoples Plate to get advice on alternative options that are, well, way less likely to give you food poisoning.
Like Marler, Peoples’ education and profession (she has a master’s in nutrition and food science and a background in health research and clinical nutrition) mean she knows a thing or two about what you should—and shouldn’t—be putting on your plate.
1. The first item isn’t exactly a hard one to pass up…
What’s healthier than raw sprouts? They’re a great addition to any sandwich, right?
Not quite. In the past 20 years, over 30 reported illness outbreaks resulted from sprout consumption, including numerous cases of poisoning from Salmonella and E. coli bacteria. iStock
In 2014, 19 people were hospitalized with Salmonella poisoning from eating sprouts. Marler warns that there have been too many outbreaks to not pay attention to the risks.
The U.S. government’s consumer food safety website, Foodsafety.gov, includes this warning: “Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).” iStock
Of course, the site also notes that cooking the sprouts kills the harmful bacteria, so if you prefer your bean sprouts cooked, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
Plus, sprouts are, well, kind of gross, so we don’t really mind avoiding them.
This one isn’t so much about the food as the way it’s prepared.
Pre-cut fruit seems like a great idea, in theory; you get delightfully sliced pieces of perfectly ripened fruit filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
However, in his original article, Marler wrote that he avoids pre-cut fruit “like the plague.” iStock
As Marler wrote, the extra handling and processing increases the chances that the fruit will be contaminated. According to the Australian Institute of Food Safety, pre-cut fruit is one of the most common foods associated with foodborne illnesses.
Still, Marler admits that he doesn’t exactly avoid cut fruits “like the plague.” He was using a bit of hyperbole to get his point across.
“If I’m traveling or looking for a quick lunch, sometimes it’s just too convenient,” he says.
Here’s what you should eat instead…
Marler and People’s agree: You should try to eat whole fruits instead of anything pre-cut. Marler says it’ll help you avoid Listeria, a bacterium that can cause gastrointestinal and nervous system issues. Alex Kotomanov
Why’s that? “So many fruits come with their own protective barrier—bananas, oranges, kiwi, grapefruit,” explains Peoples, “so take advantage of those whole fruits when trying to avoid contamination. If you want pre-cup options, commercially processed canned fruits are still an option, but choose varieties packed in fruit juice instead of syrups and drain out the liquid to avoid excess added sugars.”
See? Even the professionals acknowledge that you’ve got options for getting your fruit fix—without a side of food poisoning.
3. Ready for a healthy breakfast? Well…sorry in advance.
This one might be hard for some people to stomach; we can’t imagine asking for our eggs over-hard.
Though there have been recent changes to the way eggs are handled and processed, it wasn’t long ago that people were getting sick from raw eggs. Eggs cooked incorrectly can still pose some health risks. To learn what to watch for, check out the video below.
A representative of Foodsafety.gov tells HealthyWay that eggs pose a particularly significant risk to immunocompromised people, and consumers need to understand that risk before partaking.
Here’s what you should eat instead…
Peoples agrees that to minimize your risk of foodborne illness, you need to cook your eggs all the way through. She says scrambled and hard boiled eggs pose a much lower risk than any runny eggs. Luísa Schetinger
She also shares that, “for some immunocompromised individuals, the safest option may be to try pasteurized liquid eggs, egg whites, or egg beater alternatives. Whites and beaters are also incredibly low in cholesterol, which is a benefit for those with any history of cardiovascular disease.”
4. This food trend might seem healthy, but that’s not the case.
Pasteurization removes some of the nutrients in juice and milk and that doesn’t bode well with the super health-conscious crowd. As a result, raw milk and juices have become more popular over the past few years, despite warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). iStock
Marler argues that there’s no benefit compelling enough to minimize the risks involved with these drinks. Since pasteurization is an important safety procedure that eliminates harmful parasites, bacteria, and viruses from beverages, it would be irresponsible to risk possible infection for a couple of extra nutrients.
Of course, his opinion is informed by his casework. In 1996, Marler fought for several children against the popular beverage company Odwalla. One client developed a serious affliction called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) from drinking unpasteurized apple juice. HUS is caused by E. coli and is linked to anemia and kidney failure. iStock
Ultimately, Odwalla was held responsible and had to pay a $1.5 million fine and another $12 million to the victims.
Here’s what you should drink instead…
“Although a fresh farm-made juice may sound delicious, it just isn’t worth the risk,” says peoples. “I always recommend choosing pasteurized products.”
She also shares this word of caution, which is especially important in light of the raw, unpasteurized juice = a healthy pour misconception:
Even 100 percent fresh fruit juice is an incredibly high source of sugar … an eight-ounce glass has as many grams of carbohydrates as two pieces of bread. I highly recommend diluting it with water to avoid blood sugar spikes, or better yet, choose fresh whole fruit instead.
5. We’ve got bad news for meat eaters.
Although something of a delicacy, rare steak (and other kinds of beef) carry with them a host of potential foodborne pathogens, including Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. Marler recommends steering clear of meat that is cooked rare.
He suggests that steak should only be consumed if it’s medium-well or well done, which should kill the harmful bacteria. iStock
It may not be the most delicious way to eat a steak, but Marler says the risks outweigh the rewards. The FDA cautions that red meat needs to be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees for ground meats) in order to be safe.
Ground meat products (like hamburgers and meatloaf) need to be cooked even more thoroughly since bacteria that sit on the surface of the meat are often ground into it.
Still, we had to ask: Does he really order all of his steaks well done? Yes, although he recalled one meal in which a restaurant confused his order with his colleague’s. iStock
“They switched the order, and I quickly looked at his steak and my steak and realized it,” Marler recalls. “We had to switch them back.”
Here’s what you should eat instead…
“If you can’t imagine eating a well-done beef burger, why not try an alternative version?” asks Peoples.
“Chicken and turkey burgers can be juicy and flavorful while being much leaner than most beef burgers, which is a perk for anyone looking to minimize their saturated fat intake. Vegetarian and vegan options are a fantastic way to get extra nutrients,” she says. Janine/Flickr
“Try grilling a portobello mushroom as your patty, buy a more traditional ‘veggie burger’ made from a blend of vegetables and whole grains, or opt for one of the newest commercial faux meat options like The Better Burger, which is being praised as the most meat-like vegetarian burger ever invented.”
