Smart contact lens helps predict disease progression in glaucoma patients

A contact lens with a built-in sensor could help determine which glaucoma patients have a higher risk of disease progression, according to a new study. Researchers found certain patterns of electrical signals emitted from the "smart" contact lenses correlate with a faster rate of glaucoma progression.

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Simple test allows for rapid diagnosis of preeclampsia

Researchers have found that a simple test can rapidly detect one of the world's most deadly pregnancy-related conditions, preeclampsia, which could have a major impact on global health.

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Cancer treatment: Therapeutic approach gives hope for the treatment of multiple myeloma

A new therapeutic approach gives promising results for the treatment of multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow currently considered incurable with conventional chemotherapy. The study resulted in a total cure rate of 41 percent, a record level using this strategy. Moreover, patients in complete remission six months after the allograft had a relapse-free survival rate of 60 percent.

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Patients with macular degeneration show improvement with high-dose statin treatment

A phase I/II clinical trial has found that some patients taking high doses of atorvastatin (cholesterol-lowering medication) had complete resolution of lipid deposits in the dry form of age-related macular degeneration. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, and though effective treatments are available for the wet AMD, they are currently lacking for the more-prevalent dry form.

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New assay detects persistent disease in leukemia patients thought to be in remission

A new study describes a new personalized DNA-based digital assay that detects persistent chronic myeloid leukemia in 81 percent of samples taken from a group of patients thought to be in remission.

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Most internet resources for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are inaccurate, incomplete and outdated

After evaluating content on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on almost 200 websites, researchers with medical backgrounds found that the information on IPF from these sites was often incomplete, inaccurate and outdated.

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Better quality of care may reduce risk of death for patients on opioid painkillers

Better quality of care may reduce the risk of death for patients who are prescribed opioid painkillers for chronic pain, say Yale researchers. Their study offers evidence that supports recommendations from clinical practice guidelines encouraging physicians to engage patients with mental health services and substance abuse treatment, as well as to avoid co-prescriptions for sedatives.

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Proteomics and precision medicine

Researchers have used personalized proteomics to devise a successful treatment strategy for a patient with uveitis, a potentially blinding eye disease that can have many causes, making it particularly difficult to diagnose and treat effectively.

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Prior surgical abortion linked to subsequent preterm birth

Surgical methods used in a common form of abortion or to clear the womb after a spontaneous miscarriage appears to significantly increase the risk of a later preterm birth, say researchers who analyzed 36 studies that enrolled more than 1 million women.

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Whooping cough booster vouchers don't boost immunization rates of caregivers

A team of researchers evaluated the feasibility and impact of different interventions aimed at increasing the number of Tdap vaccinated caregivers. Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) have increased dramatically over the past five years, putting infants at risk of serious illness or death. Most infants are infected by a caregiver who has not received a Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) booster, so caregiver immunization is particularly important, say the investigators.

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Surgical safety checklists associated with reduced risk of death, length of hospital stay

The implementation of surgical safety checklists (SSCs) at a tertiary care hospital was associated with a reduced risk of death within 90 days after surgery, but not within 30 days, according to a study.

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Immune therapy for brain tumors: A new promising avenue

Glioblastoma is a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer. Only about one fifth of adults diagnosed with it survive two years or more after their diagnosis. Early clinical trial data show that a new two-drug combination might help people diagnosed with glioblastoma to fight the disease.

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A new alternative to sodium: Fish sauce

Vietnamese fish sauce added to chicken broth, tomato sauce and coconut curry reduced the amount of sodium chloride by by 10-25 percent while still maintaining the perceived deliciousness, saltiness and overall flavor intensity.

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New method for rapid detection of infection in wounds

A new method for detection of infection in wounds could take physicians less than a minute to complete, rather than the current 24 hours it takes for diagnosis.

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No proof that radiation from X rays and CT scans causes cancer

The widespread belief that radiation from X rays, CT scans and other medical imaging can cause cancer is based on an unproven, decades-old theoretical model, according to a study.

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Online therapy can help those affected by body dysmorphic disorder

Internet based cognitive behavioral therapy can help people affected by body dysmorphic disorder, finds a new study. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a common anxiety disorder that causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look and to spend a lot of time worrying about their appearance. If left untreated, it can lead to hospitalization, substance dependence and suicide.

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Pills for anxiety, sleep problems not linked to increased dementia risk

Taking benzodiazepines (widely used drugs to treat anxiety and insomnia) is not associated with an increased dementia risk in older adults, finds a study. However, healthcare providers are still advised to avoid benzodiazepines in older adults to prevent important adverse health outcomes.

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How Good Is Your Doctor?

Healthcare is a unique profession. It is considered not just a commodity but arguably, a right of every individual in the society. Compared with other service industry professions, there are some unique differences in training and practice of doctors. Consumers know that the quality of most consumer products or services follow a bell shaped curve, wherein a few products are junk, few are exceptional and most are mediocre. Although, consumers understand this bell curve in consumer products, they don't realize that the bell curve exists in doctors' medical expertise. From a patient's perspective the distribution of doctor's knowledge appears to be like a shark fin, where most doctors are good but a few doctors are the experts. Some of this misconception stems from the fact that the waiting room is always full in most doctors' office. But is that the truth?

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This Is Why You Blame Your Sig O All the Time

You come home from an especially bad day at work—you were just passed over for a promotion again—and all you want to do is vent. So you unleash a long-winded rant saying the world isn’t fair, your boss is out to get you, and your co-workers aren’t even half as smart as you. Your partner listens, but they aren’t as empathetic as you want. (They didn’t give you a nice, warm hug. They didn’t say everything would be OK.) So now you’re furious with them.

But deep down, you know it’s not really their fault. This video from The School of Life dives into the psychology behind this blame game and shows that these kinds of fights aren’t necessarily signs that your relationship is on the rocks.

