Month: October 2019

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These Dandelion Health Benefits May Convince You Not to Treat Them like Weeds Anymore

They’ve long been touted for their healing and restorative powers in the naturopathic community. Now, even the more scientific minded are starting to take notice of this humble backyard flower.

Also known as Taraxacum spp., with Taraxacum officinale the most common variety, these plants are typically dismissed as weeds. Homeowners hate them and will go to great lengths to get rid of them.

But dandelion are slowly showing us they are worth keeping around. So scroll through these 7 reasons why you should put away the weed killer and discover the potential benefits of dandelion.

1. They are good to eat.

This one doesn’t need any additional evidence—people have been eating dandelions for ages. The plants and flowers are full of nutritients, including vitamins A, C, K, E and small amounts of B vitamins (like folate), as well as antioxidants, like beta-carotene.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

2. They may fight inflammation.

Some studies have shown a reduction in inflammation markers in cells when dandelion compounds are applied—although these results haven’t been verified in humans yet.

3. They may help control blood sugar.

Studies show compounds found in dandelions can improve the pancreas’ insulin secretion and improve the absorption of glucose, or sugar, in muscle tissues.

Photo Credit: Pexels

4. They could help improve cholesterol levels.

Studies with mice and rabbits have shown that test animals that have been fed a diet high in cholesterol and then treated with dandelion extract ended up with lowered cholesterol levels.

5. They may help reduce blood pressure.

Dandelion is a known natural diuretic, and Western medicine credits reducing fluids in the body as a way lowered blood pressure. Also, dandelion is rich in potassium, which is also known for lowering blood pressure.

Photo Credit: Flickr

6. They may keep your liver healthy.

Animal studies show dandelion extract reduced the levels of excess fat stored in the liver and defended against oxidative stress in liver tissue.

7. They may help with losing weight.

Dandelion could possibly help with weight loss by improving carbohydrate metabolism and reducing fat absorption. Chlorogenic acid, one of the compounds found in dandelion was shown to aid with reducing body weight and levels of some fat-storage hormones in obese mice.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Though these results are exciting, many of these studies were done on animals or cell cultures in petri dishes—very few involving any testing on humans. Much more research is necessary before medicine declares the dandelion a miracle treatment, but the preliminary findings are showing there are benefits of keeping dandelion on hand.

Or in your lawn.

The post These Dandelion Health Benefits May Convince You Not to Treat Them like Weeds Anymore appeared first on UberFacts.

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This Is How to Win Monopoly, According to the Experts

These little tidbits of advice on how to win got me running to pass go and collect my $200!

The game of cutthroat business was invented in 1906 by American anti-monopolist Lizzie Magie (ironic, the way the game has come to be viewed) and was later licensed by Parker Brothers in 1936. It’s a game of control, winning properties and building hotels to win millions and send your competition into bankruptcy.

Exciting, right?

Maybe not for some. But for those of you who want to learn a little strategy to take down your family champion, keep reading.

 

Buy up every property you land on

When you start hopping around the board, you should buy up any properties you land on. This strategy does work. Trust me, I still have bragging rights in my home as the monopoly champion! But you don’t have to take my word for it: here’s what Flynn Zaiger, who is the founder of the Tulane University Board Games Club, confirms.

“From the start of the game, it’s a good idea to buy as much as possible,” Zaiger told Reader’s Digest. “Unlike real life, in Monopoly, it’s rarely good to save. You don’t earn any interest from the money you have, whereas property you purchase will always have a chance to be bringing in dollars.”

The reason for this is to amass as many properties as possible to start building houses – that’s when the money starts rolling in.

Know which properties are the best, and should never be passed up.

Think like how real-life real estate investors think. They buy property in places that will most likely be seen and shopped at by consumers. In Monopoly, it’s the same. Focus on orange properties like New York Avenue and St. James Place and the red ones, such as Kentucky and Indiana Avenue. In fact, all “corner” properties are special.

“Statistically speaking, the most common spaces on the board to land on are those between Jail and Free Parking, and Free Parking [and] Go to Jail,” Zaiger explains. “When given a chance, trade/build on those five monopolies: light blue, pink, orange, red, and yellow.

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Road Trip

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Only buy houses. Forget the hotels.

I always liked the aesthetic of the little red buildings. It made me feel like the Queen of Boardwalk. But did you know there are only 32 houses available to play with? And this is intentional.

Dary Merckens, who is the CTO of Gunner Technology and huge fan of the iconic board game says,

“Once those 32 houses run out, nobody can build any more houses on any of their properties. You want to be building houses right away, and if you ever get a monopoly, throw three houses on that sucker as fast as you can. You want to exhaust the supply of houses available.”

OMG! I can’t believe I didn’t know this! You can really put the other players in a pickle by not giving up your houses. According to Zaiger:

“The first player to get a monopoly on the board has the best chance at bankrupting their opponents before they can do the same to you. Building houses is essential to taking down the competition. Even if you don’t have a lot of money remaining, you should do everything you can, including trading and mortgaging, to get up to at least three houses on a property.”

Learning about the right investments while playing is important. Back to Merckens:

“Your primary goal should be to have all the houses on all of your properties, which effectively stops your competitors from building any houses on any of theirs.”

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#monopoly #macrophotography #classic

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Other awesome tips

Buy railroads! It’s easy passive income when players land on it. The more railroads you own, the higher the rent. It starts at $25 for one railroad up to $200 if you own all four.

And if you end up in jail at the end of the game? It may not be worth leaving.

“Towards the end of the game, don’t be afraid to hang out in Jail,” Merckens says. “It might be the safest place to be and your competitors might go bankrupt while you’re chilling in prison.”

There you have it!

These secret weapons are the best in your arsenal when playing in any high-stakes game. Get out and win!

The post This Is How to Win Monopoly, According to the Experts appeared first on UberFacts.

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In 2014, Christians in South Korea put…

In 2014, Christians in South Korea put up a giant Christmas tree which was visible from the North Korean border. The North Koreans claimed it was a tool for psychological warfare and demanded it be taken down. The defence ministry claimed the tree was dismantled for safety concerns.

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Celebrities have to pay $30k…

Celebrities have to pay $30k for their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They must sign a form stating that they want a star and that they will attend the unveiling of it. Celebrities Julia Roberts, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, and Al Pacino still don’t have a star.

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Evans Monsignac, a man who was///

Evans Monsignac, a man who was buried alive for 27 days after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, survived by sipping sewage. After his rescue, he weighed just 40kgs, having shed 27kgs during his ordeal.

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The Spanish once granted…

The Spanish once granted automatic Spanish citizenship to Irish people. Due to their belief that the Irish were a group of ancient Spanairds who left Spain with a Spanish King called Míl Espáine to settle the Island of Ireland.

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The Norwegian archipelago…

The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard which is roughly the size of Ireland is an entirely visa-free zone, meaning anyone may live and work on Svalbard indefinitely regardless of country of citizenship.