Category: Health

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This Under-The-Desk Hammock Is Designed for Napping at Work

Now you can be just like George Costanza and sleep under your desk instead of working! But with this gadget, you’ll be a little more comfortable than he was in that classic episode of Seinfeld.

As someone who used to occasionally sleep in their car during lunch breaks, I wholly approve of this product.

The hammock is manufactured by Uplift Desk, and it comes free with every full desk purchase. It hangs below the company’s standing desk model, and, by the looks of it, you’ll be snoozing in no time if you decide to get comfy in one of these.

Take a break from the hectic workday in the Under Desk Hammock by UPLIFT Desk. Free with every full desk purchase, choose yours in gray or blue. Or buy it by itself!https://buff.ly/2NjXmW9

Posted by UPLIFT Desk on Friday, August 23, 2019

You can also buy the hammock from Uplift by itself for $55.

It comes in blue or gray.

Take a break from the hectic workday in the Under Desk Hammock by UPLIFT Desk. Free with every full desk purchase, choose yours in gray or blue. Or buy it by itself!https://buff.ly/2NjXmW9

Posted by UPLIFT Desk on Friday, August 23, 2019

All you’ll need to do is install the two anchor plates on the frame, then clip the carabiners that come with the hammock into the anchors, and you’ll be ready to go to Zzzzzzzz-Ville.

The bag that the hammock stuffs into hangs off the side of the hammock when opened, so you can put your phone (with the alarm set!), your keys, and anything else you want to keep next to you in there while you doze off and forget about all that paperwork you have to catch up on.

Ugh, we all know that feeling.

Here’s a video of the hammock in action. Will you be able to resist this product?

I love this idea – the more nap opportunities, the better.

I’m gonna order mine today.

The post This Under-The-Desk Hammock Is Designed for Napping at Work appeared first on UberFacts.

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A Recent Study Shows That More Guns Lead to More Violent Crime

A recent statistical analysis of 33 U.S. states might be a game-changer for the argument that more guns on the street would help reduce violent crime.

The report will likely come into play as the Supreme Court gets ready to hear arguments in a case lobbying for the constitutional right for Americans to carry guns outside the home.

The debate over whether more guns leads to more or less crime harkens back to the 1998 book More Guns, Less Crime, by John Lott Jr. of the Crime Prevention Research Center. Since its publication, 11 states have loosened their right-to-carry laws, and more than 30 states allow the open carrying of a gun with no permit necessary.

In those same states, violent crime increased 13%-15% in the decade after right-to-carry laws were adopted.

Which is one why, argues the study’s lead author John Donohue, adopting them could be a “dangerous mistake to make.”

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“It just another day.. and I stand behind you in line at the store with a smile on my face…and a gun in my purse and you are none the wiser. You have no clue that I carry because I have my gun concealed, yet you are safer for having me next to you. I will not shoot you. My gun won't pull it's own trigger. It is securely holstered. It can't just go off by itself. However, rest assured that if a lunatic walks into the store and pulls out a rifle and starts shooting innocent people, I will draw my pistol and protect myself and my family.. and because your next to me, I will protect you and your family. I may freeze up, I may piss my pants, I will be terrified just as you. I may even get shot before I can pull the trigger…but, I won't die helpless on the floor begging for my life or my families life without trying to protect us. I won't be that victim. I REFUSE to be that victim. No one will take my life or those around me without me fighting back. As for you, I don't ask you to carry a gun. If you are not comfortable, then please don't. There are some people that feel guns kill people.. I’m here to tell you people kill people. I choose to not be a HELPLESS victim. This world is ugly and there is evil in the world and if evil has a gun, I want one too… because that’s MY RIGHT and I pray that day NEVER HAPPENS but if that day did, you’ll be blessed to have me by you.” #concealedcarry #glock43 #myright #secondamendmentrights #gunsafe #concealcarry #countrygirl #SelfDefense #RefuseToBeAVictim #Glock #9mm #KeepCalmAndCarry #defendthesecond #2A #AllGunLawsAreInfringements #righttocarry #ihavetherighttoprotectmyself #DontBeAStatistic #Southcarolina #ThisIsMySafety

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“The important takeaway is that more guns seem to lead to more crime. So it is probably wise to think in terms of appropriate controls and it would be very unwise to push the 2nd amendment too far.”