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Why You Mishear Song Lyrics

You’re getting ready to sing at karaoke, but the lyrics that pop up on the screen aren’t the ones you’ve been singing in the shower. Science has a fancy term for misheard lyrics: mondegreens. And this video from The Science of Us explains exactly why you hear “lonely Starbucks lover” when Taylor Swift actually croons “long list of ex-lovers.” We can blame our brains for trying to make sense out of the nonsensical, and music for words that always seem to bleed together. But you’re still singing the correct lyrics when you belt, “Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa.”

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Investigation casts doubt over trial used to support top-selling anti-clotting drug

An investigation raises new concerns about the top-selling anti-clotting drug, rivaroxaban (Xarelto). The trial compared rivaroxaban with the older anti-clotting drug warfarin for preventing strokes in patients with irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation).

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Routine antibiotics should be reconsidered for malnourished children

The current recommendation to treat severely malnourished children with routine antibiotics does not increase the likelihood of nutritional recovery in uncomplicated cases, a new study suggests.

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Implementing a Population Health Management Program

Implementing a Population Level Health Management Program requires setting goals that are realistic and having the means to achieve them. This article focuses on starting such a program and also demonstrates two groups that have successfully implemented population level health programs.

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Emergency blood transfusions for major trauma need to be more rapid, consistent

Only 2 percent of patients with life-threatening bleeding after serious injury receive optimal blood transfusion therapy in England and Wales, according to research. The study estimates that nearly 5,000 trauma patients sustain major hemorrhage in England and Wales each year and that one-third of those die. The research spotlights how delays in blood transfusion practices may contribute to this high death rate.

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Women Are Putting Weed in Their Vaginas to Ease Period Cramps

One company is offering a special new way to get rid of period cramps. Foria Relief is a suppository made of organic cocoa butter, extracted cannabis oil, and CBD isolate (a chemical found in marijuana). That’s a fancy of way of saying you put a capsule with weed up your vagina. (Right now it's only available in Colorado and California.)

Foria says its product brings quick pain relief without getting you high, but science doesn't back up the claims yet. "There are no studies and no clinical trials here," says Draion Burch, M.D., an OB/GYN. "When there are no clinical trials and no studies, I cannot recommend it to a patient to use."

That hasn't stopped people from trying it. Writer Sophie Saint Thomas detailed her experience using Foria Relief for the website Racked. Her verdict? Cramps were less painful than usual, and she did feel pretty serene (but not high) when she inserted the suppository and zenned out listening to music.

The swift changes Saint Thomas experienced could be chalked up to placebo effect, but Rachna Patel, M.D., a doctor who specializes in medical marijuana, says the CBD in the capsules could, in theory, help the muscular tissue of the uterus relax and relieve the pain that comes from cramping. "From a theoretical perspective, the science makes sense," Patel says. "But from a practical perspective, further research is needed."

And the doctors we spoke with questioned the company's claim that their capsules won't get you high. Although the absorption method may be different (compared with smoking or ingesting), there is a risk with inserting anything into your vagina, Burch says. "Just like a tampon soaked with alcohol can make you drunk, anything you insert into the vagina can be absorbed by the bloodstream, and has the potential to affect your body," he says. Without studies to investigate this product, we can't really know what the side effects (including getting high) might be.

So for now, Burch recommends taking good old ibuprofen, using heating pads, staying hydrated, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and even orgasming to help relieve menstrual cramps.

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How to Know If You Need a Neurologist?

Neurologists are specialists who are qualified to diagnose and treat diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Some of the most common neurological diseases include: Alzheimer's - occurs in the elderly, it involves memory loss. Migraine - more common in women, it refers to the throbbing pain on a part of the brain; and Parkinsons - which refers to the trembling of hands and feet, generally occurs in people over 50.

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3 Reasons Your Activity Is Not A Workout Program

Many people confuse the activities that they like to do as their total workout program. This will always lead to an incomplete program and will not get you to your goals. In this article I let you in on the 3 reasons why.

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Emergency visits by youth for mental health, addiction rise by 32 percent over 6 years

Demand for child and youth mental health care has been steadily rising throughout the health care system in Ontario, Canada. The biggest growth is occurring in emergency departments, driven by youth seeking help for anxiety disorders.

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Use of and barriers to access to opioid analgesics worldwide

Use of common opioid painkillers such as codeine, morphine and oxycodone has more than quadrupled in Australia over the past decade and doubled worldwide over the same period. Yet at the same time the authors warn that the majority of countries, particularly those in developing and poorer regions have little or no access to basic pain medication and there has been little change over the decade.

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Study aims to resolve how to manage pre-cancers of the breast

The first large U.S. study aimed at resolving an ongoing debate about the best way to treat an early sign of breast cancer will launch in 2016. The research will focus on ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, which is a small cluster of abnormal cells in the breast ducts that has not spread to surrounding tissue.

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Extending length of surgical trainees' shifts does not affect surgical patients' safety

Allowing surgeons in training, otherwise known as residents, the flexibility to work longer shifts than currently allowed in the US and/or take less time off between shifts to provide continuity of patient care is not associated with a greater risk to patients of early serious postoperative complications or death according to study results involving 117 US general surgery residency programs and 151 hospitals.

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Improved methods for detecting bloodstream infections

Bloodstream infections (BSI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Quick identification of bloodstream pathogens would allow for timely administration of targeted therapy to patients, which could significantly help improve clinical outcomes. To address these issues, researchers have developed an Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine Practice Guideline (EBLMPG) to provide information that could be used for timely and effective patient care.

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How Medical Transcription Services Are Helping Physicians

Medical transcription is essentially the record of information from a physician to describe a variety of essential patient data. The compilation of this information on a medical record is absolutely vital for everyone at the doctor's practice, including the physician and his or her colleagues, as this notes the valuable details of the patient's medical history and therefore facilitates the best treatment.

