18 Body Hacks
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1.Ifyourthroattickles,scratchyourear. Whenyouwere9,playi ngyourarmpitwasacoo ltrick.Now,asanadult ,youcan stillappreciateagoodbody-basedfeat,butyou remorediscriminating.Taketha ttickleinyourthroat;it snotworthgaggingover.Here sabetterwaytoscratch youritch:Whenthenervesintheeararestimulated,itcreatesareflexinthe throatthatcancauseamusclespasm, saysScottSchaffer,M.D.,presidentofan ear,noseandthroat specialtycenterinGibbsboro,NewJersey. Thisspasmrelie vesthetickle. 2.Experiencesupersonichearing! Ifyourestuckchattingupa mumbleratacocktailpa rty,leaninwithyourri ght ear.Itsbetterthanyourlefta tfollowingtherapidrh ythmsofspeech,accordi ngtoresearchersattheUCLADavidGeffenSchoolofMedicine.If,ontheother hand,youretryingtoidentifyth atsongplayingsoftlyi ntheelevator,turnyou rlefteartowardthe sound.Theleftearisb etteratpickingupmusic tones. 3.Overcomeyourmostprimalurge! Needtopee?Nobathro omnearby?FantasizeaboutJessicaSimpson.Thinkingabout sexpreoccupiesyourbrain,soyouwon tfeelasmuchdiscomfort,saysLarryLips hultz,M.D.,chiefof malereproductivemedicineattheBaylorCollege ofMedici ne.Forbestresults,trySimpson sTheseBootsAreMadeforWalking video. 4.Feelnopain! Germanresearchershav ediscoveredthatcoughi ngduringaninjectionca nlessen thepainoftheneedle stick.AccordingtoTarasUsichenko,authorofa studyon thephenomenon,thet rickcausesasudden,te mporaryriseinpressure inthech estandspinalcanal, inhibitingthepain-conductingstructuresofthe spinalco rd. 5.Clearyourstuffednose! ForgetSudafed.Aneas ier,quicker,andcheape rwaytorelievesinuspr essureis byalternatelythrust ingyourtongueagainst theroofofyourmouth,thenpress ingbetweenyoureyebr owswithonefinger.Thi scausesthevomerbone, whichrun sthroughthenasalpassagestothemouth,to rockbackandforth,says LisaDeS tefano,D.O.,anassis tantprofessorattheMi chiganStateUniversityc ollegeof osteopathicmedicine. Themotionloosenscong estion;after20seconds, youllfee lyoursinusesstarttodrain. 6.Fightfirewithoutwater! Worriedthosewingswillrepeatonyoutonight? Sleeponyourleftside, saysAnth onyA.Star-poli,M.D. ,aNewYorkCitygastro enterologistandassistan tprofess orofmedicineatNew YorkMedicalCollege.Studieshaveshownthatpatientswho sleepontheirlefts idesarelesslikelyto sufferfromacidreflux. Theesoph agusandstomachconnectatanangle.Whenyou sleeponyourright,the stomach ishigherthantheeso phagus,allowingfoodan dstomachacidtoslideu pyourth roat.Whenyoureonyourleft,thestomachislowerthanthe esophagus,sogravit ysinyourfavor. 7.Cureyourtoothachewithoutopeningyourmouth! Justrubiceontheba ckofyourhand,onthe V-shapedwebbedareabetw eenyour thumbandindexfinger.ACanadianstudyfound thatthistechniqueredu cestooth achepainbyasmucha s50percentcomparedwi thusingnoice.Thenerv epathway
Transcript of 18 Body Hacks
8/2/2019 18 Body Hacks
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1.Ifyourthroattickles,scratchyourear.
Whenyouwere9,playingyourarmpitwasacooltrick.Now,asanadult,youcanstillappreciateagoodbody-basedfeat,butyouremorediscriminating.Takethattickleinyourthroat;itsnotworthgaggingover.Heresabetterwaytoscratchyouritch:Whenthenervesintheeararestimulated,itcreatesareflexinthethroatthatcancauseamusclespasm,saysScottSchaffer,M.D.,presidentofanear,noseandthroatspecialtycenterinGibbsboro,NewJersey.Thisspasmrelievesthetickle.
2.Experiencesupersonichearing!