You’ll have something to put on your bun, and you can top it with your condiments of choice rather than worry about a stomach bug tomorrow.
6. But Marler received the most complaints for this final item.
Most people know that oysters are not the cleanest food available, but often people don’t realize why. Oysters filter feed, which means they eat (and hold on to) everything that’s in the water—and we mean everything. iStock
When you eat raw oysters, you ingest their bacteria (somewhat obviously). Marler says that he has seen many more issues with the consumption of raw oysters over the last five years as compared to 20 years ago, and he believes that warmer water temperatures are to blame.
Why? Well, higher water temperatures mean more microbial growth, which means more cases of foodborne illness. In order for an oyster to be safe from bacteria and viruses, it must be cooked thoroughly. That reduces the risk of an illness but doesn’t eliminate it altogether.
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“We’re starting to see more cases [involving oysters],” Marler says, noting that, despite the pushback from his friends on the East Coast, he wouldn’t take the mollusks off of his list.
Here’s what you should eat instead…
There’s something très chic about knocking back oysters in good company, but Peoples says “any raw shellfish comes with a higher risk of foodborne illness.”
So what’s a gourmand to do? People’s suggestions: “Cooked alternatives like shrimp cocktail, crab cocktail, or baked clams are just as glamorous with far lower risk.” fevol/pixabay
And don’t forget that fried oysters are fair game. BRB—we’re headed to Sir Cricket’s for the best fried oysters on the cape (of Cod)—and Marler better not try to stop us!
So, would Marler make any changes to this list?
Nope. He says that while he’s seen contamination with specific brands, he doesn’t think he’d make any additions.
“There’ve been lots of outbreaks linked to, for example, soy nut butter,” Marler says. “But [the list] includes things that, historically, in my experience, have been much more risky. They involve products that don’t have a ‘kill’ step—they’re not cooked.” iStock.com/krblokhin
He also says that while he’s fairly strict about his own diet, he doesn’t ask his friends to order differently at restaurants.
“Most people know what I do, and they either don’t care or they change their order,” Marler says with a laugh. “I have a different relationship with food because of my profession.”
You might think that your body would produce some pretty serious symptoms if your liver started to fail, but that’s not always true. In fact, liver damage isn’t always apparent, and its signs can be pretty subtle. iStock
It’s no secret that there are a lot of things that can go wrong with our bodies, but some of them can be easy to push aside. Even when the problems are glaring, many people choose to ignore them, whether out of fear or just because they feel they can’t make the time. When it comes to liver damage, however, you’ll definitely want to, as it can present some subtle and not-so-subtle signs that something is dangerously wrong. Don’t take out word for it, though—pay your doctor a visit if you experience any of these troubling signs of liver damage.
So, what causes liver damage?
Though anyone can be affected by liver damage at some point in time, it’s worth noting that there are a few factors that can make it a bigger possibility for you. They include:
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages
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A buildup of fat within the liver, which is known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Abnormalities within the immune system
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Certain viruses and parasites
Liver cancer
Genetic conditions that affect liver function
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Any of these factors and conditions can eventually lead to severe liver damage if left untreated, so talk to your doctor if you begin to experience any of the following symptoms, or just anything that’s abnormal for you.
Your eyes become yellow.
Most of us notice that our eyes become a little red from time to time, whether it’s because we’re tired or because an incredibly persistent eyelash got stuck in there sometime during the day. While both of these things are normal, what’s not normal is when your eyes turn yellow.
This is a sign of jaundice, a condition that can occur when your liver isn’t breaking things down properly. The yellow color comes from a substance call bilirubin, a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells, which would normally be removed from the body after the liver breaks it down.
You’re always itchy.
Chronic itchy skin shouldn’t send you into a panic about whether or not you might have liver damage, but it’s important to pay attention to if you experience it along with any of these other symptoms. iStock
Though it’s not known exactly why liver damage can lead to constant scratching, research suggests it’s linked to the production of bile salts.
The liver produces bile to aid in digestion but, for people with certain liver conditions, the liver may stop producing the substance or it might not be able to use it properly, which can make it accumulate in the body. iStock
For example, primary biliary cirrhosis is a disease that can collapse the bile duct and trap it in your liver.
Your urine is dark.
Not only can liver damage affect the color of your urine, it can also make your stool look different, too. When it comes to your urine, a dark yellow color means that you’re probably dehydrated, but anything that looks more orange, amber, brown, or even root beer-colored should be an immediate cause for concern. iStock
For your stool, look out for anything grey, yellow, or overly pale in color.
Bile is what gives your stool its normal brown color, so anything that appears much lighter could indicate that something’s going on in the liver. iStock
However, using an antacid that contains aluminum hydroxide can also cause lighter stools as well, so don’t be too alarmed if it seems to be just a one-time thing after a bout of heartburn.
Your abdomen feels swollen.
Persistent bloating is never great no matter what’s causing it but, for most people, it’s something that eventually passes without many problems. However, if your abdomen starts to swell and doesn’t show any signs of stopping, it’s always worth getting it checked out. iStock
While it could just be fluid retention or gas, it could also point to liver damage or damage to the blood vessels in or around your liver.
Liver scarring, also known as cirrhosis, could be blocking or putting pressure on blood vessels that lead in or out the your liver, causing a buildup of fluid within the body. iStock
With a quick trip to your doctor, you’ll be able to figure out if it’s just gas or something’s little more serious.
You’re forgetful, or maybe confused.
We all have days where we’re not at our best, and perhaps on these days we repeatedly forget little details or have trouble understanding something simple. If you start noticing it happening more often than not, however, it’s time to see a doctor. iStock
Among many other things, feeling increasingly confused or forgetful can be a sign that toxins are building up in your body because your liver is damaged and unable to filter them out. The condition is called hepatic encephalopathy and is common in those who suffer from chronic liver issues.
You’re always tired.
If you always find yourself waking up tired after a good night’s sleep, it’s pretty much always a sign that something’s not quite right within your body. For the majority of people, it’s probably due one long night out that can be fixed with another few hours of sleep, but it can also point to liver issues. uSticj
This is because the organ stores glucose for the body and also releases it, so anything that affects liver function can also have an impact on energy levels, too.