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Things That You Must Know About Virtual Scribes

Virtual scribe services are becoming increasingly popular with physicians around the world. The reasons for this are numerous, ranging from the time that using these services can save right through to the high level of support that doctors can get from such a service.

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How Are Virtual EMR Services Helping Physicians?

Electronic medical records - or EMR - are an essential part of record keeping for physicians throughout the world. These allow doctors to keep track of patients' medical histories, the results of tests and other essential information that pertains to the patient.

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The Top Four Types of Medical Transportation for Any Patient

Medical transportation works to provide assistance to patients as they need it. The type of transit you need will depend on the type of emergency you have.

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How To Lose Weight For A Busy Person

Can learning how to lose weight for a busy person make you more stressed? Not if you can make this simple changes into habits that you will be able to do without thinking about it.

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How To Create Success And Lose Weight Effectively

Is it an uphill battle to try to lose weight effectively? It can be if you lose your focus. Staying focused was a game changer for me to lose my belly fat. I planned every meal and stuck to the plan. If ever I lost focus I lost control.

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The 15-Minute Low-Impact Workout to Strengthen Your Butt

Newsflash: You don't need to put yourself through a soul-crushing workout to see changes in your body. And this 15-minute, low-impact workout from Grokker proves just that.

These bodyweight-only moves can be done at the gym or on your living room floor. When you hit play, you'll follow trainer Le Jon Guillory through a series of kickboxing-inspired moves, all performed on your knees, that will burn out your bum and build serious strength in your glutes. Plus, the trainer's high-energy style and sense of humor will keep you motivated (and maybe even smiling) 'til the end.

Interested in more short and effective at-home workouts? We have thousands waiting for you on Grokker, the one-stop shop online resource for wellness. Join Grokker today and get 14 days of FREE unlimited at-home workout classes.

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Services Provided at a Walk-In Clinic

It is important to see a doctor if you are sick or injured. Sometimes, a walk-in clinic can be the quickest way to see a medical professional.

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Orthopedics Team: The Different Players Needed for Patient Care

Orthopedics is the care of patients who have musculoskeletal ailments. It takes a team of specialized workers to care for these patients and each has an important part to play.

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How to Negotiate a Sweet Deal on Any Gym Membership

Why Breakfast Is Not the Most Important Meal of the Day

For years I told people that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. I published the advice in three books, referenced the smartest minds in nutrition, and the tip was generally accepted as "the right thing to do" for your health.

Turns out "the right thing" really depends on whether you want to eat early in the morning. Two recent studies found that eating breakfast has no direct impact on weight loss. We're not talking observational studies—this was a direct comparison of an early meal versus no early meal. The results had a simple message:

"From a physiological perspective, there's nothing special about eating early in the mornings and triggering weight loss."

In one of the studies, which looked at more than 300 people, participants were split into two groups. One ate breakfast and the other did not. While there were some small differences, the bottom line was that there was no significant difference in weight loss between the breakfast eaters and the breakfast skippers. In fact, both groups lost weight, and this occurred without the researchers telling participants what to eat (or not eat) for breakfast.

Believing that one meal is the foundation of success can be detrimental to your healthy-living goals.

If there's one thing that needs to be understood, it's this: breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. But neither is lunch, dinner, or snacks. This isn't meant to be puzzling or a letdown to those of you trying to crack the weight-loss code. Believing that one meal is the foundation of success can be detrimental to your healthy-living goals.

What We Know About Meal Timing

The problem with the breakfast-is-best hypothesis is that it steers people into the "there's only one way to eat" mentality. The truth is, it doesn't matter when you eat your meals: morning, night, or spread out through the day.

If there are behavioral reasons you want to eat breakfast, such as it energizes or improves focus, then those are good reasons to have an early meal. If it feels forced or makes you sluggish, then there's no pressure to force feed just for the sake of eating.

In fact, recent research also suggests it's your choice if you want to eat three meals, six meals, or anywhere in between, and that there is no meal frequency that's ideal for weight loss.

If that sounds wrong to you, read this study and this one as well. Research can be flawed, but our body's biological nature is not meant to be deceiving. Weight loss depends on how many calories you eat, the foods you eat, and the macronutrients you consume (that is, the ratio of proteins, carbs, and fats). Add in your exercise tendencies, and that will determine how you look and feel.

Some people believe that eating more frequently has a host of benefits, such as curbing appetite. This can be true, but the opposite can also occur. Eating more can make you feel hungrier and consume more calories.

There's also the belief that frequent meals improves your metabolism. But as long as total calories are equal (and macronutrients are balanced), your body will burn the same number of calories in the digestion process. That's just science.

Yes, there are other factors that can play a role in losing weight—most notably stress and hormones—but that's a separate conversation altogether. Before you can even worry about those individual issues, you must make sure that you've established baseline eating habits that are the foundation for a healthy life. Once you do that, you might experience the type of change you didn't think could happen to your body.

Why the 'Breakfast Is Best' Model Is Broken

The moment you insist that breakfast is essential, you create a mental block that overemphasizes the importance of the meal. Suddenly, if you miss breakfast, you believe your fat loss will be slowed, you're destined to eat more at the next meal, and your energy will be off.

Changing your body is as much a psychological process as it is a physical one.

It's the real issue with diets: they create psychological barriers that make the journey seem harder, rather than suggesting flexible solutions that make the process more convenient. Changing your body is as much a psychological process as it is a physical one. You need to believe that you can become better. But you also need to believe in the program you're following and use an approach that can be maintained. Any time you want to make a change, you'll have to make sacrifices. But don't confuse working harder and removing certain habits with losing all control. That's a recipe for failure.

