Our mission is to advice, and to make the people of the world healthier through the power of information.
Dad jokes. They're the best—and also the worst. Just in time for Father's Day, Fatherly.com created the Dad Joke Bot, which will send you a stream of punch lines so you can one-up your old man this weekend—or simply chuckle to yourself at the endless cheese (guilty). You can chat with the bot through Facebook, Slack, or SMS. Check out a few of the cringeworthy puns below:
There's no shame in the occasional dressing room selfie, especially if the goal is to call out absurd clothing sizes that make you feel like you don't fit in with the rest of the world. A U.K. woman recently posted a photo on Facebook to do just that, and it's getting a lot of attention. Ruth Clemens usually wears a size 14 (U.S. size 12) but couldn't button a pair of H&M's size-16 jeans. And that shirt that looks like a crop top? It's a medium.
"Why are you making jeans that are unrealistically small?" she asked the brand. H&M responded with an apology and said it's considering the issue. The post is a good reminder not to take clothing sizes too seriously. The fact that we classify our bodies with an arbitrary system of numbers is strange enough—we don't need it messing with our sense of self-worth.
Check out her note below:
Dear H&M,
I was browsing your sale items in your Leeds store and spotted this pair of kick flare jeans. They were only a tenner—bargain! —and a size 16. I'm normally a size 14 on my hips (occasionally 16 if buying trousers) so I thought I'd try them on. It did not go well.
As I'm sure you're aware, size 16 is the largest size you stock (apart from in your plus size range, which is very limited in store and does not offer the range of styles for the fashion-conscious that are available in smaller sizes).
I am not overweight (not that that should matter) and although I'm 5 foot 11, my body is pretty average shape-wise. It's already difficult enough for me to find clothes that fit well because of my height, why are you making jeans that are unrealistically small? Am I too fat for your everyday range? Should I just accept that accessible and affordable high street and on-trend fashion isn't for people like me?
You might recognise the top I'm wearing—it's one of yours and it's a size Medium. Sort it out would you.
#whatdoesplussizeevenmean #bodypositive #fashionforall
Here's another reason to opt for a side salad: A new study suggests you can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes simply by adding a few more healthy, plant-based foods (think whole grains, fruit, nuts, and veggies) to your diet and slightly reducing how much animal-based foods (meat, dairy) you eat.
The researchers looked at three diet studies conducted over more than 20 years, which included 200,000 men and women in the U.S. Participants filled out an in-depth survey about their diets every two to four years. The people who ate more plant-based food and less animal-based food reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 20 to 34 percent.
"What we're talking about is a moderate shift—replacing one or two servings of animal food a day with one or two plant-based foods," Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and one of the authors of the study, told the The New York Times. "You can still include some meat, but not have it in the center of the plate."
It's refreshing to hear that you don't have to go all-out vegetarian or vegan to see these health benefits. Small changes really can make a difference.
(h/t The New York Times)
A new report is shedding light on the prevalence of gay sex in different parts of the country. Researchers looked at responses from the General Social Survey, a huge survey that looks at how Americans' opinions and behaviors change over time. One question asked men and women if they'd had sex with at least one person of the same sex since turning 18. While you might assume that, given their liberal reputations, people from the East and West Coasts would be more likely to say yes than their Southern and Midwestern counterparts, that's not necessarily the case.
In fact, the percentage of men in the East who have had at least one same-sex experience has decreased over time, whereas the Midwest recently reported the highest numbers. However more women in the West said they'd slept with at least one other woman (a stat that's been fairly consistent over the past few decades).
It's worth noting that the study was self-reported, and what people say on a survey isn't always the same as what happens behind closed doors. But it's still interesting to see how your region compares to the rest of the country.
