Category: life

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This Is Why Your Arm Gets Sore After You Get a Flu Shot

It’s important to get a flu shot, but they can come with some annoying side effects. Namely, they often make your arm sore at the site of the injection, often for a day or two afterward.

But although the soreness isn’t pleasant, it’s actually a good sign that the vaccine is doing its job.

Soreness after a flu shot happens due to your body’s natural immunologic response. The flu shot introduces an “antigen,” or a protein that allows your body to recognize a foreign object so that it can fight it with antibodies. In this case, the antigen is a tiny deactivated version of the flu virus that teaches your body what a real, live flu virus looks like. That way, your body is prepared to quickly fight off illness if you encounter the flu out in the world.

However, this means your body recognizes the inactive flu virus as a foreign object – that’s the whole point. Your body notices the antigen and goes into attack mode, and since the antigens are deposited directly into your arm muscle, that’s where your immune system begins the attack.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Part of that immune response includes inflammation. In the event of a real infection, inflammation is helpful — it helps repair damaged tissue and helps your body fight invaders.

But it can also cause soreness.

In addition to the flu shot, other shots also tend to create soreness, including the live varicella vaccine. The good news? The stronger your immune response (ie, the soreness), the stronger the immunity tends to be.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

However, just because you don’t feel any pain doesn’t mean the shot isn’t working. Everybody who receives a flu shot experiences inflammation. It’s just that not everybody experiences it to the point of pain. Only about one in five people have this local reaction, depending on the specific vaccine.

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A Study Found That Your Smartphone Is Making You Dumber, Even When It’s Turned off

You should turn off your phone once in a while. Better yet, throw it away! According to one 2017 study, you basically get stupider just by sharing the room with a smartphone, even if it’s not turned on.

The idea that smartphones dull your intelligence is not a new one. Many people are cautious about the over-use of screens and what it’s doing to our attention spans, especially for young kids. But one would think that smartphones can only take a cognitive toll when you’re actually using them.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that that’s not the case.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

In the 2017 study, researchers asked over 400 undergrads to complete several tests of their cognitive capacity. In one test, participants had to complete a pattern. In another, they had to do math problems while keeping a regularly updated sequence of letters straight.

Some of the participants kept their phones on them, in their pocket or face down on the desk, like one naturally would. Others kept their phones in a separate room. The researchers found that the further away the phone was, the better the participants’ brains functioned.

In a second test, some of the participants kept their phones turned off, while others didn’t. Again, some kept their phones on them and some put them in another room. In this case, whether or not the phone was on made absolutely no difference in their test-taking performance – if it was present, it was apparently enough of a distraction to have an effect.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

So, if you’re looking to reduce your smartphone’s impact on your brain, turning it off ain’t enough. You don’t have to really throw it away, but if you’re going into distraction-free mode, leave it in a different room and turn off your notification sounds.

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A Man Finds out His Snakebite “Wasn’t That Bad”…After He Chops off His Finger

There’s a lot of information out there about how to treat a snakebite in order to give yourself the best chance to survive. And if you grow up somewhere with dangerous snakes, you pay attention when you people talk about how to handle a bite.

After being bit on the finger, an unfortunate Chinese man from the Zhejiang province thought he was doing exactly the right thing when he cut off the afflicted appendage – only to find out at the hospital that it was all for naught.

He believed the snake that had bitten him was a “hundred pacer” (Deinagkistrodon acutus), a snake that’s believed to have venom potent enough to kill a man before he can walk 100 steps.

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Venom VS Poison. Venom, in most things… and all snakes (the venomous ones), is made up of proteins, which are large and high molecular weight. It cannot travel through the body freely like many poisons and needs to go into the bloodstream in order to work. In current medical and scientific literature, the word poison is not used to define venom. There is a scientific difference for anyone who cares to read anything published in the last 2-3 decades. Yes there are poisonous snakes, many of them also venomous, but the mechanism of building, altering, and storing the different toxins is very different and so is their purpose and function. Some people might be fine with Websters Dictionary for their definition of venom, and maybe they are ok with their doctor using 1988 Encyclopedia Britannica to learn about heart surgery. Now as far as the sign goes, I think it is out of date, but the general public is not up to speed on the difference and it probably is synonymous and not a confusion for them. In time I hope the general public ever cares enough about snakes to know the difference…but it doesn't matter to most people. People with type 1 diabetes go through a similar frustration with the everyday person's knowledge of the disease and they think two very different illnesses both come from donuts. It takes people caring enough to educate others to change that.. thanks @ronan_m_k for this pic of my very venomous sharp-nosed pit-viper.

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In some parts of China, the same species is known as a five-step snake, which would make it 20x more deadly than this man believed when he took such drastic action.

So, I mean…you kind of get his reasoning (and admire his grit).