For years, we were told breakfast was the most important meal of the day. In fact, physicians are notorious for scolding patients who skip breakfast—particularly people who are embarking on a plan to lose weight.

There is some credence here, by the way: A study conducted by scientists in Massachusetts in 2008 showed that participants who ate a calorically dense breakfast lost more weight than those who didn’t. The theory was that the higher caloric intake early in the day led people to snack less often throughout the day and lowered caloric intake overall.

If that study is reliant on the position that weight loss comes down to calories in versus calories out, then the makeup of the food shouldn't matter. And this isn't the case.

What you choose for breakfast will have a big impact on what you eat the rest of the day. Case in point: Eating five eggs is not the same as eating a donut, even if the calories are matched. So it's true that if you choose to eat breakfast, the benefits of that first meal will depend on your food selection.

However, if we've learned anything from Mark Haub's Twinkie Diet, it's that you can eat garbage and lose weight; so clearly, something else is going on. The pro-breakfast folks declare that because insulin sensitivity is higher in the morning, eating a carbohydrate-rich meal early in the day is the greatest opportunity to take in a large amount of energy without the danger of weight gain.

There's only one tiny problem with that theory: Insulin sensitivity is not higher in particular hours of the morning. It's higher after a minimum of eight hours of fasting. It just so happens that you fast when you sleep, so the information is misleading. More specifically, insulin sensitivity is higher when your glycogen levels (the energy stores in your body) are depleted, like after your sleeping fast.

That's why some people experience benefits by pushing back their first meal. (Technically, your first meal is always breakfast because it's when you "break" your overnight fast.) Intermittent fasting takes that a step further and turns your body into a fat-burning, muscle-building machine. You see, if you skip breakfast and extend the fasting period beyond the typical eight to 10 hours, you increase insulin even more.

In the end, there is no science that supports the idea—from a direct comparison—that eating breakfast is better than not eating breakfast. This is not about food choice; it's simply a matter of food timing.

In reality, this is closely linked to the multiple meal hypothesis. French researchers found that there is "no evidence of improved weight loss" by eating more frequently. They even went a step further to show that in terms of the number of calories you burn per day, it does not matter if you graze or gorge—assuming that you're eating the number of calories you need to lose weight and the macronutrients (proteins, carbs, and fats) are equal. If you're told to eat 2,000 calories per day, it doesn't matter if it's separated into five 400-calorie meals or three larger calorie feasts. (However, the composition of those meals does matter.)

But that's not all. Canadian researchers decided to compare three meals per day to six meals per day, breaking the six into three main meals and three snacks (the routine that has been advocated by every diet book written in the last 20 years). The results? There was no significant difference in weight loss, but the people who ate three meals per day were more satisfied and felt less hunger.

What does it all mean? Some people might have a psychological dependence or belief that they need breakfast. It makes them feel better, it gives piece of mind, or maybe it very realistically helps control morning hunger.

What About Your Metabolism?

In another study conducted at the University of Bath, participants either ate or skipped breakfast for six weeks. This time, there was no change in metabolic (fat loss) or cardiovascular health. This was important because unlike the general weight-loss study, this research assessed the old concept of "breakfast ignites your metabolism first thing in the morning." And yet, when metabolisms were actually tested, there wasn't any evidence to prove the theory.

While there isn't anything wrong with eating breakfast, potential downsides do exist. The problem with a traditional breakfast is that it creates a big eating window. That is, the number of hours during the day that you are consuming food. This is typically about a 15-hour period (between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.).

In a recent ground-breaking study by the scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a larger eating window was associated with more fat storage and a higher likelihood of health problems, such as diabetes and liver disease.

This study was done with mice, but the findings are too important to overlook. The mice were put on a high-fat diet that would typically cause obesity.

One group of mice ate whenever they wanted, and the other could only eat for eight hours, starting in the afternoon and finishing at night. The mice that ate whenever they wanted gained fat, developed high cholesterol, high blood glucose, and liver damage. The mice with the eight-hour feeding period starting in the afternoon weighed 28 percent less and had no health problems, even though they ate the same amount of fatty foods.

The scientists believe that by cutting down how long you have to eat, your body does a better job of metabolizing your fat, glucose, and cholesterol. What's more, because you're eating for a smaller window of time and starting later in the day, your body is burning more fat. Why? Because you pushed back breakfast, extended your overnight fast (which occurs while you sleep), and became a fat-burning machine.

What's more, by skipping breakfast (or just starting it later in the day), you also prime your body to feel hungrier less often. That's because the moment you start eating food, your body creates an expectation for calories. And for most people, that expectation means hunger pangs that are too hard to overcome, leaving you grabbing for snacks by 10 a.m. and eating more calories than you should by the end of the day.

To Breakfast or Not to Breakfast: The Choice Is Yours

Don't believe in dogma. Just as you have a unique body, you can have a unique diet. If you like breakfast, eat it. If you like snacking, make that your habit.

Don't let anyone convince you that your success will depend on any one meal. The process can be made easier. It can be enjoyable. And most of all, it will be effective if you take the right approach. Determine what's best for you, and you'll be on the path to change that works and lasts.

This post originally appeared on Born Fitness and was reposted with the author's permission. Adam Bornstein is the author of Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha. To work with him on online fitness and diet programs, you can apply for his coaching program. The views expressed herein are his and his alone.

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Rate of office visits, cumulative costs prior to colonoscopies for colon cancer screening

Researchers analyzed billing data to determine the proportion of colonoscopies for colon cancer screening and polyp surveillance that were preceded by office visits and the associated payments for those visits.

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C. diff study provides insight into antibiotic resistance and risks for infection

Exposure to specific antibiotics is linked to the development of certain strains of antibiotic-resistant C. difficile, one of the fastest growing bacteria superbugs, according to a new study.