The team behind the study looked at violent crime rates in all states, controlling for policing, incarceration rates, poverty, and other demographic issues to estimate the impact of the right-to-carry laws on the books.

3.1 million people were victims of violent crimes in 2017, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and jailing everyone responsible would double the prison population in most states.

Donahue says that even he and his team were surprised at what the data presented.

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"I stand behind you in line at the store with a smile on my face…and a gun under my shirt and you are none the wiser, yet you are safer for having me next to you. I won't shoot you. My gun won't pull it's own trigger. It is securely holstered with the trigger covered. It can't just go off. However, rest assured that if a lunatic walks into the grocery store and pulls out a rifle, I will draw my pistol and protect myself and my family and therefore protect you and your family. I may freeze up. I may piss my pants. I may get shot before I can pull the trigger…but, I won't die in a helpless blubbering heap on the floor begging for my life or my child's life. I won't be that victim. I choose not to be. As for you, I don't ask you to carry a gun. If you are not comfortable, then please don't. But I would like to keep my right to choose to not be a helpless victim. There is evil in the world and if evil has a gun, I want one too…” -unknown . . #SelfDefense #RefuseToBeAVictim #Glock #GlockPerfection #glock43x #9mm #therearemanylikeitbutthisoneismine #KeepCalmAndCarry #defendthesecond #edccarry #2A #AllGunLawsAreInfringements #righttocarry #ihavetherighttoprotectmyself #DontBeAStatistic #ConcealedCarry #Texas #ThisIsMySafety

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“It was really only after we had 13 more years of data and 11 additional adoptions of RTC laws that a clear picture emerged that RTC laws increase violent crime.”

And not by a little – by a lot.

In 23 of the 31 states with right-to-carry laws, violent crime increased by as much as 24% (PA) in the last decade.

Incidents of gun violence related to road rage disputes, bar fights, police shootings of armed civilians, and everyday disagreements explain increases, as the study did not find a statistically significant change in rates of homicide or property crimes.

Other researchers, like Daniel Webster of the Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Buzzfeed News he’s thrilled to have more numbers.

“I have read the study and consider it to be the most rigorous of studies of right-to-carry laws to date. This is a very important piece of research.”

Mr. Lott – the author of the original pro-gun argument – is keen to dismiss the emerging numbers.

“Basically, poor areas are more likely to be affected by violent crime, so lowering barriers to permits has a bigger effect in states that do so.”

The insinuation (without evidence) is that the study didn’t take such things into account. He also complained that other studies that support his own findings have “gotten no news coverage.”

Criminologist Philip Cook from Duke University, though, argues that new studies often trump old research and topple old data. That’s just how science often works.

“The scientific process does not always get the answer right the first time, but if it’s working well, then important findings are reviewed and tested and the truth becomes clearer.”

The new study, which encompasses 33 states and an extra decade of data, should be the beacon going forward – unless another study as rigorous effectively challenges it sometime in the future.

Until then, these numbers should give everyone – including the Supreme Court – something to think about.

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A New Study Shows Police Violence Is a Leading Cause of Death for Young Black Men

It’s become clear that young black men have different experiences with – and more reasons to fear – interactions with police.

At least, that’s how it seems.

But now, a scientific study is backing up that idea with proof.

According to new research, black men between the ages of 20 and 29 experience the highest mortality rate, with use-of-force by police being the 6th leading cause of death (after accidents, suicide, other homicides, heart disease, and cancer).

Study author Frank Edwards, of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University-Newark, issued a statement about their findings.

“We haven’t really known for sure how often these killings have been happening because the data hasn’t been good enough. But if we are going to try and change police practices that aren’t working, we need to track this information better.”

Lest you think those numbers aren’t striking, they mean that 1 in every 1,000 black men will be killed by police – a 2.5x higher rate than for white men.

They join American Indians and Alaskan Natives in being “significantly more likely” to be killed by police. Even black women are 1.4x more likely than white women to be killed by police.

The data comes from Fatal Encounters, a journalist-led effort to document police-related deaths, which otherwise are lumped in with other crime statistics.

“We find that African American men and women, American Indian/Alaskan Native men and women, and Latino men face higher lifetime risk of being killed by police than do their white peers.”