You’re at an unhealthy weight.
Being overweight can increase your risk for a lot of different health problems, and liver damage is definitely one of them. This is because of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which occurs when fat within the body begins to build up within or around the liver. iStock
It can eventually lead to scarring of the liver which can then complicate things even further. Though nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can sometimes affect people who aren’t considered to be at a high risk for it, you can take steps to prevent it by doing things to keep yourself at a healthy weight.
You have hepatitis.
This one’s a no-brainer: If you have hepatitis, you are absolutely more likely to experience liver damage at some point. There are a few different types of hepatitis, and one causes different symptoms and affects the liver in a different way. iStock
Hepatitis A is an incredibly contagious form of the virus that is often spread through contaminated water and food. It often causes jaundice and flu-like symptoms.
Hepatitis B is a form of the virus often spread through sexual contact with an infected person. It usually causes jaundice, dark urine, and abdominal pain.
Hepatitis C is usually spread through contact with infected blood. It doesn’t always cause symptoms immediately, but can cause jaundice, chronic fatigue, and nausea. iStock
There are many other forms of hepatitis—autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E—but the factor that they all share is that they cause inflammation within the liver. Fortunately, most of them are treatable or preventable, so you can talk to your doctor if you believe you’re more at-risk.
Liver disease runs in your family.
Like many other diseases and conditions, having a family history of liver problems can make you more likely to develop them at some point in time. iStock
Of course, that’s not a guarantee, as there are many liver conditions that are the result of personal choices, but there are a few that do have a genetic component. These conditions include liver cancer, hemochromatosis, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
There’s nothing wrong with trying to be healthy, but what if the steps you’re taking aren’t doing anything? Some of today’s most popular health trends may not be worth it after all.
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Forming a new habit can be difficult, especially when it’s one related to your health and wellness. No matter what you do, there’s no denying that junk food is still delicious despite how much we hear about its crappy ingredients, and that exercise still takes time and energy we don’t want to spend no matter how satisfying it can feel. However, there are few things that can make us feel more proud of ourselves than taking consistent steps toward better health—but are we really, though?
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Whether a longstanding recommendation or a new trend that’s sweeping offices and gyms across the world, there are many health-related things we encounter every day that, as it turns out, really aren’t worth all the hype.
Eating Healthier
We can hear you screaming at your computer screen now, wondering out loud how we could dare say that putting a piece of kale in your mouth is somehow wrong. We promise we’re not saying that exactly, but hear us out on this one.
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It’s a goal of pretty much every human being out there to eat healthier on a daily basis, regardless of what “healthier” happens to mean to them—for some people it’s becoming a vegan, while others just make the switch from drinking five sodas a day to only three.
At some point, however, making the switch to eating healthier can take a dangerous and very much unhealthy turn. An obsessive desire to eat only foods that are healthy is known as orthorexia nervosa, a condition that has been categorized as an eating disorder right alongside things like bulimia and anorexia nervosa.
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Those who have it might spend 30 minutes figuring out what to order at a restaurant, only to eat nothing because they couldn’t verify that every ingredient used was organic. Or maybe it’s that they don’t take a handful of almonds because they weren’t first soaked overnight before being served.
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Left untreated long enough, the condition can eventually cause nutritional deficiencies that can lead to even more serious health problems. Unfortunately, it’s a disorder that’s only becoming more common and sometimes even validated—some people are of the opinion that starving yourself to be thin is bad, but not eating because you don’t know the name of the cow your burger came from is somehow the picture of health. Do yourself a favor and don’t go overboard.
Using Fitness Trackers
By now, you might think that we’re just trying to take away everything you love—first your healthy diet and now your beloved Fitbit. Again, we’re not saying anything is inherently wrong with trying to keep track of your steps or fitness levels, but there are some unexpected downsides.
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First of all, if you’ve been using your tracker to keep tabs on things like your heart rate, you should know that they have a tendency to be inaccurate. One study showed that they can calculate your heart rate incorrectly by up to 20 beats each minute, and that the miscalculation got even worse the harder someone exercised, which is probably when most people who use the feature care about it most.
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For someone who absolutely needs to know their heart rate during exercise because of a heart condition, this kind of inaccuracy can also just be plain dangerous.
Not only that but, while studies do show that fitness trackers can help people exercise more, it often does so in a way that’s similar to a parent telling their child they can only have dessert after eating their carrots. Fitness trackers can eventually make exercise feel like even more of a chore than it sometimes does, and they might not even really help you get or stay fit!
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One study kept track of 470 teenagers as they followed an exercise regimen and lower-calorie diet. Half of them kept track of their exercise on their own, while the other half used fitness trackers to get the job done for them. Believe it or not, the group that did it by hand actually lost more weight.
Flossing
Be prepared to run into your dentist’s office to gloat, because it’s been determined there is no scientific evidence that flossing is as great as they say it is. Go ahead, let all the times they judged you for your bleeding gums just roll right off your back.
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Despite evidence that suggests flossing can help with plaque, cavities, and gum disease, that evidence is also considered to be “very unreliable,” “weak,” and “very low,” as well as being open to, “a moderate to large potential for bias.”
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You probably won’t be surprised to hear that most studies that tout the benefits of flossing are often funded by floss-making companies, and they’re not even that thorough—one apparently made its pro-flossing conclusions after its subjects flossed just a single time.
Cutting Out Salt
We’ve all heard before that Americans eat way too much salt—in fact, according to the American Heart Association, the average person consumes around 3.4 grams of it day, when the recommended limit is a mere 1.5 grams.
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There’s no doubt that most people could stand to cut some of their daily salt intake out of their diets—after all, too much can increase your risk for things like high blood pressure and heart disease—but cutting out some doesn’t mean cutting out all.
Believe it or not, your body does actually need salt, and research shows that the recommendation from the American Heart Association may actually be too low. One study monitored around 100,000 people and paid special attention to the amount of salt they consumed—the group who ended up being least likely to suffer from heart problems was the group that consumed between three and six grams of sodium each day.