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Functional MRI may help identify new, effective painkillers for chronic pain sufferers

New research may allow new, more effective and safer pain medications to reach patients who suffer from chronic pain sooner.

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10 Ways to Seriously Improve Your Dating Success

If you feel like you’re the only one who hasn’t found that near-perfect partner, you're not alone. In fact, 64 percent of the millennial generation is in the same singles-only boat.

And while there are plenty of benefits to being (and staying) solo, we understand the allure of finding that special someone. To help you out, we've rounded up 10 science-backed, expert-approved ways to boost your dating prospects, whether you're dating online or IRL. Listen closely, and you may not be so single come next February 14th.

If You're Dating Online:

1. Perfect your online presence.

Whatever dating service you choose, take time to polish your profile, says Lori Salkin, dating coach and head matchmaker of YU Connects. Avoid swear words, as these can make some people wary, and use spellcheck to be sure you don’t come off as careless or… less than smart.

But don’t be afraid to be funny and show your sense of humor. This make you seem more approachable if someone appreciates your wit, Salkin says. Plus, if someone opts not to message you back because they don’t like your style of hamming it up, that’s fine—you probably wouldn’t get along with them anyway.

Finally, keep it simple. No one wants to read a 1,200-word essay on your childhood. Nor should you see a dating profile as a platform to outline your political agenda, pet peeves with humanity, or all the insights you've gained from therapy.

2. Be real.

Choose photos and details that best represent you, Salkin says. Uploading untruths attracts folks who don’t share your true interests and courts difficulty once you have to explain yourself.

If you’re not a partier, don’t post a shot of you out and about with a beer in each hand. If you prefer to sleep in on weekends, don't lie about loving your 7 a.m. Saturday spin class. Same goes for images of you doing sports or activities you’d rather not try again, or listing hobbies you aren’t actually into but claim to be just to seem cool.

Be honest about what you're looking for, but don't get too "heavy" about it. Think: "Looking for someone who loves old movies / who reads The New York Times / who's active and enjoys the outdoors." Not: "Looking for someone to spend the rest of my life with, who supports me unconditionally, and loves me for all my flaws." (We all want that, but shoving it in everyone's face right off the bat can feel intimidating, oppressive, and desperate.)

3. Set yourself apart with specifics.

“There is nothing less informative than, ‘I am very close to my family and friends’ or ‘I love to go to dinner and hang out with my family and friends,’" Salkin says. Avoid generalizations and be specific to stand out from the rest of the online crowd: “Instead of ‘I love to travel,’ say where you’ve traveled, how often you travel, if you do it for work or for pleasure, or where you’d like to go in the future,” she suggests.

4. Stop swiping so much.

Having lots of options is great, but the more choices we have, the less likely we are to make a (satisfying) decision, studies confirm. Same goes for online dating: Research shows the more profiles we compare, the pickier we become.

The more profiles we compare, the pickier we become.

Plus, swiping left too many times may cause us to devote more energy to vetting candidates who may be out of our league, connect with people who don’t actually match up with our personal preferences, or issue “no’s” to potentially good matches simply because we assume something better is just a click away. End result: We spend more time browsing than actually dating. Which kind of defeats the point.

This is where Nike’s slogan comes in, Salkin says: If you come across a profile full of similar interests to yours, and you’d like to meet in person, just do it.

5. Show your enthusiasm.

Once you’ve moved to the messaging stage, replace neutral words, such as "happy" or "fine," with more upbeat ones, like "excited" and "wonderful." Subtle lingo tweaks like these have been shown to boost our appeal to potential suitors.

Also, express interest in what the other person is saying: "Oh, that's interesting you work in finance. How did you choose that career?" or "Very cool about your meditation practice—what do you like most about it?" And bring up topics that make you psyched—like your fave TV show, a great book you're reading, or an upcoming trip you can't wait for.

If You're Taking It Offline:

1. Think outside the dinner-and-drinks box.

A typical first date might be grabbing a drink, coffee, or even a bite. If that's your comfort zone, stay there. But as couples counselor Wyatt Fisher, Psy.D., points out, these set-ups can quickly get awkward, as they’re far more intense than a situation where the focus is on something other than yourselves.

That's why Fisher recommends third-party activities—think: bowling, a concert, a group happy hour—in lieu of sitting across the table from a near-perfect stranger. Movies (in a theater and not at someone’s apartment), comedy shows, or any of these 29 unique first-date ideas would also work. If nothing else, you’ll have an alternative source of entertainment in case an awkward silence ensues.

2. Press pause on opening up.

Yes, getting intimate involves sharing deeper truths about who you are and what shaped you (incuding previous relationships). But it’s generally not a great idea to dive head first into deeply personal disclosures on date numero uno, Fisher says. Spilling too much about your life early on can drive others away, studies suggest.

That's why it's best to save opening up about tough issues—from exes to family issues to health problems—until we know a person's ready to hear it. Too much too soon can be off-putting, creating the sense that we're more of a burden than an exciting new prospect, Salkin says.

Assess if you feel you can trust the person before you 'go there,' noting that a healthy level of closeness requires time (read: numerous dates) to develop.

That's not to say you should lie about these things, but try focusing on the upsides and positives in your life before launching into the real-er stuff. Then, assess if you feel you can trust the person before you “go there,” Fisher says, noting that a healthy level of closeness requires time (read: numerous dates) to develop. And if a new date makes an off-color joke, issues a hurtful remark or judgment, or withdraws from a tricky conversation, Fisher says, consider these harbingers of what’s to come if you get more serious.

One exception: Do talk about your job, but keep the focus on what you like about it and where you see yourself going, not on your salary or how miserable you are between the hours of nine to five.

3. Be a good listener.

Paying attention to your date (a.k.a. not talking about yourself the whole time or constantly checking your phone) can make you seem more physically attractive, research shows. Plus, demonstrating an interest in what another person’s saying and being mindful of their sensitivities before inserting your own opinion are desirable qualities anyone would want in a mate, says Samantha Joel, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin.