Even though the data includes so-called “justified” killings, the results are nonetheless compelling. Race and police brutality continue to stand in the national spotlight, largely due to the fact that even though black people make up a mere 13% of the population, they encompass 34% of the prison population and 25% of people killed by on-duty police – making them closer to 3x more likely to die that way than their white peers.

While these results can be partially explained by the fact that younger people are more likely to engage in risky behavior, the study authors point out that police in the U.S. kill more people overall than forces in other industrialized democracies, particularly when it comes to people of color.

Hopefully studies like these, combined with thoughtful policies and departments intent on improving relations between officers and those they serve, will help steer America in the right direction.

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Doctors Attributed a Death to Vaping for the First Time

After many mysterious respiratory illnesses that seem to be linked to vaping, health officials in Illinois are ready to say the e-cigarettes are the cause of death in at least one case.

The Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike issued a statement:

“The severity of illness people are experiencing is alarming and we must get the word out that using e-cigarettes and vaping can be dangerous. We requested a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help us investigate these cases and they arrived in Illinois on Tuesday.”

Earlier this month, the CDC began an investigation into several reports of the unidentified lung disease that has affected almost 100 people across a dozen U.S. states. No information about the victim in this case has been provided, except that they were an adult person living in Illinois.

The reported number of people suffering from respiratory issues related to vaping has doubled in just a week, and now 22 people between the ages of 17 and 38 have been hospitalized due to the condition. People who have shown symptoms of the illness only share one commonality: vaping. People have grown sick after vaping THC products, nicotine products, and a combination of the two.

The CDC, along with state health officials and the USDA, are looking into the names, brands, types of products and kinds of devices the patients used in order to try to pin down a more specific culprit, but right now the risky behavior seems to be vaping at all.

While the CDC admits that e-cigs can be helpful to those who hope to quit smoking, the potential risks outweigh the possible benefits for many others – and they advise that teens, young adults, and pregnant women avoid them at all costs.

Right now, the cause behind the illnesses remains a mystery, and health officials urge anyone who vapes and experiences chest pains or has difficulty breathing to seek medical attention right away.

If you haven’t started vaping, this information should be more than enough reason to steer clear…and if you have, it might be time to quit.

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Aside from the Ink, Getting a Tattoo Can Permanently Change Your Body

Tattoos are obviously permanet…but what if that alteration is more than skin deep?

A new study published in the Particle and Fibre Toxicology Journal, alleges that some people with multiple tattoos end up with a microscopic sprinkling of metal in their lymph nodes.

Scientists have known about the metal particles for some time, but have assumed it was a byproduct of the ink filtered out by lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, and groin. This study, though, points to a different culprit.

Now, researchers have discovered that traces of nickel and chromium found in these lymph nodes actually come from the needle of the tattoo gun. Hiram Castillo, one of the study’s authors, explains what they found: “There is more to tattoos than meets the eye. It is not only about the cleanliness of the parlour, the sterilization of the equipment or even about the pigments. Now we find that the needle wear also has an impact in your body.”

The team of researchers, out of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Germany, began by studying tissue from deceased people with and without tattoos and found particles of iron, chromium, and nickel in the lymph nodes of those sporting ink. Those aren’t common metals found in inks, explains Ines Schreiver, another scientist connected with the study.

“We tested around 50 ink samples without finding such metal particles and made sure that we hadn’t contaminated the samples during sample preparation. Then we though of testing the needle and that was our ‘eureka’ moment.”

The real culprit is probably a white pigment contained in green, blue, and red tattoo inks. It’s called titanium dioxide, and it can wear away needles.

The discovery could help explain why some people experience allergic reactions to tattoos – and lest you think that the nanoparticles are no big deal, I’m sorry to tell you that smaller sized particles can often release higher amounts of toxic elements.

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Artista @derbylablonge

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That said, there is no evidence to suggest that tattoos are associated with wider health problems…for now. Researchers are, Schreiver says, going to keep digging.

“Unfortunately, today, we can’t determine the exact impact on human health and possible allergy development deriving from the tattoo needle wear. These are long-term effects which can only be assessed in long-term epidemiological studies that monitor the health of thousands of people over decades.”

Just one more thing to think about before you choose the shop – and the color – of your next amazing piece of body art.

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This Is How Much Red Meat, Eggs, and Dairy You Should Eat to Be Healthy

There are a ton of arguments about the dangers of eating too much meat these days – health, the environment, animal cruelty – and no shortage of people ready to shout at you why you should be reducing your consumption.

