Posts

Showing posts from 2016

Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? It’s Not Why You Think

Image
While all of my dogs have occasionally eaten grass, Gina is absolutely obsessed with chomping on greens. She’s 6 years old, and I’ve observed this behavior since I adopted her at 16 months. There’s an old myth that dogs eat grass when their stomachs are feeling queasy to cause them to vomit. But, I’ve known this isn’t the truth with her, because she eats grass daily and has no digestive problems. I was intrigued with Stanley Coren’s post in Psychology Today on the topic. Coren refers to the only research study that has surveyed dogs to find out if their grass eating habits are related to illness or dietary deficiency. The research study took place at The University of California, Davis and was published in Applied Animal Behavior Science in 2008. The survey initially observed the grass eating behavior of about 75 dogs belonging to both veterinary students and patients at the UC Davis teaching hospital. When questioned about their dog’s beh

Yoga to Put You to Sleep: 5 Poses to Help Your Mind and Body Let Go

Image
If you’re suffering from insomnia it may feel like sleep will never come again. Instead of lying in bed, try this yoga for insomnia series! As someone who has struggled off and on with insomnia, I know how rough it can be. You’re exhausted, and you’re lying in the dark, staring at the ceiling, but sleep just. won’t. come. Maybe your thoughts are racing, or maybe you feel like your body can’t settle down so that your brain can let go. If you deal with sleeplessness, yoga for insomnia may be able to help you sleep better and sleep more deeply. The causes of insomnia are complicated, and yoga isn’t going to be a cure-all for every person who suffers from this condition. It’s definitely helped me and other folks that I know, though so I recommend giving it a go. You’re awake anyway, right? If you’re new to yoga, I would suggest taking a couple of classes before practicing on your own.  The poses below are pretty basic, but learning how to properly align your body is part of yo

6 Reasons You Should Sleep Naked

Image
If you regularly sleep sans pajamas, you’re in the minority. The vast majority of us sleep swaddled in some sort of clothing, be it shorts, a tee shirt, or a full-on onesie. According to a national sleep survey from 2012, only 8 percent admit to sleeping naked. But did you know that sleeping naked is actually great for you? Here are 6 ways nixing your pajamas will improve your health and happiness. Reduce insomnia . As you sleep, your body naturally dips in temperature. It’s beneficial for the body to cool down, and it encourages deeper, more restful sleep. If your body is overheated, wrapped in thick socks and pants, you may not be able to release excess heat, which could rob you of a solid night’s sleep. Studies have shown that insomnia and body temperature are closely related, so take off those clothes if you’re tossing and turning. Improve metabolism . Reduce excess belly fat by balancing cortisol levels, your stress hormone. Cortisol levels drop between 10pm and 2am, so

26 Stimulating Sex Facts

Image
Turn up the AC because these 26 sex facts will have you grasping for the nearest piece of mail to fan your blushing face. Note to self: visit Greece & Japan. Besides it being ridiculously exciting and pleasurable, sex burns off an average of about 100 calories per session. Not a bad workout! Did you get laid last night? You’re not alone. There are an estimated 100 million acts of sexual intercourse had each day. Remember that “once you pop you can’t stop,” Pringles ad? It’s kind of like that with sex, the more you have the more you want. The average amount of time spent kissing for a person in a lifetime is 20,160 minutes. That’s two whole weeks of kissing! Sounds like a good vacation. Women who take hormonal contraceptives tend to be more attracted to men with lower testosterone levels and less super masculine physical characteristics according to research. But, women tend to desire overtly masculine men during their most fertile times in their cycle (and more like

6 Foods to Eat for Better Sex

Image
Is your bow-chicka-bow letting you down, down, down? You could blame a lot of things like the kids, your headache, or a perceived boredom between you and your partner. But have you considered looking at your plate? Being overweight can certainly affect your libido. We could dig in to the science, but it’s pretty self evident, isn’t it? Eat a bag of McDonald’s and you’d probably rather lay around and think about doing it rather than actually getting up and doing it. Have a much lighter, fresher, good-for-you meal and you are more likely to want to follow through. What you’re eating can play a role in your sex life, but not just in how much of the bad stuff you’re eating. Are you getting enough of the aphrodisiac foods when it really counts? Funny enough, the smellier the better seems to be key with these foods, with oysters, asparagus, and garlic on the list. But what the smelly and non-smelly foods on this list all share is that they’re great for you. They’re super heal