Ifyourestuckchattingupamumbleratacocktailparty,leaninwithyourrightear.Itsbetterthanyourleftatfollowingtherapidrhythmsofspeech,accordingtoresearchersattheUCLADavidGeffenSchoolofMedicine.If,ontheotherhand,youretryingtoidentifythatsongplayingsoftlyintheelevator,turnyourlefteartowardthesound.Theleftearisbetteratpickingupmusictones.
3.Overcomeyourmostprimalurge!
Needtopee?Nobathroomnearby?FantasizeaboutJessicaSimpson.Thinkingaboutsexpreoccupiesyourbrain,soyouwontfeelasmuchdiscomfort,saysLarryLipshultz,M.D.,chiefofmalereproductivemedicineattheBaylorCollegeofMedici
ne.Forbestresults,trySimpsonsTheseBootsAreMadeforWalkingvideo.
4.Feelnopain!
Germanresearchershavediscoveredthatcoughingduringaninjectioncanlessenthepainoftheneedlestick.AccordingtoTarasUsichenko,authorofastudyonthephenomenon,thetrickcausesasudden,temporaryriseinpressureinthechestandspinalcanal,inhibitingthepain-conductingstructuresofthespinalcord.
5.Clearyourstuffednose!
ForgetSudafed.Aneasier,quicker,andcheaperwaytorelievesinuspressureis
byalternatelythrustingyourtongueagainsttheroofofyourmouth,thenpressingbetweenyoureyebrowswithonefinger.Thiscausesthevomerbone,whichrunsthroughthenasalpassagestothemouth,torockbackandforth,saysLisaDeStefano,D.O.,anassistantprofessorattheMichiganStateUniversitycollegeofosteopathicmedicine.Themotionloosenscongestion;after20seconds,youllfeelyoursinusesstarttodrain.
6.Fightfirewithoutwater!
Worriedthosewingswillrepeatonyoutonight?Sleeponyourleftside,saysAnthonyA.Star-poli,M.D.,aNewYorkCitygastroenterologistandassistantprofessorofmedicineatNewYorkMedicalCollege.Studieshaveshownthatpatientswhosleepontheirleftsidesarelesslikelytosufferfromacidreflux.Theesoph
agusandstomachconnectatanangle.Whenyousleeponyourright,thestomachishigherthantheesophagus,allowingfoodandstomachacidtoslideupyourthroat.Whenyoureonyourleft,thestomachislowerthantheesophagus,sogravitysinyourfavor.
7.Cureyourtoothachewithoutopeningyourmouth!
Justrubiceonthebackofyourhand,ontheV-shapedwebbedareabetweenyourthumbandindexfinger.ACanadianstudyfoundthatthistechniquereducestoothachepainbyasmuchas50percentcomparedwithusingnoice.Thenervepathway
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satthebaseofthatVstimulateanareaofthebrainthatblockspainsignalsfromthefaceandhands.
8.Makeburnsdisappear!
Whenyouaccidentallysingeyourfingeronthestove,cleantheskinandapplylightpressurewiththefingerpadsofyourunmarredhand.Icewillrelieveyourpainmorequickly,Dr.DeStefanosays,butsincethenaturalmethodbringstheburnedskinbacktoanormaltemperature,theskinislesslikelytoblister.
9.Stoptheworldfromspinning!
Onetoomanydrinksleftyoudizzy?Putyourhandonsomethingstable.Thepartofyourearresponsibleforbalancethecupulafloatsinafluidofthesamedensityasblood.Asalcoholdilutesbloodinthecupula,thecupulabecomeslessdenseandrises,saysDr.Schaffer.Thisconfusesyourbrain.Thetactileinputfromastableobjectgivesthebrainasecondopinion,andyoufeelmoreinbalance.Becausethenervesinthehandaresosensitive,thisworksbetterthantheconventionalfoot-on-the-floorwisdom.
10.Unstitchyourside!
Ifyourelikemostpeople,whenyourun,youexhaleasyourrightfoothitstheground.Thisputsdownwardpressureonyourliver(whichlivesonyourrightside),whichthentugsatthediaphragmandcreatesasidestitch,accordingtoTheDoctorsBookofHomeRemediesforMen.Thefix:Exhaleasyourleftfootstrikestheground.