But these aren’t the only reasons you should listen to what a date’s saying. If you’re tuned out or otherwise disengaged during first encounters and beyond, you’ll derive as little satisfaction as the person you’re ignoring simply by failing to be present in the moment.

4. Wait to take off your clothes.

Studies show that if you’re looking for satisfaction over the long haul, waiting to jump into the sack with someone new is the best course of action.

Prioritize building closeness and security, Fisher says. (No matter how many dates this takes.) In addition to how you feel around a new potential lover one-on-one, pay attention to their family history and friendships for clues about their character. Tumultuous pasts, social isolation, or seedy acquaintances can be signs it’s unwise to continue your connection with them, he adds.

5. Remember, relationships take work.

“People sometimes think that as long as they find the ‘right’ partner, a relationship will be easy, there won’t be any disagreement, and no compromises or sacrifices will have to be made,” Joel says. “But even the highest quality relationships still require effort and maintenance.”

Letting go of this misconception that love should be "easy" can help you realize what you truly want—i.e., connection—actually is within reach.

Perfection is a myth, and if you find yourself falling in love on the first date, chances are you're deluded—if not setting yourself up for a major letdown. Take in the good stuff about this new person and pace yourself. If you don't think there's a spark, ask yourself whether what you're looking for is attainable, or kind of... impossible (think: a new person who'll whisk you off your feet, pay for dinner, and let you move in with them right off the bat while being drop dead gorgeous with no emotional baggage whatsoever). Letting go of this misconception that love should be "easy" can help you realize that what you truly want—connection—is within reach.

If you’re still disappointed by dating and find yourself always looking for something better, you may need to come back down to earth—and remember there's no such thing as a perfect relationship. Wondering whether something is a red flag or more serious? Learn if your doubts are dealbreakers (or actually totally normal).

The Takeaway

No, you won’t fall in love with everyone you meet—nor, despite your awesomeness, will everyone always love you. But keeping these tips in mind may just help accelerate your success in the dating world, on and offline. Be yourself, be present, and don’t forget to have fun.

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Uses Of Essential Oils

Essential oil is a hydrophobic liquid which is generally extracted from leaves, stems and elements of a plant. You cannot consider it as oil because generally oil contains the fatty acids, which are not found in this.

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This Amusing Soda Ad Will Make You Reconsider That Next Sip

If we're to believe soda commercials, opening a can of the bubbly beverage livens up any moment. A bottle quenches your thirst after a game of basketball, gives you the energy for a fun day in the sun, and if you're Taylor Swift, it somehow makes cats appear out of thin air. We’re not just being sold a beverage, we’re being sold happiness. (Coke had a whole campaign with the tagline “open happiness,” after all.)

But if these ads were being honest, they’d tell us we’re basically sipping on a bottle of liquid candy—or perhaps “wet sugar with bubbles” is more to the point. The clever people over at Cracked made this parody of a soda commercial that will definitely make you think twice before you pick up your next can of Coke.

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Diagnosis of rare bleeding disorder improved with super-resolution microscopy

Researchers have differentiated between patients with a rare bleeding disorder and healthy volunteers using super-resolution microscopy, providing an alternative method for accurately and cost-effectively diagnosing rare platelet diseases.

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Antiseptic baths to prevent infections deemed effective for long-term use

Long-term use antiseptic soap in bathing critically ill patients to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) did not cause high levels of resistance in bacteria on the patients' skin, according to a new study.

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Experts cite multiple contacts for hepatitis C virus exposure in Ghana

West African residents have frequent opportunities for exposure to the hepatitis C virus, according to a new comprehensive review.

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To prevent infection after C-section, chlorhexidine better than iodine

Chlorhexidine-alcohol skin prep is superior to iodine-alcohol for preventing infection after C-section, according to a new study. Rather than prepping patients with iodine-alcohol -- a common antiseptic combination in C-sections -- the research indicates that chlorhexidine-alcohol is significantly more effective. The researchers argue that the evidence is strong enough to change standard skin-prep practices for C-sections.

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Meditation eases pain, anxiety and fatigue during breast cancer biopsy

Meditation eases anxiety, fatigue and pain for women undergoing breast cancer biopsies, according to researchers. They also found that music is effective, but to a lesser extent.

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Connective tissue disease increases risk for cardiovascular problems

African-American patients with connective tissue diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis are twice as likely as white patients to suffer from atherosclerotic blood vessels, which increase the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death.

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How Easily Distracted Are You? Play This Game to Find Out

Do you find yourself dozing off, watching cat videos, texting, or just zoning out at work or school? There are tons of tips and tricks to regain your focus, but if none of those have worked, you may just have an easily distractible mind. The good news is some research suggests people who can't tune out distractions may be more creative and intelligent than their peers.

So just how unfocused are you? Click the button below and play a quick game put together by The Science of Us to find out.

Play the Game!

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Association among childhood ADHD, sex and obesity

The incidence of childhood and adult obesity has increased significantly over the past three decades. New research shows that there is an association between obesity development during adulthood and childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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One of America's most-wanted careers could help fill health care gaps

Clinics and hospitals across the country are adding physician's assistant (PA) positions to serve growing numbers of patients, and in underserved rural areas, practices are turning to PAs to help expand access to care.

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Tool decreases superfluous lab testing, cuts health-care costs

Physicians recognize that routine lab testing isn't necessary for all hospitalized patients. Now researchers have developed a tool, Value Driven Outcomes, to reduce superfluous lab testing. When integrated into a quality improvement initiative lab costs decreased by nearly 10 percent per visit. If applied to all inpatient visits, it was estimated the hospital could save over $1.5 million each year.