But if you’re less concerned about macro issues and more worried about how much you consume for reasons to do with your own personal body, you might be wondering what science and health experts recommend.

Which, in that case, I’ve got you covered.

Or at least, the Heart Foundation of Australia does.

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Thin patties cooked medium rare?? I need to check this out for myself. . Repost • @mybizzykitchen Dear @atwoodchi – I work just blocks from your location and am kicking myself for not trying you sooner ??‍♀️ Located in the heart of the loop near the theater district, it’s a perfect location on State Street. Being the burger snob that I am, I had to try the “Atwood Burger.” @slagelfamilyfarm beef, American cheese, special sauce, pickles and romaine I love a medium rare, rare burger and the fact that they nailed mid rare on two thin patties is amazeballs. The beef was flavorful, juicy, and the bun to burger ratio was perfect ?? @joshuanmeyer – let me know the next time you are in the city – you’d love this burger! @ww peeps might be thinking ? “Biz, that’s so many points!” But I ate half my plate, counted it as 17 points, loved every bite and I’m moving on. That’s the best part about @ww is that you never have to give up the foods you love – you can always make it work. I am now adding this burger into my Top 5 that I’ve tried in Chicago! My sister @jenncooks got the Nashville hot chicken sandwich and it was delicious too ✅ Raise your hand ? if you want a bite ??

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They’ve published updated recommendations for red meat, eggs, and dairy, and, honestly, people have been caught a bit off guard by what they say.

For red meat, it’s recommended that we eat a maximum of 350g per week – that’s just two servings of beef, lamb, pork, or veal every seven days.

The average burger patty is around 200g, and a small steak is around 100g (a dinner steak would be more like 150-200g).

Australians, like Americans, eat a lot of red meat – an average of around 250g a DAY, which works out to 1750g every week.

Clearly, that is far above the recommended levels.

Health officials would like to see people substitute Omega-3 rich fish, lentils, beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans for at least some portions of their usual red meat intake.

Moving on…

Eggs are considered great sources of both proteins and vitamins and minerals, but they should be enjoyed in moderation due to high levels of cholesterol (though you can safely have 1 or 2 a day, unless you have risk factors like high cholesterol, heart disease, or diabetes).

And the HFA actually recommends that people look into including more full fat dairy into their diets (whole milk, full fat greek yogurt) because it increases blood glucose and make you feel fuller throughout the day, which can actually help reduce total calorie intake (except, again for people with heart issues and high cholesterol). They also say it’s not a bad idea to consider adding some non-milk ‘dairy’ into your diet, like almond milk or cashew cheese.

Basically, we all need to take a hard look at increasing our fruit and vegetable intake. The two food groups contain loads of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help reduce our risk of heart disease and diabetes, unlike processed foods rich in sugar, fat, and salt, which contribute heavily to weight gain and poor cardiovascular health.

To sum up: you can enjoy your burger or steak, but just say yes to a big side of broccoli, too.

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10 Facts so Good You Might Just Jump Around

Let’s cut the chit chat and the small talk RIGHT NOW. I’m here with 10 facts that you absolutely NEED in your life right now.

They’re so good, in fact, that I have a feeling you’re going to jump for joy. So go ahead and do it! …After you enjoy these facts.

1. Been there, done that

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. Ouch…

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3. Freaky!

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4. That’s interesting

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5. It works!

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6. Give it a shot

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7. Here come the waterworks

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8. I’ll take two!

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9. Harry Potter critters

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10. Hey, Gramps!

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Might as well JUMP!

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Studies Show That Children Who Grow up Around Their Grandparents Are Happier and Less Likely to Be Depressed

I’ve always been jealous of people who grew up close to their grandparents and so were able to enjoy that bond. My family moved around so much when I was growing up that my grandparents lived far away, and I was only able to meet them a few times while they were still alive.

Beyond the love, care, and guidance that grandparents give to their grandkids, research shows that this special relationship is even more beneficial than we thought.

Photo Credit: Pexels

A 2016 study shows that children who have close emotional ties with their grandparents have a reduced risk of becoming depressed. The study was conducted by researchers from Boston College who analyzed data collected over a 19-year period.