He arrived at the hospital 50 miles away, only to be told by one Dr. Yuan Chengda that “the five-step snake is not that toxic.”

It turns out that, while the snake’s venom is dangerous and can cause symptoms like local bleeding, swelling, blistering, necrosis, heart palpitations, and even death, it’s not as rapid as people believe. Also an antivenin is available and, if received in 6 hours or less, usually effective.

If the man had brought his finger, doctors at the hospital said they could even have reattached it.

According to Dr. Yuan, this isn’t even close to the first case he’s seen of someone overreacting and losing a limb.

“Some bite victims used knives to cut their fingers or toes, some used ropes or iron wires to bind the bitten limb tightly, and some even tried to destroy the venom in their body by burning their skin. When they arrive at the hospital, some people’s limbs are already showing signs of gangrene.”

Officially, the advice when dealing with a snakebite is that the “wound should not be tampered with in any way” – i.e. you shouldn’t use tourniquets, you shouldn’t “cut, suck, or scarify the wound or apply chemicals or electric shock,” and most of all, you shouldn’t panic.

Easier said than done, of course, but I’d say allowing a doctor to cut off any limbs that need cutting is probably your best course of action.

And you know, not all of us have an axe at the ready, so it’s hard to say what we might do if we did. No judgement.

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Michael Jordan Opens a Clinic for Patients with Little or No Health Insurance in North Carolina

Some call Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time, and while he still remains in the game as owner of the Charlotte Hornets, he has also shifted his focus to helping out the needy in North Carolina.

Jordan recently opened the first of two clinics that he funded in Charlotte. The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic will serve the Charlotte community and will help uninsured and underinsured residents.

Jordan became emotional at the opening of the facility, saying, “As you can see, it’s a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that’s supported me over the years.”

‪“It’s not about the money. It’s not even about the name.” Michael Jordan at the opening of the @novanthealth Michael…

Posted by The Charlotte Post on Thursday, October 17, 2019

In 2017, Jordan committed to donating $7 million to open two clinics in Charlotte to provide healthcare to communities and people with little or no healthcare – and he followed through. The clinic will not only provide typical healthcare, but will assist patients with behavioral health and social services as well.

Carl Armato, President and CEO of Novant Health, said, “This clinic will not only provide access to medical care for those who need it most, but it will connect them to resources to ensure their health extends beyond the doctor’s office.”

Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic

#MichaelJordan stopped by our new Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic to get his #FluShot. ? We recommend everyone get their flu shot – and early! For more information about the clinic he made possible and its services, visit NHMichaelJordanClinic.org. #FluShotFriday

Posted by Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital on Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The site of the first clinic was specifically chosen because the location is in a part of Charlotte that is shown to have a high need for medical care. Area residents were also given a voice in the planning; they were consulted at meetings and forums so that Novant could learn what residents were specifically looking for from a healthcare facility in their neighborhood.

Jordan added about opening the clinic, “I believe that your ZIP code or neighborhood should not determine the quality of your health care – or whether or not you can even get care at all.”

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Italy’s Schools Will Require That Children Learn About Climate Change Starting in 2020

It looks like Italy is taking a big step in the fight against global warming and climate change, and for that, we should be thankful…and we should hope that this kind of curriculum spreads across the globe.

Lorenzo Fioramonti is Italy’s education minister, and he is now requiring that, starting in September 2020, all children in his country will receive education about climate change. All students will be required to have 33 hours of lessons each year dedicated to climate change and environmental sustainability.

Fioramonti also wants to eventually make climate change education part of math and geography curriculum so students will take sustainability into consideration when they study these subjects as well. The lessons will teach students the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and will be formed with help from environmental experts.

Fioramonti said, “The entire ministry is being changed to make sustainability and climate the centre of the education model. I want to make the Italian education system the first education system that puts the environment and society at the core of everything we learn in school.”

Italy’s education minister also believes that older people need to educate themselves and play a role in this movement, so all citizens can work together toward sustainability. Fioramonti said he wants to “build a strong bridge between old and new generations around sustainable development as a social glue.”

An NPR poll found that 80% of American parents are in favor of their kids learning about the issue. Wouldn’t that be nice…?

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13 of the Strangest Conspiracy Theories You’ve Probably Never Heard About

Conspiracy theories seem to be everywhere, but, sadly (or – actually – probably for the best), most of them fly under the radar for most of us. Unless something happens that places them in the mainstream consciousness, only a select few followers of said beliefs ever even know they exist.

And let me tell you, after you check some of these out, you’re going to be sorry you weren’t let in on the secrets sooner.

As told by the Buzzfeed Community.

13. Ronald Reagan did away with the birds. All of them.

All birds died in 1986 and were replaced with drones to spy on the public.