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Why This Woman Is Celebrating Her Eating Disorder's Birthday

Society tells us that eating disorders are something we should keep hush-hush. But in a powerful essay on Bustle, writer Molly Jean Bennett explains why she’s not ignoring her own—she’s celebrating its 10th anniversary instead.

Bennett has come a long way from the obsessive eating and exercising of her teenage years. She’s been through treatment, moved to New York, and made a healthier life for herself, but she's also honest about the fact that the struggle isn't over. Her story reminds us that the journey to getting healthier is a path with lots of bumps along the way.

Check out our favorite part below:

Photo: Bustle

For many years, whenever I talked about my eating disorder, which wasn’t often, I used the past tense. “When I was a teenager, I had an eating disorder. I lost a lot of weight through a combination of caloric restriction and obsessive exercise. I was lucky that I recovered quickly and didn’t relapse.” Until recently, I refused to confront the ways in which my eating disorder has remained present in my life. Most of the time, I like my body. I like the things it can do, and the places it’s taken me. But there are flashes of that old panicky self-hate, the kind I felt constantly in recovery.

Even though I’ve never starved myself scary since that time 10 years ago, my eating disorder, she’s still here. I recently heard a kick-ass interview with Margaret Cho in which she describes her eating disorder as a terminal disease, something that waxes and wanes but can always roar back when summoned by stress or a toxic phrase like "thigh gap"...

Happy birthday, eating disorder. You’re still here, but I’m bigger and better and stronger than you.

Read the Full Post

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The Scientific Explanation for Resting Bitch Face (Yep, There Is One)

Yep, scientists study everything. To find out why some people always look like they're throwing shade, researchers used fancy software to analyze resting bitch face. When they added photos of celebrities notorious for RBF (like Kanye West and Kristen Stewart), the computer program registered higher levels of contempt.

Even though these faces are basically neutral (part of the reason we call it "resting” in the first place), our brains can recognize the contempt from a tiny curl of the lips or a slight squint of the eyes. Once we register it, we associate that face with feelings of uneasiness—our hardwired reaction to negative emotions.

Photo: Noldus Information Technology

Another interesting finding: The software measured equal amounts of RBF in photos of men and women, so the idea that it’s mainly a female phenomenon probably comes from commonly held stereotypes, not science.

(h/t The Washington Post)

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Struggling With Weight Loss? Hypnotherapy May Be the Answer

Hypnotherapy for weight loss is a revolutionary new method that is helping people get the right mindset to finally see success. adding trance to your weight loss efforts can help you lose more weight and keep it off longer. Hypnosis has been around for centuries and is based around techniques that allow one to focus their attention into their efforts, basically.

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Stepping Off the Weight Loss Cycle of Insanity

Stepping off this weight loss cycle of insanity is about finding ways to love yourself. Think about it for a minute. When we love someone and they are feeling down, do we judge and criticise them more? Do we ignore them? Would this be loving and kind? Then why do we do it to ourselves? I believe it's because we believe we do not deserve to be loved by ourselves.

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How Bad Is It to Hold in Your Poop?

We can all agree that pooping is good for you. (There are few such universal, unequivocal truths in the health world.)

But the urge can sometimes come at the most inopportune moments. Perhaps you’re in the middle of an important client meeting, on a hot date, or in an airplane and have a fear of letting it out in the sky (totally reasonable fear, by the way). So you do what any rational adult would do:

You hold it in until you can go a little bit later. It can’t be that bad, can it? To be honest, we can’t believe we’re talking about this either, but somebody’s got to ask the question, and we’ve got answers.

The Need-to-Know

Simply put, poop is a combination of waste material and bacteria, as a result of your body’s digestive process. After you eat, it takes your body a little less than 53 hours for it to do its thing and push that BLT sandwich from your mouth through your digestive tract and out the other end (fun fact: the food spends roughly 40 of those hours just in your large intestine, a.k.a. your colon). When the digested food finally reaches the end, the rectal walls are stretched, and that sends a complex signal to the brain that it’s “go-time.”

Everyone’s schedule and frequency are going to differ—some go a few times a day or once every couple of days. The important thing is that you’re on a more or less regular schedule. So, when you’ve got to go, it’s best that you “listen to your body.” But if you’ve got to hold it in for whatever reason, the feces returns to your colon, where more water is absorbed and stored until the next time you do need to go.

And that’s where you can get into some deep sh*t.

“Holding in your poo on the rare occasion is fine, but [shouldn’t be] done all the time,” says Alison Chen, N.D., and author of What Your Poo Says About You. Keeping in your bowel movement can lead to unnecessary constipation, Chen says, because the longer you hold the stool in your colon, the more water is absorbed and the harder it becomes. Those factors could potentially cause colon damage due to the effort and strain of expelling it later on.

"Holding your poop can result in distended bowels and problems with normal stooling in the near future," says Spencer Nadolsky, D.O., a family physician, who added that the bowels can reshape over time. And another not-cool consequence: When you hold, the muscles of your rectum stretch and send the signal to stop responding to the urge to go, which can sometimes result in slower emptying of the colon when it's time.

Both medical experts agree it’s not harmful to hold in your poop from time to time, but you definitely shouldn’t make a habit of it.

Okay, so that’s one mystery solved, but what about farts? (Laugh all you want, inquiring minds need to know!) "Holding farts in isn't as bad, because it is air that needs to be released," Chen says, "but it is still pressure that is building up inside." Not to mention that it's downright uncomfortable.

The Takeaway

It’s best to poop and fart as you need to.

There are few understandable reasons to legitimately fight the urge (like maybe if you were the President giving a public speech) to defecate, but in all other cases, you should avoid holding bowel movements when possible. Fact of the matter is: Everyone poops and should poop when they feel the urge to—even in the middle of a romantic dinner. Just show your date this article to make it extra convincing.