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Additionally, another study done in 2011 found that participants with high blood pressure were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke when they consumed over seven grams of salt each day, but also when they consumed less than three grams. When you consider the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 1.5 grams, it seems that it could put people at risk more than it helps.
Working at Standing Desks
It’s one of the latest trends in innovative offices everywhere: a desk that requires you to stand so you’re forced off your butt during the day. It makes sense—you can avoid slouching over, pinching your nerves all day, and just generally feeling like a lazy blob by making sure you’re keeping yourself somewhat active during the work day.
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However, standing while at work isn’t enough to negate all of the things you choose to do outside of the office.
Scientists went over health data for around 5,000 people from the past 15 years, and they found that sitting doesn’t play as big of a role in our health as we think. It’s being stationary in general that isn’t good for us, and it doesn’t matter where we do it.
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Basically, if you think that standing during works means you’ve essentially worked out during the day and can veg out in front of the TV all night when you get home, you’ve got another think coming. We’re not saying that your standing desk is totally useless, but you still need to get in an actual workout every now and then, too.
Taking Vitamins
Many people start their day off with a multivitamin as way for them to guarantee that they’re getting all the nutrients they need no matter what they eat. However, what most people might not know is that certain vitamins can build up in our bodies and lead to a number of issues.
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When it comes to vitamins and nutrients, there are two main categories-water soluble and fat soluble. It’s actually good to consume water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and vitamin B12 daily because your body will just excrete the extra in your urine.
However, fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A and vitamin E can actually build up within your body’s fat cells and lead to vitamin toxicity. That does sound more severe than it can be—for most nutrients, an “overdose” won’t cause many noticeable symptoms, but can increase your risk for certain conditions over time.
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That said, it’s still recommended that you try to get all of your nutrients from real food, and take supplements only for things you truly need more of.
You have to have been underground for the past two decades if you haven’t heard the term feng shui being thrown around. Just in case you think it may be a new type of fried pork meal, let us clarify! iStock
Feng shui, which literally translates to “wind and water” is the ancient art of placement.
The Chinese believe that the goal of one’s life is to enhance the flow of chi (spiritual energy) and create balanced and harmonious environments that promote health, increase wealth, and bring happiness. iStock
One of the ways this can be achieved is through the proper placement of items, including furniture, in your house.
The art has become so widely accepted and en vogue that if a decorator doesn’t use it—or at least isn’t slightly familiar with it—it could be grounds for termination. iStock
An entire house can be designed according to feng shui principles, but since rest is the foundation of a healthy life and the bedroom is the oasis of the home, experts agree that it’s the most important area to start with. In the bedroom, the way that furniture is positioned in the bedroom affects your health by affecting the flow of energy.
The correct placement can make one feel more calm and tranquil, more positive, and generally in more in control. iStock
Start by taking a look around your room. The top mistake people make in arranging their bedroom is not leaving equal room on both sides of the bed. This is one of the most vital elements in designing this room.
Is your bed pushed up against the wall? Is there more room on one side than the other? Does the room feel a little off kilter when you step back and study it? iStock
The uneven placement of items to the sides of the bed doesn’t allow for the equal flow of chi throughout the room and can result in relationship issues, and physical and mental health issues, as well.
When designing the room, make sure there’s equal space on both sides of the bed but also be sure that there’s a grounding energy there as well. Two nightstands do the trick with some added lamps (both the same) for soft lighting. iStock
This balance will be keep your energy centered and will also maintain equality in your relationship. If you have a choice, experts recommend the use of round tables instead of square ones. The points on the square of the tables may cut off the chi energy that will be directed toward you.
Feeling rejuvenated by the thought of revitalizing your life through your bedroom? Read on about the other things you can do to boost your mojo!
Don’t align your bed with doors.
Doors are a big deal in the art of feng shui and are symbolic of so many things. As a rule of thumb it’s important to keep the bed positioned as far from any door as possible.
It’s also important that the bed not be in alignment with any door (bedroom, bathroom, or closet), or too much chi will flow toward the bed. iStock
Even if it’s misaligned, a door should be visible at all times—this allows you to energetically and literally see and feel who and what opportunities are approaching. Additionally, a direct line of vision to the door is believed to start your day with a sense of control.
Avoid accumulating clutter.
Too much clutter means that chi can’t circulate in your bedroom which can cause intimacy and health issues. Be sure that the area surrounding your bed is clean and free of debris. iStock
Extra books can be a particularly overwhelming source of clutter. Too many books lying around can disturb the peace in your bedroom by making the room look and feel like it’s a place of work. A few books are fine, but more than that should be placed in a different area of the house. One book in particular that would be good to have on hand to help with avoiding clutter accumulation in your space is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.
Take the television out of the bedroom.
Televisions are considered an unhealthy addition to most bedrooms; they not only create unhealthy magnetic fields which disrupt sleep, they also keep you distracted and keep the bedroom from being a place of relaxation. iStock
This holds true for desks as well. If you can’t move either, experts suggest that you cover them with a scarf or sheet when they’re not in use.
Keep plants and flowers outside of your room.
Yang is the very active principle of the universe that’s characterized as male and is associated with heaven, heat, and light. Plants are thought to possess a lot of it—making them inappropriate for a bedroom. iStock
Their high energy and internal activity can rob you of the peaceful rest that is needed so it’s recommended to keep all plants and flowers out of the room. If you must keep them in your bedroom, try to keep them out of line of vision when you’re in bed.
Have a supportive wall behind your head.
At nighttime, your body needs good backing, protection, and support to rest and repair from the day’s work and stress. Feng shui advises the use of headboards that are solid and made of wood. A good upholstered one is helpful because you get the best of both worlds: gentle and supportive. iStock
Experts caution that it’s not advisable to position your bed under a window. Doing so may gradual rob you of your personal energy, as the window offers neither support nor protection.
Get a supportive mattress.
The quality of the mattress that you choose is super important in feng shui because the better you rest at night, the better prepared you are for your day. Pick your mattress wisely and be sure that it provides firm support, hopefully, support similar to these mattresses below.
Never, ever buy a used mattress. Not only is that potentially highly unsanitary, it’s believed that energy is accumulated from previous owners and you have no idea what kind of energy it may be.