12. Leonardo DiCaprio had something to do with River Phoenix’s death.

Shortly after his Oscar nomination for Running on Empty, River Phoenix was asked what movie he wanted to do next. He pulled out a copy of The Basketball Diaries and said, “I want to play Jim Carroll.” Phoenix would have done anything to get this role, but apparently Leo DiCaprio wanted it as well. That’s why he played a part in Phoenix’s fatal overdose.

In fact, Leo has even admitted to seeing Phoenix at a party in LA the night he died. After his untimely death, the role of Jim Carroll went to Leo DiCaprio, which helped launch him into superstardom.

11. The Red Cross isn’t using your blood the way you think.

 

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Something sinister is going on with the blood donations the Red Cross collects. Sometimes they sell it for profit, and other times the government uses it for biowarfare testing. Most shockingly, the Illuminati uses it for satanic rituals.

10. Stevie Wonder isn’t really blind.

A lot of people believe this one. Donald Glover even got a little suspicious after meeting Stevie Wonder a few times. He claimed that some things just weren’t adding up. Interesting!

9. Big Pharma is hiding cures for diseases like cancer and HIV.

 

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This one is simple: the pharmaceutical industry makes billions and billions of dollars each year, so they have no interest in releasing the already-existing vaccines. Unfortunately, lifetime treatments for an “incurable” disease are way more lucrative for them.

8. J.K. Rowling is hiding a big secret.

Some people believe that J.K. Rowling didn’t actually write the Harry Potter books. Instead, they were ghost-written by a giant group people. This conspiracy theory goes one step further and claims that Rowling is actually Rita Skeeter, and she wrote the stories of Harry Potter after being banished from the Wizarding World.

7. Men in Black is based in real life.

 

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Aliens exist, and the government is trying to cover it up. They have a secret organization, almost identical to the one in Men in Black, whose job is to destroy all evidence and memory of alien lifeforms.

6. Coke and Pepsi are one and the same.

Apparently the rivalry between each company is completely fake. It’s simply used as a ploy to get people to take sides and buy more of each product. That way the people who secretly own both companies will make even more money.

5. Ancestry DNA (and like services) are owned by the government, who wants to build genetic models of every citizen.

Ancestry DNA kits are actually kind of genius. Not only are you paying to give the government samples of your DNA, but you’re also letting them do research on you and your family. Now they can track you, learn about your genetics, and keep records of your extremely personal information.

4. The government is trying to convince you to shave off your beard so it won’t mess with facial recognition software.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. It’s hard for the government to keep tabs on humans if their facial recognition software doesn’t work, so they anonymously claimed that beards were unsanitary, in hopes that people would shave them.

3. The real Paul McCartney died in 1966.

This one is dark. Apparently Paul McCartney died in a car crash in 1966. He was then replaced by a lookalike because the band’s managers thought there’d be an uptake in suicides if people found out the truth about his death. The other Beatles members apparently referred to the lookalike as “Faul,” a combination of the words “fake Paul.”

2. Television was created as a grand distraction from the events of real life.

The first American TV stations came into existence in the late ’20s and early ’30s, but televisions weren’t commercially sold until about 1938. Around the same time, the government was making a lot of mistakes and needed to distract the public from what was really going on. Interesting.

1. All of reality is an illusion a la The Truman Show.

 

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Reality is an illusion. Every decision you’ve ever made, everything you’ve ever seen or believed, and everything in existence (even the entire universe) is fake. Essentially, we’re all stuck in a computer game and someone has been controlling us.

You’re off to do more research now, aren’t you?

I know I am!

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A Mother Posted Pictures of Her Drug-Addicted Son as a Warning for Others

For people who have only seen the versions of drug addiction that Hollywood puts out on television and in film, there can be some disconnect from what it is like in real life.

Jennifer Salfen-Tracy has been forced to learn firsthand how addiction wrecks the people we love – her son, Cody Bishop, is addicted to both heroin and meth.

Thank you everyone… Cody Bishop has been found and currently in A rehab facility where he is starting his road to…

Posted by Jennifer Salfen-Tracy on Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The two pictures were taken 7 months apart.

Instead of burying her head in the sand or acting embarrassed about the disease that’s found her family, she’s sharing pictures and speaking out so that others understand the fire they’re playing with when it comes to serious drug use.

Image Credit: Facebook

Addiction is widespread in the United states, with 21 million Americans reporting some kind of addiction, and 2.1 million with opioid addiction.

Image Credit: Facebook

Between 1999-2017, 700,000 Americans died after overdosing on drugs or alcohol, 130 a day from opioids.

Image Credit: Facebook

Perhaps the most poignant part of Jennifer’s messages is the comfort she derives from knowing she’s not alone in her struggle – and neither is her son.

Image Credit: Facebook

Others jumped on her post to tell tales of how they overcame their own addiction, how their own loved ones came back to them, or just to express love and support.