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Is There Any Truth to Dry Brushing?

Maybe we spend way too much time on Pinterest, but when we first heard about dry brushing, it sounded like a skin-care miracle. Proponents of the technique claim dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, unclogs pores, exfoliates dead skin cells, reduces cellulite, and basically gives you the skin of your dreams. But, like we do when anything sounds too good to be true, we took a deep dive into the facts to see if the benefits match up to reality.

The Brush-Off

The proper way to dry brush: Give your body a thorough rub-down while your skin is dry, using a bristled brush, an exfoliating mitt, or washcloth to brush in circular motions toward your heart. (The stiffer the bristles, the better.) The aim is to leave your skin clear, cellulite reduced, and your body energized. It's also, supposedly, a way to stimulate your circulatory stystem and remove toxins from the body.

The problem is that these claims aren't entirely true, says Paul Jarrod Frank, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and the founder and director of The Fifth Avenue Dermatology Surgery and Laser Center. The skin is the largest organ of the body, and as such, comes fully equipped with one of the most intricate circulatory systems.

So while your skin does create "toxins," like dead skin cells (we get a fresh 'dermis every 30 days), the circulatory system whisks them away to the liver, which gets rid of them without needing any help.

Hypothetically, massage (which can be a happy side effect of dry brushing) could stimulate lymphatic drainage and optimize circulation in whatever part of the body you’re working on, Frank says. That's all well and good, but he says the circulatory system also pretty much takes care of itself—so you really don't need to worry about "toxins" floating around in your body.

And even if there were, they wouldn't cause cellulite. While scientists are still researching the causes of cellulite, it likely just comes down to genetics, says Omar Ibrahimi, M.D., dermatologist and medical director of the Connecticut Skin Institute. Cellulite is mechanically caused by fibrous bands that pull down on superficial parts of the skin, and there's no evidence that it's actually caused by "toxins." Hence why cellulite affects everyone, buff or not, Ibrahimi says.

The Real Deal

So why do people keep dry brushing if it doesn't actually work? The answer probably lies in the massage aspect, says A. Yasmine Kirkorian, M.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at Children's National Health System—in other words, it just feels really damn good.

"We know massage increases people’s feeling of well-being and happiness, so if [dry brushing] is done in the same way, it stimulates people in the same way," Kirkorian says.¹ So as they say, you do you—and if dry brushing makes you happy, go for it.

Plus, any type of massage will leave skin looking plump as a result of the increased circulation, meaning that cellulite may look lessened temporarily, Frank says. But that effect is extremely short-lived. Think of how rosy your cheeks are when you're out in the cold, and how quickly it fades when you come inside, Kirkorian says. It's the same effect—vasodilation—at work.

Other than that, dry brushing is really just good for exfoliating the skin, Ibrahimi says. Our top layer of skin cells can get thicker, or more adherent, as we get older (or slack off on moisturizing), so rubbing all over with a gentle brush or washcloth can help to some degree.

Just make sure you're not going at it too roughly, or else you risk causing tiny wounds and infections, which can look like an inflamed hair follicle—or worse, Ibrahimi says. Frank recommends starting with a washcloth and working upward until you get the effect you're looking for, and follow with a moisturizer to seal the deal.

The Bottom Line

Pretty much everything you see about dry brushing "clearing out toxins" to "banish cellulite" is bunk. A little massaging never hurt anyone, but it won't make a long-lasting difference to your skin's surface, and toxins are taken care of on their own (thanks, liver). If you hate the loofah or love the TLC, go forth and dry brush, but sadly, body 2.0 probably won't be there when you wake up.

Works Cited

1. Effects of massage on pain, mood status, relaxation, and sleep in Taiwanese patients with metastatic bone pain: a randomized clinical trial. Jane SW, Chen SL, Wilkie DJ. Pain, 2011, Jul.;152(10):1872-6623. Effect of massage therapy on stress levels and quality of life in brain tumor patients--observations from a pilot study. Keir ST. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2010, Nov.;19(5):1433-7339.

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7 Healthier Wing Recipes for Game Day

Don't use body mass index to determine whether people are healthy

Relying on body mass index (BMI), a numerical measure of a person's height and weight, as a proxy for health incorrectly labels more than 54 million heavy Americans unhealthy when they are not, psychologists report. Many of these 'healthy obese' and 'healthy overweight' people may have to pay higher health insurance premiums.

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How to Stay Warm This Winter for Less Than $20

​Northpoint Cashmere Plush Velvet Throw

We’ve been through enough brutally cold winters to know how to put together the perfect hibernation kit. The essentials: a mindless but hilarious TV show to stream, cups and cups of your favorite tea or hot chocolate, and the coziest blanket you can find. We've got you covered on that last one.

The first time we wrapped ourselves up in the Northpoint Cashmere Plush Velvet Throw, it felt like a nice, warm hug. The next thing we knew, we had parked it on the couch all day—so when you pick a show, make sure it has a bunch of seasons. If you accidentally spill on yourself in the midst of a cliff-hanger, don't worry. Just toss the blanket in a cold wash load of laundry, and find out what the dryer's fluff setting was truly meant for.

Best of all? At $16.99, this throw is crazy cheap. We know what you’re wondering: Could something so inexpensive be cashmere, as the name implies? Nope. This throw is 100 percent polyester, but it feels just as soft as our favorite cashmere sweater, so we’ll let the false advertising slide.

I Want This! $16.99

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37 Amazing Pancake Recipes for Any Time of Day

Study suggests improvements in how mesothelioma is staged

A new study suggests that significant improvements could be made in the scoring system physicians use to estimate the stage (severity) of mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly cancer.

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Preventive surgery for women at high risk of breast, ovarian cancer

A new article provides an in-depth look at the issues associated with the care of women in families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome who have not yet developed cancer themselves.

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