Avoid beds and mattresses that fold into walls, as they are typically uncomfortable and not healthy for your body. iStock
Make sure the bed is high enough.
The height of your mattress is important because it allows for smooth energy flow under the bed so be sure that your bed is high enough off of the ground for it to circulate. iStock
Platform beds or ones with storage under the mattress are considered bad feng shui choices as there is no space under the bed for chi to flow which can result in a myriad of problems. Try these bed lifters to improve the height of your bed.
Avoid mirrors.
Feng shui experts caution that mirrors in a bedroom can cause disturbed sleep and may invite space for infidelity. Mirrors are also considered too energetic for such a restful space.
If mirrors are necessary, experts suggest that you put them behind closet doors, or drape fabric over them when they’re not in use.
Don’t put your bed under a beam.
As a general rule of thumb it’s suggested to not position your bed directly under a beam as it may create feelings of pressure that can disrupt sleep and harm your health. iStock
If you must do so, cover the beam with fabric or hang two bamboo flutes from the beam with the mouthpieces pointing downward.
Skip water fountains and fish tanks.
Remove all items that contain water or that picture water from your bedroom. This may include aquariums, water fountains, and pictures of lakes or rivers. iStock
Feng shui warns that these are considered negative items and may invite possible financial loss or robbery.
Looking great can be a tough and tedious job! It can take hours to pick out the right tools and learn how to use them properly. Makeup artists take tons of classes and work to gain years of experience to perfect their trade. You can learn how to be your own makeup pro—in less time—by learning some tricks of the trade.
Does your face often end up looking like a 2-year-old was your makeup artist? Are you tired of spending your entire paycheck on beauty products that don’t work? Try these easy makeup hacks—and go from frustrated to fancy!
Check your makeup in different lighting.
Nothing looks worse than uneven makeup. Since makeup looks different in different lighting, be sure to check it in the car, in the bathroom, and outside.
If you don’t have time to run outside with your handheld mirror, of course, you could try this remarkably affordable lighted mirror. Its warm LED lighting mimics daylight and seven-times magnification will help you apply your makeup like a pro.
Get the smoky eye effect without all the work.
Dark eyes look great but achieving the look, flawlessly, is a challenge. Try this hack next time you’re going out. The South Beach Blog
Choose your favorite eyeliner, and draw a hashtag (or number sign) at an angle on the outer corner of your lid. Then smudge and blend it in with your other eyeshadow.
Use a white base coat instead of clear.
In order to make your nail polish color stand out a little more, use white polish instead of clear. Polly Polish
It brightens the color and still protects your nail from discoloration.
Get off glitter polish with ease.
Instead of using base coat, swipe a coat of white glue (like Elmer’s) on your nails. Next time you want to remove your glitter polish, you won’t need polish remover—it peels right off!
Sweep mascara toward your nose, not upwards.
Most women make the mistake of applying mascara in an upward fashion. iStock
If you want thicker looking lashes and eyes that pop, angle your brush inward, not upward.
Use white eyeliner all over your lid to make eyeshadow stand out.
The color white helps colors on eyes pop, like it does on nails. Fashion Lady
Apply white eyeliner all over your lid, then apply your eyeshadow on top of it.
Turn a regular pencil eyeliner into gel liner.
Want soft, smooth lines? Beth Bender Beauty
Place the tip of your eyeliner over a match or other flame for a second, wait 15 seconds for it to cool, then gently apply it.
Use t-shirts instead of towels to dry your hair.
If your hair seems to always be frizzy and look untamed—no matter how much product you try to weigh it down with—you might want to try drying it a different way! Just Curly
Instead of using a towel to mop your hair up, wrap it in a soft, cotton t-shirt. It’ll keep your curls smooth and under control.
Even better, pick up a few of these ultra-wicking microfiber turban wraps. They pull moisture out of your hair for a frizz-free ‘do, and they free you to finish getting ready instead of laboring with the blow dryer. This pack of two even throws in a detangler comb for the final step.
Keep the mascara brush you love.
Love the mascara brush that you have, but don’t love the actual mascara? You can keep it! Just clean it with soap and warm water, then let it dry thoroughly. Make Beauty Simple
It’ll be ready to use again with other tubes of mascara.
Apply glue to your fake lashes a better way.
Applying glue to your fake eyelashes can be somewhat of a nightmare, leaving you with glue everywhere and your lashes sticking to everything. Priceza
Try placing the glue on the edge of a bobby pin and use it to apply the glue quickly and easily to lashes.
Set lipstick with powder.
There’s no need to buy drying, “24-hour” lipsticks in order to try to get your lipstick to stay. Try it the old-fashioned way! A Beautiful Mess
Apply your lipstick, then place a tissue over your lips. Dust translucent powder over the tissue on your lips and you’re ready to go!
Get the perfect pout.
Does your pout end up looking more pathetic than perfect? You can make it flawless with this easy tip.
Choose a lip liner in the same color as your lipstick and line your entire lips, ending in an “x” at the top. Fill in your lips with lipstick for the perfect shaped pout.
Make your foundation even smoother.
Do you find that your concealer ends up looking cakey and unnatural? Place a little on the back of your hand and mix it with a little of your favorite moisturizer. It’ll go on smoothly!
Keep your lipstick off your teeth.
Every woman hates lipstick on her teeth! Next time you’re heading out, clean off excess lipstick by putting your finger in your mouth, closing your lips around your finger, and gently pulling it out. The excess will get on your finger, not your teeth.
Conceal those under-eye circles perfectly.
Most women place concealer in dots, directly under the eye. This brightens up that small area but ends up making the rest of your face look “flat.” Cosmopolitan
Try applying it in a triangle shape starting the widest part at the base of your bottom eyelashes, then extending the tip to the bottom of your cheeks. This will hide redness, even out your skin tone, and brighten your whole face.
Use a spoon or credit card to get perfect wings.
Having trouble getting the perfect wing on your eye? Place the base of the spoon at an angle, against your eye and make a “cat eye” stroke. StyleCraze
Then press the rounded part of the spoon against your eyelid and wing your eyeliner stroke against the edge.
Use a spoon to keep mascara off of your face.
