Oct – 15: SNIPPETS
Gossiping is good for you
When someone tells you that you are a gossipmonger, feel good about it. Gossiping is good for you. According to a new study by Michael Slepian of Columbia Business School, New York, keeping secrets is like carrying physical weight that can rob you of your energy.
A series of experiments were carried out to assess the effect secrets had on one’s ability to judge the steepness of a hill. People with preoccupying secrets judged the hill to be steeper than it actually was. “This is the same kind of outcome we see when people are carrying physical burdens, seeing the world as more challenging, forbidding and extreme,” said Slepian. According to the study, one of the best ways to gain back your efficiency is to get the burden off of your chest. If you can’t share it with a confidant, write it down in your personal diary.
Exercise boosts gut bacteria diversity
A reduced diversity of gut bacteria has been linked to diabetes and obesity while a healthy and diverse profile is associated with a favourable metabolic profile and immune health. Diet is known to have a key influence on gut bacteria diversity and growth. Now, a new study has found evidence of a link between exercise and gut bacteria profile, as reported in medical journal Gut.
The researchers looked at faecal and blood samples from rugby players and healthy men who were not professional athletes to assess the range of microbiota they were hosting in their gastrointestinal tract. The rugby players had a significantly wider range and larger number of gut bacteria.
Slumping can cause headache
Experts suggest 80% of tension-type headaches are actually caused by increased pressure on the neck, made worse by bad posture, reports Daily Mail. Slumping leads to knots forming in the neck muscles, which release chemicals that make nerves more sensitive to pain. This causes pain to be felt in the head.
The head and neck have at least 36 muscle groups of which 20 have been shown to refer pain to the head. These muscles are used for many activities such as moving the head, maintaining posture, eating, talking and facial expressions.
App to tell renewable energy potentialÂ
Smartphone users can now access the most reliable data on global renewable energy potential for free, according to www.irena.org. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released an app called the ‘Global Atlas Pocket’ that can turn your smartphone or tablet into a personal renewable energy prospector.
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The purpose is to enable investors identify potential investment opportunities in wind, solar, marine, ocean, thermal and geothermal energy, bio-energy and hydro power. It brings together 1,000 maps from 50 data centres across 67 world governments to deliver information on renewable energy resources anywhere in the world. India is among the countries covered. The app is available on all platforms – BlackBerry 10, iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