11.Stanchbloodwithasinglefinger!
PinchingyournoseandleaningbackisagreatwaytostopanosebleedifyoudontmindchokingonyourownOpositive.Amorecivilapproach:Putsomecottononyouruppergumsjustbehindthatsmalldentbelowyournoseandpressagainstit,har
d.Mostbleedscomefromthefrontoftheseptum,thecartilagewallthatdividesthenose,saysPeterDesmarais,M.D.,anear,nose,andthroatspecialistatEntabeniHospital,inDurban,SouthAfrica.Pressingherehelpsstopthem.
12.Makeyourheartstandstill!
Tryingtoquellfirst-datejitters?Blowonyourthumb.Thevagusnerve,whichgovernsheartrate,canbecontrolledthroughbreathing,saysBenAbo,anemergencymedical-servicesspecialistattheUniversityofPittsburgh.Itllgetyourheartratebacktonormal.
13.Thawyourbrain!
ToomuchChipwichtoofastwillfreezethebrainsoflessermen.Asforyou,pressyourtongueflatagainsttheroofofyourmouth,coveringasmuchasyoucan.Sincethenervesintheroofofyourmouthgetextremelycold,yourbodythinksyourbrainisfreezing,too,saysAbo.Incompensating,itoverheats,causinganice-creamheadache.Themorepressureyouapplytotheroofofyourmouth,thefasteryourheadachewillsubside.
14.Preventnear-sightedness!
Poordistancevisionisrarelycausedbygenetics,saysAnneBarber,O.D.,anop
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tometristinTacoma,Washington.Itsusuallycausedbynear-pointstress.Inotherwords,staringatyourcomputerscreenfortoolong.Soflexyourwayto20/20vision.Everyfewhoursduringtheday,closeyoureyes,tenseyourbody,takeadeepbreath,and,afterafewseconds,releaseyourbreathandmusclesatthesametime.Tighteningandreleasingmusclessuchasthebicepsandglutescantrickinvoluntarymusclesliketheeyesintorelaxingaswell.
15.Wakethedead!
Ifyourhandfallsasleepwhileyouredrivingorsittinginanoddposition,rockyourheadfromsidetoside.Itllpainlesslybanishyourpinsandneedlesinlessthanaminute,saysDr.DeStefano.Atinglyhandorarmisoftentheresultofcompressioninthebundleofnervesinyourneck;looseningyourneckmusclesreleasesthepressure.Compressednerveslowerinthebodygovernthefeet,sodontletyoursleepingdogslie.Standupandwalkaround.
16.Impressyourfriends!
Nexttimeyoureataparty,trythistrick:Haveapersonholdonearmstraighto
uttotheside,palmdown,andinstructhimtomaintainthisposition.Thenplacetwofingersonhiswristandpushdown.Hellresist.Nowhavehimputonefootonasurfacethatsahalfinchhigher(afewmagazines)andrepeat.Thistimehisarmwillfoldlikeahouseofcards.Bymisaligninghiships,youveoffsethisspine,saysRachelCosgrove,C.S.C.S.,co-ownerofResultsFitness,inSantaClarita,California.Yourbrainsensesthatthespineisvulnerable,soitshutsdownthebodysabilitytoresist.
17.Breatheunderwater!
Ifyouredyingtoretrievethatquarterfromthebottomofthepool,takeseveralshortbreathsfirstessentially,hyperventilate.Whenyoureunderwater,itsnotalackofoxygenthatmakesyoudesperateforabreath;itsthebuildupofcarbondi
oxide,whichmakesyourbloodacidic,whichsignalsyourbrainthatsomethinaintright.Whenyouhyperventilate,theinfluxofoxygenlowersbloodacidity,saysJonathanArmbruster,Ph.D.,anassociateprofessorofbiologyatAuburnUniversity.Thistricksyourbrainintothinkingithasmoreoxygen.Itllbuyyouupto10seconds.
18.Readminds!
Yourown!Ifyouregivingaspeechthenextday,reviewitbeforefallingasleep,saysCandiHeimgartner,aninstructorofbiologicalsciencesattheUniversityofIdaho.Sincemostmemoryconsolidationhappensduringsleep,anythingyoureadrightbeforebedismorelikelytobeencodedaslong-termmemory.