Have trouble keeping mascara off of your face when you apply it to your bottom lashes? Use a spoon to help! Hold the rounded part below and against your lower lids, and apply it. The excess will go on the spoon, not your lashes.
Curl your lashes with a heated eyelash curler.
Give your eyelashes even more va-va-voom by heating your eyelash curler before you use it. Use your hairdryer to heat it for a couple of seconds, let it cool…then curl. The heat will set the curl.
Create your own lip gloss out of broken eyeshadow.
Shattered eye shadow? Don’t throw it out! Make your own one-of-a-kind lip color in just a few easy steps.
Plump your lashes with face powder.
Plump lashes are in, baby! But most mascaras don’t do the job nearly as well as you’d like. Kathryn Wirsing/Elle
Try dusting a little translucent powder on your lashes in between mascara coats. Just be sure to use a little at a time so that it doesn’t get in your eyes.
Fix French manicures with a rubber band.
French manicures are beautiful and clean, problem is—they last about a day before you need to head back to the salon. Save time and money by doing your own touch-ups! Paper Raindrops
Place a rubber band at the base of the nail color tip and paint the tip. The rubber band ensures a perfect, flawless line.
Use dry shampoo at night.
As handy as dry shampoo is, it can leave your hair looking clumpy and feeling icky. Try spraying your hair before you go to bed. As you move around it’ll evenly distribute and you’ll wake up with clean and voluminous hair.
Use leave-in conditioner right after you shower.
Do leave in conditioners often leave your hair feeling weighed down? Can’t go without it? Try this hack! iStock
Apply the conditioner as soon as you get out of the shower when your hair is sopping wet, then use that t-shirt we mentioned to dry your hair. The shirt will evenly distribute the conditioner and also mop up any extra.
If you took our advice and picked up those microfiber turban wraps, by the way, you could use that instead to save even more time.
Mix leave-in conditioner with gel for soft, supple hair.
Hate that crunchy, sticky feel of gel on your hair but still need the control and moisture? In your hand, mix your favorite leave-in conditioner with gel—it’ll leave your hair feeling soft and manageable.
Former first lady Michelle Obama expressed dismay at a recent move by the Trump administration.
Her remarks came on May 12 at the Partnership for a Healthier American 2017 Healthier Future Summit, an annual conference in Washington, DC.
The former first lady did not mention Donald Trump by name, but in an interview with former White House chef Sam Kass, she criticized the actions of Trump appointee Sonny Perdue. Perdue, the current Secretary of Agriculture, delayed a rule that would limit the amount of sodium in school meals.
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As first lady, Michelle Obama focused on promoting healthy nutrition for American youth.
“We gotta make sure we don’t let anybody take us back,” she told Kass.
“This is where you really have to look at motives, you know. You have to stop and think, why don’t you want our kids to have good food at school? What is wrong with you? And why is that a partisan issue? Why would that be political? What is going on?”
Michelle Obama insisted that she didn’t think of the issue as partisan, then expressed some choice words for the Trump administration.
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“Take me out of the equation—like me or don’t like me,” she added. “But think about why someone is okay with your kids eating crap. Why would you celebrate that? Why would you sit idly and be okay with that? Because here’s the secret: If someone is doing that, they don’t care about your kid.”
The former first lady also addressed one of Perdue’s defenses for his rollback of sodium rules in school lunches.
The Secretary of Agriculture said that many kids didn’t like the new, low-sodium foods.
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“That to me is one of the most ridiculous things that we talk about in this movement—’the kids aren’t happy,'” Obama said. “Well, you know what? Kids don’t like math either. What are we gonna do, stop teaching math?”
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Secretary Perdue did not respond to the remarks directly, but a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said that Perdue “has nothing but the utmost respect for Michelle Obama.”
Traditionally, ex-presidents and their families rarely directly criticize successive administrations.
However, in late 2016, President Obama implied to Vanity Fair that he might become politically active after leaving office.
“Having had this office has given me this incredible perch from which to see how the world works. The power of the office is unique and it is a humbling privilege,” Barack Obama said. “With that power, however, also comes a whole host of institutional constraints. There are things I cannot say…”
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“Not out of any political concerns,” he continued, “but out of prudential concerns of the office. There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United States to carry out, but may not always align with what I think would move the ball down the field on the issues that I care most deeply about.”
However, in former President Obama’s first remarks since leaving office, he did not mention Trump or directly criticize the new administration, keeping with longstanding White House tradition.
Having memories is pretty central to being human, but there are a few that most of us are happy to forget. The pain of heartbreak, the shame of an embarrassing moment, or the fear experienced during a traumatic event are all memories that come to mind as the kind we would prefer to leave in the past.
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For one very small segment of society, however, the luxury of forgetting is not an option. Read on for eight things you probably didn’t know about the people affected by highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM), a rare condition discovered in the early 2000s that makes those who have it remember nearly every detail of their lives, in some cases starting as early as 12 days after birth.
There are very few of them.
It’s kind of weird to think of all the undiscovered conditions out there offering people abilities that sound as if they’re straight out of an X-Men film.
It’s likely that until someone came forward saying they were experiencing some phenomenon and that phenomenon was then confirmed by scientists, it would never occur to most of us that these conditions were actually possible.
But we’re learning new things every day, and what we’re learning is unbelievable…until it is believable.
Somewhere around 60 to 80 people worldwide are known to have HSAM, although exact numbers are still a little murky. As Mental Floss reports: “At this time, there are only a handful of individuals in the world who have ever been diagnosed with hyperthymesia, and scientists still don’t know exactly how it works.
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“Some studies have found that hyperthymesiacs [a term for those with the condition] might have variations in the structure of their brains, while others argue that it might have behavioral components. However, since so few people are diagnosed with HSAM, it’s difficult to study the condition.”
They feel things more intensely than others.
It’s possible that one of the causes for this hyperawareness of detail, specifically of internal worlds, is the predisposition to being highly sensitive.
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“The other HSAMers I have met seem to share similar traits: the need for approval, seeking attention, putting themselves out there a little bit, maybe being a little sensitive to criticism and having issues with depression and closure,” hyperthymesiac Joey DeGrandis toldNew York magazine in an interview about his own life and his experiences with others like him.
