They may perform no better than placebo, and every surgery carries risk. — The prevalence of medically unnecessary surgeries in the United States is a concern, and patients, healthcare providers, and patient advocacy groups are raising alarms. Unnecessary surgeries are hard to fathom. If your doctor prescribes surgery, it surely must be warranted, right? Data proves otherwise. Unnecessary, and sometimes harmful surgery is…

It’s not as hard as you think. — Saying no may only come naturally to two year old kids. For years I struggled with it. I had two extremes. A weak and wimpy no or an angry roaring no. I don’t recommend either of those approaches! Here’s what you can do instead. Practice assertiveness Shy people can benefit from practicing…

A no-nonsense set of guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. — The eight limbs of yoga are a set of guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. They were outlined by the ancient Indian sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, a collection of texts that form the foundation of the yoga tradition. The eight limbs of yoga are: Yama These are…

The Sunshine Vitamin Is Hard to Find in the Winter — Vitamin D is produced by your body when sunlight hits your skin. That can make it tough to find in cold climates, particularly in the winter. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin naturally present in only a few foods. It’s mostly found in oily fish and eggs, and it’s added…

If you’re taking medication for anxiety or depression but not taking the steps to boost your dopamine naturally, you’re sabotaging yourself. — Dopamine, the feel-good chemical produced in your brain Dopamine is a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a role in a variety of functions, including movement, motivation, and reward. It’s a type of neurotransmitter, which means it helps transmit signals in the brain.

Even if you’re not into yoga, these 5 poses will improve muscle strength, improve your balance, and help you have a leaner, more toned body. — I get it, not everyone is into the yoga “scene”, but you don’t want to miss the benefits some common yoga poses will give you. You’ll improve muscle strength, improve your balance, and have a leaner, more toned body by regularly doing some key yoga poses. Yoga is much more…

Take the stigma out of having a flexible and fluid brain. — What’s Great About Having ADD? I suppose the answer to that question is in the eye of the beholder. I have ADD. I wasn’t officially diagnosed until my early 40s, but it was no surprise. There’s no universally agreed upon answer. …

And what you can do about it. — Why do humans love sugar so much? Humans have a natural preference for sweet tastes because in our evolutionary history, sweet foods were often a reliable indicator of high energy content and necessary for survival. The pleasure and reward associated with consuming sweet foods is thought to be related to the release of dopamine in the brain…