Tag Archives: health

Tibetan Monks Can Raise the Temperature of Their Skin Through Meditation

Monks on a roller coaster

Today I found out that some Tibetan monks can control the temperature of their skin through meditation.  Specifically, they have been shown to be able to raise their skin temperature, measured from their toes and fingers, as much as 17 degrees Fahrenheit, while their core temperature stays normal. Scientists from Harvard University, lead by Herbert Benson, were first able to […]

Read more

The Effects of Scurvy

Yar me maties, today I found out what be causing scurvy. Like most people, I already knew that scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C and that it was a major problem aboard ships out to sea for a good length of time and is still somewhat of a problem in places where people are malnourished.  But I […]

Read more

The “Pull and Pray” Method Works About as Well as a Condom for Preventing Pregnancy

Today I found out that the “Pull and Pray” method statistically is just about as effective as condoms for preventing pregnancy. Indeed, according to Dr. John Guillebaud in his book Contraception: Your Questions Answered, some of the lowest birth rates in history pop up around cultures whose primary method of contraception is the pull and pray method. This method, also […]

Read more

Why Poop Is Brown

Today I found out why poop is brown. Poop is brown due to bile from your gall bladder being metabolized by the bacteria in your intestines.  This results in a byproduct called stercobilin, which, in turn, makes poop look brown-ish. Without this stercobilin, your poop would typically look grey-ish/white.  Because of this, a sure sign you are having problems with […]

Read more

What Causes Muscle Soreness After Exercising (Note: It’s Not Lactic Acid)

Muscle Cell

Today I found out what causes muscle soreness after workouts. Since the early 20th century, this specific type of muscle soreness, called “delayed onset muscle soreness” (DOMS), was thought to be cause by lactic acid buildup in the muscles during strenuous workouts where your body’s oxygen supply is depleted.  Recent research has shown this is not the case at all […]

Read more

What Causes the Pain in Your Side You May Occasionally Feel While Running

Thoracic Diaphragm

Today I found out what causes the pain in your side you may occasionally feel while running or doing other jarring activities. This pain, known often as “side stitch” and more technically as “exercise related transient abdominal pain” (ETAP), often occurs while running, swimming, and horse riding, among others; it is caused by various stresses on your diaphragm that result […]

Read more
1 2