The answer is an overwhelming yes. One study employed MRI scans to reveal that there were increases in grey matter in the brains of yogis. These gains were seen in a variety of regions, including “the somatosensory cortex, which contains a mental map of our body, [ … ]
In today’s fast-paced world, it seems we have all but forgotten the value of courtesy. We tailgate slow drivers on the freeway, ignore our phone calls, take our frustrations out on a frazzled (but innocent) waiter. While incivility may be our first reaction to life’s inconveniences, it ultimately fuels [ … ]
Flash cards, outlining, mnemonic devices — all of these are certainly useful learning techniques. However, effective studying strategies can only take you so far. There are other lifestyle components that make a difference in your ability to learn — and retain — information. [ … ]
Anyone who has ever attempted to meditate can vouch for the fact that while it is theoretically simple, it is extremely challenging in practice. In fact, its simplicity is what makes it difficult, and it is also what makes it worthwhile. “Mindfulness meditation” (the practice most popular in the United States) [ … ]
Another year, another list of resolutions that probably won’t last until February. Sources estimate that only 12 percent of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions actually meet their goals. Whether you commit to losing twenty pounds, cook at home more frequently, or quit a smoking habit, it seems [ … ]
According to Tierney Thys of National Geographic “As of 2010, we have officially become an urban species. More of us live in cities than don’t, and that is a trend that is continuing and accelerating … The average North American and European spends 90 percent of their time indoors.” [ … ]
“A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes have rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his mobile phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator” [ … ]
There is an established body of evidence that suggests there are lifelong implications for children raised in poverty, and that there are unequivocal differences in the opportunities afforded to children raised in poor families versus those raised in more affluent families [ … ]
The prolific author Neil Gaiman once said, “The first problem of any kind of even limited success is the unshakable conviction that you are getting away with something, and that any moment now they will discover you.” Surprisingly, Gaiman suffers from impostor syndrome. [ … ]
These characteristics are all common among gifted children: not only are they typically academically advanced and highly creative, they also tend to experience hypersensitivities and often find ethical issues particularly salient. Carol Bainbridge, an expert on the subject, enumerates a long list of traits and abilities [ … ]
We often think of bacteria as something dirty and dangerous, something that has the potential to cause us harm; and, while this is true in some cases, bacteria are fundamental to human existence. In fact, “single-celled organisms — mostly bacteria — outnumber our own cells 10 to one [ … ]
Crystal healing, Reiki medicine, homeopathy, massage therapy, hypnosis, pilates, shamanism … the list of alternative medicines appears to be expanding into perpetuity, and the distinctions that separate them grow increasingly abstruse. It’s hard to tell which are just fads with no empirical evidence, and which have [ … ]
The internet has revolutionized the ways in which we communicate, gather information, make purchases, and consume entertainment. Nearly everything we could ever want – whether it be an out-of-print book or a babysitter for tomorrow evening – is available with the click of a button. [ … ]
Henry David Thoreau is quoted as saying, “Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” I would revise this statement by replacing “happiness” with “sleep” [ … ]
We all know that subsisting on cheeseburgers and pizza is bad for our waistlines and our heart health, and we’ve been told from an early age to “Eat your vegetables (or there will be no dessert!).” When we consider that two thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese [ … ]
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