More good news came out of the study as well. Grandparents also benefit from a close relationship with their grandkids, and the older folks are less likely to show depressive symptoms as well.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Another study, out of the University of Oxford, found that kids who had close relationships with their grandparents coped better with difficult and traumatic life events, such as bullying or going through a divorce. This research also showed that kids with a higher level of involvement from grandparents in their lives had fewer behavioral and emotional problems and that they dealt with life changes in a healthy way.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Kimberly Agresta, of the Agresta Psychotherapy Group, said:

“If parents regularly involve grandparents in their child’s life early on, a child can develop real emotional closeness to the grandparents and begin to see the grandparent as a source of strong social support. So a child will feel that they have other adults, aside from their parents, who love and care about them in the same way, and this adds to their sense of stability and security.”

If you grew up around your grandparents, consider yourself a lucky person.

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There Could Be a Cure for Peanut Allergies as Soon as 2020

Allergies to peanuts are very common among children, so much so that many schools have simply banned peanuts altogether. Peanut allergies are life-threatening for many sufferers. Simply being in the same room as peanut dust can trigger a deadly reaction, which is an incredibly scary way to live life for young kids and their parents. There is no cure for peanut allergies…

Yet. Scientists are currently working on a treatment that would make it possible for allergic children to eat peanuts.

Today reports that there are at least 17 new therapies currently under study for treating peanut allergies, and some are mere months away from FDA approval. Dr. Kari Nadeau, director of Stanford University’s Sean Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, says that these therapies could potentially serve as a cure for some patients.

Photo Credit: iStock

“There’s going to be some groups that might need to have therapy every day for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Nadeau told Today. “But there might people that can stop therapy and do fine.”

One treatment is a “peanut pill,” a pill filled with a precise dose of pharmaceutical-grade peanut powder. The dose would gradually increase over time, building patients’ tolerance until they can tolerate eating whole peanuts. The pill was successful in up to 80 percent of patients in a clinical trial.

There’s also a “peanut patch,” which is a similar concept, but the dose is administered through the skin instead of orally. Additionally, there’s a vaccine that could treat patients without introducing them to the allergen at all.

Photo Credit: iStock

One young patient, Violet, successfully went through a trial for the peanut pill. Two years later, she can be in the same room as peanuts and eat cross-contaminated foods without a reaction. The treatment has allowed her to go places and do things she never could before, and she only has to eat a couple of peanut M&Ms each night to maintain her tolerance — not a bad prescription!

The peanut pill is for children ages 4 to 17 and could be available as soon as early 2020.

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These Photos Show How Polluted America Was Before the EPA Cleaned It up

It’s difficult to imagine that there was a time when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) didn’t exist in the United States, but it actually wasn’t until 1970 that President Richard Nixon signed the order to create the agency.

From 1971 until 1977, the EPA hired freelance photographers to document just how bad the environmental problem was in the U.S. at the time.

These old photographs show just how polluted America’s air and waterways were before the EPA stepped in and cleaned them up. You can view more from the series here on Flickr.

1. “The Atlas Chemical Company Belches Smoke across Pasture Land in Foreground”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

2. “Smog Hangs Over Louisville And Ohio River, September 1972”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

3. “Burning Barge On The Ohio River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

4. “Detroit Lake the Dam”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

5. “Paddlewheel Steamboats Seen From Banks Of Ohio River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

6. “Litter Left In The Ohio River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

7. “Broken Glass From “No-Deposit, Non-Returnable” Bottles Along the Washington Shore of the Columbia River in a Public Picnic Area”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

8. “The Job Of Clearing Drift From The Potomac And Anacostia Rivers Is Done By The Army Corps Of Engineers”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

9. “Warning of Polluted Water at Staten Island Beach Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Background”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

10. “Abandoned Car in Jamaica Bay”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

11. “Sand Covers Abandoned Car on Beach at Breezy Point South of Jamaica Bay”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

12. “Outflow Pipe 6 of the Oxford Paper Company Will at Rumford on the Androscoggin River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

13. “Mary Workman Holds A Jar of Undrinkable Water That Comes from Her Well, and Has Filed A Damage Suit Against the Hanna Coal Company”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

14. “International Paper Company Mill at Jay on the Androscoggin River”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

15. “Cleaning Up the Roadside in Onset”

Photo Credit: US National Archives

Powerful photos, that’s for sure.

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