“They are all contributing members of society and it doesn’t seem like any of us are so hindered that we’ve ceased to function like a normal person, but there is a commonality in that we seem to be a little more sensitive and we sometimes have trouble with our emotions and we can be more prone to depression and it must be related to the fact that we remember in the way we do.”
They have rich fantasy lives.
Part of the HSAM package is the intensity of experience, not only in the sense of being deeply emotionally affected by events, but also of being keenly attuned to sensory impressions.
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“I’m extremely sensitive to sounds, smells and visual detail,” Nicole Donohue, an HSAMer who has taken part in many studies about the condition, tells the BBC. “I definitely feel things more strongly than the average person.”
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Indeed, researcher Dr. Lawrence Patihis, who works in the psychology department of the University of Southern Mississippi studying memory of past emotions, memory of long-term relationships, memory malleability, trauma and memory, dissociation, eyewitness memory, and long-term episodic memory, found after profiling 20 people with HSAM that they scored especially high on “fantasy proneness” and “absorption.”
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“Fantasy proneness could be considered a tendency to imagine and daydream, whereas absorption is the tendency to allow your mind to become immersed in an activity—to pay complete attention to the sensations and the experiences,” reports the BBC.
They weren’t always like this.
While some particularly clickbait-y news outlets—we’re looking at you Daily Mail—couldn’t help but use headlines like “Woman, 27, who can recall EVERY DAY of her life” and “Woman with HSAM remembers every day of life from birth,” they are not literally accurate.
Even the woman they’re writing about, Rebecca Sharrock—whose memories go back jaw-droppingly far—does not remember every single day of her life since birth. (She does, however, remember everything from 12 days after birth, which is, in our opinion, equally impressive.)
Many with HSAM didn’t get it until years into their lives. For example, artist Nima Veiseh didn’t begin remembering everything until one very moving experience, after which he says he could tell you anything.
Metro Weekly
The moment was “15 December 2000, when he met his first girlfriend at his best friend’s 16th birthday party,” the BBCreports. “He had always had a good memory, but the thrill of young love seems to have shifted a gear in his mind: from now on, he would start recording his whole life in detail.”
Breakups can be extra hard for them.
You know that saying about time healing all wounds? I keep a gratitude journal, and most mornings I list three things I’m thankful for. During one period following the end of a relationship, the word “forgetting” appeared several times. Imagine, though, trying to get over a breakup if you had HSAM.
“…[I]f it’s a bad breakup or unrequited love then the memories of that linger and hurt when I think about them—especially if there’s no closure. I’m thinking, What did I do? I’m forced to pick back through it. I can remember the last time I saw the person. I can remember where we were.
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“I can remember a funny face they made or a thought or a feeling however fleeting or however lasting it was; I can remember those things. Even if the person ended up doing something wrong or ditches me, the initial positive memory is so strong it’s hard for me to separate: ‘How can you be this way now, when I remember you so vividly as something different?'”
Their memories often relate to their passions, but they can also cause depression.
There are certain consistencies with how folks with HSAM tend to remember the details of their lives—namely, that there is a quality of “emotionality” attached to them, as opposed to just factual details. But when it comes to which factual details they’ll remember, they’re often dependent on the personal preferences of the individual with HSAM.
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In his interview with New York magazine, DeGrandis talked about something he picked up on during his first meeting with other HSAMers, for a 60 Minutes special:
“We noticed that some of us are better at remembering certain things and it aligns with passions. Marilu Henner is into fashion, so she can remember when she bought all the pairs of shoes she owns. Another was a big football fan so he remembered scores.”
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There was another commonality. “The thing we all agreed on was the fact that at some point in our lives we had gone through depression, or had some form of it,” DeGrandis says. “It wasn’t so much like ‘Oh, we’re severely depressed.’ It was more that we have struggled with, or currently struggle with, feeling depressed and feeling weighed down and we believe it may be because of certain memories we are unable to let go of.”
They are typically really good with dates.
Some hyperthymesiacs’ exceptional ability to recall information about specific dates—including w
hat day of the week it was in a given year—has led many to draw comparisons to people with autism, but researchers have found no connection.
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HSAMer Jill Price “can label what day of the week virtually any calendar date fell on,” reports Mental Floss. “Given a specific date, like ‘March 19, 2003,’ a 20-year-old hyperthymesiac called HK can remember that it was a Wednesday, what the weather was like, and what he did that day from getting up to going to bed.”
DeGrandis explains his superpower thusly:
“There is an algorithm you can use to figure out the day of a week, but I don’t know it and I still don’t know how to use it. It’s just a calculation that my mind does and I don’t even understand how.
“It’s very hard to explain how I get there but it’s almost like I’m standing over the year, actually looking at the whole year and then I home in on a day and sometimes I link it up to another year when that date was the same day of the week.”
They can still have false memories.
False memories are relatively common among people without HSAM. “I would even go as far as saying that memory is largely an illusion,” Julia Shaw writes in Scientific American.
“This is because our perception of the world is deeply imperfect, our brains only bother to remember a tiny piece of what we actually experience, and every time we remember something we have the potential to change the memory we are accessing.”
But, surprisingly, even having a condition defined by “highly superior” memory does not make you immune to remembering things that didn’t actually happen. The Guardian, describing the HSAM study by Dr. Patihis, writes:
“HSAM subjects were equally likely as the control group to claim words that had not appeared on a list had appeared, they showed a higher overall propensity to form false memories of a photographic slideshow, and they were equally likely to mistakenly report that they had seen non-existent video footage of the United 93 plane crash on 9/11.”
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Some of the subjects with HSAM were not too happy to hear this, because “having accurate memories is central to their identities.”
Getting a pet is an exciting time in any child’s life, but the wrong pet can bring more problems than joy. Here’s what you need to know about picking the right pet for your family.
At some point in time, many parents end up getting their children their first pet, whether it’s because they’ve relentlessly begged you for one or you’re trying to teach them a thing or two about responsibility. (Spoiler: That latter reason will backfire.)
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You might think that there’s not really anything to taking care of a dog, hamster, or fish, but in some cases, we can guarantee that you’re seriously underestimating the amount of work it will take.