Image Credit: Facebook

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and ready to get help, please contact the National Drug Helpline at 1-844-289-0879.

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This Is What You Should Do If You Lose Your ID Before a Flight

If you’ve ever experienced that panic when you’re ready to leave for the airport, and suddenly can’t find your I.D., then you know the hopeless feeling of mentally watching your fun (or necessary, if it’s for work) trip go right down the drain.

So, what should you do when it happens to you?

First of all, it’s important to find and pack any other documents you have that can identify you or help your case (assuming you don’t have a passport or Global Entry card) – a Social Security card, birth certificate, bank card, insurance card, even utility bills – because you’ll likely have to explain your case to (a hopefully sympathetic) security officer.

If they approve what you’ve brought, you’ll be able to proceed through security with a boarding pass that proves you’ve shown some form of ID.

If they don’t, fear not – you can still complete the TSA’s “identity verification” process, which will include “collecting information such as your name, current address, and other personal information to confirm your identity.”

It will take up to an additional two hours, however, so make sure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

Also, it can be a pretty intense process. From one redditor who went through it:

“I give him my name, date of birth, and SSN. He tells me he’s going to relay some questions to me, then proceeds to ask some general questions (credit report-type stuff) then some non-general questions (what cities my parents were born in). After I answered all the questions they gave me the enhanced pat-down and then sent me to my flight.”

If you’ve got copies of your id, you’ll want to bring those, just in case.

Also, with the advent of READ-ID, all of this advice might soon be obsolete. So there’s that.

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This Is Why You Can’t Get a McRib Any Time You Want

The McRib.

I know there are people out there who love it, crave it, and count the days until it returns, even after the rather startling (if not surprising) truth about its ingredients is now public knowledge.

But if so many people are ready to fork over their cash year-round, why does McDonald’s insist on holding out?

Well, you’re about to find out, so hold onto your Happy Meals, my friends…

It’s not as surprising as you might think. Basically, it’s all about the marketing.

According to CNN, McDonald’s doesn’t actually believe you’d buy the McRib year round; they think the seasonal nature of the product is exactly what makes it so popular.

When fast food chains employ a “limited run” item, they know diners are more motivated to make time to grab not just one, but several, while it’s in season – something they might not do if it were available any ol’ time.

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Finally!!!!!! #mcrib #seasonal #iamloved

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The McRib first appeared in 1981, but it didn’t do well, so McDonald’s removed it from the menu in 1985. When it returned in 1994, people gave it more of a chance, and by 2005, it became a regular on McDonald’s recurring menu. Consumers should also know the sandwich contains 70 different ingredients, which include, “pig bits like tripe, heart, and scalded stomach.” Add in some azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides and more.

Nowadays, people are actively excited when it comes back around, instead of feeling like it’s just one of many options they could get whenever.

And if you’re looking to cash in on the latest McRib season, please enjoy yourself responsibly – and if you’re anything like me, don’t forget your antacid.

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Students Make Tampon Cookies for Their Principal After He Refuses to Put Tampons in the Bathrooms

Leave it to a man to do something this ridiculous regarding women’s health. At a middle school recently, some kids got pretty peeved when the (male) principal argued against putting a tampon machine in the restroom because the students would “abuse the privilege”…whatever that means.

So what did these obviously bright and crafty seventh graders decide to do? They held a protest and baked some tampon cookies.

People thought the protest was pretty amazing, and the responses came rolling in.

“Each generation is incorporating feminism into child-rearing more and more. Yesterday’s ‘you can be a doctor’ is now ‘you can be a doctor and you can demand tampons.”

“She and every girl in the school should rally together and agree that every. single. time. they need a tampon, they should bypass all other adults at school and go ask for one from the principal directly.”

“Maybe the girls should demonstrate that they are not taking advantage of free tampons by returning them to the principal when they are finished with them.”

The girls who baked the cookies also released a statement under the name Revolutionary Girls’ Baking Society (this just keeps getting better) to update the world on what happened after the tweet went viral. The statement said, in part:

“After our cookie protest, our principal and the school board are now working to make sure every girl in our town will have the products they need readily available so no girl misses a day of school. We are very grateful that the school has taken our action seriously and is making a change. Feminine hygiene is not a luxury or a privilege, and not having tampons and pads is a barrier to every girl’s education.

Ours is a story of standing up with love and courage for our basic rights. Stand with us and work locally, nationally, and internationally to support the health and rights of all people. Check out Period.org or any of the hundreds of organizations working to ensure equal access to education for all.

Your actions can and do make a difference. We know, because ours did. If tampon cookies can spark a revolution, then the possibilities are endless!

Signed,
The Revolutionary Girls’ Baking Society, baking a difference one bizarre confection at a time.”

You can read the full statement from the girls HERE.

I just love this story so much!

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