Here are the best and worst pets to get for young children—and some of the most unexpected aspects of caring for them.
Are they ready?
Before you even start considering which pet to buy, consider if your kids are ready to look after any animal at all. This will largely depend on the type of pet you want to get them, but there are other things to factor in, too.
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For example, even though taking care of a goldfish seems incredibly simple to any adult, a child who’s too young might have trouble with it. Are they old enough to be trusted with getting the food out of the cabinet? Do they understand the importance of feeding the fish the correct amount?
These are things you can obviously teach them when it comes to caring for any pet, but they might not stick if the child truly isn’t ready yet.
Dogs—Best
A dog is the most obvious choice when it comes to getting a pet for your family—not only are they incredibly cute, but they’re pets that can also be active members of your family. In general, dogs tend to be easy for kids of any age to take care of because there isn’t a ton that you really have to do for them.
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Putting out food and water is simple enough, they can easily be walked or let out in the yard for some fresh air, and it’s not hard to clean up after them when they relieve themselves.
If you and your family have settled on a dog, older shelter dogs typically make the best pets, because they usually come potty trained and they’re fairly calm. If you think a puppy sounds like a good idea, we’ll pray that the universe goes easy on you.
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It’s important, though, to ask a few questions before you adopt, such as:
Is there a reason no one has adopted the dog yet? Does the dog have experience being around children or families? What is the dog’s personality like? What is the dog’s life expectancy?
Cats—Best
Like dogs, cats tend to be one of the first options most people consider when they think of getting a pet for their families. Sometimes the choice is even easier when you consider how independent cats tend to be—you make sure their litter gets cleaned and changed, you make sure they have food and water, and there don’t tend to be too many details after that.
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Despite their aloofness, cats can also form intense bonds with their owners, especially children.
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According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), cats that are well cared-for can live incredibly long lives, up to 17 years in some cases, and 13 years at minimum. A kitten will be a bit harder to care for, but they’re ultimately just playful little creatures who do tend to calm down considerably as time goes on. If you have pretty small kids, they’ll probably relate to a cat fairly well—just like them, cats often work playtime and naptime into their everyday schedules.
Pocket Pets—Worst
A “pocket pet” is pretty much just that—any pet that is small enough to fit in your pocket. This type of animal can include mice, rats, hamsters, ferrets, guinea pigs, and gerbils.
Unlike dogs and cats, which will typically become part of the family and be included in many different family activities, pocket pets usually
have to stay in their own space and can’t really be left to roam around like a cat or dog.
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Caring for them also requires way more supplies than you might think—they’ll need the right type of cage, the right type of food, a water dispenser, something they can exercise on, and wood chips or bedding material, which will need to be replaced fairly often.
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Although they’re cute, these small critters involve way more work and care than any kid can handle. Not only that, but they’re also considered a sort of specialty animal when it comes to veterinary care, so it might be difficult to find a solution if something’s wrong with your pet. Until your kids realize how much goes into looking after a pocket pet, they’re not a good idea.
Rabbits—Not Great, Not Terrible
Rabbits are adorable, so it’s not a surprise that so many kids feel drawn to them and want them as pets. They’ll require a similar setup to that of any pocket pet, but they’re a little bit larger and more interactive than something like a mouse or rat. Rabbits can actually be really playful and have very distinct personalities.
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However, they’re not just like a smaller version of a cat or dog. In fact, there’s actually a lot that people don’t know when it comes to owning a rabbit.
First of all, rabbits aren’t really meant to be caged animals, and they require way more exercise, space, and time to roam than most people think. They’re also not an animal that will be too keen on you picking it up like you would a dog or cat. Because they’re a prey animal in the wild, a rabbit’s instinct when being picked up is to flee.
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Additionally, they also have super sensitive stomachs, and the wrong diet could be fatal. Ultimately, rabbits can make great pets, but they have to be in the right home.
Chicks—Worst
Most of us probably have memories of keeping baby chicks in our elementary school classrooms, and it was definitely an exciting time. Not only was it cool to watch them hatch and begin their lives, but they’re also incredibly cute and fun to hold.
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It’s natural that a kid might start asking about having a chick as a pet after an experience like this, but we’re here to warn you that it really isn’t a good idea.
As sad as it is to think about, chicks can easily get crushed by a child who’s running around and not paying attention, which would obviously be a traumatic experience all around. They can also carry bacteria and viruses that can be transmitted to humans, such as salmonella, along with other zoonotic diseases.
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The most important thing to remember, though, is that chicks are baby chickens, and they won’t stay that way forever. Granted, puppies and kittens don’t stay that small forever either, but caring for a full-grown chicken is a lot different from taking care of a standard household pet.
Fish—Best
Even before they consider a dog or cat, some parents lean toward a fish as their child’s first pet. In some cases, it’s an easy decision—they’re fairly cheap to buy, you really don’t have to get too many supplies, and what you do need can be found pretty much anywhere. They’re also a good pet for kids who are allergic to dogs or cats, because the kid will never even make contact with them.
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Although it’s fairly easy to take care of a fish—you give them a sprinkle of food a few times a day, change their water every now and then, maybe buy them a tiki hut for their bowl—the main thing to consider is their lifespan.
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Although it’s not likely th
at they’ll only live for a week, fish can be sensitive to things like water temperature, water filtration, and over- or underfeeding. Educate yourself about the specific care the type of fish you’re considering needs, talk about those needs with your kids, and go from there if they’re confident they can handle it.
Birds—Not Great, Not Terrible
Birds tend to be more of a specialty pet, mainly because of all the random equipment people need to take care of them—large cages, special foods, toys, and more. In general, birds aren’t terrible pets for children, but it’s important to consider if a child will even feel drawn to care for them once they realize that you can’t interact with a bird like you would a dog or cat.
Additionally, even when you do get all of the equipment that’s needed to take care of a bird, there’s still a lot more that goes into caring for them than just giving them food and water. As with pocket pets, most vets don’t specialize in taking care of birds, so it might be harder to get them veterinary care, and it’ll probably cost you once you do.
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Ultimately, birds are probably a no for any home with young children, but they might be a good option for older kids who are actually willing to take care of them the right way.
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